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The guild branch manager had selected the most capable individuals from Pryanor as promised, and ten mercenaries were whittled down to four through interviews with Yuric.
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Iron Hammer Kieran.
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Big-nosed Dagan.
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Red-haired Ignis.
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Squinting Giranos.
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All of them were veterans who had rolled in the mercenary business for over ten years, and their skills were categorized as top-tier. Especially, Red-haired Ignis had served five years in the scouts.
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In fact, Ignis had graduated with excellent grades from a magic academy and entered as a personal mage for a noble, but was expelled after an affair with the noble’s daughter was discovered. That’s why he had no choice but to join the scouts.
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Iron Hammer Kieran was originally a slave in an underground arena. Due to his exceptional skill, he won the tournament and earned his freedom as a reward. He prided himself on being the best at handling iron hammers in Pryanor.
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Big-nosed Dagan was a man with a large nose, and he was called “Dagan” because he could smell things incredibly well.
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Squinting Giranos was surprisingly a devout believer of the Holy Spirit. Unlike other mercenaries, he spoke and acted properly and neatly. However, once he entered combat, he would shout prayers to the Holy Spirit and crush enemies with an axe, acting like a madman.
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At this gathering of four people, Yuric revealed why he had hired them.
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“We’re going to the Demon Mine to find a dragon.”
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Upon hearing this, everyone’s eyes widened in surprise.
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“A dragon?!”
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“Don’t worry, we’re not looking for a dragon to fight. We’re just looking for one.”
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If someone else had said that, it might have been immediately dismissed as nonsense, but their employer was none other than a Dragon Knight. Moreover, there were rumors that he had made great achievements by defeating demons recently in Rianther! It seemed unlikely that such a person would take actions leading to death.
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“Since I and Bella will be the ones finding the dragon, all you need to do is help us live safely in the Demon Mine.”
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The four mercenaries had never taken on such a request before. Nevertheless, they had already accepted the job, and working with a Dragon Knight would provide them with valuable experience. They could get free drinks at the taverns with this story.
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“Even though we’ve already received the advance payment, well, if you insist, we have to comply.”
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Thus, Yuric, Bella, and the four mercenaries under contract left Pryanor and headed toward the Magic City of Verzig, which was located on the Verzig Cliff.
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A young coachman asked Yuric what business he had in the village. When Yuric mentioned visiting Verzig Cliff, the coachman’s expression changed strangely.
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“I’m the village elder, and since I started being a coachman, I’ve never seen anyone go there.”
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“Still, it’s a historical site.”
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“It’s only called a historical site. I’ve only been there once in my life, and there’s really nothing there. Well, maybe old relics might be found if the ground is dug up, but who would peacefully dig the ground near the Demon Mine? It’s even more dangerous now.”
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Yuric, seeing that they had already formed a connection, asked if the coachman could take them through the village to Verzig Cliff. Of course, since they needed to enter the Demon Mine, the coachman would have to return alone to the village. The coachman immediately showed fear.
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“It’s really dangerous there. You never know when a monster might attack.”
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“What about ten gold coins?”
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Ten gold coins!
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The coachman’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out. His monthly income was around two gold coins, and after deducting essential expenses, he couldn’t save even one gold coin. Honestly, this amount was worth serious consideration.
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After deep thought, the coachman proposed a compromise. No matter what, traveling alone for two days was too risky, so he agreed to take them only until the village, which was one day away. In return, he would accept only five gold coins.
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Yuric understood the coachman’s situation and agreed to this arrangement. After all, other coachmen likely had similar circumstances.
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Six carriages, including the caravan, headed toward the village. The village received the caravan once a month, and villagers used this opportunity to buy and sell goods, replenishing their supplies. Usually, villages near cities raised livestock, and the caravan purchased much leather and fur.
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Children flocked to see the outsiders who came once a month. For them, outsiders were both a good sight and a form of entertainment.
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Recalling his childhood in a remote mountain village, Yuric spent a day drawing pictures for the children. Meanwhile, the mercenaries indulged in drinking in the inn hall, boasting about their prime years.
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The six of them spent a day in the village and, early the next morning, departed again on the young coachman’s carriage, heading towards Verzig Cliff, not the city of Pryanor.
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Although Verzig had disappeared, the road leading there still remained after four hundred years. However, due to lack of maintenance, weeds grew between the stones.
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The carriages stopped and started repeatedly. They halted before the sun fully set and camped together. The coachman looked slightly regretful, wondering if he had risked his life unnecessarily for money. But since he had come this far, there was no turning back.
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As expected, the Fellout attacked them in the middle of the night. But for these seasoned veterans, the Fellout attack was merely light preparation.
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The next morning, the coachman hurriedly drove the carriage back to the village. The remaining six started walking toward Verzig Cliff.
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They reached the cliff around noon the next day, having faced two monster attacks during the journey.
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The road extended all the way up to the high cliff. However, at the end, only traces of the city’s former location remained, leaving everything else empty.
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The view from the high cliff was breathtaking. The forest in the Demon Mine spread endlessly like a sea.
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“…It’s incredible…”
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“Is this where all the monsters reside?”
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It was unimaginable how many monsters lived in such a vast Demon Mine. Even if they caught a lot of monsters, they would continue to multiply like cockroaches every spring.
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While the mercenaries observed the Demon Mine from the cliff, Yuric and Bella carefully examined the site where Verzig once stood. He estimated its size by looking at a paper that faithfully replicated an ancient illustration, which stated that it could be seen from very far away on clear days.
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‘For such an enormous thing to disappear overnight…’
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It wasn’t surprising that the entire continent went into chaos.
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While inspecting the site, Yuric approached the mercenaries and surveyed the surroundings. There was no sign of Verzig.
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‘It’s certain that it’s unreasonable for such a massive thing to travel all the way to the location of the southern watchtower without a single witness.’
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As Bella had guessed, Yuric judged that separating the issue into two parts was correct.
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Similarly, while inspecting the site, Bella quietly stood beside Yuric and asked.
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“Have you figured anything out?”
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“To be honest, I don’t know anything from this.”
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Ultimately, the only option to find the location of Verzig was to rely on the Wingless Wyvern, Ashborn.
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They set up camp for the night on Verzig Cliff.
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That night, Yuric met the Earth Dragon, Alaldur, in his mind.
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“If Ashborn were to make a nest, it wouldn’t be in a high place.”
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“Why is that?”
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“Because Ashborn lost his wings. The Wyvern tribe breaks the wings of traitorous kin. The intention is to force them to crawl on the ground like an Earth Dragon.”
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Yuric couldn’t imagine that Ashborn had lost his wings.
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“Then can’t we fix his wings with dragon language magic?”
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“There would be countless curses attached to Ashborn’s dragon language magic. To ensure he can never fly again.”
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He hadn’t imagined that there would be such a story behind it.
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Yuric felt sorry for Ashborn, a Wyvern who could no longer fly.
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“Then, we’ll need to search inside the Demon Mine to find Ashborn.”
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“It won’t be difficult to find Ashborn. Since you’ve grown enough to use dragon language magic, you should be able to sense the aura of a dragon. Focus.”
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Yuric woke up from his sleep. It was still a dark night. As he got up, the guard on duty, Big-nosed Dagan, asked if he was going to urinate. He nodded in response.
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Yuric approached the cliff and looked down at the dim forest of the Demon Mine. The cold wind blew away the remaining heat. He closed his eyes and concentrated. Suddenly, his senses instinctively focused on something. He opened his eyes and looked in the direction his senses indicated.
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‘…Over there…’
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As dawn broke, the expedition team descended from the cliff and headed in the direction Yuric had confirmed the previous night. Crossing fields and streams, the eerie atmosphere became deadly.
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“My balls feel so cold!”
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Dagan scratched his crotch, expressing the biting cold. Squinting Giranos knelt and kissed the ground.
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“Let’s go in.”
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Following Yuric’s gesture, the six slowly stepped into the Demon Mine.
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In order to find the unfortunate Wingless Wyvern, Ashborn, who had lost his wings.
