Chaos Crown

Chapter 16, Finally Suzal
The team composition of Ferrara's group is terrible.

Sixteen warriors, one barbarian, and one rogue.

Most of the whole group are so-called "fighting dicks".

What is a warrior?

Those who wear heavy armor and use shields to block enemy spears are warriors.

Wearing light leather armor, using a longbow and a short knife to shoot arrows from behind is a warrior.

Holding a double axe, rushing back and forth among the orc crowd, the dwarf who shouted the name of his ancestors was a warrior.

Manipulating a pair of swords and daggers, dancing in the crowd of enemies, like an elf swimming in the tide, is a warrior.

Warriors are proficient in using darts and hooks in the arena, and warriors are warriors who use javelins and nets to catch prey in the wild.

This is the most popular and humblest occupation in the whole country.

According to the authoritative data of Candlekeep, in the north of the country, perhaps two-thirds of the adventurers are warriors.

There are too many fighters, and these adventurers are like living animals from an unpleasant point of view.

It is true that there are not without outstanding fighters.

The most prominent of late, the former king of Cormyr, Athan IV, who fell with the ancient red dragon in the Goblin War, is a legendary warrior.

Elite knights defending their homes and country, noble lords fighting north and south, royal guards, city guardians, these are warriors, but their proportion is very small.

Most of the warriors are village guards, ordinary poor adventurers, bandits, mercenaries, travelers, merchants, hunters, yeomen or sharecroppers, craftsmen, and artisans.

It's a cheap job.

It's not easy for spellcasters like Aaron and Eleanor to go to the Adventurer's Guild to pick up a quest. Any adventure team will welcome them with open arms unless there is no shortage of people.

And the fighter?just wait!There are 810 people in line ahead of you.

So why are fighters so cheap?
Because the functionality of the fighter is too single.

"Apprentice mage: disguise, protection, damage, open the way, decryption.

Apprentice Warrior: Knockout.

Elite Mage: Master more spells to solve various problems in travel and adventure, start to have hard control, powerful AOE magic, and fireball is simple and rude.

Elite Warrior: Slash people hard.

Master Mage: Magic can cover almost the needs of most adventures, including resurrecting the dead, summoning upper-level creatures to assist in combat, long-distance support, and directly creating a space out of thin air for rest and avoidance.

Master Fighter: Slash more brutally.

Legendary Mage: Move mountains and fill seas, build an empire, create your own plane, and dominate the world.

Legendary Warrior: Super invincible, powerful and domineering, slashing people with unparalleled power. "

———National Joke

Of course, this joke is rather extreme. Although a warrior has a single function, it is not so stupid. This is just a metaphor to describe that there are very few things a warrior can do in an adventure.

Moreover, fighters are still one of the few major professions that cannot extend their lifespan through professional abilities.

Legendary mage warlock druids can live a long time.

Legendary paladins, monks, priests, warlocks, and bards also have many ways to extend their lifespan.

Legendary barbarian rangers can extend their lifespan by stepping into the original way and integrating the power of the wild.

Only legendary warriors and rogues were more difficult. Without the help of external forces, they would basically not be able to live beyond the limit of human lifespan - 120 years old, and most legendary warriors would reach the end of their lives at the age of 100.

This is really a profession that eats youth.

Because of this, Aaron decided to ask for advice.

Ferrara, an elite fighter, must have had his own unique understanding to survive as a mercenary until now.

It never hurts to learn more.

In this way, at noon, after walking for three hours, the group found a place to rest on the side of the road. Montero called the mercenaries to gather together. Food, onlookers Ferrara and Aaron's explanation.

The two men each hold a sword, except that Aaron's hand is free, while Ferrara holds a shield in the other.

"During battle, Lord Viscount, you must always pay attention to your weak side, which is the side without a shield."

Ferrara stood still and demonstrated to Aaron: "Generally we think that the side holding the weapon is the strong side, the side holding the shield is the weak side, and the strong side is often the main attacking side. The side that is focused, so the weak side is often the side that is easy to break through."

"Yeah." Aaron recalled the guidance of his father and the Purple Dragon Knights, and followed Ferrara's actions: "Mr. Ferrara, I can't hold a shield with this hand, I need to cast a spell."

"Then Lord Viscount can use the weak side as a trap to lure the opponent to attack." Ferrara waved the sword in his hand, using standard warrior steps: "Master Viscount, you look like a purple dragon knight, so most of the enemies are subconsciously sees you as a melee fighter, and you can often surprise you."

"Noble children who don't use shields but also like to hold one-handed swords are ready-made fat in the eyes of adventurers."

"In combat, blocking is not a good idea, dodging is, and when you are forced to block, you must leave enough space and strength for your arms and wrists."

"Be careful with shields."

"Unless you are sure of hitting the target, you should never use a lot of force with your sword. One is that if you are dodged like this, you will expose a huge flaw. The other is that as an apprentice or second-level professional, use your full strength once or twice. , the body gets tired easily.”

A seasoned warrior, Ferrara taught Aaron the skills he had learned in his adventures.

"Don't stick to weapons in battle. Many times, our shoulders, our legs, our fists and even our foreheads and teeth are also powerful weapons. Fighting is for winning and for living, not for being gorgeous, at least for us These mercenaries are not."

Ferrara demonstrates two moves using a shoulder rush and a kick.

Aaron nodded, he was like a sponge, desperately absorbing knowledge.

In combat, every part of the body is a weapon.

"When fighting, pay attention to the opponent's movements. Whether it is piercing, slashing or heavy blowing, the opponent's body will definitely have a forward movement. At this time, you must pay attention to what the opponent wants to do, and judge the opponent's fighting spirit .” Seeing that Aaron was learning quickly, Ferrara had a smile on his face.

I can actually guide the Viscount-sama!In the future, there will be something to say in the tavern lobby~
"Intent to fight?" Aaron frowned, he was a little confused: "What do you mean, sir, is the other party's determination to fight?"

"I once fought with a guy like me in a manor fight for more than three hours. After the fight, I received a large bounty from a noble grandfather. I didn't even need to go to the blacksmith to repair it afterwards. Weapons and shields." Ferrara said quite complacently: "Unfortunately, such good jobs are not often available."

"Understood." Aaron expressed his understanding.

"If the other party is very vicious, you have to be very energetic. If the other party is perfunctory, you don't have to spend ten dollars. In many cases, everyone is a mercenary who licks blood. There is no need to use money to do things. There may be a little misunderstanding between each other." Ferrara continued: "It depends on what your task is, Mr. Viscount, or what you want to get."

Almost got it mean?Aaron seemed to understand: "Understood, please continue."

"Sometimes, when we face some attacks that we can't dodge, we should try our best to protect our torso." Ferrara went on to say: "Don't worry, as far as Lord Viscount's armor is concerned, as long as it is not extraordinary Weapons, at most, leave a hole in the armor, and bleed a little."

"What if it's an extraordinary weapon?" Aaron asked with interest.

"That's an area I don't understand. Your lord Viscount may need to ask someone else for advice." Ferrara shook his head.

The two sides sat down after a rehearsal, and Ferrara took the bread and butter that Aaron handed him, and then talked about his adventure experience.

"Battle is only a small part of adventure, Lord Viscount, for us mercenaries, what is the purpose of taking risks? Taking risks is to make a living, and taking risks is to make money, and then we should consider improving our strength."

"Based on that, many times we not only don't want to fight, but we do everything we can to avoid it."

"Even in a fight, we will do everything we can to make the fight unfair, such as inserting eyes, kicking crotch, insulting, and spitting. As long as it can cause trouble for the opponent and reduce the opponent's combat effectiveness, it is a success."

"Besides, throwing ashes, traps, poisoning, and falling rocks, as long as it can solve the problem, there is nothing you can't do. If you don't do it, others will do it. You are putting your life in the hands of others."

Ferrara pointed at himself sarcastically: "After all, this business is a job of hard work. More than once I lied to someone that there was something behind him and then killed him with a sword, and more than once I promised and regretted it afterwards."

"The mercenary business is destined to go to hell."

"In the past few years, I have mastered some channels. A few years ago, I also encountered a situation where I had no income for a long time. At that time, I couldn't avoid thinking about it. We generally divide the goals into several types, and choose those that are easy. Let’s do it better.” Ferrara was a little embarrassed when he said this, he scratched his messy hair: “Living is the most important thing.”

"Loyalty is only because the price of betrayal is not enough." Aaron expressed his understanding, and he said meaningfully: "As for Miss Eleanor and I, we must not be fully sure, and the aftermath is very troublesome, right?"

"Uh, people like you have always been the most troublesome kind." Ferrara nodded awkwardly.

The local aristocrats have the mission of the kingdom, the blood warlocks can cast spells, and the temple priests are not bad and can also perform magic arts.

Even if he can get things done, Ferrara doesn't know how to deal with the aftermath.

He didn't know what was going on, but facing Aaron's sky-blue eyes that could not see the end of the sky, he couldn't help but blurt out all the words in his stomach.

"Self-deprecating, demeanor, rules, and elegance, my lord Viscount, these are the privileges of the strong. We are mercenaries. What we have to do is to complete the mission, run the goods, and get the damn money, that's all. Compassion and kindness in adventure are things we don't need, those are too extravagant, so extravagant that we never expect to have."

"We usually abide by the rules because it is beneficial to us, but in some special cases, we can also tear up all contracts, touch all taboos and try all crimes, also because it can benefit us in adversity, it's as simple as that."

"In this case, I understand, the thinking of a normal mercenary."

Aaron got up after drinking a glass of ale. He stood at the edge of the line, looking at the bright spring and the nearby villages, and sighed.

The complexity of human beings is truly on display in the adventurers.

"You shouldn't hang out with them for too long." Seeing that Aaron was in a bad mood, Eleanor couldn't help walking to his side and whispering, "We are servants of the Silver Virgin, and we should learn to be kind."

"It's so difficult to live." Aaron smiled and didn't say anything more.

"No matter how hard it is, you have to live." The pastor said firmly, "Have you forgotten what the Lord expects from you?"

"That's right, even for the sake of the Silver Virgin, I want to live well, well!" Aaron nodded.

Mercenaries are factors of social instability and potential criminals, but the nobles always need them.

In the kingdom, the ownership of the territory is often finally decided after tens or hundreds of years of war. When a nobleman intends to open up a territory, he needs to collect monsters, build settlements, explore the surrounding area, resist the monsters' counterattack, build a city wall, It may take dozens or hundreds of years of intermittent wars to reclaim farmland, build houses, and establish territories before finally making those malicious "neighbors" around you recognize your sovereignty over this land.

Take the Kingdom of Cormyr, for example. Even if the Elf Empire withdrew from this kingdom and explicitly transferred land ownership to humans, the Kingdom of Cormyr was forced to start its own long war history when it was founded in the 26th year of the Valley Calendar. With lizardmen, with lycanthropes, with dragons, and with pirates.

The continuous war continued until the 432nd year of the Sea Prince in the valley calendar. King Cormyr led the nobles who supported him to make a comeback and defeated the pirate king Magras who occupied the capital Suzal. After 400 years of war, finally basically It has been recognized by all the surrounding forces on the sovereignty of human beings in this territory.

400 years of war.

It is too expensive to raise an army by yourself, which is the main reason why adventurers and mercenaries can always be active in the country.

In thinking, around three o'clock in the afternoon, Suzar arrived.

The capital of Cormyr stands tall on the bank of Dragon Lake. It is a jewel in the middle of the kingdom and a proof of the 1000-year rule of Obesthyr over this land. architecture.

There are two giant sculptures standing at the gate of the city.

The first giant sculpture is the famous purple dragon Sagro. This ancient dragon was once the ruler of the Cormyr region. At that time, the Elven Empire united with the human tribes to wage a long war against it, and finally drove it away.

That is, from that day on, the purple dragon became the symbol of Cormyr.

Not worshiping dragons, but proud of slaying dragons.

The second colossal sculpture is that of the famous king of Cormyr, Dual-Obeschiel.

This king is the Cormyr king from the Year of the Sea Prince in 432 in the valley calendar. King Dual spent half his life fighting countless foreign enemies in the kingdom. As a result, the capital city of Suzal was betrayed to the "Tauren" by traitors. Pirate King Magras, King Dual was forced to take a few loyalists to hide in the hidden manor of the King's Forest. He managed to gain the support of some nobles and a mercenary group, and in the same year he killed the Pirate King Magras and took back the established the capital of the kingdom and formally established human sovereignty over the land.

The 400-year war finally came to an end.

It is worth mentioning that the name Susar comes from Susara, the wife of Cormyr's first king, Ondas Obeszier, but the queen really couldn't bear the endless war and conflict. Pioneer finally chose to leave.

A group of people approached the north gate. The gate was crowded with carriages and travelers who wanted to enter the city. The queue formed a long queue. The guards were in a hurry to check the packages and vehicles of the people entering the city, and of course the necessary permits. .

Due to the large number of people, the attitude of the guards was not very good, but as long as they saw Aaron's burqa armor and the certificate he showed, it was enough for the guards to wave and let them go.

After entering the city gate, the weakening of the light and the stench were overwhelming. Crowds, noises, beggars and peddlers gathered, and young children in scanty clothes opened their eyes wide and turned towards Aaron and Ellie. Nuo Shen stretched out his little hand, his eyes full of longing.

"Why are there so many people!" Aaron didn't even have time to signal with his eyes, and Ferrara immediately led the mercenaries forward, frightening the crowd away, facing the sad and helpless eyes of Miss Pastor, asked clearly.

"There are a lot of refugees from Arabel here, all of them are crowded into Suzal." Aaron said calmly, and at the same time he was still comforting the pastor's emotions: "Their homeland has fallen, and Suzal has never been seen before. crowded."

"Do you want to go home?" The mercenary leader knew it was time to part.

"No, go to the cemetery first." Aaron shook his head, and he took out a small square box from his luggage.

"This bastard...his soul should be rested in peace."

　Updated, the Son of Heaven here wishes everyone a happy National Day.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)