The Path of Ruin

Kael felt himself tense for a moment.

His purpose in coming here was simple. He would show that he was capable despite his age because he was sure that he was at least as strong as the adults, then he would become an individual mercenary and perform tasks in exchange for payment.

It wasn't that he didn't expect a problem. There were really many things that could go wrong. For example, no one might accept him because he was still a child, or even worse, they might neutralize him, make him a slave again, and sell him to a random person.

But he had high faith that he could escape. Because... he was sure that with the 'power' he could use, he could be more agile than any normal adult. Things would change, of course, if he met someone with a blessing or a curse like him.

But no one here was like that.

He didn't know why, but he could truly feel it.

Not only here, but no one within a certain distance was like that. Everyone was just... normal people. And that's why he was confident. He would take his chances, and if he failed... he could always run away into the forest again.

That's why he decided to make this almost 'stupid' move. He was confident in himself, he was sure he could survive even if something unfortunate happened.

Still... the dozens of eyes on him, the strange smell of blood and alcohol mixed together made him nervous. Of course, he couldn't show it on the outside.

A second passed in silence, then two. The eyes focused on him slowly withdrew and people returned their attention to their own tables. Even if a few still looked at him, the building had once again become a space independent of him.

Kael looked around. At the other end of the room, on the other side of the tables, there was a counter where three people were pouring alcohol into glasses. But Kael's eyes were not on the glasses. On the contrary... they were on the three people he had seen enter a few minutes earlier. They had left the sacks they were carrying on the counter. One of the employees was checking what was in them.

Kael approached them quietly. He lined up behind them. Watching and listening to what was happening while no one was aware of his presence.

"The number of creatures in the forest has dwindled, it was much harder to find goblins for some reason."

It was the old man at the front who spoke. His words were answered by the woman checking the contents of the sack.

"Everyone who has been cleaning goblins for the last three days says the same thing. Someone went overboard and killed more than usual, probably."

Kael didn't react when he heard what was being said, but he knew he was to blame. After all, he had arrived on this side of the forest exactly four days ago. He had been killing goblins for that long.

Had he done something wrong...?

"They reproduce quite fast, so it will be fine. Their numbers will probably multiply in a few days. Don't worry too much."

So it wasn't that bad at all...

"The count is confirmed."

The woman sealed the last sack she had checked and put it somewhere behind her. Then, she took something out from under her workbench and put it on the table.

What she left on the counter was... money. Three coins with an orangish color.

"Your payment is three bronze cali."

The man nodded and took the three bronze kali from the counter. Meanwhile, Kael was thinking.

'One sack is worth one bronze cali, then... Although what exactly was in the sack? Creature parts...?'

While he was lost in thought, the group of three in front of him turned around. But before they moved forward and bumped into Kael, they stopped, their gaze shifting slightly downwards.

Kael looked up to meet their gaze. He did not look away as the three men in front of him stared at him. Then, he slowly stepped aside, giving way to them.

The three men continued to stare at him. They studied his clothes, his appearance. But, after a short time, they moved on without saying anything.

It was a strange moment. He didn't understand why the men were so focused on him, waiting to leave.

But he didn't care, he didn't even turn around and give them a second look. He approached the woman and met her blue eyes looking at him. Her black hair was pulled back behind her head and she was dressed in the clothes of the common people.

The woman tilted her head slightly to the side. Looking at Kael curiously, she finally spoke.

"Are you looking for something?"

Kael shook his head from side to side. He went straight to the point, speaking in a low voice so that no one could hear him.

"I... want to be a mercenary."

The woman's eyebrows rose slightly. Yet her expression was still cold and straight.

"You will die on the first task you attempt to complete."

That was what she deduced from Kael's estimated age, from his frail body. They lived in a dangerous world. It was impossible for a boy who didn't know what he was doing to survive as a mercenary.

"I won't."

"I've seen a lot of kids who talk confidently and then never show up again. They were all like you, kids who didn't look a day over fifteen with a frail body. Some were chasing impossible dreams, some had no choice, some were bored."

She looked into Kael's eyes. Someone's eyes could tell a lot about themselves. As someone who had worked in a mercenary branch, she had seen this to be true many times.

The boy in front of him was... determined.

No, not just determined. He was much more than that. He certainly had admirable eyes.

The only problem was... his body couldn't handle that determination and confidence.

"I have nothing to lose."

But... she had no intention of stopping him.

She had tried her chance once, if the boy in front of her was still determined to run to his death... why keep trying?

"You remember the sacks the guys who just got paid brought, right?"

Kael nodded in confirmation. Then the woman reached under the counter, pulled out a single sack, and held it out in front of the boy in front of her.

"Ten goblins, time limit three days. For me to verify that you have killed the goblins, you will cut off their right ear and bring them here. If you manage to kill ten of them within the time limit, I can register you as a recruit."

This was standard procedure, nothing special for Kael. If he wanted to become at least a recruit level mercenary, he had to kill ten goblins within three days.

Kael quickly grabbed the sack from the counter, tucking it between his clothes.

"Is there anything else I should know?"

The woman shook her head from side to side.

There was nothing anyone who wasn't actually a mercenary needed to know yet. To learn more, he had to be a real one first.

"Thank you."

And he turned around, as if nothing had happened, preparing to leave the building.

The woman watched him until he left the building. Her expression did not change even once. There was nothing going through her mind.

As she had told Kael, she was used to kids like him coming in and never showing up again. Why should she expect anything different from him?

*******

Kael was surprised.

'Ten goblins... and in three days?'

The time he needed to kill ten goblins was not even a minute. Well, finding them was going to be a bit of a problem, of course...

But wasn't being a mercenary a little too easy?

'Did she pity me because I'm still a kid? She also tried to talk me out of it, although she didn't try very hard...'

Or maybe that was the general procedure for kids instead of her pitying him.

'Well, whatever...'

He was not going to complain. Even though he was surprised, it suited him.

'I'll complete it in one day.'

That's what he thought as he made his way through the forest. He would return to the building with ten goblin ears, register as a mercenary, and then earn money.

So far... everything was as he wanted. He hadn't encountered any problems.

His lips curled up slightly as he looked up at the sky.

The rain had stopped drizzling, the dark clouds were slowly dissipating. The storm was over.

But then...

"Ah!"

He paused as he bumped into something, taking a few steps back. As he patted his nose with his left hand, he slowly turned his eyes in front of him.

What he found in front of him were... three men. The men who had spoken to the employee in the building before him. All three had a slight smile on their faces.

"Hello, kid."

Kael slowly took his hand away from his nose and looked at the man who had spoken to him.

Just like in the building, he was the one talking here. Thanks to a few scars and the wrinkles of old age, his face had a stern look. His rather short black hair was graying in places, but other than that, he had no features that could be called 'old'. He was tall, his body was muscular.

"You want to be a mercenary, don't you?"

Kael said nothing, just nodded his head slightly. He didn't even blink his eyes.

The smile on the man's face widened slightly at Kael's answer.

"Then... why don't you come with us? We're already looking for a fourth for our group..."

There was a short silence between them. The man just kept looking at Kael, and Kael kept looking at him.

Then...

"Sure."

He accepted their offer with a cold, straight face.

The smile on the men's faces grew wider.