Left with no other choice, Howard played out this ruse.
Without drawing attention, he allowed the convoy to continue its journey.
Then, he quietly called Chris and Tina forward and revealed the truth to them.
On learning the truth, their mouths hung open in disbelief; Kariov was an impostor.
Howard’s audacity was astounding – it was a matter of life and death just moments ago.
Their admiration for Howard grew; he had used a tactic no one could have anticipated, successfully frightening off the infamous Phileste.
Although Phileste had temporarily retreated, the situation was far from optimistic.
If Phileste were to regain his composure or discover that the real Kariov was not in Howard’s convoy, it would spell disaster for Howard.
This incident had deeply impressed upon Howard the terrifying cunning of Phileste; he had predicted even the remote routes that Howard might take in his cautiousness.
This man was not to be underestimated.
Howard urged everyone to proceed at full speed, foregoing any rest.
With a day and a night’s journey ahead, he planned to push on to Tarl City and then properly reward the group.
Mere words were not enough to spur them to greater efforts, so Howard tripled their wages on the spot, promising a tenfold increase if they arrived at Tarl City a night earlier.
With this, a wave of excitement surged through the ranks.
Everyone exerted themselves more vigorously than before.
Dissatisfied with the slow pace of the horses pulling the carts, they began to push from behind.
The snail-paced convoy suddenly accelerated, moving as swiftly as rabbits.
Under the allure of immense wealth, Howard finally reached Tarl City before nightfall.
The walls of Tarl City were in a state of disrepair.
Positioned on the border, the city had known no war for decades, leading to the neglect of its fortifications.
Its unfavorable geographical location further contributed to its poverty.
Under normal circumstances, no trade caravan would venture to such a place, so the sudden arrival of Howard and his company instantly caught the attention of the city’s guards.
A captain of the guard approached them, blocking their path.
“Please present your identification. This is a routine check, thank you,” he said, his voice cold and detached.
Howard remained composed, well-prepared for such a situation.
Bearing the identity of the Frostwolf Mercenaries, he had no fear of scrutiny despite his undocumented status.
Tina hurried forward, handing over the credentials of the Frostwolf Mercenaries to the guard captain.
The captain’s initial surprise quickly turned into confusion as he scrutinized Howard and his group.
To him, the Frostwolf Mercenaries were a formidable mercenary group, yet the team before him seemed incongruent with their reputation.
Apart from a few who looked the part, the rest were skinny, almost underfed, hardly the image of a robust mercenary force.
“May we enter now?” Howard inquired.
Regardless of their appearance, the captain had no grounds to deny them entry.
“I need to inspect your goods first,” he stated.
Tina stepped forward again, this time slipping a gold coin into the captain’s hand, feigning surprise at her own action.
His eyes lit up at the sight of the coin.
“Hmm… Since you are the renowned Frostwolf Mercenaries, I suppose there’s no need for inspection. You may enter,” he said, pocketing the gold coin with satisfaction.
With that, Howard and his companions successfully made their way into Tarl City.
It had been a long time since a trade caravan had visited Tarl City, so Howard’s arrival immediately drew attention.
Particularly from certain nobles who sensed an opportunity to profit.
As Howard walked through the streets, he sent Chris ahead to arrange accommodations.
Soon, a man dressed as a noble blocked the path of the convoy, greeting Howard with a smile and a bow before drawing closer.
“Is this your first visit to Tarl City, my lord? May I be of any assistance?” he inquired.
Howard gave the man a cursory glance but did not engage.
Noticing he was being ignored, the noble’s temper flared internally, though he maintained a cheerful demeanor.
“Tarl City falls under the jurisdiction of Lord Bert. I would advise you to pay him a visit as soon as possible. All merchants must receive Lord Bert’s permission to stay in the city,” he said politely, though Howard detected an underlying threat.
However, Tarl City was no Holy Light City, and Howard had little to fear here.
Despite its proximity to Holy Light City, the difference in status was stark.
The empire’s indifference to this remote town was evident from the absence of any knightly orders.
“Understood,” Howard replied indifferently, hastening the pace of the convoy.
If Phileste discovered he had been deceived, he would undoubtedly return, not one to let things go easily.
There was also the matter of the unidentified influential figure in Holy Light City, likely keeping an eye on Howard.
But Howard believed that their reach would not extend to Tarl City.
Chris, efficient as ever, quickly secured a temporary place for them to stay.
After a night’s rest, Howard set about issuing a call for recruits the next day, a move that ruffled the feathers of Tarl City’s elite.
His brazen action, taken without even a nod to the local dignitaries, was seen as a blatant disregard for their authority.
Moreover, the Frostwolf Mercenaries’ offer of a gold coin per month for each new recruit seemed ludicrously generous.
It was an offer that screamed of a scam, infuriating many of the city’s influential figures.
Learning from his experiences in Holy Light City, Howard began by spreading rumors that the Frostwolf Mercenaries were indeed offering a gold coin as salary, a tactic designed to pique curiosity and lure potential recruits.
Additionally, he orchestrated a few staged demonstrations to further sell the idea.
In Tarl City, free from the constraints he faced in Holy Light City, Howard could operate more boldly.
The recruitment drive was initially successful, attracting over a hundred applicants on the first day.
However, most were of questionable quality; genuine warriors fit for battle were few.
In the end, Chris selected just six individuals.
Howard was not in a hurry; he instructed Chris to take her time with the training of these six.
Meanwhile, Tina was tasked with handling the logistical aspects of their operation.
Howard had assessed the abilities of the six recruits.
They were former soldiers of the empire or private forces of some nobility, slightly inferior to the knights of the Empire Knights Order, but significantly more capable than the average person.
The first day’s success with recruitment was followed by an even more eventful second day.
News of Howard’s generous offer spread rapidly throughout Tarl City, capturing the interest of various local powers and their subordinates. 𝘪.𝘤𝑜𝘮
Many, worn out by their thankless jobs and meager earnings, were tempted by the lucrative opportunity Howard presented.
In a surprising turn, even some of the empire’s city guards were drawn in, secretly making their way to join Howard’s ranks.
This development further displeased the city’s influential figures.
Howard was elated by this response, knowing that the quality of his recruits need not be a concern.
However, he cautioned Chris about the importance of loyalty.
Strength was invaluable, but without reliability, a recruit was not worth considering.
Three days later, at the Lord’s Manor, a gathering of nobles simmered with indignation.
“Curse that newcomer, Howard! He dares to disregard us so blatantly,” one of them fumed.
“Everyone, please calm yourselves,” a voice interjected, coming from the head of the table.
“Not long ago, I received a letter from Lord Kaser of Holy Light City.”
“Oh?”
“Bert, what did Lord Kaser instruct?” they queried in unison, visibly taken aback.
The lord of Holy Light City reaching out to their remote town was unexpected.
Despite the proximity of the two cities, their statuses were worlds apart.
Even the guards from Holy Light City were not to be trifled with by Tarl City’s nobility.
With all eyes fixed on him in surprise, Bert, the lord of Tarl City, spoke with a sly smile, “Lord Kaser has instructed us to eliminate Howard and his companions, and then send his six carriages to Holy Light City.”
The nobles gasped in shock.
Why would the esteemed Lord Kaser order the killing of a seemingly insignificant individual and request the delivery of his carriages?
“Could it be that Howard stole something from that lord?”
“It’s highly likely. But regardless, we cannot allow Howard to continue his brazen behavior. He must be eliminated.”
Howard’s recruitment drive had begun to severely disrupt the normal functioning of Tarl City.
The soldiers were now increasingly inclined to serve under Howard, and if this trend continued, Howard would soon become the most powerful figure in the entire city.
This posed a direct threat to the authority of Bert, the city’s lord, as well as the other nobles, rendering their positions and influence effectively null.
They could not allow such a scenario to unfold.
“No matter why Lord Kaser wants Howard dead, he must be dealt with,” Bert asserted.
“Arrange it swiftly. While he is still gaining his footing, we will end his life tonight. But remember, his carriages must be protected at all costs. No one is to tamper with Lord Kaser’s property!”
“Yes!” came the unanimous response.
The assembly eagerly awaited Bert’s command, ready to act. 𝑖𝘦.𝑐𝘰𝘮
Many among them harbored resentment towards Howard for his dismissive attitude.
“You want to recruit soldiers, fine, but you could at least have the courtesy to inform us. Where is our respect? And the audacity to offer such high pay to your recruits, while amassing such a force – it’s practically a death wish.”
Howard had anticipated the impatience of Tarl City’s nobility and had already instructed Chris to be prepared.
He was not worried.
The combined military strength of Tarl City was insignificant compared to that of Holy Light City, both in numbers and combat prowess.
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