After leaving the evaluation hall, both of them headed directly to the quest board. Astaroth, it seemed, had no desire to let Volk go through the evaluation process. The boy's abilities were still developing, and there was no reason for him to.
Arriving at the quest board, he found a B-rank quest which involved acting as guards for a wealthy merchant who had come to Beldam Sprawl for a business project. The payment was substantial, and the connections it might provide could prove valuable.
Accepting the quest, since it would be a good way of increasing his connections in this world, he took the quest form to a receptionist at the desk and requested more details on the job.
The receptionist, a blonde beauty with an easy-going smile, replied, "The merchant has asked for you to meet him later today at the Heavenly Inn."
Astaroth, a bit confused, asked, "Heavenly?"
The receptionist, getting why he was confused, just laughed it off, saying, "Everyone gives their inn fancy names these days. You'd find a hundred more inns from other kingdoms with the same name." Looking down at the form again, she took a stamp and used it to mark the quest as accepted.
"The merchant's name is Aldric Kaine. He's from the Merchant Guild's Gold tier, so he's not someone to underestimate. Word is he's here to establish new trade routes, but there have been some... complications."
"What kind of complications?"
"Bandits have been hitting his supply lines. But more concerning are the reports of his competitors trying to sabotage his operations. Corporate warfare, if you will." She leaned forward conspiratorially. "Between you and me, I think there's more to this than it meets the eye."
Leaving the guild, they headed straight to the Heavenly Inn to get a room to settle down in. The inn was filled with the musky scent of sweat and beer, a bit quiet now but known to get pretty rowdy at night, as he saw from the memories he had absorbed. He went straight to the reception and booked a room for both of them at the price of two silver coins.
They then climbed the stairs, looked for their room number, and entered, taking in the sights. The room was modest but clean, with two beds and a small window overlooking the street below. Volk, who had been quiet all this time, finally asked, "Master, why are we sharing the same room?"
Astaroth, in response to his question, just grunted, "I don't need sleep. This room is for you."
He then continued, "Rest properly, we have a lot to do later on," and with that, he turned around and sat on the floor in a corner, deep in thought. His mind was already analyzing the potential implications of this job. A wealthy merchant with enemies would be a valuable ally.
Volk obeyed his master's words and decided to sleep, as he hadn't been able to since the incident. Feeling safe in Astaroth's presence, he slept like a log.
After a couple of hours had passed, they left the room and went straight toward the ground floor, where a lot of people had begun to arrive in droves to rest from the toil of the day, as it was now sunset. The inn's main hall was now bustling with activity, merchants arguing over prices, adventurers sharing tales of their exploits, and waitresses weaving between the tables with tankards of ale.
They were to make contact with the merchant here to discuss the terms of their service. The good thing was that they had seen his picture on the quest form, so recognizing him would be easy.
Aldric Kaine was not difficult to spot. He sat at a corner table, his expensive clothing and nervous demeanor marking him as clearly out of place in the rough tavern atmosphere. He was a man in his forties, with graying hair and intelligent eyes that constantly scanned the room for god knows what.
"Aldric Kaine?" Astaroth approached the table with Volk trailing behind.
"Yes, that's me. You must be the guards from the Adventurers' Guild." He gestured for them to sit. "Thank you for accepting my job request."
"No need for thanks, we're getting paid as well," Astaroth replied, taking a seat across from the merchant. "What exactly are we protecting you from?"
Aldric glanced around nervously before leaning forward. "Officially, I'm here to establish new trade routes between Beldam Sprawl and the eastern kingdoms. Unofficially..." He paused, seeming to weigh his words carefully. "I'm here because I've discovered something that certain people would prefer remained hidden."
"And what would that be?"
"Evidence of corruption within the Merchant Guild's upper echelons. Price fixing, monopoly schemes, and worse. I've been gathering proof for months, but my competitors have caught wind of it. They're not content to simply discredit me; they want me silenced permanently."
Volk's enhanced hearing picked up the subtle increase in Aldric's heart rate. The man was telling the truth, but not the whole truth.
"What kind of evidence?" Astaroth pressed.
"Documents, shipping records, correspondence between guild officials and crime syndicates. The kind of information that could topple governments if it fell into the wrong hands."
"And you want us to protect you while you conduct your... legitimate business?"
"Exactly. I have meetings scheduled with several local merchants over the next few days. I need to ensure I can attend them without fear of assassination."
Astaroth studied the merchant carefully. The man's story was plausible, but something felt off. Still, the job offered opportunities like access to merchant networks, political intelligence, and potential leverage over powerful figures.
"Our rate is fifty gold pieces per day, plus expenses."
"Done." Aldric didn't even hesitate, which confirmed Astaroth's suspicion that there was more to this than the merchant was revealing.
They spent the next hour discussing security arrangements, schedules, and potential threats. Aldric provided them with a list of his enemies, both known and suspected, along with their typical methods of operation.
As the evening progressed, Astaroth found himself studying the tavern's other patrons with new interest. Several groups were more than they appeared to be. The four men in the corner who kept glancing at their table weren't casual drinkers. The woman at the bar who had been nursing the same drink for an hour was positioned to observe the entire room.
"We're being watched," he murmured to Volk.
His disciple nodded almost imperceptibly. "At least six individuals. They're trying to be subtle about it."
"Good. Your training is paying off."
At that moment, a commotion erupted near the tavern's entrance. A group of armed men burst through the doors, their weapons drawn and their intent clear. The lead figure was a scarred man with cold eyes and the bearing of a professional killer.
"Aldric Kaine!" he called out. "By order of the Eastern Trade Consortium, you are under arrest for theft of proprietary information and industrial espionage!"
The tavern erupted into chaos. Patrons scrambled for cover, tables were overturned, and the sound of steel being drawn filled the air. Astaroth remained seated, his expression calm as he assessed the situation.
"Arrest?" Aldric laughed bitterly. "Why come with swords drawn then?"
"Master?" Volk asked, his hand moving toward his concealed weapons.
"Wait," Astaroth commanded. "Let's see how this plays out."
The scarred man and his companions advanced through the chaos, shoving aside anyone who got in their way. They moved with the coordinated precision of experienced killers, their formation designed to prevent escape rather than capture.
"I suggest you surrender quietly," the leader said, his sword pointed at Aldric's throat. "It will be less painful for everyone involved."
"I'm afraid that's not going to happen," Astaroth said, rising from his chair. "My client has paid for protection, and I intend to provide it."
The scarred man's eyes shifted to Astaroth, taking in his appearance with professional interest. "You're outmatched, boy. There are eight of us and two of you. Walk away now, and you might live to see tomorrow."
"Eight of you?" Astaroth seemed genuinely amused. "And so what?"
What followed was next was a brutal beat down. Astaroth moved with savage grace, his fist aiming true at their guts, making them wheeze in pain. He didn't waste motion or energy, each strike precisely calculated to disable and show the power gap between them.
Volk sat quietly to the side, watching his master beat all the attackers to a pulp.
Within minutes, all eight attackers lay unconscious on the tavern floor. The remaining patrons stared in stunned silence at the two figures who had dispatched professional killers with such casual ease.
"Well," Aldric said, his voice shaky but impressed. "I think I made the right choice in hiring you."
"The night is young," Astaroth replied, cleaning his blade. "I suspect this was merely the appetizer."