Samuel grabbed the pouch, weighing it between his fingers before loosening the tie and pouring some of the gold into his palm.
He examined the coins for a moment, then lifted his gaze to Arthur and asked in a low voice: "And what kind of 'work' do you want us to do?"
Arthur leaned back into his chair calmly, his eyes still fixed on Samuel.
Then he spoke in a quiet tone, yet one that carried the weight of authority: "First, let me introduce myself, though I'm sure you've already guessed. I am Arthur de Werner, the third son of Viscount Werner. I'm looking for men willing to do anything for money… and I believe you and your team fit that description."
Garin was observing the situation with tense eyes, but he remained silent, content with watching from the back.
Meanwhile, some of the other mercenaries began to inch closer, driven by curiosity to hear what was going on.
Samuel gave a faint smile, but it was far from friendly. It was the smile of a seasoned man who knew when danger was near and could sense its presence.
"That depends, young noble, on the type of job you're talking about… and how generous the one paying is." He said this while staring at Arthur, as if testing his intentions.
Arthur showed no hesitation.
Instead, he responded in a firm, serious tone: "I'd prefer to have this conversation in a more private setting."
Samuel exchanged a quick glance with other his member's before the latter gestured toward the staircase at the end of the room.
"Follow me," he said, rising to lead the way upstairs, where a more secluded space was available.
Arthur followed with confident steps, carefully observing his surroundings.
Garin attempted to go with them, but some of the other mercenaries blocked his path. Seeing this, Arthur motioned for him to stay put and wait.
Inside the private room, Arthur and Samuel sat at an old wooden table, the atmosphere thick with silent anticipation.
After a few moments of stillness, Arthur finally spoke: "Before I present my offer… I have a question for you. What are your medium or long-term plans? Have you ever considered leaving the mercenary life behind and pursuing a more stable profession… one with a more secure future?"
He was well aware that his question might sound strange coming from a noble, because for most nobles, mercenaries are merely tools to be used and never considered for the future.
Their lives are a series of battles and temporary jobs, surviving and making some money to enjoy life and return to living in a chaotic way.
That was their goal. They were afraid to think beyond the next day, just like the rest of those born at the bottom of this feudal system.
Samuel raised an eyebrow and looked at Arthur, who silently returned the gaze.
There was no mockery in his eyes when asked this, which made Samuel pause for a moment before letting out a short laugh devoid of any humor.
"A more stable life? Ha... It's interesting to hear that from a noble's mouth."
He leaned back into his chair and began spinning a gold coin between his fingers with clear skill. He didn't need to think long about his response.
"If you're talking about a stable job under the command of a noble, as soldiers or personal knights, then we're not that naïve. We're mercenaries, most of us born into humble or even lowly backgrounds, and some of us come from families not suited for such positions. We know well that nobles don't trust us and only contact us when they need us, and once we're no longer useful, we become nothing more than a burden to be disposed of."
Arthur listened in silence, not showing any reaction to his words. It seemed that Samuel noticed this, but he continued without stopping:
"Even if we were qualified, the opportunities are extremely limited. Military positions are distributed through a strict system, starting with the noble family branches, then the sons and grandsons of former knights and soldiers, followed by their relatives, and then the locals who have served the family for generations. As for us? There's no place for us in such a hierarchy."
There was a tone of sarcasm in the end of his words.
For Arthur, his outward calm remained, though he was deep in thought. At least they're not fools.
They're fully aware of their situation, which means they'll be more receptive to what I propose.
He took a slow breath before saying:
"So… you're well aware of your situation. You know you're pawns, used when needed and then discarded when you become a burden. Yet, you don't seek to change this fate?"
Samuel looked at Arthur sharply, then let out a short laugh filled with mockery.
"As if it were that simple. Any change in a person's identity requires a background of strength as support, or a rare opportunity, neither of which you'll get without offering a very high price. Worse still, even if we were willing to offer something for either of them, we still wouldn't be able to guarantee we'd obtain either. The reason is that we're merely mercenaries, which places us in a vicious cycle."
Samuel fell silent for a moment, then resumed speaking in a more measured tone, though there was a warning in his voice:
"Sir nobleman, we are not fools. We know very well that no one offers something without expecting something in return. So, instead of asking us questions that serve only to mock us because we were not born like you, trying to test our understanding of our own situation... Why don't you tell us what you have? What exactly do you want from us?"
Arthur smiled calmly, as if he had been expecting this all along. It was time to move on to the most important part.
"I want to build my own army. I want to create a real 'opportunity,' something that can help us both... And I need men who have ambition and capability."
Signs of interest were clearly visible on the mercenaries' faces, though caution had not entirely faded. Marx stared at Arthur with his piercing eyes before slowly speaking:
"A private army? Ha... The Werner family has no history with private armies. And where do you plan to use this army? Don't tell me you're planning to kill your older brothers or overthrow your father, the viscount, to seize the title? In fact, it might not be a bad offer, as long as you answer this next question: Where will you get the money and resources? Don't expect us to be just free soldiers in your project without any support."
Arthur shook his head in denial, thinking to himself, ""You liar, if I truly made such an offer, I doubt you'd be the first to sell me to my father, the viscount, with this information, in exchange for a fitting reward and perhaps even asking for help to improve your reputation among the other nobles, in return for your silence about the family's scandal.".
Then, he replied confidently: "No, on the surface, you will appear as hired soldiers working for my family. But in reality, you will be in my service, not just temporary mercenaries. Of course, everything comes at a price... and I promise you, that price will be rewarding."
Samuel took a deep breath, watching Arthur closely, before leaning slightly forward and speaking in an examining tone:
"Then, putting this in the context of years of experience in our profession... This means that the Werner family may be preparing for a war they don't want to bear the responsibility and costs for directly. Instead of having your father or your older brothers at the forefront, 'the lesser son' will be sent to be the official face of this operation, with a group of mercenaries hired at a lower cost."
"As for you, perhaps the reason you chose to make this offer to us is to increase your chances of survival after hearing from us, and gaining information that shows our superiority over other mercenaries. That's why you came to offer us a bunch of sweet words, like offering opportunities and improving our identity... This indicates that the war, which we know nothing about yet, is going to be big, involving many nobles, with even greater risks. You even doubt that we will accept your offer, which is why you tried to raise the stakes to make us accept."
Arthur raised an eyebrow slightly, not surprised by Samuel's intelligence. Samuel, the deputy commander of a large mercenary group, had decades of experience.
What he had lived through and seen was far stranger than the pages of war books, knights, and the fake heroic tales Arthur had read in this world or his previous world.
In truth, if Samuel couldn't have figured this out, Arthur would have doubted that he had come to a group of novices just starting out. But he appreciated his quick conclusions. With a faint smile, he said:
"To be honest, and in order to build trust between us, Sir Samuel, your conclusion is actually correct. But the reward is real, and it will be far greater than just simple gold. This is a big war, and the rewards for the victors include noble titles and feudal lands. What I am asking from you is not just money, but for you to start a new path, to open doors for you that you would not have been able to reach before."
Samuel took a deep breath, and his eyes narrowed when he heard the words "hereditary titles" and "lands." Then he paused for a moment before saying:
"I told you, little noble, don't treat us like fools. A war where you can earn lands and titles? How is that possible now, in a kingdom where even the great hereditary nobles have stopped dividing even small pieces of land for their non-inheriting sons? Unless… wait, are you talking about the North?"
As his words continued, Samuel began to think about it.
"Is there going to be a war up there against the orcs in the North? If that's true, you're crazy if you think that the One-Eyed Wolf mercenaries will participate in such battles."
Arthur was not surprised by Samuel's reaction.
After all, even if his father had requested hiring mercenaries, he did not intend to include large, established groups like the One-Eyed Wolf, which comprised hundreds of individuals with superior strength that exceeded the limits of ordinary mercenaries.
The reason wasn't just the exorbitant cost or the bad reputation of some of them; more importantly, these very groups would refuse to participate due to the previous campaign decades ago.
Thanks to their extensive connections, veteran mercenaries like the One-Eyed Wolf were able to access detailed information, unlike the new groups that lacked such knowledge.
They were well aware of the fate of the older members of their profession who had participated in that campaign… which ended with the extermination of 90% of them.
The cause wasn't just the brutality of the war, but also the implicit understanding that developed among the nobles to protect themselves and their families.
They used promises of rewards and titles, offering false guarantees, and then threw the mercenaries into the front lines as cannon fodder.
The result? Horrific losses that reached that percentage.
As for the few who survived… did they get their promised rewards? No one knew, as their news simply disappeared after the war, and that alone raised a thousand questions.
In fact, Arthur had obtained this information not through his father but through his own deductions and secret observations while reading about the previous campaign yesterday in the family library when he wanted to understand the matter better.
Arthur smiled subtly, then replied confidently: "I know it will take more than the current words to convince you. But the greatest guarantee I have right now is that I will be by your side in the same position, so I must know how to protect our interests." He added, "And to increase our future gains."
"You all know how this world works. No one offers you something for nothing, and everyone here is looking for an opportunity to increase their power and status, even at the expense of others. But if you want to be part of that, you must first understand that there is a price to be paid."
Samuel paused for a moment, took a deep breath, and studied Arthur's words carefully.
"You really know how to pique our interest, don't you?" Samuel said with a sarcastic smile, while his eyes gleamed with caution.
"But I can't make a decision right now. I need to go back to our leader first, to make sure we're all on the same page. But if what you're saying is true, and if you have a proper offer, perhaps we'll meet somewhere else to expand the discussion."