Mercenary Tavern—Hailan No. 11
This was a branch of the Mercenary Tavern, which also bore another well-known name:
The Mercenary Guild!
Unlike traditional guilds, the Mercenary Tavern was specifically designed to serve mercenaries, operating in the form of a tavern. After all, mercenaries were mostly rough men who lived for alcohol. Drinking, bragging, and then picking up a task at the front desk or from the bulletin board—this tavern-style setting was naturally the best fit.
At this moment, the tavern was packed with seasoned mercenaries, drinking, eating, and speaking loudly, creating a noisy atmosphere. The air was thick with the scent of alcohol.
And a faint hint of blood.
Perhaps it came from the tooth embedded in the wooden counter at the front desk, or from the mercenaries wrapped in blood-stained bandages.
Either way, it wasn't exactly a pleasant smell.
But Caius loved it—it felt just like home.
Compared to the wasteland gang bars of his past life, where smoke, booze, and vomit mixed into a putrid stench, this place was practically fresh air.
At least, the owner here seemed to clean up regularly.
He pushed open the door and stepped inside, and the noise in the tavern noticeably quieted.
Caius could feel eyes turning toward him.
With his massive build, he stood out anywhere—unless he was among towering monsters.
But he enjoyed the attention.
In his past life, he had wanted to be a big guy but never had the chance. He barely managed to be "medium-sized."
Ignoring the stares, he walked straight to the front desk.
Everyone was watching him, their gazes filled with curiosity, scrutiny, and the kind of provocation and disdain that veteran mercenaries had for rookies.
Tsk, this familiar feeling was back again.
Caius grinned and gave the barmaid a simple, honest smile. "Hello, I'd like to register as a mercenary."
"Oh, we got ourselves a newbie," the barmaid said. She was a striking woman with sun-kissed skin, wavy hair, and a curvaceous figure.
A true beauty.
"I'm Yvlan, the owner of Hailan No. 11," she introduced herself, her sultry gaze unabashedly lingering on Caius' broad chest, the corner of her lips curling in an amused smirk.
"Caius," he responded succinctly.
Yvlan continued, "We have a tradition here—newbies have to buy a round for everyone."
Caius blinked. "A round? Drinks?"
"Mhm~" Yvlan chuckled. "Of course. Though if you're willing to buy food, I'm sure they'd be even happier."
"Haha!" The tavern erupted in laughter.
Caius immediately realized he was being teased.
But he didn't mind. He laughed along and said, "I'll treat everyone after I complete my first mission."
The surrounding mercenaries widened their eyes, then burst into even louder laughter.
"Kid, you're serious?" A burly man with a thick beard slapped his thigh, watching Caius with interest.
Caius sat down at the bar, turned to the crowd, and said, "Of course! It's just a round of drinks, right?"
"Don't underestimate it. There are a lot of people here. Even the cheapest black rye ale would cost at least fifty gold coins."
This world's currency consisted of gold, silver, and copper coins, with an exchange rate of 1:10:100.
The tavern was large, spanning three floors, with around six hundred people present. A mug of black rye ale cost eight copper coins, which indeed added up to over fifty gold coins.
Caius did have plenty of gold—his inheritance from his old man, plus the sale of a blacksmith shop, and the savings he had built up over the years.
But he wasn't about to spend it here.
Still, he put on a nonchalant expression. "Fifty gold is nothing. I'll be a legendary mercenary someday. By then, I'll be raking in millions per mission."
"Forget just this tavern, I could treat the whole city!"
The tavern burst into laughter again.
Though the laughter was mocking, Caius knew it was the kind of laughter people let out when they heard something amusing.
He knew exactly how to deal with these battle-hardened mercenaries.
After that, the hostile gazes directed at him lessened considerably.
A new mercenary meant more competition for jobs—very few welcomed that.
But Caius' little performance made many dismiss him as a naïve rookie who hadn't yet been beaten down by reality. To them, he would probably die on a mission soon enough, so he wasn't worth considering as a rival.
And really, how do you integrate into a mercenary crowd?
Easy—join in on their boasting!
Sure enough, the bearded man who had laughed the loudest was now looking at Caius approvingly, even inviting him to drink together.
This move saved Caius a lot of unnecessary trouble. The initial hostility toward him faded, and the tavern returned to its lively atmosphere.
Plus, if someone took him for a clueless rookie and tried to scam him, well, that was just more profit for him.
A win-win situation, wasn't it?
"Interesting," Yvlan murmured, watching Caius chat and joke with the bearded mercenary. Then, she pushed a document and a card toward him.
"This is the mercenary contract. Sign it, and you'll officially become a mercenary."
"You'll start as a Bronze-ranked mercenary. You must complete at least three Bronze missions per month. If you fail, you'll lose your mercenary status."
"This is your guild identity card. Prick your finger, write your name, and you'll be able to use it to access other Mercenary Taverns and accept tasks."
Caius nodded, taking the contract and card. As he filled it out, he asked, "How do I get promoted to a higher rank?"
Yvlan rested her chin on her hand, leaning against the bar. The deep neckline of her dress revealed an impressive view, though it was unclear whether it was intentional.
"Oh? You're serious about becoming a legendary mercenary?" she teased.
"Of course. You didn't think I was joking, did you?" Caius grinned.
That rugged face and honest smile were incredibly deceptive—he looked like someone incapable of lying.
Yvlan raised an eyebrow, then explained, "Complete enough Bronze missions, then apply for a promotion challenge. Finish at least three rank-up tasks, and you'll advance."
"It's the same for the higher ranks."
"Got it." Caius nodded and handed the completed form back to Yvlan.
She glanced at it, then took out an official Mercenary Guild seal and stamped his card.
Caius pricked his finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the card. It flashed briefly before the blood mark was absorbed.
Through magical means, the card would now be linked to him, serving as a kind of enchanted ID.
"Eighteen copper coins," Yvlan said as soon as he took the card.
Caius blinked. "Wasn't it ten?"
Yvlan winked. "Don't you want to buy your lovely guildmaster a drink?"
Caius chuckled and tossed her a few silver coins. "Of course, I'd be delighted."
Yvlan accepted them happily. She was more than willing to build a good relationship with this handsome, well-built giant of a man. He looked like a promising prospect.
And perhaps, not as simple as he appeared~
She quietly slipped him a piece of paper.
Caius glanced at it.
Oh? Now this was a good job.