Mastery Is Earned

The discussion with the half-orc party went smoothly. Short of funds as they were, an opportunity to take such a lucrative job was hard to pass up.

From afternoon until evening, all nine of them remained gathered around the table, discussing their options. Everyone agreed that they should learn what the island was like before deciding exactly how to proceed.

The only real difficulty was deciding how to divide the reward. They had not yet assigned roles, so no one knew how much risk each person would bear, and no one was willing to accept a smaller share.

In the end, Raymond chose the simplest and safest arrangement. The five gold coins for recovering the cargo and the potential three-gold bounty for killing the leader would both count as payment to the entire group. After deducting their shared expenses, they would divide the money evenly among ten people. The bounty for each ordinary fishfolk would go to whoever killed it. If they found any other spoils on the island, those would be sold and the proceeds split ten ways as well.

The three half-orcs had some objections, believing their greater strength entitled them to larger shares. But Henk accepted Raymond’s decision, and after grumbling for a while, they let the matter drop.

Teddy had yet to return, but Raymond included a share for him anyway. Whatever else could be said about him, Teddy was someone they knew who had traveled to Brightwater with them. With so many strangers working together, bringing along one more familiar face could only help. Of course, knowing Teddy, he would probably refuse to risk joining the operation.

Splitting the reward ten ways might have sounded generous, but recovering the cargo alone would give each person fifty silver before expenses—the equivalent of the bounty on ten Greater Goblins. If they killed the leader as well, everyone would receive another thirty silver. From everything they had learned so far, this job also seemed considerably less dangerous.

They did not set out immediately. Instead, they agreed to rest and make preparations before leaving two days later.

Raymond had no intention of sitting idle in the meantime. Early the next morning, he went to Edgar’s office, told him that he had found enough people, and formally accepted the job.

Edgar did not ask many questions about how Raymond intended to proceed. He simply stressed again that the cargo had to be recovered as quickly as possible. He then explained exactly what the goods were and how to identify them before giving Raymond a detailed map of the reed island and the surrounding waters.

Raymond was not willing to make his decision based on maps alone. He hired a local guide in Brightwater, rented a small boat, and traveled to the waters near the reed island to inspect the terrain. Along the way, he also asked about Brightwater’s so-called city lord and his son.

The current ruler of the County of Silvertide was Roderick Silvertide. He and his only daughter spent most of their time at the royal court, serving the King of Goldvale. Count Silvertide had therefore entrusted Brightwater to his younger brother, Gareth Silvertide, and the locals referred to Gareth as their city lord.

Gareth’s eldest son also lived in the royal capital, where Count Silvertide personally oversaw his education. His younger son, Lucas, remained in Brightwater. Lucas held no official position and was a spoiled wastrel who cared only for banquets, gambling, hunting, and women. The cargo stolen by the fishfolk leader consisted of new curiosities Lucas had purchased from the royal capital. No wonder Edgar took the matter so seriously and had offered such a high reward.

None of this was secret. Most locals in Brightwater knew the story, and the guide naturally knew it in detail.

“So this city lord of ours and his son can do as they please in Brightwater without worrying that the count will punish them?” Raymond asked.

“What is there to punish?” The guide sighed. “When all is said and done, isn’t this their family’s own domain? Besides, Lord Gareth has no fief of his own. What could be better than serving as acting lord here? He eats well, sleeps well... Ah, how I envy those noble lords.”

Raymond curled his lip but said nothing. He turned toward the reed island in the distance. “I’ve heard there’s been a lot of trouble with fishfolk around there. Is that right?”

“That’s right. Deepwater Lake isn’t safe these days.” The guide began to complain. “No one knows what’s gotten into those fishfolk. They’ve appeared here in huge groups, and now there’s hardly any catch left nearby.”

This text was taken from NovelPhoenix. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“But I can still see quite a few fishing boats,” Raymond said, pointing toward the isolated craft in the distance. “And you accepted this job yourself.”

“What choice do we have? We still need to eat.” The guide gave a strained smile. “If we stop working, our whole families will starve. The fishfolk do attack fishing boats, but as long as we stay away from the center of the lake and the places they’ve occupied, we’re usually safe. Besides, there’s a bounty on them now, so plenty of mercenaries come here to hunt them.”

“Have their numbers gone down, then? I remember the bounty was already in place the last time I visited Brightwater.”

“Not at all.” The guide shook his head bitterly. “There are more and more of them, and no one knows where they’re coming from. I never heard that fishfolk could breed so quickly. Ah! We can’t go any farther.”

“Why not?”

“There. Look.” The guide pointed toward the shallows on one side of the reed island.

Raymond followed his finger. Many small, thin creatures stood scattered across the broad shallows. Their bodies were gaunt and slightly hunched, with fine gray-green scales covering their skin. Their heads were somewhat flattened from front to back, with enormous eyes, broad mouths, and dense rows of tiny, pointed teeth. Gill slits on both sides of their necks opened and closed continuously. Their limbs were slender, but their feet were exceptionally broad, and a row of soft fins ran down their backs.

“The fishfolk have taken over this area. We can’t get any closer.” The guide turned the small boat around. “We need to leave before they notice us and attack.”

“Will they attack us first?” Raymond asked curiously.

“They used to chase boats, but now they generally leave us alone as long as we keep our distance.” The guide pointed toward the nearby reed island. “They’ve behaved this way ever since they occupied that place.”

“So they don’t attack humans unprovoked anymore?” Raymond found that strange.

“As long as we stay away from their territory and don’t go toward the center of the lake, we’re usually fine.” The guide smiled bitterly. “Small fishing boats like ours have no choice but to steer around those areas now.”

“I’ve heard the fishfolk have a leader,” Raymond said suddenly. “Nine feet tall?”

“Oh, yes.” The guide laughed. “It can even control water and summon whirlpools and storms. Ha! It isn’t nearly that extraordinary. Those are only tavern rumors. The leader is quite a bit larger than the other fishfolk, but that’s all.”

Raymond nodded, lowered his eyes to the map, then looked toward the shallows on the island. The ground there was open and a good number of fishfolk had gathered on it. An attack from that side should draw their attention easily.

“Can a boat reach the other side of the island?” Raymond asked.

“It’s thick with reeds, but a small boat can get through,” the guide said. “At least, that was true before. I can’t promise there aren’t fishfolk hiding in there now.”

Raymond studied the map from end to end. If one group attacked from the shallows, another might be able to use the reeds as cover, land on the opposite side, and search for the cargo. But no one knew what was waiting inside the reed beds, and that route might not be any safer than a direct fight.

Raymond looked back at the reed island once more and asked no further questions.

After returning to Brightwater, Raymond paid the guide the agreed ten copper coins and headed back to the inn.

Teddy was already waiting outside. The moment he saw Raymond, he hurried over. “My dear brother Ray! I’ve been waiting ages for you.”

“Oh? Did you need something?” Raymond asked, pretending not to know. Teddy wore a broad smile, as though something good had happened.

Teddy chuckled and rubbed his hands together. “I hear you’ve found more people. Those three half-orcs are joining too?”

Raymond nodded. “They are.”

“Then I’m joining the job as well. You know we’re good brothers. I can’t stand by while you work with a group of strangers.” Teddy paused, glanced around, and lowered his voice. “Especially a group of half-orcs.”

“What about them?” Raymond frowned. “You weren’t nearly so considerate yesterday. I don’t even know when you slipped away. I never imagined my dear brother could run so quickly.”

“I went to find reinforcements!” Teddy declared with complete confidence. “It just turned out you didn’t need them. Heh heh.”

Raymond had no intention of indulging his nonsense. “You fled before there was even any danger. How am I supposed to trust you to fight beside us? How do I know you won’t abandon us and run the moment something goes wrong?”

“If there really is danger, I’m sure you’ll run faster than I do,” Teddy muttered defensively.

Raymond ignored him and turned to leave, but Teddy grabbed hold of him. His tone became pleading. “Please, Raymond. That was only a joke. I promise I won’t run. I would never abandon any of you. I swear!”

“You swear? On what?”

“I... I...” Teddy thought for a moment, then answered solemnly, “On my money! Raymond, if I ever abandon you, may I never earn another coin for the rest of my life. I swear it on money itself. That’s a serious enough oath, isn’t it?”

“Very serious.” Raymond nodded, but then looked Teddy in the eye and spoke one word at a time. “But I didn’t think you’d be willing to take this risk. There must be another reason. I don’t want my companions keeping secrets from me, so you’d better tell me the truth.”

Teddy’s face twitched a few times. He seemed about to argue, but when he saw Raymond’s expression, he finally sighed in defeat. Lowering his head in embarrassment, he admitted, “I found a woman and spent all the money I had. If I don’t take this job, I might not even be able to afford food.”

“Not necessarily.” Raymond glanced at the ornate shortsword hanging from Teddy’s waist and smiled. “That sword is worth quite a bit. You could sell it.”

“Absolutely not! That’s how I make my living!” Teddy’s expression changed at once.

“At least you haven’t forgotten what you do for a living.” Raymond looked him over, then patted him on the shoulder and spoke seriously. “I’m glad you’re willing to join us, Teddy. I hope you don’t disappoint me this time.”