The North Gate of Harmun
Harmun, the Count's domain. A gateway city linking the North and the Central regions. It was the city ruled by Count Harmun, the border lord of the Central region, and a place where all logistics heading toward the North converged. Due to its location, countless people passed through, and the Count's family poured their full attention into it. Why? Because in a house with no other sources of income, this place brought in enormous revenue. While other border lords bordering foreign nations struggled with dried-up funds, the Harmun family wielded power comparable to a marquisate.
High-quality materials from the North fetched premium prices in the Central region. Even the kingdom's haughty artisans drooled at the mention of Northern monster materials and rushed to acquire them. Knights considered wearing Northern-forged armor a mark of success. In truth, Northern monster materials included creatures capable of withstanding aura, along with countless other rare substances, so it was only natural that merchants drawn by the scent of profit flocked here.
Yet where there is light, there must also be shadow. The Central region was extremely wary of the North's growth. The reason?
"Because those Northern bastards are disgustingly strong, that's why."
"Is it really that bad?"
The rookie guard's face showed clear confusion at the words of Anton, the senior guard stationed at the North Gate. Anton chuckled at the greenhorn's bewildered expression and pointed toward the people passing through the gate.
"Then take a look over there."
A long procession of merchant caravans was moving through. What stood out was the sheer number of mercenaries guarding each caravan—some groups had more mercenaries than merchants.
The rookie frowned in puzzlement. "Why do they hire so many mercenaries?"
"Because the North is dangerous."
It was a fact most Central residents didn't fully grasp: the danger level outside the Central region was on an entirely different scale. The North was infamous for its powerful monsters and the natural disasters they caused. The South was filled with mysterious phenomena and countless secrets. The West had developed to combat endless waves of monsters from the sea and sky. The East traded across vast lands with the Eastern continent.
"In practice, everywhere except the Central region is basically a demon realm. But even among them, the North is in a league of its own."
Northerners had a different standard for what counted as a monster. To them, goblins that tormented villages were nothing more than weaklings who couldn't survive, and orcs were treated as little more than carnivorous beasts. This was largely thanks to the Northern Breathing Method.
"Mana users, who are seen as symbols of the strong in the Central region, are everywhere up there. From their perspective, the monsters we consider threats are impossible to face."
Anton had personally fought monsters that had wandered down toward the Central region a few times. He still remembered the shock of watching Northern adventurers casually dispatch creatures that even knights had struggled against during his rookie days. When the rookie made a disbelieving face, Anton smacked the back of his head.
"Ow, ow... I've never fought a monster myself, so I wouldn't know. Are they really that strong?"
"In the colosseum run by the Harmun family, a Wood Gore once pierced a troll's heart. The odds were roughly four to six, so if they met in the wild, the Wood Gore's win rate would probably be six."
"I-I heard Wood Gores specialize in ambushes. They're that strong?"
"Otherwise, the Harmun family wouldn't be pouring so much money into training soldiers."
The rookie's hometown was in the southern part of the county, so his ignorance was understandable. But Anton, a lifelong Harmun native, knew the truth: Northerners were incredibly strong. Among them, adventurers were so formidable that even nobles remained cautious.
"So if you ever encounter someone who looks like an adventurer, report it immediately. They're so distinctive that not recognizing one would be strange—you'll be able to tell."
"Huh? Are you talking about those people?"
Anton, who had been patiently explaining, frowned as the rookie pointed northward. Even if training was annoying, how dare this brat deliberately turn his senior's attention—
"...Huh?"
In the distance, a group was approaching. They wore armor that looked as though it had been crafted directly from monster materials, and they rode wolf-shaped magical beasts at high speed. Anton's instincts screamed, and he shouted urgently.
"Emergency! Wandering Silver sighted!"
Ten years of guard duty had honed his intuition. At minimum, a Silver-rank or higher adventurer was approaching. In the Central region, Silver-rank adventurers were considered equivalent to high-ranking knights. Though they held only the lowest noble title, they were treated as barons, and only Masters surpassed them in strength. In other words, a high-ranking knight—one of the few the Count's family possessed—was arriving from the North. The guards at the North Gate scrambled into motion.
"Move, move!"
"We didn't receive any notice about a Silver-rank adventurer coming down from the North today!"
"And you're just going to stand there?"
"A distinguished guest is arriving! Prepare to receive them!"
As the guards rushed about, the attention of everyone near the gate turned toward them. The sight of the usually haughty guards moving so frantically was unusual. Some experienced merchants, realization dawning on their faces, looked toward the road leading north. Upon spotting the figures riding wolf-shaped beasts, their expressions turned to shock.
"Adventurers! It's adventurers!"
"Why are Northerners here?"
"Does that matter? Adventurers have arrived!"
The merchants halted their departures and hurried back into the city. If the guards were preparing so earnestly, these were no ordinary adventurers. Since such a dramatic entrance was unprecedented, the merchants quickened their steps, hoping to forge even the slightest connection.
"Huh? The merchants are suddenly heading back into the city."
"Did they forget something as a group?"
Argo and Arash, riding Ikelos, looked ahead with puzzled expressions. Seeing the commotion at the gate, I made a disgusted face. They didn't even know who we were yet, but they were already jumping to conclusions with impressive intuition.
"The merchants have already caught the scent, it seems."
"What does it matter? That's how they survive."
Anel, who had dealt with many merchants as a guild employee, showed no surprise. Given the value of monster materials, it was an expected outcome. For them, obtaining even one high-quality material could mean a fortune. Building a regular trade contract with an adventurer could change the scale of their earnings entirely. After all, if they were heading to the North for materials anyway, acquiring them in Harmun would be even better.
Of course, our purpose wasn't to contract with merchants, so we showed no interest and arrived at the gate. The guards stationed there saluted with visibly tense faces.
"Welcome to Harmun!"
"Please state your affiliation and names!"
I looked at them with interest. It was the first time I'd seen people without mana. Still, judging by their physical condition and discipline, they appeared to be well-trained elite soldiers. At their question, Anel stepped forward and presented a document bearing the guild seal.
"I am Anel, a receptionist affiliated with the Edenberg Adventurer Guild branch. We have arrived for the official transfer of a black mage: one Gold-rank adventurer, one Silver-rank adventurer, four Bronze-rank adventurers, and two guild receptionists."
At Anel's clear and precise words, the guards at the entrance turned pale. Setting aside the official black mage, the mention of a Gold-rank adventurer was what truly shook them. Knowing the weight of that title, the guards bowed at a perfect right angle before their minds could even process the situation.
"Welcome to Harmun!"
"The Count will personally receive you!"
"We will escort you to the lord's castle!"
Gold-rank adventurers were evaluated as Master-level powerhouses in the Central region. The guards, overwhelmed by the fact that a Master—one of the few in the Grund Kingdom to which the Harmun family belonged—had descended from the North, guided us with extreme tension.
***
Upon receiving the news, Count Harmun responded calmly. Perhaps because he had experienced such situations a few times before, albeit rarely. While the guards delayed us under the pretext of showing us the city, the mansion was prepared, and the head butler and head maid had done everything in their power to welcome the distinguished guests.
"Hahaha! It is an honor to meet Sir Owen, a precious asset even in the North!"
"The honor is mine. I have often heard of the Harmun family's name as well."
The head of the family, along with all the retainers and vassals, came out in force to welcome us. More precisely, they were welcoming Owen, not us—but that didn't mean our treatment was lacking.
"These are promising talents from the Edenberg Adventurer Guild branch. I brought them along on this request to broaden their horizons."
"Oh? Is that so?"
"Yes. These Bronze-rank adventurers are highly likely to reach Silver soon."
"Good heavens. Remarkable warriors have come to our house."
At Owen's appropriate introduction, Count Harmun's eyes gleamed with interest. Northern adventurers were irreplaceable assets. They were specialists in monster hunting and geniuses of combat. Even at equal skill levels, an adventurer would defeat a knight more often than not, and the gap only widened as their strength increased. Since adventurers lived lives that were essentially a history of struggle, recruiting them represented a massive opportunity to bolster the Count's military power. While recruiting Silver-ranks was practically impossible, the Count's family had succeeded with Bronze-ranks before. Perhaps that was why they treated even us Bronze-rank adventurers with the utmost courtesy. Even if they couldn't recruit us, they seemed intent on leaving a favorable impression on those who appeared close to Owen.
"Look at me, forgetting myself! I've kept such honored guests standing outside. Come, let us go inside and wash away the fatigue of your journey!"
Count Harmun laughed heartily and guided us into the mansion. The people of the house followed us inside in a crowd.