Chapter 182: Persuading the Employer.

Johnny’s face was red with anger. He glared at the servant standing before him with his head bowed. “Say that again. Every word.”

The servant’s chin was nearly pressed to his chest. Under his master’s furious gaze, he gathered the courage to answer softly, “Captain Bank... Captain Bank said he’s taken someone else’s job, and you should... find someone else.”

“Hah!” Johnny gave an incredulous laugh. He pointed at the darkening sky. “Where am I supposed to find someone else at this hour? And I paid him fifty gold coins as a deposit this morning. Where’s the money? Is he keeping that too?”

The servant hurriedly took a purse from his pocket and offered it with both hands. “Th-this is the deposit Captain Bank returned.”

Johnny snatched it, loosened the drawstring, and looked inside. A quick count showed roughly fifty gold coins.

“Fine. Very fine! At least he had the nerve to return my deposit.” Johnny tied the purse shut and weighed it in his palm. “Maka, go back to the mercenary office. If any mercenary squad will take my job, I’ll pay double.”

Maka glanced up at his master, then quickly lowered his head again. “Y-young master, I already asked the person in charge about hiring another squad. But... he said none of the mercenary squads will take a job from the Graves family this week.”

Johnny’s face turned livid. He nearly crushed the purse in his fist. “Won’t take jobs from the Graves family, or won’t take my job?”

Damn it!

Bid had to be behind this!

Bid was his cousin and, like him, a candidate to inherit the Graves family. Ever since Johnny had begun taking part in the family business last year, Bid had repeatedly worked against him, ruining several of his deals.

His cousin was cunning enough to leave no evidence, so Johnny had no way to strike back.

This shipment was critical. Johnny had to deliver it to the royal capital within seven days or lose his place among the candidates.

The fastest route was by water, but river pirates preyed on ships along the way. That was why he had paid a substantial sum to hire mercenaries as escorts.

Bank commanded two advanced mages and three advanced swordsmen. His was the strongest mercenary squad in Baya City, and its fees reflected that: depending on the difficulty of the job, they began at a thousand gold coins and had no upper limit.

That morning, Johnny had gone to the mercenary office himself and secured Bank’s squad for three thousand gold coins.

But by evening, they still had not appeared. Unable to wait any longer, Johnny had sent Maka to the office to ask what was going on.

Bank’s answer had made his blood boil. Learning that every other mercenary squad also refused his job had only made him angrier.

Bid, do you think getting rid of me will make you the sole heir?

There were five candidates in the Graves family’s new generation. His other three cousins were no easy opponents. Johnny was the only one who had yet to establish himself, and he was the one Bid had chosen to attack.

Johnny closed his eyes for a moment, then said recklessly, “I refuse to believe my cargo ship can’t reach the capital without a mercenary escort!”

“Young master...” Maka looked worried, but hesitated to say more.

“What is it?” Johnny asked, his face expressionless.

Maka bit his lip. “Captain Bank may have refused our job, but he gave us a warning.”

Johnny narrowed his eyes. “What warning?”

Since when is Bank so helpful?

“He said... if your cargo ship passes through the Andota stretch of the river, the pirates will be watching for it.”

Johnny clenched his fists. “So Bid’s made up his mind to have the pirates kill me?”

The young man had only just turned twenty-five. His eyes were bloodshot, and grief showed plainly in them.

He and Bid might be cousins, but the same Graves blood ran through their veins. They had even looked out for each other as children. Now Bid was willing to kill him for the position of heir.

Wonderful. Just wonderful.

A true Graves, cold-blooded by nature.

Johnny only regretted that he had not been ruthless enough. If he had been, Bid would have died in that avalanche in the Land of Snow three years ago.

He put the purse away and said sternly, “Maka, tell the workers to load the cargo as quickly as they can. We have to set sail before it’s completely dark.”

“Young master... you’re still going to the capital?” Maka’s face fell. His master knew an ambush awaited them, yet he was determined to go.

“Yes. Why wouldn’t I?” Johnny gave a cold laugh. “I’m going back, and I’m going to reach the capital alive.”

Maka hesitated. After Bank’s warning, he doubted the people waiting for his master were ordinary river pirates.

“Young master, perhaps we could wait a day and see whether a mercenary company from another city passes through tomorrow...”

“I don’t have a day to spare!” Johnny frowned.

The cargo had already arrived at the docks two days behind schedule. Even if he managed to hire mercenaries tomorrow and made it past the pirates, he would still fail to reach the capital within seven days. He would lose his candidacy all the same.

“But...” Maka said earnestly, “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Johnny said nothing.

As master and servant stood at an impasse, a clear voice spoke up without warning.

“Hello, handsome sir. I’m sorry to interrupt.”

Johnny and Maka turned toward a black-haired, black-eyed boy.

The boy had a delicate, charming face, smooth skin, and bright, clear eyes. His long black hair was tied in a ponytail. Beneath his hooded cloak he wore an ordinary mage’s robe, and he held a plain magic staff.

He was short and slight, with nothing threatening about him. If anything, there was an inviting warmth in his expression.

The boy’s cheerful smile eased Johnny’s foul mood a little, though he could not have said why.

“Who are you? What do you want?” Johnny asked gruffly. He had only just finished shouting at someone; courtesy was hardly to be expected.

Shu Li did not mind. He gave an elegant greeting and said, “I’m Sperien, a magic apprentice. May I ask whether you need to hire a mercenary squad to escort your cargo ship to the royal capital?”

Johnny watched him warily. “Were you eavesdropping on my conversation with Maka?”

Shu Li met his threatening stare with a pleasant smile. “You were speaking loudly enough for me to hear every word from five meters away.”

In other words, he had not set out to listen. He had merely overheard them as he passed.

Johnny frowned. He knew the boy was telling the truth, but looked him over critically. “You’re a magic apprentice, and you want to escort my cargo ship?”

Did the boy think he was a fool? Magic apprentices were beginners. Some might struggle even to recite a spell properly, and this one wanted to escort a cargo ship all the way to the capital by himself?

Ridiculous!

“Of course not. There are seven of us.” Shu Li turned and beckoned to his companions, who stood about ten meters away. “Come over!”

Six boys dressed much like Shu Li soon joined him. Each was handsome and carried himself with confidence. Johnny and Maka stared in surprise.

“You’re... all magic apprentices?” Johnny asked, pointing at the six boys behind Shu Li.

“Yes,” all six answered together.

Johnny fell silent.

One magic apprentice would be easy prey for the pirates. Seven of them together might equal a mage, though, and perhaps that gave them a chance.

He hesitated.

“Allow me to introduce us properly,” Shu Li said warmly. “We’re the Squad of Light, faithful followers of the God of Light. I’m Sperien, an intermediate magic apprentice specializing in six types of magic...”

“Ace. Intermediate magic apprentice. Wind magic.”

“Kumandi. Intermediate magic apprentice. Wind magic.”

“Angel. Intermediate magic apprentice. Light magic.”

“Disio. Intermediate magic apprentice. Fire magic.”

“Budno. Advanced magic apprentice. Water magic.”

“Amanda. Advanced magic apprentice. Light and water magic.”

By the time every member of the Squad of Light had introduced himself, hope had kindled in Johnny’s eyes.

They were all apprentices, but most were at the intermediate level, and two were advanced. Together, they might be a match for three junior mages.

“Why are you willing to escort my ship?” Johnny asked, lowering his voice. “If you heard my conversation with Maka, then you know someone wants me dead.”

Shu Li nodded honestly. “Yes, we know.”

“Aren’t you afraid?”

“If we were afraid, we wouldn’t have become mages,” Shu Li said with confidence.

Ace stepped forward, a gentle smile on his handsome face. “I’ve used wind magic to boost a ship’s sails before. If we work together, reaching the capital ahead of schedule won’t be a problem.”

“Really?” Johnny was sorely tempted.

He had already been worried that he would not reach the capital within seven days. Even if he survived the pirates, arriving late would cost him his candidacy.

If these apprentices could speed up his cargo ship, he would have time to spare.

Johnny stopped hesitating. “All right. You’re hired!”

Shu Li glanced at Ace in quiet admiration.

He clearly needed to work on his own powers of persuasion. Ace had gone straight to the heart of the matter and told their employer exactly what he needed to hear.

The other members of the Squad of Light let out silent sighs of relief.

They had actually managed to land the job. It had not been easy.

“How much do you want?” Johnny asked.

“Whatever you offered Bank,” Shu Li said seriously.

He had no idea what the going rate for mercenary work was. Asking for the same amount as Bank seemed a safe bet.

The others nodded in agreement. They were not asking for much—just the market rate.

Johnny laughed at the seven self-assured boys. “Are you sure? Bank leads the best mercenary squad in Baya City. They’re worth three thousand gold coins. Do you think you are too?”

Disio thumped his chest indignantly. “We’re even stronger! You’ll see once you hire us.”

“We can give the sails a boost with wind magic,” Kumandi said. “Can they?”

Angel smiled. “Three of us can use wind magic, so we can take turns speeding up the ship. Three of us can also use water magic—a river pirate’s worst enemy.”

Shu Li grinned. “I can use wood magic. If the pirates break through the hull, I can repair it on the spot.”

Ace delivered the strongest argument of all. “Light magic can show the ship the right course at night. We’ll be able to travel just as fast after dark as we do by day.”

“Deal!” Johnny clapped his hands in excitement.