novelODS Chapter 72 The Withheld Bounty
Chapter 72 The Withheld Bounty
The young servant swallowed hard.
His gaze swept back and forth between the bloodied ears and the standard pirate armor several times.
He finally confirmed that the group of mercenaries in front of him had indeed slaughtered a genuine Vanskerry pirate squad!
"This... this captain,"
It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that the reward is quite a large sum, and I, a mere servant on duty, cannot make the decision!
"I'll go in and report to the supervisor. He'll make the decision before I can pay you!"
Upon hearing this, Roger nodded slightly: "It's alright, we'll wait outside, please go ahead!"
Rogge didn't urge him, and the people behind him all looked spirited and high-spirited.
They stood ramrod straight, just waiting to collect their reward and enjoy a hearty meal!
Since they could get the bounty, no one complained and they quietly waited outside.
The attendant entered the main castle.
The corridor was paved with smooth stone slabs, and the flickering torchlight on the walls cast his shadow long and short.
The servant walked all the way to the steward's residence and bumped into the steward coming out of the lord's study, his face so gloomy it could drip water.
The attendant's heart skipped a beat, and he hesitated whether to go up and report at this moment.
Before he could speak, the supervisor gave him a cold look: "What is it? Why are you in such a panic?"
The attendant immediately bowed and carefully recounted the events:
"Sir, a mercenary squad has come to deliver a bounty for eliminating outlaws."
They killed thirteen Vanskerry pirates and brought back pirate ears and a full set of pirate equipment!
"Sea pirates?" Upon hearing this infuriating existence, the supervisor's face darkened even further.
"Are you sure they're real pirates? Or just a bunch of refugees and bandits to make up the numbers?"
"Sir, it can't be wrong!" The attendant nodded hurriedly.
"They brought over the studded leather armor of the pirates, as well as chainmail and throwing axes—these are standard equipment commonly used by the Vanskellians!"
He paused, then asked in a low voice, "Sir, do you think this reward is in accordance with the standards set by the lord?"
"Sixty dinars per pirate, pay them? That's seven hundred and eighty dinars in total."
Upon hearing this, the manager scoffed and looked coldly at the attendant:
"What? Sixty dinars? Don't you know the rules?"
"I'm asking you, is what they brought back really equipment from pirates?"
"These are pirate equipment! They brought them all back!"
"That's good."
The supervisor nodded, slowly setting the tone.
Listen!
If they are willing to hand over all their equipment, they will be paid forty dinars per pirate.
If they refuse to hand over their equipment, they will be charged 25 dinars per unit.
The servant was startled for a moment, then immediately realized what was happening and bowed in response:
"Yes...yes, I understand."
He didn't dare ask another question and turned to leave.
Walking back along the stone corridor, only when no one was around did he dare to mutter to himself, his mind filled with astonishment:
"The supervisor is being way too harsh with the deductions!"
The lord offered a bounty of sixty dinars for the slaying of a pirate, but the supervisor cut it in half!
He knew perfectly well that no matter how you calculated it, the supervisor was guaranteed to make a profit.
If a mercenary hands over his equipment, the supervisor pays him forty dinars, and the difference of twenty dinars goes directly into his own pocket. All the pirate armor can then be put back into his hands.
If the mercenaries refuse to hand over their equipment, the price difference will be even greater, with him pocketing a full thirty-five dinars!
As they walked, the attendant suddenly began to have a plan in mind:
"If the supervisor can eat the lion's share, why can't I have some soup?"
Anyway, these country bumpkin mercenaries have no idea what the lord has set the bounty for.
He walked quickly back to the reception area, and when he opened the door, his face was once again adorned with a formulaic smile.
Rogge was leaning against the stone wall by the door, resting with his eyes closed. Hearing the noise, he slowly opened his eyes and calmly looked at the servant:
"What did the supervisor say?"
The servant cleared his throat, walked behind the table, stood still, and adopted a businesslike demeanor, saying:
"Captain, the supervisor has ordered that there are two rules for the payment of the bounty."
"If you are willing to hand over the complete set of equipment of the pirates captured this time, we will pay you the full reward at the price of thirty-five dinars per pirate."
If they refuse to hand over their equipment, each pirate will only receive a bounty of twenty dinars!
Upon hearing this, the team members outside the door instantly erupted in chaos, their initial high spirits turning into astonishment.
"Why should I?!"
"Why should we hand over the equipment we fought so hard to obtain?!"
Roger also frowned slightly.
He didn't need to think at all; he knew the value of this equipment better than anyone else.
Rogge raised his hand and pressed down, and the noisy team behind him instantly quieted down. All eyes were on him, waiting for him to make a decision.
He could only choose the second option to receive the bounty.
He looked up at the attendant, his tone still calm, revealing no trace of joy or anger, and simply said, "If we don't hand over the equipment, then we'll pay according to the rules for not handing it over."
A hint of disappointment flashed in the servant's eyes, but his smile widened.
He had originally hoped that he could make more money by handing over the mercenaries, but he didn't expect that the young leader wouldn't leave him any extra profit.
He secretly wondered if he had been too cowardly just now...
He had already said it, and there was no going back. He could only turn around and find the finance manager...
A short while later, a small cloth bag containing two hundred and sixty dinars was handed to Rogge.
Roger took the bag, checked the number of items, nodded slightly, and turned to wave to his teammates: "Let's go, back."
The group, carrying their equipment, turned and disappeared into the night in the lower city.
Once the servant confirmed that they had disappeared around the corner, he immediately pulled out a bulging money pouch and played with it with great delight.
A full sixty-five dinars—that was the profit he skimmed off the bounty!
He clutched the money pouch in his hand, his face beaming with joy, his smile almost reaching his ears.
……
Not far from the main castle, at a corner, Rogge stopped in his tracks, his face grim and his brows furrowed.
He had seen all the servant's actions clearly with his Eye of Insight and realized the trickery involved.
A mere servant would never dare to act so recklessly; he must have the "manager" backing him up.
But at this moment, he didn't want to confront this "supervisor" directly.
Roger realized that in this dog-eat-dog world, without sufficient strength and a voice, even the hard-earned money can be arbitrarily taken away by others!
He didn't go back to argue.
Now, with just over thirty villagers who have just taken up arms, he can't stir up any trouble in this lord's fortress.
He remembered this debt and vowed to get it back with interest sooner or later.
……
"What's wrong?" Virgil asked, noticing Rogge's strange expression.
"It's nothing..."
Rogge was not one to wallow in self-pity. He took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the murderous intent surging within him.
"Virgil, you'll come with me. Leave a few with me; the rest of you, get out of the city first!"
Now that the team has won, it's time to celebrate!
The remaining savings, plus the 260 dinars redeemed this time, and the more than 100 dinars seized from the pirates,
All in all, his dinars finally returned to the five hundred mark!
Sure enough, besides running trade routes, clearing out bandits was also a quick way to make money.
As he listened to the departing cheers and anticipation of his teammates, a smile crept onto Rogge's lips.
I had promised the team that I would buy sheep as soon as we returned to the fortress, and they could eat as much meat as they wanted!
Everyone was starving, and he was going to keep his promise tonight!
The livestock industry around the fortress was all the lord's private property, and prices soared sharply when the pirates broke out.
Rogge found a broker he knew in the city and, without haggling over the price, bought fifteen fat sheep in one go at a price slightly higher than the market price.
He plans to stockpile some sheep first.
Watching the farmer hand over the sheep to the team members who had come with him.
Hundreds more dinars were counted out, and Rogge couldn't help but sigh inwardly:
In just a few days, prices in the city have risen sharply. As long as the pirates' rebellion continues, the lives of ordinary people in the city will only become more and more difficult!