Epic Of The Demonic Sage

"The Masked Legion, you say?" Lucius asked.

"Yes. I heard they changed the tide of the battle…" Albus said.

"Ahem." Gellor coughed.

"The contributions of Lord Asher and Count Inanis are no doubt more important alongside the soldiers and every mercenary who participated." Finch protested.

"It wasn't really a legion though right? Like a couple of mercenaries only came, but I heard they were extremely powerful." Ariana added.

Gellor looked embarrassed before glancing at someone who hadn't spoken up yet.

"This carp is really delicious," Barty suddenly said, a content look on his face. He really had experienced a drain of extensive Aether during the hunt for the Mist Veil Beasts and was benefiting from the meal served.

Either way, it was a good enough distraction for the others, who looked like they were ready to chuck a glass at Barty but only held back because they were in the presence of the future lord of the Inanis family.

"But ah, yes. Apologies, for bringing that up, Lord Asher. I was merely curious and you were there on the battlefield." Albus finally said, noticing the looks thrown by both Finch and Gellor.

Lucius raised a brow at those words before he found himself certainly amused. Of course, certain people definitely would have spread word about the existence of the Masked Legion among the soldiers.

Gellor who looked embarrassed, seemed to be the one who probably had connections with soldiers and learned the story from them or the other mercenary groups who participated.

However, this conversation gave Lucius an even better way of luring in Gellor and his team members. It was probably no secret that his team was highly competent.

Kiana had vouched for Gellor and his team when they had first met and she was quite scrupulous with people and wouldn't simply recommend someone just because she knew them.

Lucius was certain that Gellor and his group were good. Still, of course, they would be capable but feel immensely curious and even jealous of a mercenary group that supposedly changed the tides of the battle.

It was important for them to be aware of their potential competition after all, and Lucius was more than willing to use these feelings of inadequacy to his full advantage.

"Well, they were certainly remarkable." Lucius said as he sipped his drink. "Miss Finch, you do not need to hold back your words, I am sure that everyone by now has heard that the victory of the Inanis against the Drew Army was practically a miracle."

"They were several times larger than what the Inanis family amassed, which doesn't seem like a possible thing. The numbers don't make sense to me." Ariana said truthfully.

"But it was, and that is all the more reason that the Masked Legion arriving certainly changed the tide, as Albus said." Lucius said.

"Of course. One can only wonder how the Count was able to find these people. It's my first time hearing of them, Lord Asher." Gellor admitted. "And we've traveled here and there. Forgive us for our curiosity."

"Nonsense, you're all free to ask me and I'm more than happy to return the favor of your stories earlier." Lucius said as he placed down his goblets. "As for those Masked Legion, you'd be surprised where we found them."

Gellor and the rest of the team couldn't help but become rather intrigued with the mysterious way that Asher said those words.

"They couldn't possibly be from here, Lord Asher?" Gellor asked.

"You're quite perceptive, Gellor." Lucius acknowledged. "But for the answer, I will not be answering it and instead say something else. I have an opportunity that all of you might be interested in."

"What is it, Lord Asher?" Finch asked.

"I would like to ask all of you if you would like to officially join a special class of warriors that I will be making." Lucius said.

Gellor and all of the mercenary group exchanged looks in surprise.

"That you will be making?" Gellor asked uncertainly.

"Indeed. It'll be quite a group, perhaps comparable or even better than the Masked Legion." Lucius said.

"Really?" Albus said in shock.

"That is quite something, Lord Asher. We heard a lot about the Masked Legion." Finch admitted with an embarrassed look. "I don't think recruiting us will be able to make your group stand out like them or become a special class of warriors, forgive me for speaking forwardly."

"Don't be so hasty to look down on yourselves that much, Miss Finch." Lucius said. "Besides, before all of you turn down this offer, please do consider that all of you will be compensated well enough. Even far more than we originally agreed upon, as this is something new."

"We are quite humbled." Gellor said.

"Well then, what do you think?" Lucius asked.

All of the members once again shared glances with each other, reading each other's expression to measure their interest.

There was some hesitance on the part of Finch and Albus for some reason, but Ariana and Barty looked ready or were tempted by the promise of even more compensation.

This mostly left Gellor to be the one who called for the decision and he thought about everything that happened recently long and hard.

The way that Lord Asher phrased his words cryptically instead of answering them straightforwardly about the Masked Legions was enough to pique Gellor's interest.

If his instincts were right, it wasn't actually Count Gabriel Inanis but Lord Asher himself who was responsible for the recruitment of the Masked Legion.

But if that was the case… it confused Gellor on why Lord Asher wanted to make another group.

However, if there was one thing that Gellor did know about Lord Asher was the fact that the young lord always held up his side of the bargain.

In fact, today, Lord Asher showed them a lot of favor, which meant that he was truly keen on recruiting them.

All of these made Gellor have little doubt about Lord Asher's offer and he bowed his head respectfully.

"We accept."