In the following days, Martin and Reina communicated frequently, and their mutual affection continued to grow, leading them to agree to meet at the academy.
Good news kept coming. Previously, Martin's Shadow Wolves sold for a good price, earning over 1500 gold coins. After deducting the Knight Cultivation Potion for Vali, the Captain, about 1000 gold coins remained.
Having successfully earned a substantial fortune, Martin was now eagerly preparing to implement a short-term money-making plan—forming his own Mercenary Guild!
Thus, Martin invested all the gold coins he could, striving to increase the combat power of Beitan and the others.
The first step was to raise the level of the team members. Martin successively called Beitan and the others to a corner of the Training Ground, letting them level up one by one.
Originally, Martin wanted to prioritize promoting one Bronze Knight, but then he remembered the Knight Armor that needed to be equipped.
The sunk cost was too great; it was better to upgrade them evenly. Even if one unfortunately died, it wouldn't be a devastating blow.
After careful calculation, Martin decisively spent a full 800 gold coins to replace the 10 people's originally dilapidated and low-performance equipment with E-grade Knight Armor. It's worth noting that in the Knight Order, only Black Iron Knights are equipped with E-grade Knight Armor.
Soon, Martin would be heading to the academy in the Royal Capital for systematic study, just like his elder siblings. In truth, this kind of study was more like socializing within the academy, broadening his horizons and connections.
The fact that Martin's several guards wore E-grade Knight Armor naturally attracted the attention of those around them, but mostly, it only sparked a hint of doubt in their hearts. With so many daily matters, this small detail wasn't worth excessive attention.
Especially the free nobles within Sword Oath City, they were even more dismissive of it.
It's important to understand that the noble class, having undergone generations of inheritance and development, possesses a depth of foundation and accumulation far beyond what ordinary people can imagine. Whether it's wealth, resources, or personal connections, they are sufficient to support a vast and stable power system.
These guards of Martin's simply couldn't touch the sensitive nerves of the nobles, let alone attract their excessive attention. Perhaps only when such changes gradually accumulate and form a powerful force will they truly enter the Horizon of these powerful figures.
Martin called Beitan and the others to his side, instructing them to go to the Mercenary Guild to register a mercenary group.
The Mercenary Guild's rank is determined by the strength of the mercenaries. Once their strength reaches the corresponding level, the Mercenary Guild will upgrade the mercenary group's rank. Mercenary ranks are divided into six levels: S, A, B, C, D, and E. Each rank corresponds to appropriate strength, tasks, and remuneration.
Beitan and the others staying in the castle offered no benefit to Martin. It was different if they were outside; they could continuously earn gold coins, and Martin wouldn't even have to pay them salaries.
Upon receiving the order, Beitan and the others were thrilled, and they eagerly rushed to the Mercenary Guild. Along the way, they discussed how to earn more gold coins for Young Master Martin.
Upon arriving at the Mercenary Guild, it was bustling with activity. Various adventurers moved through it, seeking suitable tasks. Beitan walked to the front desk and explained their purpose to the staff member. The staff member assessed them, recorded the relevant information, and then began to evaluate their strength.
After a series of tests, due to Beitan and the others demonstrating Knight combat power and the excellent equipment provided by Martin, they successfully registered as a D-rank Mercenary Guild. This rank meant they could undertake many interesting and well-paying tasks.
Subsequently, they selected their first task from the mission board, trying to find one near the Royal Capital. After choosing the task, they set off on their journey.