Chapter 37: The Giant Axe Adventurer Team

As the carriage passed through a small village, Charlot Mecklenburg discreetly left behind his fare without alerting the driver and quietly disembarked. Watching the carriage speed off, Charlot felt a slight sense of relief. He had never intended to head to the manor in the first place. Having absorbed the life essence he had taken in earlier, he decided to slip away midway, which would make it harder for his pursuers to track his movements.

This village was sparsely populated, with only a few dozen households. A small street cut straight through the village.

By now, dusk had fallen. Though Charlot possessed extraordinary abilities, he dared not travel through the wilderness at night. The world outside the cities was fraught with dangers, even near the capital city of Strasbourg. Cannibalistic demons, ferocious beasts, and other inexplicable threats lurked in the darkness.

Charlot knocked on the doors of two villagers. The first house responded with a gruff refusal to his request for lodging. The second household, though also unwilling to host him, kindly directed him to Old John’s place at the edge of the village.

Old John was a hunter who occasionally provided lodging for strangers as a side business.

By the time Charlot arrived at Old John’s house, it was completely dark. He knocked on the door and made his request. A tall, burly old man opened the door and said, “Come in!”

To Charlot’s surprise, the old hunter was not alone. Inside his home was a small adventurer team.

The team consisted of five people: three men and two women. Their leader was a middle-aged warrior wielding a massive axe. He remained wary and did not speak to Charlot.

The two other men were slightly younger, in their thirties, each carrying military sabers at their waists. While a rapier might be an excellent weapon for dueling in the streets, in the wilderness and in military settings, thick-backed military sabers were far more practical. These two were evidently seasoned adventurers. Their gear was well-worn and utilitarian, and their cautious glances at Charlot betrayed their experience.

The two women were both very young, with unremarkable but pleasant appearances. One of them had the distinct golden curls typical of Fars Empire natives, while the other had short, slightly brown hair, suggesting some southern Old Continent ancestry. Both appeared to be in their early twenties, only a few years older than Sylvie Martin.

In the public academies, various martial techniques were taught. In the national institutes, breathing techniques were passed down. Even women could attain exceptional skill.

For instance, Charlot’s former fiancée, Miss Sylvie Martin, had superior swordsmanship compared to his own.

Many women, upon graduation, chose to forgo governmental employment, using their martial expertise or formally trained knowledge to become adventurers.

After all, the Fars Empire did exhibit a degree of gender discrimination in job assignments. Sylvie’s relegation to a rural registrar’s post was not an isolated case. Other Old Continent nations fared no better.

The golden-haired young woman appeared intrigued by Charlot. She asked, “Are you also heading to Yorktown because of the White Wolf?”

Charlot smiled faintly and replied, “I’m just passing through. I haven’t heard of the White Wolf. What kind of beast is it?”

The adventurers chuckled. The golden-haired woman explained, “The White Wolf isn’t a beast. He’s the finest demon hunter, a master at slaying magical creatures. Recently, he’s spread word that he obtained the heart core of a magical creature and plans to choose an heir.”

Charlot raised an eyebrow in surprise. Demon hunters were a widely sought-after extraordinary profession. Whether employed by the government, hired by nobles or merchants, or working independently, it was a lucrative and highly paid field.

Two of Charlot’s university classmates had chosen the demon hunter profession, attaining transcendence before graduation. Now they earned at least ten flor per week, a source of envy for many.

However, despite its lucrative prospects, the demon hunter path had two significant drawbacks. First, obtaining the heart core of a magical creature—a prerequisite for employment—was exceedingly rare and astronomically expensive. Ordinary people had no access to it. Second, demon hunting involved constant danger, as one had to face magical creatures in combat regularly. Though the pay was generous, the risks were equally great.

Charlot had once considered becoming a demon hunter but ultimately chose the Blood Glory path, recognizing his lack of aptitude for combat.

Glancing at the five adventurers, Charlot quickly discerned that none of them had ascended to the transcendent level. An idea formed in his mind. Smiling, he said, “I’m not interested in becoming a demon hunter, but I’m quite curious about the matter. Would you mind if I accompanied you on your journey?”

“Don’t worry, I won’t compete for the chance to become a demon hunter because…”

Charlot snapped his fingers lightly. The air crackled faintly, and he said with a smile, “I follow the knightly path. I’m already a Transcendent.”

Though Charlot could not use combat energy, his seed of power remained dormant. However, simulating combat energy through Blood Glory was not difficult, as the two paths shared similarities.

The five adventurers were visibly moved. After some hesitation, the middle-aged warrior wielding the giant axe introduced himself. “My name is Mason. Welcome to the Giant Axe Adventurer Team.”

The two younger men also introduced themselves. The golden-haired young woman’s name was Hannah, while the short-haired woman was named Homonsa—a name with a distinct southern Old Continent style that might seem odd to native Fars Empire citizens.

Charlot, of course, would not disclose his real name. Drawing inspiration from Homonsa’s name, he fabricated a southern-style name for himself: Kainan.

Traveling alone made one conspicuous and easy to track, but joining an adventurer team helped blend into the crowd, making it easier to conceal his identity.

After joining the Giant Axe Adventurer Team, Charlot tossed a centime coin onto the table and called out, “Old John, do you have any beer? I’ll treat my teammates to a round.”

The Fars Empire’s centime coins were a dark red color resembling copper coins, though they were actually made of a durable alloy resistant to wear and discoloration. Charlot had no idea what the formula was, but the coins were incredibly practical.

Old John caught the coin and said dryly, “One centime isn’t enough.”

Charlot shrugged and tossed two more coins. Old John pocketed them before turning to fetch the beer.

Charlot was well aware that one centime wasn’t enough for beer. His act was deliberate, creating an impression of someone not particularly wealthy but exceptionally generous.

Being poor yet magnanimous distinguished him from the well-paid but friendless former first-class civil servant and former chief clerk.

Old John soon returned with six large mugs of ale, distributing them among the group.

Mason took a mug and instantly warmed to Charlot, exclaiming, “Kainan! You’re the best new member I’ve ever met.”

He took a hearty gulp, his face showing immense satisfaction.

Charlot clinked mugs with the rest of the team and took a small sip.

Old John’s ale was inferior to the sparkling apple cider Charlot usually enjoyed. Slightly bitter, it was more akin to beer, but its alcohol content was significantly higher.

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