Chapter 26: Bounty Hunter License
Chapter 26: Bounty Hunter License
After some thought, Rayn wasn't particularly interested in Hamilton's invitation.
Although the Night Watch was part of the official Imperial organization, a "civil servant" of sorts, there was no need for that! With Miss Kylie's high regard for him, Rayn could currently lay a solid foundation at the Habsburg Manor.
As if reading Rayn's thoughts, Hamilton took out a small gray bag from his drawer and tossed it to Rayn.
"Clink!"
"This is your bounty. Five coins for Scarface and ten for Blackbeard, a total of fifteen Imperial gold coins."
"Thank you!"
Rayn quickly took the bag, his heart filled with joy.
He hadn't expected that even after declining Hamilton's offer, the other party wouldn't deduct anything or use the bounty as leverage against him.
This made Rayn's impression of Hamilton improve significantly.
However...
This joy only lasted for a few seconds before it was quickly dispelled by Hamilton's next words.
"Rayn, I must remind you that Scarface doesn't have much of a background, but this Blackbeard has an older brother who is the leader of the Jackal Gang in Meister County. He's very powerful."
"Just now, I was looking at the case file regarding Blackbeard." Hamilton said as he handed the parchment to Rayn.
Rayn took the parchment and immediately started reading the file, but the more he read, the more serious his expression became. The file indicated that the Jackal Gang had several hundred members, and they engaged in all sorts of despicable activities, including theft, extortion, and even trafficking women and children from time to time.
Especially noteworthy was the gang leader, Cole, nicknamed "Dog King," who had somehow tamed a mutated jackal queen the size of a wild boar a few years ago. He then raised a litter of jackal pups and assigned them to the gang's core members.
With the jackals' combat abilities far surpassing that of ordinary dogs, the Jackal Gang quickly rose to prominence among the gangs in Meister County. It was rumored that they even had connections with a certain noble in the city.
Facing such a gang with absolutely no moral boundaries, Rayn knew that even if he wasn't afraid, his family couldn't afford to provoke them.
At this thought, Rayn realized that he could only rely on the sheriff in front of him to resolve this dilemma, which was also the reason the other party showed him the case file.
Hamilton continued, "As far as I know, Blackbeard and his brother are on good terms. This time, he's working alone to earn some extra money. If his brother finds out that you killed his younger brother, he will definitely seek revenge."
After a few seconds of silence, Rayn calmly looked at Hamilton and said, "Hamilton, since you brought this up, I'm sure you have a solution."
A hint of appreciation flashed in Hamilton's eyes. At Rayn's age, he himself probably wouldn't have been able to face this matter with such calmness.
Just as he was about to share his thoughts, Hamilton's eyes suddenly lit up as he looked at Rayn.
He suddenly realized that Rayn, sitting across from him, had changed significantly since their last meeting.
Due to the dim lighting last night, Hamilton hadn't noticed Rayn's transformation at the time.
But today, after carefully examining Rayn, he discovered that his eyes were bright and his breathing was steady and powerful, resembling Hamilton's own when he had just begun learning the Knight Breath Technique.
Hamilton couldn't help but exclaim, "Rayn, have you been practicing the Knight Breath Technique?!"
This surprised Rayn.
How did you figure that out?
However, Rayn remained silent, maintaining his smile and calmly observing Hamilton.
Hamilton didn't seem to mind and instead appeared deep in thought, muttering to himself, "You've been undergoing page training at the Habsburg Manor during this period, which means that a knight from within the Habsburg family must have taught you the breath technique. So, is it Steward Sir Lloyd or Swordmaster Sir Percy?"
Hamilton's gaze burned into Rayn, trying to discern something from his expression.
This made Rayn look at Hamilton with newfound respect. He hadn't expected that this burly man would have such a keen mind, almost guessing the situation accurately, except for a slight mistake in identifying the person.
"I'm sorry, Sir Hamilton, but I can't tell you who taught me the breath technique."
"Because I promised them that I would keep this secret!"
"Haha, good lad! But the internal strife among the children of the Earl of Habsburg is fierce. Even if you join the manor, it might not be a good thing. The Earl's two sons are vying for power, but the youngest daughter has exceptional swordsmanship talent and became a full knight two years ago, earning the old Earl's favor!"
Hamilton waved his hand, clearly unbothered by Rayn's refusal to disclose. Instead, he revealed a big secret to Rayn.
Internal strife?
Is it Miss Kylie and her brothers? Or a family feud? No wonder Miss Kylie previously asked me to keep her teaching of the breath technique a secret, saying that it might not be good for me if it got out.
Rayn suddenly understood.
"Moreover, the eldest son of the Earl of Habsburg, Alonso, has unclear ties with the Wilderness Brotherhood. So, Rayn, as a talented individual, joining the Night Watch is the best choice for you to serve the Empire!"
Hamilton slowly stood up, his sharp eyes fixed on Rayn's, speaking sincerely.
At that moment, he was thinking, "Since Rayn has already gained the recognition of the upper echelons of the Habsburg Manor and learned the breath technique, my original plan of having him pose as an orphan to infiltrate them might not be suitable anymore."
"Once you join the Night Watch, I'll have a reason to reallocate the already strained personnel to focus on your area, ensuring the safety of you and your family. The Night Watch will be your solid support against the threat of the Jackal Gang!"
Hamilton's words made Rayn's heart waver.
The information Hamilton just shared was something Rayn had never heard before, but he believed that Hamilton wouldn't deceive him about this.
Some things are easily verifiable, after all.
Seeing Rayn still hesitating, Hamilton added, "Rayn, cultivating the breath technique requires significant expenses. You've completed two bounty missions, and the reward exceeds ten imperial gold coins, meeting the minimum requirement to apply for a bounty hunter license."
Rayn deeply resonated with Hamilton's words, knowing the financial burden of cultivating the breath technique.
I
However, Rayn was puzzled about the bounty hunter license.
Shouldn't anyone be able to kill wanted criminals and claim the reward?
(End of Chapter)
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