I traveled across this land alone. Although I had the ability to resurrect, it was best not to die if I could help it.
This cat wasn't some kind of masochist. Information still needed to be gathered.
However, just after opening for business today, Kal'tsit, who was settling the accounts, suddenly heard something major from the Sarkaz.
"Have you heard? Our princess seems to have reached some kind of cooperation agreement with Victoria."
"Apparently it's called outsourced labor. The daily wages aren't low, either. I have a brother working in Victoria, and he earned two gold coins in his very first month."
"That much? Are they still hiring over in Victoria?"
"Don't mention it. My nephew went there, but those Victorian noble bastards only hire the uninfected. What qualifications do people like us have?"
Several Sarkaz jokingly poked at the Originium crystals growing from their arms, then shrugged helplessly.
"Speaking of which, how did those nobles come to think so highly of us? They were invading Kazdel just over a decade ago. How did they change their tune so quickly?"
"I heard it has something to do with a Banshee... Of course, I don't know the details either. Let's just treat it as a rumor."
"I heard one of the Banshees is the wife of Victoria's Speaker. She brought us a round of investment..."
"How do you even know the word 'investment'? You must've read a lot when you were a mercenary."
"Before the war started, I worked as a rich man's bodyguard. I picked up a few terms. But my former employer went broke after a failed investment and couldn't pay my wages, so I robbed his house."
The native people of Kazdel were also deeply puzzled. The Sarkaz had all been furious when they first heard the news.