Chapter 37: The Recruitment of Trike (2)

Preconception is a towering, thick wall to overcome.

No matter how much he displayed the excellence of his archery, in the end it was merely that: archery. In this world that most valued knights who wielded their aura to charge foolhardily into the enemy and run rampant, there was no one who truly recognized the value of archery - even with Trikes godlike mastery.

At most, there were those who gave him recruitment offers with the attitude that he would merely be useful if he served under them.

[I shall pay you three times the wages of a normal soldier. Hows that?]

[Is this not enough already? These are exceptional terms I am proposing, for an archer.]

[You have the audacity to decline the offer of a Count? I have never seen such impudence, and from a mere archer at that.]

But none of them acknowledged Trikes true value. From some point in time, Trike became disillusioned with the nobles and decided he would rather live ever after as a mercenary. The Longbow Company was founded with that mentality.

Many more nobles would propose offers to him as his name spread, to which Trike would request the same each time.

[Ill think about it if you give me a knights title.]

Not a single noble accepted that request. After all, how could this grub of an archer ask for the title of knight?

A knight was an occupation, but it was also an indication of ones status. A title on par with that of nobles was not bestowed on anyone so rashly.

Whenever Trike would demand a knights peerage from the nobles, they would curse him and rebuff it immediately. Trike would then snort and leave, saying Its your loss.

Instead of serving such nobles, he was determined to live freely as a mercenary for the rest of his life.

At least, that was how it was meant to be.

But

***

Hmm? May I ask, why are you crying?

Its its nothing. Right, so

Even Trike himself did not think he would shed tears. He was moved by having his abilities acknowledged properly for the first time since birth.

Seeing Trike cry tears of joy, Jerome nodded his head from behind Milton.

Hes not just an impertinent brat after all.

In truth, Jerome understood Trikes emotions quite well.

He was like a ship lost in the open sea that one day suddenly discovered the shining beacon of a lighthouse; guiding him towards it, shining its bright light onto the place he was meant to be.

It was something that Jerome himself had experienced meeting Milton. He had thrown away his knight self and chosen a path of revenge as a mercenary but ultimately, he could only be a knight.

The one who roused this revelation within him was Milton, and Jerome swore his lifelong loyalty and service to him. The emotions, the joy and the determinations he made in that moment were things he would never forget until his death.

Trike was likely feeling those same emotions right