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I allowed a small smile to form on my lips, leaning back in my chair. "Nothing much," I said casually. "Just money would be enough."

Roderick\'s gaze remained sharp, clearly trying to read between the lines. "Money, huh?" he said slowly. "You\'re a practical man, I\'ll give you that. But you must know that Rackenshore isn\'t exactly overflowing with wealth. The war\'s taken its toll on everyone here."

"As expected. But that is fine, too."

I replied, looking at him. I already kind of expected such a thing. Considering the fact that the problem with bandits and other things could be solved if they had enough funds to hire some strong people, the fact that it was not solved alone showed the lack of funds as well.

That was why I had another request in my mind.

"I want an identity as a citizen of the Arcanis Empire."

Roderick\'s eyes narrowed as soon as I mentioned my request, his suspicion flaring up almost immediately. His body tensed slightly, and I could see the wheels turning in his head, trying to make sense of why someone like me would want citizenship in the Arcanis Empire.

After all, he must have already thought that I was a citizen since that was the natural reaction.

But I was expecting this reaction. There was a reason why bandits were able to roam the outskirts of Rackenshore so freely. If the city had enough funds and resources, they would\'ve sought help from outside. But their situation showed otherwise.

"What exactly are you after?" Roderick asked, his voice low and cautious. "Money wasn\'t your goal after all, was it?"

I shrugged, raising my hands in a calming gesture. "You don\'t need to look at me like I\'m some sort of criminal. If I were here to cause harm, I wouldn\'t be sitting across from you drinking tea and negotiating."

His gaze remained hard as stone, but I could see the curiosity in his eyes, even if he didn\'t fully trust me yet. "So, what\'s your game, then? Why would you want to become a citizen of the Arcanis Empire?"

I leaned back in my chair, my expression as calm as ever. "Let\'s just say I have my reasons. And before you ask, no, I\'m not an enemy. If I was, I would\'ve acted differently. But right now, all I want is the freedom to move within the empire without constantly looking over my shoulder. Official citizenship would provide that."

Roderick was silent for a long moment, clearly weighing his options. The silence between us stretched out, the clink of his teacup the only sound that broke the tension.

"I\'ll be honest with you, Lucavion," he said finally, his tone serious. "That\'s not an easy request. Citizenship isn\'t something you can just hand out to anyone who walks in off the street, especially with your background."

"I understand that," I replied smoothly, "which is why I\'m offering to clean up your bandit problem. I\'ll take care of what your soldiers can\'t. In return, I want that citizenship. You can make it happen, can\'t you?"

Roderick\'s lips pressed into a thin line, but I could tell he was considering my offer. Finally, he let out a long sigh. "You\'re asking for something that\'s beyond me. But… I do have contacts who can help with this sort of thing."

I smiled. "Then we have an understanding?"

Roderick leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the table as he met my gaze head-on. "You clean up the bandits, and I\'ll put in a good word for you. But be warned, it won\'t be easy. The bandits are more organized than you think."

"I expected nothing less," I replied with a grin.

Roderick studied me for another moment before nodding. "All right, Lucavion. We have a deal. But I\'ll be watching closely. Don\'t give me a reason to regret this."

"You won\'t," I said.

"Sigh..." He released a long sigh as if he was troubled.

"Now that we have a deal, I want to ask some questions regarding the bandits. Would that be okay?"

"That is fine. Let me explain everything first."

Roderick leaned back in his chair, his expression serious as he began to explain the situation. "The bandits you\'re dealing with aren\'t just some ragtag group of thieves. Their leader, a man named Korvan, is a peak 3-star Awakened. He\'s powerful, ruthless, and commands a lot of respect among his men."

I listened intently as Roderick continued, mentally taking notes on every detail. This Korvan was clearly the central figure I needed to be concerned about.

"But Korvan isn\'t alone," Roderick went on, his tone grim. "He has at least five other 3-star Awakened under his command. They\'re spread out across the region, each leading smaller groups of bandits. That\'s why we\'ve had such a hard time dealing with them. Even if we manage to weaken one group, the others quickly retaliate or regroup. It\'s a coordinated effort."

"So, you\'re saying that it\'s not just about taking down Korvan," I said, more to confirm my understanding. "I\'ll need to dismantle his entire network."

Roderick nodded. "Exactly. The key to bringing down Korvan is weakening his support structure. His lieutenants are the backbone of his operations. Take them out, and Korvan will be vulnerable. But be warned—each of those lieutenants is formidable in their own right.

They\'ve been with Korvan for a long time, and they know how to fight."

I absorbed the information and am already planning my approach. Taking out a network like this would require strategy.

I\'d need to move quickly and decisively, ensuring that none of the lieutenants could rally the others.

Or….

Roderick must have noticed the gears turning in my head because he added, "There\'s one more thing you should know. Korvan and his men are deeply embedded in the local area. They\'ve got informants in the towns and villages, and they\'ve been extorting the locals for protection money. The people here are terrified of them, and for good reason.

If you make a move against them, it won\'t stay secret for long."

"I kind of expected it."

Roderick sighed again, clearly troubled by the situation. "We\'ve tried everything we can to keep them in check, but without more resources or higher-level Awakened, we\'re stuck in a stalemate. The best we\'ve managed is to contain them, but that\'s a losing battle in the long run."

"I get it, I get it," I said with a grin, leaning back in my chair. "Now that I\'ve heard the full situation, I can say this—your initial payment offer won\'t be enough."

Roderick\'s gaze sharpened, his eyes locking onto mine. He didn\'t seem surprised by my words, though. Instead, he simply studied me for a moment, the weight of the room pressing down on us as he considered his next move.

Finally, he sighed, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "That\'s what I kind of expected," he admitted, his tone resigned but still firm. "So, what do you want?"

I leaned forward, my smile widening as I met his gaze head-on. "Not much," I began, my voice calm and measured. "All I want is a reference letter for the Adventurer\'s Guild. Since you\'re in charge of the garrison here, your word would carry weight. Wouldn\'t you agree, Knight Roderick?"

Roderick\'s eyes narrowed slightly, but there was no shock in his expression. Instead, he gave a small, knowing nod. "You\'ve done your homework," he said, a note of grudging respect in his voice. "Yes, I hold the title of Knight, though I don\'t often use it these days."

"I thought as much," I replied, my tone respectful. "Your authority here is recognized, and a reference from you would open doors for me within the Adventurer\'s Guild. That\'s all I\'m asking for."

Roderick leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms as he considered my request. The room was silent, the weight of our conversation hanging between us. Finally, he gave a slow nod, a decision made.

"Very well," he said, his tone measured. "I\'ll write you that reference letter if you succeed in taking down Korvan and his lieutenants. But know this, Lucavion—if you fail, or if you bring more trouble to this town, that offer is off the table."

"Understood," I replied with a nod. "I have no intention of failing."

Roderick\'s lips curled into a small, grim smile. "Good. Then we have a deal."

"Now, is there a map where I can identify the places where the bandits are staying?"

Roderick nodded, though his expression remained serious. "We\'ve got something, but I\'ll be honest with you—it\'s not entirely accurate. Tracking these bastards down has been difficult, and we lack the manpower to conduct a thorough search. But we do have some educated guesses about where their hideouts might be."

He reached over to a nearby desk, pulling out a rolled-up map. The parchment was worn and creased, evidence of frequent use, and as he unfurled it, I could see markings and notes scrawled across the landscape. The map detailed the region surrounding Rackenshore, with the city itself at the center, surrounded by forests, hills, and a few small villages.

\'Heh…..This mission, I will reap quite benefits.\'

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