The Wizard's Obsession 29 Banquet 3

Vincent mulled over the matter seriously. Not only would this decision change his life, but it would also affect the two young men sitting beside him. Getting conscripted was the worst option and he didn't even want to think about it. Not only would he be used as a cannon fodder, the pay would also be nonexistent. Now, the only options for him were to either join the private army of a lord or join Zach on his venture. Joining a private army would ensure good pay and treatment because of his status as a wizard and a doctor. Both of these were valuable resources after all. The downside to doing so was the heavy responsibility he would have to bear along with lots of restraints. Given the high chances of an all out war between the lords, he wouldn't be able to prioritize his safety. Although his life would most likely be guaranteed as a prisoner of war, he didn't want to risk it. Nothing was certain in war after all.

The last option would be joining Zach's mercenary band. This was indeed the option that provided most freedom and prospects. It was also highly profitable. The worst point for this was that there wasn't a reliable person to ransom him if he were to be taken as a prisoner of war. But, it wasn't that much a big issue as mercenaries could freely choose their battlefield. Their loyalty only extended as far as the wealth dangling in front of their eyes. Should their life be at risk or the battle turn for the worse, they could always run away. Even if he were to be taken as a prisoner of war, the worst he would have to face would be to earn his freedom after fighting for the lord whose army captured him.

If Vincent were to be honest, he would have to say that joining Zach seemed the best option. But, he still had his reservations. The band hadn't been created yet, so he didn't know how strong the band would be. Strong mercenary bands were high in demand and treated well, but should the band be weak, they would just be used as cannon fodder. Zach had also lost his position as the heir and it made it difficult to gauge just how much they could push their recruitment. After all, humans were precious resources of the lord and Vincent didn't know how viscount Rolft or baron Gill would react.

Vincent decided that just thinking about it wouldn't help and asked, "What about the recruitment? Will your fathers allow such a thing? If they will, to what extent?"

Zach smiled and replied in a calm manner, "You don't have to worry about that, my father feels guilty for removing me from the position of heir. So, he has already promised me that I can recruit forty young able bodied men from my viscounty. Baron Gills view on this matter isn't clear yet, but Casper will be able to pull ten youths in the least from his father's fief. In the worst case scenario, I will just pay for the remaining men we will need. Though it will reduce the fund for the equipment, it can't be helped."

Nathan felt a little guilty when it was mentioned that it wasn't sure how many men he would be able to get. He knew for himself that it didn't look that great. Though he was the eldest son of the baron, his step brother was more talented than him and had better political backing. Zach's mother was the daughter of a wealthy merchant and she would manage a huge fund for Zach's share. Casper was raised to be a knight since small and his martial arts was excellent on top of already being a tier two warrior at the age of eighteen. He would also be able to pull ten able bodied men without a doubt along with his own equipment and his mounts'. Vincent on the other hand was a wizard and a doctor. Both of these gave him a high value. Furthermore, his tactical value was higher than even Casper who had a full set of equipment.

Nathan felt like he needed to ensure that his position wouldn't be undermined. He grit his teeth and made a decision. "Don't worry. I will be able to pitch in enough money even if I don't bring in any men. In the worst case scenario, I will just sell my full plate armor. It will easily bring in about 200 gold coins. With that, we could easily buy twenty men from any lord and equip them well."

Vincent was surprised that Nathan was willing to go so far. Full plate armor represented the peak of metallurgy and crafting. Not only did they make anyone who wore them nigh impossible to kill, but also showcased their importance and wealth. One of the reason Casper was important for the band was the fact that he would have full equipment for himself and his mount. That alone meant that he would be a moving nightmare for any foes he encountered on the battlefield and his safety was almost guaranteed because of his full plate armor.

Seeing this made Vincent realize that Zach and the rest weren't planning on gathering a ragtag bunch of men but a legit mercenary band that could make a name for themselves. Vincent found it an honor that he was being invited as a founder for such a group. He was attracted by the offer now and he made his mind to join the mercenary band. As a founder, he would have a say in all of the major decisions and actions of the band. He wanted to agree right away but his integrity stopped him from doing so. Zach, Casper and Nathan were all pitching in a lot of money and resources and Vincent couldn't keep a clear conscience if he joined them without investing anything.

"Very well. I will join you guys. Young master Zach, let's forget about the spell models and materials for now. I would feel bad if I took anything more. I only have 40 gold coins right now but I believe I will have 100 gold by the end of harvest of winter wheat. Consider it my investment." Vincent spoke in a calm manner. Now that he had made his decision, he was going to see it through. He had earned a lot the past year as he was working in a very busy town, but he had also spent a lot in his wizardry training and other matters. He had been living quite well after all. Though the business wouldn't be as thriving here, he believed he could save 60 gold coins in the next six months if he lived frugally.

Zach and Nathan were elated. Not only was Vincent's' partic.i.p.ation important to ensure that they could attract more people and investors tonight, his value was also higher if one looked at the matter of war objectively. Zach would have been happy if Vincent had just agreed to join them. The fact that Vincent was willing to invest made him even more valuable as a friend and a comrade. After all, trust was an important factor for the realization of their plan and who could be trusted more than someone who had shown sincerity and was reliable? Zach laughed and spoke in a voice filled with joy, "Haha Vincent, you can drop the formality now. Just call me Zach. We are all brother from now on. Come let's drink to mark this moment."

Vincent took the gla.s.s handed to him by Zach and chugged its content. He didn't like drinking but he didn't mind doing so to not break the atmosphere they had. The trio talked and laughed while waiting for Casper who soon joined them. Once all of them were gathered, they began planning for the night. The banquet would be their first battlefield to realize their plan.