"Alka? Are you ho?"
Hearing the voice, Alka, who was feeling excited, quickly jumped up and waved his hand.
"Yes, I’m here. I’m ho."
Hearing this, Priest Parker brought in a burly man wearing a black trench coat and a cowboy hat.
"Priest." Siegert looked at Priest Parker, crossed his hands, and bowed.
Alka did the sa thing.
After returning the salute, the priest said, "Alka, this is the Treasure Hunter I ntioned, Andre."
The burly man nad Andre waved to interrupt the priest, took off his hat, and sized up Alka from head to toe.
"Kid, my na is Andre. Andre Kirigan. Leader of the Blue Fist Treasure Hunting Team."
"And you, what’s your na?"
Alka glanced at the middle-aged man before him, then replied unhurriedly, "Alka Ragu."
"Parker has already told about you. I agree to let you join my Treasure Hunting Team, but if you want to get what you want..."
At this point, he took a step forward, leaned his head toward Alka, and stared at him.
He said in a low voice, "Then you’d better give a reason worth my price."
After he finished, he pulled out a rolled-up sheet of paper from who knows where and stuffed it into Alka’s hand.
"If you agree, sign it. It’s still morning now. I’ll wait at most until dusk. If you’ve made up your mind, co find ."
With that, he turned around resolutely, pushed open the courtyard gate, and walked out.
Parker at the side didn’t stop him, just quietly watched Alka.
"He’s my friend. His reputation is trustworthy and his abilities are outstanding. But you... little Alka, are you really ready?"
After speaking, he nodded to both Alka and Siegert, then walked out.
At the door, he nodded again to the side and left.
At this ti, a figure entered through the door—it was Aunt Macy.
So many sudden happenings left Alka frozen in place.
He stared at Aunt Macy, and Siegert beside her, who was watching him too.
For a mont, Alka didn’t know what to say, nor where to start. Countless thoughts flooded his mind, leaving him sowhat lost.
Instead, Aunt Macy walked over, placed both hands on his shoulders, and looked him in the eyes.
"Have you made up your mind? Child, are you really going to take this path? Even if it’s fraught with hardships, pain, and death?"
Hearing this,
his thoughts gradually steadied, his resolve growing firr.
Alka nodded heavily. "I’ve made up my mind."
Aunt Macy seed to have expected this, and nodded in relief.
She pulled Alka into her arms.
"Child, since you’ve decided, then be brave and go for it."
Then she let him go.
At that mont, Siegert ca over with a smile.
"Alka, you..."
Before he could finish, Aunt Macy grabbed his ear and dragged him out.
"Alright, you little rascal, co ho with . Alka needs to think for himself now. He needs ti alone."
"But I still..."
"No buts! Get moving already."
"Okay, okay! Let go, Mom, my ear’s about to fall off!"
Watching the two leave and hearing their exchange, Alka couldn’t help but smile.
He picked up the paper in his hand and walked straight into his room.
Sitting at his desk, he unrolled the paper.
He saw it was densely packed with writing, and Alka looked it over.
It was a contract.
A contract between Alka and the Blue Fist Treasure Hunting Team.
It was even stamped with the Alliance seal.
The general aning of the contract was this:
Once he signed his na, he would be considered a mber of the Blue Fist Treasure Hunting Team.
He would have to obey the terms and clauses listed.
There were two levels of contracts in total.
Main team mbers and sub-team mbers.
Main mbers were all the people indispensable to the treasure hunting team, or anyone with particular strengths.
They could fill important positions in the team.
For example: consultants, doctors, navigators, combatants, puzzle-solvers, and so on.
People with special skills or outstanding abilities.
Sub-team mbers were many—sailors, gunners, general laborers, and a series of other less critical jobs.
These also included trainees like Alka.
Classed as reserve for the main mbers.
This contract was for a trainee mber.
This contract ensured Alka wouldn’t have to do dirty or exhausting work or errands on board.
But he must carry out tasks within his abilities.
When landing to search for treasure, he had to go along.
The sub-mbers didn’t have to.
At the sa ti, he was eligible to receive a share from treasure hunts he participated in, based on his contribution, though definitely less than the main mbers’ share.
Sub-mbers weren’t entitled to that.
If after two years on the ship he still didn’t et Captain Andre Kirigan’s standards, he’d be demoted to regular sub-mber or have to leave the team.
His salary, anwhile, would be 1.5 Silver Snakes per month.
A high salary.
Looking at the contract docunt in his hand and the clearly itemized rules,
it all looked very formal, just like an official organization.
But Alka had his own interpretation of the contract.
According to what was written here,
and relying on normal guesswork,
the so-called main mbers were probably those who possessed magical powers.
The sub-mbers were ordinary people, but should be aware that magical powers exist.
Trainee mbers were sothing of a buffer between the two.
A bit like how in companies, technical personnel are put through training.
With that in mind, and having Parker’s guarantee,
Alka didn’t hesitate for long.
This was the only path he could find in a short ti.
If he let this go, he might never get another chance.
He picked up a quill from the corner of the desk, dipped it in ink, and wrote his na on the contract.
Just like that, he placed the contract on the desk.
At the sa ti, he looked out toward the sky through the window.
It was already noon, only a few hours left until dusk.
Since the decision was made, there was nothing more to hesitate over.
He grabbed the wooden suitcase he’d bought earlier from the wall.
Alka had been preparing for this day a long ti now.
He began to pack up the belongings he wanted to take with him.
He holstered two guns and fitted the holsters onto his body, loaded cartridges into the belt at his waist.
He put twelve playing cards on the right side of his belt, snapping the clasp so he could pull them out at any ti.
The tal block under the desk, the hidden notebook, and his own pocketbook were all tucked into the lining of the suitcase.
Once everything was ready,
Alka glanced out the window.
It was already afternoon.
He picked up his suitcase, slung his pack on his back,
shut the door,
looked at the big tree in the yard and the hole at its base, long since filled in,
and the scarecrow standing next to it.
He took a deep breath.
Pushed open the courtyard gate and walked outside.
"Alka."
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