At that moment, as soon as Leon confirmed that the Golem army would need about five days to reach the city, which lay four days away from this town on foot, Albert slammed his hands forcefully on the table before him.
Sparks flew from his eyes, determination etched on his face, and with a confident, resolute tone, Albert spoke: "Listen, Mr. Leon Alek—here's my offer. If you help me get to the northern city as quickly as possible, I will make sure to reward you with enough wealth to last your entire life. And if you join the combat force I will raise to fight the Golem army, you will be handsomely compensated. In fact, I will personally request His Majesty to grant you land to rule and even bestow upon you a noble title."
Albert's offer was so generous it left Helmood utterly shocked. Yet Leon, on the other hand, remained unmoved, not even slightly affected by those words; he maintained his composure and sternness, which made Albert uneasy, as if fearing Leon might reject his offer despite its obvious appeal.
The time had come for Leon to respond. His answer would be critical and delicate. If Leon refused, he and Helmood would return empty-handed, without any real goal or destination. But if he accepted Albert's proposal, he might seize a chance to attain immense wealth and even gain influence within the country's power corridors.
"Hmmm… your offer isn't bad, Mr. Albert, but it's not exactly what I want," Leon replied, not outright rejecting the proposal but indicating that this wasn't what he sought at this stage. Albert was a very different man now; as a family man with his loved ones in grave danger, he might have given up everything just to ensure their safety.
Boldly, Albert said, "Then what offer suits you? Whatever your request is, I will make sure to fulfill it. Also, keep in mind that helping us in this ordeal will make you a hero in the eyes of the people of the Novaris Emirate."
Albert's words seemed to stir something within Leon, who showed a hint of admiration for the last remark. "Ah, now this is getting interesting. Very well, we have an agreement. I don't care whether I'm a hero in the eyes of your emirate's people or not. What matters is that you ensure you keep your vow to me. When the time comes, you must fulfill whatever request I make, no matter how great."
Thus, Leon gave his conditional agreement to participate in the operation. On the other side, Albert was overjoyed at successfully recruiting a formidable fighter to his ranks. He knew well that having someone like Leon on his side would be immensely beneficial, even if Leon's condition was a heavy one.
"Alright, I don't think we should waste any more time here. We must head north as soon as possible."
With that decision settled, the three began preparing for the journey. But Helmood intervened, asking to delay their departure slightly. "Are the three of us the only ones leaving? Moreover, we don't have a clear plan to confront the advancing army heading northwest. Isn't it dangerous to go without a strategy?"
Helmood's concern was genuine and had Leon's support, but Albert was too eager and impulsive to return quickly and dismissed Helmood's ideas. "It doesn't matter. We must get back there to warn them before it's too late. Also, we'll have to raise a large army to repel the Golem forces."
While Albert strongly opposed, Leon and Helmood remained silent. Ultimately, the decision rested with Albert at this point. Still, Albert's behavior was reckless and foolish, born out of his overwhelming fear for his family in the north, which somewhat justified his choices.
At that moment, a man who looked somewhat familiar entered. It was the same man who had welcomed Helmood and Leon upon their arrival at this building. His tone and actions toward Albert made it clear he was Albert's personal assistant.
"Sir, I believe the 'Iron Fist's' words are correct this time. If you look at it logically rather than emotionally, time is still on our side. If we mount the horses and head north from here, we can arrive within two days. That will give us enough time to prepare a proper plan."
Despite this, Albert was still unconvinced. "Then why delay any further? We just need to set off now to arrive faster, nothing more."
Albert insisted on his view, but his assistant replied, "Well, what difference would a few hours make if we stay here or there? The real difference, sir, is that we need to prepare here, gather the fighters and horses, and send a request to His Majesty. Send a message to the capital explaining your situation so they can dispatch reinforcements as soon as possible."
Albert relented, saying, "Very well, bring me paper and pen. I will send an urgent message to the capital immediately. Meanwhile, Mr. Leon, Mr. Helmood, I will grant you three hours to prepare before we begin our march."
Once Albert finally agreed, his assistant set off to gather as many fighters as possible—mercenaries, adventurers, anyone capable of fighting. Meanwhile, Helmood and Leon mounted their horses and headed back to Helmood's cabin.
This had been Helmood's personal request, claiming he had something important there that couldn't be left behind. Thus, Helmood and Leon began racing against the clock they had been given.
An entire hour passed since Helmood and Leon left, and during that time, Albert's assistant also returned, standing confidently near the grand building where Albert sat. As Albert heard some noise outside, he quickly looked out the window.
The sight before Albert was impressive: hundreds of fierce fighters stood opposite the building. Albert immediately descended to meet his assistant, with those fighters behind him—adventurers, mercenaries, even herders. Those who couldn't wield magic stood proudly before Albert at that moment.
His assistant whispered in his ear softly, "Sir, you must address all these people who gathered here today solely for your cause because they have always believed in you and been grateful for your kindness."
In the tense moment, Albert swallowed hard, then took a deep breath and began speaking: "Ahem, ahem, ladies and gentlemen who have answered my call today, I promise I will never forget what you have done this day. When we have defeated the vile Golems, I will make sure to reward you generously in appreciation of your support."
As soon as Albert finished his speech, the crowd erupted in cheers. Despite Albert belonging to the noble elite, unlike his peers, he was humble and compassionate. He did not impose heavy taxes and cared for his subjects. That day, hundreds answered his call, not out of greed but out of love and respect.
Meanwhile, Leon and Helmood had already arrived at the cabin. Helmood entered while Leon stayed with the horses outside. After only two minutes, Helmood emerged, saying, "Alright, now everything is ready."
As Helmood mounted his horse, he suddenly stopped and looked at Leon. "Hey, Leon, don't you have a weapon?"
A valid question, since Leon wore old clothes and carried no weapons, which was especially noticeable given the upcoming fierce battle.
Leon replied, "Hmm, no. At the moment, I don't have any weapon to rely on in combat, but I will manage something soon."
Upon hearing this, Helmood dismounted completely, causing Leon to wonder what was happening. Before Leon could react, Helmood said, "Alright, Leon, tell me, what's your favorite weapon?"
At that point, Leon smiled faintly and said, "A pair of daggers." Hearing this, Helmood headed toward his workshop, moving away from Leon until he disappeared from sight.
While Helmood went to the workshop, Leon waited with the horses, waiting for about five minutes. At the end of the fifth minute, he finally saw Helmood returning.
As Helmood approached, Leon could see what he carried in his hands: in his right hand, a pair of daggers as Leon had requested. At first glance, the daggers appeared to be crafted with extremely high skill, which was expected from Helmood. These daggers were made from a magical metal, glowing a vivid crimson color, exactly like blood.
When Helmood reached a distance sufficient to take the reins, he threw the pair of daggers toward Leon, who began examining the weapons with great precision, satisfaction evident on his face. "Wow, these are crafted with great perfection."
[Notification: The process of refining the pair of daggers is underway.]
[Notification: The process completed successfully.]
[Notification: After research and analysis, it can be confirmed that these daggers are made from high-quality magical materials and will be ideal weapons for player Leon to fight with.]
Seeing the power of the daggers, Helmood threw something else at Leon, but this time it wasn't a weapon—it was "clothing."
Helmood explained, "Without proper clothes, you can't expect to keep wearing those old rags for long. Plus, these clothes have anti-magic properties; they're woven from the threads produced by the giant forest spider."
Continuing, Helmood said, "Ah, I almost forgot something—the daggers in your hands are called the Blood Twins. Make sure to use them well."
With that, the Blood Twins vanished from Leon's hands, a sight that shocked Helmood. "Where did the daggers go?"
Leon laughed mockingly at Helmood's expression and said, "Haha, don't worry. They're still with me. You can say it's just storage magic."
Leon's words were meant to ease Helmood's shock, but they only intensified it. Helmood could hardly believe his eyes, certain now that this was dimensional magic—a feat only possible for those with absolute control over magical particles.
Yet, Helmood quickly regained his composure, thinking to himself: Why do I find anything strange coming from a being I could almost swear isn't even human?
With that, Leon put on the clothes Helmood had given him, and they set off, heading back toward Albert.