Leon had received new clothes from the old man. Not really new, however in a better condition than the ones he had been wearing, now he wore a yellowish wool shirt, with simple pants, fortunately his sneakers were still in usable condition so he kept them.
The two were approaching the city Leon looked to the sides, seeing that there were more roads from other directions that also led toward the city, and on all of them there were people and groups coming and going.
"Young Leon. Do you have your identity plate with you?" Leon blinked a few times at the question. And soon shook his head. "I don't. In the small village I came from we didn't have that there." The old man looked at him and soon shrugged.
"We'll have to make one for you as soon as we arrive in the city. There are some faster ways to get one. You can join the city guards after some training, or affiliate yourself with the mercenaries. That's the cheapest and easiest way to get one."
Leon pondered that for a few moments while thinking about the possibilities. He could not deny that if he were to do something like that he would rather become an adventurer. But there was not much he could do since they were not allowed there.
"Trying to become a guard would tie me down here a lot right?. I'm looking for some people, so I think it would be better to go with the mercenaries. I need information as well."
"Looking for someone?, right then the mercenaries would indeed be better. But it's a complicated life, however you will have access to their information network. And the higher your rank inside the better it will be from what I know."
They talked a bit more and soon passed through the guards at the entrance, the inspection was quick, and he entered as the old man's helper. Which well, he really had been one during these last days of travel with the old man.
"The mercenaries' base is to the right following that street there. There will be a sign with two crossed swords and writing, very easy to find."
He pointed toward the direction. Leon looked at all the architecture of the place it was a medieval city, however there were things still unknown to him. Domesticated monsters. People walking around with weapons and swords, together with armor, mage robes. Fighters. It was the vision of literally as if magic was in the air.
"Thank you for the help." Leon thanked genuinely while heading in the indicated direction, and now once again he was alone in this world.
'I haven't seen anyone that looks like they came from Earth yet. That's strange. So many billions of people, and so far nothing.' He constantly searched for other humans from Earth like him, however he had not found anything, not even heard people talking about it in the streets.
Maybe he just was not paying enough attention to such things. After a few minutes he then arrived at the indicated place, with the sign of the swords, looking at the text he gave a light laugh. "I really can't read what's written..." The entrance of the place was a double door fully open outward, looking inside there were several tables with people seated.
'A bar?' The atmosphere inside seemed more serious. Leon entered the place while some gazes were directed at him, men and women all seemed stronger than Leon, and all armed as well. Exhaling what he understood as hostility?, He had not felt something like that yet, at most maybe in fencing tournaments he did in school, but even then it did not compare to this.
Reaching further inside where he saw the receptionist. He looked at her while she spoke "Welcome to the Reinford mercenaries' base. My name is Nora, how can I help you?" Curiously the woman was very polite. She was brunette with long hair and green eyes, and wore more formal clothes with a bow tie.
"Ah, my name is Leon, I need an identity plate, and information, they told me that if I join the mercenaries it would be the fastest way to get both." She then raised her eyebrows. "Yes, yes, our group could provide that, however we have a test to conduct, and only if you pass will you be able to join us."
He nodded his head. "What kind of test would it be?" She then picked up a thicker paper and handed it to Leon on the table between them. "Here are the information, and the topics." Leon picked up the paper and then looked at it and at the woman. While with his other hand he placed it beside his head while giving a light awkward laugh.
"Sorry, I can't read." And handed the paper back to her.
"It's alright, we have people who couldn't either, it's not one of the requirements, but it is important to learn, if you join us. Since you can't read the written test will be skipped. And you will need to take the combat test with an instructor and measure the mana level you have."
'Mana level?.' "Right. The sooner the better then!." He said opening a smile to the receptionist, who blushed briefly. And soon began arranging the papers for Leon to take the entry tests.
"All mercenaries have ranks, everyone starts at Bronze and goes up to Mythril, being them; Bronze, Iron, Steel, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Mythril. If you pass you will start at the lowest which is Bronze. And with average performance in your achievements and deeds it increases. All mercenaries must respond to the local nobles and kings if an emergency occurs, and be free to answer the call."
He nodded his head 'I don't like the idea of being controlled by nobles... But it makes sense, if they can't control adventurers, at least with mercenaries they found a way, and since there are only them here it's well regulated from what I understood.'
"That's fine by me." He replied, and soon Nora was finishing the paperwork for the tests. And then picked another blank paper and wrote something on it.
"Since you need to sign your name on the paper to confirm your attempt to join, this here is your name written, copy it here." She then took another paper and pointed to Leon where to write.
Leon seeing now the dialect with his name written, he could identify the sounds that made his name his name in that language. And soon transcribed it onto the paper. The shape of the letters was not complicated, and somewhat resembled some from Earth. However they were still different from what he had seen before.
"Mike, you're being requested to test the rookie!." Nora spoke to one of the men sitting on the bench Who soon stood up and with that Leon could see, he was at least two meters tall, and on his back there was a large great sword.
"Oho... So I get to crush the little boy who wants to play mercenary then?"
Leon exchanged looks between Mike and Nora, who gave a light laugh. "Mike is one of our mercenaries, he is almost reaching Steel rank. And with that he is qualified to conduct the test. Good luck Leon!."
'Damn, if I take one hit I think I die...'
The three were then led to the back where there was an open courtyard under the sky, it was a training field, the ground firmly packed and a ring on the ground in a square shape. On the side there were numerous stands of wooden weapons.
Mike then walked to one of the weapons, while picking up a wooden great sword, which did not look any less threatening than the real one in that man's hands.
"Leon right?. Choose your weapon. So we can begin the test."