WolfWrites

The Calling of Wrath - Book 2 - Chapter 23 - The Hunter’s Hall (Patreon)

Published:

2022-12-11 02:07:04

Imported:

2023-02

Content

Cassandra
Year 820 | Month 3 | Day 13

So, as it turned out, I was overthinking things. The guards didn’t even bat an eye at me outside of their initial inspection, in which they simply identified me and said that I could enter. As if they didn’t care about me at all as long as I was strong.

Which in hindsight is a very, very poor security measure. But I guess it is in line with Aulta’s thinking. And very similar to the king himself.

Anyways, putting their security aside for the moment, I slowly make my way through the village while taking note of the many warriors armed with axes walking around. Which surprisingly includes children, but then again, it’s a different continent. So it has different norms.

One thing that does bother me a bit is the sight of the slaves passing by with collars on their necks.

Slavery is outlawed in Liathtria, but neither of the other two continents share the same sentiment. And while Aulta isn’t anywhere near as big on slavery as Ardene, it does still have it as a relatively commonplace thing. It’s just that generally the slaves here sell themselves into slavery in order to feed themselves. Or they are defeated in a duel and turned into a slave as a result of it.

Personally, I think slavery is disgusting. But I’m an advent of personal freedom. Not to mention a princess. So, I can’t carelessly express my opinion on that topic. Especially not on another continent.

I continue searching around the village for a little bit before finding what I’m looking for.

The Hunter’s Hall.

Unlike Liathtria, Aulta has a different setup for the nation itself. Instead of nobility, Aulta has Jarls and Grand Jarls. Just two strict ‘noble’ ranks, with no bloodline inheritance. Outside of the royal family of course, which is through bloodline.

A person is given the rank of Jarl by the Grand Jarl of their region via either merit in the region, or and impressing the Grand Jarl in one of their monthly tournaments. Meanwhile the Grand Jarls are promoted from the ranks of Jarls by the royal families themselves, and there can only be one in each region.

However, another way to become a Jarl or a Grand Jarl is to kill another one and bring their head to either the Grand Jarl of the region if it was a Jarl slain, or the royal court if it was a Grand Jarl.

In all honesty, I like that people aren’t just born into power in this kingdom. But I don’t like the bloodthirsty way they have things set up.

The ‘nobility’ aside though, Aulta also has hunters in the place of Liathtria’s adventurers. Except for the added fact that the hunters are treated much better here than adventurers are back home. And that the hunters only take on monster slaying jobs and not other jobs.

I open the doors to the Hunter’s Hall before finding the entrance hall filled with large, bulky people – both men and women – laughing while drinking mead at large tables. The entry hall itself is literally just that of a large inn, with long tables spread out throughout the hall and two different bars on either ends of the room. In fact, the only things here marking it as the Hunter’s Hall are the poster board of monster hunting jobs – which is jam packed with jobs at the moment despite people still taking some away right now – and the receptionist desk.

My eyebrow twitches as I hear a catcall from someone watching me walking into the room, but fortunately the man simply waves with a drunk grin on his face and returns to whatever conversation he was having.

Huh. I was kind of expecting worse from these people, considering their reputation as barbarians. But then again, the adventurers in Liathtria are all cold and selfish. These hunters just seem… wild. Untamed. And very loud.

And quite playful and more direct, if the looks I’ve been sent as I walk through the hall despite my body being covered by my cloak.

Deciding to ignore their looks, I continue making my way towards the counter before finding a man behind it with a wide grin on his face as he watches me approach. When I actually make it to the counter though, he straight up slams a mug of mead down on it and pushes it towards me while saying, “Heya, young one. Lookin ta sign up as a hunter? Or perhaps ya already are one?”

I glance at the mug for a second before looking up at him and answering, “I’d like to sign up as one, if you don’t mind.”

His thick eyebrows raise in surprise at my accent – which is very clearly different from the other people’s accent here – before grinning, spreading his arms out wide, and shouting, “Welcome to Aulta, young Liathtrian!”

Shouts of “Here, here!” come from all around the Hunter’s Hall while people begin lifting their mugs and laughing.

I can’t help but gape at this sight, but the man quickly explains as if he was already used to this sight, “We get lots of you adventurers comin here from Liathtria to become hunters.”

My mouth closes again.

That… makes sense actually. In fact, I think I do remember something about that in my lessons, but we were only just touching on that topic when the System arrived.

Also, I’m starting to see why these hunters are well liked here. They’re quite friendly, unlike the nobility struggles on this continent.

It’s… bizarre to be honest.

The nobility in Liathtria tend to treat their people relatively well, and don’t have too many political struggles. But the adventurers are often selfish assholes.

Meanwhile in Aulta, the ‘nobility’ treats their people like crap if they aren’t strong. But the hunters are actually pretty nice and popular people here. Although I don’t know how selfish they are outside of this place yet, so I’ll just have to wait and see.

My thoughts are cut off as the man at the counter leans in and nods towards the mug while saying, “Might’s well drink while yer gettin registered. Because tha process is a lot longer than it was for Adventurers.”

Oh.

I glance at the mug of mead before looking up at him again. Then back down at the mug. Then at him again.

I’ve never actually had mead before.

With that thought, I reach out and grab a sip of it.

Huh.

It’s… different. Very different from the wines I’m used to as a princess.

“Let’s get ya started then,” the man says with a grin before he pulls out a bunch of papers that have my eyes bugging out at the vast number of them.

Yeah. This might take a while.

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