Men stood up from both the east and west corners of the tavern, eyeing each other warily as they approached Starlight, acting like old enemies.
The Orc bartender introduced them enthusiastically. "This is Hastings, a veteran rogue who specializes in disarming traps. The other is Hales, a ranger. His raven is specially trained to detect secret chambers and hidden passages."
Starlight began to size up the two adventurers.
The ranger, Hales, didn't seem particularly special, though his half-elf heritage was somewhat noteworthy.
As for the rogue named Hastings, his build was far too large; he looked less like a rogue and more like a warrior. However, he carried an aura that Starlight found very familiar—the scent of an ascetic.
Hastings looked as if he had seen through the suffering of life and entered a state of desirelessness. His eyes were indifferent and profound. It was hard to imagine what he had gone through to reach such a state at his age.
"I need someone to infiltrate a wizard's tower..." Starlight stated his request simply, without specifying which tower. He then asked a few questions to verify their professional standards.
Both performed well. The rogue easily picked the magical lock Starlight produced, and the ranger's raven effortlessly found the magical ring Starlight had hidden. Their skills could be considered exquisite.
However, their quotes were a bit outrageous.
The rogue, Hastings, demanded three thousand gold coins up front. Furthermore, he would only be responsible for infiltration—finding a safe passage into the tower—and refused to explore the interior.
"No matter what type of wizard's tower it is, the danger is too great. It's impossible for me alone to disarm all the magical traps and retreat unscathed. I'll be honest: if I encounter danger, I'm running immediately."
This statement was incredibly irresponsible, and the price of three thousand gold was exorbitant. It wasn't that Starlight couldn't afford it, but he had no desire to be played for a fool.
The half-elf ranger seemed much more upright, though his asking price was even higher—a full five thousand gold coins. But he guaranteed a safe passage into the tower and promised to traverse it from top to bottom. He might not be able to disarm every trap, but he would mark all suspicious locations and draw a detailed map for Starlight.
It was expensive, but the conditions were reasonable.
If he could truly get a clear understanding of the Lich's castle structure, five thousand gold coins would be absolutely worth it.
Just as Starlight was hesitating over whether to haggle, Hastings suddenly spoke up. "Don't you Paladins usually cast *Detect Evil* before partnering with someone?"
Starlight looked at the rogue with curiosity. "Some Paladin oaths are quite strict, so they use *Detect Evil* when selecting partners. However, my oath is not that rigid."
From an angle Starlight couldn't see, the half-elf ranger Hales revealed a look of regret.
He had originally planned to use that Lich's tactics to scam a "moral compensation" fee. Who would have thought this Paladin had such flexible moral standards?
But it wasn't a big problem. Neither of them had any intention of actually exploring a wizard's tower.
They just wanted to extort a sum of money from this Paladin. Even if it was just a ten-percent advance, it would be enough for the two brothers to leave the City of Alchemy.
The only reason they were still stuck in this godforsaken place was that they had run into Ambrose earlier. The two brothers had been fleeced of their entire life savings by that evil Lich. They didn't even have money to buy a horse and were forced to stay in the City of Alchemy to try their luck.
If Starlight paid now, the brothers would leave the city overnight and never return.
The Nine Great Kingdoms were vast. The Ryan Empire wouldn't chase them to the ends of the earth for a few hundred gold coins.
Their calculations were sound, but they had underestimated Starlight's caution.
After haggling with the two for a long time, Starlight finally hired both of them for four thousand gold coins to infiltrate Ambrose's castle.
The ten percent deposit was settled on the spot. However, after paying, Starlight placed two alchemical potions in front of the brothers.
"These are magical potions I ordered from the Alchemists' Council. After drinking them, several defensive spells will be cast upon you, ensuring your safety during the infiltration. The potion's effects will lie dormant in your bodies and automatically activate when you encounter danger.
"It will simultaneously cast *Armor of Agathys*, *Stoneskin*, and *Shield Spell* on you. Such protection is strong enough to withstand my full-power *Divine Smite*. It will be enough to save your lives."
The brothers exchanged a glance, surprised by such a good thing. The value of these two potions was likely higher than their quoted price.
*Armor of Agathys* could temporarily bolster their vitality and cover them in frost, dealing cold damage to any enemy that attacked them. *Stoneskin* needed no introduction; it literally made skin as hard as rock. The *Shield Spell* made one immune to *Magic Missile* and provided excellent magical defense.
With these three defensive spells stacked, they would truly be invulnerable.
The two quickly pocketed the potions, planning to sell them for a good price later.
Unexpectedly, Starlight said to them, "There's no time to lose. Drink them now. The potions take a little time to take effect, so drinking them now is perfect. We are heading to the wizard's tower immediately."
"We need to prepare. I need to get some biscuits for my pet."
"Right, my lockpicks are a bit dull. I need to sharpen them..."
...
Starlight watched the brothers perform with a smile, but his hand was already resting on the hilt of his sword.
"Anything you're missing can be resolved right now. Prepare right here in front of me. If you leave my sight, I might get a little nervous. And you know, when people get overly nervous, they tend to become violent."
A faint holy light circulated on Starlight's palm. *Divine Smite* was primed, ready to deliver a thunderous blow at any moment.
The brothers realized instantly: this Paladin had never trusted them from the start. He intended to escort them directly into the wizard's tower.
Should they resist right here and run?
There were two of them. They couldn't win a fight, but surely they could use some tricks to escape? Hastings was already reaching for a smoke bomb, and Hales was ready to summon his beast companion to cover their retreat.
But just then, the tavern doors pushed open again, and four more Ryan Empire Paladins in heavy armor walked in.
Hastings & Hales: "..."
Run where? If they dared to pull any tricks, these Paladins would absolutely mince them into meat sauce with *Divine Smite*.
The brothers could only force smiles. "You're right. Time waits for no one. Let's set off now."
Starlight smiled. "What about the biscuits and lockpicks? No need to prepare anymore?"
"Pets are most obedient when they're hungry."
"Exactly. As for lockpicks, I'll just swap for a new set."
Starlight was very satisfied with their reaction. He turned to his teammates and said, "Let's go. We're heading to the territory of the Lich, Tiga Ultraman."
Hastings & Hales: "???!!!"
Why did the name that Paladin just say sound so familiar?!