Zachary's Story - Kazen II (english readers .TXT) 📗

Since its establishment, there had been a lot of misconception regarding the Mercenary Corporation, a service company which employed mercenary to do any kind of job imaginable – from mere courier service to escort work to tracking and other more complex tasks – for a reward. Mecor, as it was publically known, was the fastest way anyone could gain both money and fame. Nevertheless, that was not all Mecor was; anyone should look into Mecor Headquarters or any of the Macor Station and see that Mecor also enrolled ordinary people, who got no fighting or any outstanding skill, as regular staff to accomplish normal day-to-day works, including receiving petition from potential clients, the advertisement of the available job to mercenaries, the reward transaction as well as ensuring that everyhthing went smoothly between the two parties. Therefore, being a mercenary was not the only way to get into Mecor. The choice was open to me when my application to become a mercenary of Mecor was rejected.

I was thirteen then. I was the last child of my parents’ seven children. I had two older brothers and four older sisters. Being the third son of an innkeeper in the quiet port town of Nyra, Estrey Region, I soon realized my future looked grim. Well, my first older brother would inherit the establishment, while my second oldest brother would be the advisor, while my four older sisters had done immensely well with the kitchen and housekeeping works. I had chores as kitchen boy or extra hands when there was need, but half the morning I would spend just roaming the streets and pier of Nyra with my friends, and sometimes I would accompany them to help unloading cargos. Moreover, hearing stories from travelers who stayed in the inn got me dreaming of all the interesting things beyond Nyra. Thus, one night, I confronted my parents about this.

“Pa? Ma? Would you both let me find other work than helping out around the inn?” I asked.

At first they just sat there by the table, looking baffled by my question. “Any why do you want that?” my father asked.

“I think there are enough people to help run the inn, and I was thinking of doing some different trade…,” I reasoned.

Another silent from my parent as they looked at each other as if they were passing silent messages that only married couple knew. Then my mother signed before she turned to me. “If you have told us about this matter years ago, we can send you for apprenticeship.” Generally, ten was the older age of a child any master of skill or trade would be willing to take.

“Do you have any idea what kind of work your searching for?” my father asked.

“Definitely not another inn and not at the pier,” I answered. I doubted any sane innkeeper would hire a business rival’s son to work in their inn, and I had no interest doing any ship-related work, unlike one my friends, Nathaniel Phoenix, who dreamt of working aboard a ship. Last I heard he was already hired as a crew member for a ship named Valkyrie. I was content to work on land. “Any other kind of job will do.”

“That doesn’t sound convincing…,” my father said over my vague words. “Well, I will give you a week and if by end of the week you haven’t found any other work, I’ll have you help around the inn until your majority.”

That would be three years of grim life! I doubted I could stand the same routine until I reached my sixteenth years of age. I really, really need to find another job if I wanted to change my fate. “Don’t worry. When I got a job, you two will be the first people that I break the news to,” I promised. Then I bade them farewell and went out of the inn.

Actually, I already thought about the kind of job I would be looking for. One was to join the Estrey Regional Troop. I heard they were looking for new recruits. They had a camp just outside of Nyra and I heard talks from other stating that the trooper did not care how young a new recruit was as long as he could survive the probation training for one whole year. None the less, before I go there, I need to go to another place within the Nyra town itself. The place was only a few blocks away from the inn and had been in full operation for over one year. It was Mecor Station, and working as a mercenary was my second chosen professional.

From my calculation, the station did not even reach half the size of the inn my family owned. Yet, I could see how it maximized the small space by having notice boards, filled with notes, on almost all side of the wall – except the wall where the door and windows was, and the opposite wall was erected with still wall with small opening where I could see the clerk sat. There was a long bench placed in the middle of the room. I made my way towards the clerk.

“I want to be a mercenary of Mecor. How can I join?” I asked.

“First, you fill in the details here,” the young clerk, whom I known later as Jenise, said as she handed me a piece of parchment, a quill and an ink pot. I found out the parchment is an application document. I wrote down my details and signed the end of the parchment. Then I gave them back to Jenise. “Uh-hu,” the clerk said as she went through the parchment.

“Did I leave anything blank?”

“No, you give all the required information and I’m sure all are true? No falsehood?”

“Yes, all are true.”

“Even the fact that you are thirteen years old now?”

“Even that.”

“Then, we have to reject your application to be a mercenary of Mecor,”

“What!?” I could not help but cried in surprised.

“I try not to guess someone’s age by their stature but I thought you already read the criteria for those who want to be a mercenary of Mecor,” Jenise said as she tapped the notice pinned near the small opening by the counter.

Well, in my enthusiasm of trying to find a different way of life, I had not really read the rule for hiring. All I knew was from rumors that anyone could become a mercenary of Mecor. Now, when I read the criteria, I realized why my application was rejected. Firstly, I need to be fifteen years or older, and secondly, I need to have basic fighting or surviving skill; both of which I did not have. My disappointment must have clearly shown on my face when I heard Jenise try to console me.

“Don’t worry, you can always try in again by the time you’re fifteen.”

“I’m really in of a job right now. You think Mecor can make an exception?” I asked. If I failed here, I just need to try my luck at Estrey Regional Troop.

“Well...” Jenise was lost in thought for a while before snapped her fingers as a sudden inspiration got to her. “How about becoming a regular staff for Mecor?”

“A regular staff? What does regular staff do?” I asked.

“Similar to what I do now and more,” Jenise answered. “Basically, regular staff works at the backline while mercenary work the frontline in Mecor. We need some locals to help with the workload as Nyra Mecor Station only have three employees now including Chief Rado, myself and Adrian – Adrian is currently away on an errand. There is no age limit and no other criteria other than being able to read, write and calculate. You also need to work two shifts; combination of morning shift, evening shift, or the night shift for six days a week. There’s also the early morning shift but that time slot is reserved for senior staff, and to top it all, you’ll be paid ten silver coins a month. What do you say? If you agree, I can recommend you to Chief Rado and we can proceed with your initiation right away?”

I knew I should think more about the offer, and I had not gone to my next job choice yes, but I also knew she would not offer me the same thing again if I asked for time so I decided to accept it. “Yes, I would like to work as a regular staff for Mecor.”

“Then, wait for a moment,” the clerk said before she went away from the counter with the application form and disappeared through the boor at the back. Ten or so minutes later, she returned with a man in his mid forties, with graying brown hair, and wore a male version of the uniform Jenise was wearing. “This is Chief Rado,” Jenise introduced simply.

“So, you are Zachary Broheir who is interested in working for Mecor?” the chief asked outright.

“Yes, sir,” I answered.

“Welcome to Mecor, Zachary...Broheir? Uh, what name do you want to be called?” Chief Rado asked as he held out his right hand for a handshake.

“You can call me Zachary or Zack, sir.”

“Right, so welcome again to Mecor,” the chief said before he invited me to his office. There, he briefed me on my rules and regulation to those employed by Mecor and my obligation to the corporation. Next, he gave me a rolled parchment stating my admittance to Mecor as regular staff, and a pouch containing an iron signet, a writing case, a sealing wax and an iron plaque the size of my palm. He further explained that the writing case used to sign documents with my name and the signet and wax were used to stamp it after. The plaque is a free pass that I need to use for any expenses that I incurred while running Mecor’s errand, especially when boarding ship, and staying at an affiliate inn in any town or city in Estrey Region. I need to keep these items safe because there would be no replacement for missing items. “Do you have any other question?”

“Uh, when can I start?” I asked.

“You can start working tomorrow. For now I’m going to