Airan dedicated nearly half an hour to unfolding their backstory to Avi, persisting until the uproarious festivity downstairs showed no signs of abating.

"Hmm..." Avi reflected, taking a sip of his mead before summing up thoughtfully, "So essentially, you were the retinue of a noble from the Nordlands, accompanying him on his travels until ambushed and abducted by those green-skinned raiders?"

"Indeed, your assessment is spot-on," Airan, emanating a noble aura, gently corrected Avi's misunderstanding, "However, I feel compelled to clarify that we were left behind."

"Ah, you did mention that, my apologies," Avi recalled Airan's previous narration, unable to resist adding, "But it seems to me you were unequivocally betrayed. What rational noble ventures into an area infested with greenskins with a mere twenty attendants?"

Airan offered a slight apologetic nod, "My upbringing and training were steeped in the ideals of knighthood. Guided by such principles, I find it challenging to address your inquiry. Please forgive me."

"Chivalric ideals hold little sway in these times," Avi sighed, resignedly remarking, "Unless one is born into nobility, commoners like us aspiring to knighthood must serve as attendants, undertaking all manner of menial tasks, and even risking being used as cannon fodder. What's the point?"

"..."

Airan, hearing Avi's cynical commentary on the cherished chivalric ethos, momentarily furrowed his brow before swiftly mastering his emotions with remarkable composure.

"Your perspective is valid; perhaps I did err in my decision-making. However, I harbor no regrets now; it was merely a task entrusted to me by another," Airan conceded.

"Fair enough. Yet, I'm still curious; with thirty attendants initially, how were you overwhelmed by merely twenty-something greenskins?" Avi inquired further.

"Sir, at the time, the orcs numbered far more than twenty. Their green forms were pervasive as far as our eyes could see," Airan replied. "Despite our valiant efforts, we were ultimately captured by their might."

"While the noble you were tasked with guarding managed to flee amid the chaos. Witnessing him galloping away unscathed amidst the turmoil, without pursuit from the greenskins, led to your conclusion of abandonment?" Avi clarified.

"Indeed, sir."

"Very well, I now grasp the crux of the matter," Avi, rubbing his temples, drained his mead cup and instructed Airan, "Retire for now; I need to deliberate further."

"In that case, I shall take my leave," Airan concluded, adding before departure, "As previously stated, we were all groomed and educated with aspirations of knighthood as attendants. Though we may not match the prestige of knights, handling thieves and bandits is well within our capabilities. This is why we dare to offer our allegiance to you. Please weigh it carefully."

"Understood, go tend to your wounds."

Watching Airan depart the veranda, Avi's headache intensified.

Augmenting the team's combat prowess with a dozen or so attendants was undeniably advantageous. However, firstly, they currently lacked their own gear and mounts, necessitating significant investment to fully utilize their combat potential.

Stolen story; please report.

Secondly, the identity of the noble who traded them to the greenskins remained uncertain. Keeping the attendants within the group could potentially invite trouble if they provoke individuals they shouldn't.

To retain or dismiss them posed a quandary.

Avi raised his right hand and tapped the panel in front of him several times to open it, meticulously scrutinizing the attendants' attributes. Airan hadn't lied; their combat prowess was considerable, albeit not on par with Rafe, but substantial nonetheless.

It's noteworthy that like Rafe, Airan wasn't categorized into any specific troop type by the system but was listed alongside Avi. This indicated the system recognized Airan's potential to emerge as a hero or leader, Avi's comrade.

His attributes were slightly inferior to Rafe's, but his equestrian skills were more advanced, particularly in handling the lance, making him an exceptional knight.

"So, it seems like Rafe complained to me before about not being very skilled in horseback riding. His attributes indeed suit infantry warfare better," Avi pondered. "Instead of continuing to enhance Rafe's resilience skills, which affect his ability to withstand attacks, it might be better to transfer his horse to Airan?"

A noble wouldn't casually allow their attendants to be killed, as it would tarnish their reputation within noble circles. Since such an incident had occurred, it was imperative to ascertain the reason behind it.

Listening to the drunken revelry of the team downstairs, Avi gradually formulated a plan.

"I'll carefully interrogate the others tomorrow. If there are indeed any issues, then I'll retain only Airan. If everything seems fine, I'll keep them in the team as the main force for now and deal with any issues later," Avi decided.

A sudden realization struck Avi, "No, I can't let them coordinate their testimonies. I must act now!"

Swiftly, he operated the panel to examine the skills and attributes of each attendant, aiming to identify one particular skill: eloquence.

The higher the eloquence skill, the more likely their words needed to be scrutinized. Conversely, if the skill level wasn't high, there was less reason for suspicion.

Fortunately, he discovered that everyone's eloquence skill was either 1 or even 0.

After completing this task, Avi quickly descended the stairs toward the tents where the attendants were resting. The other team members were all too intoxicated to notice him, which was fortunate.

The attendants weren't surprised by Avi's presence; they expressed their gratitude, with several severely injured ones only able to nod in acknowledgment from their makeshift beds of hay.

"Airan has already informed me of the situation, but I still wish to confirm a few details with all of you," Avi addressed them.

Surveying the group, Avi noted their pallid expressions, concerned that they might use their condition as an excuse to refuse his inquiries.

"Sir, you are our savior. We will truthfully answer any questions we can," one of the attendants assured him.

Avi randomly selected a few individuals who were still able to walk and conducted individual questioning outside the tent. To discern the truth, he asked the same questions each time. Despite minor discrepancies, the overall content of their responses was remarkably consistent.

By the time he finished his inquiries, it was well past eleven at night. Exhausted, Avi returned to his room and collapsed onto the bed, his mind filled with the conversations he had just had with the attendants.

"No matter how many times I think about it, everything seems fine," he thought. "If that's the case, there doesn't seem to be any issue with keeping them in the team. The only problem is how to establish clear boundaries with them in case of future troubles."

Rafe's thunderous snoring reverberated through the floor, causing Avi a considerable headache. However, thinking about Rafe sparked a new idea in Avi's mind.

"Perhaps I can have them operate independently most of the time? Merge them together only when necessary, while at other times, we can split up to perform different tasks. This way, we can earn money more efficiently and ensure our safety," Avi contemplated.

Airan and the others didn't seem like ungrateful individuals, and Avi confirmed that his leadership and charisma combined were enough to manage them. Hence, there shouldn't be any issues of betrayal or discord.

As Avi's blueprint for the plan became clearer in his mind, the effects of the mead began to take hold. In the final moments before drifting into slumber, Avi resolved to test the capabilities of these attendants thoroughly the next day.

The mercenaries sleeping on the floor below were unaware of the inner turmoil their captain experienced that night. Under the influence of alcohol, they slept especially soundly, dreaming of themselves valiantly fighting on the battlefield...