You spend several days making contact with various businessmen at Koringberg. It seems that the primary exports of the principality are the service of soldiers, arms, and armor. There is little industry in this or any of the surrounding principalities, and as a result the country is not among the wealthiest. The nation imports a lot of food and metal. Now that you think about it, this might explain why the country has a history so surrounded by war and conflict. The motivation may very often be a need for precious resources. You manage to make some business contacts and secure a few promises for overland trade by wagon, but by your calculations you won't be making much in the way of money from the business that you do secure. Still, it can't hurt foreign relations.
You can't help but feel bored by the people here. They all seem so wrung out and humorless, as if no one gets any sleep.
Soon enough a local baron comes to you and offers to train footmen for you. He explains to you that he's heard who you are, and that he trains the best Halberdiers in Koringberg, perhaps even throughout all of Adalbert. He explains that he needs the money for future projects he has planned, and that he offers five and one year contracts for Adalbert born men. He would need a few months to get you the men though, as his last batch of troops are not finished training. He could also train men sent from Analysse, though he would need at least a full year to train them, preferably longer. He explains that he would charge you for the training, rather than for their service, in that instance.
You thank him for coming to you, and tell him you will take it under consideration. His services wouldn't be cheap, but with your income you could definitely afford them. You have enough money amassed back home to sign even now if you really wanted to, for a modest number of troops.
You make sure the party is ready to leave soon, as you feel you have tarried enough here. Everyone but Ritalia seems eager to get under way, you arn't sure wether it is the thought of travel or that she's grown to like this place. You hope it is the latter.
At the last, Penrod has a force of his men leave the fortress, when you ask him why he tells you that it is a local matter, and not any of your concern. Rebuffed, you are not sure if you should press the issue. It was quite a sizable group to be any kind of patrol, at least two hundred if you can trust the word you receive from Penrod's own servants, perhaps more.