“Alright.”
There wasn’t much need for a drawn-out conversation to persuade Aries. Instead, she accepted it calmly, as if she had expected it.
‘Well…’
It’s easy to misinterpret due to her reserved nature, but Aries was neither insensitive nor oblivious to the reactions around her. In fact, if anything, she was sharply perceptive. She just didn’t show it outwardly.
Given her perceptiveness, it was unlikely that Aries hadn’t caught on to Khan’s inner thoughts—the fact that, while he could trust her as a person, he couldn’t trust the chosen apostle of the Goddess of Justice.
“I think I’ve helped enough.”
“That’s an understatement. You’ve been more than helpful.”
“If you know that, then it’s enough.”
Her tone indicated that she felt no further explanation was needed. That very day, Aries informed Praga Grobel of her intention to return to the main body of the church.
Praga was elated and exclaimed, “You’ve made the right choice!”
It wasn’t long before he came to Khan to express his gratitude.
“I never thought someone who wouldn’t agree to meet with me would change her mind overnight… Truly, thank you.”
“I didn’t say anything special.”
“Haha… That can’t be true. The Goddess’ Sword is a resolute individual. She wouldn’t change her decision without reason. Priestess Elena’s advice was spot-on.”
But I really didn’t say anything special.
Regardless of the truth, Praga Grobel was repeatedly thanking Khan, bowing deeply as he did so.
“Your assistance has helped the entire Paladin Order, so I promise on my name, Praga Grobel, that we will repay this debt. This promise isn’t just mine; it’s a promise from every paladin in the order.”
The paladins seem to have a penchant for owing favors. Praga’s words were quite similar to what Aries had said before. Naturally, Khan didn’t refuse.
“I’ll collect this debt handsomely. Be prepared.”
“That would be welcome!”
With that, Aries, Leo, and Praga Grobel departed for the main body of the Pantheon Church.
Maya appeared somewhat downcast, perhaps having grown attached to the group, but they decided not to exchange any elaborate farewells. After all, this wasn’t the last time they would see each other.
After the paladins had left, a messenger from the Mage Tower also arrived at the mansion. He was a mercenary directly contracted by the Mage Tower and the Empire, clearly no ordinary individual.
“A letter from Magus Jerome and his disciple. A reply will require an additional fee… and it won’t be cheap.”
A mercenary trustworthy enough to contract directly with the Mage Tower and capable of traversing the Empire and the Georges Principality on their own must be highly credible.
Alejandro’s jaw dropped upon hearing the mercenary’s fee. After stating he would return the next day, the mercenary departed, leaving Khan to read the letter in the now slightly quieter dining room with a drink in hand.
Khan couldn’t help but chuckle.
‘They must be in quite a hurry.’
The opening lines of the letter were, surprisingly, an apology from Magus Jerome. Jerome had gone to great lengths to explain and apologize for the delay in deciphering Darkin Perreyas’s research journal, as well as for the lack of progress on the request to craft a decent axe using the Mage Tower’s techniques.
‘Well, it’s understandable.’
Given that Khan wasn’t in urgent need thanks to having Draupnir and the Giant Slayer, he decided to accept Jerome’s tardiness. The main reason for the delay, excessive enthusiasm, was something he could empathize with.
「…Thus, the knowledge of Darkin Perreyas has helped solve some issues at the Tower. My master is personally refining the essence, which is why it’s taking time. However, with the master’s involvement, various people are also assisting.」
Essence refinement was an ancient technique.
As seen with Pashantu using ‘Sky Holder’s Essence’ in the demonic realm, the technique involves refining and storing specific powers in a way that the user can fully control. However, applying the essence to weapons, rather than directly to a person, ensures more stability.
‘It’s not supposed to appear at this point.’
In the game, the Mage Tower only began actively utilizing essence refinement near the end of Act 6. Hence, the early emergence of this technique was unexpected.
‘Was the research almost complete?’
Khan thought it must be the case.
Given the difficulty in mastering ancient techniques, in the game, the refined essence was likely only released to the public after ensuring its stability and practicality.
In other words, the “essence” Khan would be receiving was a kind of prototype. Moreover, considering that Jerome’s master was a Magus of the Gray Tower, it was clear that this person was exceptionally skilled. Understanding this made it easier to comprehend why the mages of the tower were so keenly interested.
‘Seems like I can look forward to this.’
Feeling a sense of generosity welling up inside, Khan turned to the next page of the letter.
“How are you doing, old friend? I’ve been doing quite well in the Empire. Thanks to Jan, I’ve been taking on requests from the Mage Tower and am practically rolling in money. Of course, I bet you’re still trudging through the mud, given your track record of attracting misfortune.”
Yes, still wading through mud, and then some.
Surprisingly, the next part of the letter was from Ron, who had once been their guide. It seemed that instead of going independent as a wandering mercenary, Ron had signed a contract with the Mage Tower like the mercenary who delivered the letter.
He also brought the good news that he was soon to receive a gold badge for his accomplishments. Khan smiled subtly at this part before continuing to read the letter.
“Well, the gear played a big part in it. Fighting with magical tools provided by the Mage Tower makes it nearly impossible to lose, unless you’re a complete idiot. And honestly, I’ve realized just how vast the difference is between the Empire and the non-Empire states.”
“Here, individuals considered top-tier knights are classified as elite outside, and even the average mercenaries are obscenely strong. What’s even more astonishing is the Empire’s attitude towards this as if it’s completely normal. It really is a different world.”
Ron continued to write at length about what he had seen and experienced in the Empire. The impact of these experiences was evident, as Khan noted while skimming through the letter. Suddenly, his gaze froze on one particular passage.
‘There are rumors that the old emperor’s illness has worsened….’
Reading this, Khan felt a rush of clarity, as if cold water had been poured over his head. The death shadow looming over the emperor indicated that the impending chaos was drawing ever closer.
‘We need to expedite our supply runs.’
It seemed they couldn’t afford to sit idly by and wait for White Raven to find Eto and Pavel from the Renford Kingdom.
—
“Impossible. I’ve said it multiple times. Do I need to repeat myself again?”
“If necessary.”
Even with a visibly enraged middle-aged man in front of him, the other party did not seem the slightest bit perturbed. In fact, he appeared to be enjoying the confrontation, smiling in a way that would dilute even anger with its sheer beauty.
His appearance was the epitome of beauty, though his pointed ears revealed his non-human nature.
“Is this the will of the Paradise Bank… or rather, the Elves?”
Indeed, the one facing the middle-aged man across the table, leisurely sipping tea, was an elf.
To be precise, he was the head of the external affairs division of the Paradise Bank, a title that held significant weight even among the elves.
“You humans are always so foolish. To so thoroughly misunderstand and reject this generous offer. The limitations of short-lived species are inevitable.”
“…You haven’t answered my question.”
“Yes, this is our will. It is also our duty.”
“Ha! Duty…”
If the head of the division overseeing the continent’s gold, the Paradise Bank, was an elf, he would not be a trivial figure. Despite his androgynous beauty, he had lived for hundreds of years. This wasn’t someone a mere half-century-old human could contend with.
Yet, it also indicated that the middle-aged man was formidable enough to warrant the direct involvement of such a high-ranking elf.
“Perhaps you’re not adept at the human language. Do the elves call plundering a duty?”
“Plundering?”
“Then what else would you call taking away everything my family has built over countless years—if not plundering?”
His aura was overwhelming.
Most people would naturally recoil when faced with an elf. The disparity between their youthful appearance and the wisdom accumulated over the years was one reason.
But the most significant factor was the inherent beauty of the elves, their greatest weapon. The man’s substantial spirit was evident in his fierce response, refusing to be intimidated by the elf’s appearance.
‘So this is why humans are amusing,’ the head of the business division chuckled softly.
“What’s so funny?”
“Oh, don’t misunderstand. I don’t mean to mock you. Rather, I’m impressed.”
“Impressed…?”
“Yes, impressed.”
At that moment, seeing the smile spread across the elf’s face, the middle-aged man instinctively took a step back.
“At the insurmountable foolishness of a short-lived species.”
It was grotesque.
There was no other way to describe the twisted smile. The malevolent expression on the face, which boasted inhuman beauty, seemed to prove that the being had lived through unimaginable years.
“I’ll give you a fortnight. Make your decision by then.”
The middle-aged man, completely overwhelmed, could only stand there taking in the elf’s words and malevolence.
“Decide whether you will embrace the ruinous karma and self-destruct, or wither away and starve to death. But if you wish to survive, quietly accept our merciful offer.”
With that, the head of the business division, now donning a beautiful smile once more, patted the middle-aged man on the shoulder and walked away.
As soon as the middle-aged man was left alone and collapsed into his chair, a young man with a simple impression cautiously entered, having waited outside the door the elf had exited through.
“Head Merchant, did that elf make the same offer again…?”
The middle-aged man nodded silently, looking several years older and utterly exhausted. The simple-looking young man, an unpretentious merchant who had used the alias Eto to achieve great success in trade, spoke with difficulty.
“This is outrageous. Forcing us to use the credit currency issued by the Paradise Bank and deposit a portion of our transaction value with them. This is practically—”
“They intend to swallow up our entire merchant group, I know.”
“It’s tyranny! Wouldn’t it be better to seek help from the kingdom…?”
The middle-aged man shook his head.
“It’s no use. If the kingdom had any intention of helping, they would have acted already.”
“What do you mean…?”
“It means they must have already come to an agreement behind the scenes.”
Eto’s face crumpled in shock. Had the kingdom decided to abandon one of its pillars? What could they possibly be thinking?
It was a situation with no clear solution.
“We’d better prepare ourselves.”
While the middle-aged man and Eto were resolutely bracing themselves—
“Hey short-lived human girl. I can smell a strong scent of treasure from you. Here’s my offer: hand over that treasure to me. I’ll pay for it.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me… Just my luck.”
Having just arrived in the capital of the Renford Kingdom to find the middle-aged man and Eto, Khan’s party coincidentally ran into the elf from the Paradise Bank just as he was stepping out of the building.
TL’s Corner:
How unlucky is that elf???