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The Last Adventurer-Chapter 69
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Chapter 69
[Translator ā Pr?ks]
[Proofreader ā Pr?ks]
Chapter 69 The Ariant Kingdom (2)
4.
The Ariant Kingdom.
It was a vast kingdom that ruled over the Nihal Desert, the largest desert in Maple World.
It was a powerful kingdom.
Ruling over the Nihal Desert, a place where mere survival was a challenge, was no small feat.
āAdventurers from Ariant are strong. The reason is simple. The weak would already be dead, just corpses in the desert.ā
The strength of the adventurers was on a different level.
Therefore, adventurers active in Ariant were highly regarded.
āConversely, if you survive, thereās no better title. Thatās why adventurers should go to Ariant.ā
This meant that skilled adventurers did not hesitate to go to the Ariant Kingdom.
Of course, the biggest reason was this:
āAbove all, the Nihal Desert is overflowing with ownerless Mystic Gates.ā
Unlike Victoria Island, where monsters were relatively weak, the monsters in the Nihal Desert were formidable.
As a result, there were countless Mystic Gates without owners.
100-man gates and 200-man gates, rarely seen in Victoria Island, could be found in abundance in the Nihal Desert with a bit of luck.
āA true adventurer should seek greater adventures.ā
Thatās why many adventurers aimed to move to the Ariant Kingdom once they were skilled enough.
However, that was only the adventurersā perspective.
āMerchants have to persuade those adventurers.ā
For the merchants based in the port city of Lith Harbour, the departure of adventurers to the Ariant Kingdom was the biggest headache.
Skilled adventurers were the most important resource for merchants.
Those resources going to the Ariant Kingdom?
Honestly, it was unmanageable.
Among the top 10 merchants in Lith Harbour, only the Gold Richie Guild had any influence in the Ariant Kingdom.
Even then, it was the Guild that held influence, not any individual merchant.
Thatās why most merchants would spend a fortune to retain skilled adventurers.
That was whyā¦
āNo thoughts of going to the Ariant Kingdom?ā
The reason El Pamās companions were surprised by Gaforās words.
As mentioned earlier, the Gafor Guild was in a position to prevent El Pam from going to Ariant.
āHow did he find out?ā
Of course, the most surprising thing was that El Pam had anticipated Gaforās remark.
āItās obvious.ā
In fact, from El Pamās perspective, it wasnāt strange at all.
āThe Gafor Guildās patron is none other than Prince Kashan, the third prince of the Ariant Kingdom.ā
El Pam knew that the reason behind the Gafor Guildās rapid rise was none other than the Ariant Kingdom.
That was also why Gafor didnāt show his face in Lith Harbour.
He was too busy going back and forth between Lith Harbour and the Ariant Kingdom.
Of course, Gaforās role was only to help the Ariant Kingdom expand into Victoria Island.
He didnāt have to worry about the Ariant Kingdom itself.
āThe King of the Ariant Kingdom is currently ill.ā
The problem was that King Abdullah VIII of the Ariant Kingdom was practically unable to fulfill his role.
In fact, Abdullah VIII had withdrawn from the front lines quite a while ago.
āUntil now, Queen Areda had been wielding power on behalf of the King.ā
The situation was such that Queen Areda was effectively running the Ariant Kingdom in place of Abdullah VIII.
āAll that power is only valid while Abdullah VIII is alive.ā
However, as mentioned earlier, Abdullah VIII was currently suffering from a serious illness.
It wouldnāt be strange if he died.
Naturally, the princes started to make their moves.
To become the ninth successor to the name of Abdullah, the King of Ariant.
āMaking achievements in the upcoming succession struggle is more important than ever.ā
For Gafor, who was backed by the third prince, Kashan, it was time to help Kashan.
For Gafor, El Pam was a very attractive card.
It wasnāt that he expected El Pam to do anything extraordinary.
āWhen making such achievements, itās important to stand out.ā
The fact that El Pam could attract attention.
That was important.
Even if they did the same thing, he was much more likely to be noticed by Prince Kashan.
It was a moment where the interests of El Pam and Gafor aligned in many ways.
Of course, El Pam didnāt show it.
āAriant? I donāt want to go to such a dangerous place.ā
Because he could get more.
āI donāt want to engage in pointless negotiations. Five times. If you conquer the Mystic Gates I want five times, Iāll get you whatever you want.ā
āAnything?ā
āI swear on the name of the Gafor Guild. So, whatās your answer?ā
A sweet reward that couldnāt be refused.
āWhen do I leave?ā
At that question, Gafor laughed and took out a ticket for a ship bound for Ariant.
āGo to the Harbour right now.ā
5.
The port city of Lith.
The reason for its development was, of course, the existence of Lith Harbour.
Most of the enormous amount of logistics between Victoria Island and the Ossyria Continent was handled by the ships of Lith Harbour.
Naturally, the Top 10 guilds were also the ones with the most ships.
More than 70% of the income of the Top 10 guilds came from ships, so what more explanation is needed?
In addition, these ships were also used as a means of transportation.
They were especially popular with adventurers.
āThe ship tickets are free for adventurers!ā
This meant that adventurers did not have to pay the rather expensive ticket price.
The reason for this was simple.
āOnly those above the 3rd Circle!ā
The fact that skilled adventurers were on board was enough to ensure the safety of the ship.
In other words, the way to the Ossyria Continent from Victoria Island was more dangerous than one might think.
First of all, pirates were a danger.
Although the relationship between the Lith Harbour guilds and the pirates was not bad after Captain Kyrin became the captain of the Nautilus, not all pirates were under Captain Kyrinās name.
And there was one more dangerous element.
āAdventurers on board this ship, please keep in mind! If monsters come, do not back down! If the ship sinks, we all die!ā
Monsters!
In any case, for this reason, there were many adventurers on the ships heading to the Ossyria Continent, and they were skilled adventurers at that.
āHuh?ā
āHm?ā
This was the reason.
āIs that the El Pam party?ā
āBoss, I think thatās the Hassan party over there?ā
The adventurers who participated in the 300-man Mystic Gate ended up facing each other on the ship.
āWhy are they on the Gafor Guildās ship?ā
āThey must have borrowed money from the Gafor Guild.ā
Moreover, there was an even more compelling reason for them to board the Gafor Guildās ship.
āHuh? Money?ā
āThe money they owe us.ā
āAh!ā
El Pam had told them to pay their dues to the Gafor Guild.
Needless to say, there were no adventurers who carried tens of millions of meso on hand.
It was fortunate if they had even saved up a little, as most adventurers spent their money as soon as they earned it.
There were many expensive items in the world, but only one life.
Therefore, the adventurers who went to the Gafor Guild would have signed a contract with them.
A contract to borrow money.
And the Gafor Guild would have thought of ways to take advantage of the adventurers who had signed such contracts, especially the skilled ones.
Therefore, there was no reason for the El Pam party to be surprised by the fact that there were many adventurers who had ventured into the 300-man Mystic Gate.
āWhy is the El Pam party here?ā
Rather, it was the adventurers who saw the El Pam party who were surprised.
In their minds, the El Pam party were adventurers who operated in Victoria Island.
āCould it be?ā
But they were on a ship to the Ossyria Continent?
This meant they were leaving Victoria Island.
āThe El Nath Mountains?ā
āThe Nihal Desert?ā
āAre they going to Mu Lung?ā
āCould it be the Minar Forest?ā
The adventurers couldnāt help but be on edge.
āFancy seeing you here.ā
Hassan approached El Pam and greeted him.
Of course, the greeting was not his purpose.
āIt seems youāre heading to the Ossyria Continent now. Where are you going?ā
He wanted to figure out their destination.
El Pam answered his question.
āWeāre going to Ariant.ā
At his answer, the expressions of the adventurers around them relaxed.
Hassanās expression, however, was different.
As someone based in the Ariant Kingdom, El Pam was now a competitor.
No, beyond competition, rumors were bound to spread.
āDamn it.ā
The El Pam party is here, the ones who saved the leader of the Hassan party, the monster hunters, and extorted 60 million meso from them.
That kind of rumor.
For Hassan, it was a frustrating situation in many ways.
Of course, that didnāt mean Hassan could do anything drastic to El Pam.
There was only one thing he could do.
āThe Nihal Desert, huh? Be careful. Itās a much more dangerous place than Victoria Island.ā
It was a warning.
āEspecially if itās a place overflowing with treasure, youād better be extra careful. Like the Princeās Tomb.ā
With that repeated warning, Hassan stepped back.
Then, as Hassan retreated, Divo, who had been listening, spoke up.
āThank you very much for the warning.ā
A smirk played on Divoās lips as he spoke.
āYouāre a truly generous person in many ways. Give items, give money, even give advice. Maybe I should buy you a meal sometime?ā
This was because he knew Hassanās words werenāt sincere advice, but more like a curse.
āHeās not wrong.ā
Of course, that didnāt mean Hassanās warning was completely unfounded.
āAriant is very dangerous.ā
āSure, itās dangerous. Even among pirates, more pirates die in the desert than at sea.ā
It was actually sound advice.
āEspecially the Princeās Tomb you mentioned earlier, itās a real hell. There are countless adventurers who have gotten lost there.ā
The much-mentioned Princeās Tomb!
It was literally the tomb of a dead prince.
The Yellow rank Mystic Gate that Prince Sale, the fourth prince of Abdullah VIII, failed to conquer.
Of course, it was a place overflowing with value, far beyond comparison to Jack Richieās tomb.
Thatās why adventurers were searching for it with fire in their eyes.
However, it was a place where not even its location was properly known, let alone its conquest.
No, it wasnāt just that the location was unknown, but those who tried to find it were mysteriously assassinated.
Thatās why the Princeās Tomb was always mentioned when warning adventurers who set foot in Ariant.
Of course, Divo and the rest of the El Pam party werenāt too worried about the Princeās Tomb.
āHey, why worry about something weāre not even going to?ā
It wasnāt a place you could find even if you deliberately searched for it.
It would be strange to worry about it.
āRight, boss?ā
El Pam didnāt answer Divo.
āBoss?ā
Divo tilted his head at El Pamās silence, then seemed to realize something and said with a hardened expression.
āN-No way, right?ā
El Pam acting like this meant he was definitely aiming for that place.
And that was crazy.
As mentioned before, the Princeās Tomb was on a completely different level from Jack Richieās tomb.
It wasnāt a place where you could easily get close to, let alone conquer.
It wasnāt a place that an adventurer who had just set foot in the Ariant Kingdom could even dare to discuss.
The problem was that it was El Pam.
El Pam was an adventurer who always did something beyond common sense.
Thatās why everyone was tense.
āNo.ā
At El Pamās answer, Divo and his colleagues all breathed a sigh of relief. šššššš®š£šÆš°š·ššµ.šøšš®
āPhew, I thought so.ā
āHonestly, I was scared.ā
āHey, you need to chill out. Youāre scaring people for no reason.ā
āI was worried you were going to risk your life for a place with no bounty.ā
El Pam gave them a short reply.
āNot yet.ā
āHuh? What did you say?ā
āNot yet.ā
At those words, Divo swallowed instead of asking again.
If not yet, didnāt that mean they would go someday?
It sent chills down his spine.
Of course, it didnāt mean they were going right away.
And it was actually impossible to go right away.
āWe canāt enter right now anyway. The Sand Painting Group is occupying the Princeās Tomb.ā
There was a process to go through before entering the Fourth Princeās Tomb.
In other words, that was the only problem.
āBut if we can just get inā¦ā
El Pam wasnāt worried about what would happen after they entered.
āConquering it wonāt be a problem.ā
It was simple.
āHeliosā Necklace.ā
Because he had it.
āAs long as I have this absurd item that reduces the mana consumption of fire magic by halfā¦ā
As El Pam lightly touched the necklace, he heard a sound.
Flap flap flap!
āThe sails are down!ā
āWeāre setting sail!ā
The sound of leaving Victoria Island and heading towards Ariant.
[Translator ā Pr?ks]
[Proofreader ā Pr?ks]