Chapter 134

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 134

Chapter Title: Banquet

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Thud. Thud.

I followed the escort Varkus had sent.

He led me into the company building and through a twisting underground passage. The headquarters basement of the Black Anchor Merchant Company was riddled with secret paths allowing discreet travel to various spots throughout Haran.

Of course, only a tiny handful—including the executives—could use them.

"How much longer until we get there, by the way?"

"Hmm, probably about ten more minutes. Why do you ask?"

"Ah, I wanted to check out the gift ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I received."

The item Inope had hidden right up to the end.

I'd pocketed the pouch that tumbled out when I smashed the wall behind the frame, but I still hadn't looked inside.

I untied the string sealing the pouch's mouth and peered at its contents. In that instant, I was at a complete loss for words.

'What the hell?'

Long-winded explanation, but simply put, it was a popularity contest among the gods.

Each stone was essentially a vote.

Pretty cute behavior for ancient gods, but the item's value made it no laughing matter.

I eyed the oval bead about two finger joints long, my gaze steady.

'This thing has all sorts of uses.'

It could unlock sealed temple doors or serve as an offering at a sanctuary.

For reference, these stones were the ancient gods' favorite tribute—offering one guaranteed major rewards.

'If I'd had this back in the [Star Sanctuary] or [Dimensional Crevice], I'd have handed it over without hesitation.'

No need to regret, though. Even without sacrificing it to the gods, it held plenty of value on its own.

'Ancient God's Offering Stone. Also known as a [Mana Stone].'

Different from a mana crystal.

Mana crystals held magical power, used by humans to restore mana or as materials for magic engineering.

But offering stones contained 'the gods' power'—just carrying one let you reap its benefits.

Intelligence +10

Simply possessing it boosted intelligence by 10. No quantity limit, either. The more you carried, the stronger you got—a total cheat item.

'Feels like a Diablo 2 charm from that one company.'

Of course, it had downsides, the biggest being how ridiculously rare they were.

'Who'd have thought I'd score one here.'

Beating the crap out of Inope really was the right call.

I tucked it away in my bosom and looked ahead. Uphill stairs had appeared before us.

Climbing them led to a building, and Varkus's escort guided me straight up through its floors.

"No one's around."

"Sharp observation. It's just you, me, and Lord Varkus here."

"Is security supposed to be this lax?"

He grinned.

"Lord Varkus doesn't need escorts. Hardly anyone in Haran could harm him anyway. He just needs errand boys like us."

Ah, right.

Only on the fifth floor did the escort finally show me to a room. Inside was a small table fit for four people eating, and at the head sat a one-eyed old man with an eyepatch, waiting for me.

His single uncovered eye lifted its drooping lid at the sound of our approach.

A gentle smile as he saw me.

"Our partner has arrived. Come in. Sit over here."

"Thank you for inviting me to the banquet."

"Hardly a banquet."

Sure enough, once seated, the table held modest fare: two hunks of hard bread, four grapes, a palm-sized grilled fish, and watery soup.

"For the man who rules Haran's alleys, such a simple dinner. Others would poke fun."

"Hmph. Still, I put some thought into it since you were coming."

I knew. His usual meals were no different from what Black Anchor employees ate. That was why he was the godfather—the ruler who'd dominated Haran's streets for twenty-seven years.

"Since it's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠so modest for a banquet, let me spruce it up a bit."

With that, I pulled some snacks from my inventory. Nothing fancy—potato chips, Home Run Balls, and soda, at best.

But Varkus's expression lit up with pure astonishment the moment he tasted them.

"Incredible flavor. Food this delicious?"

"Right? Alternate the flat ones and the round ones, and they go down endlessly."

The two most addictive flavors: sweet and salty.

No combination had ever surpassed sweet-and-salty. Sure enough, they vanished nonstop into Varkus's mouth.

"...Boss, aren't you eating too much?"

"You come try some too."

The escort—Linus—approached, took a bite, and his eyes went wide. Then he stared at the food, entranced.

Having tasted twenty-first-century Earth's mass-produced goods, the two of them would likely crave this flavor for days, their appetites ruined.

They might even pine away like lovesick fools.

"This isn't bad either. What an interesting taste."

Varkus sipped his soda with a satisfied smile.

"Glad it suits you. Here, take plenty—have some whenever you feel like it."

I emptied my inventory of the rest and set it down. Varkus and his subordinate's eyes bulged.

"You sure?"

"Of course."

I figured it was time to clear out my inventory anyway. Before leaving, I'd stock up on expensive loot.

"Hey, Linus. Consider yourself lucky. If I weren't discerning, I'd have hogged it all. Come on, grab some."

"Haha, Boss. If you insist."

Linus beamed and pocketed handfuls of snacks.

With delicious food and gifts flowing, the stiff atmosphere from earlier melted into warm camaraderie.

Varkus savored his soda with a pleased smile and chuckled at me.

"By the way. I figured you'd kill that bitch on your way out, but you held back admirably."

Ah, as expected. I'd felt prying eyes—Varkus must have watched me enter Inope's hideout.

"Yes, there was some bad blood, but luckily we worked it out physically. She seemed quite satisfied with my... goods."

"Heh heh heh. Good man. No matter what, don't cross that line. Indeed. For a solid alliance between our sides."

"The guard captain, Inope, your kind... You young ones think killing solves everything these days."

"Haha, doesn't it? Nothing quicker than a blade."

"Sure, it solves things. But at my age... I worry. After decades, I know too well that blood calls for blood. When youngsters swing a sword thinking of one thing, I think of fifty, a hundred problems it'll bring."

The old Kang Min-jun wouldn't have understood.

But the Kang Min-jun who'd rolled through hell for ten years did.

The old man's words weren't absolute truth, but most people just accumulated worries with age.

"That's why I don't kill lightly. Sure, sometimes I hesitate when I should strike and mess up... But what I want isn't chaos in Haran."

He gestured to one side. An aqueduct—ubiquitous in any Haran home—ran through there.

"Just twenty years ago, that pipe never ran dry. You could use it whenever. Now? Less than thirty minutes a day."

"......"

"I want revenge on the royals. And for the wealth they hoard up top to trickle down here."

"Not easy. Why would the rich ever let go willingly?"

The old man chuckled.

"True enough. That's why your role matters."

"?"

"You're the winds of change. Winds of abundance to revive Haran. Your people's movements have already redistributed wealth to the lower districts. Stalled ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠facilities restart, rotting ships set sail again."

"......"

The old man drained his drink and set it down, speaking softly.

"We'll reclaim our old glory. The era when we ruled and conquered the seas. Maybe not in my lifetime, but you've laid the foundation. Truly grateful. And so..."

As if signaling the main topic, Varkus shifted the mood. The warmth vanished, replaced by a heavy, sunken, razor-sharp tension filling the room.

This was Varkus's true face, hidden until now. Perhaps the visage from his heyday, when he swept the seas and seized nations.

"Remember what I said before?"

"Still up for it?"

The lord who ruled half of Haran asked me quietly. Whether I intended to plunder Haran's most noble place.

Whether I planned to reach the finale of this long-awaited route.

I smiled faintly.

"Of course."