Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Translator: Penny
Chapter 24
Caravan Journey 3
They arrived in the city of Cacciola.
Located within the Soltidis Fief, Cacciola served as a major trade hub connecting the southern and central regions of the Kingdom of Astraria.
Agron craned his neck, taking in the bustling, sprawling city.
While Veilain Fief, where he served as Lord, had its own bustling capital, his territory was, in truth, rather insignificant.
Lacking developed commerce or renowned local specialties, Veilain Fief remained a backward region with little potential for growth.
Their first stop was the Adventurers' Guild.
Thanks to a magic array that allowed real-time communication across the kingdom, reporting their mission was a straightforward process.
Unlike traditional accounts, this magic array had been integrated with the Magic Tower since the Guild's founding.
Upon confirming the mission's completion, they reported any unusual circumstances. Fortunately, the bandits hadn't taken anything, so they only reported their success in repelling the attack.
That evening, Agron's group arrived at the banquet hall, guided by an escort sent by the Caravan Master.
"Welcome, everyone!"
The banquet hall was surprisingly casual, lacking the formality one might expect. It seemed that since the event wasn't hosted by nobles, there were few restrictions on etiquette or attire.
Baek Woon glanced sideways at Agron. Wasn't it Agron who had been utterly disgusted by the aristocratic pretension at the banquet I hosted just a few days ago? Baek Woon couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Jacob, standing beside him, felt the same way. Though he resented Agron, he knew he had no choice but to submit completely to him.
This was none other than the master of his own master.
Jacob had firmly resolved to bear the full brunt of the verbal onslaught expected at today's banquet.
As Agron's group entered the banquet hall, all eyes turned toward them.
While the unusual composition of their party contributed to the attention, the primary draw was undoubtedly the striking appearance of Agron and Elena.
The men's gazes were drawn to the stunning Elena in her crimson dress, while the women's eyes lingered on Agron's muscular physique.
"It seems our Masters are quite the sight to behold," Jacob remarked to Baek Woon, his voice tinged with worry and concern.
"Indeed. You take Elena. I'll handle Agron."
"Agreed."
They resolved to remain vigilant, determined to prevent their respective charges from causing any trouble.
At that moment, Yamong, the Caravan Master of the Rose Merchant Guild who had led the procession, waddled over, his plump body jiggling with each step.
"Ah, the heroes of the procession have arrived! I've been waiting for you."
"Thank you for the invitation, Caravan Master."
"I should be the one thanking you for accepting. Eastern Mage, please call me Yamong here—I'm embarrassed to be addressed as Caravan Master in this setting."
"Very well, Yamong."
Outside, he was the master of the caravan that had led the procession, but at this banquet, there were countless other Caravan Masters just like him.
And that wasn't all. The city's Magistrate, along with prominent figures, the Guard Captain responsible for security, and the Guild Masters of various guilds, were all in attendance.
It was truly a gathering of the city's most influential figures.
As they were enjoying the banquet food, someone suddenly emerged from the crowd of watchful guests and approached Yamong.
"Ah, Yamong! It's been a while."
"Greetings, Magistrate of Cacciola."
"And who are these people? Introduce them."
"Ah... these are the Guild Adventurers who played a crucial role in our recent Caravan Journey."
Yamong sensed the old, pig-like Magistrate's intentions and quickly pulled Jacob forward.
Jacob, understanding the situation, greeted the Magistrate first.
"It's an honor to meet you, Magistrate. My name is Jacob."
"Hmm, a pleasure. But is that beautiful young lady also an Adventurer? Judging by her appearance, she must be a Priestess or White Mage."
The Magistrate ignored Jacob and blatantly approached Elena.
"Greetings, I am Felipe, Magistrate of this great city of Cacciola. May I have the honor of knowing your name, fair maiden?"
Elena's gaze was infinitely cold, devoid of any emotion as she stared at Felipe. Jacob stepped forward, interposing himself between them.
"My apologies, Magistrate. Duke Elena does not speak the Kingdom language."
"Ah, a foreigner? But a Duke?"
"Ah... the Duke is of noble birth. Due to certain circumstances, she is currently working as an Adventurer."
"Hmm, is that so?"
Yamong's eyes widened at this revelation.
It was surprisingly common for nobles from foreign lands to conceal their identities while living abroad.
Their families might have fallen into ruin, or they might be fleeing the aftermath of succession disputes, where siblings killed each other in a desperate struggle for power.
The Magistrate glanced at Jacob.
He appeared to be no mere slave or servant, but rather a well-educated attendant.
From his attire, fluent Kingdom language, and the ingrained aristocratic grace in his bearing, Jacob could roughly surmise the status of Elena, whom he served.
But none of this could deter the Magistrate's filthy desires.
"Is that so? It's an honor to meet a noble from another kingdom. Then, instead of being a struggling Adventurer, why not become my secretary? I'll teach you the Kingdom language and provide you with my protection, using my authority."
"I don't think she'd want that..."
"Nonsense! Just relay the message. The young lady might actually want to be my secretary. How would you know?"
Jacob's eyes flashed with fury.
How dare this insignificant insect of a man make such an insulting advance toward my Master?
With his fists clenched tight, Jacob relayed the message to Elena.
Master, that pig is proposing that you become his secretary.
The language used only by Vampirs.
Naturally, Elena had understood the Magistrate's words even without Jacob's translation. Without a flicker of expression, she replied:
Go tell him to get lost before I cut his filthy neck and throw it to the dogs.
I can't deliver it like that...
Then find your own way to convey it. I have no interest in weaklings other than my Master.
Jacob nodded and turned to the Magistrate, who was watching with expectant eyes.
"Thank you for the generous offer, but my Master is already betrothed and has resolved to follow her betrothed."
"Hmm? She has a betrothed?"
"I heard she's betrothed to that young man."
Yamong, who had been wearing a displeased expression beside them, answered instead.
The Magistrate turned his gaze to Agron.
"...Hmm. You look quite healthy."
He tilted his head from side to side, his expression thoughtful, before addressing Agron directly.
"You seem like a skilled adventurer. Would you be willing to take on a personal commission?"
"I don't accept personal commissions. Please submit your request through the Guild," Agron replied firmly.
Having his proposal rejected not once, but twice, the Magistrate's face flushed crimson, his features twisting in anger.
"This is a matter that can't be handled through the Guild. I would be deeply grateful if you would reconsider."
His voice was thick with barely suppressed rage, as if he were grinding his teeth as he spoke.
Just as Agron was about to refuse again, Baek Woon intervened.
"Heh heh, we can't refuse a request from the Magistrate, can we? Tell us what it is."
"Thank you, elder. You're the only one here who understands me."
The Magistrate glared at Agron as if he wanted to kill him, but his expression softened when he turned to Elena.
"I own a dungeon, and recently, strange noises have been coming from it."
"M-Magistrate!"
Yamong, who had been listening, interrupted in a panic.
"Th-that place—"
"Enough! How rude, Yamong. I'm speaking!"
"B-but the plan..."
Yamong fell silent the moment his eyes met the Magistrate's.
His madness was already visible in his eyes, which gleamed with lust.
"My apologies for interrupting, Elder. My friend here worries about me too much."
"Heh heh, it's quite alright. So, you want me to investigate that dungeon?"
At Baek Woon's words, the Magistrate nodded with a satisfied smile.
"Understood. What compensation are you offering?"
"I'll provide a generous sum in gold coins from my personal funds. Since these are my private assets, I can't request this through the Guild. But I assure you, you won't be disappointed. Please, I implore you to take this on."
"Very well, I accept."
"And please keep this confidential, Elder. A Magistrate shouldn't be making such requests."
"Heh heh, don't worry about that."
"Then I'll have my subordinate send you the address. Let's meet again in a few days."
After saying that, the Magistrate gave Elena one last lingering look before moving to another part of the room.
"What's in that dungeon?" Agron asked immediately after the Magistrate left.
Yamong flinched at the question.
"Ah, nothing much. It's actually a completely empty dungeon, not dangerous at all."
"Then why are you hiring us, even spending gold coins?"
"...It's like a gold mine, you see. That's why they have the money to spend gold coins. I've heard goblins occasionally appear... Just think of it as killing a few monsters and earning some money."
Yamong gave a vague explanation, smacked his lips, and left.
Agron's group exchanged strange glances, their eyes meeting in silent communication.
"We need to find out who hired those damn bandits to steal the artifact."
"Then why didn't you?"
"Damn it! The knights and mercenaries I hired were all too scared to fight properly, just panicking and running around. Then those adventurers showed up and slaughtered the entire bandit horde!"
"Heh heh, who are you to complain? It was probably some stunt pulled by the other branches of our 'Organization'—the ones with no real achievements."
Yamong gulped down wine like water before turning to the person sitting across from him.
"But Magistrate Felipe, why commission an investigation of that dungeon? Even for a womanizer like you, that's going too far—"
"Watch your tongue if you don't want to end up dead," Magistrate Felipe snapped, glaring at him.
"You may have more power than me in the city, but our rank within the 'Organization' is equal!"
Unlike at the banquet, Yamong didn't back down from Felipe's intimidation this time, retorting sharply.
Magistrate Felipe momentarily retreated from Yamong's sharp glare, his expression softening.
"Hey, Yamong. You want that woman too, don't you?"
"...So?"
"You don't think I'd keep all the fun to myself, do you?"
"..."
"I'm going to have the dungeon's defenses reinforced and order her capture. The men will be sacrificed, and the woman will be drugged and enjoyed. Understand?"
Yamong chuckled at Felipe's words.
Clearly, the woman was worth all the trouble.
"Besides, she seems to have no clear identity. No one will even notice if she disappears."
"Exactly. I wonder what kind of nonsense a foreigner will babble when drugged."
The Magistrate filled his wine glass to the brim and raised it.
"To Ananta, the shadow of the world."
"To Ananta."
Agron and his group arrived near the dungeon, guided by a map provided by the Magistrate's subordinate.
The subordinate had emphasized the importance of going at dawn, as the sounds wouldn't be audible during the day.
"So, what do you think?" Baek Woon asked.
"What do you mean?"
"What do you think we'll find in this dungeon?"
"Hmm... I don't know for sure, but it's probably connected to those guys with the Ouroboros Symbol, right?"
They understood why the Ananta Organization, which had been hiding in the abandoned house, had hired bandits to attack the caravan.
However, Caravan Master Yamong wearing the Ouroboros Bracelet and Felipe's strange behavior at the banquet the previous night were difficult to connect.
If the Ouroboros Bracelet Yamong was wearing was what the Ananta Organization had been searching for, was it merely by chance that he possessed it, or was he a member of the organization?
If he was indeed a member, why would his own organization attack him? Nothing about this situation made sense.
"Perhaps Felipe simply sent us here to claim Elena for himself?"
"Hmm, that's possible too. This dungeon could be a kind of 'Chamber of Vice.'"
A 'Chamber of Vice' referred to secret spaces used by powerful figures to carry out their dirty work.
These chambers were typically protected by magic arrays, alchemy, or sorcery to render them invisible to the public eye. Within these hidden spaces, conspirators would silence dissent or hold secret meetings.
"Elena, do you sense anything unusual?"
"No, Master. There's no discernible magical energy on the surface."
"Very well. Let's proceed inside, then."
Agron drew the mace from his back and gripped it firmly.
What lay within would reveal the true nature of the relationships between Ananta, Yamong, and Felipe.
"What if there's nothing inside?"
"Then we'll simply ask them directly."
Agron's eyes glowed with an icy blue light as he bared his teeth.
📝 Translator’s Note:
You may notice that certain lines or phrases in this novel appear both in their original Korean (or Hanja) form and in English translation.
This is intentional — these phrases are classical idioms, divine titles, or poetic expressions that carry layered meanings.
To preserve their original tone and authenticity, the raw text has been kept for reference, while the English interpretation is provided right before or after it. This helps convey both the literal and cultural nuance of the original work.
but if you guys dont want tha raw for future chapters or my future other novels u can just text me on discord and say so discord name Mr.Penny