Chapter 134
Chapter 134
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 134
Chapter Title: 42장. Elnas Mountains (2)
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3.
“We’re heading to the Elnas Mountains! To find Aran’s relic!”
The name Aran, the polearm hero who could mobilize every adventurer in Maple World.
“Boss, let’s go to the Elnas Mountains right now!”
Dibo and El Pam’s other companions were excited by the name as well.
To them, El Pam said,
“We don’t have a choice.”
“Huh?”
“We’re still under contract with the Cygnus Knights. The choice of our next destination isn’t up to us.”
At those words, El Pam’s companions cooled off.
After all, they couldn’t just act on their own when none other than the Cygnus Knights were their clients.
“And this is a trap.”
“Huh?”
“An item of Aran’s, whose existence we didn’t even know about until now, suddenly appears. That alone is suspicious. And for it to be revealed to the world like this? One thing’s for sure.”
El Pam made his companions’ reasoning even cooler.
“Whoever spread this rumor did it on purpose.”
Only after hearing that did his companions show cold expressions.
“Now that the boss mentions it, yeah. If something as huge as an item of Aran’s appeared, I’d keep it to myself. For it to come out into the open like this? The item’s probably fake.”
On second thought, they had to question the item’s authenticity too.
“It’s not fake.”
“Huh?”
“There’s no point in baiting a trap with fake meat. You have to use the real thing to hook them.”
“I-it’s real?”
But everyone was shocked by El Pam’s words.
They were surprised it was real, but what shocked them most was that part.
“B-boss, so you knew? About Aran’s item existing?”
That El Pam knew about Aran’s item.
It was extremely surprising.
Everyone in Maple World knew the tales of the Six Heroes, but very few knew about their actual traces.
The reasons, methods, and timing of their disappearance were known only to a handful.
Naturally, no one knew about the items they left behind—their relics.
Not even what items they left, let alone where they were.
“Aran’s boots or one of Aran’s armors.”
But El Pam not only knew they existed but even specified what they were.
He knew about even more items, but the reason he specified those two was simple.
‘The Lion King possesses them.’
The location of this incident was none other than the Elnas Mountains.
‘And the Lion King joined hands with the Black Mage’s followers.’
That was why El Pam was certain this was a trap.
‘The intent... is to draw out Aran.’
Even that intent.
In any case, El Pam had every reason to be cautious.
Especially since El Pam knew.
“It’s a shame, even if it is a trap. Chances like this to get such an amazing item don’t come often.”
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
“Huh?”
“The next mission the Cygnus Knights give us will be to head to the Elnas Mountains.”
“What do you...”
“All the adventurers will flock to this. If the Cygnus Knights reveal themselves and get involved in something like that, they won’t hear good things. They need help from reliable experts who aren’t the Knights.”
“Ah!”
Everyone nodded at El Pam’s words.
There was no need to think hard about who among the adventurers fit that description best.
That was why Dibo smiled.
“So the Captain of the Flame Knights will summon us soon.”
“Of course! That has to be it.”
A smile at the fact that they could participate in this massive event.
“And at that meeting, they’ll propose something related to the Elnas Mountains.”
El Pam said to that smile.
“And I’ll say no there.”
4.
“Huh?”
Oz wore a surprised expression at El Pam’s words in the suddenly arranged meeting.
To that expression, El Pam said,
“I can’t do it.”
At those words, Oz furrowed her brow slightly.
It wasn’t just because she’d been refused.
“I haven’t even said anything yet?”
Hearing such a response before the conversation even properly began was enough reason to frown.
“You’re going to give us a mission related to Aran’s item that appeared in the Elnas Mountains, right?”
But before El Pam’s follow-up words, Oz had no choice but to relax her furrowed brow.
“How did you know?”
“Aran’s item has appeared. For rumors to spread this fast, it can’t be just some simple happening. Adventurers will naturally flock there. And they’ll fight bloody battles over it.”
Oz had no response to that answer.
“From the Cygnus Knights’ position, they can’t just sit by. But if the Cygnus Knights intervene directly, it could provoke even greater backlash.”
That explanation was sufficient.
So El Pam didn’t say it.
‘Considering the relationship between the Cygnus Knights and the Lion King, the moment the Knights intervene, it’s war.’
The most decisive reason the Cygnus Knights couldn’t get involved in this.
‘Von Leon—everything he lost was taken by the Anti-Black Mage Alliance.’
It was from long ago.
Before the Six Heroes sealed the Black Mage, hundreds of years ago now.
At that time, the Black Mage was rapidly expanding his forces, and the Anti-Black Mage Alliance was formed to fight him.
And to Lion King Von Leon, who ruled the coldest, harshest part of the Elnas Mountains, the Alliance extended a hand.
To fight the Black Mage together.
But Lion King Von Leon refused the offer.
Up to here, any adventurer with a deep interest in Maple World history would know.
But few knew that the Alliance, far from accepting the refusal graciously, branded the Lion King a follower of the Black Mage and unleashed a bloody massacre—a brutal retribution.
‘That’s why he became a follower of the Black Mage.’
And that because of it, the Lion King drew the sword of vengeance.
El Pam hadn’t known either.
He learned only after the world collapsed.
In any case, after the Six Heroes sealed the Black Mage, the Anti-Black Mage Alliance disbanded, and recently, the Maple Alliance emerged to fight the Black Mage’s followers.
It would be strange if Lion King Von Leon and the Maple Alliance got along.
That was why the two forces had never even crossed paths.
The Maple Alliance avoided the Elnas Mountains unless absolutely necessary, and the Lion King stayed deep in the mountains, minimizing external activity.
They eliminated any chance of conflict.
But now, the Cygnus Knights enter the Elnas Mountains?
It wouldn’t sit well.
In fact, it was best not to step forward unless absolutely necessary.
Even if they did, they should only after a real problem arose—move only after securing at least minimal justification.
“Above all, a storm of blood will rage there. I have no desire to throw myself into it.”
“We’ll pay you.”
“A reward?”
“I can’t guarantee bringing back Aran’s item in place of the Cygnus Knights.”
“You won’t have to do it alone. The Cygnus Knights will move. We just need your help.”
For her to go this far anyway meant the Cygnus Knights were confident.
“You’re deploying the Cygnus Knights?”
“Yes.”
“...You know something.”
Meaning Aran’s item was real, and they knew where it was.
“There’s a Mystic Gate. Inside it are clues about Aran’s item.”
Clues.
At that word, El Pam’s eyes narrowed.
Not just Aran’s item itself, but mere clues related to it, and the Cygnus Knights were mobilizing?
One thing was clear.
The one who brought those clues was someone Captain Oz of the Flame Knights trusted immensely.
‘It could be someone truly reliable... or a traitor.’
Of course, El Pam couldn’t view that person’s intentions favorably.
“It’s Green rank, then.”
“How do you even know that?”
“There’d be no reason to hire me otherwise.”
“So what will you do?”
Here, El Pam pondered briefly.
Then answered.
“One million mesos per circle.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll take payment equal to the number of circles of the Knights who survive thanks to my help.”
Oz stared blankly at that answer.
She’d expected some grand demand, but El Pam’s was beyond common sense.
It wasn’t just the method that was outrageous.
“If I save a hundred 5th Circle Knights, that’s 500 million mesos, right?”
“Exactly.”
That amount was far beyond common sense too.
At this point, any sensible person would think only one thing.
That El Pam was making this absurd proposal precisely to be refused.
Oz thought the same.
El Pam’s proposal was outrageous in every way.
And the Cygnus Knights were an organization even less likely to accept such nonsense.
Nevertheless, Oz said,
“Fine.”
She gladly accepted El Pam’s proposal.
“We’ll pay.”
El Pam showed a surprised expression at that response.
“You’re serious?”
“I can swear it on my loyalty to Empress Cygnus.”
El Pam could say nothing more to her follow-up.
There was no surer oath for the Cygnus Knights.
That was why El Pam looked even more surprised.
Of course, El Pam knew.
‘Just as I expected.’
That if he played it this way, Captain Oz of the Flame Knights would gladly accept.
In other words, El Pam had intended to accept the proposal from the start.
More precisely, there was no reason not to.
‘It’s something I have to do anyway.’
For one, El Pam had no intention of avoiding this danger.
‘There’s the deal with Phantom Thief Phantom.’
He’d planned to create a fake identity to secure Aran’s item—would he give up that chance?
Impossible.
‘Moving with the Cygnus Knights in a situation where I don’t know the dangers is a gain.’
In such circumstances, partying with the Cygnus Knights’ formidable power was a huge merit.
‘There’s the Lion King, though.’
Of course, the danger increased accordingly. The ruler of the Elnas Mountains, the Lion King, wouldn’t just watch the Cygnus Knights.
‘He’ll target my life anyway. Now that I’m a target of the Black Mage’s followers.’
But El Pam was already being hunted by the Black Mage’s followers.
No need to worry about greater or lesser danger.
From the start, El Pam had no choice but to accept Oz’s proposal.
That was why he’d acted.
To squeeze out a bit more profit.
And it worked.
“The Mystic Gate we need to clear is for 79 people.”
“79 people.”
“The participating Knights number 70. The number may vary, but that’s about it. Around 19 will be 5th Circle.”
“The rest are all 4th Circle?”
“There’ll be a few 3rd Circle, but average 4th Circle.”
An average of 4th Circle for 70—roughly 280 circles by count.
If El Pam brought them all out alive, he’d earn 280 million mesos right there.
An enormous sum.
Of course, El Pam didn’t smile at the sum.
Earning mesos wasn’t his goal to begin with. Money was merely a means to what he wanted to do.
Above all, El Pam didn’t forget.
This fortune depended on saving even more people.
That was why.
His expression hardened.
‘79 people... don’t tell me.’
There was a 79-person Green-rank Mystic Gate in the Elnas Mountains in El Pam’s memories too.
“Can I get information on the Mystic Gate?”
To El Pam’s question, Oz nodded.
“Absolutely no leaking it outside.”
She handed over a document, and the moment El Pam saw it, he was certain.
‘As expected, it’s that one.’
It matched the 79-person Mystic Gate he remembered—the very one they had to clear.
In other words, that place had it.
‘The one with Crimson Balrog as the boss monster.’
El Pam—the monster that hardened his expression.