Chapter 235
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 235
Chapter Title: Guardian Angel Slime (3)
7.
It took two days after starting the hunt for the adventurers facing the Guardian Angel Slime to finally accept reality.
“Our attacks right now aren’t getting through to it properly.”
By that point, everyone had to admit it.
“It’s impossible with this method.”
That they were like mosquitoes, while the Guardian Angel Slime was an elephant.
That there was no way to take down the elephant with their current approach.
“We need to prepare for a long battle.”
The only option left was one: an ultra-long war, a fight lasting over a month.
Of course, the moment those words were spoken, some pointed out the obvious issue.
“We’re short on food.”
The reason they couldn’t choose that path.
But they didn’t give up right away.
“Let’s stop the battle for now.”
What everyone agreed on first was to halt the fight and assess the situation.
That wasn’t hard.
They were already keeping their distance while battling the Guardian Angel Slime.
Running away was simple.
The problem came after they fled.
“Let’s search around for anything edible first.”
After escaping, the adventurers faced harsh reality.
“…There’s nothing edible. Not even trees.”
A utterly dismal reality.
“All there is are slimes.”
“Does anyone know how to cook slime?”
“As if.”
“Damn it.”
Faced with that reality, the adventurers’ minds grew complicated.
Even if they rationed their remaining food tightly, it would last about ten days.
But going all-out in a desperate battle for those ten days relying only on that food? That was suicide.
On the other hand, they couldn’t wage a long-term war lasting a month or more—maybe even longer—with just ten days’ worth.
‘It’s the worst.’
No matter what they chose, their odds of victory were single digits.
“We need to decide quickly.”
Even worse, they didn’t have time to deliberate.
That’s when it happened.
“Over there!”
A party appeared before them.
“It’s El Pam’s party!”
The ones they thought were dead.
The adventurers brightened at the sight of El Pam’s party.
‘In a situation where we’d take even a cat’s paw, El Pam’s party joining us would help.’
In truth, it was a slightly risky thought.
All the adventurers here knew.
About the Pason Party—they might have been taken out by someone.
Of course, it was just speculation; there was no solid evidence. But if the Pason Party had been defeated, it was more likely by adventurers than monsters.
And now El Pam’s party, who had vanished, showed up?
It could raise suspicions of a connection to the Pason Party.
But at that moment, not a single adventurer doubted any link between El Pam’s party and the Pason Party.
Naturally.
‘We don’t know how much help El Pam’s party will be.’
In their minds, El Pam’s party was the fraudulent El Pam’s party.
Of course, everyone acknowledged that El Pam’s party had some special ability.
But no one—not a single one—believed it was combat prowess.
That’s why they welcomed El Pam’s party so readily.
“You want to join now?”
Even so, they had no intention of accepting them unconditionally.
They wanted to break their spirits first, then let them in.
“We’re not planning to join.”
“What?”
So the adventurers were shocked by El Pam’s response.
It wasn’t just because it was unexpected.
“Are you betraying us now?”
Before entering, everyone had agreed to act as one group.
Yet they refused to join and wanted to act alone?
That was breaking the promise.
It gave them grounds to eliminate El Pam’s party on the spot.
And that would be very easy.
Tension began to build. A taut, electric tension.
In that tension, El Pam spoke.
“I’ve come to make a proposal.”
8.
Proposal. The moment El Pam used that word, the adventurers’ expressions hardened menacingly.
It wasn’t a choice.
‘Eliminate them.’
El Pam’s party had no options left.
That was certain.
“We’ll give you food.”
But the moment those words came out, the situation changed.
“Food?”
He’d presented the most urgent need for the adventurers at that moment.
Of course, no one accepted the offer immediately.
“Don’t make me laugh. Do you know how many of us are here?”
The amount of food they needed wasn’t for just a few hundred.
Over three hundred people needed enough to last at least twenty days—food for nearly six thousand man-days.
Even if it was preserved rations prioritizing calories over taste, that much would be the size of an elephant.
In response, El Pam held up a single finger.
Everyone’s eyes narrowed.
‘One thousand man-days?’
Not as much as they wanted, but far more than expected.
‘At least four days’ worth, minimum.’
To the adventurers now, that meant four extra days of life.
The value of that food was beyond words.
Of course, questions lingered.
‘How do they have this much?’
Why did El Pam’s mere five-man party have so much food?
It wasn’t impossible.
If they’d filled their bags with food.
But for a five-man party to prepare enough for a thousand people—enough to last two hundred days?
Normally, that was absurd.
‘Is this their survival secret?’
Yet everything El Pam’s party had shown so far was far from normal.
Plus, food was crucial for survival.
With enough food came enough time. Opportunities would come eventually if they waited.
Of course, they had no intention of trading fairly.
‘If we need it, we’ll just take it.’
Trade required equal footing.
“One thousand man-days—what do you want for it?”
As the adventurers calculated, El Pam replied.
“Not one thousand.”
“What?”
Their expressions crumpled.
The answer was obvious.
“One hundred man-days? Are you kidding?”
Crushed even from their small flicker of hope, the adventurers’ demeanor turned fierce. To them, El Pam said,
“Enough for ten thousand man-days.”
Words that could halt their anger and reason in an instant.
No exaggeration.
At El Pam’s words, everyone froze, speechless.
For a full ten seconds.
Finally, one spoke up.
“Are you joking?”
Laced with fury.
And it was the natural reaction.
It was utterly impossible for El Pam’s party to bring food for ten thousand man-days.
Regardless of anything else, everyone had seen them enter with luggage similar to other adventurers.
El Pam responded.
“I didn’t show my face here just to joke. The food is definitely there. Accept the proposal, and I’ll hand it all over at once.”
Not even planning any trick of handing it out in portions.
‘If it’s a lie…’
‘We can deal with them then.’
At this point, the adventurers’ conclusion was clear.
“So, what do you want?”
They’d hear El Pam’s proposal.
To those adventurers, El Pam said,
“Given the situation, I can’t sell at normal prices.”
He’d charge a premium.
At that moment, the adventurers intuited.
‘He’s going to demand Fried’s brooch.’
What El Pam wanted.
At that thought, the adventurers smirked inwardly.
Of course they wouldn’t give El Pam Fried’s brooch for food.
No, not just Fried’s brooch.
Even if he asked for other items—like Legendary-grade gear—they had no intention of accepting.
Precisely, they’d pretend to accept.
The moment they got the food, they’d take out El Pam.
Not all adventurers here were villains, but none would swallow such an outrageous demand.
So there was no need to get angry.
Just listen to whatever nonsense he spouted.
“One million meso per man-day.”
“What?”
That’s why they were shocked when they heard El Pam’s proposal.
“Ten thousand man-days, so one hundred million meso. Payment can be made outside the Mystic Gate.”
“No, that’s…….”
“It’s pricey for a meal, but considering the circumstances, it’s not an unacceptable price.”
At that point, the adventurers exchanged glances.
As El Pam said, it was extremely expensive.
But for adventurers more desperate for food than ever, one hundred million meso to conquer the Guardian Angel Slime wasn’t unaffordable.
Crucially, it wasn’t one person paying alone.
Divided among the headcount here, each adventurer’s share was three million meso.
Not a small sum, of course, but these weren’t ordinary adventurers.
They had plenty of meso on hand.
In other words, the conclusion was one.
“What do you say?”
They’d gladly accept the deal.
9.
“Boss! You sold it for just one hundred million meso?”
The moment they heard the deal details, Dibo and the others wore expressions of utter disbelief.
“No, you could’ve demanded dozens of Legendary items!”
“Yeah, this is way too cheap.”
“Even I think this deal’s a loss.”
One exception.
“As expected of the boss. Excellent deal.”
Ralph looked more satisfied than ever, leaving the other three even more aghast.
“Hey, did you eat something weird? We only got one hundred million meso! We could’ve gotten more!”
“Better to get one hundred million meso than fail to get even ten billion, no?”
“What?”
“Exactly as I said. If the boss had demanded Fried’s brooch right there, the adventurers would’ve accepted. Then they’d stab us in the back when it came time to pay.”
He was right.
“Even I’d see demanding Fried’s brooch for food not as a trade proposal, but a provocation. Of course they wouldn’t give it. But the boss’s offer seems reasonable to them. Not everyone, but some would be content buying food with meso. And obviously, they can’t kill us if not everyone agrees. To align stories outside, they all have to match.”
Only after Ralph’s explanation did they understand why El Pam made that proposal.
At the same time, they thought.
‘The boss gave up on Fried’s brooch.’
Given how he’d structured the deal, prioritizing catching the Guardian Angel Slime here came first.
‘Well, it’s impossible for us alone anyway.’
And his companions understood.
Considering the abilities the Guardian Angel Slime had shown, it seemed impossible for El Pam’s party to take it down solo.
Better to empower the other adventurers.
‘We can always give it to them.’
Of course, his companions didn’t know.
That El Pam hadn’t sold the food cheap because he was giving up on the Guardian Angel Slime.
‘No matter what they do, the adventurers won’t catch that monster anyway.’
After all, El Pam knew.
‘When its HP drops and the phase changes, triggering the slime wave—that’s when they’ll realize.’
That the Guardian Angel Slime turned hellish only after its HP fell.
‘Failure.’
And the moment El Pam predicted arrived.