Chapter 70
Chapter 70
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Chapter 23. Ariant Kingdom (2)
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4.
Ariant Kingdom.
It was the massive kingdom that dominated the Nihal Desert, the largest desert in Maple World.
It was a resilient kingdom.
Ruling over the Nihal Desert, where even survival was no easy feat, was no ordinary task.
"Ariant adventurers are strong. There's no special reason. If you're weak, you're already dead, turned into a corpse in the desert."
As such, the adventurers' toughness was on another level.
That was why adventurers operating in Ariant received exceptional recognition just for being there.
"Conversely, if you survive, there's no better title. So any adventurer worth their salt heads to Ariant."
It meant that skilled adventurers didn't hesitate to go to Ariant Kingdom.
Of course, that was the biggest reason.
"Above all, the Nihal Desert is overflowing with them. Unclaimed Mystic Gates."
Unlike Victoria Island, where monsters were relatively weak, the monsters in the Nihal Desert were formidable.
As a result, there were more Mystic Gates than anyone could claim as their own.
On Victoria Island, it was rare to find 100-man gates or 200-man gates, but in the Nihal Desert, you could stumble upon them with a bit of luck.
"An adventurer should seek out better adventures, after all."
That was why many adventurers made it their goal to head to Ariant Kingdom once they had the skills.
However, that was just the adventurers' perspective.
"Merchant groups have to persuade those adventurers to stay."
From the standpoint of the merchant groups based in the port city of Lith, adventurers leaving for Ariant Kingdom was their biggest headache.
Skilled adventurers were the most vital resource for any merchant group.
If that resource headed to Ariant Kingdom?
It was impossible to manage.
Among Lith's top ten merchant groups, only the Goldrich Merchant Group had any real influence in Ariant Kingdom.
Even that was just merchant-level sway, not true influence.
So, merchant groups typically spared no expense to retain skilled adventurers.
That was why.
"No plans to head to Ariant Kingdom?"
The reason El Pam's companions were surprised by Gapor's words.
As mentioned earlier, the Gapor Merchant Group was in a position to keep El Pam from going to Ariant.
'How the hell did he find out?'
Of course, the most surprised was El Pam himself, who had anticipated this remark from Gapor well in advance.
'Of course.'
From El Pam's perspective, there was nothing strange about it.
'The Gapor Merchant Group's backer is none other than Ariant Kingdom's third prince, Kashan.'
He knew that the rapid rise of the Gapor Merchant Group was backed by Ariant Kingdom itself.
That was also why Gapor never lingered in Lith Harbor.
He was too busy shuttling back and forth between Lith and Ariant Kingdom.
Of course, Gapor's role was solely to aid Ariant Kingdom's push into Victoria Island.
He had no need to concern himself with Ariant Kingdom's affairs.
'But Ariant Kingdom's king is ill right now.'
The problem was that Ariant Kingdom's king, Abdullah VIII, was effectively unable to perform his duties.
In truth, Abdullah VIII had stepped back from the front lines quite some time ago.
'Until now, Queen Areda has wielded full authority in his stead.'
Queen Areda was the one practically running Ariant Kingdom in place of Abdullah VIII.
'But all that power is only valid while Abdullah VIII lives.'
However, as mentioned, Abdullah VIII was currently suffering from a grave illness.
To the point where death wouldn't be surprising.
Naturally, the princes began to move.
To become the ninth successor to the name Abdullah, king of Ariant.
'And in the royal power struggle about to unfold, racking up merits is more crucial than ever.'
For Gapor, backed by third prince Kashan, this was the moment to support him.
To Gapor, El Pam was an incredibly attractive card.
It wasn't that he expected El Pam to achieve something monumental.
'When standing out is what matters for earning merits.'
The fact that El Pam could draw attention.
That was key.
Even doing the same thing, if El Pam did it, the odds of catching Prince Kashan's eye were far higher.
In many ways, this was a moment where El Pam's and Gapor's interests aligned.
Of course, El Pam didn't show it.
"Ariant? I have no desire to go to such a dangerous place."
He could rebuff it.
"No need for pointless haggling. Five times. Clear five Mystic Gates of my choosing, and I'll procure anything you want."
"Anything at all?"
"I swear on the Gapor Merchant Group's name. So, what's your answer?"
A sweet deal impossible to refuse.
"When do we leave?"
At that question, Gapor smiled, pulled out ship tickets to Ariant, and said,
"Right now."
5.
Port city of Lith.
The reason this place had developed was, as one might expect, the existence of Lith Harbor.
The vast majority of logistics between Victoria Island and the Ossyria Continent passed through ships from Lith Harbor.
Naturally, the top ten merchant groups owned the most ships.
Over 70 percent of their revenue came from shipping—what more explanation was needed?
These ships also served as transportation for passengers.
Adventurers used them frequently.
"Adventurers ride for free!"
No need to pay the hefty ticket price.
The reason it was free was simple.
"3rd Circle and above only!"
Having a skilled adventurer on board guaranteed the ship's safety.
In other words, the route from Victoria Island to the Ossyria Continent was more dangerous than one might think.
Pirates were a threat, for starters.
Ever since Captain Kyrin became captain of the Nautilus, relations between Lith Harbor's merchant groups and the pirates had been decent, but not all pirates bowed to Captain Kyrin's name.
And there was one more dangerous factor.
"Adventurers boarding this ship, take note! If monsters appear, do not fall back! If the ship sinks, we're all dead!"
Monsters!
For those reasons, ships heading to the Ossyria Continent were packed with adventurers—skilled ones at that.
"Huh?"
"Yeah?"
That was why.
"El Pam's party?"
"Boss, isn't that the Hasan party over there?"
Adventurers who had joined the 300-man gate spotted each other on the ship.
"Why are they on a Gapor Merchant Group ship?"
"Because they borrowed money from the Gapor Merchant Group."
And they had even more reason to take Gapor's ships.
"Huh? Money?"
"Money they owe us."
"Ah!"
El Pam, he had said it.
To pay up to the Gapor Merchant Group.
It went without saying that no adventurer carried tens of millions of mesos around.
If they managed to save some, that was lucky; most adventurers spent money as soon as they got it.
There were plenty of expensive items in the world, but only one life.
So, the adventurers who visited the Gapor Merchant Group had likely signed contracts.
Contracts to borrow money.
And the Gapor Merchant Group undoubtedly planned to squeeze every last bit out of those skilled adventurers they had contracted.
Thus, it was no surprise that El Pam's party saw so many from the 300-man gate.
'Why is El Pam's party here?'
If anything, the adventurers spotting El Pam's party were the puzzled ones.
In their minds, El Pam's party were Victoria Island adventurers.
'No way?'
But they were boarding a ship to the Ossyria Continent?
It meant leaving Victoria Island.
'El Nath Mountains?'
'Nihal Desert?'
'Heading to Peach Blossom Paradise?'
'No, Minar Forest?'
From the adventurers' perspective, it sharpened their senses.
"Fancy meeting you here."
At that moment, Hasan approached El Pam and greeted him.
Of course, the greeting wasn't the goal.
"You're heading to the Ossyria Continent now, I see. Where to?"
Probing the destination.
To that question, El Pam answered.
"To Ariant."
At that reply, the expressions of the surrounding adventurers brightened.
Hasan's, however, was different.
For Hasan, who operated out of Ariant Kingdom as his base, this meant a new rival in El Pam.
No, beyond rivalry, rumors were inevitable.
'Damn it.'
El Pam's party was there, the ones who saved the leader hunter Hasan party's lives and extracted 60 million mesos.
Such rumors.
For Hasan, it was unpleasant in every way.
Of course, that didn't mean Hasan could do anything major to El Pam.
There was only one thing he could do.
"The Nihal Desert, eh? Be careful. It's nowhere near as safe as Victoria Island."
Issue a warning.
"Especially places overflowing with treasure—you'd best be extra cautious. Like the Prince's Tomb."
With those repeated warnings, Hasan stepped back.
And as Hasan retreated, Dibo, who had been listening, stepped forward and said,
"Such gracious warnings."
A sneer curled at the corner of Dibo's mouth as he spoke.
"Truly grateful in every way. Items, money, and now advice. Guess we owe him a meal sometime?"
Knowing full well that Hasan's "advice" was no different from a curse.
"It's not wrong."
Of course, that didn't mean Hasan's warning was baseless.
"Ariant is extremely dangerous."
"Sure is. Even among pirates, more die in the desert than at sea."
If anything, it was sound advice.
"Especially the Prince's Tomb he mentioned—it's pure hell. Tons of adventurers have died going there."
Particularly the Prince's Tomb that was brought up!
It was literally the tomb where a prince had perished.
A Yellow-grade Mystic Gate that the fourth prince Saleh, son of Abdullah VIII, had failed to conquer.
Naturally, its value was incomparable to something like Jack Rich's Tomb.
That was why adventurers desperately sought it out.
Yet, not only was it unconquered, its location was barely known.
No, forget location—those who sought it met mysterious assassinations.
That was why the Prince's Tomb was always mentioned as a warning to adventurers entering Ariant.
Of course, El Pam's party, including Dibo, weren't particularly worried about the Prince's Tomb.
"Pfft, we're not even going there, so why worry?"
Even deliberately searching for it was no easy task.
It would be weirder to worry.
"Right, Boss?"
El Pam didn't answer Dibo.
"Boss?"
Seeing that, Dibo tilted his head, then realized something and put on a stiff expression.
"N-No way, right?"
El Pam acting like this meant they were targeting that place.
And that would be insane.
As mentioned earlier, the Prince's Tomb was on a whole different level from Jack Rich's Tomb.
Not only unconquered, even reaching it was no simple matter.
A place no novice adventurer fresh in Ariant Kingdom could dare challenge.
The problem was El Pam.
El Pam was an adventurer who always accomplished the impossible.
So everyone tensed up.
"No."
At El Pam's response, Dibo and the others all sighed in relief.
"Whew, had me going there."
"Honestly, it scared me."
"Hey, ease up a bit. You're freaking people out for no reason."
"No bounty, and I was worried we'd risk our lives over it."
To them, El Pam gave a curt reply.
"Not yet."
"Huh? What?"
"Not yet."
At those words, instead of questioning, Dibo swallowed hard.
Not yet meant they would go eventually, right?
A chilling thought.
Of course, it wasn't happening right away, at least.
And in reality, going immediately was impossible.
'Can't enter anyway right now. The Sand Shadow Group has the Prince's Tomb occupied.'
There were steps to take before entering the fourth prince's tomb.
In other words, that was the only issue.
'But once we get in.'
El Pam wasn't worried about what came after entry.
'Conquering it is no problem.'
Simple.
'Helios's Necklace.'
He had it.
'With this absurd item that halves mana consumption for fire-attribute magic.'
As he lightly touched the necklace, a sound reached El Pam's ears.
Flutter flutter flutter!
"The sails are down!"
"We're setting sail!"
The sound of departing Victoria Island, bound for Ariant.