klisemfg Chapter 498 Departure and Review
Chapter 498 Departure and Review
Chapter 498 Departure and Review
"boom."
The heavy wooden door slowly closed, accompanied by the sluggish sound of the hinges rubbing together, and the tall figure carrying two swords disappeared behind the door.
The tower has returned to its quiet state, with countless artifacts lying on the wooden shelves as always.
After seeing Xia Nan off at the door, Aurie slowly turned around and started walking towards the stairs.
Perhaps it was a habit he developed from childhood, but even when he was alone with no one else around, he still maintained a dignified and elegant demeanor.
His spotless, exquisite leather boots stomped down the velvet-covered stairs one after another, his right hand lightly gripping the railing.
A pair of silver-gray eyes, born of elven blood, flickered inexplicably, revealing thoughts that seemed to flow within them in a tangible way.
Xia Nan – “The Hague” – “Gray Sword”.
Thanks to his extensive network of intelligence and cautious habits cultivated over many years in Barracuda Bay, Aurelius had already gathered a wealth of the latest information about the adventurer team long before meeting with the Blade of Vengeance fleet and appraising the marble workbench.
They learned that the opposing team had two new temporary members, who seemed to have been introduced through the Three-Legged Sea Dogs' channels.
A halfling with intricate connections to the "Arlene" from back then, and a young adventurer from the inland region who, despite appearing inexperienced, has already earned the titles of "Grey Sword" and "The Hague" in two different regions, demonstrating formidable strength.
Before today, he had no particular interest in these two people, or rather, in Xia Nan.
The reason for seeking out relevant information is simply out of habit.
It wasn't until Aurelius saw the other person for the first time in the Adventurers' Guild's meeting room.
He had to admit that his instinct as an appraiser to observe sophisticated equipment left a deep impression on him, especially Xia Nan, who was fully armed.
Then, unexpectedly, Ellison's solo introduction also provided a suitable platform for him and the other party to build a relationship.
Out of respect for this son of Lelo Morton, and also out of curiosity about Xia Nan, he invited him to his collection.
While seemingly giving a lengthy introduction to his collection, Aurelius had been secretly observing the other person from the moment they followed him through the oak door.
In the years he had lived in Sucker Bay, he had invited outsiders to this tower before.
The reactions of nobles, merchants, and even adventurers like themselves were all within Aurelius's expectations.
Those nobles who lived in Baiya District and had a life of luxury since childhood seemed to wear one mask after another.
With a polite and respectable smile on his lips, he would never show his inner surprise at his collection.
Maintaining an elegant and composed demeanor, and occasionally subtly touching upon topics of interest, is already their most unconventional behavior.
In contrast, businessmen are less likely to pretend, but the habits inherent in their profession mean that their conversations always revolve around profit.
"How much did you pay for this when you bought it?" "It's such a good deal! Just keeping it there for a year would be worth 200 gold!" "What about that one on the shelf? Any plans to sell it?"...
Aurelius's casual conversations with them mostly took place in this manner.
As for the performance of those adventurers, it was even more appalling.
It's not that he has any particular opinion about those who work in this industry, but it's perfectly normal for adventurers, especially those who have climbed up from the bottom, to lack proper education and have some shortcomings in their understanding.
In most cases, they might be able to roughly recognize the value of their collections based on the rich experience they have gained from their missions, but at the same time, the glint in their eyes is mostly filled with greed and desire.
If this place weren't located in the central core of Baiya District, with guards everywhere, and if I weren't considered to have some background...
He could imagine what these adventurers, who followed the law of the jungle, would do.
On the way here, Aurelius had imagined how the black-haired youth behind him would react when he arrived at his tower collection.
They might be as pathetic as those adventurers before them, or they might deliberately pretend to be indifferent to show off their supposed vision, or they might be blinded by greed and do something extreme.
The result, however, was unexpected.
The black-haired youth named Xia Nan displayed a composure that is difficult to describe in words.
He didn't ask me for detailed information about the collection, but his gaze swept over the surrounding collection without any attempt to hide it.
Oriel observed very carefully; the other person's attention was very focused, and he did not show any confusion or bewilderment about the unfamiliar object.
He seemed to be examining each of his collections, searching for something within them.
Xia Nan's unique performance aroused the half-elf collector's growing curiosity and interest.
In that small storage room on the second floor, after keenly noticing Xia Nan's interest in the bracelet he had placed on the cabinet, Aurie felt a desire to test him.
He wasn't lying.
The provenance of this bracelet is entirely authentic.
However, he deliberately omitted details about its specific effects and slightly adjusted his tone.
It's easy to conclude that he only identified the bracelet's effect of increasing stamina recovery speed.
And the idea that "it seems like I can find a bargain" arises.
At that time, Aurelius had already subtly planned how to continue guiding the conversation and probe further.
Unexpectedly, the young adventurer in front of him had no intention of following the usual script and went straight to the point, clearly and explicitly expressing his interest in the bracelet.
They even pointed out that the bracelet might have other effects.
This was once again beyond Aurelius's expectations.
Having reached this point, it seems there's no need to continue testing the waters.
As a professional appraiser, Aurelius was very clear about the detailed effects of the bracelet he had acquired for less than a thousand gold coins.
In addition to improving physical recovery speed, which is something you can actively request, it can also reduce physical exertion during training to a certain extent and make it easier for trainees to enter a state of focus.
Without a doubt, this is not equipment that can be bought for a few hundred gold coins.
To be honest, these kinds of ornaments have no practical value to me as someone who works in the appraisal industry; I'm just putting them here for collection purposes.
Even if someone offered him a price, he, who was not short of money, had no intention of making a purchase.
But if the bidder is that young adventurer who is both skilled and exceptionally frank, the situation changes...
Aurelius did indeed have a batch of collectibles stolen by a group of pirates connected to the Tidefall Gang, and he had even contacted an adventurer team two days prior.
Xia Nan's joining was somewhat of a spur-of-the-moment decision.
This not only adds another layer of insurance for the return of my collection, but also provides another opportunity to verify the other party's identity through this entrustment.
If the other party demonstrates sufficient strength and performs admirably during the mission... there are still more than two months until the Moonlit Feast, so there is plenty of time.
Compared to his goal, losing such a bracelet is within an acceptable range.
Oriel stepped onto the last step of the stairs.
His right hand unconsciously exerted force, gripping the railing he had been lightly holding.
His eyes flickered uncertainly.
……
……
night.
Shuttlefish Bay, Three-Legged Seal Tavern.
The hall was as lively as ever, filled with the aroma of food and drinks.
But compared to the past, the people clinking glasses around the table now are all very familiar faces.
Having nearly been wiped out, the Blade of Vengeance fleet returned from an extremely dangerous adventure mission and booked the entire hall of the Three-Legged Sea Dog Tavern for the night to celebrate the successful completion of their mission and their feat of facing storms and powerful enemies without losing a single member.
Every member of the crew, including the new sailors who have just boarded the ship, will enjoy unlimited free drinks and enough delicious meat to fill them up to the point of vomiting tonight, with all expenses paid by Lorraine.
Even Sasha, the usually reserved spotted cat-man, gradually loosened up under the influence of alcohol and the atmosphere. At this moment, he was swaying his long, fluffy tail while playing lively drinking games with the barbarian Arken and several other ordinary crew members.
Xia Nan sat alone at the bar, with a bowl of cream of mushroom soup that had been finished and a half-cup of chilled butter rye wine on the counter in front of her.
His dark eyes were unfocused and unfocused as he recalled the events of the day.
Upon careful review, it becomes clear that when I discussed matters related to the "Proof of Non-Slackening" with Aurelius, the latter seemed to be deliberately guiding my thoughts.
Although I didn't have this thought in my mind at the time, my body reacted instinctively under the influence of my keen senses, and resisted the thought of "whether I can get a bargain".
In addition, due to his personality, he was able to turn the tables and directly and clearly express his interest in the [Proof of Indulgence] bracelet.
And the result was, of course, good.
Although the other party did not sell the bracelet directly to him, they did propose conditions for initiating the transaction, allowing Xia Nan to obtain the [Proof of Indulgence] through legitimate channels.
He could vaguely sense that the collector seemed to be hiding something, and perhaps had some other purpose.
But for me personally, the most essential requirement is the "Proof of Indulgence" bracelet.
As long as I can get my hands on this equipment, whatever the other party is planning or what they want to achieve, it will be irrelevant to me, who will be leaving Suoyu Bay in two months.
Currently, the Blade of Vengeance team will be resting and regrouping at Barracuda Bay, and it's estimated that there won't be any major moves before the feast.
He can use this free time to do some things of his own.
As for the specifics of this commission, according to what Aurelius said during the day, he should be informed in the next two days, and he needs to hurry up and prepare for the mission.
Just as I was pondering this, I suddenly heard the crisp "clack-clack" of leather boots hitting the ground.
A glimpse of a fiery red phantom flashed in the corner of her eye, and accompanied by the smell of smoke and alcohol in the warm air, Lorraine sat down directly next to Xia Nan.
"Give me a 'Volcanic Lava' drink!"
She called out to Hera, the tavern owner, behind the bar.
Then he turned his head to look at Xia Nan beside him, a smile on his lips.
"What's wrong? Everyone's celebrating, and you're sitting here drinking alone?"
Knowing that the other person was joking, Xia Nan didn't think about how to reply, but just smiled and shook his head.
His gaze drifted to the card table on the other side.
There, the halfling Alton was standing on a chair, talking about something with great interest, with a high stack of chips on the table in front of him.
But the crew members and sailors who seemed to have lost money were all laughing very happily, because they knew that, as usual, these chips piled up like small mountains would soon be returned to their hands one by one.
"If you need manpower, just say so."
"I doubt Aken and his crew will miss this opportunity to earn some extra money."
Xia Nan didn't hide his upcoming plans. Knowing that he might be going on a mission soon, Lorraine said directly.
“Of course.” Understanding the other party’s good intentions, Xia Nan nodded in response, “But there should be a few temporary teammates on this trip, all of whom are professionals. They should be enough to deal with one of the Tide Retreat Gang.”
Even if an unexpected situation arises, Xia Nan's current combination of combat skills allows him to retreat at any time.
The [Abyss] armor's enhancement to water mobility further compensates for his last weakness.
Moreover, he also has the survival supplies stored in the [White Pot] pocket watch. With his current physical condition, even if he were stranded on a deserted island deep in the ocean, he wouldn't have much trouble surviving.
On the contrary, if there are close teammates who require extra attention, it will be more troublesome when encountering the most dangerous situation.
"Ellison... told you everything, right?"
Taking the glass of wine from Hera, Lorraine tilted her head back and took a big gulp, explaining her purpose.
Xia Nan had previously revealed to his captain the details of his conversation with Ellison.
This includes, but is not limited to, their surname Morton, the root of their estranged sibling relationship, and the origin of the name "Blade of Vengeance."
To some extent, Shanan and Lorraine share a common goal—"Algae Scales" Dodd.
The former hopes to obtain the key to the [Dream Corridor] from the other party, while the latter sees them as a target for revenge.
He had mentioned this to Lorraine a few days ago.
"So you wanted to attend the Moonlit Feast for him. It would have been so much better if Hera had told me earlier. I wouldn't have had to waste my energy on all those tests. I could have just taken you there directly."
Lorraine said that, but Xia Nan knew that without spending time together afterward, given her personality, she would probably find it hard to believe in someone like him who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
The unexpected turn of events has actually worked out perfectly, strengthening trust between the two sides, establishing a common goal, enabling them to concentrate their efforts on dealing with the enemy, and confidently entrusting their backs to each other.
"Ding-bang."
Raise your glass and gently clink it with the other person's.
Xia Nan downed the last few sips of ale in his glass, his mind preoccupied with the tasks for the Tide Receding Gang in the coming days, as well as the Moon Tide Feast that would be held in two months.
(End of this chapter)