The Vastness of Magical Destiny

Chapter 55 - 55 7 Coercion and Temptation (1)

?Chapter 55: Chapter 7: Coercion and Temptation (1) Chapter 55: Chapter 7: Coercion and Temptation (1) The faint morning mist lingered in the countryside, and Komer took in a deep breath of the fresh air coming from the South as he stepped out onto the uneven streets.

Ugru Town was just too small; fewer than eight hundred people actually lived on the streets of the town, and most of the others were scattered not far from the streets, making the whole town look desolate. By night, before ten o’clock, the streets would be pitch-dark, and even the taverns rarely stayed open past midnight, their clientele mostly regulars and adventurers.

Komer found this bland and lonely lifestyle somewhat difficult to adjust to. Although he had spent three years as a wanderer, it only took a few months back in Cyprus City for Komer to fall in love again with his previous lavish lifestyle filled with drunken pleasure and bright lights.

The distinction between city and countryside lay here, especially at night, appearing even more pronounced. From city to exile and back to the city again, Komer hated the taste of this back and forth so much that he would have preferred assassinations, combat, devious schemes, or the coming of disasters over this current dull life. Though he knew he had to adapt to this life, fortunately, he was aware it was not going to last.

The bluebirds were chirping and jumping happily on the branches, and even though it was early winter, the Caucasus still remained a vibrant green.

The weasels with specks of gold and fiery red fur would occasionally dash past Komer like a fleeting shadow, stirring a trace of wind, while every so often, the grunting of porcupines could be heard coming from the depths of the shrubbery, making the morning scene in the countryside something the city could not compare with.

Komer walked silently in the open countryside, and he couldn’t help but sigh at the thought of the noise of Cyprus City in the morning.

A string of crisp horse hooves approached from a distance, and Komer could clearly distinguish two horses, one in front of the other, their rhythmic beats indicating they were well-trained steeds, unlike the inferior warhorses Puber had snatched from the Leon Gang.

Two riders circumvented the small forest, and an old adventurer, whom Komer had met once before, appeared in his sight, followed closely by a young man who obviously shared a blood relation with him, looking particularly spry with a simple rolled-brim straw hat on his head.

Seeing Komer walking alone on the wild path, the leading elder seemed somewhat surprised. Horse riding was his hobby, and coming out for a ride every morning had become his greatest pleasure, with his son also picking up a fondness for the activity.

“Lord, what brings you here alone?” the leader of the Adventurers’ Guild dismounted with a grace that revealed considerable time and effort invested in the sport.

“Oh, hello, Mr. Hesse, just like horse riding is your hobby, walking is mine. I enjoy a walk by myself in the early morning; it makes me feel more energized for the day,” Komer greeted him with a smile.

Perhaps finding the lord’s hobby a bit odd, the young man, who had dismounted following Hesse, gave Komer a curious look, though the wariness in his eyes was not hard to detect.

“Mr. Hesse, is this your son?” Komer eyed the young man with interest, almost a spitting image of Hesse, the only difference being age.

“Yes, this is my son Neptune. Come, come and greet the lord,” beamed Hesse, a touch of affection crossing his face as he took the horse reins from the young man.

After some pleasantries, Komer intentionally guided the two of them to continue walking along the path, and the atmosphere seemed to suddenly become sober. The seasoned Mr. Hesse seemed to sense that the Lord had something he needed to discuss privately with him and gestured for his own son to go ahead first, but Komer interrupted his gesture.

“No, Mr. Hesse, it’s alright. Since Mr. Neptune is your son, I don’t think our conversation should be an issue. Today, since we have met by chance, I think we can have a casual chat. I had been planning to visit you at your residence at an appropriate time,” said Komer, raising his head calmly as he pushed aside branches extending onto the path and gave the other a penetrating look.

The young man immediately slowed down his originally ready-to-leave steps. To be honest, he was also eager to witness this young lord for himself. According to his father, this person was a spoiled youth from Cyprus but was far from simple, having managed to evade the attack of a Monster Group in the Greenland Forest. Yet, upon meeting him now, he really couldn’t see what was so remarkable about him to merit his father’s cautious approach.

“Mr. Hesse, when did you start your entrepreneurship in the Caucasus? I’ve heard that you were quite an exceptional solo adventurer in The Kingdom of Nicosia,” Komer began with such a topic, taking Mr. Hesse by surprise, a flicker of astonishment crossing his face, but it also brought back memories of his past.

“Haha, young lord, the life of an adventurer is indeed filled with wonders and excitement. It’s quite a challenging profession for the youth; if a person has no remarkable moments to remember in their old age, wouldn’t that make a lifetime quite dull? That is my view.”

“But everyone grows old. When your body and energy can no longer withstand high-intensity, high-risk activities, you have to learn to judge the situation and bow out courageously. I am already fifty years old, not quite suited for personal adventuring anymore. Experience can help a person evade many dangers, but sometimes, just experience is not enough to solve all problems. I hope to serve a multitude of professional adventurers and enthusiasts with my experience, so they can avoid many unnecessary dangers. This is the original intention behind establishing the Adventurers’ Guild.”

Perhaps moved by Komer’s sincere gaze, Mr. Hesse’s eyes were filled with a contented sense of worldliness as he subconsciously voiced his inner thoughts.

“Oh, Mr. Hesse, such passion for the adventure life is truly rare. But why did you choose the Caucasus as the location for your adventurers’ guild? Could there be a special reason?” Komer asked, seemingly offhandedly.

“Haha, young lord, you are unaware of some things. There are essentially two kinds of adventures: one is the professional adventurer, who lives by exploring and treasure hunting and sustains themselves by finding and acquiring treasures and wealth. As you may know, our Continent has experienced many prehistoric civilizations, and although many have disappeared in the changes of the world, becoming a sea that was once fields, many relics reflecting those civilizations remain. These include antiques, gold, silver, and jewelry, artworks, and even books, scrolls, paintings, and many other items. Especially those gold and silver treasures, which hardly deteriorate with the passage of time; thus, they become the most passionate targets for those adventurers. Of course, the special spiritual objects that started appearing among Magical Beasts five hundred years ago, because of their unique properties, have become the main pursuit of these professional adventurers.”

Speaking of his profession, Mr. Hesse turned into a different person, his speech becoming unusually fluent, as if his thoughts had quickened considerably.

“The other group is the amateur adventure enthusiasts, who enjoy the adventure life, considering the challenge of nature a warrior’s prerogative, and find a particular pleasure in achieving success in their ventures. This is why more and more people, adventure enthusiasts, join our ranks.” Mr. Hesse smiled, as if lost in the pleasure his profession brought, “Perhaps you are wondering, young lord, why I ramble on about so much without answering your question. But to clarify the complexity of our industry, I had to be a bit verbose.”

“Our Caucasus is the southernmost territory of the Homer region, and also the southernmost territory of The Kingdom of Nicosia. To the north, we are bordered by the Volt Mountain Range, which separates us from the Leon Region. The Volt Mountains were once the cradle of the ancient mountain dwarves, and many legends are associated with this area,”
“To the east is the Nether Sea, surrounded by a chain of islands. From time to time, people see the Wicked Dragon frolicking by the sea. The Wicked Dragon is the natural enemy of the sea’s Shark people, and its greatest hobby is devouring them and claiming their pearls, night pearls, and other treasures for itself. If one could find the Wicked Dragon’s lair, wouldn’t that be a great fortune?”

“To the south lies the territory of the Barbarians, but near it to the east, the Puling Great Rift Valley is a Magical Beast Paradise replete with various extraordinary materials and powers, making it a playground for adventurers. Of course, it is also the largest graveyard for adventurers. Certainly, young lord, your Damarlinsk Castle is also well-known, just that in recent years, no one dares to go there lightly anymore.”

A look of endless reminiscence appeared on Mr. Hesse’s face, evidently recalling those comrades who had fallen there, “Young lord, these numerous lands of fantasy, how many adventurers do you think they attract? This is the main reason I chose this location. Of course, there is another reason: before you became the lord, there was no ruler here, and the adventurers’ guild didn’t have to pay the high taxes like those in other regions.”