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Chapter 78: The Prince’s Tomb (1)

1.

The Ariant Kingdom had always been a strong kingdom.

It had to be strong.

Only the strong could protect and survive in the harsh land of the Nihal Desert.

“The Ariant Kingdom became strong to survive in harsh conditions. In other words, it was never a wealthy nation.”

On the other hand, the Ariant Kingdom had never experienced abundance in its history.

It was natural.

It was impossible to obtain anything of value in the desert.

Moreover, the Nihal Desert wasn’t just any desert.

“It was a country struggling just to hunt the strong monsters.”

It was a place filled with monsters that had overcome the harshness of the desert.

“Strong monsters, those were the Ariant Kingdom’s specialty.”

Byproducts obtained from hunting those fearsome monsters, such as magic stones, leather, horns, and bones, were the resources that allowed the people of the Ariant Kingdom to survive.

“But after the Mystic Gates appeared…”

The Ariant Kingdom changed after the era of Mystic Gates began.

Countless Mystic Gates appeared in the vast Nihal Desert, and strong adventurers who had lived by hunting monsters thrived. The era of Mystic Gates brought unprecedented abundance to the Ariant Kingdom.

“Abdullah VIII became the most extravagant king in the Maple World.”

And Abdullah VIII, the king of the Ariant Kingdom, used that unprecedented abundance for luxury.

It wasn’t just any luxury either.

“A king who wouldn’t eat anything cheaper than gold.”

He indulged in unimaginable luxury that no one in Maple World’s history had ever experienced.

It wasn’t like that from the beginning.

Abdullah VIII wasn’t a great king, but he wasn’t a foolish one either.

And Abdullah VIII’s princes and princesses were wise and capable, and they willingly used their abilities throughout the Ariant Kingdom.

“Along with Queen Areda.”

The problem arose after Queen Areda appeared.

Everything changed after that.

Abdullah VIII began to indulge in luxury and pleasure more than ever, and the wealth of the Ariant Kingdom, enriched by that luxury, became meaningless.

Like pouring water on the dry Nihal Desert, the vast wealth flowing into the Ariant Kingdom quickly dried up due to Abdullah VIII’s indulgence.

That’s how extreme his extravagance was.

Abdullah VIII held festivals every day, and once a festival started, it lasted for a week, more lavishly than ever before.

And there was one order Abdullah VIII gave every time he held a festival.

“Make it more splendid than the last festival! At the cost of your lives!”

More splendid!

That’s why…

“Your Majesty.”

“Oh, Kashan!”

The third prince, Kashan, the secret behind how he could buy a week’s time.

“I brought the dragon’s heart.”

“My son! Well done.”

“May you eat the dragon’s heart and become immortal.”

“Hahaha! I will gladly accept your noble heart! Everyone, prepare for the festival! The prince has opened the dragon’s chest for me and brought its heart!”

As soon as he brought the gift, Abdullah VIII flooded the royal capital with festivities without hesitation.

“My Queen! Queen Areda, please join us!”

And Queen Areda couldn’t escape the festivities either.

The festival that began lasted for a week.

Amidst the dazzling festivities, everyone in the royal capital started to lose their minds.

Except for one person.

Prince Kashan. Despite constantly drinking expensive silk liquor, he didn’t get drunk at all.

He couldn’t get drunk.

‘Failure means death for everyone.’

In a situation where failure would effectively make him a prince in name only, he couldn’t afford to be dazed.

So Prince Kashan could only wait.

For good news to arrive as soon as possible.

‘It’s been a week.’

But even on the seventh day, the last day, there was no sign of good news.

Around that time, Prince Kashan thought,

‘This doesn’t feel right.’

That something had gone wrong.

“One last hour! Enjoy the festival to the end.”

And as they were about to reach the end of everything.

“Prince Kashan.”

Finally, news reached Prince Kashan.

“You’ve dropped your silverware, Your Highness. I’ll bring you a new one.”

With those words, a fork was placed in front of Prince Kashan.

Just one fork.

Prince Kashan’s expression hardened for a moment, understanding what it meant.

‘Only one team survived?’

It was the worst-case scenario.

If everyone had been wiped out, at least there would be evidence left there to plan for the future.

But now that one team had emerged, everything was over.

The evidence would disappear along with the Mystic Gate.

And Prince Kashan would have to wait for the next opportunity.

That was certain.

“Prince Kashan, what would you like for your last drink?”

But upon hearing those words, Prince Kashan’s eyes changed.

It was a code.

If the mission failed, they would mention food.

‘They succeeded?’

If they succeeded, they would mention alcohol.

“Recommend something.”

And he decided to communicate through the choice of alcohol.

‘Who is it?’

To find out which team had succeeded.

“We have a fine wine from Lith Harbour in Victoria Island. I’ll prepare that for you.”

2.

“El Pam.”

The meeting took place a week after El Pam emerged from the Mystic Gate.

At the Hez Oasis, located in the western part of the Nihal Desert, El Pam saw him.

“Prince Kashan.”

There, Prince Kashan was waiting for him.

The handsome face of Prince Kashan was filled with joy more than ever.

“Well done.”

His words were the same.

They were filled with sincerity.

“You’ve done a great job.”

It was no wonder, as Prince Kashan had given up everything until a certain point, and he hadn’t expected such a dramatic turnaround.

Just as the despair had been great, the joy was also immense.

Moreover, what was at stake here wasn’t just Prince Kashan’s life or his possessions.

‘Overthrow Queen Areda and restore Ariant.’

The fate of the people of the Ariant Kingdom was also at stake.

At least, that’s how Prince Kashan saw it.

What he wanted to do wasn’t simply out of greed to become king, but to save the Ariant Kingdom, which was suffering under Queen Areda’s tyranny.

So failure was unacceptable, truly a destiny given to him by the heavens.

“So, did you bring the item?”

“Yes, I found the letter.”

“You’ve done a great job. The heavens must have sent you to help me.”

He even thought that El Pam was an opportunity sent by the heavens.

Naturally, Prince Kashan didn’t consider it at all.

“So, where’s the letter?”

“I’m giving up on this request.”

“What?”

Prince Kashan showed a look of confusion for the first time at El Pam’s words.

El Pam said to him,

“The request was to exchange the item Prince Kashan wanted for a Legendary rank item. In other words, the exchange is an option.”

“An option?”

“I’m giving up on the Legendary item.”

Only after hearing those words did Prince Kashan finally understand what El Pam was trying to say.

And the moment he understood, Prince Kashan’s eyes turned cold.

At that moment, El Pam’s eyes scanned the surroundings.

He had sensed something.

‘The Hashashin have moved.’

Hashashin.

An assassin group with a history deeper than that of the Ariant Kingdom, intertwined with the history of the Nihal Desert.

They had made their move.

It wasn’t strange.

The Hashashin’s top client was none other than the royal family of the Ariant Kingdom.

So El Pam wasn’t surprised.

And that wasn’t important right now.

“Do you know what kind of item that letter you have is?”

“I haven’t seen it.”

El Pam said that, but he knew exactly what he had in his hands.

‘A will. A will agreed upon by the princes and princesses.’

After Queen Areda began to wield absolute power, Abdullah VIII’s children formed an alliance.

To leave evidence in case they were killed by Queen Areda.

What El Pam held in his hands was that evidence.

That’s why Prince Kashan had risked his life and invested enormous effort and money to secure the will.

If he got this, he could bring down Queen Areda.

‘It’s useless.’

But that was just the princes’ and princesses’ thinking. As far as El Pam was concerned, it was meaningless.

‘Because behind Queen Areda are the followers of the Black Mage.’

If they tried to touch Queen Areda like that, the followers of the Black Mage would move.

It meant unprecedented chaos would come to the Ariant Kingdom.

El Pam wanted to avoid that at all costs.

In other words, El Pam had to stop it here.

Prince Kashan from attacking Queen Areda with this will.

“You’re giving up on the deal even though you haven’t seen it. I’ll give you three chances to speak from now on.”

Of course, it was unlikely that Prince Kashan could be persuaded by ordinary methods.

So El Pam didn’t bother with any tricks.

“I met someone named Killer Bee inside the Mystic Gate dungeon. He killed the adventurers you hired.”

“One.”

“He was one of the subordinates of Ivok, the former leader of the Kania Guild.”

“Two.”

“Ivok is a follower of the Black Mage.”

He spoke the truth.

“That Ivok has sided with Queen Areda.”

In the face of that truth, Prince Kashan didn’t react even when El Pam spoke his fourth sentence.

First of all, El Pam’s words were quite shocking.

‘A follower of the Black Mage.’

A figure like Prince Kashan would know very well what kind of existence a follower of the Black Mage was and how dangerous they were.

Of course, he wasn’t surprised just because a follower of the Black Mage was mentioned.

In other words, Prince Kashan had…

‘If that’s the case, then the doubts I’ve had make sense.’

Suspicious points.

Missing pieces of the puzzle.

And now, the existence of the Black Mage’s followers fit perfectly into those empty spaces.

‘It’s not certain, but…’

That didn’t mean he completely trusted El Pam.

The matter was too big and too serious to simply believe it as it was.

A thorough investigation was needed.

But what if El Pam’s words were true?

Then one thing was certain.

‘If it’s true, then the will I obtained this time might not be as effective as I thought. No, it could backfire.’

There was a high probability that his preparations were meaningless.

Anyway, the important thing now was this.

“Can you stake your life on those words?”

Confirming the truth.

“I’m already staking it. Every word I’ve said here is with my life on the line.”

“So you won’t give it to me? Are you planning to sell it to Queen Areda to save your own life?”

El Pam shook his head at those words.

“I’m already being hunted by the Kania Guild. With the remnants of that union siding with Queen Areda, I can’t survive in the same place as her.”

“Then?”

At that moment, El Pam handed the prince’s will to Prince Kashan and said,

“I can only live if Prince Kashan lives. That’s why I can’t give it to you. It would be no different than throwing a pebble at a lion. So please don’t use this as a weapon. Unless you promise me that, there will be no exchange.”

Prince Kashan didn’t hesitate at those words.

He accepted the prince’s will that El Pam handed over and opened the sealed letter.

After reading the letter, he placed it directly on the candle next to him.

*Whoosh!*

The letter burned up in an instant.

“El Pam.”

“Yes.”

“The exchange is over. As promised, I will prepare a Legendary item for you.”

“Thank you.”

The moment the request was completed.

“Now all that’s left is to repay you for saving my life.”

But Prince Kashan didn’t forget the favor he had received.

“What kind of help do you need?”

He was willing to pay the price, and El Pam didn’t hesitate to ask,

“I need a safe place.”

Prince Kashan nodded at those words.

El Pam would now be pursued by Queen Areda, so it was reasonable to ask for a safe place.

“I’ll find you a safe place.”

“The places Prince Kashan knows are likely known to Queen Areda as well. After all, this operation was eventually discovered by her. It’s evidence that there’s a spy within your ranks.”

Prince Kashan didn’t get angry at the following words.

He thought the same.

“Therefore, the safest place for me right now is only that place.”

So El Pam made a suggestion.

“Where is that place?”

“The Prince’s Tomb.”