Chapter 588 - 372: Feilengcui
Chapter 588: Chapter 372: Feilengcui
The delegation traveled east along the wide, flat road. Half a month later, they officially exited the White Mountain Ridge and stepped into the heartland of the Holy Sith Kingdom.
While the White Mountain Ridge, located on the border near Debei, had retained some of Debei’s customs and character, the land that now unfolded before them belonged to a completely different nation, one with a style all its own.
As the undisputed most prosperous and powerful of the Seven Kingdoms, the weather in the Holy Sith Kingdom was not freakishly abnormal like Debei’s had been in recent years. Instead, it was exceptionally warm and humid, leading to bountiful harvests. The wheat in the fields grew lush and green, and the faces of the commoners wore smiles of prosperity, giving the entire country an air of peace and tranquility.
Here, Levi even saw members of Adventurer’s Guilds, the kind he thought only existed in novels. These teams usually consisted of five or six people—a Swordsman, an Archer, a Physician, and so on. They all wore either a Copper or Silver Badge on their chests to signify their status.
However, these guys were far weaker than he had imagined. Those with Copper Badges were merely commoners who knew some rudimentary Martial Arts, and those with Silver Badges were only slightly stronger.
Unlike in the stories where they might be hunting Magical Beasts or defeating some fictional Destructive Demon King, these adventurers were exceptionally good at helping commoners find stolen valuables or lost pets.
"What great disaster in this world really needs a few people playing hero to solve it?" Luo Fu said playfully. "That’s the stuff of novels. In reality, if a ’Demon King’ were to actually appear, the Holy Sith Kingdom’s Sai Dai Golden Men would probably be the first to steamroll it. As far as a nation is concerned, all the powerful individuals are basically recruited. How could they possibly remain among the common folk working as Adventurers? After all, even the powerful need to eat, and they need money to fund their various pursuits."
"Take me, for example. If it weren’t for my current status, I’d probably spend most of my days scrambling to make ends meet. How would I have so much time to meditate and learn Magic?"
"This ’Adventurer’ business is nothing more than a journey for the powerful to look back on fondly from their youth."
And just like that, the dream Levi had secretly harbored of joining an Adventurer’s Guild and starting an epic romance with a fellow Elf Physician was shattered.
"Speaking of which, take you, Levi," Mandela chimed in, turning around on the back of his Dwarf Beast. "Wasn’t that Balrog Flame Demon you fought basically another kind of ’Demon King’? And you took care of it all by yourself, becoming a hero famous throughout Debei. You know why all those young men and women in Gonda City worship you so much? It’s because that story of yours has been written into a Knightly Novel. It’s selling like hotcakes in Gonda and might even become a bestseller across all of Debei."
"Fuck, how have I not seen a single copper coin in royalties?!"
The Lord was stunned. He couldn’t believe someone was making money off the story of his life. He instantly felt like he’d been cheated out of several thousand Gold Coins.
"Seriously? With your current fame and status, this will only enhance your reputation. You really want to chase after that money?" Mandela was exasperated.
"Can you eat fame? There are countless mouths in High Cliff Castle depending on me..." the Lord muttered, speaking in phrases the others didn’t quite understand, like "only an idiot passes up free money," and "every little bit helps."
"I’ve actually heard a bit about this in the palace," Prince Luo Fu said with a chuckle. "Since Lord Levi doesn’t want the money, why don’t I find this Minstrel when we return and have him donate a portion of his earnings to the poor?" It was a suggestion that everyone present thought was excellent.
It would bolster Levi’s benevolent reputation and ensure the money wasn’t wasted on the author’s extravagant desires.
’Worri! Which of your eyes saw me say I don’t want it?’
"Darling~" the Mermaid Princess cooed, hugging Levi’s shoulders and giving him a playfully reproachful glance.
Though his heart screamed a million times no, Levi ultimately nodded.
And with that, the small matter was settled.
"Tsk, tsk. But thinking back on it, your story really is a hero’s journey. You started as a humble, no-name Pioneer Knight, and now you’ve defeated countless powerful enemies, have a beautiful Mermaid Princess by your side, and even married His Majesty’s own Princess... Damn, the more I say, the more jealous I get." Mandela rubbed his gleaming bald head. Riding the Dwarf Beast, he looked for all the world like a lion on a dog.
The mount looked like a wild boar, but its legs were so thick and short that its body resembled a round ball. It had a docile temperament and was said to be a favorite cheap mode of transport for Adventurers in the Holy Sith Kingdom. Doing as the locals do, Mandela had bought it from a Swordsman in an adventuring party.
"In that case, how about it, Old Man, you join me at High Cliff Castle? I’ll make you my personal Knight. Then you’ll be the hero’s personal Swordsman," Levi said, a gleam in his eye.
’This Great Swordsman was a genuine, Epic-level powerhouse. Back at High Cliff Castle, besides myself, Sophia was probably the only one who could beat him.’
"Get lost!"
Luo Fu simply watched this exchange with a smile.
...
To be frank, the officials and nobles of all ranks in the Holy Sith Kingdom treated the delegation with a certain degree of respect. However, it would have been foolish to expect much warmth from them. As a result, their journey was merely unimpeded; as long as they presented their official documents, they were generally allowed to pass without issue.
At most, a few major local nobles would host banquets to entertain them. The main purpose was simply to make their faces known, in the hopes that if the two kingdoms were to have a falling out someday, the Dragon Knight might spare their faces from a blast of Dragon Breath for the sake of today’s pleasantries.