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Chapter 24. Time Attack (2)
4.
No one was surprised when the El Palm Party appeared in the upper Ariant branch of Gapor.
On the contrary, I thought it was natural.
‘Well then, I guess you gave up in the end.’
Because it was so obvious what kind of result would be faced by someone who climbed an unclimbable mountain.
“That will serve as evidence.”
But the moment El Palm pulled out his sword, things changed.
“Proof that our attack was successful.”
At those words, Salaman froze.
‘That’s nonsense!’
Because it was a situation that was far beyond the realm of common sense.
That’s why.
‘That’s right.’
Rather, it was only Salaman who was able to quickly come to his senses.
‘You’re cheating!’
There is no way that something that is beyond the realm of common sense can be true.
‘Just like back then.’
Moreover, by Salamander’s standards, El Palm already had a history of committing major fraud.
That is why Salaman did not pay attention to the sword that El Palm presented.
He said with a cold look in his eyes.
“Is that evidence real?”
That wasn’t a question.
Salaman’s eyes and expression clearly said that it was fake.
El Palm smiled at that assurance.
From El Palm’s point of view, there was no reason to refuse Salahman’s provocation.
“You seem to think it’s fake, but if it is, I’ll give you 100 million mesos.”
Far from refusing, El Palm proposed.
“On the other hand, if it’s true, I’ll take 100 million mesos.”
Salaman’s confidence grew stronger with that suggestion.
‘As expected, you’re just bluffing!’
Mentioning this astronomical sum is clear evidence that El Palm is lying.
So there is absolutely no reason to be afraid of this proposal.
“Okay. Let’s go somewhere… … .”
Salaman, who is so eager to receive the offer.
“stop.”
The one who stopped such a salaman was none other than Prince Kashan, who was just watching the situation.
Salaman was frozen in place at his appearance.
And Prince Kashan gave a sharp look to the stern Salaman.
It was a notice.
A notice to not say or do anything more.
“El Palm.”
With those same eyes, Kashan spoke to El Palm.
“This is Prince Kashan. Be polite.”
5.
“Be an example.”
The moment he heard that, El Palm bowed his head and said.
“I am the adventurer El Palm. I come to see Prince Kashan.”
Prince Kashan’s eyes narrowed at the sight of him lowering himself without hesitation.
What if a janitor suddenly calls himself the Prince of Kashan?
Common sense dictates that it is usually not believed.
It was normal to at least look surprised or embarrassed.
“Do you know me?”
Still, El Palm’s reaction was impossible without knowing Prince Kashan.
El Palm answered that question.
“I do not know.”
“You don’t know? But why do you react like that?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Of course… … Why?”
“If Prince Kashan is not Prince Kashan, then I am just being a fool, but if he is the real Prince Kashan, then my neck is in danger. There is no need to even weigh which is better.”
The moment he heard that answer, Prince Kashan admitted it.
‘The sense of survival is absolute.’
There is something different about El Palm.
In fact, that was why Prince Kashan came forward.
Prince Kashan had no intention of revealing his identity unless it was absolutely necessary.
The problem was Salaman.
‘And while doing so, he throws his cards without sparing a single bit of gamble.’
Adventurers with a strong survival instinct usually act conservatively.
Do not use provocative or gambling numbers.
However, El Palm, despite his excellent survival skills, was willing to take a gamble on the opponent in front of him.
And Salaman fell for that trick.
So I had no choice but to step forward.
The most certain stake in gambling is none other than your life!
But what if you have excellent survival skills? The stakes are twice as high as for others.
If things continued this way, it was obvious that Salaman would suffer not just a loss in mesos, but even more.
Of course, that was the biggest reason Prince Kashan came forward.
“So how long did it take?”
‘If it’s really true.’
If what El Palm Party had brought was evidence of a conquest, then Prince Kashan had no room for hesitation.
‘This is the talent I’ve been looking for.’
If that happens, Prince Kashan’s identity will be revealed anyway.
‘If not that.’
If not, if he was lying, the story was simple.
‘It’s something that can be solved by killing.’
For the price for insulting a prince in the territory of the Kingdom of Ariant was nothing short of beheading.
“It took 12 hours, 15 minutes and 22 seconds.”
To Prince Kashan, El Palm answered calmly.
“That’s amazing.”
Prince Kashan gave Salaman a wink as he spoke.
“If that’s true.”
At those words, Salaman quickly came to his senses and went outside holding the sword that El Palm had brought.
To verify authenticity.
Meanwhile, Prince Kashan sat down in the seat where Salaman had been sitting.
“You are very capable.”
The expression on Prince Kashan’s face as he sat down now began to radiate the majesty of a prince, the majesty of one sitting in an overwhelming position.
The majesty was quite intense.
It’s enough to make even the most adventurous person thirsty.
Of course, El Palm wasn’t even impressed.
“thank you.”
So El Palm said calmly.
“Just give me 60 million mesos as promised.”
He calmly asked Prince Kashan for what he wanted.
That was a dangerous thing to do.
The opponent before him is someone with the status and ability to cut off El Palm’s neck without any reason.
But El Palm wasn’t particularly worried.
‘I don’t know what Prince Kashan is after.’
Because one thing was certain.
‘Moving while revealing one’s identity means doing something that will put the prince’s position on the line.’
What is urgent here is not El Palm, but Prince Kashan.
‘It would be ridiculous. That’s why Prince Kashan would want a madman.’
And that they want to take a gamble that is as desperate as it is impossible.
‘That’s why he was murdered.’
That was why Prince Kashan remained as a dead man in El Palm’s memories.
‘To the Queen.’
Prince Kashan was close to King Abdullah VIII and was eventually assassinated by Queen Areda.
‘It’ll be soon.’
Moreover, that time, that is, the time when Prince Kashan was executed, was one year later in El Palm’s memory.
The year before the monsters beyond the Mystic Gate burst into Maple World.
That’s why.
‘I don’t know the detailed process.’
El Palm’s information about Prince Kashan was not very extensive.
Most of El Palm’s connections were made after the monsters escaped the Mystic Gate, meaning Maple World became a monster paradise.
Until then, El Palm was just a moderately level wizard adventurer. He didn’t have the luxury of having great connections.
And there was no reason for that.
It was the golden age for adventurers before monsters burst out of the Mystic Gate.
The golden age of adventurers who have repeatedly conquered Mystic Gate, with unique and legendary items starting to overflow, making adventures easier and rewards sweeter.
Now that the adventurers were at the peak of their task, with only the Purple Grade Mystic Gate conquest ahead of them, they could not see anything else.
All you can see is the Mystic Gate.
‘I know one thing.’
However, El Palm knew exactly what was going to happen between Prince Kashan and Queen Areda.
‘The Seven Princes, Amir, were killed by Queen Areda at the Mystic Gate, and Prince Kashan was trying to raid the Seven Princes, Amir’s tomb.’
What was the incident that caused the twist between the two?
Actually, I found out about this later.
‘Prince Kashan failed.’
After Prince Kashan died.
‘Queen Areda has made a definite ending.’
To be exact, after Queen Areda executed Kashan, Queen Areda personally set out to raid the tombs of the Seven Princes to ensure that something like this would never happen again.
Gather a bunch of skilled adventurers.
El Palm knew the process well.
I couldn’t not know.
‘I participated in that work.’
Because I was an adventurer who participated in the finishing work.
Of course, at the time I didn’t know it was the tomb of the Seven Princes.
He was only interested in the bounty offered by Queen Areda, the most powerful woman in the Ariant Kingdom.
And even after I found out the truth later, I wasn’t very interested.
After that, I was busy surviving against the monsters that came out of the Mystic Gate.
Because I had no reason or leisure to be interested in the story of Prince Kashan, who was already dead.
Anyway, it was thanks to you.
“Money seems so good.”
“Yes, because most things can be bought with money.”
“Really? Then I’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse. Attack one of the Mystic Gates.”
The moment Prince Kashan said those words, El Palm knew immediately where it was.
‘It’s the tomb of the Seven Princes, and there must be evidence inside. Proof that the Queen killed the Seven Princes. That’s what Prince Kashan wants.’
“Take what I want from it.”
And what Prince Kashan wants.
‘If it was just a matter of retrieving it, there’s no way they would have given me a task like a time attack. There would have been a given amount of time.’
“The rank is yellow, and the number of people allowed to enter is 99. You have one week here, and you have to finish everything within that time.”
There will also be a time limit for this Mystic Gate raid.
‘The time to fool the queen’s eyes is a week. If you pass that time and catch Queen Areda’s eye, it’s over.’
“If you fail, you will die even if you leave the Mystic Gate.”
And why is there a time limit?
It was all within the range that El Palm had expected.
That’s why El Palm wasn’t interested in the content.
“What do you think of my proposal?”
“I accept.”
And there were no worries.
From the beginning, El Palm had no choice but to worry.
‘The moment you refuse, you will kill me.’
Even from Prince Kashan’s perspective, if it gets to Queen Areda’s ears, it’s a project that could put his life in danger, but there’s no way he’d just let El Palm go after hearing such a clue.
In that case, it was meaningless to even show my worries here.
‘This is a matter of life and death for Prince Kashan. He cannot entrust his life to someone so incompetent. He must show that he is trustworthy.’
Rather, it would be more to Prince Kashan’s liking to see him take the opposite approach and boldly answer.
“I like it.”
That’s why at this moment, El Palm was focused on only one thing.
“However, given the difficulty, I have no intention of compromising on compensation.”
What does it give?
Prince Kashan also answered that question willingly and without hesitation.
“If you succeed in conquering the area within a week, I will give you a unique grade item. According to the number of people.”
El Palm did not respond to that answer.
It was certainly a surprising proposition.
If the number of entrants is 99, then if there are 99 survivors, then it means that you have to give 99 unique items.
But El Palm knew.
‘The moment you attack, you become the enemy of Queen Areda.’
How risky is this proposal?
‘It’s not worth weighing five unique items.’
So if there was a pitiful compensation involved, then El Palm was considering other options.
‘I’d rather be a fugitive.’
escape!
Actually, this wasn’t a bad choice.
‘Prince Kashan will die anyway.’
If we just hold out a little longer, Queen Areda will kill Prince Kashan on her own.
‘If there’s a difference, it’s something that can be done by pushing the timing forward.’
If necessary, El Palm was willing to side with Queen Areda.
It wasn’t a difficult problem.
Prince Kashan and Queen Areda, they are both people who ultimately covet the throne for their own greed.
The moment the monsters leap out of the Mystic Gate that will come one day, those two will mean nothing.
El Palm, who had seen Jeddah, the port city that Ariant was proud of, collapse in an instant, knew even more well the futility of it.
At the same time, El Palm knew that life was more important than anything else.
It means that you are ready to do anything to survive.
“And if you bring me the thing I told you about.”
Prince Kashan said to El Palm:
“I will give you a legendary item.”
An offer you can’t refuse.
fantasy,
