Chapter 130. The Alchemist’s Unspoken Desire (1)
A second main quest.
That meant that there was another way to clear the Shadow World.
But Desir didn’t want to proceed with the second main quest. There were too many problems that came along with it.
A Level 3 Shadow World was not easy to clear. They didn’t have any information, and there was no need to overdo it while they were separated from their colleagues.
Determining that clearing their initial quest as soon as possible was better, Desir hurried to change the subject.
“I heard that it was necessary to gain your approval in order to meet the Lord. Personally, I’d like to get things done quickly.”
“I see. I’m asking this as a formality, but why have you come to this city?” “To use the teleport gate.”
“The gate?”
“Yes. We are top mercenaries that were traveling the desert, but we’ve ended up getting separated from our party due to a monster attack. We need to use the teleport gate to get back to them.”
Desir clearly stated his objectives. It wasn’t really anything worth hiding and he figured that it would help convince him.
The Alchemist nodded as he spoke.
“As you may know, it will be hard to get approval to use the gate for such personal reasons.”
It was as he’d said. Regardless of the time period, a teleport gate wasn’t something that anyone could use.
However, a way for Desir to use the teleport gate without the Lord’s permission technically did exist.
‘Using the golden plaque would grant us immediate access..’ The golden plaque.
Proof that the emperor had granted access to the teleport gate to his close allies.
There weren’t any records of its design changing, which meant that they would be able to use the gate without the Lord’s permission if they just presented it.
But that would leave a record. Any further investigation would eventually cause suspicions to arise.
As long as there was a chance that their quest would be impacted, Desir wanted to minimize the risks.
“But I can’t just stand by and watch; you seem to be in such a dire situation. I’ll make a personal request to the Lord. Surely he’ll understand if I say your work has to do with me.” Since they had such limited options at their disposal, they were very grateful for the Alchemist’s offer. It was as if they had found a glimmer of hope.
“What a relief, Desir.”
Romantica gave Desir some firm pats on the back. “I know, right?”
Desir turned towards the Alchemist.
“We would be very grateful if you would. Thank you for your kindness, sir.”
“As people who seek the truth together, we must help each other when we’re in trouble.” The Alchemist let out a throaty chuckle before continuing.
“It will take me about one day to persuade the Lord and go through formalities. But we can’t continue calling each other Alchemist and Magician.”
He was telling them to introduce themselves.
The Alchemist was the first to lower his head before introducing himself. “My name is Pureus Niftion.”
Out of nowhere, an alarm sounded in their heads. [You have met Pureus Niftion, rare hero]
[He is an important figure in the new main quest. Once you enter the main quest after learning more about him, his research materials will become a key factor in the quest’s progression.] [Pureus’ affinity towards you is currently ‘neutral’.]
“Pureus?”
Hearing that, Romantica exclaimed in surprise. So did Desir.
Pureus Niftion.
He was an alchemist famous enough to remain in the history books.
An alchemist that had worked 100 years ago, he had devoted his entire life to researching the secrets of eternity. Although his research ultimately failed, his findings contributed greatly to the development of medicine. In addition, having realized the limits of alchemy, his research that tried to incorporate magic into alchemy went on to greatly impact magic engineering. Although he was unable to leave any achievements in alchemy, he left his mark as someone that had contributed greatly to technological developments in all areas.
‘Then it’s understandable why one alchemist is given so much power.’
He hadn’t made any big achievements in alchemy, but the fact that he was an outstanding figure was undeniable.
Alchemy had died out in the modern times, but back then it was considerably influential, so it was understandable that the Lord put his trust in it.
“I’m Deay Nebsilon. You can call me Deay.” “And the lady?”
As Desir gave him a pseudonym, Romantica followed suit. “I’m Lyn Miart.”
“And as you know, the current situation in Desert Flower city isn’t, shall we say, the most amicable, so it won’t be easy for you to stay here as outsiders. I’ll get permission from the Lord in a day, so feel free to stay at my residence in the meantime.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Having no reason to decline, Desir immediately accepted Pureus’ offer.
Immediately, Pureus ordered a servant to prepare rooms for Desir and Romantica. He also made sure they prepared a grand meal for his guests.
The servant guided Desir and Romantica around the mansion.
It wasn’t a very big mansion but it had a rather complex structure. Without the servant, they would have easily found themselves lost.
Before too long, they had finally arrived at their temporary accommodation. Romantica was on the third floor, and Desir was on the second.
After they enjoyed a brief respite in their respective rooms, a servant led them to the dinning hall. Inside, Pureus was waiting for them. Shortly after Desir and Romantica took their seats, the food started arriving in multiple, luxurious courses.
Unlike anything they had tasted before, the food was quite exotic. Pureus explained to them that it had been cooked with various spices to preserve the food for as long as possible in the desert.
It was predominantly Pureus who led the conversation. Starting with an explanation of the spices used, he recounted many interesting stories. He was good with his words, and dinner was enjoyable as a result of the light conversation.
By the time dinner was over, it was night time outside.
Romantica spoke as if they had been extremely lucky.
historical
“For there to have been a rare hero right where we landed. I think we were really lucky.” “Definitely. Not to mention, he’s very generous.”
“I can’t believe he’s not only helping us use the teleport gate, but he’s also giving us a place to stay.”
“That’s true.”
Had it not been for Pureus, they wouldn’t have been able to stay in the city so comfortably. To say the Desert Flower city was hostile towards outsiders was an understatement. They couldn’t even guarantee that they could get a room during these chaotic times.
“There’s one thing that’s been bothering me though.. They did say that there was a possibility of entering a new main quest.. What do you think that was about Desir?”
“Probably something to do with the Alchemist. Since they said entering would be made possible after gaining more information, that would probably mean checking the documents Pureus gave us or finding out additional information about him.”
“I wonder what it’ll be about.”
Desir was also curious. A second main quest wasn’t common, and through the quest, they had a chance to discover historical facts that hadn’t been revealed to the world. For someone who was invested in learning, it was quite a tantalizing opportunity.
But Desir wasn’t foolish enough to risk his life to satisfy his curiosity.
“It’s too dangerous for the two of us to try clearing a new quest. Let’s forget about the second main quest for now and focus on finding Pram and Adjest.” “If that’s what you want then it can’t be helped.”
Romantica belatedly agreed with Desir. She had also determined that it would be too much for them to focus on the quest here.
Like that, they both agreed to forget about the second main quest and returned to their respective rooms.
* * *
“.. up.”
Feeling something nudge her cheek, Romantica squirmed.
She wanted to sleep more but the nuisance persisted. As she refused to wake up, it started to shake her violently.
“Romantica, wake up.”
The moment she realized it was Desir’s voice, Romantica woke up with a start. Her mouth hung open as she gaped at Desir in surprise.
“Wh-What the hell are you doing in the middle of the night?” “There’s no time to panic. Hurry up and put your Clothes Line on.”
Romantica was about to argue with him, but after seeing how serious he was, she nodded before hurrying to dress herself.
After confirming that Romantica was ready, Desir spoke to her. “I’m warning you in advance, but don’t be too surprised.”
The moment Desir opened the door, his warning became meaningless as Romantica froze in fright. A grotesque monster had been placed there.
The monster was sprawled out, covered in its own slime, and something had been pierced through its chest. It was quite obvious that it had been slain by Desir. The moment the light shone on it, revealing its form, an alarm rang out. [You’ve entered the second main quest]