Genius Corpse-Collecting Warrior - Chapter 148

Before the Storm (2)

Whiiing…!

A chilling wind passes by, knocking on the shutters of the hut. There were dark clouds in the sky that could be seen through the gaps in the trees.

Dallen chuckled as he looked at Volkmar’s white face beyond the soundproof barrier.

Sanghong would be quite embarrassing even if you didn’t know him.

However, as was customary when dealing with transcendents, Dallon knew that this was a test of sorts.

‘Shania Philopon, the owner of the orchard. He is usually reclusive, but when the labyrinth city is in danger, he is a transcendent person who tries to protect the city before anyone else. Increasing intimacy is more difficult than picking a star in the sky, but once you get him on your side, he is someone who will never betray you.’

Quickly scan through the information organized in a corner of your mind and at the same time select words to form the next sentence.

Shania Philopon possesses the ability, however limited, to open the entrance to the realm itself by overlapping it with the real world.

In terms of understanding of the domain, he is a transcendent with capabilities that surpass even Eberron, one of the transcendentals of the Diamond Palace.

If such a being presents a test as a favor, it is natural to be willing rather than displeased.

In addition, Philopon is something that is difficult to get close to, even with a connection to Siena.

On the other hand, if you think about it the other way around, now that you have stopped the witch’s trick and taken care of the drug dealers at her request, this would be a golden opportunity to gain that favor.

“I understand. “Having someone who knows secrets is a double-edged sword.”

I stare straight at the glowing green light inside the wrinkles around my eyes.

Dallen picked up the teacup without haste, drank the contents in one go, and continued speaking.

“However, the grand dream of creating the elixir of resurrection cannot be achieved if you are locked in your own world and keep it to yourself, right? “I know that, so I guess I ran away from Geumgang Palace when I was young.”

“…I heard that Sienna is an extraordinary person. But you’ve got too many secrets. Have you reached even a part of omniscience beyond the imagery?”

Philopon raised the corners of his mouth. Dallen shrugged.

“well. “I know a lot.”

“What is it? It’s not bad. This is a world with a predetermined ending anyway. “Maybe what this land needs is someone like you.”

Whoa….

The wind outside the window slowly subsides. Soon the sunlight peeked out from between the clouds as if it had been hiding for some time.

Philopon, who returned to his usual appearance as a kind old man, sipped his tea and continued talking.

“It is impossible to make an elixir of resurrection. I only found out after spending a hundred years on it. “Achieving immortality and reversing death are two completely different things.”

A story told in a soft voice, as if telling an old story to a grandson.

The reactions of transcendental people to someone who possesses a secret that cannot be reached and power that cannot be grasped are divided into two types.

Unable to acknowledge a possibility that even they do not have, they deny its very existence and try to erase it.

Or, on the contrary, we may glimpse hope in that unknown possibility and embrace unprecedented goodwill.

Like Eberron and Red Spear, Shania Philopon clearly fell into the latter category.

Dallen also knows this indirectly, through experience, so he was able to reveal her sensitive secret through a card.

“It is in the same context that we decided to provide the help requested by Geumgang Palace. As you know, I have relatives in the Diamond Palace. Elina Philoperine, great-granddaughter of the Philoperine family.”

“That’s your older sister. Is that right?”

“Holhol…yeah, you know very well. My sister asked me for help with this incident. “There was a problem with Philoperin’s magic circle, so the harvest was going to be low, and I asked if I could borrow the power of my domain to make up for it.”

Are they planning on cultivating the vast fertile soil around this orchard, which is an image of Philopon?

Although the additional explanation was somewhat lacking, it was not difficult to understand the whole story.

The vast land area centered around a cabin and an orchard is the realm of Philopon, which is half-realized in the real world.

Although it was difficult to know the exact essence of the image, it is possible to figure out what kind of utopia one dreams of just by looking at the scenery.

‘Since I’m dreaming of the elixir of resurrection… I’m sure I have a craving related to it.’

An elixir of resurrection that only exists in legends. An unknown herb that will be the raw material.

It was clear that what the old man in front of me, drunk with medicinal energy, dreamed of was a land so full of life that even such herbs could grow naturally.

As long as we cultivate and sow such areas, it will be possible to overcome the food crisis that will arise due to the decline in the function of the western region.

The successor of the first old man, Philopherine, one of the transcendents of the Diamond Palace, asked his younger brother to open the realm for this purpose.

“I have been trying to get back what I lost for a long time, but perhaps because of my old age, I am now tired. I learned that the right answer is not to lose from the beginning. “It’s the wisdom of life.”

An old man grinning and sprinkling white powder from a salt bottle into a teacup.

Although he talks like that with a smile, the weight of the old man’s worries must have been as deep and heavy as the concentration of drugs he usually takes into his stomach.

The transcendental man who pursued his ideals for over a hundred years finally decided to compromise between the gap with reality.

A crossroads may lie ahead for Dallen. What choice will he make?

‘It’s a useless worry.’

Dallen chuckled and shook his head.

His ideal was not something grandiose, such as the elixir of resurrection or world peace.

Just the will to survive.

A nostalgia that makes you want to step foot on your hometown at least once.

Since it was not a lofty dream from the beginning, giving up was an inappropriate modifier.

Because of the apocalypse that tries to block even that simple wish, we are going through endless hardships.

Sweet.

After emptying the teacup cleanly, Philopon lifted the soundproof curtain blocking the table and laughed lightly.

“I’m so sorry. I probably didn’t come all the way here just to listen to the old man’s complaints. “I’m also sorry to the owner of the merchant.”

“no. “More than that, I have a question: Who was the person who went to such lengths to save you?”

Dallen, who was tapping the table, suddenly asked.

Although he gained favor and set his own course.

It is inevitable that human curiosity remains.

“Are you that curious about that?”

Was it an unexpected question? Philopon smiled happily and opened his mouth, drawing a long arc with his eyelashes.

“Sienna looks a lot like my father. “That’s why I care about that child.”

***

“Thank you for visiting the orchard. see you again.”

I leave the building after being greeted politely by the staff. Dallen held two books in his hands.

The thick book is ‘Introduction to Arborium World Magic’, a basic theoretical book on Arborium World magic without a separate large magic tower.

And in a thin notebook less than half that size, there are instructions on how to find and use medicinal herbs. It said, ‘By Shania Philopon.’

“Haha! Awesome Dallon! No matter how much extra compensation was promised, I was able to inherit a book directly from a great man who left a mark on herbal medicine! I’ll have to make up my mind if I want to hire you in the future. “The ransom price has become so high!”

Volkmar followed behind and shouted until the alley rang loudly. Dallen laughed and put the book in his arms.

“So, after you’ve seen it all, do you have any plans to sell it as a used item somewhere?”

“You are too greedy, owner of the top. “You’ve been selling medicinal herbs and selling windows, but you have no intention of being satisfied?”

Dallen looked at Volkmar with slightly tired eyes.

He, who leads the Galios Merchant Marine, arrived in the city exactly two weeks ago.

As soon as he noticed that all the windows in the nearby area were shattered due to blue lightning, he quickly took over the glass workshops and swept up dozens of chests worth of gold coins, which became a famous anecdote.

“The moment you become satisfied, you fall behind. The laws in this world are cruel. “If you don’t want to be a slave to money, you have to be able to make it your slave.”

Volkma answers with a cheerful smile.

Looking at that sly expression, it was clear that if there was such a thing as a merchant spirit skill, it would have been rated S.

“It was nice to meet you today Dallon! “I’ll be visiting your home sometime soon!”

Dallon parted ways with Sangsangju on the main street and headed toward the crow’s nest along a familiar alley.

Originally, I was planning to go straight home, but my plan changed a little due to the words Philopon left when I left the orchard a little while ago.

‘Anyway, Sienna was looking for you. Take a look at the crow’s nest. ‘I heard the baby dragon is looking for you?’

“It’s for baby.”

Dallen rolled up his left arm, laughing involuntarily at the overly cute tone.

Contrary to the fun thinking about Philopon, which was thought to be a code made up by young people, the word Agayong had a literal meaning.

His left arm, which was full of tattoos until a few weeks ago, now only has the seal of curse and the sacred tattoo remaining.

This was because the baby blue dragon was reluctant to return to its tattoo form after the fight with the witch.

‘I said that’s because bourbon is experiencing rapid growth.’

No matter how much he was imprinted as a parent, the same dragon knows best about the dragon’s ecology and growth.

That was why Dallon accepted without hesitation Bourbon’s offer to leave things to himself for a while.

‘I wasn’t planning on leaving the city for a few weeks, and thanks to the Dragon Heart, I can hide the dragon’s energy without the power of Cheongrin, so there’s no problem.’

As I continue my thoughts, I suddenly see a familiar sign.

[Crow’s Nest]

[Business hours: 6 PM – 4 AM]

Dallon opened the bar door without hesitation and entered.

***

Heat hits my face.

A spicy scent spreads through the noisy air.

The Crow’s Nest tavern, which was once filled with silence, soon became busier than ever after Sienna returned.

“Hahaha! So, I told that kid…!”

“Well, I’ve saved over 20 people from this addiction crisis in the Western District!”

“It’s funny and embarrassing. “He must have been busy running away alone.”

“Now then, for the next expedition! Cheers!”

Walking among the countless noises pounding his eardrums, Dallen slowly walked down the stairs and approached the bar table.

Of course, his keen senses did not miss the secret whispers exchanged among the exaggerated noises.

‘That’s him, right? Dragon Slayer Dallon?’

‘Not long ago, you said you killed a demon in the labyrinth. There are rumors that he was active on the front lines during this addiction crisis.’

‘I still can’t believe he’s a gold-plated mercenary. Should we try to recruit him behind the scenes?’

‘Quit. Even if you submit a request through Crow’s Nest, most requests are rejected. ‘I’m not a fool who doesn’t know my price.’

Curiosity, wonder, greed, regret.

Amidst the whispers and glances mixed with a variety of emotions, there was surprisingly no feeling of overt hostility.

This may have had the effect of being a crow’s nest that was no different from his front yard, but on the other hand, it was proof that the reputation he had built up over the years had gone beyond the boundaries of simple envy and jealousy.

I guess it means that no one thinks there is any practical advantage in making a vague argument against him anymore.

Conversely, it also meant that the more hostile people were to him, the more openly they would seek his life in the future.

‘I heard somewhere that he may already be eye-to-eye with the transcendents of the Diamond Palace.’

‘That doesn’t make sense. This kind of divinity is of the 5th rank? Of course, I admit that they are strong, but I don’t really feel the overwhelming feeling that is unique to transcendental people.’

‘rank? ‘What is hierarchy?’

‘I don’t know, bastard.’

In addition, I was able to see that talented people who knew the concept of hierarchy had come into Sienna’s business.

Dallen sat at the end of the bar table, listening to the endless whispers with one ear.

“A glass of Melonde Highlander.”

When I ordered as usual, ice and alcohol were poured into the same glass as usual.

When I lifted the glass, a short feather underneath it was revealed.

‘To the office. It’s urgent.’

The moment you place your fingertips on it, the sound resonates clearly in your head.

‘There’s breaking news that a demon army has appeared in the Frost Highlands.’

It’s only two or three short words, but what you want to say is clear.

“It was a good drink.”

Dallen, who drank the brown liquid in one go, naturally set the glass down on the feather and slowly relaxed his throat.

It seemed like this well-used week of vacation had finally come to an end.

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