Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 144: A Story
The tip of Painter’s quill rustled across the thick paper.
The procession had been teleported again to an unknown location, leaving only pitch darkness inside the carriage. Fortunately, Nol and Teest both had dark vision. As for Painter, it was hard to say if he could see clearly, but they knew his handwriting remained neat and beautiful.
[I’ll tell you about the legend of the Claw Scar Mountains’ altar.] He wrote neatly.
Nol and Teest exchanged a glance, seeing a clear curiosity in each other’s eyes. The former Pope really knew how to pick a story. Nol was worried about not having enough background information. Teest, who apparently hadn’t come across this level of intelligence, earnestly lay on Nol, his golden eyes shining brightly.
[You both should know where the Claw Scar Mountains are. They are located north of the Dragon Mountains, with particularly complex terrain. The Eternal Church’s altar is set among these mountains, a secret that is not a secret. Unfortunately, the Temple has searched persistently for hundreds of years yet still found nothing.]
[We reasonably suspect that, like the Temple, the church also controls several ancient fixed teleportation arrays. After several jumps, perhaps only God knows the final location.]
[Since no one knows its location, how can there be legends? Nol wrote enthusiastically.
[This is an internal legend of the Eternal Church. As soon as one reaches the upper echelons, one always gets hold of some secrets. The content of Eugene’s oracle, for instance, is also only known to the temple’s high-level officials.]
Painter was writing this horror story in a relaxed and pleasant manner—
[I once investigated the Eternal Church alone, although it was for the old Pope’s oracle, the incidental gains weren’t few. This story is one of them.]
Teest: [What about the old Pope’s oracle?]
[Don’t be too greedy, Miss Teesti.] Painter replied calmly. [I can only say, you two need not worry. In my view, our preparations are quite adequate.]
Teest rolled his eyes.
Painter continued on his own. [The dragons’ lair is located in the Dragon Mountains, so places like the Claw Scar Mountains and Shattered Scale Canyon are very common for dragons. The Eternal Church’s altar is special—it is made from the complete skeleton of a giant dragon, belonging to the White Dragon, Telistam.]
[It is said that before this, the Eternal Church’s altars were always temporarily constructed using a large amount of materials. It wasn’t until the Dragon Bone Altar came into existence that their place of sacrifice was settled.]
Nol was stunned.
The White Dragon Telistam was supposed to be a distant relative of the leader of the dragon clan, Subelbot. Unlike the stubborn clan leader, Telistam was independent, wandering alone for years.
The dragon territory is a late-game map, and they hadn’t yet managed to design related quests on it. In the original setting, players could encounter Telistam anywhere in the world.
Did it die?
The thought of that proud White Dragon left Nol feeling empty for a moment.
[More than two hundred years ago, Telistam was accidentally injured and stayed in the Claw Scar Mountains. It rested on a high platform, blocking the water source and sunlight.]
[Near its resting place, there was an ancient village. Its presence prevented livestock from drinking, and its breath made it difficult for plants to survive. The village’s normal life was completely destroyed, but they were unwilling to leave their homes. So, they began to look for humans who could negotiate with the dragon, hoping to persuade Telistam to move.]
[The first volunteer was a strong warrior. He fled without seeing the White Dragon, scared away by its mere presence. The second was a clever trickster who aimed to deceive the dragon away, but he never returned.]
‘Dragons don’t tolerate lies from humans,’ Nol thought. The moment the trickster’s lie was spoken, he would have been incinerated by dragon fire.
[The third volunteer was a frail poet.]
Painter’s quill paused. [He made a deal with the dragon.]
[Wow, that dragon has a good temper~] Teest somehow managed to write with a sarcastic curve in his handwriting.
[The poet set up a tent next to the dragon and started sharing his experiences. Telistam, who only flew in the sky, had never paid attention to the joys and sorrows of humans. It liked the poet, appreciating his wisdom and stories, especially his gem-like eyes.]
Painter continued. [The poet said, his greatest dream in life was to be accompanied by the breath of a dragon after death. For this, he was willing to give up the rest of his life in exchange for a piece of Telistam’s scale and a tooth.]
Nol was silent. The human’s request sounded absurd, but the essence of the deal wasn’t bad. Dragon’s teeth and scales can regenerate… It’s just painful to forcibly remove them.
Humans are too insignificant and too greedy. The proud white dragon wouldn’t sincerely agree to this deal; it would surely find a loophole to exploit.
Teest’s expression changed slightly, likely thinking something similar.
[As you might guess, the poet’s contract was full of loopholes—he asked for the white dragon’s scale and tooth without specifying ‘in what state’. If one day the dragon got tired of him, swallowing him whole would still mean ‘being accompanied by these items after death’.]
[The dragon gladly accepted his request, and they made an unbreakable pact. The poet was still young, thinking he could enjoy a few more years—telling stories from spring to summer, singing from autumn to winter. Thinking back, Telistam really liked the poet’s stories.]
[That winter, the poet went down the mountain to replenish supplies and never returned. The villagers said he had been seriously ill and didn’t survive the harsh winter.]
[According to the poet’s will, before the dragon discovered this, they cremated his body and scattered the ashes on the most beautiful hillside of the Claw Scar Mountains.]
He knew the dragon’s pride as well as his own fate.
‘This wasn’t a malicious constraint,’ Nol thought. There was more than one loophole. This deal was more like a gentle inquiry.
Beautiful Telistam, you can give up a small part of your body to complete the transaction.
But, you can also choose—
[That day, the White Dragon Telistam spread its wings and flew to that hillside. It changed its resting platform. The place chosen by the poet was indeed more beautiful.] Painter wrote.
—You can also choose to visit me here from time to time.
[After all, the transaction didn’t specify ‘the scale and tooth must accompany non-stop’.] Painter wrote. [In this way, the poet used the remaining year of his life to successfully make it leave the village area. A decade later, the White Dragon fully recovered and still occasionally flies to this place, resting on the beautiful hillside.]
[What a touching story.] Teest wrote silently.
[Perhaps the poet’s wish was sincere, and saving the village was just incidental.] Nol wrote. [But now, no one knows the truth.]
What was the poet thinking when he was dying?
What does the White Dragon think when it stops at that beautiful hillside?
[Yes, what we’ve heard is just surface rumors, and such matters cannot be casually speculated by outsiders. But…] Painter paused meaningfully, his gaze sweeping over Teest.
[It flew towards him.]
[Not just a scale or a tooth, but it flew towards him with its whole being.]
Teest stopped writing.
He paused for a long time that Nol thought something was wrong. Just as he was considering whether to poke Teest, Teest finally reacted.
[Why would the Eternal Church record such fairy-tale-like things?]
Compared to his earlier sarcasm, his handwriting was now deflated, like hair that had been licked by Ben.
[Oh.]
Painter’s writing pressure increased. [The church investigated the village and found this story, setting up a trap on that hillside specifically for the White Dragon Telistam—after years of meticulous planning and deploying all elites, they killed Telistam.]
[After killing the White Dragon, they built the altar on the spot with its bones. The village that spread the story was also wiped out, and the location of the altar became a mystery.]
‘…!’
Nol crushed the quill in his hand.
He had felt something was off; the White Dragon Telistam was very young. It couldn’t have just died two hundred years ago so easily. Adding a hateful ending to a beautiful story, was this a special hobby of the Eternal Son?
[It could have escaped.] Teest wrote dryly.
Discovering the human ambush, it could have just dropped the scale and tooth and run away. This wouldn’t have violated the agreement with the poet; as smart as a dragon, it would have thought of this.
But it chose to stay, fighting humans on that small hillside.
[Yes, it could have escaped.] Painter’s handwriting showed some ink shortage. [Maybe for the pride of dragons, or maybe, who knows?]
[Only the story remains.]
Teest bit the tip of the quill, his gaze sweeping over the angry Nol, no longer writing.
……
Eugene hurried back to his room—the dog-headed knight had already run off to find someone. He had earnestly packed all the lamb bones and meat pies, leaving the room neat and tidy, except for an increase in dog hair on the floor.
Oh, and there was a sheepskin ball full of bite marks in the corner; it seemed Knight Saint Bernard had forgotten something.
Knight Eugene casually picked up the ball. “Marion, go to the Realm of Shiva to communicate with headquarters. Remember, communicate personally. Don’t go through the group.”
“Yes! Captain, you—”
“I’m going to the Claw Scar Mountains. Sister Holly must have left traces; there might be a chance to find the altar.”
Eugene bit a bandage, tightening the wound on his arm—a “little gift” of bloodshed left by the priest when he escaped the Immortal Church.
“You’re going alone…?!”
“I have my own judgment,” Eugene said. “By the Goddess above, I will not recklessly waste my life—if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“Yes, Captain.” Knight Marion saluted with a pale face.
After arranging Marion’s task, Eugene applied a mix of herbs and fat. The scent was subtle, but enough to cover the sweet smell of fresh blood.
He needed to find the fastest means of transportation. If the Church also used a teleportation array, he would have to travel light and non-stop to catch up. Any further delay, and he might not reach the Claw Scar Mountains before the Oracle Sacrifice was completed.
Eugene wrapped himself tightly and rushed out into the wind and snow. He hadn’t gone ten steps when something furry bumped into him.
“My ball!” Knight Saint Bernard exclaimed joyfully. “Did you pick up my ball for me? Oh, thank you! Can I lick your face?”
“…No, thank you.” Eugene handed the little leather ball back to Knight Saint Bernard.
“Hey, why are you back?” Saint Bernard secured the ball, then realized something was off. “Weren’t you supposed to leave with the hospitable folks?”
“I got separated,” Eugene answered succinctly.
Knight Saint Bernard’s furry face turned serious. “It’s really dangerous then. By the way, I booked a very fast vehicle. Why don’t we go together!”
“No, no need.”
Eugene had no intention of dragging Knight Saint Bernard into this. Taking a step back, in this human-dominated big city, a simple dog-headed knight probably couldn’t book a decent vehicle—to go to the Claw Scar Mountains, one must cross three countries. How could anyone accept such a business?
He had to spend a lot of money to buy the best swift-feather horses.
“Are you sure you won’t come?” Knight Saint Bernard made a pitiful whimpering sound. “The carriage is really good, and they even said it’s on the way, giving me a discount.”
Eugene: “……”
Eugene took a deep breath. “Five minutes, explain the situation. I suspect you’ve been scammed.”
“That’s not necessarily true.” A cheerful voice came from a distance.
Golden Sword Embilly Alva was also dressed as a commoner. He approached Eugene with a hearty laugh, making an exaggerated bow.
“What a wonderful coincidence, young knight.” Billy placed his hat over his chest, his smile growing more diligent.
“Mr. Alva.” Eugene’s expression was unwavering.
The last time he saw this guy was during the “Paradise Server-wide Announcement” incident.
“Call me Embilly.” Embilly’s smile remained unchanged. “It’s been a while. Have you greeted the Archbishop for me?”
“I’ve been busy with missions lately. I haven’t had the chance to meet him yet.”
Eugene wasn’t very fond of this merchant. He nodded coldly. “We’ll talk when we’re both free, Embilly.”
“Two of the best swift-feather horses. You, the good Knight Saint Bernard, and me. Plus a bit of magic gear, we’ll be in the Claw Scar Mountains in two days.”
Eugene stopped. “Two days?”
To achieve this absurd speed, it would cost more than “a bit” of magic gear.
“Yes, two days.” Embilly mysteriously shook his finger. “Carriage fare is a special price only for today—just one gold wheel.”
Eugene rubbed his temples with a headache. “What exactly are you trying to do?”
In the conflict between the Temple of Life and the Eternal Church, the Alva Merchant Group has always been neutral. Eugene was well aware that these people also did business with the Eternal Church. Strictly speaking, Golden Sword had no motivation to help him.
“It seems you’re quite confident about this tracking.” Embilly said, “To be honest, I’m personally very interested in that dragon bone altar—dragons care deeply about their kin’s remains, as all dragon remains are in the Dragon Tomb. That’s an exposed, complete dragon skeleton, I think. I want to see it—the first one in Tahe’s history!”
“A complete dragon bone altar.” Eugene frowned. Even he didn’t know the situation of the Eternal Church’s altar.
“Don’t mind it. A little bird told me.”
Billy winked humorously. “Such a good thing, hard to find even by the dragons. Now that we have a clue, I won’t miss it.”
“The Eternal Church won’t let you off.”
Billy: “We dare to offend the Eternal Church, just as we dare to trouble the Temple of Life. Besides, we have you—people only need to know about the young hero who found the altar. Why bother about the hero’s coachman?”
This meant completely shifting the blame to the Temple.
Once the Temple of Life takes down the altar, the Alva Merchant Group will definitely arrive first to negotiate, helping to “handle” the dragon bones before the dragons attack. How much profit was involved, Eugene didn’t bother to calculate—he only knew, if this deal went through, the profit would be enough for Golden Sword to live lavishly for a hundred lifetimes.
That said, “knowing the purpose of use” always feels more reassuring than “random acts of kindness”.
“Deal,” Eugene said.
“Worthy of the Malloy family’s talent.” Billy bowed slightly. “Please follow me.”
“You’re coming with me, right?” Knight Saint Bernard wagged his tail. “See, I told you it’s cheap! Mr. Embilly is really a good person!”
“Play with your ball.” Eugene sighed softly.
Ditching this guy now wasn’t an option. With Golden Sword involved, at least he didn’t have to worry about this guy anymore.
A gold wheel is money, after all, and Golden Sword has always been very accommodating to his customers. Since Embilly Alva was willing to bring along the dog-headed knight, it showed he was confident in protecting him.
“Do you want to play catch in the carriage?” Knight Saint Bernard asked.
“…Really no need,” Eugene replied helplessly.
Golden Sword maintained an appropriate distance, leading the way in front. His steps were confident and light, showing no flaws.
It’s only natural for merchants to pursue profit. Yet, Eugene still had a trace of unease—this was a job that could potentially offend the dragon race. The Claw Scar Mountains were close to the Dragon Mountains, not far from the dragon’s lair. Was Golden Sword really just doing this for money?
From what he knew, Embilly Alva wasn’t such a shallow person.
But at this point, he really had no other choice. Not to mention investigating the altar’s location, just relying on those few nuns, they definitely couldn’t escape on their own.
In the midst of the snowstorm, Eugene stepped into the modest-looking carriage. The next second, a soft white light flickered, and the carriage took off at an angle, soaring into the sky.
The street was bustling with people, and not a single one looked up, as if the speeding flying car didn’t exist at all. Billy, acting as the coachman, drove the robust swift-feather horses from outside the carriage.
Countless magic props shone continuously. The swift-feather horses neighed softly, and the carriage shot towards the Claw Scar Mountains like an arrow.
Knight Saint Bernard pressed his nose against the carriage glass, marveling at the shrinking city. Eugene looked in another direction—the swirling snow formed a thick fog, and the distant scenery turned into a dim gray. It was as if, beyond Ice Rock City, nothing else existed.
“The Goddess will look after her devout followers. May your life be filled with vitality.” Eugene prayed softly.
The author has something to say:
A bit of calm before the storm (?)
Let’s accumulate some rage for Nol, as for Teest… Teest can’t get angry and can only ponder over life!
Mr. Golden Sword used the strongest magic of Tahe—financial power.
Kinky Thoughts:
Saint Bernard is too cute for this world! Nothing bad better happen to him!
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