NOVPUBThe vast desert made up of 80% gold dust, commonly referred to as the "Golden Sea," is one of the most unique regions on the continent.
If you walk just a little west from here, you’ll reach the “Queen’s Forest,” the homeland of the elves, and just a little to the east, you'll find human lands alongside expansive wheat fields.
Until about 30 years ago, the Golden Sea was a border region between the elves and humans, one of the key strategic locations of the continent.
Humans who lived in this area used to impose taxes on exports and imports, transporting them through the region, and catching smugglers who crossed the borders without permission.
On occasions when diplomatic relations with the elves soured, soldiers would be deployed to patrol the borders, armed with swords and shields, vigilantly watching the other side.
But those days ended 30 years ago when the continent was unified into a single empire.
The soldiers who had been assigned to guard the border turned their blades toward the demons, and merchants who used to cross the border freely between the lands of the elves and humans were now allowed to pass without any tariffs.
Interest and support for the Golden Sea quickly ceased, and the border duke, who once managed the territory, sold off all his land and buildings to the bank and moved to the capital.
It was inevitable.
Being a desert, this land couldn’t produce crops like wheat or beans, and even clean drinking water was scarce.
Without proper commercial trade, anyone desiring this land was just grasping at empty desires.
And so, the land was abandoned.
Merchants who sold goods left, nobles fled, and soldiers who once maintained order slowly departed as well, leaving only those with no power or money behind.
In time, criminals fleeing from their misdeeds began to gather in this forsaken land.
There were old buildings for shelter from the rain, and though the population was sparse, there were still people to exploit.
The criminals formed groups, divided into factions, and fought among themselves.
The abandoned border duke’s domain was reborn as a haven for criminals.
The Golden Sea is not a beautiful place.
It is a place where those who have committed crimes come to seek refuge, hoping to find a sanctuary that does not exist.
"Did you see the newspaper?"
"...The allied forces won, they say."
In the deepest part of the Golden Sea, in a tavern filled with ruffians, the tables were always occupied.
The only legal business here was probably the tavern.
Whether criminal masterminds or beggars wandering the streets, there were many who couldn’t stand having money in their hands without turning it into alcohol immediately.
Of course, whether the alcohol they sold had been brewed according to the proper methods was another matter entirely.
"The allied forces won? How badly did they win?"
A woman with long hair down to her waist leaned forward to ask the man holding the newspaper. Her front teeth were rotted and her breath smelled foul, making her presence even more repulsive.
"They say all four of the Grand Dukes are dead. What a massive victory!"
"Shit."
The woman, whose front teeth were missing, scowled and cursed.
It was strange. Shouldn’t they, as fellow continent dwellers, be relieved that the allied forces won?
If the allied forces lost, it would mean the annihilation of all life on the continent at the hands of the demons.
"The army might get some breathing room now. Maybe they’ll even patrol our area," the man said, wiping his face.
"Does Rody know about this? Tell him to lay low for a bit. I’ve invested over 50 pennies in his business. If the soldiers catch him, it’s going to be a problem."
"Lock the kids in the underground for a while. Don’t let them out in the desert where they might be seen by the soldiers. Let’s lay low for now."
Well, perhaps they weren't even human anymore.
"...Did the Valerand war... really end in victory?"
Hearing that, someone walked over to their table.
A man with a long beard, a stained shirt, a scarred face, and eyes that looked like rotten fish.
His body was sturdy, but aside from his build and the scars on his body, he looked just like many of the other street drunks in the area.
"Uh... Yeah. They won," the man said.
The people at the table swallowed dryly at his appearance, and the man holding the newspaper immediately stood up and offered it to the newcomer.
"......"
The man, taking the newspaper, slowly began to read it with a listless look in his eyes.
Seizing this opportunity, the people at the table slowly began to leave.
"What’s that guy been doing, just sitting around drinking all day?"
"I don’t know who he is, but don’t mess with him. I saw him fighting with some of Kedi’s crew early this morning. He made people fly like glass bottles."
"He’s probably just a madman. There are plenty of them in this city."
"Nothing’s more terrifying than a strong madman."
"Tell the owner to kick him out..."
As they left the tavern, they spoke quietly among themselves, a mixture of fear and disdain in their eyes.
"......Heh."
The man, reading the newspaper, stopped at a particular sentence.
He rubbed his short hair, nearly shaved to the scalp, /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ in disbelief.
Then he threw the newspaper onto the floor.
Bang!
With a forceful thud, the newspaper, a mere sheet of paper, exploded into dozens of pieces, creating a noise as if it had exploded like gunpowder.
The other patrons, startled by the sudden reaction, hurriedly fled the tavern, and the bartender, who had been wiping glasses, carefully retreated into the kitchen.
"...A hero."
The pieces of the newspaper fluttered to the floor.
[The birth of a new hero! Rex, son of Belzark, aids General Bin in slaying the Grand Duke Maltyel.]
The man stood motionless for a while, staring at the sentence in the newspaper, his mind seemingly frozen.
Then he struck his forehead with his fist, slammed his hand onto the floor, and suddenly his eyes welled up with tears.
If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.
"Shit, pathetic bastard... shit!"
He began muttering as he repeatedly hit his head with his palm.
"Die, die! You filthy, petty... SHIT!"
For a while, he sat on the tavern floor, releasing his emotions without restraint, as if he had become a madman.
"......"
Hours later, the man composed himself, stood up, and emptied all the money from his pockets onto the bar.
He walked out of the tavern.
In the sunlight, after nearly two weeks, the man squinted his eyes.
"....Ha."
As the man caught his breath, the stench of rot suddenly hit his nose, the smell of food sauce and beer foam mixed into the stench from his shirt.
He immediately took off the shirt and tossed it to the ground.
One of the beggars, watching from the shadows, picked it up and scampered off into the alley.
"Let’s go."
There was a faint light in the man’s eyes, still a trace of tears.
His name was Edward.
Those who knew him called him by the nickname "Ed."
Day 1 of the Fog of the Archipelago expedition.
Rir and I woke up early and began preparing for the expedition.
The black robe I was wearing still smelled faintly of soap from yesterday’s wash, and the white shirt felt soft to the touch like silk.
I had cut my hair neatly after a long time of living in the battlefield, and last night, I had finished reading the final pages of "Understanding Intermediate Magic."
The sky outside the window was clear, not a cloud in sight, and the breeze coming through the window was so refreshing it couldn’t be described with just the word ‘pleasant.’
Today felt like things were going to go smoothly.
I fastened a versatile belt around my waist, the one designed specifically for carrying gold coin pouches.
It was more difficult to fasten with only one hand than I expected.
This belt, made especially for me by the elderly servant, was strong enough to carry ten pouches of gold and had many hooks attached to it. He had advised me to divide the gold coins into pouches of ten each.
I had asked him if it was to avoid losing everything in one pouch, to which he answered, "No, this way is easier to balance."
He must have thought I was some kind of puppet. I had bones and muscles, after all...
"Ugh."
As I packed the gold into the belt, my body suddenly tilted to one side. I quickly took a step forward and grabbed the bed frame to prevent myself from falling.
"......"
Ignoring the words of the elderly servant, especially that elf queen’s advice about being "competent," isn’t a good choice.
Experience is something that should never be overlooked. After all, the saying, "When an old man dies, it’s like a library burning," exists for a reason.
I shouldn’t mess with things; I need to heed the advice of the elders.
"Are you still not ready? Need help?"
Rir’s voice came from the door. I finished placing the gold coins into the pouches and threw my large-brimmed hat on my head.
"All set. Let’s go."
It was a typical mage look, and Rir, waiting outside, was dressed similarly.
"Let’s depart."
The elderly servant gave me a look of farewell and led the way. As we walked toward the main gate of the palace, the palace servants, busy cleaning, greeted me along the way.
After a while, the large gate, which could withstand the passage of dragons, appeared in front of us.
Maybe I’d gained some strength? Although the distance to the gate had increased from my new room, I only needed to stop five times to catch my breath.
It was a remarkable improvement, though.
"Ha, damn..."
The heavy breath was unavoidable.
...My silk shirt felt heavy, soaked with sweat.
I hadn’t even stepped out of the palace yet, and already I wanted to go back and rest.
"Hey—! The carriage needs to leave soon! When are you coming out?!"
From a chair right by the door, I heard Sion’s bright voice.
...Who would guess that this cheerful voice belonged to an assassin?
She sounded like a neighborhood kid calling her friends.
"When did that guy start sitting there like that?" one of the people asked.
"He showed up with the carriage early this morning and has been sitting there ever since," another responded.
"Early this morning?"
"The sun rose around seven today."
"Oh."
"......"
"......"
"So, you mean he’s been sitting there since then?"
"I guess he drinks honey water a lot. He’s got a really loud voice..."
Oh.
Yeah.
...Maybe I shouldn’t try to understand that girl.
Just... just let her do her ridiculous antics.
