Ch. 32 - Aspiring to Be a Mouthpiece
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"Nothing at all."
Black Snake's tone was quite languid, even though he'd just slept soundly in the carriage all day.
Spellcasters always held high status among adventurers, making it easy for them to obtain information.
So much so that Starshine didn't believe him at all.
"Come on, Black Snake. Let's be honest with each other, shall we?
Your team took on that treasure-hunting commission and ventured deep into the Great Wasteland.
After completing the commission, you chose not to hand the treasure over to your employer, but instead kept it for yourselves.
You even fought among yourselves over this treasure, tearing the whole team apart.
This is already common knowledge."
"Hmm?"
"Why don't you tell me what that treasure was, and who has it now?
You, the dwarf, the warlock, the priest—or Mark Twain, that old ranger?"
Starshine leaned down, moving close to his ear,
"It's been three years since you left the adventuring profession. So you may not have heard my name.
But no matter. I can tell you—I'm quite wealthy. How about I settle Lord Merle's losses for you, spare you from prison, and throw in an estate in Longgold City?
Or if you have any other needs, feel free to speak up. I'll satisfy them as best I can—
And all I want to know is what it was, and who's hiding it where.
That's all."
Mages were indeed among the types of adventurers who weren't short on money.
It's just that in this world, there were too many things money couldn't buy.
Power, talent, wondrous artifacts.
Perhaps it was history's forgetting that caused most magical items—and even many systematic manufacturing methods—to be lost among ruins and relics.
The magical items created by modern mages were more like enchantments applied to the objects themselves.
This led to artifacts with unique effects being quite uncommon.
Things like a headband of intellect, which could directly enhance personal attributes, were priceless even when available.
But Black Snake merely sneered:
"So what if I tell you? Setting aside whether you could actually get it, what if you went through all that trouble only to find you can't even use it? Wouldn't that be a complete waste?"
"But it's a treasure left behind in the Great Wasteland—how could I possibly keep it for myself?"
"Hmm?"
"'A treasure you can't hold onto is just a curse.'
As a veteran adventurer, you should understand this better than I do.
Just like how your team fell apart because of it."
Starshine waved his hand dismissively, as if mocking Black Snake's stupidity,
"If I were to obtain such a treasure, I would naturally present it to the Wizard's Tower in exchange for an opportunity to study there."
"Sorry to interrupt, but are the tuition fees at the Wizard's Tower really that expensive?"
Tang Qi had only heard a little about the Wizard's Tower.
It stood far from the mainland, isolated at the northern edge of the Endless Sea,
It could practically be considered the highest institution of learning for spellcasters across the entire continent.
High-level spells, even some ancient forbidden arts, and the secrets of crafting magical items—all were monopolized by various parties for various reasons.
The related research methods, writings, and records were the only path for spellcasters to climb higher—
Of course, with sufficient ability, one could always create a high-level spell on their own.
"There are only two ways to enter the Wizard's Tower: sufficient contribution, or sufficient talent."
No wonder Starshine always lost his composure upon hearing such rumors.
For a mage, being an adventurer was the most unpromising profession.
The reasons for joining adventures were nothing more than searching for materials, ancient texts, or treasures...
His status as a rising adventurer known as Starshine was probably also part of his effort to reach the Wizard's Tower.
Tang Qi, however, had little interest in all this.
Just staring at the symbols and formulas for a single cantrip in Kuru's spellbook was enough to make his head spin.
"I only want information. As for the treasure itself, that's a separate price—quite a bargain, isn't it?"
Starshine continued his persuasion.
Tang Qi also patted Black Snake on the shoulder, fanning the flames:
"Too good a deal. If it were me, I'd agree."
He lacked interest in the Wizard's Tower, but was curious about Black Snake's treasure and the story of the Great Wasteland.
After all, for Tang Qi, stories themselves already counted as 'prospects.'
"There's nothing."
"Looks like there's nothing." Seeing this, Tang Qi chimed in.
"What other conditions do you have? You can name them." Starshine was unwilling to give up.
"You can name them." Tang Qi turned back to look at Black Snake.
Black Snake shook his head.
Tang Qi also shook his head at Starshine.
Starshine really couldn't take it anymore. His brow furrowed as he pointed at Tang Qi and said coldly,
"Is he your mouthpiece or something?"
Tang Qi turned his head back:
"He's asking if I'm your mouthpiece."
"I can hear him."
"He says he can hear you."
"Enough, you bastard! Shut the hell up!"
Starshine could bear it no longer, wishing he could stuff a gag in that noisy mouth.
Tang Qi knew when to stop and leaned forward.
"How about this—let's make an exchange. I'll ask you some questions, and you can also have him answer some of yours. How about it?"
"Who the hell are you?" Starshine hadn't given him a proper look until now.
"Tang Qi, a graduate of the Wandering Song Academy. Our school motto is 'Aspiring to become a qualified mouthpiece for the nobility'!"
"The one from the Terran Empire? I heard you people often perform for courts and aristocrats. How did you end up in such a state?"
The academy was clearly more famous than the poet himself.
"If I can't be a mouthpiece for nobles, being just a regular mouthpiece is still a fallback option."
Mages were generally scholars.
And scholars always preferred quiet.
This led Starshine to develop a natural aversion to bards that made him feel irritable.
He didn't want to waste more words with this noisy poet, only looking at Black Snake:
"Does what he says count?"
Black Snake glanced at Tang Qi and nodded silently.
Tang Qi didn't hesitate either, directly asking the question he cared most about:
"First, I want to know what caused you to arrive at the manor early, and why you absolutely had to turn back immediately—what exactly happened to you along the way?"
"An accident? Hardly an accident. The forest roads were just difficult to traverse, and we encountered some walking corpses and ran into some goblins raiding in the forest. That's all."
"Your mercenary company is at least twenty armed men. Just encountering these troubles wouldn't be enough to make that Explosive Wolf so anxious."
"First, I'm not part of their mercenary company. I'm just cooperating with him—barely acquainted. Second, he's always been hot-tempered."
"But he said you lost people."
"Just a few mercenaries who went out to keep watch around the camp perimeter."
Starshine was completely dismissive.
"Once you enter the depths of the forest, the mist becomes strange.
It can imperceptibly affect people's minds, create hallucinations, and make them unconsciously deviate from their intended direction.
Those idiots wandered too far. If they weren't careful and couldn't tell which way the camp was, isn't it perfectly normal for them to get lost?"
No wonder they said Dawnmist Forest was so uncanny, with small teams without spellcasters frequently disappearing within it...
So it was due to hallucinations spawned by the mist?
Tang Qi asked again:
"Then how did you ensure you wouldn't get lost in this forest?"
Starshine turned to the side, pointing back at Young Master Melade in the camp behind them, who was currently savoring a medium-rare steak.
The construct eyeball on his shoulder was floating in a palm-sized glass bottle, examining the surroundings in a 360-degree sweep.
"There are many ways to detect illusions. For example, renting an artificial life form that can see through illusions.
Of course, ordinary adventurers can't rent this level of magical construct.
Only those big shots in Longgold City with some status and power have the channels to rent one at a high price—
Alright, you've asked enough questions.
Now, it's time to answer mine."
Starshine didn't want to continue wasting words with Tang Qi.
"What exactly did you obtain in the Great Wasteland, and whose hands is it in now—you shut up, I don't need you to repeat it for me!"
Tang Qi shrugged and abandoned his plan to echo.
Black Snake, however, kept his eyes tightly shut and answered as always:
"There's nothing."
"You're playing me!?"
Starshine's face instantly flushed red as he glared at Tang Qi in exasperation.
He never expected to be toyed with twice in a single day.
Tang Qi blinked, feigning an innocent look:
"I'm just a mouthpiece. If he breaks his word, that has nothing to do with me.
Moreover..."
He glanced at Black Snake, who was humming a tune, and spread his hands,
"You're not seriously expecting a scoundrel to keep his word, are you?"