"Dragon teeth, dragon bones, dragon skin... Dragon materials for sale, dragon materials for sale!"
"Sky Conquering relics, newly unearthed relics of the Sky Conquering!"
In the bustling, crowded streets, various strange cries echoed one after another. Ansel, with one hand on his sword hilt, weaved through the crowd, followed closely by Marlina, who was dressed as a frail adventurer. They made a perfect pair of an adventurer and his attendant.
Ansel had stayed at an inn since arriving in the Western Lands last night and had not ventured outside. Apart from searching for Fafnir, this was his first real step back onto this land.
The hot wind of the Western lands blew rough dust and noisy shouts, and the seemingly chaotic streets pulsed with ether surpassing any region of the Empire. Extraordinary materials, usually bought in specialized shops, were casually displayed on roadside stalls, hawked with exaggerated slogans. Any passerby on the street could be an extraordinary being.
This was the Western lands, the land of miracles and disputes.
"Hey, friend."
A dark-skinned youth suddenly squeezed through the bustling crowd to Ansel's side and whispered, "Just arrived at Dispute Fortress? Need a guide?"
Ansel glanced at him, tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You've been following all this way just to ask that?"
"Just confirming the client's situation, hehe," the youth grinned unabashedly. "I saw you head straight for the Cyclops after coming out of the teleportation array and thought you had been here before. But seeing you now…hmm, wandering around, you don't seem like soone familiar with Dispute Fortress."
The Cyclops was the na of the inn where Ansel was staying. It wasn't the most luxurious inn in Dispute Fortress, but it was indeed the best in terms of experience. Generally, newcors to Dispute Fortress wouldn't stay there.
"You should have continued to stake out the teleportation point or the entrances of other inns."
Ansel, now fully a young man, glanced at the youth. "Instead of wasting ti on , wouldn't it be better to find a more suitable custor?"
The youth just chuckled. "I might not be able to find a new custor."
…Whether he feared not finding a new custor or didn't want to miss out on this seemingly lucrative opportunity was unclear.
Ansel, amused, turned to look at Marlina, who was dressed as an ordinary adventurer. He gripped his sword hilt and lightly tapped her calf with the blade.
"Margarete, soone wants to take your job. What do you think?"
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Marlina adjusted her brown beret, lifted her head, and t the gaze of the dark-skinned young man, calmly stating, "My master does not require another guide. I apologize for your wasted trip, Sir."
"Hmm..."
The young man stroked his chin, "You must be accompanying this friend as an attendant... You co from afar, yet you seem quite familiar with Dispute Fortress?"
"..." Marlina narrowed her eyes slightly, "It's rely a matter of pointing the way. With proper preparation, it's not a difficult task, is it?"
"Oh no, no... 'Guide' ans sothing quite different."
At this, the young man displayed a confident smile, " Your master can't be here to sightsee in Dispute Fortress, can he? As soone of such…well, extraordinary bearing, how could he miss the hidden wonders of this place?"
He extended his hand to Ansel, his smile sincere, "Allow to introduce myself, Worker Bee, a professional guide of Dispute Fortress... I can grant access to all places with special requirents here."
"In terms of being a 'guide'..." The young man who called himself Worker Bee glanced at Marlina's displeased expression, "I am far more professional than this mortal servant who wishes to show you around Dispute Fortress."
"So, you have quite the influence?"
Ansel did not shake his hand, nor did he even look at him, instead asking nonchalantly.
"No, no, of course not , but my boss... the master of the [Hive]."
When he ntioned "the Hive," he paid special attention to Ansel's expression, but saw no reaction, as if Ansel had never heard of it.
"Your job," Ansel stopped and examined the items at a random stall, "is to find fat sheep like , then drag them to so dark corner and clean them out... How much is this?"
"Hahaha... You have quite the sense of humor, my friend."
Worker Bee laughed heartily, moving closer to Ansel, attempting to put an arm around his shoulder, "In this day and age, who would be foolish enough to do such a thing—"
The chilling, fierce aura halted Worker Bee's movent, but he seamlessly continued, "Idiots who ruin the market by overfishing, we clean them up ourselves, it's bad for business..."
While Worker Bee was talking, Ansel used a scale to trade for an exquisite necklace.
"A businessman who doesn't cause trouble?" Ansel glanced at Worker Bee, "That doesn't sound like an adventurer."
Worker Bee shrugged, "But who would risk their life for a bit of resources against a powerful extraordinary being... I trust in your strength because I trust my judgnt, and that's how I make my living."
"Adventurers are more ticulous than businessn; they gamble with money, we gamble with our lives, don't we?"
While speaking, his peripheral vision remained fixed on the blue scale that the stall owner was incessantly fondling, almost licking.
Using a Blue Mirage Dragon scale to exchange for a stamina necklace that any third-stage alchemist could easily make...
Worker Bee did not believe that the man exuding danger from every pore was an ignorant fat sheep. On the contrary, his keen eyes could imdiately discern the genuine ease and nonchalance that could not be faked.
He understood the value of the item but simply did not care about wasting it—too lazy to haggle, perhaps even too lazy to dig out coins.
At the sa ti, it was a display, an unabashed exhibition of his wealth.
Claiming to be a fat sheep, yet casually producing such a valuable material, this kind of carefree generosity was not typical of ordinary adventurers.
However, his flamboyant "imaginary adventurer attire" and the fact that he brought an utterly clueless mortal servant for sightseeing did not align with the image of a seasoned adventurer.
Out to experience life, yet not a foolish character, rather a high-caliber young lord?
Worker Bee was montarily undecided, but regardless, he would not give up on this client.
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