Episode 286

“Please! Just this once, lend me your aid! For the mages of Nirvana, this should be a simple task!”

The druid pushed against the golems blocking his way, shouting desperately. His voice echoed through the lobby, but it was met with indifference. The mages of Nirvana were notorious for ignoring anything that didn’t pique their interest.

The druid collapsed to his knees, pounding the floor with his fists in frustration.

Thud!

The entire lobby seemed to tremble. He cried out in anguish, “How can you be so heartless? All I need is a single act of help!”

The golems, unfazed by his pleas, attempted to drag him away, but he clung to the ground, refusing to budge. Watching from a distance, Zeke considered approaching the man. Just then, someone tapped his shoulder.

Turning around, he found himself face-to-face with Xerath.

“Xerath?”

With a finger to his lips, Xerath gestured for Zeke to follow him outside. Once they were out, Xerath sighed, looking troubled.

“Phew. That was close.”

“What’s going on? And why is that man acting like that?”

Xerath motioned for Zeke to lower his voice. “That man… he’s on Nirvana’s blacklist as a troublesome client.”

“What? A troublesome client?”

“Yes. It started with a simple request to find a dungeon entrance. But even after we found it, he kept asking for more favors. We told him to make a formal request, but he just kept demanding.”

Zeke was taken aback by Xerath’s explanation, which painted a very different picture of the druid than he had imagined.

“I thought druids were supposed to be mystical forest dwellers.”

Xerath shook his head. “We indulged him a few times out of kindness, but his demands never stopped. Now, no one wants to deal with him.”

“A real headache, it seems. But what kind of dungeon is he so desperate to find?”

“That’s the strange part. He claims there’s a dungeon on the outskirts of Aten, not in the mountains.”

Zeke was slightly startled by this revelation.

“A dungeon on the outskirts of Aten… Could it be the one belonging to that grand mage?”

In his past life, Zeke knew of a hidden dungeon discovered near Aten. It wasn’t supposed to be found for some time, yet here was this druid searching for something similar.

“In my past life, it was a group of ordinary adventurers who stumbled upon it. Did the druid fail to uncover it back then?”

The hidden dungeon of a 9th-circle grand mage had caused quite a stir when it was discovered near Aten. One of Zeke’s reasons for coming to Aten was to claim that dungeon for himself.

Feigning contemplation, Zeke spoke up. “A dungeon in Aten city? That sounds intriguing.”

Xerath was alarmed by Zeke’s interest. “Sir Zeke, if you get involved with that troublemaker… you’ll just waste your time and effort.”

“I’ll just hear him out. If he becomes too bothersome, I’ll show him what I’m made of.”

Xerath was reminded that the man before him was the youngest knight to achieve the rank of Red Knight on the continent.

“Well, I suppose he can’t cause any harm to Sir Zeke, a Draker.”

After some hesitation, Xerath decided. “Then I’ll accompany you. I can’t in good conscience leave this solely to you, our esteemed guest.”

Zeke considered Xerath’s unexpected offer and nodded. “Your assistance would be invaluable.”

For Zeke, getting closer to Xerath, Nirvana’s genius mage, could be highly beneficial. His Black Sword Knights were in dire need of magical expertise.

“If I could recruit Xerath into the order, it would be like gaining wings.”

With that thought, Zeke approached the druid, who was still causing a scene in the lobby.

Zeke addressed the druid. “I hear you’re looking for a way to tackle a dungeon.”

The druid, hopeful that someone might finally help him, looked up, only to be disappointed by Zeke’s knightly appearance. He frowned and waved dismissively.

“I don’t need a knight. I need a mage.”

Despite seeking help, the druid was picky about who he accepted it from. Zeke clicked his tongue inwardly and communicated telepathically with the druid.

—Are you the druid who received help from the Ishtar family at the border?

The druid flinched at the sudden voice in his head. He turned his head slightly to look at Zeke.

Finally, the druid stood up, revealing a stature as imposing as a barbarian’s. He looked down at Zeke and asked, “Who are you?”

“My name is Zeke Draker. I’m known as the Knight of the Sea.”

The druid recoiled in surprise at Zeke’s name. “D-Draker? Wait, the real Knight of the Sea?”

Xerath, standing behind, spoke sharply. “Yes, this is the real Knight of the Sea, Sir Zeke Draker. Show some respect.”

The druid, intimidated by Xerath’s piercing gaze, took another step back. Suddenly, he dropped to his knees before Zeke.

“Oh, Sir Knight, please, help me just this once.”

The druid’s demeanor shifted rapidly with the situation. Zeke couldn’t help but question whether this druid was truly a druid.

“He acts more like a street thug.”

Zeke suggested, “Let’s not discuss this here. We should talk somewhere else.”

Zeke led the druid and Xerath to a tavern in Aten city. As soon as the druid sat down, he ordered a beer, gulping it down from the largest mug available.

“Ah, refreshing.”

Watching the druid wipe foam from his mouth, Zeke asked, “What kind of dungeon are you trying to conquer that you’d cause such a scene at the Nirvana estate?”

The druid, ordering another beer, grinned. “It’s the dungeon of a 9th-circle mage.”

Xerath, sipping his wine, nearly spat it out. He coughed and turned to Zeke. “Sir Zeke, there’s no need to listen further. He’s not just a nuisance; he’s a complete fraud.”

Zeke calmed Xerath and gestured for the druid to continue. The druid took another swig of beer before speaking.

“It’s no lie. A 9th-circle mage once visited our village, claiming to have discovered an ancient ruin where he was conducting research. My great-great-great-grandfather heard it from him.”

Xerath looked incredulous. “You caused all that commotion over such a story? Unbelievable.”

But Zeke listened intently, taking the druid’s words seriously.

“A 9th-circle mage might indeed have sought out the northern druids.”

Zeke asked the druid, “Why did the mage visit your village?”

The druid scratched his head. “I’m not sure. Maybe he had questions for the elder. It happens sometimes.”

Druids were known as wise sages of the forest, capable of communing with spirits and mystical creatures, holding secrets beyond the reach of magic. Though they were thought to have vanished, it was surprising to hear that some still sought them out.

Of course, the massive druid before Zeke didn’t exude any of that mystical aura, but the legends said otherwise.

Zeke inquired, “What do you hope to find in that dungeon?”

The druid clammed up, shaking his head. “I can’t say.”

Xerath, exasperated, tapped his chest. “Sir Zeke, there’s nothing more to hear. Let’s just leave.”

Zeke then asked the druid, “If I help you explore the dungeon, what will you offer me?”

The druid flinched under Zeke’s piercing gaze, which seemed to see right through him. After a moment, the druid spoke with a slight tremor in his voice.

“I-I only need one item from inside. You can have everything else.”

Zeke nodded. “Alright, I’ll help you with the dungeon.”

The druid looked at Zeke skeptically. “But can a knight like you handle a dungeon? Maybe the mage beside you could…”

Xerath bristled at the druid’s doubt. “Do you not know that Sir Zeke Draker, the Knight of the Sea, conquered the infamous Mansion of Wraiths?”

Xerath’s outburst made the druid flinch. Zeke calmed Xerath and assured the druid, “I’ll handle the exploration. Just tell me where it is, and we’ll head there tomorrow.”

The druid hesitated, glancing around nervously, before pulling a map from his cloak and handing it to Zeke.

“The location is here.”

“Good. And what’s your name?”

“Y-you can call me Michel.”

With a name like Michel, you’d expect someone more refined, not a bear of a man. Zeke nodded, suppressing a chuckle.

“Alright, Michel. Let’s meet here tomorrow morning at seven.”

The druid lumbered out of the tavern, his large frame swaying as he hurried away.

Xeros turned to Zeke, skepticism etched on his face.

“Sir Zeke, that man is definitely a con artist.”

“Con artist or not, he’s certainly got some nerve.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“He left without paying for his beer.”

Xeros frowned, shaking his head in disbelief.

The next day, Zeke and Xeros arrived early at the designated meeting spot, waiting for Michel.

But seven o’clock came and went, and there was no sign of him.

Xeros ground his teeth in frustration.

“That swindler must have run off, afraid you’d catch on to his scheme, Sir Zeke.”

Zeke climbed onto a rock, scanning the area. The location Michel had marked on the map was a small hill not far from the city of Aten, a place where only a few travelers passed by. It seemed an unlikely spot for a dungeon.

Just as Zeke was about to step down, he heard labored breathing.

“Huff… huff…”

Michel appeared, lugging an enormous pack, sweat glistening on his brow as he waved at them.

“Sorry… for being late.”

Xeros gaped at the size of Michel’s backpack.

“What on earth is all that?”

Michel set the pack down with a thud.

“Food supplies… for down below.”

“Food? All of this?”

The sheer volume was enough to feed a small army for over ten days, leaving Xeros bewildered.

Without a word, Zeke opened the pack and turned it upside down. Out spilled an assortment of snacks—no exploration gear, just food. Even sweets and honey wine tumbled out.

“Chocolate, pies, and honey mead?”

Michel scratched his cheek sheepishly.

“I crave sweets when I exert myself.”

Zeke, unimpressed, set the pile ablaze with a flick of his fingers.

Whoosh!

“No! Stop!”

Michel lunged to save his burning snacks, but Zeke grabbed him by the collar.

“I’ve got the rations covered. Now quit fooling around and show us the dungeon entrance.”

Defeated, Michel trudged forward, leading them to an old well behind the hill. He removed a wooden plank covering the entrance.

“Phew!”

Wiping his brow, he popped a candy from his pocket into his mouth.

“All that work makes me crave sugar.”

Ignoring Michel’s antics, Zeke descended into the well.

Whoosh!

The well opened into a deep underground chamber. Zeke landed softly, surveying the area with keen eyes.

The structure was ancient, built with solid bricks.

“A sewer system? No, more like an underground bunker.”

Zeke ventured further inside, soon coming upon a massive door. The intricate symbols carved into it left him stunned.