Chương 171: Xia En was tricked

Chapter 171 Xia En was tricked (Seeking monthly votes orz) Bang.

The door was kicked open.

Shutark rushed in, panting heavily.

Xia En was so startled that she dropped the snack in her mouth and almost bit her tongue.

Even Frillian, who was sitting next to Shane and reading a book, was startled. She accidentally tore a page, leaving a shallow tear.

The white-haired elf looked at the magic book in his hand with heartache.

Shaun glared at Shutark with some displeasure.

"What are you doing? You got chased by a dog—" Shutark ignored Shane's complaints, took three steps in two and strode into the room, grabbed Shane's arm, and walked out without saying a word.

"Hurry and save Zain!"

"He's going to be sold to a mine as a laborer!"

"ha?"

Xia En was completely bewildered.

"He lost a lot of money."

"The other party is someone important—" Shutark broke out in a cold sweat, his words becoming incoherent.

Through the boy's words and gestures, Shane finally managed to understand what had happened: Zain had gone gambling again.

This time, we lost badly.

"I knew it! I hadn't seen him for days. Turns out he'd gone off to a bar to have some fun again."

Xia En shook his head.

These past few days at the hot spring inn.

Zain lost interest after one or two soaks, and so did everyone else. Only he and Frilian loved to enjoy themselves and spent all their time soaking in the hot springs.

Of course, everyone will soak their own.

cough.

But then again, if someone wanted to go to a mixed-gender bath, Xia En wouldn't really mind.

result.

Before receiving an invitation to a mixed-gender bath, she was met with Philon's wrath.

To avoid Yubel's invitation to bathe together, the little girl grabbed Frilian and insisted that the "special training course" start right now.

The two, who had originally planned to enjoy themselves for a few more days, were forced to end their leisurely life soaking in the hot springs.

Frillie closed the magic book in her hand.

In a serious tone: "That 'wine-loving monk' goes every time, even though he loses every single penny. It's really hard to understand."

"Why not let him experience the mines firsthand?"

19

"Learn a lesson."

Shutark shrank back upon hearing this and muttered under his breath, "It's just like you opening a treasure chest, you're bad at it but have a huge addiction."

Xia En suppressed a laugh.

You really dare to say that, kid.

Fortunately, Frillie didn't hear it.

The elven girl left the room with the magic book in her arms, waving directly at Shane.

"You handle it."

"Also, wake me up after the three of them finish their tests, I need to catch up on some sleep."

After saying that, he left without looking back.

Shutark was dumbfounded.

They had no choice but to turn to Xia En for help.

Xia En shook his head, helplessly pulling at his coat.

"Let's go."

Shutark quickly led the way.

It was just past noon.

There weren't many people on the street.

Shutark led Shane through a maze of alleyways for quite some time until they arrived at a shop with an extremely narrow storefront.

The shop's wooden door was old, with some unknown black stains on the door frame.

There wasn't even a sign at the entrance.

It doesn't look like a legitimate shop at all.

Xia En frowned.

If it weren't for Shutark leading the way, it would be really hard for an ordinary person to find this place.

He couldn't help but exclaim that Zain was also a talented person.

His ability to find taverns is probably even more outrageous than his "super luck." Judging by this, could it be a brothel from another world?

He unconsciously swallowed.

Having been in this other world for so long, this was the first time he had ever been to a place like this.

Animal-eared girl? Well, you want to see for yourself?

He couldn't help but feel a little excited.

The two people pushed open the wooden door.

The lighting in the tavern was very poor.

Even in broad daylight, it was dimly lit.

Moreover, the space is not large; you can see the whole thing at a glance.

But there were quite a few people inside.

The air was filled with a mixture of cigarette and alcohol smells.

Looking around, all you could see were burly adventurers or those dressed in unusual ways.

Xia En was immediately disappointed.

Oh.

Oh, it's a proper tavern after all.

That's fine.

He turned and left.

As a result, Shutark grabbed him, and the boy looked at Shane pitifully.

Xia En sighed helplessly. Oh well, we're already here.

The two men searched the tavern.

They found Zain sitting against a corner, looking melancholy and smoking.

His clothes had been stripped off, leaving him only in a pair of white boxer briefs. He was completely naked and very frank.

Xia En was speechless.

"How much did you lose?!"

Upon hearing the voice above him, Zain's melancholy expression vanished instantly, and he immediately perked up, rushing over to hug Shane's leg.

"I knew you guys wouldn't abandon your brothers."

Xia En quickly took two steps back to create some distance.

Don't give me that.

"Let's get this straight, this is a one-time deal. If you lose everything again next time, you're no longer brothers."

Zain cried, his face contorted with misery.

"Don't be so heartless—" Xia En looked at him with disdain, "Gamblers don't deserve feelings."

"This time it really isn't gambling—" As he spoke, Zain pointed to a table in the corner, "I'm trying to get information about [Mithril] from that old magician."

"Mithril?"

Xia En was stunned.

This is a rare magical material they learned about from Grandpa For. Sage Evisi once used it to make a special potion that could hatch dragon eggs.

Mithril can only be mined by dwarves.

With the fall of the dwarf kingdom, this rare material had long since disappeared, and even Frilian had only heard of it but had never actually seen it.

It's unbelievable that there are still people who know about Mithril.

Shain looked in the direction Zain pointed.

In the dim light of the tavern, one could barely make out a short figure sitting at the table.

He was an old man.

His dark brown hair was meticulously combed, he wore a single round-framed pair of glasses, and a deep purple magic robe. He possessed an elegant demeanor and exuded a composed aristocratic air.

It is Duncan, the "Court Magician".

Xia En had a question in his mind.

Why would a nobleman like him appear in such a remote and secluded tavern?

Are you still betting with Zain?

This is a bit unusual.

Xia En walked to the table and spoke first, "Hello, I'm here to redeem my friend's clothes."

Hearing the voice, Duncan looked up and sized up Shane through his monocle.

Those sharp eyes lingered on Xia En for a long time.

This made Xia En feel a sense of pressure for no apparent reason.

"How much does he owe? Just tell me the amount."

Duncan didn't answer Shane's question. Instead, he pointed to the table and said, "Please sit down."

Xia En was confused.

However, he did not refuse the other party's politeness.

He reached out and pulled out a chair, then sat down opposite Duncan.

After Shane sat down, Duncan spoke up, "Your friend said you're looking for Mithril. Coincidentally, I know where to find it."

He finished speaking, paused, and waited for Shane's reaction.

Xia En's expression remained calm.

No answer.

He knew that Duncan was trying to trick him into revealing information.

Zain wasn't a blabbermouth; on the contrary, although he was a heavy drinker and gambler, he had a strong sense of propriety and wouldn't tell others about the team's situation.

Especially these kinds of unknown taverns that are a mixed bag.

He would be even less likely to reveal such crucial information as [Mithril] to anyone.

Having spent so much time together, Shane was very confident in this matter; he completely trusted Zain.

Therefore, he was certain that Duncan had tricked him into revealing the information.

Sure enough, Zain immediately became alert.

"I never said we were looking for Mithril. You said you had Mithril—" At this point, Zain suddenly stopped, immediately realizing something was wrong.

He frowned and looked at Xia En.

Xia En gave him a reassuring look.

Zain immediately stopped talking.

Shane turned his gaze back to Duncan.

This old fox, who spends his days roaming the palace, is extremely cunning.

He could easily fall into the other person's rhythm and be led by the nose. He didn't want to end up like Zain, stripped naked.

He chose to remain silent.

Duncan waited a few seconds, and seeing that Shane remained silent, he raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"They're quite composed."

"It's rare to see someone your age remain so calm and composed."

As he spoke, he reached for a deck of cards on the table and placed it between himself and Shane.

"I can give you this information, but I don't want to sell it. I believe you can tell that I'm not short of money."

"I'll play a game of cards with you."

"If you win, I'll give you your friend's clothes, and the information about [Mithril], all at once—" Before Xia En could speak...

Shutark, who was standing to the side, immediately glanced at Zain excitedly.

Shane possesses [Strong Luck], isn't this a free benefit delivered to his doorstep?

Zain had also thought of this, and the two exchanged a glance, both looking expectantly at Shane.

Xia En's face remained expressionless.

"What if I lose?"

Duncan smiled.

"If you lose, I want your sword and necklace."

Shane looked into Duncan's eyes.

Behind that monocle lay a very cunning scheme.

Xia En is not an innocent child.

He immediately realized that Duncan recognized the Black Sheath and the Ruby.

This [Court Magician], standing at the pinnacle of national power, naturally has a thorough understanding of the power dynamics of the [Northern Kingdoms].

He had his eye on me for a long time.

That night, we brushed past each other at the barbecue restaurant.

The other party seemed to have no reaction at all, but in fact, they had already seen through everything.

It's likely that the bet with Zain was also intentional.

He truly lives up to his reputation as a cunning old fox in the palace.

What a show-off.

"I refuse."

Xia En stood up without hesitation.

He casually pulled a spare set of clothes from his backpack and tossed it to Zain.

"Let's go."

"Let's go to the tailor shop and get you a new outfit."

He doesn't have time to play mind games with this old fox.

Whether we can win or not is another matter.

The feeling of being constantly manipulated was extremely unpleasant to him. He wouldn't be foolish enough to gamble on "good luck," and whether he won or lost, he didn't want to easily fall into his opponent's rhythm.

He didn't think a powerful nobleman who could influence the fate of a country would be so bored as to come to a small tavern just to play a game of cards with him.

Who knows if the water behind this is a vast ocean?

Zain and Shutark didn't understand why Shane refused, but they wisely kept quiet.

The three of them walked towards the tavern's door.

"Wait a moment."

Duncan called out to Shane.

Xia En continued walking towards the door without stopping.

"You really don't want that [message]?"

Duncan continued to tempt them.

Xia En ignored him and continued walking.

"5 gold coins".

Duncan's voice came again, and at the same time, he raised his hand and used magic to bind Zain's clothes, throwing them over from a distance.

Zain caught it.

He looked at Xia En.

Xia En finally stopped this time.

He glanced at the clothes in Zain's arms, took out a gold coin, and handed it to Shutark.

Shutark placed the ransom on Duncan's desk.

Duncan looked at the gold coins and sighed.

"Indeed, they have the demeanor of two powerful families."

"I believe I don't need to introduce myself. I can tell from your eyes that you already know who I am."

"By the way, I've known Lord Guranat and Lord Alden for a long time. According to seniority, you should call me Uncle Duncan."

1 Xia En frowned slightly.

"I don't understand what you mean."

Duncan raised his hand, inviting Shane to sit down again.

"Don't worry, I mean you no harm."

"I served in the Imperial Army. Back then, I was a comrade-in-arms with Alden and Granat, fighting side by side."

Xia En hesitated for a moment, then accepted the invitation and sat back down.

Upon seeing this, Duncan smiled slightly.

"You possess the qualities of both of them: composure, wisdom, and humility. I was merely testing your character to see if you were worthy of those two things."

"Now it seems I was reckless; those two were right."

Duncan's gaze slowly shifted from the scabbard and necklace to Shane's face. His gaze softened considerably, seemingly carrying a hint of something indescribable, like a loving affection.

"Since entering the palace, I have rarely seen my two old friends. When they each inherit their family's honor and guard their respective regions, it will be even more difficult to meet them."

"It's been almost twenty years now."

"Are they alright?"

In response to Duncan's question, Shane gave a brief reply.

But just a few words were enough to evoke Duncan's memories. He picked up his glass, took a sip, and began to recount his time in the army, the passionate youth of the three of them.

Xia En listened silently.

Duncan was born a commoner, and in his youth, he joined the army to fight against the demons and protect his hometown. In the army, he met two marquises who had been sent to the front lines by their families for "training."

The three men were in the same combat unit.

He faced life and death several times.

good relationship.

Later, his wife, Lecty, fell seriously ill. He tried many methods to save her, but with little success. At that time, he needed a lot of money and resources. Therefore, he changed his life goals, rising through the ranks through military achievements and strategy, and began to fight for power and wealth.

Ultimately, he survived the bloody power struggle and became the most powerful magician in the Northern Kingdoms.

Unfortunately, his wife did not survive.

"I was able to enter the palace as a commoner thanks to the help of my two comrades-in-arms. Otherwise, I would not have achieved what I have today."

Duncan's voice was full of vicissitudes.

He was particularly depressed after learning of the death of Earl Granat's only son and the loss of an arm to Lord Alden's eldest son.

He kept his head down.

It seems they've fallen into memories of the past.

"The three of us were so full of vigor back then, but in the end, we each had our own misfortunes—it's truly a cruel twist of fate."

Xia En didn't know what to say for a moment.

Fortunately, Duncan's emotions didn't last long, and he quickly regained his composure.

"Aren't you curious why I contacted you?"

Xia En nodded.

A glint flashed across Duncan's monocle.

Sharpness and calculation reappeared in his eyes.

"I need an adopted son to inherit the family business."

"Would you like to be my son?"

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