Chapter 143: Storm Gathering

Melita Ponia was a graceful person and as a high-ranking agent for the Mithril Vault, she enjoyed a special status in the organization. Normally, she would only be making contact with those extraordinary and important people. It didn’t matter if those important people had an intimidating presence or notorious reputations or eccentric temperaments. She would still maintain her graceful attitude and would ensure that every deal was conducted smoothly.

“How much is the Eternal Stone Slate sold for?”

“Ga pfff…”

Take a look, isn’t this lacking some grace?

Melita didn’t catch her breath properly and nearly blew off her veil. She was a person who had gone through plenty of huge commotions after all and was still able to immediately regain her composure. She maintained a composed expression while feeling shocked in her heart. She looked at Gawain indifferently and said, “You… are talking about the Eternal Stone Slate?”

“Yes.” Gawain nodded and said, “But of course, I am not talking about the entire slate. Even a corner shard will do.”

“You sound like… you are buying cabbage. I am truly shocked by you.” Melita coughed twice lightly, and after verifying that Gawain was indeed referring to the Eternal Stone Slate’s shards, she said, “You have to know that no one in this world would use such a tone and attitude to discuss about an item bestowed by the gods.”

Gawain realized that his attitude was truly a little wrong, but he didn’t have a choice either. Even if he inherited Gawain Cecil’s memories, his personality was still himself. Emotionally, he truly wasn’t able to substitute as a pure native and didn’t have any intense reverence towards the Eternal Stone Slate. In his heart, those shards of metal were only research materials, apart from the astonishing amount of information stored inside…

Furthermore, even if the true Gawain Cecil was here, he wouldn’t be fearful when talking about the Eternal Stone Slate. Because Gawain Cecil wasn’t a believer, and as a ‘yokel’ noble of the second pioneers, he probably wouldn’t be apprehensive towards such things.

“Cough, cough. As a person who died once, I see things much more openly.” Gawain casually shook his hand to conceal the awkwardness before looking at Melita’s eyes and saying, “Let’s talk about the Eternal Stone Slate. Could an organization like the Mithril Vault not have shards of the Eternal Stone Slate in their collection?”

“The Eternal Stone Slate’s shards are in the hands of the major factions. Those are their sacred items, and they wouldn’t hand it to the Mithril Vault to take care of.” Melita shook her head and said, “You should understand this point very clearly.”

“I know something else even better. All the major factions only preserved the large-sized shards. There are many of those smaller shards scattered everywhere. With the kings, the nobles, and even collectors. There isn’t a bigger collector in this world apart from the Mithril Vault.”

Melita’s nice-looking brows frowned slightly, and she finally spoke after a long time, “You are right. The Mithril Vault does have some shards of the Eternal Stone Slate, but most of our collections are actually safekeeping on behalf of others. Just like those crystals that you handed to us back then. For such collections, the vault would follow the agreement strictly and would never reveal it to the public. It is very unfortunate that all of the Eternal Stone Slate’s shards’ owners are still alive. Furthermore, they don’t have the intention to give up their collections. Please forgive me for not being able to sell them. Without the approval of the owners, I cannot reveal them to you.”

After seeing Melita’s attitude, Gawain understood that there was no room for negotiation for this matter.

The Mithril Vault’s reputation was something that everyone knew. Furthermore, their ability to maintain their reputation was also known to everyone.

After a few seconds of an awkward and silent pause, Melita said again, “Of course, if you are willing to wait, it might be possible to negotiate for one or two shards of the Eternal Stone Slate…”

“Oh?”

“I cannot reveal the owner’s information, but I can tell you that a client made a wrong choice when fulfilling the contract and had violated the contract with the Mithril Vault without any rationality. We have reasons to believe that he isn’t able to pay the compensation. So… everything he stored in the vault will soon become items for sale.”

Even though Melita was smiling and using a graceful and gentle tone while saying all these words, Amber who stood behind Gawain couldn’t help but tremble while a chilling sensation was felt throughout her body.

“Belch… You business people are truly frightening,” the half-elf young lady couldn’t help but mutter.

Gawain didn’t ask who was the mysterious person who violated the contract, and he wasn’t concerned about what kind of people the Mithril Vault were doing business with. Gawain nodded indifferently and said, “Then I shall wait. But I still need to confirm… How much is the Eternal Stone Slate sold for?”

It was necessary to find out about the price; otherwise, if he didn’t have the money to purchase it after all the big talk, it would be rather awkward. It would be even more embarrassing than Melita’s earlier “ga pfff”. Even though Gawain might be sitting on a kingdom’s wealth and felt that he had plenty of spare money, the Eternal Stone Slate was something that couldn’t be measured with money. Who knew what kind of price the Mithril Vault would ask for?

Melita had already gotten used to Gawain’s way of speaking as she smiled and said, “The Eternal Stone Slate’s value cannot be measured with money. The Mithril Vault doesn’t need to sell it for money either. As such, we want something else, and it is better for them to be rare treasures that are worth collecting. Like ancient relics from the Gondor Era which I believe you can provide. If you are unwilling to do so, you can also use the crystals that you have asked the vault to safe keep. Of course, it will be best if you have another shard of the Eternal Stone Slate, and we can do a direct exchange.”

When Gawain listened, his heart suddenly jolted. ‘Are those crystals that I handed to the Mithril Vault worth as much as the Eternal Stone Slate in their eyes?’

He believed that the Mithril Vault wouldn’t talk without thinking through this matter. Their appraisal ability for treasures was reputable across the world, and they would never conduct any losing transactions. Then… could they know of the history of those crystals? Or did they at least know the value?

But Gawain wasn’t sure if he could directly ask this question to Melita. After careful consideration, he decided to use the most natural attitude to point out. “It seems like in the eyes of your organization, those crystals are very valuable?”

“According to the Mithril Vault method of categorization, apart from natural products, treasures are separated into three types. The first type is items made by humans and can be replicated. All of those so-called pieces of jewelry and rare artifacts belong to this category. The second type is also items made by humans but is treasures that we are no longer able to replicate, like the Gondor Empire’s ancient relics or even more ancient treasures. The third type would be Beyonder artifacts. They… are not made by humans.”

Melita said with slightly bending eyes and a smile as she looked at Gawain, “Those crystals and the Eternal Stone Slate’s shards are not made by humans.”

……

Borderless, boundless, temperamental. Sometimes, it was peaceful, and sometimes, it would engulf everything. When it was angry, it could destroy the hardest ships and reefs. When it was calm, it would be like a cradle. Under the cradle though was a hidden world of darkness and abysses.

This was the ocean.

Humans had conquered the entire land but weren’t able to conquer the ocean. Out of the Loren Continent was the vast and ever-changing ocean that was even larger than the continent. The farthest humans had made it across the ocean wasn’t farther than the range of the lighthouses on the coast. The ocean beyond the illumination of the lighthouses was far more violent than it seemed. The fragile wooden ships constructed by humans would never be able to withstand and resist the storm of the ocean. On the ocean, there would be frequent mists and fogs that could disrupt the magical environment and would make even the most experienced captains lose their navigation.

Before the Church of the Storm had turned into a dark sect, the clerics of the God of Storm were the only blessed navigators when they were sailing outside of the lighthouses’ range. Those clerics that were blessed by their god would be able to find the proper route to return to the port within the chaos and darkness. However, after the Church of the Storm had severed ties with all of the orthodox factions and fallen as a dark sect, all of the remote ocean routes had been terminated. The people had no choice but to be fearful of the remote ocean. The captains and sailors that were bold enough to hunt in the remote ocean before had all become cowards who only dared to hunt along the coasts. As for the clerics and priests of the Church of the Storm, they left the continent and left the vision of everyone. They stepped into the remote ocean and had renamed themselves as the Sons of the Storm.

They no longer believed and worshiped the God of Storm and had worshiped the storm itself. They believed that the tide would destroy the entire world. Be it by an overflowing tide or a declining tide.

In the depths of the eastern Endless Sea, at an unknown large-scale island, the Sons of the Storm were in urgent repair work. They were repairing the totems and putting up a temporary barrier. The dark clouds that covered the sky was like a drooping maelstrom. Violent winds and thunderbolts were brewing in the maelstrom while torrential rain constantly sprayed down from the sky. The boundary between the sky and the sea was now fuzzy and gave off a feeling as though the sea was upside down.

Even at the Endless Sea where there were frequent storms, such terrifying weather seldom appeared. It meant only one thing: the sea demons were coming.

A storm deacon was standing at the lookout platform in the torrential rain. His black long robe was fluttering loudly in the violent wind, but the rain didn’t seem to affect his vision. He focused his eyes and looked at the seawater that was getting increasingly violent. It felt as though he was looking at the abyss.

The Endless Sea used its ever-changing water to envelop this world and concealed a truth that would make people go insane, leaving behind a gentle mirage for the mortals. As for those foolish mortals… their barely existent rationality and wisdom were taking effect. It had made them instinctively afraid of the endless ocean and to revere its deepest parts.

Such vulnerability might be the greatest gift that god had given to humans. But it was a pity that the Sons of the Storm who once faced the truth had already lost the opportunity to escape.

The dark cloud maelstrom in the sky had dropped down a little more. The horrific sounds of the wind and thunder were constantly pouring into the ears. The storm deacon lifted his head and looked at the remote surface of the sea that was tumbling with abnormal waves, while blurry things emerged from below the sea. Those were sinister deep-sea beasts that were dozens or a hundred times larger than regular beasts. Among them, there was a small female figure.

When a normal person saw this scene, it would probably be normal to think that those ‘witches’ were controlling the giant beasts. But after many conflicts and battles with the sea demons, the storm deacon knew clearly that the giant beasts weren’t monsters that were being controlled. Those female figures mixed within them were also sea demons.

‘They’ were of the same race but had countless different forms.

The sea soul horn was sounded, and the Sons of the Storm had all rushed into battle positions while the deacon’s voice pierced through the storm and echoed throughout the island.

“The sea demons are here!!!”

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