Episode 121
EPISODE.61
There were several routes from Endymion to the Kuril Islands.
However, all those routes had one thing in common, and that was that you had to use a boat.
It is also a point that you have to use a huge sailboat that can navigate the big and rough sea for a long time, not a small boat.
So, the route Russell chose was to use the port of the Naze Federation located in the southern part of the continent.
Naje.
This federation, which was created by combining city-states so small that it is difficult to call them four small countries, was one of the trading countries located at the southernmost tip of the continent.
The reason Russell chose this port was simple.
‘Even in the port of Maldives, there were ships heading to the Kuril Islands, but…’ There were
very few of them, and it took about 15 more days.
Considering the time it took to get a boat, it was worth a good month or so.
On the other hand, the Naze Federation is famous for trade.
It would be easier to find a boat if it is a place that launches boats to the Kuril Islands several times a week.
Even the Naze Federation was a trading nation that claimed neutrality and at the same time actively welcomed the visits of merchants and travelers.
Thanks to this, Russell was able to easily enter the Federation’s territory.
Shoot ah, smash.
Shoot ah- slap-.
The sound of crashing waves crashing on the harbor and shore. The sunlight reflecting off the water scales.
Leaving behind all that, such as the salty smell of the coast carried by the wind, Russell headed to the largest freelance office in the port city.
It was practically no different from the mercenary office, but it was a place that offered a slightly higher level and a wider range of requests.
The reason Russell found this place was to use the ship heading to the Kuril Islands.
‘I don’t know if there is a tourist boat going to Kuril.’
There’s no way such a thing exists, so we have no choice but to use merchant ships.
The surest way to use merchant ships was to hire them as mercenaries.
with my daughter-
When I opened the door and went inside, the bell rang and the manager who was doing chores at the counter raised his head to greet Russell.
“What are you here for? If it’s not an introduction to work, even if you’re entrusted with something…”
As I approached her, I felt eyes flying like arrows from all over the place.
Most of them are freelancers who speak well. In fact, most of them can be called mercenaries.
In the meantime, since someone who seems to be an outsider has visited the office, I can’t help but be interested.
“I want to board a merchant ship to the Kuril Islands.”
“The Kuril Islands?”
At Russell’s words, the officer opened his eyes wide and asked again. The atmosphere around them also changed.
‘Is that right?’
The Kuril Islands are the land of the beasts.
Even though the area outside is safe, it’s a place where you don’t know what will happen.
In addition, pirates targeting merchant ships frequently appear during the voyage.
Perhaps because of this, stricter standards were applied to the quest to escort merchant ships heading to the Kuril Islands compared to other requests.
The stringent standard here was to speak of skill.
“Do you have a mercenary plaque? If not, are you going to prove your skills in something…?”
To that question, Russell presented his identity card and took off the robe he was wearing.
Squeak.
Russell’s appearance revealed in this way was quite different from usual.
The combination of green eyes and gray eyes created using special tools and dye made her look about ten years older than she originally was.
It is a disguised identity prepared in case of an unexpected situation.
“Mr. Readman Louie. 38 years old…You are quite young.”
When the receptionist who was checking his ID card muttered, Russell shrugged as if he was used to it.
“I hear compliments like that often.”
The guide, who couldn’t find anything suspicious about that skillful response, turned his attention to the next content.
It was right after.
Her eyes widened to the size of a lantern.
“Independent freelancers Omg! You are a 4th circle wizard!”
There was only a feeling that the level of 4th circle Russell or Alan was so high that it was buried a little.
The realm was never low.
In fact, only a few called geniuses break through the wall of the 5th circle and are called magicians.
Because most wizards couldn’t get out of the 4th circle until the end of their lives.
If he wanted to, he could immediately become a professor at the academy. That was the magician of the 4th circle.
Not to mention, at the age of 30, there was no need to explain the 4th circle.
“Uh, so the request to the Kuril Islands…”
Before the receptionist could pull out some papers, recruiting offers poured in from all over the place.
“I will hire you. The price is…”
“No, we hire them!”
“What are you saying, we need high-quality manpower right now…!!”
They were the officials of each upper rank who were waiting at the freelance agency in case of any emergency.
It is a trend in sailing these days to make a chart that marks the area where pirates usually appear and sail away from that section.
However, there are exceptional circumstances everywhere.
In such a situation, the 4th circle wizard was the one who shined.
The high-circle wizard’s long-range bombardment had enough power to sink one or two ships.
The pirates could put an end to everything without even having time to board the ship.
‘No matter how talented they are, if they don’t have the ability to fly, it’s okay to drown them in the open sea.’
In the midst of such a fierce competition, it was a merchant company named La Paz who eventually won the bid (?) for Russell.
‘Upper part of Rapace.’
La Paz was a word that had the meaning of a bird of prey in a local dialect.
“Nice to meet you. Readman Wizard. My name is Colin, acting manager of the La Paz upper management team.”
True to its name, what was stamped on the letter of introduction handed over was the seal of a flying hawk.
“My name is Reedman Lou.”
closely.
When Russell held hands, he grinned with a friendly face.
“Let’s go for now. We will inform you of the details as we head to the lodging above.”
I started guiding right away.
“Actually, there’s not much that a wizard would use his power for. We have already hired one 4th circle mage and one 3rd circle mage.”
3rd and 4th circles.
A total of three wizards including himself.
Considering the size of a normal trade ship heading to the Kuril Islands, it was an overkill in a way.
Nevertheless, the fact that he had to spend a lot of money and hire more of himself was-.
“It looks like the size of the ship is quite large.”
At that, Colin scratched his cheek with a shy expression.
“yes. I am planning to use this opportunity to make a little more surplus through large-scale trade.”
What was carried on the ships bound for the Kuril Islands were pearls, fine hides, and fine cigarettes.
They weren’t cheap items, but on the contrary, if you brought a lot of spices from the Kuril Islands, you could benefit greatly from that alone.
‘If the size of the ship is large, it will be as anxious as it is.’
If they were attacked and failed, the damage would not be insignificant.
I could understand his feelings for having to hire three wizards.
“This is it.”
The place we arrived at was a fairly large inn located in the city.
“Departure is two days later, you can stay here during that time. If you tell the owner my name, I will give you a room to stay, and you can also put alcohol and food in our company’s name and eat as much as you want.”
Maybe it’s because as many people were mobilized as the size of the ship was prepared.
‘Looks like they rented the entire inn.’
While Russell was thinking that, Colin, the acting manager, opened the inn door.
Kki-Ik-.
Then, I saw a lot of people wearing beer with a late dinner in the restaurant on the first floor.
As the door opened, their eyes focused on the two of them, precisely on Colin.
“Has the acting chief arrived?!”
“They said they were going to find more people, and the person next to them…?”
Colin responded with a proud expression to their question.
“That’s right. It’s Mr. Leadman Louie, the wizard you just signed a contract with.”
“Oh wizard!”
“You won’t have to worry about pirates at all on this voyage!”
“Haha pirates. If you want to come somewhere, come see me!”
At Colin’s words, they laughed happily and raised their glasses.
Besides, they weren’t the only ones interested in Russell.
“Oh, is that friend a wizard too?”
“….”
Two of them, who were sitting in the middle of the restaurant playing poker, looked at Russell.
One was a person in his late thirties with a pretty emaciated appearance, and the other was…
‘a drunkard.’
Even though it was early in the evening, several bottles of alcohol were full by his side.
The moment their eyes meet, Colin whispers to Russell in his ear.
“These are the other two wizards I mentioned earlier.”
I could tell that from the moment our eyes met, but Russell nodded moderately.
At that time, a wizard in his 50s woke up smelling like alcohol.
“haha. come here Let’s have a chat with fellow wizards!”
Then, he took Russell’s hand and asked, sitting at the same table as himself.
“So, do you know how to play poker?”
Is it because he has a lively personality and is sociable, or is it because he gets drunk unnecessarily?
At the words of the old wizard, the wizard sitting across from him hesitated and opened his mouth.
It was a wizard in his late thirties with an emaciated face.
“No matter how Carl-san is, to drag someone along…”
Then, he bowed his head toward Russell with an apologetic face.
“sorry. My name is Aidan Aidan Owl.”
“-?!”
At the word Aidan, Russell involuntarily opened his eyes wide.
Surprised by that presence, Aidan flinched and shrank.
“Why are you like that?”
Russell calmed down the turmoil and replied to him who asked back with a timid attitude.
“no. It’s just that I have the same name as someone I know.”
I secretly muttered to myself.
‘If this person is really Aidan Owl-.’
At that time, a drunken wizard intervened between the two without notice.
“Haha, you can. My name is Carl Neyman. A 4th circle wizard.”
As if boasting, he revealed his circle and asked.
“By the way, did you say it was Readman Lou?”
I’ll call you Reedman for convenience,” he muttered and added.
“What circle are you, Reedman? Of course, there’s no particular reason. Still, shouldn’t we know each other’s skills as much as we have to match the sum?”
The answer came not from Russell, but from Colin, the agent.
“Magician Reedman is the 4th Circle!”
“4th circle!”
Even though they looked younger than him, maybe it was because they were on the same level, so Carl dropped the beer bottle he was holding in his hand.
Dang-Geurang-!
Aidan murmured in a crawling tone over the sound of the glass rolling on the floor.
“Oh my God, you look younger than me, but it’s amazing that you have 4 circles.”
“no. It’s because I’m a little younger. I’m also thirty-eight.”
“Still, the same age as me…” Maybe
that’s the nature of it, but he still doesn’t have confidence in his tone, but does he know?
The fact that he met Russell here and now was the luck of a lifetime-.
‘I never thought I’d meet Aidan Owl here.’
dragon-swallowed wizard
