The release of the Twelve Trials doesn't seem to have much to do with Nika.

People here are fighting to survive.

Who the next king will be, it doesn't matter to them at all.

It's just that one master has been replaced by another.

Perhaps the most noticeable change is in the many cheap taverns in the Nika district.

The mercenaries began to talk about the latest news about the Twelve Trials.

The news is both fresh and urgent.

——————

Nika district

Outside the 5th Ring Road

Four-four-three streets.

It's a forgotten old tavern hidden deep in the Nika district.

The wooden structure of the tavern has been weakened by the erosion of time.

The sign above the door has been blurred,

I could barely make out the letters of Old John's Tavern.

Enter the tavern.

The lights were dim, and the old tapestries on the walls had been stained with soot.

The surfaces of the tables and chairs were worn and uneven, and the glass of the windows was covered with dust.

In the corner, a gray candle was placed on a wooden tara, emitting a faint glow.

The guests in the tavern are mostly wandering adventurers and mysterious magicians.

They were either high-minded or silent, and their expressions were gloomy.

There are some scimitars and magic wands hanging from the walls of the tavern.

These are all commodities.

They usually come from the contributions of travelers.

They did their best to come to the royal capital,

Because he was shy in his pocket, he had to sell his weapons or armor.

Don't look at the façade, but the drinks in Old John's Tavern are unbeatable.

Fine wines from a variety of different places are displayed on the counter to keep people coming back for more.

The owner of Old John's Tavern is none other than Old John.

He was a handsome old man with long flowing hair, a tall build, and a deep look.

Although his appearance is more than half a hundred years old, his mental and physical state shows a wonderful resilience.

At all times, this person is always behind the counter, holding an old book in his hand, quietly watching each guest.

The chef behind the bar is a middle-aged man.

He was simmering beef from a rice pot, and the smell was fragrant.

The taste of the dishes is so delicious that guests can't help but suck on their fingers.

"Another glass of coconut wine!"

"Damn, it's really back today! I was almost caught by a little girl while taking a loaf of bread. ”

"I'm going to slaughter that three-headed basilisk tomorrow, and which of you wants to be king?"

“.”

If there weren't a few braggart voices in the tavern, it would be like Jerusalem had lost Tifa.

As the Mercenary King said,

Sound and wine are the lifeblood of mercenaries.

At Old John's Tavern, these bragging voices always keep their routine and use their unique ways to attract attention.

They tell amazing stories and legends that captivate listeners of other mercenaries and adventurers.

Sometimes, they are interrupted by other people or get into a verbal altercation with someone else.

That's when Old John appears, his deep voice calming the whole scene.

He would advise his guests to remain calm and reiterate that the tavern was a place of tranquility and that no violence would be tolerated.

At this time, all the guests would stop what they were doing and listen quietly to Old John's words, as if there was a mysterious power behind his words.

"I heard that the fourth prince, who had left the royal capital a long time ago, was ready to set off to find the three sea monsters?"

"Doesn't he already have territory? Do you still want to fight for the throne? ”

"You know, His Majesty has said that anyone who completes all twelve trials can become king!"

"You say, 'If we're done with the trial,' won't we?"

"Hahaha, why did Watson fall asleep in the middle of the day?"

"Hmph, if I become king, I must restore the right of the first night, how comfortable it would be to lie on a different woman every day!"

"Come on, with your small body, it's more reliable to buy an old goat."

"I'm telling you, that big ass chick on 78th Street, after getting laid."

It seems that if you listen to it any longer, you will only gain some useless information.

Morey dropped a silver coin on the greasy wooden table, then got up and left.

The tavern waiters who passed by bowed respectfully to him.

"Jingle bell—"

A bell hung at the door of the tavern bid farewell to the seventy-year-old mage.

It's been a week.

This magister, who has lived in seclusion since returning to the royal capital, left the magic academy for the first time.

No one knows,Teacher Morey, who usually likes to do things to female students,

Why did you just go back to the royal capital and plunge into the [Tasar Great Library] and not come out?

And his behavior in the library is also a bit weird.

Morey carefully looked around, and after making sure that no one was there,

Picking up a book is a quantum reading.

"Whoa-la-"

The pages flashed quickly

Morey's eyes remained motionless.

In less than 5 seconds, a book is finished.

Put it down

Pick up another one.

Cycle.

In just one week, Morey had gone through all the books on the first two floors of the Tasar Great Library.

To know.

This largest library of Karen, which collects millions of magic books, miscellaneous biographies, and epics, is only 7 floors.

[The ability to remember is really easy to use.]

- Ron]

If it weren't for the gift of the third prince, he would probably still be immersed in the ocean of knowledge and couldn't extricate himself.

The slave girl who was originally used as a reward for completing the mission, the third prince was going to be sent directly to Morey's house.

However, due to the influence of the Twelve Trials, he could only let Morey go and fetch it himself.

Morey walked quietly on the streets of the Nika district.

Unlike the glittering opal area, you can feel the humidity in the air.

The houses on both sides of the street are very old, and some of the buildings look almost collapsed.

However, they all exude an air of calm and mystery.

Some buildings also have runes carved into the walls of ancient times, reminiscent of the glorious past of arcane mages.

It was the time when Arfa danced with the gods.

It's a pity that the vast majority of the Arcans have become the dust of history and disappeared into the Cullen plane.

——————

Today, Morey came out with a mission issued by Ron.

The news in the tavern is only because of the drop-by.

An hour later.

Morey crossed a dilapidated street and turned into a dark alley.

"No. 69, 43rd Street, Nika."

Recall the address given by the third prince.

Morey compares one by one in the alleys.

Finally he walked to an inconspicuous house with closed doors and windows.

"This is it."

"Knock Knock"

"Knock knock!"

He tapped the wooden door twice, then three more times, and then stood in the doorway and waited.

A minute later.

"Here we are."

The heavy door was pushed open with a 'creak'.

The figure behind the door turned around, and as soon as the white robe turned, he saw a plainly dressed young man standing behind the door.

With a smirk on his face like a professional businessman, he looked friendly and cautious.

"Welcome, I'm Bond, you're Lord Morey, right?"

Morey nodded, and Bond leaned over to signal him to enter.

"Bang!"

As Morey entered, the wooden door was slammed shut, and a ray of magical light flashed.

The space inside the door is surprisingly wide.

Several strong men can be seen carrying several large wooden boxes in the yard to a separate room.

Morey followed Bond into the middle room.

Very spacious inside the house.

The floor was paved with dark brown stone slabs, and a bright silver lamp hung from the wall.

On one wall are worn bookshelves filled with various books and family photos and children's drawings.

Although the house is a bit old, everything is well organized and tidy by the owner.

The gray floor tiles and white walls are as clean as if they have just been painted, and the windows are polished so brightly that even in this slum area, it looks particularly bright.

Bond welcomed Morey into the living room, and then sneered:

"Please be seated, and I hope that Lord Morey will forgive me."

"Because this batch of goods arrived in a hurry, many 'sparrows' have not been trained yet."

"You know, the King of Opal."

"Don't move around yet, I need to clean up and come back soon."

Morey nodded, allowing him to leave the preparation.

Bond bowed respectfully.

When I went out and turned left, a few fat people outside the door came over.

Bond winked.

Several people understood and pushed open the iron door behind them.

The room was empty except for a heavy plank.

Several people stood in fixed positions.

"Squeak-"

The four of them worked together to pull open the two-meter-long square plank, revealing a pitch-black tunnel entrance.

"Tap both."

As the four of them entered the tunnel one after another,

The thick planks that had been moved to the side floated on their own, covering the hole.

"Knock, knock, knock"

It was as if the voice of the heart came from underground, and then calm returned.

(End of chapter)