Chapter 240: 16. Transaction
“Frost and Snow. Parasol Tree?”
Upon hearing Valentina’s words, Alagina mulled over the somewhat familiar term and finally found a corresponding noun in the myth and legends of the Frost Phoenix believed in by the people of the Northern Region.
However, any Northerner merely regarded the legendary Parasol Tree as a fictional entity because humans had ventured into the snow mountains countless times yet had never found any traces of the Phoenix Parasol Tree within.
“Ah, that’s right, they did exist, at least they once did.”
Sitting in her wheelchair, Valentina crossed her hands and gave no response; she merely glanced at the red-cloaked man beside her. Balzak, the Shivali, cleared his throat lightly and then began to answer Alagina’s inquiry, saying,
“Ahem, it’s like this: according to existing research, there are very few descriptions in the available texts about how the glorious Phoenix met its end. Even today, you Northerners still view them as immortal deities, but the fact is, they were once real, active mysterious beings that ultimately vanished. The relics held by you and my boss serve as proof of their existence; they were once the weapons of two sons of the Phoenix.”
Alagina looked attentively at Valentina in the wheelchair and saw her gently push away a small wooden box, revealing a crescent-shaped black weapon inside.
Unlike Alagina’s Ice Prince, this weapon showed no other peculiar features even when kept in the wooden box. However, on closer observation, one would notice a soft glow akin to moonlight occasionally flowing along the blade; the chill emanating from that glow was not inferior to the Ice Prince, only it was entirely retracted within the weapon, making it hard to detect.
When the relic of the Moon Princess unveiled its true form, the tattoo on Alagina’s back became increasingly fiery, unconsciously emitting an intimidating chill, as if to demonstrate against the weapon in Valentina’s arms.
In contrast, the weapon in Valentina’s hand appeared very gentle, showing no reaction at all, simply lying quietly in the small wooden box, as if it were oblivious to the distant Ice Prince.
“For years, I have been studying these legends. According to unverified rumors in the Northern Region, the relationship between the three sons of the Phoenix doesn’t seem very harmonious; they often had conflicts, and their six subhuman tribes were also caught up in this intense struggle. For a time, the atmosphere in the Northern Region was quite tense.”
“The demise of the Phoenixes may be related to such conflicts, but that does not explain the role of the Phoenix King, residing in the Parasol Tree, in the story of the extinction of the Phoenix Race. Nor does it clarify why all the Phoenixes seemed to evaporate overnight without leaving any traces, and it doesn’t explain where the legendary Parasol Tree has gone.”
The man in red, Balzak from Shivali, seemed to be a scholar like Fisher, specializing in the history of the Northern Region. It’s no wonder Fisher felt little threat when standing next to the Lion Race, Felis.
Or rather, most normal scholars were like this, and Fisher could be considered a rather special case, with both his research field and combat abilities being quite unique.
As Balzak spoke about his research field, he became increasingly excited, and even his speech sped up noticeably.
“Until a few years ago, while I was researching on Sema Snow Mountain, I unexpectedly discovered a Cangniao tomb beneath the ice layer. The ancestor of the tomb’s owner was one of the countless Cangniao who followed the Ice Prince, the first son of the Phoenix. Long after the Phoenix and the Parasol Tree had disappeared, he and many Cangniao tribesmen returned to near the snow mountains and gained a clue about the Parasol Tree, viewing it as hope for their return home and sending tribesmen to pursue it.”
“Hey, the tomb records that before all the Phoenixes disappeared, a son of the Phoenix secretly dispatched loyal subordinates with a scroll sent from the Parasol Tree to the Northern Continent. That scroll is the exquisite ice scroll now placed in the golden box; nobody knows what is recorded within, but it is most likely a direct clue closely related to the Parasol Tree.”
“Unfortunately, although the Cangniao sent many tribesmen overseas in hopes of reclaiming this item, they all undoubtedly met with failure, even paying a painful price for it, leading to their tribesmen either dead or reduced to vassals. The Cangniao buried in that tomb is one of the few survivors of their tribe, and he ultimately decided to give up the search for this clue and took it with him to the grave.”
At this point, Balzak gave a pointed glance at Aoxi, who was standing beside Alagina, having recognized her as a Cangniao when she spread her wings earlier.
But after hearing Balzak’s words, Aoxi merely blinked, seemingly not understanding what he was talking about. She knew very little of anything outside her role as a guard, let alone the stories buried in the Northern Region’s wind and snow.
Receiving no anticipated response, Balzak mentally categorized Aoxi as illiterate, just like the Lion Race Felis. He particularly disliked interacting with such people, especially when the other party was a subhuman, likening it to communicating with barbarians.
He pursed his lips and chose to ignore her, instead looking at Alagina with a hint of mystery, saying,
“You may not be clear about what kind of race the Phoenixes are. They are regarded as deities by the beings of the Northern Region for a reason. They can see through future destinies and manipulate the present and future. Anyone coveting the Parasol Tree will face severe punishment, and even these loyal servants of the sons of the Phoenix are no exception.”
“Our boss has a special purpose for seeking the legendary Parasol Tree, but you have nothing to do with this matter, so we don’t want you involved in this conflict.”
After Balzak finished speaking, Valentina, sitting in the wheelchair, nodded, her pale fingers crossed. Beneath the small brim of her hat, her light silver pupils were strikingly beautiful.
Most Northerners have blue or brown pupils, and even people from other regions rarely have this eye color, not to mention whether it is a unique emblem of the Turan Family, similar to the golden hair and golden eyes of the Godlin Family inherited over generations.
“I have no ill will toward you, which is why I prepared a relic to control the scroll’s curse in advance. If you agree to return the scroll to me, I am willing to pay you a certain amount of compensation, and the price is negotiable. Of course, if you have other conditions, feel free to mention them, and I will do my best to fulfill them.”
Although Valentina was sitting in a wheelchair, the luxury exuded in her calm demeanor couldn’t be hidden. It was as if these matters were insignificant to her.
When calculated carefully, it seemed that the people around Valentina, aside from the mechanical guardian Haldor behind her, were all hired help. Considering the journey from the Northern Region to here, the golden box relic for storing the scroll, and the prior attempt to bribe Fisher, it was indeed not a small sum.
Paz instinctively recalled the strange corpses that continued to grow feathers even after death after hearing Balzak’s paranoid comments. She shivered while rubbing her arms, feeling that her faith in the Frost Phoenix made Balzak’s words seem less like mere lies.
Just like the faith in the Mother on the Western Continent, even if one isn’t a true believer, one still feels superstitious about violating her commandments at times, unable to discern whether it’s merely seeking peace of mind or if there is really something to it.
However, Fisher merely raised an eyebrow, and even Emhart, who had jumped back onto his shoulder with only one eye, did the same. He then leaned over to Fisher and whispered,
“Blowing hot air, big time. Manipulating fate? If the Phoenix Race were really that powerful, how could they not control their own demise? Even the Holy Spawn and Ag, who are best at altering rules, can’t do that, let alone the Phoenixes. They can merely see a blurry prophecy, if at all.”
Although his rebuttal was forceful, the opposite was true for Emhart, whose voice was as faint as a mosquito’s wingbeat. Fearing that if he provoked the other side too much, they might come to hit him, he only dared to speak these righteous words to Fisher alone.
In fact, Fisher had already anticipated this; the reason this strange scroll caused a curse of growing feathers was not that the Phoenix Race could manipulate fate and accurately orchestrate retribution against anyone coveting the scroll, but rather because it harbored a strange contamination from the Spirit Realm.
Previously, when those people were devoured by the curse, a phenomenon similar to the Spirit Realm’s gaze appeared around them, and there was also a certain impact on the souls of his group, but the exact reason as to how the Phoenix’s relic related to the Spirit Realm was still unknown.
However, Emhart had previously mentioned that there had been a great battle between the Phoenix Race and the Chaos Race, and the Chaos Race came from the Spirit Realm. Could there be some connection?
Alagina felt somewhat moved upon hearing this; after all, she was a pirate living in exile, and the myths and histories of the Northern Region were utterly useless to her. Moreover, this scroll was peculiar; even if she were to stay, she couldn’t bring it aboard the Iceberg Queen and jeopardize the lives of her crew. She didn’t want all her crew to turn into feather-growing monsters.
Thinking of this, she glanced at Fisher beside her. Fisher understood her intention; beneath the golden box, he pressed his index finger and thumb together, then pinched a drop of blood from his fingertip. He then precisely controlled the faint magic power mixed with that little blood to leave a mark beneath the golden box.
The mark he was leaving had a specialized term in magic, known as the “Standard Marking Element,” roughly defined as a clear target that could be referenced by other magic. If this golden box were to leave his possession, he could later use other tracking magic to locate this marking element.
The other party’s Haldor was a wizard capable of magic, but Fisher was certain he wouldn’t detect this marking element. The reason was that this golden box was no ordinary item, but rather a relic.
Relics would generate additional magical fluctuations that could easily cover the mark’s fluctuations; this is also why the current mainstream academic view on the creation of relics involves magic materials.
While marking, Fisher handed the golden box to Alagina, allowing her to deal with the scroll.
“I understand. I’ll hand this scroll to you; you’ll give us the money, and we’re squared away.”
Valentina showed no hesitation upon hearing this; she extended her hand to the Haldor beside her, passing him the black check previously given to Fisher. She then rubbed her well-manicured fingers over a ring on her finger, the only one among all her rings that lacked magical brilliance, a purely decorative item and her close companion.
“Here are 5,000,000 Northern silver dollars, anonymous; any bank in the Northern Region can cash it. I remember there are places like that in the pirate port; you should be familiar with it.”
Paz unexpectedly glanced at the girl after hearing this, as the term “pirate port” was a secret for non-pirates. For someone like Fisher, he probably wouldn’t have known about it if Alagina hadn’t told him. Yet, this girl seemed to be very familiar with the situation there?
“Hiss.”
Haldor, holding the check, puffed steam as he approached Alagina. He first placed the check into her hand, then took a step back and reached out, signaling her to hand him the golden box.
Alagina handed the box over to him. He carried it back behind Valentina, while his other hand grasped her wheelchair again.
“Hiss. Felis, let’s go.”
Only at this moment did everyone realize that Felis had been squatting at the edge of the nearby beach, rummaging for something. Her attire was cool, and behind her was a slender lion-like tail with a ring of dark brown fur at the tip, sweeping away shapes on the sand like a windshield wiper.
“Ah? Coming, coming!”
As she answered, she clumsily stood up, and it was only then they noticed she was tightly clutching a small pile of gold and crafts. While getting up, her other hand reluctantly picked up an old copper kettle from the sand, seeing no place to store it; she placed it directly against her chest to carry it.
“What are you doing, you silly lion?!”
Balzak, dressed in red, looked at Felis excitedly rushing toward their group with a large pile of treasures, and that feeling of being ashamed for being associated with her reached a peak in an instant.
Although he had long known that this lion race was a treasure hoarder to an excessive degree, it was his first time feeling so humiliated in front of so many people.
“Damn it, how much treasure could be managed with a month’s salary from the boss, yet you go picking up this junk. Can dead people’s things be picked up? Really, have you no shame?!”
“What do you mean, Balzak? Don’t you understand the saying ‘the more, the better’? It’s not yours; why are you getting mad? Stingy!”
Felis rushed back from the beach, wrapping herself around the pile of treasures. Paz and Aoxi turned to look and found many hidden items among the sands and trees on the island, which should have been brought down by the crew from the ships.
Valentina rubbed her forehead in annoyance and coldly spoke to her subordinates,
“Enough, stop making noise, let’s go back.”
Seeing the boss speak, both Balzak and Felis fell silent, though Balzak still cast a disdainful glance at Felis, who was busy counting her take from the treasure haul, ignoring him.
Alagina didn’t even look at the black check in her hand; she merely handed it to Paz beside her, then walked over to Fisher, saying,
“Let’s head back.”
“Mm.”
Paz blew on the black check in her hand and scrutinized it under the sunlight, finally reassured when she saw a faint golden seal emerge on the paper and tucked it back into her clothes.
But Fisher did not leave; instead, he kept watching Haldor with the golden box as he left.
Since earlier, he had been harboring a guess but hadn’t been fully certain.
He remembered when he left Alagina to chase after Felis, the guards had mentioned that either the scroll must be handed to a true Phoenix or destroyed. So, is it possible that only a true Phoenix could take this from the island?
When Alagina noticed Fisher still lingering in place, in the distance, within Fisher’s line of sight, a series of bizarre waves suddenly ignited around the golden box held by the steam robot, gradually distorting the magical mark he had left.
Seeing this scene, Fisher’s expression changed, and he hurriedly shouted to Valentina and the others,
“Wait! Put that box down! Throw it back on the island!”
“Crack, crack.”
Just as Fisher’s voice rang out, Haldor’s arm, entirely composed of steam machinery, inexplicably sprouted gray feathers, the feathers rupturing the magical runes engraved on his arm. In an instant, his mechanical arm became fluffy.
Both parties were startled by this sudden turn of events. Aoxi moved in front of Alagina to shield the injured Alagina, while Alagina used her wounded right hand to protect Fisher, putting him at the back.
“.”
Fisher glanced at Alagina beside him and the Aoxi in front of her, feeling that Aoxi’s not-so-tall silhouette suddenly bore far too much on her shoulders.
Haldor felt no pain but nonetheless immediately tossed the golden box back into the interior of the island. As the golden box returned to the island, the growth of feathers on Haldor’s hand abruptly ceased, but the feathers on his arm remained, giving it a comical appearance, akin to a feather duster.
Felis had already placed all the treasures she picked up in her arms onto their small boat, and upon seeing this scene, she began to worry whether those treasures would also carry the curse. Yet, she was unwilling to remove them from the boat, preferring to stay farther away from the ship rather than discard those items.
Valentina frowned at Haldor’s arm and asked,
“Are you alright?”
“Hiss. I’m fine, just the right hand is malfunctioning. I’ll have to wait to replace it when we return.”
Seeing his guess come true, Fisher shook his head with a hint of regret. Although he was speaking to Alagina beside him, his gaze remained fixed on Valentina in the distance,
“It’s a pity; only a true Phoenix can take the scroll away from the island. If we want to see the contents of that scroll, it can only be opened here. Let’s go and see if there’s any food on the island that we can bring back for the Iceberg Queen.”
“May the Frost Phoenix bless it. A check is better, farewell, farewell.”
Worried that Valentina and the others might change their minds, Paz hurriedly tucked the check into her pocket and walked toward the trees behind with Alagina, leaving Valentina and her group looking at the mess left behind, feeling a headache.
“Boss, I think I can explain; I truly didn’t expect that only a true Phoenix could take it off the island. No, that’s completely unreasonable! All the Phoenixes had already disappeared. How could a son of the Phoenix send this scroll overseas, waiting for another Phoenix to come and take it away?”
Balzak gingerly picked up the golden box from the ground. He was a scholar hired at great expense by Valentina, yet he had caused a lapse in her actions, which made him appear somewhat guilty.
But Valentina sighed, shook her head without dwelling on it, and said,
“If it can’t be taken away, then we can only try to open it here on the island. I will have Haldor assist you. Felis, go back to the ship and call the others over for help.”
Valentina still had other hired hands on her ship. To obtain the information inside this scroll, she had made many preparations before departing from the Northern Region, but she hadn’t anticipated that there would still be a twist.
Valentina suddenly thought of that man mingling among the pirates; he must have suspected long ago that the scroll couldn’t be taken off the island. So, what did he want the scroll for?
Like herself? Or did he seek to gain the treasure of the legendary Parasol Tree? Or was he working for others?
Surely it wasn’t because he wanted to see what the legendary Phoenix Race looked like, was it?
Yet no matter what, until she could confirm the other party’s true intentions, she must remain vigilant against that man.
“Ahem!”
Just as Valentina was deep in thought, she suddenly began to cough violently. She covered her lips with her pale fingers and bent down slightly after one or two intense coughs, breathing somewhat heavily.
“Hiss. Valentina, you should return to the ship first.”
“No.”
Valentina raised her hand, interrupting Haldor behind her. Her gray pupils fixed on the golden box in Balzak’s hand as she spoke each word clearly,
“I want to see the information inside with my own eyes, the sooner, the better.”
(End of Chapter)
