Chapter 622: 100. News from Nali (Two-in-One)
The appearance of the Dragon Court and Fisher changed significantly when leaving from behind, with the main transformation arising from the sea surface.
Similar to the Southern Branch Mountain, which had its terrain altered by immense forces, steep peaks suddenly emerged from the sea, as if islands were formed by the aftershocks of some heated power bursting forth from the ground.
“Is that the mark left by the demons’ battle? But clearly, I have entered the Mythical Rank, so why does it still feel so incredible?”
Sitting in the carriage and about to enter the Red Dragon Court, Raphael looked at the bizarre scene on the sea and said with a hint of emotion.
Meanwhile, Emhart, who was standing on Fisher’s shoulder, yawned and added, “Because you are not a Mythical Being; you are a Mythical Rank formed through acquired means. Although it may sound like there isn’t much difference, the reality is different. Races that achieve the Mythical Rank through the acquired means have inherent structural and capability deficiencies compared to Mythical Beings.”
The examples raised by Emhart were something Fisher had realized a long time ago. For instance, elves can inherently use the fate and the secret arts of the trees that correspond to their names, angels can inherently forge and accumulate solar energy, and with their Mythical Being physique, they exhibit remarkable prowess in battle.
But what about those who enter the Mythical Rank through acquired means?
Not to mention the fact that the rank range of races that can acquire the Mythical Rank is not far from the Mythical Rank; the key issue is that breaking free from the rank’s constraints does not mean they are not originally native races.
Phoenixes that attain the Mythical Rank can still only see the future fate, and have to rely on a few swords crafted by angels to demonstrate other extraordinary powers, as the Phoenix race does not inherently possess such abilities, even upon attaining the Mythical Rank.
The ranks constructed by the gods have always been unfair. Native Mythical Beings possess capabilities and blessings that match the Mythical Rank, while those who achieve the Mythical Rank through acquired means can largely only change their own constitution and are evidently weaker than Mythical Beings.
If it is so for the Phoenix race, one can imagine how it is for humans, a race that originally had no possibility of reaching the fifth or sixth ranks. If it were a normal entry into the Mythical Rank, Fisher would likely just be a “superman” with Mythical constitution, lacking any special abilities, because that is simply how humans are.
However, unlike other races that enter the Mythical Rank through acquired means, those who attain it through chaos can possess blessings and abilities comparable to the Mythical, deriving from the capabilities of the completion manual within them, though there might be some costs when used.
Upon hearing Emhart’s explanation, Raphael looked somewhat puzzled, “What about Jasmine’s mother? Jasmine is Whale Folk, so logically her mother should also be Whale Folk, yet earlier, whether it was Fei, Jasmine, or Fisher, it all felt like her mother is exceptionally powerful.”
“Destroyer God.”
Emhart opened his mouth but didn’t know how to explain. According to common theory, it does seem that way, which is why that transcendent ocean emperor seemed so special. He could only mutter, “Uh, I don’t know, but if even Fei respects her, she must truly be powerful.”
As the most hot-tempered of the three demigods, Fei had always scolded his two companions and been completely dismissive, so if even Fei evaluated Xu in such a way, it shows that her existence as someone who achieved the Mythical Rank through acquired means has grown to an undeniable extent.
Indeed, Emhart didn’t doubt that if Fisher had personally met Xu earlier to ask for help regarding Raphael, he might truly have been “summoned.”
“Master Raphael, you’ve returned!!”
Many of the buildings in the city were hastily constructed temporary structures from the war, and their quality had been tested by the aftermath of the previous battle, basically crumbling upon impact. When Raphael and Fisher returned, the officials of the Blessing Tower, along with a small contingent of city guards, were busy cleaning up the mess within the city walls.
It was the soldiers who spotted Raphael and quickly relayed the news back to Fashir and Keshil, who were acting as temporary leaders, prompting them to send Mill to report the situation to Raphael.
“Mill, how is the situation, and where is my mother?”
“Aside from some damage to the buildings, everything else is fine and is still being assessed. Lady Aria is also okay, but it seems she accidentally fell and fainted in the Manifold Garden during the earlier evacuation; she has been protected by soldiers and is currently housed in the Blessing Tower.”
Upon hearing this, Raphael finally breathed a sigh of relief and patted his chest in gratitude, “That’s good, that’s good.”
“Master Raphael, what about the situation at the front lines?” Seeing Raphael ease up, Mill also greeted Fisher cautiously and then inquired about the conditions at the front, “How is Bull?”
“Bull is fine; to be precise, this war ended before it really started. But anyway, at least things should be calm here for a while; without Barbatos, that group of fake court members and humans won’t be a problem anymore.”
“What about that ship?”
At that moment, Fisher turned his head to look toward the sea, where a huge steamship anchored offshore, not showing any intention of coming closer. The flag of the “Bocuy Family” flying above caught Fisher’s attention, and he raised an eyebrow because beneath that emblem was a line stating “Parasol Chamber of Commerce.”
When did Nali’s Bocuy family team up with the Northern Region?
Moreover, for some reason, upon seeing the word “Parasol,” Fisher always felt an extremely ominous premonition.
“That is the ship of the Parasol Chamber of Commerce. They used to be our partners, but it was a superficial partnership; I wonder how it turned out this time.”
It was Raphael who spoke, and upon mentioning this, she glanced at Fisher and smiled, “Moreover, in a sense, the reason we could reach a collaboration with them has something to do with you, Fisher.”
“Me?”
Fisher felt anxious, fearing there was some factor related to “Valentina” involved.
“Ah, weren’t you once classmates? Should be a junior named Keken?”
Upon hearing Raphael mention this, he relaxed a bit.
“Keken, I remember now.”
At that time, in both the Southern Continent and Western Continent, he had helped Fisher in various ways, and Fisher had never found the opportunity to repay him; he didn’t expect to hear his name now.
Hmm, Fisher also remembered he had a set of sisters from Cardu as wives.
“This Parasol Chamber of Commerce is the business he founded. It seems they have collaborated with the powers from the Northern Region, which does not discriminate against subhumans. Previously, when we were defeated by Barbatos and retreated south, we faced severe shortages caused by Nali’s blockade; we suffered for quite a while in a situation where we had money but couldn’t buy anything. At that time, it was the Parasol Chamber of Commerce that provided us with supplies, helping us survive through the hardest times.”
Raphael turned to Fisher and smiled, “And the price of goods was still within an acceptable range; later, we had done business with them to varying extent. I heard they trade with countries all over the world.”
Fisher was somewhat surprised upon hearing this, rubbing his chin and saying, “At that time, such an environment still had normal range prices? That doesn’t seem like a Nali merchant. Conversely, it was also unexpected that you would make a deal with him.”
“That’s why it involves you. Because of your relationship with him, I managed to establish a deal with him; back then, I learned from them that you had been to the Northern Region, but they did not tell me about what happened to you in Nali, nor did they know you were being hunted in Nali.”
Hmm?
He was surprisingly considerate of him?
Not mentioning the affairs in Nali also meant keeping Jasmine and Elizabeth hidden from Raphael, allowing her only to know Jasmine and Fisher’s situation upon his return; and from the way Raphael talked about the Northern Region now, she probably didn’t know about his matters with Valentina in the Northern Region either.
Fisher didn’t believe Keken was so decisive; he should have known more about the underlying aspects of many things, and he shouldn’t have had the reason to do it unless it would offer them benefits.
Unless he had an influential figure guiding him from behind, and the involved interests also related to the influential figure behind him.
For instance, those slimes.
Fisher suddenly recalled the relationship he had with those slimes back in the borderlands, and at that moment, he couldn’t help but scrutinize that huge steamship closely.
Meanwhile, Raphael also looked curiously at the ship, asking Mill, “Why are they here? Is there any news?”
“Ah, speaking of this, they just wanted to come and understand the situation here. Additionally, they said they brought a piece of news related to ‘Fisher’ for you, Master Raphael. The owner of that business, a Nali person named Keken Bocuy, seems to be on the ship. It’s his wife who told me.”
Fisher raised an eyebrow, and Raphael turned to him, hesitating, “Then…”
“Then let me meet him. I’ll come back and relay any news to you; Aunt Aria and the Dragon Court need you here as well.”
Emhart, standing on his shoulder, shot an unimpressed glance at the serious Fisher. A person familiar with him would know he was most likely trying to prevent Keken from sharing some “baseless” news with Raphael.
For example, that inexplicably reappeared Phoenix wife had woken up and was frantically searching for Fisher; or that the human Empress was remembering her long-lost prince terribly. Well, Emhart also thought that these were mostly harmful news for the unborn child.
“Alright, it’s just right for you to meet an old friend. Leave this to me.”
Raphael did not think much of it and nodded decisively, commanding the surrounding work.
Fisher then got down from the carriage and quickly headed towards the Parasol Chamber of Commerce’s ship with Emhart.
As they got closer to the steamship, the distinct Northern Region icebreaker style became increasingly apparent. It actually shared some commonalities with the Iceberg Queen’s design, but since the Iceberg Queen was originally a warship, it had a more streamlined appearance, while the merchant ship before him looked bulkier.
At that moment, on the deck of the merchant ship, Keken, dressed in a Nali autumn outfit, was using a telescope to scan the distant sea, assessing the peaks and islands that had erupted from the sea’s surface due to some cataclysmic force. After a long while, he shakily put down the telescope, looking up at the vague and ominous crimson sky, murmuring,
“Mother Goddess, what on earth has happened here?”
Now, Keken appeared a bit less green than five years ago. A hint of a mustache adorned his lips, and he wore a long black gentleman’s hat, looking increasingly like the shrewd faces of his predecessors in black-and-white photographs.
The crew around him were busy counting the cargo, clearly indicating that, apart from relaying some news, this trip was also aimed at selling goods for a considerable profit.
In the face of such a magnificent spectacle, however, the message from the Dragon Court and the Dragon Queen had yet to arrive. Keken had to raise his hand to urge the crew to hurry, but just as he turned around, a black-haired man in a white robe appeared silently behind him.
As soon as he saw the man, Keken instinctively felt his hair standing on end, but it quietly faded away the moment he opened his mouth, and the man spoke,
“Keken?”
“Mr. Fisher?”
Keken opened his mouth, and after a brief recognition, he became increasingly convinced that this was the long-missing legend of Nali, Mr. Fisher Benavides.
“It really is you! By my Mother Goddess, I did not expect to see you here! Where have you been all these years?”
He stepped forward excitedly, extending his hand, and Fisher raised his hand to shake it.
“I’ve just been busy with some other matters. Moreover, I didn’t expect the Bocuy family’s younger generation to reach such a level. Is this the Parasol Chamber of Commerce your new creation?”
“Creation is an overstatement; it was just a little experiment.”
Even after letting go of Fisher’s hand, Keken’s expression still couldn’t hide his excitement, but as he looked around at the ship still hovering above the sea, he couldn’t help but feel curious about how Fisher came aboard.
You must know that due to the recent battle, the Dragon Court’s port had been utterly destroyed. When he sent people to notify the Blessing Tower, they could only rely on the crew rowing small boats. Yet Fisher somehow stealthily boarded the ship.
He felt that the current Mr. Fisher Benavides was different from before.
He didn’t press any further and instead reached out to lead the way, preparing to bring Fisher to a more suitable place for conversation.
“Mr. Fisher, it’s not convenient to talk here; please follow me this way. I’ll have my wife prepare some delicacies and, ah, of course, some fine wine. You must have rarely tasted the most authentic Nali wine over the years, right?”
“Indeed.”
Keken was very pleased to lead Fisher into the cabin, instructing the crew along the way to make sure those who were out returned quickly, while Emhart, secretly observing everything from Fisher’s arms, took in all the various items in the cabin.
What caught the eye were luxurious specialties from various countries, such as Shivali’s jewelry, ancient relics from Cardu, armor from Sardinia, etc., seemingly related to his acquisitions over the years. In his peripheral vision, Emhart even noticed a statue of a parasol tree placed in the corridor of the cabin.
He nudged Fisher’s chest as a reminder, and soon they arrived at a room at the end of the cabin, which appeared to be a hall meant for receiving guests.
“Rana, please prepare some food for me, and also that bottle of wine I have stored in the bedroom.”
“Can you come down?”
Keken looked up and called out, and Fisher also turned to look, suddenly seeing a woman dressed in Northern attire, expressionless, leaning against the railing and gazing downwards.
She had short burgundy hair and showed no expression. Even after hearing Keken’s words, she merely nodded slightly before turning back to her room to prepare.
“Please sit down, Mr. Fisher. It has been five years since we last met, especially after that incident with Empress Elizabeth.”
“Ah, yes. I haven’t heard any news from Nali in all these years, nor do I know how it has changed compared to before.”
After Fisher took a seat, Keken turned to get high-stemmed glasses to enjoy some fine wine. As he selected suitable cups, he spoke with a smile,
“To be honest, things are much better than before. Empress Elizabeth is a good empress. While there are many criticisms from the political and business circles, they mainly concern her and the Golden Palace’s strong interference in the market. Any discerning person can see that Nali’s strength and the people’s lives are better than ever.”
He retrieved two appropriate wine glasses, also bringing back two fine cigars, setting them in front of Fisher and himself before taking his seat.
“Corruption has been addressed, the Griffin Party and the New Party, which were formerly adept at internal strife, have settled down, and the Nali Exploration Company has been nationalized, with educational reforms and labor rights protection laws enacted. Heavy-handed governance wouldn’t work in Nali, but Her Majesty’s firm hand can. Even our family has ventured into new fields, providing loans to companies producing mechanisms.”
“She is better than Dexter.”
“Otherwise, how could she become the first empress?”
Keken struck a match, wanting to light Fisher’s cigar, but he politely declined, so Keken lit his own and extinguished the match.
“Let’s talk about you. Is your departure these years related to the empress? The wanted notice for Fisher Benavides went from being issued to disappearing in just half a year’s time, as unpredictable as a little girl throwing a tantrum.”
“No, it has nothing to do with her, but I will return sooner or later. My issues with her have never been about being wanted.”
“Indeed, any discerning person can see that,” Keken exhaled a puff of smoke and smiled, “The ministers are urging the empress to select a prince quickly, and those advice letters fly towards the Golden Palace like snowflakes, accomplishing nothing except making Empress Elizabeth in a bad mood. If not for Prince Losang of Shivali already being married and no other suitable princes, those marriage proposals would surely have filled the foreign ministry’s mailbox.”
“She is this year…”
“In her early thirties, definitely considered young adulthood. Actually, if we really want to talk about it, Empress Elizabeth still has younger brothers and sisters, the Princess Isabel adrift outside, and a few young princes and princesses still outside the Golden Palace. But you know, the trust the public has in Her Majesty is unprecedented, and this visible change gives Her Majesty unparalleled adoration, so only her direct bloodline can inherit this trust.”
Four and a half years passed for Elizabeth, and for Fisher, those four and a half years felt like they had quietly slipped away in the past few months.
“Tap tap tap”
At that moment, the young woman Keken had summoned earlier appeared, holding a bottle of red wine with two maids carrying dishes. She nodded expressionlessly to Fisher as a greeting, then proceeded to open the bottle and let it breathe.
Keken smiled helplessly and introduced,
“Mr. Fisher, let me introduce you. This is Aedina, my wife. She is from the Northern Region and not very good with words, so please forgive her.”
“Oh, wife?”
“Ah, yes, but don’t misunderstand. I haven’t divorced my previous two wives; they are resting upstairs. We came from the Northern Region, and after the long journey, they were a bit seasick, so…”
“…”
So, this guy has married a third wife?
Fisher glanced at the beautiful woman pouring the red wine and, unsure if it was just his imagination, he felt as if a faint golden light flickered over her. Just as he squinted to clear his view of that golden glow, he suddenly noticed that the hand Aedina was holding the wine bottle with was gradually becoming “soft.”
It was turning into that sort of green softness?
No, this was a…
“Slime?”
“!!”
At the moment Fisher voiced his question, he felt Aedina tremble slightly. Although her face remained expressionless, her fingers and arms began to turn a dark green.
Keken raised an eyebrow and glanced at Aedina, then smiled and stood up to take the wine bottle from her, looking apologetically at Fisher as he said,
“Ah, I forgot Mr. Fisher is a well-known scholar of subhumans. That’s right, Aedina is a slime I met in the Northern Region. But as a slime, she is a bit too young and naive, and very shy. Whenever she gets shy, she can’t even maintain her disguise. I truly apologize.”
While explaining to Fisher, Keken gently embraced Aedina. Although the slime still had an expressionless face, she seemed to relax, wrapping her soft feelers around Keken’s waist, her face nestled against his shoulder, appearing quite clingy.
“Why don’t you go back for now? I have a few things to discuss with Mr. Fisher.”
“…”
Aedina didn’t move, only her body became increasingly soft, hugging him tighter as if she had instinctively been startled by Fisher’s Mythical Rank.
Fisher was a bit surprised. He looked at the room above and asked,
“You just said your two wives are upstairs. I can understand they might not care about each other as sisters, but don’t they care about this… Aedina?”
“Ah, although there were some troubles initially, it has improved greatly now. They are getting along well and really like Aedina’s personality. Now things are harmonious, and they can even…”
“Bam!”
Before he could finish, Aedina gently struck him on the mouth with her soft feeler, then before he could see clearly, she lightly leapt away, escaping upstairs with her disguise nearly gone, seemingly too embarrassed to stay.
“…”
Fisher opened his mouth, seemingly unsure of what to say.
Keken awkwardly smiled and waved away the maid nearby who was already unfazed, preparing to formally enjoy the meal with Fisher.
“Please eat, Mr. Fisher. I’m sorry for making you laugh.”
“… Not at all.”
With fine wine accompanying the meal, the atmosphere at the table gradually warmed. Fisher took a sip of the high-quality Black Mamba wine from Nali and couldn’t help but feel more cheerful.
“I haven’t tried this wine before.”
“Of course not, it’s freshly produced. Nali has gained some emerging wineries recently, and they taste incredible. Do try some more; I don’t have anything better to entertain you with.”
After Fisher sampled a few cups of this fine product, the topic gradually turned serious. He glanced at the door through which Aedina had just slipped away and casually asked,
“Was that Aedina from Frost Parasol Tree?”
Keken paused for a moment, but still swallowed the half glass of wine before shaking his head and explaining with a smile,
“No, not exactly, or strictly speaking, not at all. Marrying her is not within my collaboration scope with Chief BaLeren.”
“So, you are helping them with business?”
“Can’t hide it from you; yes, indeed.” Keken’s face turned slightly red as he explained, “The Parasol Association was established using their resources. Those slimes have channels and resources beyond my imagination, and collaborating with them has been quite enjoyable, at least more so than being at home. Over the years, I’ve also made a lot as a representative of the Parasol Association; my footprint is all over, and my reputation and strength have even made my elders view me in a new light.”
“Is there a corresponding cost?”
“Cost? Well, that depends on how one understands it. For a businessman, there is no cost, only expense. My expense is the appropriate agency identity and a clever mind, which is exactly what they need. However, occasionally I need to do errands for others, just like this time.”
Keken refilled the wine for himself and Fisher, then straightened up a bit, rubbed the edge of the glass, and looked at Fisher as he said,
“I’ve heard of your deeds in the Northern Region from the slimes. The Phoenix’s husband, the excavator of the Parasol Tree, the destroyer of curses, the grave digger of the Turan Family—indeed, gold will shine no matter where it goes. However, your mysterious disappearance four and a half years ago has piqued Chief BaLeren’s concern. They have been searching for your whereabouts over the years, especially recently. The Phoenix has awakened, Mr. Fisher.”
Valentina has indeed awakened.
Fisher was momentarily taken aback, then looked at the crimson wine in his glass, but before he could respond, Keken, with a slightly flushed face, spoke again,
“I really envy you; you have such a legendary story. Empress Elizabeth, the mythical phoenix, even the Dragon Queen of the Dragon Court is associated with you, while I have little connection with such big names. But perhaps my father was right; at certain times, one’s pursuits may change. For now, I think it’s quite good.”
“…”
Just as Keken was lost in his thoughts, a woman’s voice echoed from upstairs,
“What’s going on, Aedina? What’s happening down there? Honey, are you down there?”
“I’m here, Dora. Mr. Fisher is here too… the Fisher Benavides we met before.”
“Have you been drinking again? Aren’t you bad at holding your liquor? Also, what’s happening outside? Why is the sky so red?”
“I don’t know.”
Fisher looked up and saw Keken’s three wives, with one named “Dora” supporting the embarrassed Aedina, appearing quite harmonious and concerned for her.
Although it seemed fine, Fisher found it hard to imagine the women he knew being so peacefully together.
Elizabeth smiled, supporting Raphael, Valentina and Jasmine were chatting cheerfully, and Hela was smiling at Renee. Alagina and Eil were amiably together, while Tang Zeming Asuka was conducting magic lessons nearby?
No, perhaps in the next moment, a second mythical war that would devastate everything would erupt in the room, leading to many deaths…
Fisher’s forehead broke out in a cold sweat; he didn’t dare to think that far and quickly rubbed his temples, interrupting Keken to ask,
“So, you came this time to inquire about my news for the Northern Region, right?”
“Ah, that is one consideration, but it’s not the main reason. After all, you had completely vanished before, and neither I nor the slimes could guarantee finding you. So essentially, I’ve come to do some trade with the Dragon Court.”
“What about the news you said was related to me? Are you going to tell the Dragon Queen about the Phoenix’s connection to me?”
“I wouldn’t dare. The slimes wouldn’t even dare to tell the Phoenix about that.” Keken waved his hand helplessly, seemingly feeling a hint of empathy for the terrifying confrontation Fisher was facing. Meanwhile, he reached for a nearby newspaper and handed it to Fisher. “What I was originally going to mention is something else, which happens to be quite relevant since you’re here. This should not be very important to the Dragon Queen, but it is for you.”
Fisher took the newspaper, which appeared to be last week’s Nali Daily, and the first thing that caught his eye was a large headline,
“Heavily Mourning the Century’s Great Magician, Heilson Lacazette.”
Fisher’s pupils slightly constricted as he quickly sat up straight, unfolded the newspaper, and began to read the text below word by word.
“On July 19, 5th year of Elizabeth I, the specially appointed magician of the Nali Royal Academy, President of the Nali Magical Society, member of the World Magic Society, Century’s Great Magician, former Dean of the Magic Academy of the Nali Royal Academy, and retired legendary magician Mr. Heilson Lacazette passed away due to heart disease in his estate outside the Qiter District in northern Nali, at the age of 104.
“Looking back on Mr. Heilson’s life, it is a splendid and legendary one. From the age of nineteen…”
Fisher read the entire article in disbelief, word by word, until the last few lines,
“The Nali Magical Society has all lowered flags to half-mast, and the World Magic Society has decided to establish July 19 each year as ‘Magic Revival Day’, setting up the ‘Heilson Award Fund’ to commemorate this century’s magical giant’s contributions and achievements during his lifetime. As Mr. Lacazette’s only closed-door disciple, Empress Elizabeth expressed profound sorrow upon hearing the news in the morning of July 19, pledging to personally attend Mr. Lacazette’s funeral on August 1.”
Fisher tightened his grip on the newspaper, unable to put it down after reading the last line. He continued to gaze at the black-and-white photograph of Teacher Heilson on the newspaper.
Keken coughed lightly, sighed, and said,
“I’m truly sorry, Mr. Fisher. This has already been last week’s news and has spread throughout the Western Continent. I understand that as the only close disciple of the magician Heilson, your bond with him is not something that an ordinary teacher-student relationship can compare to.”
Fisher’s expression turned serious, and it was several seconds before he could carefully place the newspaper back on the table.
He took a deep breath, glanced at the calendar Keken had next to him, noticing that today was July 26, leaving exactly five days until August 1.
After a moment of silence, he turned to Keken and suddenly spoke,
“I need to return to Nali to attend Teacher Heilson’s funeral.”
