Chapter 84 - A Wrong Encounter 1 (2/2)
“You are still hungry?You’ve already used this ploy on me before.”
[Nyaa-ah-ah······.]
After she endured through the wait, she had been enjoying her buffet time.However, he was trying to restrict her meal again!Roa pulled back with a sullen expression on her face.
Artpe took out a regular empty potion flask, and he Reinforced it three times.In a flash, he created a magic reagent storage bottle. He pushed it towards Sherryl.
[You’ll probably have a use for this in the future.You can harvest it.]
[I’m honored.]
Sherryl took the flask, and she approached the enormous corpse of the Ancient Kraken.She pull out all its demonic energy, and she stored it within the flask.
She refined the demonic energy as she extracted it from the Kraken.By the time the flask was full, there wasn’t a single drop of demonic energy left within the corpse.Artpe mumbled to himself,He had a satisfied expression on his face.
“It is safe for us to eat it now.”
“What is the best way to eat an octopus·····?”
“Unni, I heard that it is tasty stuffed within a bread.”
[Nyaa nyaa-ah.Nyaa nyaa nyaa nyaa nyaa nyaa.]
Artpe let his party members get into another debate about how they should cook the octopus.While they were debating, he meticulously looked over the Ancient Kraken’s corpse.
In the end, he took the hooks that were nestled within the suction cups, and he took all its ink.He confirmed that there was nothing left that were of any worth.The remaining parts could only be used as food ingredients.He confidently butchered the corpse.He left 90% of the corpse in place, and he put away the rest into his Dimensional Pouch.
He only took 10%, but there was enough to eat for 10 years.
[Since your kingdom went through a war, you are probably short on food.Since you took out the poisonous energy, you can be at ease.You can feed your people with this.]
[Master······ I don’t know how I will be able to repay all of your kindness.]
He acted as if he didn’t care about her at all, yet at the most crucial moment, he showed her his benevolence!At his words, Sherryl became deeply moved.In truth, Artpe wasn’t confident his party could eat all of it, so he was leaving it behind.However, he just let her think whatever she wanted.
“I’ve done everything I can do here.Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
“We are going to go meet our new party member?”
[Nyaa-ah.]
[Let’s go.]
[No way.]
They had finally come to an agreement, yet Sherryl nonchalantly tried to bury herself within Artpe’s party.Artpe violently kicked Sherryl out.However, a genuine smile formed on her face as she retorted.When he first met her, he would have never imagined seeing such an expression on her face.
[You have told me to conquer the ocean.As soon as I heard those words, I gave orders to the merfolk.Of course, some of those under my rule will be swept up by the Lunatic Wave.However, those that aren’t influenced by the Lunatic Wave will outnumber those that are influenced.Basically, my elite force has already started their conquest of this ocean.]
[What?]
[The overall task might take a good amount of time, but it won’t take too long to conquer this side of the ocean.As you probably know, the monsters near Diaz is….They are very weak.]
This fact could be confirmed just by seeing the merfolk residing here.They were a race that had established a kingdom, yet the strongest one amongst them was Sherryl at level 139!She was only at that level after going through much growth.
In such an environment, the hero’s party had somehow come across Krakens and other strange monsters.They were very unlucky!
[So what?]
[I have nothing to do here.If I’m near my people, their morale will rise, but these are monsters they can defeat without me.That is why I have time to guide you myself.]
[······.]
He wanted to refute her words, but he couldn’t open his mouth to denounce her when he saw her twinkling eyes.
[I just want to serve you a little bit longer…May I not?]
[Ughh.]
It had always been like this even his past life.He was weak when a woman truly spoke from the bottom of her heart.It was the main reason he had died in vain as one of the Four Heavenly Kings. He always wanted to fix this trait, yet it was easier said than done.If he could have fixed it, he wouldn’t have become the weakest amongst the Four Heavenly Kings.
[Eh-whew.]
In the end, he let out a sigh.He nodded his head.
[All right.The ocean road isn't that long.Let’s go together.]
[Thank you, master! I will serve you to the best of my abilities!I’ll get you to your destination faster than anyone else can!]
[Your monologue makes me a bit nervous.I’m guessing I can’t just pay you off with money…...]
He had already accepted Sherryl joining the party.When he turned around, Maetel was waiting for him.She was glowering at him.Artpe put on a small smile as he shook his head. Maetel spoke.
“Punishment.”
Artpe completely ignored her words.He yelled out in a refreshing manner.
“Well, let’s go!”
“Punishment.I’ll carry it out when Artpe is sleeping. ······it’ll be as I’ve always done.”
“Hey, wait a moment.What did you just say?Hey.Hey!”
Maetel no longer said anything.Artpe wonder if he should set alarm spells and trap spells before he slept in the future.As he seriously thought about it, he stepped onto the Road of Mermaids.Sienna and Roa followed next.Sherryl followed from the rear of the party.Countless merfolk wailed as they saw their queen go out for an excursion.
Two months passed.
“I kinda expected this, but why the hell would an underwater Dungeon suddenly appear here!”
[This is quite strange.This is a Dungeon that had never been found before!]
“Artpe, this Dungeon is fun!The space here is upside down!”
“Oppa, there is another staircase here.”
[Nyaaaaaaaa!]
Their path always seemed to be derailed.Another three months passed as they faced more trial and tribulation.They were barely able to arrive at Aedia’s port town called Belata.
It was late winter, and the party members felt the biting cold wind on their skin.It was the winter when Artpe and Maetel turned 15 years old.