novelraw Chapter 303: The Gifts of Fate Are All Priced
Chapter 303: The Gifts of Fate Are All Priced
Deep within the Ser Wilderness, the rocky cliffs of Needleleaf Valley appeared pale gray under the thin daylight.
Garoth's massive and formidable figure stood in the valley clearing, his metallic scales reflecting the faint dawn light. He lowered his head, his vertical pupils intently examining the items laid out before him: pieces of pure, transparent black oil crystals, and several large wooden crates opened nearby.
Inside the wooden crates.
Were piles of magic gems that shimmered with various elemental glows, small hills of them—red as fire, blue as ice, green as the vitality of a forest—all pure, translucent, flawless and without cracks.
These priceless treasures were part of the generous return gift sent by Princess Elina of Lothrian.
Setting aside the equally substantial yet somewhat vulgar gold and silver valuables, the core of this return gift consisted of five units of first-grade black oil crystals, and a quantity far exceeding one hundred pieces of high-quality magic gems.
"What a pity, even with Elina's status and position, she cannot easily produce more black oil crystals."
Garoth extended his claw, carefully picking up an ice-cold black oil crystal, turning it over delicately at his claw tip for a moment. He could feel the intense instinctual temptation of the pure energy contained within.
Finally, suppressing the primal urge to devour it all immediately, he carefully placed it back with the others for safekeeping.
Not long ago, Garoth had communicated with the distant Princess Elina.Garoth's attitude had been straightforward, clearly expressing his desire to obtain more black oil crystals, bluntly stating he was willing to exchange other portions of the return gift for them.
However, Princess Elina found it difficult to comply.
She candidly explained that even as a royal princess, the amount of black oil crystals she could mobilize at one time was extremely limited and could not meet Garoth's demands.
In peacetime, there might have been room for negotiation.
But currently, with the Federation's situation being unpredictable and volatile, scarce resources like black oil crystals—priceless and of extremely high strategic value—were almost universally classified as the highest level of controlled materials by the major kingdoms. Circulation channels were strictly blocked. If not for her status as a royal princess, Elina likely couldn't have extracted even one unit of black oil crystal.
"This substance is guarded too tightly; no kingdom would easily let it flow out."
"To obtain black oil crystals stably and in large quantities, one ultimately must rely on establishing a sufficiently advanced alchemical industrial system oneself, gradually concentrating and refining them from ordinary black oil."
Garoth pondered silently in his heart.
Desire, once ignited, is like a boulder rolling down from a mountain peak—once set in motion, it's difficult to curb its rushing momentum.
Garoth clearly remembered during his weak juvenile dragon days, being lucky enough to drink some ordinary black oil was enough to satisfy him for a long time.
But times had changed.
Now he controlled the resources of the convergence lands and the Serpentine Earth Rift. Ordinary black oil was no longer scarce for him, and that craving had faded accordingly.
Naturally, his gaze turned fervently towards the higher-level energy crystals—the black oil crystals.
However, although Princess Elina couldn't provide large quantities of black oil crystals to show sincerity, she wasn't completely empty-handed. She additionally gifted Garoth a considerable amount of No. 98 refined black oil.
This highly refined black oil was also a treasure that the current Molten Iron Tribe, with its own techniques, found difficult to produce stably.
Garoth used his sharp claw tip to easily pry open the sealed lid of a barrel of No. 98 black oil.
Instantly, an energy aroma richer, more mellow, and with a strange burning sensation compared to ordinary black oil spread out, stimulating his senses.
Without hesitation, he raised his massive head, opened his dragon maw filled with sharp teeth, and drank several large mouthfuls!
The energy, hot like liquid flame, rushed down his throat as if setting his blood ablaze.
Immediately after, Garoth's strong tail covered in metallic scales deftly curled, scooping up several dazzling gems brimming with abundant elemental power from a nearby gem chest.
He took a deep breath and swallowed those gems along with another large mouthful of No. 98 black oil, gulping them down into his stomach.
The elemental energy contained within the gems and the pure power of the No. 98 black oil violently intertwined, collided, and combusted in his stomach!
An indescribable feeling of exhilaration instantly swept through his entire body.
Like the most intense flames exploding violently between his organs, surging and churning!
"Burning satisfaction!"
A low, contented dragon roar echoed through the valley.
Garoth's scales bristled, his muscles bulged, his blood roared like flowing magma.
He absolutely refused to waste this perfect opportunity.
Stimulate! Bloodburst!
Accompanied by a series of dull, thunderous booms that made the entire valley floor tremble, Garoth began an extreme, near-self-torturous frenzy of training right on the spot.
Time passed like the wind swirling through the valleys, silent and swift.
Soon, several days flashed by.
On this particular morning, sunlight like melted gold generously splashed across the tundra and coniferous forests of the Ser Wilderness. The sky showed a nearly transparent, clear azure blue.
In this serene and brilliant morning light, the Flower Knight Shire Hynes, who had been unconscious for a long time, finally, with a slight tremble of his eyelids, slowly opened his heavy eyes.
His blurred vision, like glass covered in condensation, gradually cleared.
The first thing he saw was the cold, rough gray stone ground beneath him.
Then, his gaze slowly moved upward.
A massive, profound outline emitting an indescribable sense of pressure gradually came into focus before his eyes, solidifying into that formidable, strong red iron dragon etched deeply in his memory.
"The war has stopped."
The red iron dragon's gaze calmly fell, looking down upon the Flower Knight who had just awakened and still appeared extremely weak.
"But, this absolutely does not mean it's over."
Garoth continued, his voice betraying no emotion: "The timing last time was unsuitable for both of us. However, now we can continue that interrupted conversation."
Over the past few days, Garoth hadn't merely been training and digesting energy.
Through his followers' covert inquiries and investigations among the adventurers in Ximu Town these past few days, it was confirmed that this Flower Knight—Shire Hynes—was actually a figure of excellent reputation, deeply respected and admired by many adventurers.
Not just within the borders of the Raymond Duchy.
Due to his friendly nature, warm generosity, fine character, and willingness to extend a helping hand to the weak even at personal cost, the Flower Knight enjoyed considerable fame in adventurer circles and was a recognized, famous Hero.
Garoth got straight to the point: "What exactly is your relationship with the Albert family?"
Shire struggled to calm his initially dazed mind upon waking, his voice still carrying some weakness: "I have received favors from the Albert family in the past."
He paused, using his arms to prop up his still aching body, managing to sit up, and continued: "Count Mills complained to me about the Molten Iron Tribe's tyrannical atrocities, earnestly requesting that I resolve this matter for the Albert family and reclaim the lost territory."
"To repay the kindness of old, and to rescue the residents of Ximu Town who were said to be suffering, I came here. However, after investigation, I ultimately discovered that the actual situation differed significantly from what Count Mills had described."
Hearing this account, Garoth largely understood the cause and effect of the entire incident.
"So that's how it is."
The red iron dragon's voice was filled with undisguised mockery: "Another monotonous, nauseatingly cliché story—a foolish knight believing himself righteous, easily deceived by the lies of a cunning, sinister noble lord, traveling a thousand miles to challenge the evil dragon, only to serve as a cheap tool for the noble to remove a thorn in his side."
"And I, Garoth, unfortunately play the role of the evil dragon destined to be vanquished by justice in your story."
"Truly utterly tedious."
The Flower Knight did not see it that way.
Having traveled extensively for years and witnessed countless instances of light and darkness in the world, he considered himself no greenhorn unfamiliar with the ways of the world.
"Respected Lord of Molten Iron, I am more inclined to believe that there exists some deep misunderstanding in this matter."
Shire carefully weighed his words, his tone remaining sincere: "Count Mills is known for his philanthropy and benevolent heart; he is a lord renowned for his virtue throughout the southern noble circles."
"He allocates a considerable portion of his family's income to charitable causes every year, establishing several well-equipped orphanages that have taken in large numbers of homeless, wandering beggar children."
"When it comes to combating evil and upholding justice, he is never stingy, always generously funding the Adventurers' Guild and local guards without charge."
Shire's tone remained earnest as he continued: "Moreover, his attitude towards the ordinary commoner farmers on his lands is extremely kind, completely lacking the condescending arrogance typical of most nobles."
"Precisely because of this, all the subjects within the Albert family's territory genuinely support this benevolent Count."
Shire looked at Garoth, his gaze earnest: "Perhaps, it was certain individuals with ulterior motives who deliberately distorted the facts before the Count, clouding his judgment, leading to the misunderstanding about you and this unfortunate conflict."
"Respected Lord of Molten Iron, I, Shire Hynes, am willing to act as a bridge of communication, sparing no effort to eliminate the misunderstanding between the Molten Iron Tribe and the Albert family, and to facilitate reconciliation between the two sides."
Reconciliation?
Was he joking?
Garoth tilted his massive head slightly.
He clearly realized that this young knight before him, while perhaps having experienced many adventures and seen some of the world, still viewed things from a superficial, glamorous perspective, dazzled by the carefully polished virtues of the nobility, failing to perceive the colder, harsher truth hidden beneath that glossy surface.
Speaking of charity?
In the distant heartlands of the southern Federation, he too, through the covert channels of the Gem Merchant Consortium, had spent vast sums to establish the Spark Monastery.
There, they also took in large numbers of homeless orphaned and abandoned infants.
He provided those children with shelter from the wind and rain, food to grow strong, books for education... In a sense, he too had changed those people's fates.
However, Garoth never considered his actions to be born of kindness.
Behind this seemingly benevolent gift, the price was already clearly marked.
None of this was ever offered free of charge.