Chapter 709: Seeking Danger
The ship was called Goaty, with a goat head as a figurehead. Arthur leaned on the railway on the deck, admiring the setting sun in the west. Goaty was so steady that it confused him about how a smuggler could get a flying vessel better than the army.
Goaty sailed toward Ilios, carrying containers that not even Arthur could see. These were made of metals called Elusvia, which radiated energy that confuses mana and perception. It prevented anyone from seeing what was inside.
"A fine night this is," said a woman as she walked to stand beside Arthur. "You must be the last guest to join us. Unlike the rest, you don"t look like a crook or a refugee."
"And you don"t seem like a nosy person," said Arthur as he stared at the woman. She was tall, almost his height, wearing a formal white suit that glued to her figure. The tight clothing made her bosom look even bigger, and she pushed it out with pride.
Her tanned skin and accent told Arthur she wasn"t from the Yalveran union. The people of their union didn"t have such an exotic appearance, especially no silver hair. Most of them were blond, and each population was different.
"You are a cautious man," said the woman as she leaned on the railings and took a pipe from her pocket. "Would you care for a smoke?"
"Not a fan of intoxication and slow death," replied Arthur with a smile. "Are you here as a smuggler or a guest?"
"It seems I"m not the only nosy one, but mutual feelings are always welcomed. I"m neither. I work here as a guide in Ilios since it"s my hometown. I know every route and deadly ground on our way, so they need me."
"That means you can lead us straight to death, and no one can tell," said Arthur, and the woman took a puff from her pipe and grinned at him.
"I get paid well, so I have no reason for that."
"I can tell that you are too strong to care about money. The strong cannot be bought, but every strong person fights for a cause. Is this your cause?"
"Not every strong person has a cause. Some of us had to grow strong to survive, and we know this peace is temporary. The same goes for you. A person of your strength doesn"t need someone to smuggle him."
"I"m more interested in what you guys are smuggling."
"It"s unwise to reveal that to me. I still work with them, and they won"t appreciate your curiosity. Someone might even suspect you are a spy."
"A spy picked up from a portal station, how easy my job would be," laughed Arthur as he turned around and looked at the woman. "You know I"m no spy, but they are still wary of me. That"s why they asked you to come and probe me."
"And you don"t mind saying things that would make me mark you as danger," grinned the silver-haired woman and showed her sharp teeth. "So, are you a danger?"
"Only if you desire it," replied Arthur as he reached toward the pipe in her mouth and s.n.a.t.c.hed it. The woman was frozen in shock at his words and actions. "Your body is slowly dying because of this." Arthur threw the pipe away toward the sky and then left. "If you have more questions, you know where to find me."
As he left, the woman stared at him, but Arthur didn"t mind her stabbing glares. She might even make a scene because of his actions, but he didn"t lie. Whatever was in that pipe was damaging her at an alarming pace.
Arthur returned to his room, a small cabin with a window showing the night sky. There was not much inside, only a hammock, a bathroom, and a table. The hammock was beside the window, so Arthur lay down to look at the starry night.
Since he started practicing the Second Art of Creation, Arthur didn"t have to sleep. He could go on for days without being tired because existence supplied him with the energy he needed. However, that wasn"t the same for his mentality.
"Alarm-III, condition: a presence in ten meters radius," muttered Arthur as he drew the rune and connected the lines. He was about to nap since his next adventure might take its toll on him.
After that, Arthur closed his eyes and slept.
It was almost midnight when the rune woke him up. Arthur snapped his eyes open and looked around him. There were a pair of feet beside the door. He knew who it was before they even knocked. After a sigh, Arthur left his bed and opened the door.
"It is almost midnight…" grumbled Arthur to the tall, tanned woman before she threw herself at him and pushed her body against his. Before he could smack her away, the woman kissed his lips.
"I know that you were waiting for me," said the woman with eyes full of l.u.s.t and the slight aroma of alcohol. Arthur stared at her without a reply because he was speechless. "I like danger like you said. And… I seek it."
The woman kissed him again and pulled him to push him against the door, holding his neck with her slender hands. Arthur didn"t push her away but didn"t close his eyes either and waited for the woman to part their lips before activating a runic card.
"A sound isolation rune," muttered Arthur as he stared at the card in her hand. "Is this act really necessary for your little scheme?"
"Oh, you saw through it?" asked the woman with a smile as she licked her lips. "I can"t have them think that we were plotting something. Two h.o.r.n.y adults are easier to accept than two strangers plotting something."
"I"m not plotting anything," said Arthur as he pushed her away and adjusted his clothes. "You are the one who barged into my room and started kissing me."
"You act as if you didn"t enjoy it," said the woman with a hurt expression. "Well, anyway," she recovered and continued, "I have a job for you, and it might even save your life."
"A job that your current employer doesn"t know about?" asked Arthur as he wiped the saliva off his lips. "I"m not a mercenary who takes jobs. Please leave."
"Hear me out first. I can help you in Ilios in return for helping me. This is a mutual beneficence agreement, and we both like mutuality."
"You a.s.sumed that I need help on my own."
"Everyone needs help right now, and I know you are planning something big or foolish. You are entering through illegal means with your current strength. A normal person would apply for a permit through their guild, and Ilios won"t deny it."
"And that"s why I"m your choice?"
"Yes." The woman nodded. "You seem like a man with principle, unlike most men. I feel like I can trust you, and my instincts are never wrong about someone."
"…what is your request?"
"Do you promise this remains a secret?" asked the woman, to which Arthur nodded. She smiled and continued. "This ship belongs to the emperor himself, and he uses it to smuggle artifacts after the ban from Runera. However, that isn"t going to happen."
Arthur was quiet before he raised his brows in surprise. Her words suggested that someone would raid this ship to destroy or take the artifacts. But instead, the woman nodded with a smile.
"This ship is going down, and we need to ensure that. However, your earlier words made me realize that they are suspecting. They gave me the pipe I was smoking, and I never realized they would poison me."
"And I just thought you had self-destructive habits," said Arthur as he crossed his arms. "And you need me to disable the ship"s defenses when the attack happens since you are being monitored."
"That is my request. The attack is happening whether we help them, but if we disable the defenses and the radar, we can ensure there are no victims and get to Ilios safely."
"You forgot the option where I fend off the raiders." Arthur smiled before he walked around her. "You know I can do that."
"And help the Ilios Empire?" she asked with bafflement before laughing. "I have never met a man who wants to help the empire. Everyone knows how corrupt the emperor is and how arrogant the princes are. And as I said, you are a man of principle!"
"You are counting on my principle too much." Arthur frowned as he lowered his arms. "I have no responsibility to anyone else."
"And that"s why this is called a deal, not charity. So help me do this, and I will help you during your quest in Ilios. It can be from stealing treasures to killing someone, and I would still do it."
"That sounds oddly trusting of you to accompany a man you don"t know and meet whatever demands he has. I might be the worst human being as far as you know."
"Well, whatever you do to me," said the woman as she ran her fingers across her chest, looking at him seductively, "I wouldn"t mind it."