Chapter 111: The Trade
TL: Etude
The sharp dagger, upon touching the forehead of Swordfish, could not penetrate any further and clattered to the ground with a clink.
The pirate leader could hardly believe his eyes. If it had been any other mishap, he, who liked to have tricks up his sleeve, would have had many contingency plans. But faced with such an unfathomable occurrence, he, who prided himself on his adaptability, was thrown into panic. He just stood there, staring at the other party with an incredulous expression.
Ah, you really put a lot of strength into that, ruining a perfectly good mask, the person called Swordfish said.
Rubbing his forehead, Swordfish then grasped the edge of the skin at his forehead and pulled it down, slowly peeling off a skin.
Gaden suddenly understood: the person before him was disguised as Swordfish using a human skin mask.
He had seen such masks before; they required the skin of the face of the person to be impersonated and some secret technique to create. This meant that the real Swordfish must have been killed.
Wait! A thin piece of human skin couldnt have blocked the dagger he had thrown with such force; otherwise, the knights armor would be a joke.
He stared intently at the persons forehead, which bore not a single scratch, realizing that the person had indeed resisted his attack with their bare flesh.
After completely removing the human skin mask, the person also yanked off their wig, complaining, Wearing a wig is really uncomfortable!
The mysterious individuals face was fully revealed, an extraordinary visage: a bald head without a single hair, strange tattoos on the face forming patterns that seemed to hold a bizarre magic, causing unease at a glance.
Now this strange face wore a mocking expression, as if the pirate leader before him was a little pet to be played with at will.
This person is very sinister, very sinister, Gaden reminded himself silently. The situation was now completely under the others control.
He calmed down and asked again, Who exactly are you? What is your purpose here?
This time, the question was answered.
Let me introduce myself. My name is Barnett, a member of the Secret Spell Society. Im here to propose a trade with you.
The Secret Spell Society? Never heard of it. What a peculiar name for an organization.
Gaden tried hard to search his memory for the Secret Spell Society, but ultimately, he found not a trace of information about this organization.
As if reading his thoughts, the man named Barnett waved his hand and said, Dont waste your effort trying to remember. Our organization has never shown itself to mortals before.
Mortals? Secret Spell Society?
A ludicrous thought popped into the pirate leaders head: Could this person before him be a wizard?
Impossible Wait! Its not impossible. The knife he had thrown earlier would have been fatal for any normal human.
The presence of something from legends right before his eyes did not evoke fear in Gaden, but his heart still raced with excitement. This was just too thrilling.
Heh, youve got quite the nerve! It seems youre cautious rather than cowardly, the other commented.
This mysterious Barnett could guess his inner thoughts, further astonishing Gaden with his unfathomability.
He cautiously asked, If you dont mind, may I address you as Master Barnett?
Barnett laughed heartily, Master? It seems youve guessed my identity. Yes, I am indeed a wizard, though we prefer to call ourselves magicians.
The others candid acknowledgment continued to surprise Gaden, who then asked, So, Master Barnett, what kind of trade do you wish to discuss with me?
Gadens apprehensive heart eased a bit, realizing that since Barnett was here to discuss a trade, he likely harbored no other ulterior motives.
Upon further thought, Gaden realized that Barnett must have been lurking nearby for some time. With the depth and unpredictability he had shown so far, if he had any intentions harmful to Gaden, there was no need to wait until now.
Barnett spoke, I want you to do a small favor for us, and were willing to pay you in advance. How does that sound?
What kind of small favor? Gaden asked.
To divide the Kingdom of Ordo.
Gaden was momentarily speechless: Uh forgive my bluntness, but does that really qualify as a small favor?
Barnett responded with arrogance, Humph! Compared to what we ultimately intend to do, this is indeed a minor task.
Gaden scoffed, Master Barnett, youve approached the wrong person. With just over 200 men and a few worn-out ships, even a minor lord could easily defeat me.
Barnett waved his hand dismissively, I said wed pay you first. Why dont you ask what the payment is? Knowing that, you might gain some confidence in yourself.
Alright, what kind of advance payment are you offering?
Barnetts lips curled into a smile as he slowly said, How about helping you unite the Northwest Bay, becoming the next Edward? How does that reward sound?
The pirate leaders heart raced at the thought. Becoming a sea tyrant like Edward was the ultimate dream of every pirate.
Commanding all pirate groups in the Northwest Sea, forcing the great lords to recognize his authority Edwards achievements were unprecedented, a significant mark in history.
Of course, Gaden also longed for such a historical status, to be remembered for ages or infamously, which had been his dream when he first joined the pirate ranks. But until now, it had been just a dream.
What do you think? With strength like Edwards, you should be able to contend with the lords of the Northwest, right?
Barnett added, Were not asking you to land and confront the Kingdom of Ordo directly, just to tie up the kingdoms forces at sea and along the coast, and help transport some soldiers and supplies via waterways. Weve already arranged things on land.
If he could achieve what Edward had, then the tasks Barnett mentioned wouldnt be difficult. However, Gaden was skeptical. Could this person or his organization truly help him realize such a dream? It seemed highly improbable.
Could they use magic or sorcery, given that Barnett had admitted to being a wizard?
I know youre doubting our ability to provide this payment.
With an all-knowing look, Barnett produced a small pill and placed it on the table before Gaden.
How about it? Dare to try one? It will bring some unexpected changes to your body, giving you a preliminary idea of the Secret Spell Societys capabilities.
Gaden picked up the pill, a red object that was hard to identify, and observed it closely.
He hesitated, to eat it or not?
Seeing Gadens indecision, Barnett said, To be honest, consuming these pills excessively does have side effects, but I assure you, once or twice wont cause any problems.
Gaden thought to himself that Barnett probably wouldnt harm him. If he had wanted Gaden dead, he would have acted already.
For his grand ambitions, he decided to take the risk. Resolutely, he placed the pill in his mouth, swallowed, and the pill slid down his throat