The Money-Obssessed Archmage's Second Life As A Broke Duke-Chapter 74 - Let’s Go To Spirit Realm

Chapter Seventy Four

"Ah… that."

I slowly sat, leaning against the hut's wall as Sylvester sat down on the stone bed near my feet.

"So you do remember the part where I promised you help?" He tilted his head.

Ugh. Why is he bringing that up?

"Yeah," I rasped, rubbing my temples.

"Well, that involves you having to go to the spirit realm, win over the Spirit Kings and get The First Emperor's sword. In that case, they'll believe you're blessed by the soul of The First Emperor and follow you."

I stared at him, my jaw slowly dropping. "What sort of bullshit is that? Is this some third-rate opera script!?"

"Well... That's the only way to win over the elves," Sylvester shrugged, nonchalantly picking a piece of lint off his sleeve. "I can open the dimensional gate and transport you."

"You said you'll help me win over the elves!" I shouted, staring at him with eyes wide.

"I am!"

"Are you?" I leaned forward, my eyes narrowing until they were mere slits. "I was starting to think I hallucinated that."

"I promised a method. Not hand-holding."

I let out a long, low groan, burying my face in my hands, feeling my head throb from his words. "…I already hate where this is going."

"You have to go to the Spirit Realm if you want to find a way to defeat The Emperor," he continued, his voice dropping into a serious tone.

"No. I can do it without going to Spirit Realm."

"Come on! All you have to do is charm the Spirit Kings. Don't you human's have that skill... What's it called again? Yeah! Flattery! Flatter them!"

"I absolutely cannot." I looked at him like he'd grown a second head.

"You just have to retrieve the First Emperor's sword. You already want to take over the entire continent. Don't you? You can't just wave a hand and do that. There are all sorts of races behind the Northern Peaks. They're more powerful than humans. Humans are like the bottom of the chain."

I paused, blinking slowly. "…I'm sorry, did you say that in the same tone people use to ask for salt?"

Sylvester rolled his eyes, letting out an exasperated sigh. "You're being dramatic."

"I'm being realistic, Sylvester!" I barked, my voice cracking. "I'm not blessed. I'm not chosen. I'm not even mildly tolerated by fate. I'm cursed by this World's Goddess."

"Details. Plus, only humans believe in her. We believe in the existence of The Cosmos. It's a existence even above Gods and Goddesses you humans believe in."

"SERIOUSLY? HOW'S THAT HELPFUL?" I threw my hands up in the air, my temper finally snapping. "Spirit Kings regulate the flow of mana that God created across the universe. They're below gods, above everything else. Including me. I regulate my temper on a good day. I can't even do it, right now!"

Sylvester remained infuriatingly calm, watching my outburst with mild interest. "You're underselling yourself. You just need to think that you can do it and be shameless as usual. Plus, Spirit Kings like good souls. They were basically pets of The First Emperor. And, some humans even form contracts with them to borrow their power."

Ugh... What a headache.

My brain throbbed against my skull threatening to break it and jump out.

"I'm not underselling anything," I muttered, shaking my head.

"You're overselling suicide. They can snap their fingers and I'd be gone."

"That sword is legendary," he sighed, leaning in closer, trying to tempt me like how people scam beggars.

[Ping!]

[Host is a beggar too, right now.]

And, whose fault is that? I'm pretty sure all the coins you rewarded me came from my treasury too. Right?

...

I knew it! You're even a bigger scammer than that golden hair girl!

"Halcrest, it's powers are unimaginable."

"So are my chances of dying. Unimaginable."

"Come on. With it, the elves will kneel, Halcrest."

"I'll be vaporized before step three in obtaining it."

"Think big," Sylvester urged, his voice growing passionate in convincing me.

He's probably thinking I'll not adopt Lune if I don't get Elves on my side. No wonder he's trying so hard.

He continued. "You can unite the continent. Crush the Emperor. Dominate the North. You're a human. How can you give up the opportunity to get that much power!? Humans are the most power-hungry race I've ever seen. The rest are just content and existing."

"I'm thinking big," I deadpanned, staring him straight in the eye. "Big funeral."

"You're scared."

"I being sane for the first time in my life. There is 0 percent chance of me making out of this one alive."

"You want power or not?"

"I want power that doesn't involve arguing with cosmic entities who sneeze galaxies!"

"This is the only way," Sylvester said, his expression hardening. "And, think of it like they're dogs whose owner died. You just have to sympathize with them."

I let out a harsh, dry laugh. "Are you even listening to yourself!? That makes it more difficult to get The Sword. Dogs will rip you apart if you touch their dead owner's stuff."

"Come on, Halcrest. Don't you want to be stronger than anyone else?"

Suddenly, a semi-transparent screen flickered into existence before my eyes, glowing with an ominous blue light.

I have a very bad feeling about this...

[Alert!]

[Compulsory Quest Triggered: Be Stronger Than Anyone Else]

[Objective: Host Must Find The First Emperor's Sword]

[Reward: 2 Million Trade Points / 1 Legendary Spin]

[Penalty : DEATH]

Sysi, are you serious? The penalty is Death! I'm refuse to accept.

[Ping!]

[Host has no choice here. If you don't finish this quest within 30 days, you'll die either way.]

...Why? Why do you want me to die, Sysi?

[Ping!]

[Look on the bright side, Host. If you go you might find a way to stop coughing blood anymore whenever that Goddess's name comes up.]

Ugh... Do I even have an option?

[Ping!]

[Yes! Let's go to Spirit Realm!]

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, my shoulders slumping in defeat. I looked at Sylvester, who was watching me with a nervous expression.

"…I really hate you, Sylvester."

And, you too, Sysi.

"You'll thank me later. That is if you manage to come back with the sword, that is," he replied, sighing. "I'll get you things to help you too!"

"Haah... Fine. I'll do it."

I'm going to die either way. Might as well die trying.

"Great." Sylvester smiled. "I'll stop by The Duchy during the evening to teleport you. I have to go back to the tribe to get some stuff."

"Whatever."