I was an apprentice in Ferren

Chapter 208 Difficult to Implement (Second Update)
"He who takes a bribe is bound to be obliged," the Sun Elf obediently handed the key to DuPont, though he was still somewhat resentful.

What can you possibly glean from a problem that even your advisor doesn't know?
The scan revealed quite a bit of information, but the details left DuPont greatly disappointed.

Ancient Elf Key
Value: Incalculable
Note: This key, crafted using special techniques from ancient elves, can only be used to unlock specific locations; otherwise, it serves as a rather unique decorative item.

[By using 10,000 gold coins, you can find out the exact location of the treasure.]

"I was so bored I spent 10,000 gold to find out about a place." DuPont was too lazy to care and was about to return the gem when the system suddenly notified him again.

[Using 1000 gold coins will allow you to detect the challenge level of this destination.]

DuPont received a message for 1,000 gold coins, and after thinking about it, he chose to accept it.

Although his system was a bit shady, taking his own things and then lowering the price, generally speaking, the things it sold to him were of good quality, even the seven languages ​​that had given him a headache for days at the beginning.

Buying this knowledge for 1000 gold coins is definitely worth it, and it will be a great help to my scroll writing. My initial predicament was mainly because I was too poor. Although the feats I bought later were expensive, they also helped me save most of my time. Overall, it was a pretty worthwhile thing.

With this in mind, DuPont decided to buy the information.

Even before killing the blue dragon, he had 18,000 in cash, and the military funds he raised later brought him close to 40,000, not even counting the unsold magical equipment.

With this latest acquisition, the cash and gems have now reached nearly 80,000, making me a true tycoon. So, spending this 1,000 gold coins is no big deal.

[Estimated challenge level 16+ for a six-person team]

Gone.

Holy crap, 1000 gold for just a few words?
However, after calming down and analyzing the situation, DuPont confirmed one piece of information.

The destination of this key is indeed of extraordinary value.

The six-person team is challenge level 16, so the other four people would need to be at least level 18. This kind of place is rare even in the Abyss and the Underworld; it's basically only found in the mansions of demon lords and devil dukes.

Of course, if the Harua Council's challenge level were 20+, no one would normally go there to act crazy, right?
They threw the gem to the other party, saying that their strength was insufficient right now, and it wasn't worth spending 10,000 gold coins to buy it. It would be more worthwhile to buy a special skill instead: "Take your time analyzing it. Going to a place like this without the strength is pointless. Let me know when you're done."

The sun elf felt something was off. This guy seemed to know something: "The original owner of this ancient treasure is dead. In a few thousand years, even the golem will lose its kinetic energy, and magical traps probably won't work. What's there to be afraid of?"

“That’s not necessarily true.” Veronica shook her finger. “Some guardians have infinite lifespans, and they can repair golems and traps. Not to mention, this kind of place can be invaded by demons. Who knows what we’ll face if we go there? Maybe the portal will open and lead directly to Tiamat’s dragon’s lair.”

Faced with the archmage's denial, the sun elf blinked, not daring to refute.

Although she lived longer and the Elven Imperial Library had a considerable collection, discussing academic matters with an archmage under unclear circumstances was a recipe for disaster.

After thinking for a moment, she changed the subject: "This thing is too old and it will take time to decipher. I'll contact you again when I find the confirmation."

“Very well, so what are you going to do next?” Veronica put away the storm core. It would take quite a long time to turn this into a legendary item. “To be honest, I don’t really want to investigate the collusion between Nas City and the Blue Dragon.”

The group perked up at this point, and the female mage explained in detail: "As a notorious no-man's-land, this place has always been required by the council to be autonomous as long as it doesn't ask the council for money. And neither Lord Nass, Marquis Nightfall, nor that eighth-ring mage advisor are easy to deal with."

"Although they are not as strong as me, their backing is different. Not to mention, those who dare to do this kind of thing usually clean up their mess very well. If you rashly investigate, not only will you not have evidence, but you will also be charged with damaging the local economy and abusing your power."

"Although I am fine, all this fuss will probably require me to write a report of ten thousand words or so to parliament. In the end, it will probably result in the deaths of a bunch of lackeys. It is unlikely that I can shake their rule."

"Oh?" the Baron asked. "What if there's evidence?"

"Trying to bring down a powerful marquis with evidence? That's probably not enough." Veronica shook her head. "Normally, to become a powerful baron, one must have a grand mage or a powerful marquis as a backer, after all, land is a valuable asset. I've checked your records, Baron. While your achievements are indeed outstanding, do you know why you were able to obtain this title?"

The baron frowned upon hearing this: "Could it be my lover?"

"To be precise, it's because she was a paladin of the Church of Los Santos and had a high reputation. After her misfortune, it was the Church that fought hard to win this title for you."

Veronica said with some regret, "Otherwise, on your own, you could at most get a reward of ten thousand gold and the title of honored citizen. Forget about the baronial position." Hearing this, DuPont understood: "If even becoming a powerful baron is so difficult, what about the powerful marquis's backing?"

“I’m probably just a student in their eyes.” Veronica frowned. “The eight great families aren’t just a name. They’ve been rooted in Harua for a long time. As for things like colluding with outsiders or bullying the good, the Marquis should normally disdain them. After all, if he wants to have some fun, he has plenty of options, whether it’s the Wanle Amusement Park or the local red-light district. But his nephews and subordinates might not be so.”

"So, at most, the worst we can do is kill a few of his men or relatives?"

"That's most likely the case. After all, it's highly improbable that the Marquis would collude with the bandits. At most, he'd be held responsible for dereliction of duty. And don't even think about bringing him down with something like this, unless he's out of his mind and commits treason. So, based on this analysis, it's probably not wise to offend him over something like this. Your father might be in for a rough time in the future."

Everyone fell silent after hearing this. Even a higher rank could be incredibly powerful, let alone a noble title.

So what should we do most?

"Find a way to get some benefits for your old man, like getting a count for fun, even if it's just in name." The female mage thought that her disciple was quick to understand. "Of course, we can also recommend you for a title. The rank won't be very high, but it's still a status. If Nas City holds a nobles' meeting, they'll have to notify you. You can also get a few hundred gold coins every year to play around with, and this money can be received together with the mage's subsidy."

“Then let’s forget it. No matter how you look at it, being a count is more advantageous.” DuPont thought for a moment and decided to give up: “I don’t need all this nonsense. What’s the point of being a lord? It’s all just trouble every day. If I were to do this job, I probably wouldn’t even have time for adventure, let alone studying magic.”

“That’s right, which is why we mages generally don’t have any interest in obtaining these things.” Veronica looked at the group: “So it’s settled then?”

The baron looked at DuPont, and seeing him nod, he agreed, "Alright, what should I do next?"

“You’d better stay in the desert for a few more days. After all, if you go back after scamming for funding in less than two days, what will the people who donated money think? If you try to scam again in the future, they might not be willing to give you money anymore.” Veronica spoke much faster when she talked about this, clearly having a lot of experience in this matter.

“Baron, you should go back first and take your army hunting. I haven’t seen Dupont in a long time, so I’ll teach him a lesson. Let’s make our move in three days.” Veronica said, looking at the elves. “As for you, do as you please. If you like to listen to the lectures, then listen. If you don’t, I think this valley is big enough, so you can go and explore.”

The baron understood and turned to leave. The elves exchanged glances, and finally Moonflower spoke up, saying, "Our return might expose our information, so we'll have to trouble you for a few more days, Master. But don't worry, we won't bother you."

"What do you mean, 'you'? You're making me sound old." The female mage was clearly annoyed with the elves.

A bunch of pointy-eared people came to Harua to steal men. They've really spoiled these guys. The pro-elf elements in this council really need to be purged.

However, since DuPont was his partner, and they were facing the Blue Dragon together, they were practically bound by fate, so Veronica couldn't say anything. She beckoned DuPont to the side and said, "Your foundation isn't solid right now, so you should start learning third-circle spells first."

For many soldiers who went to the desert to suppress bandits, their mood over the past two days can only be described as extremely anxious.

To describe them as the town's militia as an army would be an understatement. Many of them weren't even level 1 trainee soldiers; they were just level 5 militiamen who were conscripted into the army.

As notorious desert rabble in Harua, these militiamen are naturally not easy to deal with. Hunting ferocious animals and forming simple formations with makeshift spears to drive away goblins are commonplace for them.

However, compared to these daily tasks, the thought of actually fighting a notorious terrorist organization like the Sand Bandits on the battlefield makes one's legs tremble.

Before setting off, some young people couldn't help but shed tears. Fortunately, because they lived nearby, they didn't have to write wills, which prevented the scene from being too tragic.

The desert environment is unique, with hot days and cold nights, making it difficult for soldiers to march even with the help of storage bags for logistical support.

There was no other way; the town was too poor, and the baron's only unweighted storage bag had to hold precious food and water. The most comfortable times for traveling were only in the morning and a short while after sunset. By noon, they had to set up camp or find some shaded places to rest, otherwise even desert dwellers couldn't withstand such a strong sun.

However, during the afternoon break, the Baron suddenly issued a new message.

"Last night, I led a few adventurers to wipe out half of the sand bandits, and the rest have scattered. Now, everyone's task is no longer so arduous. All we need to do is chase down the remaining sand bandits and kill the ferocious beasts."

Upon hearing this news, all the soldiers were completely dumbfounded.

What the heck? What happened? We didn't see any bandits, so how did it end so quickly?

Even Franklin was puzzled: In normal warfare, isn't it necessary to conduct reconnaissance first, then formulate a plan, and finally take action? How could the overall situation be decided in just one night?
Can the war still be fought like this?

(End of this chapter)