Chapter 5: The Thief Gran

You ... ...

One can imagine, the soul from another realm said, and then he found a place to laugh maniacally.

That is probably because you have a better way to alleviate your grievances The spellcaster leaned back slightly and said That esteemed Captain Drake is indeed a merchant, but it is evident that he trades in more than just silk, velvet, and furs He sells everything except his own life, including you

"The one who attacked you," the thief continued loudly, "one of them is my nephew"

But he should not have been there; he is my sister's child. I do not want him to become a thief, so I gave her some money to send her son to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic. He has not been trained or taught; at most, he has playfully stolen a few loaves of bread with other children in the alley, and such work of testing strangers should not be done by him. He was incited, and I was kept in the dark; I knew nothing about it and was completely unprepared. When I learned of that unfortunate news, I thought he was innocent

"This is a conspiracy," the thief shouted. "This is a conspiracy against us."

Then the candle was quietly lit, and someone sat in Gran's favorite chair, with a spellbook resting on their lap. This was a book that Gran had stolen from a careless wizard. Although the spellbook was of no use to him, he still kept it carefully, preparing to use it as a bargaining chip in critical moments.

You may not yet understand one thing. The Lich said: I have many options, while you have only two choices, either comply with my demands or die

The thief's body lost its balance, and he quickly twisted in mid-air. Upon landing, he bent his knees, rolled, and shouted, while simultaneously flicking out the finger knife wedged between his fingers, inserting it into the gap between the rope and his ankle. With his other hand, he exerted all his strength to throw the sharp dagger at what he believed to be his enemy.

If someone truly obtained a sprite, just like our Captain Drake, the Lich thought, it can only be said that among ten thousand clever individuals, there will inevitably be one or two fools. A chattering little black-haired chick, believing itself to be all-knowing and all-powerful, was easily brought down by a cup of pear wine laced with a sleeping potion

The silver thread never left the thief's neck for a moment. Under the threat of death, the efficiency of anyone's actions would increase significantly. Before the darkness of dawn had yet to fade, the lich obtained what he desired along with his ship

Of course not, the Lich denied angrily, although he was surprised that this fellow, who was hardly better than a goblin, could actually identify the location of the hip correctly, which is the buttocks. That was a servant of my mentor, and after he teleported back to the tower, my mentor nearly laughed his bones apart. He described with great relish that it was a delicate magical arrow, glowing with a baby pink light, with a mithril tip, and the shaft was ivory white adorned with golden magical runes, while the fletching was cut from a kingfisher's beak. After he teleported back to the tower, my mentor nearly laughed his bones apart. He described with great relish that it was a delicate magical arrow, glowing with a baby pink light, with a mithril tip, and the shaft was ivory white adorned with golden magical runes, while the fletching was cut from a kingfisher's beak.

He displayed an evil smirk to the thief

A mage, he is screaming internally, facing a spellcaster

If it could be said that Gran could still derive something just now, then this sound has now solidified into an ice block, sinking down and pulling at all his internal organs. The owner of the Blunt Head Tavern had described this person to him, and Gran had also seen his face through the peephole when he and Captain Drake walked out of the tavern

The Lich nodded

He must have sold me off very thoroughly, the thief said with deep resentment

Without a mage, she would be sold directly by Captain Drake to some gray robe, red robe, or perhaps a priest of the orcs. She would endure prolonged torment, die a miserable death, and her soul would not find release

After this, Captain Drake and the Golden Lady must quickly change their name and lay low for a while, but considering the astonishingly substantial profits that come not only in gold coins, this is still very worthwhile

Graham indeed had some thoughts that might help him escape his current predicament, but before he could put them into action, the slender silver cord tightened around his neck. The Lich repeatedly choked him several times before allowing him to break free from the despairing darkness and fear

That is a race whose lifespan can almost rival that of dragons, possessing intelligence, keen vision, strong physique, quick reflexes, and an incredible memory. They have a growth period lasting from one hundred to one hundred and fifty years, ensuring that they can spend twice the time of a human's entire life, from birth to death, to accumulate knowledge, experience, insights, and combat skills

The rope was not held in a pair of hands; it was alive. When this realization struck the thief's mind like a bolt of lightning, he discovered that his cries were as feeble as the fluttering of a mosquito's wings

Indeed, they may lack a nation, yet they possess kings and armies; they form a loose but reliable alliance with the surrounding city-states, engaging in trade with humans as well as interactions with gnomes and dwarves, despite mutual disdain between them and the dwarves; they expel goblins, drive away ogres and giants, and battle orcs; they pursue thieves and smugglers, eliminate malevolent merchants and wizards, and even shoot arrows at the hip bones of skeletons

And now, he can be said to have lost everything, and must produce even more gold coins to ensure that he can obtain strong and powerful protection. The fury of that black-haired fledgling could practically burn down the entire Sharpbeak Harbor, and the thief is not a generous person who would allow someone who has betrayed himself to continue living in ease.

Yes, he will allow the thief to live, just as he allowed Captain Drake to live, but that does not mean they will not have to pay a price

I am about to contact Drake, by the God of Thieves, I swear that even at the very beginning I did not let him kill you

The number demanded by the spellcaster will create a significant loophole in the guild's accounts, but as he mentioned, this gap is not impossible to close in a short period. The death of Gran's nephew involves several individuals; he can threaten them, demanding compensation and bribes, or else they will be forced to undertake one or several of the most dangerous tasks. Additionally, the owner of the Blunt Head Tavern cannot absolve himself of all his guilt merely through informing and betrayal, especially since Gran's beloved sister's son lost his life in his tavern. He must offer more and more expensive items to seek the thief's forgiveness. Furthermore, Gran knows that Drake has a fixed residence in Sharpbeak Harbor, adorned with luxurious decorations and furnishings, and housing more than half a dozen slaves, some of whom are quite young and beautiful.

Correct, the Lich said

The thief contemplated, he did not dare to seek help from his accomplices and the guild's mages, his nephew was not a member of the guild, yet Drake was a "friend" of the guild, he could not squander the guild's resources solely for his own revenge, he did not have that right

The dagger pierced through the air, striking the statue of Musk, severing its neck, and the head that rolled down shattered its palm. Perhaps it was this that enraged Musk, who was watching the scene. The steel finger knife had no effect on Gran's freedom; the assailant remained unscathed, faithfully and diligently executing its master's orders, maneuvering and tightening with the agility and flexibility of a snake. Gran was in a dire situation, his left hand trapped between two ankles, his right hand forced against his left shoulder, his knee pressed against his chest, and the shimmering silver rope deeply embedded in his skin and muscles. He looked like an otter caught in a fishing net.

If it were not for the fame of Captain Drake and his ship, the wizard might not have needed to change vessels. However, in reality, Captain Drake's ship could not enter the Cape Fort, and he would not willingly walk into a trap. His cargo list prominently included an elf, and the wizard felt he must applaud the captain's courage. In another realm, elves are often depicted as a gentle, elegant, and beautiful group, possessing long lifespans and exceptional physiques, yet rarely having the awareness or courage to protect their own kind. They seem to spend their days singing, dancing, drinking spring water, and weaving garlands, waiting to be rescued by a man or woman, a human. The lich could not comprehend the inherent contradictions in this portrayal, but at least here, the vast majority of intelligent beings wisely choose not to confront a hostile elf.

But you later found out

The lich's gaze shifted from the book to Gran.

He saw a gray cloak and black hair

He had previously considered whether the guild's mage was lured by others to deal with him, and now he is uncertain which is worse

One is a possibility, the other is a certainty. The Lich said calmly, "I believe this multiple-choice question is not difficult to answer"

As for a ship that is able and willing to leave Sharp Jaw Harbor for Cape Verde Fortress as soon as possible, it can always be found

"But what you ask me to do will also lead to my death," the thief hissed, his vision darkening, his throat feeling as if it were pierced by a knife, and the pain in his back and limbs was unbearable, the sticky wetness soaking through his entire pants exuding a cold, foul odor