Lord of the Oasis

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

A new building instantly appeared.

It stood right on the western side of the Council Hall, which was more than 2,142 square feet, and was level with the five Swadian houses.

It was like two parallel lines.

Kant had planned this layout of the buildings and streets.

When Kant took a good look at the grocery store, he found the place to look rather rough compared to the other meticulously built buildings.

The base was constructed from stone while its main body was formed with wood tied with ropes. The window also served as an open counter. It was built with thick wooden planks that supported the window on both sides from the ground up. It also provided shade from the sun.

However, there was nothing on the counter.

The entire grocery store was empty. Merchants notwithstanding, there was not even a single piece of merchandise found within it.

A prompt came from the system.

[Ding... Your new building was finished thanks to your hard work.]

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[Main Quest: Value of Denar completed]

[Reward: Grocery Store x 1]

[Introduction: You now own a grocery store capable of exchanging items for Denar. Of course, you are required to possess items of "value" to the system before you can exchange them for Denar.]

Kant frowned.

He looked around the empty store and saw the introduction on the dialog box.

His gaze lingered on the word that was being emphasized.

Kant repeated the line, "Items of 'value,' eh?"

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The line looked simple.

It looked so simple that it felt impossible to comprehend.

However, Kant remained puzzled as to what the items of value meant.

Great Silver?

Precious jewelry?

He had tried trading with the system using such items back at the castle in the Dukedom of Leo but to no avail.

"System, I don't understand."

Kant frowned.

He needed to ask about anything that puzzled him. As such, he contacted the system in his mind and asked, "What do you mean by 'value' in this case?"

The system was quiet for a bit.

A reply came seconds later. "Items with mystical powers."

"Items with mystical powers?" Kant frowned even harder.

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The term sounded rather complex.

"Indeed."

The system swiftly provided an example. "Peculiar items with effects like those of Intimidation could be used to exchange for Denar."

It was Kant's turn to stay silent.

He turned around and looked at the Intimidation banner erected at the door of the Council Hall.

Even though there was no wind around, it slightly billowed.

A golden lion baring its fangs and claws was sewn on the red background, giving it a shock factor.

It was as if the lion were about to eat someone alive.

"Peculiar items, eh."

Kant muttered.

He now had an idea of what kinds of things the system considered as being of value.

He lowered his head for a moment and slowly asked, "Do you mean magical items?"

"Indeed." The reply from the system was short and concise.

Kant's face displayed a bitter smirk. "I knew it."

In this world, one of swords and magic, there were the likes of the Jackalans, Dwarves, Elves, Beastmen, and other races. There were also professions, such as mages, priests, and the likes, which possessed items of mystical powers.

Examples of which included magical items.

Then again, due to those items being of mystical powers, they were also especially precious.

Kant read a lot about them in the books from the scholars, but the only piece that he had truly seen with his own eyes was in the room of his cheapskate father, the Duke of Cameron.

It was a set of armor.

The armor was comprised of two layers of fine mail armor that were covered by a layer of scales on the outside.

The palace mages of the Dukedom of Leo infused the set of armor with mysterious magical powers. It enabled its defense to be reinforced while its weight was reduced. The magical spells infused also prevented it from rusting, making the set of armor one of the most precious pieces of treasure owned by the line of dukes of the dukedom.

It was so precious that Kant, the youngest son of the duke, was deemed unqualified to touch it.

That alone spoke volumes of the extreme rarity of such magical items.

Buying something like that, from what Kant remembered, was as difficult as reaching heaven.

"Hell, what's even the point then?"

He continued wearing that bitter smirk and grumbled at the system.

Such items served as anchors and heirlooms of clans. At the very least, Kant had never seen any noble clans selling such items before.

Even if those nobles fell into decline, the ones who sold such items had been limited to a very small handful in history. Those magical items still served to lift the fallen clans up again one day. If they were sold, those clan would have been done for through and through.

Furthermore, even if there were to be people selling such items...

Kant had no money to buy them.

"System, would you be able to provide some more substantial advice?

He continued to smirk as he shook his head.

"Yes."

The system actually answered, which was something unexpected.

Kant was stunned. He asked, "What would that be?"

The system did not answer.

Instead, a quest was given.

[Ding… Special Quest assigned]

[Special Quest: Explore the Mysterious]

[Reward: 5,000 Denars]

[Introduction: The Jackalan Tribe deep in the desert seems to have hidden some sort of mystical power. Maybe you should take a look and seek the source of said power.]

From what he was able to tell from the introduction, the quest seemed simple.

It was a scouting quest.

However, Kant quickly frowned soon after. "Explore the mysterious?"

He was proficient in deductive reasoning.

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As such, he was easily able to discover the hidden meaning of the quest.

It was not possible that it was anything else.

It was definitely a scouting quest.

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Based on what he was told in the introduction, if he was unable to find out what the source of that mysterious power was, there was no way for him to finish the quest.

It was a special quest.

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The last time he had this type of quest, he was told to look into the military organizations of that world.

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The reward had been the light crossbow currently on his back.

Things will be difficult this time though. He slowly sighed.

It was not just difficult.

It was extremely difficult.

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After all, he was tasked to look into the Jackalan Tribe deep in the desert.

That tribe was huge. From what he was able to find out so far, it had a population of over 2,500.

Look into that place?

That is like saying I have a death wish!

If those Jackalans all rushed out from their tribe, they were capable of engulfing the entire Oasis Lookout. If he told his forces, which were fewer than 80 strong, to fight an enemy force of 2,500, it was like having them dig their own graves.

Sheer numbers alone were more than enough to overwhelm the difference in quality.

Besides, the quality of Kant's forces had yet to reach the ability to fight 10 at a time and still come out on top.

"The special quest does not have a set completion date."

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The system replied, "It also will not clash with other quests. You're free to think about how to deal with it."

Kant nodded. "That's more like it."

If it were something that clashed with other quests, he would have had to finish it first. It would have been something beyond Kant's current abilities. At this juncture, he still had no way of acquiring more Denar.

Even with the path assigned, it was still something beyond him to accomplish.

His near-empty remaining capital meant that he would not have had enough funds to pay his forces the following week.

He also had run out of developmental funds at the same time.

[Ding... A trade caravan from Reyvadin is here.]

A prompt was heard from the system.

Kant slightly frowned.

"A trade caravan from Reyvadin?" He felt rather confused.

At the northern dune, not far away, a Swadian Militia member quickly came waving at them, shouting, "Unknown figures incoming! Unknown figures incoming!"

Are they here?

Kant frowned and thought about that so-called trade caravan.

However, he still told the Desert Bandits, who were standing by at his side, "Go and check them out!"

"Understood."

The 16 Desert Bandits nodded and got onto their horses. They rode straight for the northern dune.

It was the Nahrin Desert, after all, so letting one's guard down was a bad idea.

However, all Desert Bandits returned with three carriages. Several riders and walking servants followed at a leisurely pace. These foreign people seemed to be having a good time chatting among themselves.

It was obvious that they were not the enemy.

They gradually arrived at his place.

The Swadian Militia members, who were in charge of defense on the rooftops of Drondheim, eyed them vigilantly with their hunting crossbows lifted.

"My Lord, they're here."

The Desert Bandits rode their horses to where Kant was and respectfully reported, "They are a trade caravan from Reyvadin."

"Right." Kant nodded.

He eyed the three carriages. There was one leader and six escorts, as well as 12 mercenary troops. All of them were members of the trade caravan. He calmed considerably, even though these people wore their weapons out in the open.

He knew that they were a trade caravan from the game.

The leader of the trade caravan was eloquent.

Seeing how all the Desert Bandits paid respects to Kant, he knew right away that the man before him was the lord.

He quickly shot a look at the six escorts, who were riding on their horses. All of them got off their horses and bowed respectfully, saying, "Revered Lord of Swadia, we are a trade caravan from Reyvadin. We hereby offer our sincerest respect to you."