Chapter 434 Missing, Association Quest

As one of the most bustling taverns in Barracuda Bay, the Three-Legged Sea Dog was packed with adventurers year-round.

Because of the extremely high mobility of adventurers, it had become a crucial hub for gathering information.

It wasn't just news from the Southern Archipelagos; major events from neighboring provinces would also eventually find their way here after circulating for a time.

And when it came to Barracuda Bay itself, information of all sizes flowed even faster.

To put it bluntly, if the governor's wife lost a cat in the morning, by the afternoon, some adventurer would likely be stroking that very cat's head in the tavern while negotiating a reward.

As the owner of the Three-Legged Sea Dog, Hera had spent years focusing on expanding her intelligence network, fully capitalizing on the convenience of such a crowded venue.

With such a massive commotion in town right now, she naturally couldn't have missed it.

Therefore, when Xia Nan asked her about his discovery on Cable Street, Hera didn't look the least bit surprised.

Without asking the two people at the bar for an information fee, she placed a freshly fetched glass on the counter, then turned to grab an ordinary-looking bottle with a simple label from the liquor cabinet behind her.

She popped the cork and poured.

"Splash..."

Like sunlight piercing a shallow sea, the clear, pale green liquor struck the side of the glass, kicking up a snowy white froth.

A refreshing, crisp aroma gradually wafted through the air.

Pushing the brimming glass toward them, Hera raised an eyebrow.

"A baron," she replied.

"To be exact, it's the baron's daughter. She might have been attacked yesterday, or encountered some other special circumstance."

"Her current whereabouts are unknown. The Governor's Mansion is helping with the search. I've also received requests to gather information on the matter, and I'd guess the Adventurers' Association will put up a quest for it soon enough."

"A baron's daughter? In Barracuda Bay?" Xia Nan asked, swirling the glass in his hand, his dark eyes reflecting the swaying, clear liquor.

Although a "baron" sat near the very bottom of the Servia Kingdom's aristocratic pyramid, to the vast majority of commoners living on this continent, they were still massive figures whose boots they weren't even qualified to kiss—incredibly noble "lords."

If this had happened out in the desolate Wilderness, perhaps some outlaws might have been willing to take the risk for the sake of wealth.

But here in Barracuda Bay...

The multiple patrols from the Governor's Mansion that Xia Nan had seen on his way back were proof enough of how stupid such a move would be.

On the other hand, a baron without a fiefdom truly wasn't much of a big deal in a place like Barracuda Bay—a major port city in the kingdom's south and a vital adventuring hub that housed the Association.

After all, most of the time, given the current state of transportation and information spread, having your own fiefdom meant you were essentially a "local emperor."

Aside from slightly poorer living conditions, the power one could enjoy within their territory was practically indistinguishable from a king's.

But barons like this one—holding an empty title with no actual land—were a different story in a massive city like Barracuda Bay. Without the income provided by land, they could only support themselves by using their noble status to take up official posts, or by partnering with businessmen.

To some extent, their income was nowhere near as high as that of wealthy merchants. Sometimes, they even fell into debt just trying to keep up appearances, ending up in quite desperate straits.

They really couldn't be considered important figures.

Of course, if it had been the governor's daughter who went missing, the entire Saltwater District would probably be locked down by now, with high-level Class Holders flying through the sky on patrol.

It wouldn't be like the current situation, where they had only dispatched a few guards to question passersby.

"What exactly happened? Was she taken by attackers?" Xia Nan asked, raising his glass for a gentle sip.

The alcohol content of "Siren's Tear" wasn't considered high; it tasted more like a light fruit wine.

The texture was crisp, the liquor carrying a clean, fruity aroma that left a sweet aftertaste on the tip of the tongue after swallowing.

With Xia Nan's current physique, there was absolutely no chance of him getting drunk on liquor of this strength.

In fact, he was practically drinking this fruit wine as if it were juice.

"Who knows?" Hera shrugged. Her expression wasn't particularly serious. Clearly, to her, a baron's missing daughter wasn't a huge deal either.

"I haven't received any news about kidnappers demanding a ransom, and the Governor's Mansion hasn't made any progress all morning."

"It might not even be a kidnapping. The baron's precious daughter could have eloped with her lover. After all, things like that have happened before."

Xia Nan gave a slight nod, silently committing the information to memory.

However, his mind unconsciously drifted back to the small-time thugs he had run into at the Salmon Roe Grocery Shop.

'It couldn't be... right?'

Even though their behavior seemed more suspicious the more he thought about it, from what he had observed, those thugs had been cowardly. At most, they usually engaged in petty theft and dirty tricks. They clearly weren't the kind of vicious criminals who would dare attack a noble.

Raising his glass for another sip, Xia Nan turned his head, wanting to ask the Halfling beside him for his opinion.

Looking over, the little guy was the same as always. He held his glass in both hands, adjusting the angle, seemingly completely oblivious to Xia Nan and Hera's chat as he intensely studied how the sunlight refracted through the glass and into the crystal-clear liquor.

'Never mind...'

Xia Nan retracted his gaze. He was just about to ask Hera about the progress on the entry channel to the "Lunar Tide Banquet" she was supposed to introduce him to.

Suddenly, the tavern doors behind him were shoved open.

He turned around on instinct and was met with a familiar, tall figure.

It was a middle-aged woman wearing the uniform of an Adventurers' Association staff member, her reddish-brown hair tied up in a braided bun at the back of her head.

She looked as though she had run all the way here from the Association. Strands of hair were glued to her cheeks with sweat, and she was panting heavily. Her grayish-blue eyes, the color of sea mist, swept left and right across the tavern hall as if searching for something.

Her gaze locked with Xia Nan's as he sat at the bar.

Her eyes suddenly stopped moving. Panting, she forced a smile onto her face and walked toward him.

"Mar?" Xia Nan called out to the approaching woman in surprise.

This Association staff member named "Mar" was the very receptionist who had served him during his first visit to the Barracuda Bay Adventurers' Association.

Because she had been so enthusiastically attentive, Xia Nan had worked with her a few more times afterward. He had used her to consign the [Azure Wave Blade]. In a way, she could be considered his dedicated receptionist in Barracuda Bay.

Right now, she had personally come to the Three-Legged Sea Dog to find him, likely for one of two things.

1. The mysterious buyer of the [Tide-Surge Lure Pole] had finally returned to Barracuda Bay, and she had come to notify him to proceed with the trade;

2. Someone had made an offer for the [Training Staff] he was consigning at the Adventurers' Association, but he needed to head over to negotiate in person.

And just as Xia Nan had guessed, Mar had made a special trip to the tavern precisely because of the equipment he had consigned at the Association.

"I'm so sorry to bother you, Mr. Xia Nan." An apologetic look surfaced on the woman's attractive, harmonious face, her healthy skin a honeyed bronze.

She moved very naturally, wiping the sweat from her face with her sleeve.

"We just received a quote for the item you consigned at the Association a couple of days ago, and the buyer happens to be an adventurer from Barracuda Bay."

"He seems to be in a bit of a rush. He asked if we could close the deal as soon as possible and hopes to negotiate with the seller face-to-face."

"So I came over to ask for your thoughts."

"Of course!" Mar looked enthusiastic, employing a bit of receptionist service rhetoric to appear as if she were thinking solely of Xia Nan's best interests. "If you don't want to meet the buyer in person, you certainly don't have to show up. We can handle the negotiations on our end."

Hearing this, Xia Nan merely waved his hand.

He nodded to Alton and Hera beside him, then downed the last bit of "Siren's Tear" in his glass.

"Lead the way."

...

...

Xia Nan wasn't particularly strapped for cash right now; his net worth of over two thousand gold coins was practically at its peak since he had transmigrated into this world.

But his expected future expenses would amount to quite a large sum.

He hadn't even paid the deposit for the two pieces of enchanted equipment, let alone the costs for refurbishing the pirate ship and recruiting a sailing crew...

If there was an opportunity to make a little extra money, he certainly wouldn't pass it up.

Furthermore, according to his understanding of adventurers and the Association in this world, when a transaction progressed to the point of a face-to-face negotiation, it meant the buyer was extremely interested in the item being sold and was likely offering a relatively high price.

As long as they could communicate normally during the meeting, they could close the deal right then and there. He wouldn't have to wait day after day like he did with the [Azure Wave Blade] until the bids completely stagnated.

Although the [Practice Staff] was only a white-tier item, it was still spellcasting equipment. Its price would be somewhat higher than standard gear.

Taking the [Fish Bone Conch] that sold for nearly three hundred gold at "Pearl Spun Yarn" as a reference, even if the [Practice Staff] lacked that kind of collector's value, it should definitely still fetch two hundred gold or more.

It was completely worth Xia Nan taking the trip to the Association himself to talk to the buyer.

They hurried along the way. Compared to Mar's enthusiastic demeanor when she arrived, she didn't speak much on the return trip, demonstrating an excellent sense of boundaries as she focused solely on leading the way.

In truth, under normal circumstances, there was no need for her to personally come to the tavern; there were plenty of channels for passing along messages.

With his keen Perception, Xia Nan could tell that her panting wasn't fake, and the sweat on her body was completely real.

But the receptionist's movements and expressions when she had spoken to him earlier carried a faint, barely noticeable hint of acting.

It was a minor, harmless scheme that didn't provoke any annoyance.

Xia Nan didn't mind.

Because he knew that the root of her behavior was a desire to earn his favor, strengthen his ties with the Association, and deepen their relationship.

Her intentions weren't bad. And practically speaking, thanks to Mar's enthusiastic gesture, he had indeed saved a lot of time and improved the efficiency of the transaction.

It was a win-win.

With both of them perfectly aware of the situation, Xia Nan wasn't socially inept enough to point it out. He even played along, thanking her a couple of times.

The tavern wasn't too far from the Adventurers' Association. It didn't take long before Xia Nan arrived at Silver Anchor Street in the Cormorant District.

Pushing through the dense crowd in front of the door, the two followed the coastal-reef-like entrance of the Barracuda Bay Association branch and stepped into the hall.

It was as bustling as ever.

Half-orcs, dwarves, Elves, humans... adventurers of all shapes and sizes hurried back and forth. Beneath the quest board that took up an entire wall, many adventuring parties were clustered around as usual, hunting for commissions.

"Excuse me, coming through! Make way!" a tall male staff member in an Association uniform shouted as he squeezed past the adventurers in front.

Reaching the front of the crowd, he stood on his tiptoes and forcefully slapped the new quest in his hand high up on the quest board, producing a crisp smack.

Xia Nan subconsciously looked toward the source of the sound. His outstanding eyesight, born from his exceptional physical attributes, allowed him to clearly read the quest sheet that had just been posted on the board, even from outside the crowd:

...

[Quest ID]: 7236

[Type]: Bounty

[Reward]:

500 gold (for those who provide confirmed information);

Additional clues are subject to face-to-face negotiation.

[Quest Summary]:

The daughter of Baron Farrow from the White Cliff District—"Miss Ellie"—was allegedly attacked by a gang of thugs on the afternoon of November 8th, Arcane Calendar 1020, and is currently missing.

For detailed information, please contact an Association staff member. Any adventurer who submits information regarding the whereabouts of Miss Ellie or the thugs will unconditionally receive a reward of 500 gold upon verification.

[Time Limit]: None

[Additional Information]: (Portrait of Miss Ellie)

...

Perhaps in order to get as many adventurers to see this quest as possible, even though the reward had entirely reached the tier of a Class Grade commission, Baron Farrow had chosen not to register his quest on the Association's underground floor. Instead, he had placed it directly in the main hall.

His daughter's disappearance had undoubtedly left the baron burning with anxiety, willing to pay a premium to commission adventurers to gather intelligence.

And a reward of 500 gold for a single piece of confirmed information drove the lower-tier adventurers constantly keeping an eye on the board into a frenzy the instant the quest was posted.

The crowd gathered below fell silent for a moment before suddenly erupting.

The slow ones were still trying to verify the quest's authenticity, while the slightly sharper ones were already calling their teammates and rushing to the front desk to obtain detailed information.

Xia Nan hadn't thought much of it at first. He merely mused that Hera had guessed correctly; no sooner had she mentioned the matter than the corresponding quest was slapped onto the Association's quest board.

That was until he saw the portrait of the baron's daughter attached to the bottom of the quest.

"Wait! This is..."

The face in the portrait aligned with the one in his memory. The titles "Lord Baron" and "Miss Ellie" that the half-elf Celianne had spoken resurfaced in his mind.

A bizarre expression suddenly appeared on Xia Nan's face.

This baron's precious daughter who had gone missing yesterday afternoon seemed to be the exact same noble girl he had bumped into at the "Pearl Spun Yarn" tailor shop the day he returned to Barracuda Bay from Cliff Rock Island.

He remembered that she had been getting a dress custom-made with her father at the time. He hadn't expected something like this to happen just a few days later.

"Mr. Xia Nan, this way!" a shout from the receptionist, Mar, broke Xia Nan out of his memories.

Etching the contents of the quest into his mind, he turned around and walked toward the entrance to the Association's underground floor.