Published at 13th of January 2026 7:35 am

Chapter 1411: Storytelling

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Drunken Chips was a well-known gambling tavern tucked into one of Amberfall’s busier commercial districts.

From the outside, it looked modest. Inside, the atmosphere was extremely lively. The space was filled with round tables and low gaming boards, most of them marked with dice, cards, or carved tokens.

The atmosphere smelled of spiced alcohol, tobacco smoke, roasted meat, and faint incense. Laughter, groans, and the clatter of chips and dice never truly stopped in this tavern.

Drunken Chips’ clientele was varied. Merchants fresh from the docks gambled beside caravan guards, nobles in plain cloaks, traveling adventurers, and, of course, discreet Magi.

Deals were made between hands of cards, and rumors passed as easily as coins. The tavern had a reputation for being noisy, but not lawless. Cheating was rare, but trouble rarely escalated.

This was mostly due to the tavern’s proprietor. She was a striking female gnome who managed the tavern with sharp eyes and a charming smile. She handled disputes personally and knew most regulars by name. Despite her appearance, no one underestimated her power or authority.

On this day, a lively elderly man had visited her establishment. And the moment he arrived, he instantly became the center of attention.

He spoke loudly and without restraint, entertaining anyone who would listen to his tales of his recent visit to the mystical lands of Yen-Lu. He described impossible sights, eccentric figures, and events that sounded more like exaggerations than reality.

To most people of Europa, the lands of Yen-Lu were little more than fantastical places that were only spoken of in stories.

Very few ever traveled there, not only because the Dark Valley formed a natural barrier by land, but also because the people of Yen-Lu were notoriously xenophobic and deeply unwelcoming towards outsiders.

Those from other parts of the world who did trade with Yen-Lu usually dealt with its more liberal-minded groups, individuals willing to engage with foreign merchants for profit. And it went without saying that the goods from Yen-Lu were sold at extraordinary prices in Europa.

Even so, most outsiders never set foot in Yen-Lu, let alone venture to its heart to witness and record its many wonders.

So when the wandering Magus Nilrem claimed to have journeyed across Yen-Lu, the crowd was instantly captivated. Whether his stories were true or not hardly mattered. Listening to Nilrem speak was entertaining, and that was enough.

According to him, even the streets of Yen-Lu followed their own logic, and nothing there behaved as it should.

The tales were so outrageous that many patrons laughed them off outright. Some rolled their eyes, others mocked him openly, while a few listened purely out of entertainment. To most, his stories sounded too absurd to be true.

Behind the counter, the tavern’s owner, Kharbeena, listened with clear amusement. She didn’t know if his stories were truth or fiction. They were highly entertaining, and in a place like Drunken Chips, that alone was worth listening.

"Old man!" A drunk merchant called out. "Tell us about the women of Yen-Lu! I heard all of them are a sight to behold!"

That statement drew a chorus of lecherous whistles. Even men who had been absorbed in their gambling turned towards Nilrem, their attention now fixed on him with rapt interest.

"Heh!" Nilrem curled his mustache upward.

"Let me tell you, young man. I have been to Nahua. I have been to Ulier. Hell, I have even been to Mabi. But nowhere, and I mean nowhere, have I seen women so heavenly as those of Yen-Lu."

He leaned in slightly, creating an air of suspense. He then added with a smirk:

"The proud warriors of Yen-Lu call them... Jade Beauties!"

There was a moment of silence. And then, the tavern erupted in clamor.

"Jade Beauties? Hah, that’s a new one!"

"Are you implying they’re so pretty that the men compare them to exquisite jade?"

"This is rubbish! Old man, you are making shit up!"

"Shut up, you! I want to listen to what he has to say!"

"Old man, tell us more! Tell us more!"

Nilrem chuckled at the response. It seemed he was quite proud of his storytelling. He grabbed the ale mug before him and downed it in one go.

He glanced at Kharbeena and grinned. "Young miss, give me another mug of this ale!" He then pointed at the drunkard sitting beside him and added, "And put it on his tab!"

"What the!" The drunkard instantly seemed to have become sober.

This elicited another round of laughter from the patrons sitting near Nilrem. They had to admit, the old man was quite the entertainer.

"HMPH!!"

Suddenly, a portly middle-aged man with a receding hairline harrumphed so hard that phlegm shot from his nostrils. He hastily wiped it away, then angrily pointed at Nilrem.

"Old man, this is too much!" He roared, his face flushed red from intoxication. "There’s a limit to how much a man can lie!"

He rose to his feet and stumbled his way towards Nilrem. Then, he poked his finger at the elderly man’s chest and said slowly, making sure everyone heard him:

"I don’t—hiccup—believe a word you say! You can fool the others, but not me! I’m a merchant by trade who visits eastern Yen-Lu every year. I’ve been conducting business with those people for over a decade. So I know—hiccup—without a shadow of doubt that you’re lying!"

Everyone recognized the potly man as a merchant of renown. Seeing as though someone had finally called out Nilrem on his lies, they couldn’t wait to see what the old man’s reply would be.

Would he come clean?

Or would he double down?

"What do you have to say to that, mister?" Kharbeena placed a fresh mug of ale before Nilrem, her lips curling into an amused smile.

Nilrem turned to the portly merchant with a deadpan expression and asked, "If I prove myself, will you buy me a barrel of Amberfall wine?"

"Heh, I’ll buy you two!" The merchant sneered.

"Very well then." Nilrem rose to his feet, a solemn look on his face.

He then looked the merchant in the eye and passionately said in a loud voice:

"My good sir, I don’t mean to be rude, but if you were any rounder, the harbor authorities would have to start charging you dock fees! And as for your hair... eh, never mind. I see it has already made the wise decision to abandon ship. Ugly is temporary, they say. But in your case, I suspect it’s a long-term investment!"

Silence descended inside the Drunken Chips.

The portly merchant displayed a flabbergasted expression. While the other patrons, including Kharbeena, blinked a few times, looking at him with puzzlement.

They didn’t understand a word he’d just said.

After all, he had spoken in the language of Yen-Lu...

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