Published at 17th of July 2026 5:52 am

Chapter 1852: Being an Author

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"So you were attacked several times on your way to Marbleford?"

Hannibal asked with a slight frown on his face.

"Yeah." Adam nodded. He took another mouthful of ale, then continued, "Wasn’t it supposed to be routinely cleared by the Free City Alliance? Whatever happened to that?"

"It is." Hannibal nodded, his frown slowly deepening. "That is strange..."

Leto Morgan curled his mustache as he said, "You mentioned that on the way back your convoy was attacked every day."

"Yes, but that was because the vampires had compelled the attackers," Adam said, shaking his head.

"I don’t know why I’d be attacked so many times on my journey to Marbleford, though. Everyone keeps telling me the Trade Road is routinely patrolled and cleared. Perhaps... I just got unlucky?"

Hannibal intently studied the youth, but did not answer. His thoughts were a mystery.

Leto, on the other hand, changed the topic to something more positive. "If you were really unlucky, Constantine, those vampires would have killed you."

He paused, smiling in approval. "To be able to take two vampires of the same rank all by yourself... Heh, you truly are capable. Hannibal was right about you."

Adam arched a brow. "He was?" he murmured, turning his gaze back to the brawny tavern owner. "But you’ve never seen me fight. Have you, Boss?"

"But I have seen you train," Hannibal said, smiling faintly. "That is enough to infer a great many things, lad."

"Fair enough," the raven-haired youth said, shrugging lightly.

"So what plans now, Constantine?" Leto Morgan asked, intrigued.

Adam finished the ale and set the mug on the counter. He then replied with an excited smile, "Go on a few more missions. Advance to the Mana Seed Rank. And then journey to the Mountain Down Under!"

He said the last words while glancing at Hannibal.

"The Mana Seed Rank is the bare minimum," the brawny man said casually. "And even then, that’s only enough to keep yourself alive in the upper levels."

Upper levels? Adam subconsciously frowned.

"How many levels are there, Boss?"

"Nine." Hannibal’s lips curled into a faint smile.

Adam’s brows flew up. "Nine?!"

He always knew there were multiple levels in the dungeons of the Mountain Down Under. But he didn’t know there were nine of them.

And if the Mana Seed Rank only guaranteed safety in the upper levels, then what about the lower ones? Just how strong would he have to be to challenge the deeper levels?

"Ah, the Mountain Down Under," Leto Morgan murmured after taking a sip of wine. "That brings back memories."

Hannibal turned to him and let out a light chuckle. "Care to dive into the Hole again?"

Leto scoffed. "I have better things to do."

Adam turned to the man and asked curiously, "What do you do, Magus Morgan?"

He quickly added, "If you don’t mind."

Leto waved his hand casually. "Not at all."

He took another sip from the wine glass before saying with an air of elegance, "I travel the universe, chronicle my journeys in story format, and publish them as novels."

Adam was speechless. Does being an author really make you that much money? This guy looks loaded... Wait!

Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he finally realized why the name sounded so familiar.

"You’re him!" he blurted out. "You’re the author of A Traveler’s Guide to the West Coast!"

Leto couldn’t help but chuckle in amusement. "Oh, my! That took you long enough."

When Adam had first arrived in Davos, Hannibal had gifted him a copy of A Traveler’s Guide to the West Coast to help him familiarize himself with the geography.

Although presented as a fictional novel, the information contained within was remarkably accurate and an invaluable source of knowledge for an otherworlder.

It was through that book that Adam was able to learn about the various regions of the West Coast, the Free City Alliance, and many more important subjects.

What made Leto’s work especially famous was his ability to weave real-world knowledge into a compelling story. The locations, customs, cultures, trade routes, and dangers were all accurately depicted, yet none of it felt like a lecture.

Instead, readers experienced the world through the eyes of the protagonist as he journeyed across the land.

The result was a book that was both highly informative and incredibly addictive.

People picked it up to learn about the West Coast. They stayed because they wanted to see where the protagonist’s journey would lead next.

Adam suddenly felt embarrassed. "Ah, apologies."

Leto Morgan laughed heartily. "It’s quite alright. Readers rarely pay attention to the author’s name. They just stick to the title and the story."

Adam took his seat once again. "So, what’s your favourite part about being an author?"

"Apart from traveling the universe and earning royalties?" Leto’s lips curled into a smirk.

"Why, leaving my readers on a cliffhanger, of course!"

The author let out a boisterous laugh.

Adam was dumbfounded. The corner of his lips twitched. He couldn’t help but wonder:

He can’t be serious...

"Planning to stay here tonight?"

Hannibal’s words snapped him out of his daze.

"Is there any room available?" Adam asked. "I’ll pay, of course."

"There should be." Hannibal nodded.

He called for one of the chambermaids. A few minutes later, she arrived with a key and handed it to Adam with a warm smile. The youth thanked her and grabbed the key.

"Go rest," Hannibal said. "You must be tired after your journey. You can settle the bill in the morning."

"Alright, Boss." Adam got down from the barstool.

He turned to Leto Morgan and smiled. "It was wonderful meeting you, Magus Morgan."

"Take it easy, Constantine." Leto winked.

Adam walked past him and headed upstairs. He weaved through the crowd, greeted a few familiar faces, and finally arrived on the third floor.

After entering his room, he collapsed onto the bed without even changing his clothes. He was truly exhausted.

Staring at the ceiling in a daze, he couldn’t help but wonder:

Boss sure knows a lot of people.

I wonder what he used to do before opening this tavern.

It sure is nice having someone like him on my side...

As those thoughts drifted through his mind, sleep gradually claimed him.

A gray flash of light appeared several minutes later, and Valerian materialized on the bed. He glanced at the sleeping raven-haired youth, then silently made his way toward the window.

Outside, the giant moons hung majestically in the night sky. Valerian gazed at them, his topaz eyes shining with wonder.

Then a shooting star streaked across the sky.

Valerian’s eyes widened in amazement. He quickly shut them and made a wish.

I wish...

I wish I could travel the world more freely...

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