This Lich Requests More Remuneration
Chapter 301 - 279: The Tiflin Kingdom’s Poison-Drinking Thirst Quencher

Chapter 301: Chapter 279: The Tiflin Kingdom’s Poison-Drinking Thirst Quencher

Amberser didn’t care much about human morality; peeping meant nothing to him, so naturally, he felt no aversion to it. However, he couldn’t let his products be tainted with such a sordid reputation.

Just imagine if people started saying that this drone was originally used for peeping into women’s bathrooms—how could he possibly sell it then?

Many people mistakenly believe that products related to the darker aspects of human nature sell better. In reality, aphrodisiacs will never outperform cold medicine in the market, and a bard in a tavern who only sings lewd songs will never earn more than those who sing grand epics.

"Peeping into bathrooms is something I can’t do, I’m sorry we can’t complete this transaction," Amberser said.

Amberser decisively chose to refuse, not willing to jeopardize the big picture for a small gain.

But when Amberser refused, the Orc Ranger wasn’t happy and wouldn’t let go of the remote control.

"You said I could try it for half an hour for free, why are you backing out now? You dare to deceive me—do you know what happens to liars?"

The biceps of the Orc automatically bulged and trembled, nearly ripping the sleeves, a high-level move only an Orc could pull off.

But this threat had no effect on Amberser whatsoever.

Amberser said loudly, "What? Because I won’t help you peep into the upstairs bathroom, you’re going to hit me?"

His voice was loud enough that all the patrons in the tavern heard, and everyone turned their heads to look in Amberser’s direction.

The Orc Ranger was stunned; he had never expected Amberser to shout like that.

Peeping was something that might be talked about in private, but once it became public, the perpetrator would immediately become a target for others.

As expected, the bartender began to line up empty bottles on the bar, and the patrons’ eyes lit up as they stared at Amberser’s table—they hadn’t found an excuse for a good brawl in a long time.

The Orc Ranger tried to explain, but Amberser wouldn’t give him the chance, standing up and saying indignantly, "I heard you were being oppressed by your adventuring party, and kindly recommended alchemical equipment to you, but then you force me to peep on women bathing? I refuse, and now you want to hit me? Are you even human? I shouldn’t have tried to help you!"

"No, it’s not..."

"Not what? You’ve taken my stuff and won’t give it back! Isn’t the evidence right in your hands?!"

"I, this... I’ll give it back to you."

The Orc Ranger quickly threw the remote control back to Amberser.

Amberser caught it and sneered, "Now you know to be afraid? What are you all waiting for? Opportunities to legally hit someone don’t come by often, and he’s an Orc who can take a beating!"

The tavern’s patrons stood up one by one, encircling Amberser’s table, each showing an eager expression on their faces.

Amberser was right; these adventurers risked their lives daily and were itching for action—those without money had to count every penny and had few ways to vent.

Now, here was this rare chance to beat someone up with a good conscience.

As the dim-witted companion was about to get beaten, the Tiflin Thief beside him said, "Wait, this alchemist is a liar, he’s the one who wants to peep!"

Amberser chuckled and pulled out a Memory Crystal.

The eyes of the Tiflin Thief nearly popped out of his head—this guy actually recorded it?

Amberser looked at him with contempt and then said, "When I do business, I believe in fairness. To avoid any disputes, I usually record the negotiation process. Little did I know, I would encounter two such sordid customers as you."

As he spoke, the first beer bottle flew through the air, heading straight for the Orc’s head.

As a Ranger, the Orc’s reflexes were incredibly fast, and he caught the bottle, but it was meaningless as dozens more bottles followed immediately after.

Amberser had already quickly moved aside, listening to the smashing sounds, and remarked, "The local customs in Dew City remain as simple and honest as ever."

After the Tiflin and the Orc were lying on the ground, bruised and swollen, the bartender finally walked over, dropping a long bill next to them. The cost of broken bottles and smashed furniture was all on their tab—such was the straightforward moral sense of adventurers.

Amberser had already returned to the bar and was drinking the beer he hadn’t finished earlier.

When the bartender came back and began wiping glasses, he said, "Every time you come, you always bring quite the commotion to the tavern."

Amberser looked curiously at the bartender, a tall male Tiflin, someone he did not recognize. Hadn’t an Orcish Bartender served him last time?

"You know me?" Amberser asked.

The Tiflin bartender explained, "We here keep records of special guests. Even though you change your appearance every time, we have our own ways of recognizing you. Last time, you were with the Elf Queen—quite a prestigious guest for our establishment, a rarity in a hundred years."

"Impressive," Amberser remarked sincerely.

Katherine’s last disguise was not flawless, but it wasn’t something an ordinary person could see through.

The Tiflin bartender said, "Next time, don’t play around like this. We can’t always fully recover our losses."

Although taverns hold a special place among adventurers, seeking compensation depends on the abilities of the owner. Sometimes adventurers don’t even have a few Gold Coins to their name, and selling them as slaves might still not cover the losses.

And when it comes to the ones who can run fast, finding them is even more hopeless.

The unlucky pair in front of me had the backing of an adventuring group, making claims for compensation relatively simple.

Now that his identity was discovered, Amberser didn’t hide anything and asked, "How may I address you?"

The Tiflin replied, "Akhilov."

"Ah, judging by your accent, you’re from the Kingdom of Impure Hymns?" Amberser asked.

"You have broad knowledge, sir. This is indeed a countryside accent from the kingdom."

"I, too, have been an adventurer there."

Amberser reminisced for a moment. In his hundreds of years as an adventurer, he probably spent the longest time in the Tiflin Kingdom of the Impure Hymns.

There, he killed a Chosen of the Rose Spider Queen, tricked an Elven King, and met many people—friends and foes alike. It was in that place that he found a stone tablet, and from its recorded contents, he mastered the power of the Diviner Mage.

It was from then on that his life began to change.

Thinking back on those years, Amberser felt deeply moved.

Akhilov smiled, poured a glass of wine for Amberser and one for himself, then said, "This drink’s on me, a toast to the once Impure Hymns."

The two clinked glasses and downed their drinks in one gulp.

Amberser couldn’t taste the wine, but he could discern the deeper meaning in the bartender’s words.

"Has the Tiflin Kingdom changed now?" Amberser inquired.

Akhilov said, "Of course it has changed, or why would I have left my own homeland? Since Laine began his invasions, the Impure Hymns had no choice but to rely on Hell’s power to cope. We Tiflins spent so much effort to break free from the shackles of our bloodline, and now we’re forced to become a mixed breed all over again."

Amberser understood his sentiment well.

The Tiflin race is quite unique; their ancestors inked a deal with a big shot from Hell and got their bloodlines tainted with Devil’s Blood.

Therefore, most Tiflins have fiery red skin, horns on their heads, scales on their bodies, and tails behind them. Some Tiflins with severe reversion may even grow Demon wings, making them look like Cambions.

Generally, Tiflins aren’t inherently evil, but due to discrimination based on their appearance, most Tiflins choose to embrace chaos. After all, when people view you through colored lenses, why not just turn to the dark side?

During the era of the Magic Dragon Tyrant, Tiflins suffered much less discrimination.

The reason is simple; under the Dragon Race, everyone is an ant, regardless of whether they’re Demon half-breeds or something else; all are slaves, all the same.

Later, when Arthur Laine killed the Magic Dragon Tyrant, this Holy King helped the Tiflins establish the Kingdom of Impure Hymns. The name was somewhat self-mocking, but at that time, the Tiflins were eager to use this opportunity to draw a clear line with Hell.

They had just started living upright lives, sitting equally among other races, and had just established their own home in this renewed world—who would want to throw manure into their home?

So, for a long time, Tiflins shed the name of mixed breed.

But, as Laine changed, so too did the Tiflins have to change.

The royal family of Impure Hymns began dividing into two factions, one clinging to the past decision, keeping a clear boundary with Hell, and the other proactively contacting Hell to resist Laine’s troops.

It should have been a fight to the death, but somehow, a certain sage stabilized the situation on both sides.

Amberser heard that over a hundred years ago, that sage convinced the conservative royal family to cede power, and now the Kingdom of Impure Hymns is entirely in the hands of the Hell faction. Yet, because of this sage, the Hell faction was very restrained in using their power, which prevented the kingdom from becoming a colony of Hell and also didn’t provoke divine intervention.

This was no easy feat. To many Deities, should Hell make a significant invasion into the mortal realm, they would not hesitate to strike, and this would not violate the rules set down by Aeo.

Therefore, maintaining a level where they could borrow Hell’s power without being smitten by the gods showed that this sage’s skills were indeed clever.

Thanks to the empowerment of this hellish power, the Kingdom of Impure Hymns can prevent Laine from taking advantage, otherwise, the kingdom might have lost vast territories just like the Dwarves and Orcs did.

Now, over a dozen Gates of Hell are installed along the border, and the Tiflins declare that as long as Laine doesn’t invade, they won’t detonate these Gates of Hell. If Laine dares to invade, then all responsibility lies with Laine’s side, claiming they are left with no other choice.

Laine can only proclaim daily that the Tiflins have fallen and become the chess pieces of Hell, so they will have to be dealt with sooner or later. On the other hand, he could only take out his frustrations on the Dwarves and Orcs.

Akhilov seems young, and by saying ’it has changed,’ he probably doesn’t mean simply that the Hell faction is in power. Using Hell’s power to counter Laine is like drinking poison to quench thirst, an old story from years ago.

Could it be, has the Tiflin Kingdom encountered some new problems?