But... all I saw was another enormous structure bearing a different insignia-something to do with trade. A merchant company, not a church. I narrowed my eyes, chewing thoughtfully, then glanced left and right across the bustling main market.
Crowds moved between stalls; children chased each other with sticks; merchants shouted discounts. But no spires, no stained glass, no symbol of divine authority. Nothing that screamed 'church.'
"I don't see any church or black pillar," I said aloud, my voice muffled by the food in my mouth. I swallowed hard and clicked my tongue. "Tch, did they lie to me? Even on their deathbeds?"
Disappointment soured my expression. I turned in a slow circle, hoping to catch some kind of steeple or bell tower hiding in the skyline. But no luck.
Just as I was about to take another bite, a hoarse voice chirped beside me.
"Little lady, you seem to be lost? Might this old bag of bones be of any assistance?"
I froze mid-bite.
That voice... it was too familiar.
I turned to face the speaker-and immediately felt a chill crawl down my spine. Standing next to me, somehow unnoticed until now, was her.
That granny.
That dangerous, fan-wielding monster of an old woman from the train.
Forcing a smile, I lowered the rib and bowed my head slightly. "May the lady with old bones help me in finding the church," I said smoothly, carefully keeping my tone respectful.
She stared at me, unimpressed. "The youth of today doesn't know how to respect their elders," she grumbled, glaring up at me with eyes sharper than any blade.
I matched her gaze. "And do elders today not realize that fans can be hazardous weapons?"
She scoffed, waving her fan in the air as if to remind me who was the real danger here.
"That was your fault for nearly smacking into this fragile bag of bones," she said with indignation.
"No, no," I shot back, trying not to sound too defensive. "It was the child who grabbed my tail. I had to unfreeze my feet from the floor."
"Excuses," she said flatly. "Stop making them, Fox."
I frowned. "I'm only stating facts, not excuses."
The granny's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Accept your wrongdoings, or do I need to break another fan on you?"
I tensed as she produced a fan seemingly out of thin air.
"...No, thank you," I said quickly, backing off slightly. "Can the wise elder please give me the directions to the church?"
She gave a satisfied hum and lowered the fan. "Thought so. I don't know what a demon like you would be doing at a church, but it's another five blocks east-on the right side."
I bowed my head again. "Thank you, elder. As for what I want to do there... let's just say the black pillar intrigues me."
The old woman gave a long sigh and muttered, "If that's so, head to the west slums after. You'll get additional information there about the pillars and their material."
My ears twitched.
'West slums again? That's the second time I've heard that... Is she talking about the black market?'
"You really are a wise elder," I said, genuinely surprised.
Her face twitched-and in the next instant, a fan smacked directly into my forehead.
Smack!
"Did I not tell you I would break another fan on you?" She barked.
"Y-Yes, and it still hurts!" I yelped, rubbing the growing lump on my head.
"Now give me money," she said, holding out her wrinkled hand.
I blinked. "The fan was twenty silver, right?" I asked, already digging into my pouch.
"That should do," she said as I dropped the coins into her palm.
She turned briskly and walked away before I could say another word.
"Wait... I didn't give you any-"
I paused.
She was gone.
Utterly vanished into the crowd.
I looked down at my open coin pouch-only to find it was missing.
I stared at the empty space beside me where she once stood.
Realization hit.
"...So that's what she meant by 'that should do.' That bastard of an old hag!" I shouted suddenly, drawing startled glances from people around me.
Clenching my fists, I growled, "Old hag, just you wait!"
With a defeated sigh, I turned my eyes east and began walking again.
[Old Bag of Bones POV]
"Old hag, just you wait!" The fox girl shouted behind me.
I smirked to myself as I stood atop a nearby rooftop, hidden by a light veil of magic.
Lifting the stolen pouch from my sleeve, I opened it with the quiet excitement of a child unwrapping candy.
Only to frown.
"...Copper? Some silver?" I turned it over, letting the coins fall onto the rooftop tiles. "That cunning fox. She's improved more than I thought."
Chuckling under my breath, I teleported away with a flick of my fingers.
"She'll be here soon enough. Might as well enjoy a nap while I wait."
Dropping my illusion, I let my body sink onto the cold stone of a nearby dungeon floor, stretching out and closing my eyes with a satisfied sigh.
[Kitsuna POV]
"Mil didn't say anything about it being this thick and tall..." I said quietly, tapping my foot against the surface of the towering black pillar.
It was at least two meters thick, maybe more. Twenty meters high-easy. Its surface shimmered faintly, even in daylight, and the pressure it gave off was intense. Menacing.
Kneeling down, I pressed my palm against the base of the pillar, closing my eyes to feel for anything deeper than the faint killing intent already leaking out.
"I had a hunch the knife was weird. Then that elderly woman hinted at the black market and its connection to this material. I didn't think it would be the same thing." I exhaled through my nose, concentrating. "But then again... I didn't even notice Kayda was flirting with me for an entire month."
I grimaced, still rubbing the pillar, lost in thought.
Then-another voice.
"Does this pillar talk to you or something?"
I flinched, startled by the sudden presence behind me.
I turned. "You know, for a holy man, you're far too good at sneaking."
Warlord blinked at me. "Really? I shouted from down there and even used a light spell to climb up."
I stared blankly. "...Did I really get that distracted?"
Looking down at the pillar again, I furrowed my brow.
"I think I understand now."
'That killing intent... It clouded my senses.'
"What do you mean you understand?" Warlord asked, tilting his head.
I crouched again, placing both hands on the surface. "I'd jump off if I were you."
"What?"
Too late.
Boom!
A bolt of black lightning struck me-and the pillar-sending a shockwave rippling through the stone. Warlord had barely leapt down when it hit.
"Black lightning magic! Everyone, be ready for anything!" Someone below shouted in panic.
Boom!!
Another bolt struck, and this one was three times larger than the previous.
Cracks split the pillar, pieces crumbling as debris flew in all directions.
"It's breaking apart!" A nun screamed.
"Watch for falling rocks!"
People ran, dodging the chaos.
"Tch, why can't it all just fall like I want it to?" I grumbled, leaping between falling debris and storing key fragments in my dimensional storage.
Warlord stared up at me. "What did she do now?"
"There," I said, pointing at a small pile of collected rubble. "I left some for you guys."
Warlurd opened his mouth to respond, but another priest stormed up instead.
"From that big pillar, you're only leaving that much? You don't even have the right to take any of it! This is church business!"
I frowned. "What are you going to do? Fight me?"
"This idiot just doesn't know when to quit," Warlurd sighed, stepping forward.
"We want all the pieces now!"
"Yeah, no. That killing intent? Far too fascinating to let some angel-worshipping priests hog it all." I shook my head.
"Ken, drop it," Warlurd said, grabbing the angry priest by the shoulder. "She helped us during the Crimson Bandit raid-and she's Kayda the Sage's comrade."
"...Crimson Bandits?" I asked. "I forgot to ask-who are they, anyway?"
"You don't know?" Warlord blinked. "Even after fighting them?"
"Nope. Not a clue."
I turned to leave. "Anyway, I still need to find Kayda."
"Oh, she mentioned she'd be at the Sunflower Inn," Warlurd called after me. "Right next to the Adventurer's Guild."
I waved over my shoulder. "Thanks!"
As I made my way toward the west slums again, Mil's familiar voice called out behind me.
"Nova! That's not the way!"
I paused. "Oh, hey, Mil. Yeah, I know. I still have something to do over here before heading back."
She jogged up to me, clutching her skirt nervously. "N-Nova, are you and that Dragonoid together?"
I smiled faintly. "...I guess you could say we're 'together.'"
"I... see. Sniff."
I didn't look back.
'Yeah... that's the problem with weak hearts.'
I vanished from her sight with a flash step, landing softly atop a nearby roof, the city stretching out ahead of me.
avataravatar
Chapter 97:
"Now, in which part of the western slums can I find the black market?" I mumbled to myself, stepping deeper into the tangled, grimy streets of the slums. The main roads had already faded behind me, replaced by cracked stone paths littered with scraps, broken crates, and the occasional rat tail darting into shadows. The air here was different-thicker, more humid, laced with the scent of burnt herbs, unwashed bodies, and distant cooking fires.
To avoid attracting too much attention, especially given how noticeable I usually looked, I wrapped myself up in my long, black-and-red coat. The thick, dramatic fabric was warm, sure, but it offered the benefit of masking my demi-human traits. My tail, unfortunately, was always a challenge-it dragged behind me at nearly a meter and a half, impossible to fully hide unless I wrapped it around my waist like some bizarre sash. Even then, it still twitched with my mood, often giving me away.
I sighed, adjusting the plain white mask I wore, one that only had eye holes and a faint shimmer of ice magic dancing across its surface. Since I lacked any illusion skills, this mask was the best I could manage. "I should've asked for something with a voice muffler," I muttered as I brushed a strand of hair back into the hood. However, my goal was to evade recognition from anyone. No tails wagging, no ears twitching. Just a quiet, anonymous, totally-not-suspicious girl skulking through the slums."
Looking up at the sky, I squinted at the amber hue that bathed the upper walls of the buildings. The sun was beginning to set, just a hand's width from the horizon. Still too bright for true secrecy, but getting there.
"Shit," I groaned under my breath. "I probably should have waited for sunset... and let Kayda know what I was doing. Maybe leave a note at least."
I scratched at the back of my neck, letting the thought drift. Then, more to reassure myself than anything, I added, "Nah. I'll just walk around until all the dwellers come out. Slums are always more alive at night, anyway."
(Three hours later)
I was perched on the crumbling roof of what looked like an abandoned watchtower, a skeleton of stone and rusted wood left to rot in the middle of the slums. The place gave me a decent vantage point-tall enough to see down the narrow alleyways, low enough to stay hidden under the growing shadows of night.
For the past two hours, I'd been sitting with my legs swinging lazily off the edge, silently watching. My tail hung beside me like a lazy banner, occasionally curling when I shifted positions. Boredom was setting in hard.
But at last, the streets began to change. Dim, flickering lanterns were lit one by one, creating a mosaic of warm gold against the chill blue of night. Dwellers emerged like ghosts-hooded figures, grim-faced men, and wiry boys all moving with the familiarity of those born in alleyways. They passed coins beneath cloaks, shared drinks in broken mugs, and swapped goods from bags that looked heavier than they should.
"Finally," I whispered to myself, standing and brushing dust off my coat. "Time to check out the black market."
I crouched at the edge of the roof, eyes sweeping the road below. Dozens of candidates moved in and out of view, but I wasn't about to follow just anyone. Too risky. Too noisy.
'Now, I just need to decide whom to follow...' I thought, narrowing my eyes.
First, I spotted an old man with a disheveled gray beard, his back slightly hunched as he walked closer toward the center of the city. His clothes were ragged but neat, his step slow but deliberate. Experienced.
Then, a small group of guys in their twenties ambled down the alleys, whispering to each other with unsettling grins on their faces. One of them kept looking over his shoulder like he was hoping someone was tailing them. Sloppy. Probably bait.
Not feeling particularly inclined to follow idiots, I turned my attention to a third figure-a person roughly my height, wrapped in a cloak similar to mine. They moved carefully, glancing around only once or twice before ducking into an alley with practiced ease.
"Hmm..." I murmured, eyes darting between them. "Nah. Let's go with the old man. He seems like a classic informant type."
Ten minutes later, after keeping a safe distance, I found myself outside an aged building nestled between a pawnshop and a boarded-up bathhouse. A crooked wooden sign swung gently above the entrance, the letters reading: Timms's Bar. A worn groove in the ground below the doorway suggested plenty of traffic.
"I guess bars are good free info brokers," I mumbled, stepping forward and gently pushing the door open.
Ding!
A small bell above the door chimed brightly as I entered.
The room inside was dim, lit mostly by flickering candles and a single magical orb floating near the center beam. Silence fell as soon as I stepped in. Dozens of eyes turned to look at me-most exhausted, some suspicious, and a few outright hostile.
Not one to back down from a crowd, I sauntered up to the bar and sat at the nearest open stool, making sure to keep my posture relaxed and confident.
Behind the counter, surprisingly, stood a young demon girl with jet-black hair and two small, sharp red horns peeking through her bangs. Her expression was unreadable, calm but alert.
"Welcome to Timms's Bar. What can I get you?" she asked, smoothed her voice smooth and practiced.
I tilted my head slightly, curious. "Aren't you a bit too young to be working at a bar?"
Several gasps rippled from nearby patrons.
The demon girl didn't flinch. She smiled sweetly, ducked down behind the bar, and popped back up-holding five large jugs of sake in each hand like they weighed nothing.
"Ten sakes it is then," she said casually, setting them all in front of me with a loud thud-thud-thud-thud-thud.
