I blinked, taken aback by her strength. "I take it back. Holding five of those in one hand... You're a really skilled old lady."
Another wave of gasps filled the bar.
"Just shut up!" someone yelled from a nearby table, followed by others chiming in.
I tilted my head, confused. "Did I say that out loud?"
The girl's smile widened. "Too late to take it back. That'll be another ten."
And just like that, she stacked ten more jugs of sake onto the already teetering pile.
'Shit. I thought, "Where is an alcoholic when you need one?" while staring at the miniature tower of doom in front of me.
"If you don't finish that in thirty minutes," the demon girl added, her voice sugary-sweet, "I'll give you another ten to drink, girly."
"Y-Yes, boss," I said, and dispelled the lower part of my mask so I could start drinking.
The first sip hit like fire and ice-smooth but burning all the way down.
"So it's a magic mask," the demon girl said, not moving from her spot in front of me.
"Of course," I replied between gulps. "How else is a foodie like me supposed to eat?"
"What's a foodie?" she asked, genuinely confused.
"Someone who lives to eat. Loves it." I finished the first jug and set it on the bar with a sharp clunk.
"At least your mouth isn't just for insults," she muttered, glancing at the empty jug.
"Huh? I wasn't insulting you. Not intentionally, anyway." I paused, then added, "Well, maybe the last one was."
"Yeah, whatever you say." She gave me a skeptical look, then scanned me again.
"But Miss Demon Girl, shouldn't you be working instead of checking me out?" I teased, giving her a sly glance.
"Nope. You're new. And interesting," she said plainly. "I know everyone else in this place. However, you are a rare find."
"Oh great," I groaned. "So I'm a showpiece now."
"Pretty much. And maybe slow down? You've already finished ten jugs. It hasn't even been ten minutes."
I pointed at her. "Says the demon who gave them to me."
"Little?" she asked, eyes narrowing.
"What? You're short. So, little."
She huffed, crossing her arms. "Whatever. What brings a rich person like you to the slums?"
"Rich?" I looked down at my coat. "Oh, this? I didn't buy it. I'm actually the poorest person here. Got robbed by an old bag of bones this afternoon."
"What stole your money?"
"An old lady," I said with a dramatic sigh.
"Damn," she muttered, then leaned in. "Didn't buy it? How'd you get that coat?"
"A girl I'm with bought it for me."
"Ohh," she said knowingly. "Someone important, huh?"
I nodded. "Probably my future wife."
"Well, damn. That's very important."
"Mhm." I downed another jug and set it down. "Been looking all over town to find her a present today. But nothing I saw felt right."
"What do you think would suit her?"
"White," I said instantly, remembering the dress she wore once. "She's just... perfect in white."
"A wedding dress?" she teased.
"No! That's far too early!" I blurted, flustered.
She laughed. "Alright, alright. I can try to get you to a better market for gifts."
"Sammy, don't you think it's too early to talk about that stuff?" A man at the bar called over.
"Hey!" I snapped. "It's not polite to eavesdrop."
"She's already drunk. "She won't remember a thing," Sammy said with a grin.
She's not wrong. But I have a feeling I'll remember this night forever, I thought, squinting at my tenth jug.
"So the young demon's name is Sammy," I said aloud.
"Yes. Nice to meet you. And you?"
"Alice," I replied, shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you too."
"Great. Now follow me," she said, walking into the kitchen.
"Follow you? Alrighty." I stood, placed both palms on the bar, and leapt-only to slip on spilled sake.
Crash!
I tumbled, knocking over glasses, chairs, and part of the bar on the way down.
"What happened?" Sammy called, poking her head back.
"I slipped. My bad," I groaned, fixing my coat and picking myself up.
"What did you do?!" she hissed.
"You said to follow! I didn't see the door-thought I'd hop over."
"Dummy, the door's right there," she pointed, deadpan.
"...Oops."
She stared at the cracked bar. "How the hell did you break that? That bar takes my punches."
'Girl, you're not that strong,' I thought. 'Level 400 uncommon isn't impressive.'
"If you're wondering, no-I'm not fat. I'm just muscular," I added out loud with a grin, pushing her back into the kitchen.
"Hey! You're paying for that!" someone shouted from behind.
"Shit. Sammy! Know anywhere I can sell stuff right now?"
"It's your lucky day," she smirked, walking through a door behind the kitchen that led to a narrow stairwell descending into the dark. "The black market auction is tonight."
"Black market auction?" I echoed, following her into the depths.
"That'll work," I whispered, grinning under my mask as the darkness swallowed us both.
avataravatar
Chapter 98:
"Didn't you say you wanted to get her something white?" Sammy asked, giving me a skeptical side glance as she sipped from a cup of cheap-smelling tea.
"Yes," I replied flatly, resting my chin on one hand as I stared through the one-way glass wall in front of us. Beyond it, attendants in black suits were preparing the auction stage. "She looks stunning in white."
Sammy raised an eyebrow. "Then why didn't you give her one of your white weapons to put on display?"
I blinked once. Then twice. 'Because they're made out of ice, genius,' I thought dryly, giving her a deadpan look. 'She'll fry those things in seconds if she even tries to use them, and why the hell would she put weapons on display in the first place?'
Apparently, my expression was enough to answer.
"Don't give me that look," Sammy huffed, pointing an accusatory finger at me. "You gave enough weapons to make the auction house offer us a VIP room! A VIP room! Do you know how rare that is?"
I shrugged, trying to look indifferent. "I just gave them fifteen items. They aren't that good, anyway."
"They don't have to be god-tier artifacts to be valuable," she said, waving her hands around like I was missing something obvious. "They're elegant, rare, and beautiful. They'll sell well-especially in a place like this, with half the room filled with bored nobles looking to flaunt wealth. I wouldn't be surprised if every one of your pieces goes for over 1,000 gold."
I leaned back into the plush velvet couch, gazing lazily at the sparkling glass that separated us from the main auction room. The lights hadn't dimmed yet, but you could feel the buzz of anticipation humming through the building.
"Oh?" I said, cocking an eyebrow. "So you're saying I should get at least fifteen thousand gold coins?"
Sammy snorted. "No. Your scythe alone will probably go for that much. I'd bet your knives will fetch around a thousand apiece, and the rest? Between five and eight thousand each, minimum."
I tilted my head, doing some quick mental math. "...Your wording is confusing. So how much do you think I'm going to make, exactly?"
Sammy let out a worn-out sigh and rolled her eyes. "Over fifty thousand. Easily. The amount could increase significantly if people engage in a bidding war.
I gave a low whistle. "Damn. And here I thought I'd have to break into somewhere just to get what I wanted."
Sammy paused. "Break in?"
"Yeah," I said casually, like it wasn't a big deal. "I didn't know how to access the black market before this. But thanks to you, here I am."
Her eyes widened in horror. "You-!" she shrieked, shooting to her feet.
Or trying to, at least.
Before she could make it a full step, a length of silver chain snaked around her ankles and yanked her back down into the seat she started in. With a yelp, she landed with a soft thump on the padded cushion, glaring daggers at me.
"No, you don't," I said calmly, tightening the chain with a flick of my fingers. "Sit down. I'm not going to do anything major. I'm just here to learn a little more about a certain metal."
She squirmed against the restraint, but the chains only coiled tighter, now wrapping around her waist and arms to pin her against the seat. "Let me go! I can't trust you!"
"Sheesh," I muttered, not bothering to hide my exasperation. "You're the one who brought me here. I just want to know what this metal is. That's all. I'm on vacation, and this metal just... intrigued me."
I pulled out the same black knife I'd found earlier that afternoon-the one with that eerie cold weight and sharp finish. I set it on the small table between us.
Sammy's eyes flicked to it instantly, and something in her posture shifted.
"A knife made out of demon rock intrigued you?" She said slowly, as if weighing every word. "That metal's as strong as steel but as light as air."
My eyebrows rose slightly. "So it's called demon rock, huh? Thanks for that."
Her lips pressed into a thin line.
"But why does it sound like it's not all that rare?" I added, narrowing my eyes.
"Well... in the last couple of years, it's become more common," she admitted, still watching me carefully. "So it's nothing new to us."
"By us, do you mean the black market?" I asked, arching an eyebrow.
She gave a small nod but didn't meet my eyes this time.
"Huh," I hummed, fingers tapping against the table. "If it's that common, then what's the going rate?"
She hesitated for a beat. "...Daggers like that one would go for maybe thirty gold coins."
I groaned, deflated. "That's boring. I thought it was some kind of mythical material. I mean, there are pillars of this stuff growing out of destroyed churches."
Sammy's head tilted, and she frowned. "I've heard about that. They say there's a terrorist group targeting the church. Whenever a church gets destroyed, all that's left is a pillar of demon rock... and six dead priests."
"And a lot of rubble," I added with a dry chuckle. "But yeah, the rest is spot-on. Do you have any idea who this group is? Or what their goals are?"
"I have no idea who they are," Sammy replied with a small shrug. "But their goal seems obvious-to destroy the church."
"You're wrong," I said quietly, eyes scanning her for a reaction. "A group like that doesn't just go after the church. There's something more. They're too adept at staying hidden. Even the king doesn't know who they are."
Sammy looked at me with surprise but said nothing.
Before either of us could continue, the lights in the auction house dimmed. Four spotlights flared to life, illuminating the stage with a dramatic flair. A man in his forties stepped onto the center of the stage, wearing a sleek black suit and carrying an unnecessary amount of confidence.
"It's starting," Sammy said quietly. Despite still being wrapped in chains, she seemed to settle back into her seat as if she'd accepted her fate.
"Yeah, they took their time," I commented.
The announcer cleared his throat. "Ahem, ahem. Good evening, guests! Apologies for the delay-last-minute merchandise was delivered to us, and we had to prepare it properly for tonight's event!"
I quirked a brow.
"Now," he continued, his arms raised theatrically, "let the 20th Annual Black Market Auction begin!"
"Don't shout like that, moron! We don't have hearing problems!" From our VIP booth, I yelled loudly enough for everyone to hear.
The announcer glanced up, squinting at our window in confusion, then ignored me and carried on like a true professional.
"Our first item is one of those last-minute arrivals," he said. "Two beautiful daggers, made out of magically reinforced ice. Combat-ready, yes, but best appreciated as decorative pieces."
My face twitched. "This bastard is degrading my weapons... I worked so hard on those," I muttered, fuming.
'Those took like 50 mana each. Do you know how hard it is to get the swirl just right?'
"You made them?" Sammy asked, looking surprised.
"Yes, of course I made them," I snapped.
"We'll start the bidding at 800 gold coins."
"950!"
"1,000!"
"Ho ho, he does know how to make money," I said, forgetting my earlier frustration.
"You really love money, don't you?" Sammy asked with a sigh.
"Heh. Of course. Without funds, how am I expected to make any purchases? I grinned.
"Sold! For 1,250 gold coins, to number 36!"
"Yeah! Make me more money, Baldy!" I cheered at the announcer, who still looked vaguely baffled.
Knock, knock.
"Hmm, did I already get a noise complaint?" I asked, glancing toward the door. "Come in."
A security guard stepped in, tall and dressed in black leather armor. He gave me a nod and said simply, "Please keep it down, ma'am."
Then he walked off without waiting for a response.
I blinked. "To think the guards here would be that strong... Level 700: a rare class. Guess I should've brought Kayda after all. She's going to kill me when she finds out."
Sammy snorted. "What did you think? This is the black market. Fights happen a lot here."
"Fair point. Anyway, what's up next?"
The announcer gestured toward a new object. "A white brooch, carved from sacred stone found on the Mountain of Ice."
My eyes widened as he added, "Starting bid: 1,000 gold coins."
"These things are expensive," I commented aloud.
Sammy gave me a strange look. "You're thrilled that your weapons are fetching thousands, but you get surprised at this?"
I turned toward her. "Yeah, and what's wrong with that?"
"...Nothing, I guess."
I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. "I think I should get her a robe instead. Something that fits. I don't see her wearing a brooch."
"You said she's your lover, right?" Sammy asked. After I nodded, she continued, "She'll probably wear anything you give her. Even if it's weird."
I sighed. "Maybe... But I've never seen her wear jewelry. Still, it's too late now."
As the brooch was carried off the stage, the next item rolled out-another of my creations. The next item was a sleek katana that featured a frost-coated sheath.
The announcer opened his mouth.
"100,000 gold coins," a woman's voice called out confidently from another VIP room.
My heart froze.
"Why does that voice sound familiar..." I muttered.
Sammy's face turned grim. "You know her. That's Grandenzil. Leader of the Crimson Bandits."
I choked. "Shit, I might die tonight. If not from her, then Kayda will do it herself."
"Do you have beef with Grandenzil?"
I waved her off. "Not really."
"Then I guess you have beef with us," Sammy said sweetly, her grin turning sinister.
I gave her a glare and disappeared from my seat in a flash.
"And now," the announcer declared proudly, "we have six chakrams made from demon rock! Great for close and mid-range combat!"
