What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 432

Dingdongdaeng Black Market (2)

At that moment,

-Thud!

-Creak, creak, creak…

A guest burst out of the tavern, ‘The Unforgiven Drink,’ and strode off somewhere.

The wooden saloon doors, like something out of a movie, flapped wildly.

We straightened our postures and watched her, moving only our eyes.

The woman seemed very hurried and was dressed in a red robe.

The eyes hidden in the shadow of her hood were hollow and lifeless.

Her hands were full of large packages, as if she were going on a trip.

She muttered madly about ‘the end’ and ‘shelters’ before disappearing into an alley.

But no one in Yeri Lake seemed particularly interested in her appearance.

Except for us.

-Whoosh…

“…”

“…We saw it as soon as we arrived, ‘Twilight Sanctuary’.”

‘Tch.’ Ms. Gain spat out a blade of grass and muttered.

Sir Johann smiled faintly and shrugged.

“I’ll give you a few precautions before you go in.”

Then he got off his horse first. We followed him and stepped onto the ground.

The divine beasts in his arms wriggled, curious about the outside.

Clang! Just as Herit’s father was about to speak, a girl who looked about twelve years old ran out of the tavern.

The child wiped her hands on her old apron and bowed to us.

Then she quickly took the reins of Charlemagne.

Even though she was still young, her eyes were sharp, and she looked like she knew her job.

“Hello, lords. Are you here to shop?”

“No.”

“Then I’ll take the horses to the stable.”

‘Are you here to shop?’ Are they running a general store inside?

I looked back at Sir Johann with a questioning look, but he said nothing.

I took out a small piece of silver from my Gaga bag [a magical pouch] and handed it to the girl.

If we spent it without limit, we’d be in big trouble, but right now we had enough capital to cross the continent.

This was one of the most powerful resources His Majesty the Emperor had given us.

“Please take good care of them. Especially these two friends here; they’re a bit picky.”

“With this much tip, I’ll get you the best feed even if I have to rob a sacred monastery! Don’t worry, young master.”

The child smiled brightly and observed Arumhardt and Charles.

Recognizing that the other party was a child, Arum willingly lowered her head.

She was prickly but truly thoughtful.

After entrusting the six horses to Sondegi, we stood in front of the main gate.

Through the dusty windows, we could see the figures of customers.

All of them had red faces and unfocused eyes, looking like they were completely consumed by alcohol.

Or they were in the process of being consumed by alcohol.

Hmm, this isn’t a good place to show Ganael and the precious ones.

And that child working here…

“When we meet the informant, I’ll do the questioning and talking. You guys just wait quietly.”

Sir Johann turned to us and explained in a whisper. The group nodded promptly.

“Yes.”

“And if something hasn’t changed dramatically in the meantime, the informant is probably different from what you imagine. Don’t be too surprised.”

“Yes, yes.”

“What you see outside are ordinary customers. The real regulars here are mostly dangerous people, so it’s best not to talk to them.”

“I understand.”

“The robe’s effect is excellent, but as you know, it’s useless against someone who has already recognized you as special. Don’t forget that.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Sir Johann.”

When the four of us, excluding the Crown Prince, answered diligently, he chuckled as if something was funny.

Then he opened the door with the free hinge first. Bang!

“Welcome! Six people? A rare group of customers.”

As we pushed through the swinging door, an old man behind the bar greeted us.

He was a grandfather with a thick white beard and a protruding belly.

His red cheeks, round shoulders, and gentle eyes made him look like Santa Claus in a movie.

But the kind face was only temporary.

“…I hope you’ll be quiet while you’re here.”

The gaze that found Sir Johann became sharp in an instant.

It must have been a long time, but the old man recognized him at once. Even through the magic of the robe.

What on earth happened here?

Indeed, a tumultuous past wafted from the excellent mercenary.

“Today is a good day, so I’m here to confess to the ‘Abbot’.”

“Huh?”

As Herit’s father approached and said the code-like words, the owner’s expression changed rapidly.

He leaned over the counter and carefully observed our appearance.

Meanwhile, I rolled my eyes around, looking around.

Crown Prince Cedric stood in front of me like a large sedan. Wow…

I’m older than you, so why would I be running around excitedly? Please move your car.

“The Abbot is a noble person. He doesn’t meet anyone without an ‘indulgence’.”

“As you can see, the ‘offering’ is plentiful.”

“…”

An unknown sentence was exchanged again between the old man and the man. Ganael stood close to me.

The tavern was much larger than I expected from the outside.

Even though the interior was dark, the ceiling felt high, and unlike the desolate street, there were quite a few customers inside.

The smell of alcohol and the loud drunken brawls vibrating from all directions made me feel drunk.

The smoky cigarette smoke made my vision blurry.

At least one or two magic lights hanging on the wall emitted a faint light, and the monster head decorations hanging here and there gave a gruesome impression.

It seemed that the regulars here had hunted them.

Right below, there were roughly scribbled signatures and fingerprints.

I thought it was fortunate that Tete, who had warmed up in my arms, was very sleepy.

If she had seen the dead monster glaring with its eyes, the baby would probably have had a seizure.

-Thwack!

“Today, the last one has to drink alcohol from the monster’s head! Huh!”

“Is the head enough? We should mix in a shot of esprit eyeball liquor too!”

“A guy who was so scared of blood that he avoided conscription, loves eyeball liquor so much.”

“Hahaha! You said that well! Okay, let’s go!”

“Ugh. You guys have good stomachs.”

Ms. Gain muttered, looking at the sjoelen [a Dutch shuffleboard game] players over there.

I just nodded silently.

Several people in reddish robes were sitting in the corner, and they seemed to be the gang that was shouting about the end of the world.

Chewing on dried snacks and sipping alcohol was a common sight anywhere, but…

Huh, I almost made eye contact. I have to be careful.

“…You really were a ‘confessor’. Go down to the basement, turn left twice, and right twice. The room at the end of the hallway. Knock seven times. What will you order?”

Around that time, the owner let us through.

The whispering voice made me nervous, as if they were plotting something.

I adjusted my magic stone glasses and rubbed my fingertips.

“Thank you. Three Advocats [a Dutch liqueur] and three Anis milk.”

“As you wish.”

The Cardinal gave a quick nod and took the lead.

The milk was probably for me, Ganael, and Sir Johann. He seemed to like it secretly.

-Step, step, step…

-Tap, tap, tap…

We pulled our hoods down and followed him with quick steps.

The stairs leading to the basement had no lights at all, so we had to be careful not to fall.

‘Squeak, squeak.’ Occasionally, the lesser pandas hidden in our friends’ arms cried softly.

It wasn’t a scary sound, and they still seemed curious about the outside.

Seeing Ddukshim, who had climbed all the way onto the Crown Prince’s shoulder, made me laugh.

I had no choice but to put him inside the man’s hood.

This way, he can get some fresh air, and it’ll be easy to hide him in case of emergency.

-Clack, click! Clack, click!

“…Wahahaha!”

“Bet it all! Just bet it all!”

-Clang, clang!

“You have to bet it all, of course. The continent is going to collapse!”

While passing through the hallway, loud shouts flowed out from the rooms with closed doors.

The sound of glasses breaking, tables being pounded, and dice being thrown was deafening.

The tavern was truly a gambling den where all sorts of games were taking place.

I thought the above-ground area was large, but the basement was several times larger.

Ganael’s face turned pale, and Lady Elizabeth took her fiancé’s hand.

I glanced up at Sir Johann.

“Of course, it’s illegal even in the Holy Empire. But it seems there are no personnel to crack down on it in a city abandoned even by the lord.”

“I see.”

“Of course, this was the kind of place even before Yeri Lake fell.”

He said lightly and curved the corners of his eyes. Hmm, it was originally a den of crime.

This is my first time coming to a place like this.

I exchanged glances with Ms. Gain and moved my feet diligently.

-….Step, step.

“We’re here.”

After going down to the basement floor, turning left twice, and then turning right twice.

By the time we arrived in front of the room at the end of the hallway, everything was quiet.

All the noise disappeared as if by magic, making me feel like I was under a spell.

Sir Johann knocked on the door without hesitation.

-Knock knock knock knock, knock knock knock

Clang! The door opened as if they had been waiting.

I stretched my neck out of curiosity, but the Crown Prince pulled on my robe again.

No, I’m not your brother. I’m just trying to look―

“Welcome, strangers. What information do you seek?”

Huh! As soon as I made eye contact with the informant, I covered my mouth with my sleeve.

Ms. Gain, who had put her head under my chin, and the Crown Prince, who had pushed his head into the crown of my head, also looked surprised.

The Elizabeth couple, who had been waiting quietly behind, wondered why they were doing that.

But we had promised not to raise our voices carelessly, and it would be too rude to talk about this in front of the person involved.

So I just looked at Sir Johann and moved my lips.

‘The informant is probably different from what you imagine. Don’t be too surprised.’

No, I was really prepared for most situations. This is really shocking…!

“What are you doing standing there? Close the door first. My fee is counted in seconds.”

Click! The little one pressed the watch crown firmly and said.

We hurriedly crouched down under the informant’s desk and hid.

After quickly closing the door, we diligently got used to the darkness.

Even in the midst of this, I couldn’t shake off the bewildered and shocking feeling.

“…”

A baby who looked no more than four years old was looking down at the group with a haughty expression.

Is this a real situation?

“You clearly see me for the first time. You’ve all turned very pale.”

The infant standing on the desk said nonchalantly (too young to even guess the gender).

We stood packed in a small room and nodded blankly.

The informant ‘Noë’, known here as the ‘Abbot’, was dressed in a Joo Shin-gyo priest’s robe [a fictional religious order] that fit him perfectly.

And the child’s space was only as big as a shoe store that you sometimes see near subway stations.

The ceiling was surprisingly high, but all three walls except for the door were bookshelves.

They were filled with all kinds of books and stationery without a single millimeter of space.

In the middle, there were the child’s clothes and teacups stuck in randomly, and there was also a crooked magic light hanging…

This is child abuse. Or is Noë not a child?

Perhaps the appearance is that of an infant, but the brain is that of an adult? Like it often appears in fantasy novels?

“If you have any questions, ask them quickly. Don’t you have any time to waste?”

“Ah, yes. Over here.”

I startled and opened my mouth, then realized that I wasn’t in charge of asking questions and fell silent again.

Sir Johann opened his mouth in a calm tone.

“We are looking for someone who ran away with ornate magical prosthetic arms and legs. The last sighting was said to be a day or two away from the Statia Plains. Do you know anything about it?”

“…”

Then the informant’s eyes narrowed like needles.

Ganael, who was sitting on the only guest chair―or rather, on Lady Elizabeth’s lap.

I was trembling with tension.

A moment of silence flowed.

“Interesting. You’re not the first customers to ask that.”

Ms. Gain and the Crown Prince’s shoulders stiffened. I bit my lip while holding Tete.

“…Yes, I know something. Wait a moment. My memory is hazy.”

Noë wiggled his chubby cheeks and began to climb the tall ladder with a refreshing look.

Below, I was restless, worried that the child would fall or get hurt.

But the person in question sat down in the middle with an indifferent face, pulled out a bunch of memos scribbled in elegant cursive, and held them in his hand.

Then he mumbled something, checked the paper, and threw it behind his back. Flutter, flutter, flutter…

“Ah! That’s right. Prosthetic arm.”

Flinch.

“Here it is. ‘A man with luxurious prosthetic arms and legs stole gloves hanging on a clothesline in the village and ran away.’ This happened recently in the territory just above. Let’s see… ‘He had a tattoo on his face. A very beautiful and unforgettable appearance.’ Is this the person you are looking for?”

“…”

Maybe, perhaps. It seemed right.

I hadn’t heard that Verners had a tattoo on his face, but.

I looked up at the Crown Prince busily. He nodded without showing it.

“…”

I see. You scarred that man’s face.

“It could be, or it could not be. Is there anything else?”

“Tsk.”

When Sir Johann answered naturally, Noë cleverly clicked his tongue with his small mouth.

Then he jumped down to the desk and began to rummage through the bookshelf on the opposite side.

Clatter, clatter! Rumble.

A long pipe and empty bottles rolled out.

I turned pale and began to use my imagination.

There’s no way he’d be drinking and smoking at such a young age. Maybe when he was older…

He must have done it when he was in his original body? There’s no ashtray nearby, so I’m right.

-Rustle!

“That’s right. ‘He seduced a couple of young men from the village and made them his servants.’ ‘He was a suspicious and penniless stranger, but he had a talent for attracting people.’ ‘He was as beautiful as an angel…’ Ah, there’s more. ‘He couldn’t run fast because one of his legs was prosthetic.’ ‘He barely ate because his hand was uncomfortable.’ ‘The horse he rode was very precious, but he abandoned it.’ ‘I sold the saddle and decorations and made a lot of money…'”

I closed and opened my eyes tightly. I had a strong feeling that was hard to explain in words.

“‘He wore a robe like a rag.'”

“…”

That’s him. That’s Verners Fenetian.

“When and where was that?”

“Where… Six days ago. Yeri Lake.”

“Huh?!”

Ms. Gain and I jumped up. The Crown Prince blocked us with his barricade-like arms.

“So where did he go?”

“Where did he go? This is the end. ‘Abandoned it.’ It’s written here. No one heard the direction or destination.”

Noë, who was standing on tiptoe, shook the memo in front of the Crown Prince’s eyes.

Six pairs of eyes intertwined in the air in an instant. I blinked quickly.