Shopping in the Black Market
Shopping in the Black Market
The Black Market. It was a term referring to a market that operated secretly, unlike ordinary markets.
In truth, Black Markets were difficult to encounter, so it was natural for most people to go their entire lives without knowing about them. However, everyone knew that Black Markets had always existed, regardless of the era.
Why did they conduct business so secretly?
The reason wasn't hard to find.
Because the goods weren't legal, because they were items that shouldn't circulate easily in the market.
Furthermore, because they were not goods, but rather something treated as goods.
As I walked, my footsteps clacking on the stairs that seemed carved from stone, a dark passage dimly lit by torches greeted me.
Kylon seemed accustomed to such places, or perhaps he was so certain he wouldn't die, that he walked as if on an ordinary path.
Unaccustomed to the eerie atmosphere, I felt a little intimidated, even though my body was immortal.
The truth was, regardless of my body being immortal, people uninterested in the Power of a Saint or whatever might capture me and do who-knows-what.
Having Kylon beside me, I felt my anxiety subside a little.
Anyway, after passing through this sealed tunnel, which seemed difficult to escape from or enter, a slightly wider space existed at its end.
A guard stood in front of a single door.
Kylon, who had been silent the entire way here, naturally struck up a conversation.
"Do you know why it's being held here this time?"
"Ah, you're not someone who's only been here once or twice, are you, buddy? Did you change your face or something?"
One of the two guards, who was carrying a sword, chuckled and replied to Kylon's extensive knowledge.
It seemed that most people involved in the Black Market were of that sort, and simply by having made it this far, he was deemed worthy of being treated as a customer, so the guard continued to answer his question.
"Hey, they say the King is causing a fucking ruckus these days, right? I mean, what does that have to do with us, but if he's tearing things apart looking for us, how could we get close to the Royal Capital?"
Upon hearing that, my Glabellum furrowed on its own.
Wondering what kind of King was pulling such dog-like stunts again, I let out a groan, and my expression seemed to catch the guard's eye, as he tilted his head and glanced at me behind Kylon.
"Buddy, you've got a cute one with you. This time there's a lot of pretty magical stuff, so take a good look around."
There was a guard who, upon seeing me, spoke with a nuance that implied I should be bought and used for something.
Disgusted, I hid behind Kylon again, and Kylon pulled clinking coins from his pocket and subtly handed them to the guard.
"Thank you. This is..."
"Oh, thanks to people like you, buddy, I feel energized!"
The guard, having received the money, smirked, raising the corner of his mouth, and opened the door.
He was shabbily dressed, but if he was standing guard, he must be quite recognized here, right?
After all, guards are mostly personnel used when a show of force is needed.
Lost in various thoughts, I followed Kylon through the door, and inside, an incredibly vast space greeted us.
Perhaps there were quite a lot of people; from those in shabby attire, to large figures whose forms were hidden by robes, and even further, people with jewels on their fingers, as if to show they were quite well-off here, were all murmuring and looking around the market.
I thought that if a market floor truly existed underground, it would feel exactly like this.
Unlike the passage, I looked around the gloomy yet bright space, illuminated by torches and Magic Stones embedded everywhere I considered a path.
It was a strange sensation. Even if only the location changed in a familiar landscape, it would feel peculiar, but encountering an unexpected and never-before-seen space made goosebumps prickle all over my body.
As I peered out with sparkling eyes, Kylon grinned and stroked my head.
"...Don't touch me as you please."
"What's the big deal?"
"It is a big deal."
I smacked Kylon's hand away when he suddenly touched my head, but he chuckled wryly, not seeming particularly displeased, and withdrew his hand.
Anyway, in a Black Market like this, there might be many things to buy, but not many things one actually needed, so it was best to just buy what was necessary and leave quickly.
After quickly inquiring about the location from the patrolling guards, Kylon and I were able to arrive immediately.
The shop with the magical items that the first gate guard had mentioned.
"...Hohoho, welcome, to, this, old, woman's, shop."
An old woman, who seemed on the verge of breathing her last, was drawing something with a brush dipped in red liquid on paper that looked like it would be used for a Bujeok.
Yes, with paper like that, she would make Bujeok.
Seeing her personally making the Bujeok was fascinating, and as I unconsciously stared at her, Kylon carefully furrowed his Glabellum and spoke.
"Do you happen to have any magic that makes people obey my words? Like Hypnosis, for example."
"Ho, ho. Hypnosis, oh yes, I have it, of course."
The old woman said that, then dropped her left hand, which had been holding the brush, with a thud, and with trembling hands, pulled something out from below.
It was none other than a jewel-like stone radiating three colors of light.
Blue subtly transitioned to purple. Purple glowed red, and red returned to blue once more.
As I stared blankly, captivated by its beautiful appearance, Kylon stroked his chin, as if he wanted to buy something else besides that.
"Kylon...? Are you buying more?"
"Unlike back then, I'm going to buy what I want."
"Back then...?"
I pouted, thinking, 'When exactly was "back then"?' Then, with an "Ah," I finally remembered.
That "back then" referred to when he first encountered this world as a game.
Indeed, in games, no matter how many items were sold and displayed in a shop, the actual items available for purchase within the game were fixed.
Unless one tampered with the System, it was impossible to buy anything outside the list.
But now it was different. This was reality, and because it was reality, the restriction of not being able to buy anything outside the list was as good as gone.
Perhaps because of that, Kylon's expression had changed to one of slight excitement.
Having bought a fist-sized jewel as a Hypnosis Tool, I wondered what else he intended to buy, so I watched his choices carefully. He immediately posed a question to the old woman.
A question to find other goods.
"...Um, then, do you have anything that makes the body sensitive?"
"Hoho... At, that, age, already, relying, on power?"
"No, well... she's a formidable woman."
Flora is that formidable?
Indeed, now that I think about it, it seems the other girls are subdued by rhetoric, atmosphere, or sex techniques, but Flora is the only one who uses Hypnosis Tools, so it makes sense.
But I didn't nod. I felt that any reaction from me would seem awkward, as if I had been dragged to an adult store and was just blankly watching adult toys being chosen for a woman without my input.
"Hoho... Then, here, take, this, Bujeok."
Intricate red characters were written on a thin yet tough yellow paper.
"Is this a one-time use and then discard item?"
"No, what, a waste, of words? As long, as it's, attached, you can, keep using, it. Just, be careful, not to, tear it, hoho."
"Ah, I see. Then this, and... do you also have a Bujeok that makes people fall asleep?"
"That, is a Bujeok, that disappears, after one use. Will you buy it?"
"Then please give me a lot of those."
And so, the purchase was complete.
While they weren't exactly adult toys, they exuded an even more dangerous atmosphere, making it truly a terrifying sight.
I just wondered why that old woman was still making and selling such things at her age.
In Kylon's hand was the jewel radiating three colors of light, the Hypnosis Tool, and the other items were a Bujeok that made the body sensitive and a Bujeok that made one fall into a sleep so deep they wouldn't wake no matter what was done.
However, as those Bujeok entered Kylon's hands, I felt an involuntary sigh escape me.
It was a vague fear, like, 'Surely he wouldn't use them on me, would he?'
As I turned to leave the Black Market once again, Kylon flicked his hand, pointing in that direction.
"What, don't you need anything? Like a dildo or something?"
"...Why do you think I'd need that?"
"Because if you don't masturbate, it'll probably build up."
"No thanks."
Kylon was truly a person whose very thoughts were depraved.
While a man might feel an itch building up day by day if he didn't relieve himself, a woman's body didn't particularly have such a thing.
Unless addicted to pleasure, or actively seeking it out, there was no particular reason or need to masturbate.
As I glared at Kylon with dagger eyes, he patted my back, trying to smooth over the situation.
"Sorry, sorry. Let's just go back quickly."
"...Right. We probably won't have to come here again."
"Well, maybe."
"What do you mean, 'maybe'?"
Shopping at the Black Market was over.
There was nothing I wanted to buy.
Expensive weapons and tools sold only in the Black Market were abundant, but they felt a bit ambiguous for me to use.
Kylon had the Holy Sword, and perhaps because he thought everything else wasn't up to par, he didn't buy anything else either.
As the sun slowly set, we emerged back to the surface and walked towards our lodging.