Chapter 59
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: The Black Mage's Request
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I supported the ragged Morris all the way back to the city. The whole time, I whispered into his ear like I was brainwashing him that it absolutely wasn't me who hurt him, but the monsters. Every time he came to his senses, I relentlessly asked him who beat him up, and without fail, he answered that it was the monsters.
"Satisfactory."
Physical cram education was this effective.
Realizing that Korea's education system wasn't wrong, I was deeply moved and broke into the national anthem.
"Mr. Morris. Can't you walk on your own now?"
"Urgh..."
It was time for him to become independent, so I let him go. He had become a complete ragamuffin. This is what happens when people harbor evil intentions. Look at those teeth. Could he even eat dinner properly today? They say the throat is a second stomach, and it fit him perfectly. Recalling the moral of rewarding good and punishing evil, I had no doubt he'd become a new man from now on.
The sun was starting to set. We arrived at the city while the sky still had an orange tint. A little later, and the gates would have closed.
A bored-looking guard stopped us.
"Why is that guy hurt so badly?"
"He was under concentrated attack from a group of monsters. He needs quick treatment."
"I see. Then get in quickly."
We passed through the gates without issue. It was time to part ways. Since the loot could be divided individually, there was no need for separate settlement. I was about to head off with the party.
"Goodbye, Gibson. Mr. Morris, give my regards to your parents. If we meet again because of some really bad business, it won't be you who dies, but your mom and dad. Keep that in mind. And take care, Ms. Cloudy. Watch out for scammers targeting outsiders; always stay cautious."
I waved and turned away. All that was left was to wash up and sleep. Four request items remained: goblin balls (shortened to green balls), gremlin eyes, corpse mushrooms, and lemonia grass. It should take two to three days.
"Hey, wait a minute."
"Huh?"
Cloudy stopped me as I turned. I looked back at her. Did she have something to ask?
"Ah..."
"Do you need something?"
There was camaraderie as fellow outsiders, so I was willing to help. Plus, hadn't I mediated the Morris incident peacefully? Thanks to that, I could sleep like a baby tonight.
"Well... ah, right. This hide. Where should I sell it? I haven't been here long, so I'm not familiar with that stuff."
She hesitated before saying that. Scaled hide should go to a leather shop rather than a smithy. They were all clustered near the smithies anyway.
"Since it's hide, probably a leather armor specialty shop."
I gestured to show the direction.
"Heh, is that so? Over there, huh. But you need to sell yours too, right? Guide me."
"Hmm... sure. I'll show you."
Mine wasn't for the request, but anyway.
She seemed to need help, so I led the way. Cloudy followed beside me.
"Do you have your own place? Live in this city?"
"No way I have money for a house. I stay at inns with daily earnings, rent a room for a week when I have spare cash, and that's how I live. Isn't it the same for you, Ms. Cloudy?"
"Yeah, yeah. Same for me."
Cloudy, bored perhaps, asked me all sorts of questions while walking. Mostly about my personal life. For someone who came to the city alone, a fellow foreigner like me must be welcome.
"Your speech is so polite. Is that a Mirkeshan custom? It's refreshing. Like you learned it properly; not many guys talk like that."
"I personally think it's just common sense. Well, this world doesn't always run on common sense... And I drop the honorifics when pissed."
"Huhu, true. But it feels a bit stiff."
I caught the hint of her interest. She wanted a friend. I immediately adjusted my tone toward her.
"Ah, so I can call you Cloudy?"
"Yeah~."
"We're here. That place."
We entered the leather shop. The owner was tidying up tools.
"Boss, still open?"
"For now. Closing soon."
We'd come right at closing time. The owner looked tired but approached us like he'd serve the last customers.
"Got any scale wolf hides? Freshly hunted today."
"What? Scale wolf? Hand it over."
"Cloudy, give him yours. I'm not selling."
"Huh? Why?"
"Request items. The head and dick we grabbed earlier are for requests."
Cloudy handed two hides to the owner.
"Hoo... Nice condition. 50 copper."
"Come on, boss, 5 more copper? It's perfectly processed."
"Bargaining at closing time."
Haggle failed, damn.
Cloudy glanced at my face with a strange look and asked the owner.
"55 copper, no?"
"Uh... yeah, 55 copper."
"Thanks."
The owner saw her face, flinched, and upped it by 5 copper right away. Wow, damn, this is why looks are a weapon. Men are weak to beauties. But my face is just thug-like. Damn.
Outside, the sun had fully set. I said goodbye to her.
"Get home safe. Normally I'd escort you, but honestly, you seem hundreds of times stronger than me, so I'll skip it."
"Hey, Katt."
She could use Starburst Stream (important). A true powerhouse who could slice a truckload of me without breaking a sweat. Even most mages would lose their heads before chanting.
"I said I'm not familiar with this city yet, right?"
"Yeah. I was the same at first."
"So, tell me a bit more... How about we talk inside there? I got money now, so I'll buy."
She pointed to a tavern.
Was this free booze (important) coming my way?
"No, you'll buy drinks?"
"Why, don't want to?"
"Hell yeah I do!"
My mood skyrocketed. Free stuff is best, but free booze is king. Haven't had a drop lately, what luck!
We took a corner booth in the tavern. I prefer the counter for easy ordering, but she wanted the corner. She ordered two big mugs of beer.
"Man, you're feeding me booze. Thanks a ton."
"No biggie. Thanks to you, I made 5 extra copper just now."
"That was purely because of..."
The server brought foaming mugs in large wooden tankards.
"Your looks."
"Flattering me for booze?"
"100% sincere. I don't lie."
A bit embarrassing saying it, but her smile said it was fine. We clinked mugs and I chugged mine. The cold fizz rushing down hit just right, hyping me up.
"Kya!"
Halfway down, I let out a cheer. Alcohol after so long felt amazing. Cloudy matched her skills with capacity, downing the huge mug in one go.
"Hmm, another round?"
"I haven't finished mine."
"Drink up. I'll order yours too."
I drank whatever she gave. Was it her homeland custom? She seemed to think booze must be downed immediately upon arrival. Bad drinking habit.
"Ugh, damn. Not that I can't drink more, my stomach's full..."
"Yeah? I'm fine."
She chugged the fifth mug and removed her hood. Pale purple hair cascaded out, sparkling like amethyst dust. I was captivated.
Brown skin with light purple hair... It gave off a fresh, clear scent. Her unexpected beauty made me inhale sharply. No wonder she wore the hood. Beauty's a blessing and a curse, attracting annoyances.
"Hm? What?"
"Uh, no. Your hair color's just..."
"Just?"
"Well, it's like... amethyst. Pretty and sparkly. Suits you perfectly. Really beautiful color."
"Beautiful? Hehe, glad to hear that."
"Glad?"
"Nothing."
My heart raced oddly. Booze? Her laugh made my body twitch involuntarily. Fine moments ago, now her face felt intimidating. Cloudy was superhumanly gorgeous; I was intimidated.
"Uh."
Then I noticed something weird.
Her ears were pointed.
"Hey. Your ears..."
Pointed ears?
Elf?
"Ears? Oh, I'm half dark elf. See."
Cloudy swept her hair back, tying it, revealing her ears. Her nape exposed, long pointed elven ears protruded. Three gold earrings per ear.
"Y-you're a dark elf? Damn, no wonder you look unrealistically beautiful...!"
I jumped in shock.
Sudden elf vibe froze me up.
"Unrealistically beautiful? Hehe, first time hearing that. Precisely, half dark elf. Thanks for the praise. You talk well."
Dark elves were a combative race with advanced assassination skills. Tales of their guerrilla units massacring villages in the Great War, or assassins skinning noble families never ceased.
Other races.
Non-humans' thoughts were unknowable. Similar looks, but lives, cultures, values, morals all differed vastly.
Elves seemed arrogant and haughty—true, viewing humans as speaking beasts. Dark elves' cruelty was real too.
I started getting scared.
Separate from her beauty. Knowing her different race sparked unease.
"Staring so guardedly? No need. I kinda like you."
"Guarded? No, just tense. Sorry. Shouldn't have. As apology, I'll buy snacks?"
But thinking that way felt rude. I apologized immediately.
"No need to apologize... Well, fine. If you felt that, better than snacks—just drink the booze I buy. In my hometown, men can't refuse a woman's drinks."
"I-is that so? Then cheers."
We drank till late. My face heated, world spun; she seemed fine. Dark elf tolerance outmatched mine.
"Ugh... Ah, haven't drunk this much in forever."
I clutched my forehead. The room started spinning.
"What? Already drunk? Tsk, man up. More, drink more."
"Drunk? I'm fine."
"Yeah? Then more."
Cloudy propped her chin, smiling, pushing drinks. Pride before a girl, I chugged them all.
"Lots of scars. How'd you get so beat up?"
"F-rank days... hic! When I had zero skill... rolled hard. Lived in Krasheim two, three years? First one or two was pure hell..."
"What happened?"
"Various... hic! Ah, hold on. Hiccup."
"You okay?"
"Fine. Still good. Anyway... back then, I was literal street trash... No guarantee I'd survive the next day... But being a beggar was bad enough—called barbarian, got every kind of grief... Ugh... Damn, so dizzy... Head's splitting..."
I slammed my head on the table. Talking was hard. Breathing made my brain throb.
"Hmm... Enough now?"
Cloudy approached, propping me up. I leaned on her, kept talking.
"Now with proper gear, not looking like trash, it's fine... back then it was really..."
"Yeah, yeah. Must've been tough. Let's go. You look beat; better rest somewhere."
Her body heat hit, and my mind went hazy.