Black Market Bonanza
Recently, a worry had cropped up.
"Making friends?"
...No. And stop reading my thoughts.
He'd given up on making friends ages ago, so that wasn't it.
"Dante."
"What...?"
"What do you think of this magic formula?"
"...Looks like it's wasting mana in the circuit."
"Oh, really?"
Lately, Belloa had started asking him all sorts of questions. Probably because she'd lost that bet to him back then... Honestly, though. Wasn't this crossing a line?
"What training are we doing today? Legs...? Or chest?"
"What're you talking about? We've done two days straight, so today we rest."
"Ah, aw.... But I wanna train right now."
"Rest is part of training too. Hold out a bit."
Now Luel was begging for training sessions with a blush on her face. He was starting to wonder if he'd pushed her too hard and broken her.
"Dante."
"......Yes?"
"You must come pray today, without fail."
"Ah, no. I have training..."
"You skipped yesterday, didn't you? You have to do it today."
Our saintess wanted him praying without missing a single day. Thanks to that, she kept showing up at breakfast and lunch to drag him off to pray. He'd skipped yesterday, so turning down her request two days in a row felt awkward. In the end, he'd prayed.
"Yeah.... Too busy. Way too busy."
His recent worry boiled down to one thing: not enough personal time. Why were all these people constantly seeking him out?
"You're swimming in blessings. Your face is pretty impressive, after all, Master."
"...I'm dying here."
"They're all beauties, aren't they? Want me to teach you some succubus soul-draining magic while we're at it?"
"......Sigh."
He smacked Lilia on the head as she snickered and prodded at him, then flopped straight onto the bed.
He'd had plenty of time before the freshman evaluations, but now it was all gone. Especially with Luel added to his training roster.
Act 1's coming up soon.... If this keeps going, I'll stagnate for real.
Sure, he was getting stronger now, but he wanted a zero percent death rate. No matter how OP the protagonist was, getting tangled up meant danger.
Ah, isn't there some lucky shortcut to power?
Talent and effort? Great, of course. But right now, he craved something faster.
"Ways to get stronger.... Ah, something."
As he stared blankly at the ceiling, rummaging through his pre-possession memories, a brilliant idea flashed through his mind.
Oh yeah, that place exists.
*****
The capital of the empire where Arcadia Academy stood symbolized hope. The safest place in the empire. The most advanced. Home to the empire's sun, the emperor.
Valhalla, capital of the Arcadia Holy Empire.
"Master, why'd you drag yourself out here on the weekend?"
"Eh, to catch my breath and suck some honey on the side."
Until now, as a transmigrator, he hadn't really leveraged his game knowledge. Memories were fuzzy anyway, and there wasn't much he could grab.
Time to cash in on transmigrator perks.
A smile played on his lips as he strolled slowly through Valhalla's streets. Passing throngs of people without stopping, he arrived at....
Café, Verde
...a rundown café with lights off, looking like it wasn't open for business.
"Master? You ditched three girls to come here?"
"Don't make it sound weird."
With a deep sigh, he slowly pushed open the café door.
—Creeeak.
The old wooden door swung open, letting a chill draft brush past.
"Sorry, customer, but we're not open right now."
A middle-aged man in neat barista attire greeted him with a friendly smile....
Insight pierces through the target
Despite appearances, he was in a focused state using his circles, ready for combat at any moment.
"Master, this feels off..."
"Nah? It's fine."
Calming Lilia, who seemed more tense than him, he stepped slowly inside. With every step, the wariness in the man's eyes intensified.
"I'd like a Verde."
"...Haha. Well, well, a real customer."
The middle-aged man dropped his guard, flashing a genuine, warm smile.
"This way, please. First time?"
"Yeah. Heard about it, but first time coming myself."
"I'll guide you nice and easy, then."
Following the barista, he opened the door marked Staff Only and stepped through.
—Vwooom!!!
In an instant, the area transformed, revealing an unfamiliar place before his eyes.
"...Teleportation magic, huh."
"Something like that."
As Lilia said, it was a teleportation spell. From Verde to the empire's largest black market, hidden somewhere underground in the capital.
"Welcome to Verde, customer."
The barista bowed properly now, his earlier killing intent vanished like a lie.
"Here, wear this first?"
"Ah, a perception-disruption mask."
"Yes. Lots of folks here want to hide their identities..."
Made sense for a black market—you wouldn't stroll around with your face out. But he had no intention of using it.
—Vwooom!!!
With just a bit of focus, the perception-disruption magic activated on its own.
"No need, I see."
"I'm a mage, after all."
"Where to, then?"
He thought it over. A way to get stronger right now.
Just suck honey from elixirs or gear in the black market.
Of course, everything here ran on money... and he didn't have enough for even a decent elixir. But that was fine.
"Where's the biggest private gambling den around here?"
"I'll take you to the largest one nearby."
Money? Just make more.
Insight's eyes flash
Sorry, but I can see it all.
***
"Master."
"Hm? What?"
"Something I think sometimes?"
"And?"
"You're more demonic than me."
He let out a hollow chuckle at Lilia's quiet murmur beside him. What was that supposed to mean? Calling someone as upright as him a demon.
"But you're raking in all this money right now."
"Eh, just skill gap."
Smiling, he eyed the coins piled up beside him—starting with 10, now overflowing. He'd tried counting to 100 but gave up once it surpassed. He just knew it'd exchange for a fortune.
"Th-this is cheating!!!"
The potbellied noble who'd just all-inned his coins yelled with bloodshot eyes. 200-coin bet, was it? Tough luck if your skill fell short.
"Cheating? As if that's possible in Verde."
"N-no! I heard it clear as day! Hey! You too, right!!"
"…………."
The house dealer who'd joined the pot gaped, hands trembling. Made sense— they had the edge in skill, so a total wipeout must baffle them.
"Hahahahahahaha."
"See!? Cheating, I tell you!!!"
"Hey. You probably fed me that nine to make me draw."
Oh?
"He lured the bet, and you snagged the perfect. Right?"
"What am I supposed to say to your fanfic?"
"I bet all my coins and my hand that your hand's perfect."
The sunglassed man glared, grinding his teeth. That much conviction, huh.
"Then show 'em."
"Don't touch the cards. Unless you wanna lose your hand."
At the man's words, everyone backed off.
"Pair. Pair. Full house, full house."
The nearby staff revealed the cards.
"Wh-what? It's just a dead hand?"
"Uh...?"
Through the sunglasses, the man's eyes crumbled.
"Straight flush."
"Wh-what the hell!! Magic—you used magic!!! That's an incantation!!"
"Nah? It exists."
With a winner's smile, he slowly pulled all the man's coins over. Easily over 1,000.
This could buy several mansions.
In under two hours, he'd pocketed a massive fortune.
"Master. Still not a demon?"
"What?"
He chuckled dryly as the man's hand got severed live. Normally it'd shake him, but his trait made it feel nothing. He bet it himself and lost it himself—what could you do?
Ah, time to hit the auction house. This should be enough funds.
Gambling goal achieved. Now for the auction... or so he thought.
".........What is this?"
"Haha! Wanted to chat with you, lad."
"Don't think I have anything to say."
"Nah? That's not for you to decide. We do."
A hulking man, apparently the gambling den's owner, blocked him—flanked by countless suited goons.
"You come and go as you please? Not leaving."
"Come on. House wins big, and this is how you play?"
"What, you think this is legal?"