Weekend Date
"B-rank, huh? Doesn't look that impressively high."
Yawning as they headed toward the black market, Belloa casually spoke up.
"Well, it's not extremely high. Still higher than you'd think."
"Yeah?"
"Fifty percent of adventurers top out at C+ rank."
B-rank wasn't the highest rank you could get right out of the gate for nothing. It was the benchmark that marked you as a true expert among adventurers.
"Honestly, we're the ones who are outliers."
"Are we? A lot of academy grads go that route."
"We're nobles. And we're first and second in our classes, to boot."
Most adventurers came from humble backgrounds. And among them, the truly skilled were rare. If you were top of your class, you had better options than adventuring anyway.
"Doesn't feel that way. So, where are we headed anyway?"
She'd finally gotten curious. They'd been walking for over ten minutes, and now she asked. Dante couldn't help but chuckle at Belloa's timing. He'd been wondering when she'd pipe up and had deliberately kept quiet.
"Us? Somewhere a student wouldn't normally get to experience."
"...Somewhere a student wouldn't get to experience?"
Belloa tilted her head for a moment, then her face flushed bright red, as if she'd imagined something she absolutely shouldn't have.
"Wh-what are you dragging me off to!?"
"Huh? What's with you?"
"Dragging me to some secluded spot to... to do something...!?"
Trait: Unicorn's Curse detects a virgin.
Ah, this goddamn useless trait.
Where the hell was this even supposed to be useful?
"You're definitely gonna drag me off somewhere and do something straight out of a book...!"
Hmm. Looked like she'd jumped to some utterly pointless conclusions.
"You... should probably stop reading those forbidden books."
"Huh?"
"It's not whatever you're imagining. Just follow quietly."
Apparently, trashy novels featuring academy characters were all the rage among the girls lately. And Belloa seemed to be an avid reader, despite her outward disinterest.
"I personally think the master is in the wrong here."
"...What the hell are you on about all of a sudden?"
"Teasing the innocent heart of a fresh young girl... You're more devilish than any demon."
"Demons like you succubi, you mean."
"Eek!! I'm not a succubus!!"
Ignoring Lilia's indignant flailing, Dante turned back to Belloa. She was still keeping a slight distance from him.
Right. Titles like academy runner-up aside, she was still just a teenage girl in her prime.
"See? Not what you were expecting, huh?"
"...Huh? What? We here already?"
"Yeah. While you were busy stressing out."
Belloa slowly lifted her head at his words.
"...A cafe? This is it? You're not seriously saying we're just here for tea time?"
Well, tea time wasn't the plan, but they had arrived without issue, so Dante nodded.
Belloa flushed again, mumbling incoherently. Her unexpectedly cute reaction brought an involuntary smile to his lips.
"Come on, let's head in."
"O-okay..."
Creeeak.
The worn wooden door swung open, revealing the familiar scene. Nothing had changed since his first visit.
Worn wood, eerie vibe... This place never changes.
It was a cafe that wasn't exactly thriving, after all. If it were too clean, that would be suspicious.
"Doesn't look like it's open... The vibe's kinda creepy."
"Everyone reacts the same on their first time. It's fine."
Ignoring Belloa's comment, Dante stepped inside.
"Customer, Verde is currently not in service."
"No. I'm here to order Verde."
"Ah... You're a customer, then. My apologies for the rudeness."
"The guy from before's gone?"
"He's away on business, so I'm filling in. Welcome to Verde."
Unlike the middle-aged man who'd greeted him last time, this was a young woman. She had an almost noble air about her—too refined to be managing a black market. Her black dress draped elegantly, feeling oddly out of place.
"Dante... What is this place...?"
Right after entering the inner door of the cafe under the young woman's guidance, Belloa gaped at the bizarre sight unfolding before her.
"It seems this is your companion's first time at Verde."
The woman bowed toward Belloa, who was still standing there stunned.
"Welcome to our black market, Verde. Honored customer."
"D-Dante. You don't mean... this is the black market you were talking about...?"
"Yeah. Wanted to check out some goods."
"B-but is it okay for us to be here...? If we get caught..."
Hmm. Dante could understand Belloa's worry to some extent. She'd probably lived the model student life, sticking strictly to the rules. Coming to an illegal market banned by imperial law must be freaking her out.
Yeah... Getting caught would be bad. Expulsion at minimum.
Probably worse than expulsion. The imperial knights would likely haul them off.
"No need to worry, customer. Verde is practically semi-official."
"R-really? A black market that's official...?"
The reason the empire's largest black market, Verde, still operated unmolested: it was half-official.
Because as long as Verde exists, no other illegal markets pop up in the empire.
It handled minor issues too, and among its customers were high nobles and even imperial family members. Rare items unavailable through legal channels flowed through here. With clientele like that, they couldn't just shut it down. Plus, Verde's influence was too massive to touch lightly.
"Just trust me and don't worry. If anything happens, I'll protect you first."
"...My, what a dashing customer. Enjoy your time, then."
The woman who'd been watching vanished with a brief bow.
"Shall we take a look around?"
After casting a perception-lowering spell on Belloa's still-awkward face, they strolled through Verde's streets.
Fifteen minutes later.
"Whoa... That's a Blood Bear horn! I've only read about it in books...!"
"Huh!? That's the advanced magic circuit application textbook that's impossible to find now!!"
Now Belloa was enjoying Verde more than he was.
"I don't get this human girl. She was so worried earlier."
"Well... You know how wizards are."
Wizards were the type to chase knowledge and unravel abstractions. In simple terms, curiosity-driven madmen who couldn't resist proving theories. For them, insatiable curiosity and obsession with knowledge were chronic issues. No great wizard in history lacked both.
Oh... This is pretty decent.
While Belloa browsed, Dante scanned for worthwhile items. Then, his usually dormant Insight pinged on one.
Talent: Insight appraises the target.
Enhances the user's insight.
Current damaged state reduces effect somewhat.
To find a great archmage's relic on a street stall, no auction house needed. Belhalm's legacy, no less.
"You gonna use it, master?"
"Nah, don't need it."
With his cheat-level Insight, further enhancement was pointless. He was already maxed out.
But for Belloa...
"I'll take this."
"Hm? A buyer. Ten silver coins."
"Kinda pricey."
Bullshit. Ten silver was a steal.
"Well... This one's rare even for me."
"Nine silver. Deal?"
"Urgh... Fine."
The merchant handed it over readily. Nine silver was probably more than he'd paid. Sucker, he thought.
Guess it wasn't appraised properly. No way this is the right price.
Not his problem. He'd give it to her later.
"Belloa."
"Yeah? What?"
"Time to go."
"Already!? Head back?"
"Nah... The auction house."
The black market auction. Verde's main event was about to begin.
While Dante and Belloa wandered Verde, a one-eyed man smashed his glass to the floor.
Crash!!
"What? What'd you say?"
"Th-that... The guy from last time showed up again."
The timid subordinate's words made the man's blood boil.
The guy from last time. Only one person fit that description.
Daring to beat me senseless and rob me? And he shows his face again?
Dante Vergilius. He didn't know the name.
But the gambling den owner vowed: this time, revenge.