Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Black Market (1)
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-Creak.
"...You'll just need to stay in this carriage for a few hours. As you instructed, I'll head to the black market alone that the High Elf mentioned."
"I just wait here?"
The carriage I boarded following him was completely empty, with nothing loaded inside.
It seemed this one was brought specifically to transport captured adventurers. Sure enough, I could detect all sorts of spells layered on it here too.
'Is this a soundproof barrier?'
⚙ MAGIC INFO ⚙ Silence – Auxiliary Magic ※ Attribute: Darkness / Range: None / Max Targets: 1~10 ▶ A magic that inflicts the 'Silence' status on the target. The biggest one was Silence, a spell used in the game against low-level mages.
In short, it made the target's voice inaudible.
Applied to a carriage like this, no matter how loud you screamed inside, nothing would leak out.
Breaking it was simple, but no need to bother. Its original purpose was probably to stop adventurers who woke up inside from calling for help.
Most likely.
"You're not using a teleport scroll like last time?"
"Pardon? What teleport scroll...?"
"The one your people used a few days ago while spying on those adventurers. You don't know about it?"
To be precise, it was the one they used while peeping on me in the bath and fleeing. But none of the caravan's mercenaries matched that guy's appearance.
Of course, I couldn't check everyone, just the ones whose faces I saw, and even among them, no culprit.
Still, teleport scrolls cost about 6 gold in the game. Maybe this caravan owner knew something?
They'd be pricey here too, reflecting real-world economics.
"I know nothing about that. And teleport scrolls carry a risk of being tracked, so we rarely use them. The black market bans them for the same reason."
...He knows nothing?
Then it wasn't his people?
For now, he wasn't lying.
His setting said he unconsciously smirked when lying.
But right now, he wasn't smirking—he looked like a mouse trembling before a cat, unsure what to say.
"Your company deals in magic scrolls. No one bought a teleport scroll recently?"
"Not that I recall. We handle them due to our scale, but checking who bought one would be impossible even with the ledgers."
His company was like a major corporation on Earth—too big for him to remember. I'd planned to gouge out that guy's eyes if I found him...
Letting him slip away stung.
Maybe track him down later.
"Got it. I'll look into it myself."
Not top priority—later. One thing's sure: I'd seen him in the game.
But with countless NPCs, I couldn't remember every name and location. Plus, since this owner was here, not every NPC stayed fixed like in the game.
Anyway.
"...Um, do you need anything? If it's available here, I'll prepare it right away."
"I need nothing."
So, what to do with this guy?
I'd pretended to catch him earlier, promising to let him live if he took me to the black market. Honestly, no need to keep that promise.
I'm the boss here; he's the underling.
But killing him felt off—he survives the story in the game.
Offing him could alter the world's future from what I knew.
The story had already diverged a bit earlier.
'He's just a figurehead anyway.'
The owner of the massive Turk Company, Turk Burman... no, Stran, was a character created by the real 'black curtain' to funnel underworld funds.
He just passed money through the company. Killing him wouldn't solve the root issue and might cause a huge butterfly effect.
'Youth unemployment over 10%...'
The Turk Company had thousands of employees; including affiliates, tens of thousands.
Kill its owner and center, Stran? It wouldn't collapse immediately, but thousands would be unemployed for sure.
'Climbing the ladder's tough in any world.'
In the game, after a quest, Stran vanished, causing thousands of layoffs.
Some lost jobs came for revenge in later quests.
'If your job vanishes overnight, you'd be pissed—especially over one adventurer.'
Some non-black-market folks, with nothing left, tried poison assassinations or hired killers—lots of hassle.
Slavery's legal here too.
To a modern person like me, it's evil, but to them, it's everyday.
Preaching against it would just make me a hypocrite.
'Spare him moderately; he might help someday. Or use him as a wallet.'
Debating values is pointless.
If I don't like it, kill; if okay, spare.
...But this much.
"Human Stran."
"Y-Yes?! How do you know my real name...?"
I'm a 21st-century human.
Slavery feels wrong, naturally.
"No more capturing people to sell at the black market. That's an order. Disobey, and your company becomes your grave."
"U-Understood!"
This isn't my morals.
Slaves just bug me, so I'm strong-arming him with power logic—'threatening' him.
"And don't touch the adventurers I was with. I'll say I left quietly. Pay them quest wages and focus on running your company. Clear?"
"I'll remember! Th-Thank you for sparing me!"
"Remembering's enough. Hurry to the black market."
Stran scrambled to the driver's seat.
While heading there, fix my hair.
Magic works here, so I pulled out a comb and mirror for a neat trim.
Long-haired people doing this daily? Respect.
"...Sigh. How'd I get used to this crap?"
Soon, the carriage rolled.
We overtook others quickly, including my forest party.
If fate wills it, we'll meet again...
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 2.
📜 STORY STAGE 📜 Secret Black Market "Wake up! We've arrived!"
"...Huh, already?"
I cautiously opened my eyes at the voice waking me.
Normally it'd be morning, but outside was dark, sun long set.
Must've dozed off en route by mistake. Wasn't tired, but I sometimes nodded off unknowingly.
Anyway.
"This the black market? Nothing visible."
"This is the entrance. Activate the hidden teleportation ritual at the marked coordinates, and you're in."
Stran swept away fallen leaves at his feet, revealing a magic circle pattern.
Faint, but mana pulsed. Closing my eyes, the linked pathway felt crystal clear.
Security's tight, impressive.
"Here we go. Mess up, and you get force-ejected, so no wild moves till the slave pens. Won't ask your High Elf tastes."
"?"
"...Nothing."
-Crackle!
The teleportation ritual activated around us.
A brief white flash filled my vision. When it cleared, armed guards with swords and spears appeared.
'Levels 60-70s. Guards, so they pick the strong ones.'
-Step. Step.
Stran led me, chained, cautiously forward.
No light pierced the space. I saw fine in the dark, but how did normal human Stran manage?
Wait—faint red glow from a mark on his hand.
Some enhancement magic, probably.
Game had branding to boost stats; not sure if Cyan's body still had it.
Check later...
"This a High Elf?! You caught her, Stran?"
[Black Market Manager] The presumed manager spotted me and asked Stran in shock.
"Took real effort—thousands in gold just to snag her. Worth it, though."
"Sure is. Think of that last High Elf's auction price..."
Merchant through and through, he launched into Oscar-worthy acting again.
Detailing fabricated capture woes and costs, making it vivid.
All lies, of course.
"I'll head out then. Good luck."
'He bolted.'
Ignoring the manager's drink offer, he fled the black market.
Doesn't want more ties with me, huh.
Can't allow that—he's a great wallet.
Later for that.
"A High Elf, eh... Two in a year? Wild. Follow."
I trailed the manager to the slave pens—game-like scenes unfolded.
'Difference? Way more vivid.'
Sturdy iron-barred underground cells.
More people than expected.
Beastkin dominated—rich humans kept them as pets, per setting. No surprise.
"...Th-That's a High Elf?!"
A shocked voice from green-haired elves staring blankly from their cell.
'Shocking for them to see one captured. Though I'm no High Elf.'
Do I resemble them that much?
Transform made me look it, but originally aiming human, it only shrank my horns—High Elf disguise.
Feels weird.
'Cells are huge? Five minutes in, no sign of mine.'
"Sniff... Sob..."
"...Damn, got careless!"
Next, human cells—mostly adventurers/mercs, but kids too. Frowned a bit.
Probably snared like Stran's tricks.
Human slaves weren't common here.
Easier from legit dealers; fewer seekers.
These were the ones they'd hide from public eye.
-Step. Step.
"We mostly handle subhumans like you. Elves especially—nobles love 'em. Pretty ones like you become pets, but elves' innate mana makes 'em great guards too."
Bored walking, the manager chattered.
I listened.
"That noble who bid on your fellow High Elf? High-up from the Holy Empire Aires. We tipped 'em off about two premium slaves today—they'll come raging."
Some useful info amid it.
The other 'premium slave' he mentioned was my goal here. High Elves were key in the next story quest.
I knew it all, but it'd be vital bait for first-timers.
"...Spilling customer info like that okay?"
Didn't wanna just listen—curious what different dialogue triggered, I spoke.
Simple reason: test game divergence.
"Eh, prep your mind. That noble can't resist pretty elves—will bid on you for sure. Dude's drowning in cash."
"Ha, seeking subhumans? Unique taste."
"Reason for it: guy's energy's off the charts. Human girls end up wrecked the next day. So he hunts sturdy beastkin or elves."
Manager chuckled sleazily.
Crude talk grated, but tolerable.
Can't let emotions botch this.
"Rumor says he's Giant Race descendant—top fighter in Holy Empire. Height's 2.5m, huge for a human. Bigger than beastkin. Brace yourself."
Got the gist.
Novel Online looks tame MMORPG surface-wise, but deep lore's dark fantasy that begs rating questions.
Digging characters revealed hyper-real or author's kinks.
Pervert, basically.
But no 'bracing' needed—I won't sell tamely.
"Thanks for the heads-up. How much farther?"
-Step. Step.
...Legs ached less than the stench—I wanted out fast.
"Almost. High Elves get special care—mess up, whole place crumbles. Got a spot prepped. Friend's there too—no boredom."
"Friend?"
Friend? Great.
Worried if 'it' was here per game—relief.
-Rumble...!
'Dense mana. Then...'
"Here."
Manager halted.
Pulled a head-sized key from his pocket.
"Called it a friend, but stay back. Pissed off—won't eat."
-Creak!
A 5m steel door swung open.
Chilling mana hit—demons sense ambient mana keenly. Real deal scared me a tad.
—Groooowl...!
Eerie golden eyes, massive red-scaled body.
"Heard this one entered Minotaur Forest, got stomped by their boss."
And wings lifting that bulk.
'Found it.'
Fantasy staple after elves? Most, me included, say this.
"Watch out anyway. Double restraints—he can't do squat..."
—Who dares! Who comes to me!!!
Ultimate monster ruling skies over mountains.
My goal here, quest core.
One breath turns villages to ash—the legendary...
"Dragon, at least."
—Human, you again! Daring to cage me here!
Dragon.
Seeing the cell's dragon, joy nearly made me burst laughing on spot.
But hey, thrilled.
Found my 'personal ride' at last—natural reaction.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ (Extra)