Goblin Market Overtures
Yuse-hui stared at Heuksa-ja with an expression of utter disbelief.
"So you're saying Goran is dead?"
"It seems that way from the circumstances."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"……."
"For real?"
Yuse-hui's eyes wavered.
Even Heuksa-ja, delivering the report, wore a look of incredulity.
Goran had vanished, and Zeon—the one who'd fought him—had returned home.
The implication was crystal clear.
Zeon had won.
"So Zeon is ruling Shinchon now?"
"Doesn't look like it."
"What do you mean?"
"He met with Iton. Right after, Iton's been going around Goran's businesses, cleaning things up."
"He won the war but isn't taking control?"
"That's the gist of it."
"Haa! What a headache of a guy."
Yuse-hui let out a heavy sigh.
Someone like Goran had been easier to handle.
He was brimming with desires and never hid them.
Everything about him was straightforward.
As long as she didn't get in the way of his goals, there were no issues.
But Zeon was different.
Everything about him was murky.
From past to present, nothing was clear.
He was like someone who'd dropped out of the sky.
Since taking over the Goblin Market, she'd met countless people, but Zeon was a first.
After a moment's thought, Yuse-hui stood from her seat.
"Heading out?"
"I need to see Grandpa."
"I'll escort you."
Under Heuksa-ja's guard, Yuse-hui left the Goblin Market.
She headed straight for the cluster of shops.
She walked into one of them.
"What brings you here?"
The old man prepping his stall spotted her and gave a puzzled look.
Yuse-hui put on a cheeky expression.
"Is it weird for a granddaughter to visit her grandpa?"
"Damn right it is. Suspicious as hell."
"Grandpa!"
Yuse-hui burst out at his response.
"My ears are gonna fall off. How do you not change with age? Sit down."
The old man offering her a seat was none other than Clexy.
Once seated, Yuse-hui spoke.
"You dumped this headache on your granddaughter and get to live it up."
"Does this look like fun to you?"
"Yep!"
"Can't deny that. True, I'm enjoying it more than ever."
"Tch!"
Yuse-hui pouted.
Clexy and Yuse-hui were grandfather and granddaughter.
The Goblin Market she ruled had originally been his creation.
Of course, expanding it to its current scale was all her doing, but he'd laid the foundation.
For some reason, Clexy had handed the Goblin Market to her and taken up street vending.
"So! What's got my granddaughter in such a twist?"
"That obvious?"
"Haven't I told you a million times? Never show your hand."
"I am."
"Then why can I read you like a book?"
"Because you're... "
"Zeon, right?"
"……."
Yuse-hui clamped her lips shut at Clexy's bullseye.
She prided herself on her growth, but in front of him, she was an open book.
"No need to mope. I haven't figured him out completely either."
"I need to know more about him. Tell me everything you know."
"Truth is, I don't know much. It's been eight years since I last saw him here."
"What was he like back then?"
"A bit green. Thought he was clever, but that made him easy to play."
"You scammed him?"
"Heuhheu! Naturally."
"You're awful."
Clexy didn't bat an eye at her scolding.
"Back then, his intentions were easy to read. Now? He's a sly fox."
"Even you can't read his mind?"
"Hate to admit it, but yeah. Whatever he went through in those eight years, he knows how to hide it well. Be careful. Mess up, and even you could get eaten alive."
"You serious?"
"Dead serious. The Zeon from eight years ago and this one? Night and day. I'm starting from scratch with him too."
"Mm."
"Goran definitely lost to him. Even with all of Argos's Eye, no trace."
Argos's Eye was one of the organizations Clexy had built alongside the Goblin Market.
An intel network to protect it, with eyes all over the slums.
He hadn't handed it to Yuse-hui yet.
She wasn't ready to run it too.
He'd pass it on when she grew more.
Yuse-hui sighed heavily.
"Haa! What's his deal, anyway?"
"Beats me. I want to know too."
Zeon looked down at the sofa with a pathetic expression.
Briel was sprawled across it.
Her conical hat lay on the floor, exposing her pointed ears.
Briel stared blankly at Zeon with unfocused eyes.
Zeon sighed.
"Whew. A high elf high on drugs."
Just an hour ago, Briel's condition had plummeted.
In the end, she'd had to take an awakener pill.
And this was the result.
Watching the little elf wobble in a drugged haze didn't sit well.
Elf or not, she was a child.
Regardless of race, it was pitiful that a kid had to rely on drugs to live.
Dayton would've laughed if he saw this, saying it served her right. But Zeon wasn't Dayton.
Their values and worldviews were worlds apart.
Suddenly, he missed Dayton.
He'd burned out like a firework, leaving no trace.
A fitting end for him.
As Zeon reminisced, the drugged Briel slowly came to her senses.
"Haa! Fuck!"
Briel shot up from the sofa, cursing first thing.
She grabbed her fallen hat.
Pulling it low over her head, she looked at Zeon.
"Cheap materials mean bad side effects. Better get used to the sight, even if you hate it."
"Good materials would make it better?"
"Probably."
"Let's go!"
"Where?"
"Just follow."
Zeon threw on his robe and headed out.
Briel watched his back for a second, then hurried after him.
They walked the streets after leaving the building.
Zeon took Briel straight to the Goblin Market.
"Whoa!"
Briel gasped at the sight of the Goblin Market, which she'd never seen before.
To her, who'd only known dank underground lairs, it was a whole new world.
The crowds, the stalls bursting with goods, the lively market buzz—it stole her breath.
"A place like this exists?"
Briel's face lit up in ecstasy.
Zeon told her,
"Buy any good materials you see."
"As much as I want?"
"Yeah."
"Thanks!"
Briel bolted excitedly toward the shops.
As Zeon followed silently,
"Cute kid. Who's she?"
A familiar voice came from behind.
Zeon knew who it was without turning.
"What brings the Goblin Market's owner here?"
"As you see, patrolling."
The calm reply came from Yuse-hui.
She'd appeared with Heuksa-ja.
Yuse-hui asked again.
"So, the kid?"
"Found her kidnapped in the Crocodiles' den."
"Hm."
"No place to go, so I'm keeping her."
"More heart than you look."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"Let's talk."
"We are."
"Somewhere quiet."
"Got the kid to watch, as you see."
"He'll cover."
Yuse-hui pointed at Heuksa-ja.
No one in the Goblin Market didn't know Heuksa-ja. No merchant would dare scam a kid under his watch.
Zeon nodded.
"Fine."
"Follow me!"
Zeon told Briel to shop freely, then went with Yuse-hui to her office.
"Drink?"
"Water's fine."
Yuse-hui poured him a cup.
"Here."
"Thanks."
"You're a weird one."
"Am I?"
"Straight up: What happened to Goran?"
"What do you think?"
"You kill him?"
"Yep."
"How?"
"Just did."
Yuse-hui frowned at his curt reply.
She glared daggers at him.
Any normal person would've looked away, but not Zeon.
"Trade secret?"
"Even men have secrets."
"Fine. Then here's a proposal."
"Shoot."
"Join the Goblin Market."
"Pass."
"Hey!"
Yuse-hui yelled at his instant refusal, but Zeon continued impassively.
"If I wanted in, no need to bother with Goran. Joining you would've kept him off me easy."
"Urk!"
Yuse-hui's face twisted.
She knew he was right.
If he'd wanted protection, no need for the hassle.
She wanted Zeon in the Goblin Market.
He'd make it unbreakable. But with his clear refusal, pushing wouldn't work.
It'd just breed resentment.
"Okay! Fine. Respect your choice. But..."
"But?"
"I'll bump your Goblin Market user rank. In return, think positively on our requests."
"What's the rank upgrade get me?"
"Access to the secret auction house."
"Auction house?"
"Yeah. Stuff hard to offload in Neo Seoul pops up sometimes."
"Really?"
"Deal?"
"Sure."
They shook hands.