Chapter 216
Chapter 216
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 216
>Chapter Title: Jingle Jingle Jingle
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Before setting out for the Black-White Slums, we rented horses.
‘It’s a two-hour ride on horseback, wasn’t it?’
To be honest, it wasn’t a distance that would be much of a burden even if we ran.
The problem was Evelyn, though...
‘Two hours would be too much for her.’
Sure, she was a standout talent at Jenion Academy, but she was still just an undergraduate student.
That was why we rented the horses, but I hadn’t stopped there with my preparations.
“Just in case, put this on.”
“What’s this...? A mask?”
“You can’t just walk around with your face showing. It’s got perception interference and voice modulation enchanted on it. Not bad, right?”
“...Ah, thanks.”
And with that, we departed from Jenion Academy.
The journey went smoothly.
The road from Hazen to the Second Black-White Slum was nothing but open fields, and being near a major city, we didn’t spot so much as a single bandit.
After riding nonstop, we stopped the horses when the Second Black-White Slum was roughly in sight.
“For now, let’s tie the horses here.”
“Ah, okay. But...”
“You’re wondering if we really need to do this?”
“Yeah, even in the Black-White Slums, would they really steal the horses? Inns take them for a fee.”
It was a perfectly reasonable thought.
A natural one, even.
But.
“Money’s not worth more than your life, is it?”
“What do you... Ah.”
No matter how hard the innkeeper tried to guard the horses, what good would it do against a blade?
Of course, this was unimaginable in a normal city.
Threaten an innkeeper with a sword in broad daylight?
‘The guards aren’t there for nothing.’
But the place we were heading was the Black-White Slums.
A lawless zone where even if you collapsed from a knife to the gut, there’d be nowhere to complain.
Anyway, I drove the stakes I’d prepared into the ground and securely tied the reins to them.
‘Feed... There’s grass everywhere around here, so that’s fine. Water... Let’s see.’
I dug a small puddle in a suitable spot and filled it with water. That should hold out until we got back.
And as a finishing touch...
Szzz.
I even deployed a perception interference barrier.
It was via an artifact—I’d splurged on it after hearing the area near the Black-White Slums was open plains.
With the preparations more or less done, we set off on foot again.
And so we arrived at the Second Black-White Slum.
As expected of a Black-White Slum.
‘It feels familiar.’
This was my first visit to the Second Black-White Slum in either my past or present life, but the atmosphere wasn’t unfamiliar at all.
Dust piled up along the roadsides, scattered bits of trash, and street urchins kicking cans in the alleyways.
Peeking into the shadowy alleys revealed drunks passed out cold, fast asleep—a world apart from the city of Hazen.
Pushing past the nostalgic sights, we headed to a restaurant.
“Uahaha, so I’m telling you, that bastard’s neck—slash!”
“You hear about that? Kevin, that guy. Lost an arm in the end.”
“Innkeep! More booze! Bring more booze!”
As expected, drunks warmly exchanging stories.
We took a seat in a dim corner of the restaurant and ordered some food to fill our stomachs.
Of course, it didn’t taste good.
The only tasty things in the Black-White Slums...
‘...Huh, no idea.’
I’d never bought anything to eat there before.
Anyway, after moderately sating our hunger, we got down to business and started discussing our plans.
Ah, but first, a sound barrier.
“So, shall we go over today’s schedule?”
“Ah, didn’t I mention it?”
“You’ve been swamped with everything.”
And she really had been—barely a moment to breathe.
Pushing hard on her studies during the day to secure that scholarship, then meetings with me after classes.
After meetings, prepping and reviewing lessons, plus research to sell the relic—she was a machine.
I’d wanted to lend a hand...
- This is my job. I’ll take the thought, though.
She’d shut me down cold, so I couldn’t touch anything related to the deal.
All I could do was sit quietly and listen to her reports on the materials she’d prepared.
‘Tch, saying it like that makes it sound like I did absolutely nothing.’
Of course, I wasn’t upset. It was the truth.
Anyway.
“I heard we’re doing a simple market survey today.”
“Ah, right. But... hold on. Hmm. Should we move somewhere quieter? It’s a bit noisy here.”
I nodded silently and, for the weary Evelyn, headed to a nearby quiet café.
Well, calling it a café—it was a bar that sold coffee.
“One light, one strong, coming up.”
We took the cups from the gruff shopkeeper. The strong one for Evelyn, the light for me.
“Whew, I feel alive again.”
Evelyn downed half the strong coffee in one go and launched into today’s schedule.
“First, here’s the list of things we need to investigate...”
I took the paper she’d prepared in advance.
It was packed with items like ‘product,’ ‘grade,’ ‘price,’ and so on, followed by Evelyn’s explanation.
“The key is figuring out what price a given grade of relic sells for. And if possible, the types of relics too...”
She went through each item in detail, like training a newbie.
Even I had to pay close attention, but the explanation wasn’t as long as I’d thought.
“What you need to do, Aster, isn’t much, really. I’ll handle most of it. I’ll ask for help if I’m short-handed, of course...”
“Stick to bodyguard duty?”
“Yeah, and it’s not that I don’t trust you... You get what I mean, right?”
I did.
She was saying help out only if absolutely necessary—not dumping her work on me.
And bodyguard duty was my role today.
“But... you’ll remember all that? I can explain again if you need.”
“I’ve got the gist. It’s not that complicated.”
“True, I can just explain as we go.”
With our tasks settled...
Before heading out, there was one thing I wanted to clarify.
“By the way, about how we address each other.”
“...Addresses?”
“We’re wearing masks and all—if we use real names, what’s the point? We should pick some pseudonyms.”
“Ah, you’re right. I’ve been calling you by name this whole time...”
Evelyn finally noticed her slip and glanced around.
But it was fine. I’d already blocked the sound.
She let out a relieved breath once she realized, and that’s when I spoke up again.
“I’ve got something in mind, actually.”
“Oh? What is it?”
“Knight.”
“...Knight? Like, the ‘knight’ knight?”
I nodded and pulled back my robe slightly to show the sword at my waist.
“Why that one...?”
“Because you’re a mage.”
“...?”
Evelyn tilted her head, looking baffled.
But it wasn’t a completely ridiculous choice.
‘When picking names like this, simple is best.’
In fact, I planned to use the sword plenty while operating in the Black-White Slums.
I wasn’t a master swordsman, but my skills weren’t half-bad.
“Hmm, I get it, sort of. So what about me? I’d like something like that too...”
Evelyn trailed off, lost in thought.
She didn’t take long to decide.
“How about Master for me?”
“Master?”
“Yeah. Rather than looking like equal partners, a superior-subordinate duo seems more impressive...”
Fair point.
‘Master makes it sound like she’s got a whole crew under her.’
That’s why I went around introducing myself as ‘Tower Lord’ wherever I went.
Wait—did that mean Evelyn was suddenly my boss?
“Erm... Is that weird?”
She must’ve caught my vibe.
Evelyn asked cautiously.
It could rub someone the wrong way, depending on how you heard it.
But.
“Tch, whatever. Master it is.”
“...Really?”
I nodded calmly.
In the Black-White Slums, Evelyn needed to take the lead anyway, so bolstering her image wasn’t a bad idea.
If we ever set up a tower...
‘Eh, cross that bridge when we come to it.’
“Looks like we’re done talking, so shall we head out?”
And with that, we strode out confidently.
We left the coffee bar and cut straight through the Second Black-White Slum when Evelyn spoke up.
“Um, As— I mean, Knight?”
“Huh?”
“No, if we’re doing this, do it right. What kind of knight says ‘huh?’ to his master?”
“...Yes, my apologies. What is it, ma’am?”
Technically, her using polite speech was an issue too, but I let it slide.
She’d always used it with me anyway.
But that wasn’t the point right now.
So what was?
“Were the black markets always right on the main roads?”
“...?”
I tilted my head.
“Why are you asking me...?”
“Weren’t we supposed to know?”
“...I was just following you?”
“... ? I was following you, Knight?”
“...?”
I tilted my head.
Evelyn tilted her head.
An awkward silence settled between us.
I broke it first.
“...My bad?”
“...?”
What was this?
No guide, just two people who thought the other was leading.
We stared blankly at each other before speaking again.
“Master, didn’t you scout it out?”
“Well...”
It clicked.
With everything else on her plate, she must’ve overlooked the black market’s location.
“...Sorry.”
Evelyn apologized in a deflated voice.
Scouting the black market had been her responsibility in our division of labor.
I’d come along purely as backup, but today’s schedule was essentially her solo gig.
But it was fine.
“There’s always a way, Master.”
“How...?”
“Got any pockets on you, Master? Not sub-space ones.”
“I do, but...”
“Hand it over.”
I took a plain pocket from Evelyn, stuffed a few gold coins inside, and started walking.
She followed curiously, wondering what I was up to, and soon spoke.
“Are we... heading to an information guild or something...?”
Eh, that’d work too.
But I shook my head.
“Why go to them? They’ll come to us.”
“...?”
You’ll see.
And so, in a shadowy alley of the Second Black-White Slum, the clear jingle of coins rang out.
Jingle jingle jingle.
It didn’t take long.
“Hey, you kids. Come here a sec.”
...They’d arrived.
We’d found ourselves an excellent guide.