Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: The Results of the Deal with Romwell...
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The results of the deal with Romwell... To cut to the chase, I got a hefty sum.
- It’s our first transaction, and I wanted to leave a good impression, so I gave you a generous price. Take it.
- …Are you planning to saddle me with debt?
- Debt? Not at all. Well, think of it as an investment.
Even accounting for the scrolls fetching a high price, it shouldn’t have been this much...
Suddenly having this much money on hand left me flustered. It was at least twice what I’d expected.
“Romwell, huh... Why didn’t you just kill him? Then everything he had would’ve been yours.”
Amon was slyly probing me from the side.
‘Typical great demon... Always thinking of gruesome ideas.’
Still, I answered in earnest.
“Violence is just an efficient means to an end.”
Heh heh—
Amon replied with a smile as innocent as a child’s.
“Good point. Just remember that this efficient means can dominate nearly every situation.”
This guy’s a total advocate for violence.
I needed to drive the point home once more.
“Amon, don’t forget our agreement.”
“…Of course!”
He couldn’t rampage without my permission.
If he went wild in a place like this, it’d cause a huge fuss—like word spreading that a great demon had descended near Liudira, and everyone begging me to come kill it.
Even if he had to rampage, only do it without witnesses, or in unavoidable situations.
More importantly, the shock from my conversation with Romwell hadn’t worn off yet.
‘For the bosses of Episodes 2 and 3 to show their tracks at the same time...’
In truth, with Episode 1’s final boss, Karl Kurso, dead, it wasn’t strange for Episode 2’s boss to appear.
What shocked me was encountering Romwell, the tanner.
Romwell was the final boss of Episode 3’s act—a powerhouse who ruled the underworld of his domain.
Not only had I met such a figure before the prior episodes even progressed, but I’d even formed a positive relationship with him.
‘...What does this mean for the story?’
Would Romwell still appear as the Episode 3 boss?
It was too soon to tell. I had to keep all possibilities open.
In any case, I had to worry about dealing with those unpleasant triplets before even thinking about Romwell. Plus, I had a pile of other problems stacked up, so I didn’t have the luxury to fret over the distant future.
At any rate, the fact that I now had a fortune in hand hadn’t changed.
‘Alright... So what should I spend all this money on first?’
Before I could even finish the thought, someone tugged at my sleeve.
“…Lucifer.”
“Y-You promised to buy me tea, didn’t you? You... promised?”
Had I promised that?
“…Let’s go.”
It felt oddly strange—like we were on a date...
‘This girl... She’s only grabbing me with two fingers.’
She pulled at my sleeve with just her thumb and index finger. And with those white-gloved hands, no less.
This was kinda pissing me off, subtly.
“Right here.”
“No signboard—how’d you know?”
“The faint aroma of tea fills the air, doesn’t it?”
She was right.
It was so subtle, though, that it could blend with the other black market smells and throw you off. Yet Lucifer had navigated straight here without hesitation.
‘Is her nose that good... or does she just react to tea scents in particular...?’
“T-Tea... Good tea...”
Her pleading eyes, like a puppy’s.
“Next up is naturally research materials for this Amon, right? Aye, I believed as much without a doubt.”
With Amon chattering and sticking right behind me too, my mind was going numb.
Swoosh...
“Ah, come on in.”
A young handsome man with scars on his face greeted us. I was a bit surprised by the tea merchant’s unexpected looks.
“You don’t seem familiar... Referral? Or did you know what this place was?”
“A place that sells tea, isn’t it?”
“…That’s right. Feel free to browse.”
With the merchant’s permission, Lucifer strode forward to inspect the teas.
Sniiiiif...
Sniiiiifffff...
Lucifer savoring the aroma of the dried tea leaves to the fullest. If you only heard the sound with your eyes closed, it’d seem like some lecherous creep was beside you.
“Your tastes are still so old-fashioned, unchanging as ever.”
As Amon remarked, Lucifer replied while examining the leaves.
“Aren’t you the same after all these long years, Amon?”
“Am I?”
“The reason you were summoned here alone proves it...”
“E-Enough. I won’t deny it.”
The tea merchant ignored our conversation, busying himself organizing his wares, so there was no worry of being overheard.
Instead, Amon sidled up and whispered.
“You know this place?”
“Nope, not at all.”
“…Hmm.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Just a bad feeling. This owner doesn’t seem like an ordinary fellow.”
At that, I closed my eyes and focused on the merchant’s mana.
‘Indeed...’
A quiet but sinister flow. The merchant was a powerhouse I hadn’t noticed right away.
‘Are all the guys in the black market like this?’
Running a tea shop with power like that...
‘Better not act rashly here, or who knows what trouble it’ll cause.’
Well, we were just here to buy tea anyway. And Lucifer was the only one in the group focused on the original goal.
She wandered around for quite a while after that. I didn’t know much about tea, but the items here seemed high quality, and the prices reflected it.
She was probably hesitating because of that. Just looking at her back as she selected leaves, no one would think she was a demon. Composed and serene vibe.
She glanced back and asked.
“This one’s Branyu Mountain Nightshade tea, and this is Shishiran Plateau Honey Dew tea. Which do you prefer?”
“Asking me?”
“Yes.”
“What’s the difference?”
When someone shows interest in your passion, it sparks a reaction. Lucifer’s cheeks flushed as she launched into an explanation—that was surely it.
“Nightshade has a bitter first sip but a clean aftertaste, while Honey Dew is sweet but can get cloying quickly.”
Hmm...
“Which do you prefer?”
“I...”
Lucifer froze like a malfunctioning machine, then answered.
“Honey Dew... it is.”
“I see. I think Nightshade suits better... No helping it. We’ll buy both.”
“But...”
Lucifer just pouted her lips; she didn’t refuse. She probably wanted both deep down too.
“Hmm... Not bad.”
Amon chuckled and poked my side.
“What?”
“You deliberately picked the opposite of whatever Lucifer chose.”
“…Had to?”
“If you’d said buy both from the start, she would’ve resisted somehow. Right? Ahem... Quite perceptive compared to your usual cold demeanor.”
“…Think what you want.”
To my offhand reply, Amon suddenly put on a resolute face.
“But! Such tricks will never work on this Amon. I shall never be swayed by gifts!”
...How resolute.
After paying for the tea and before leaving the tent, I stared piercingly at the merchant.
“…Huh?”
“Mind if I get your name?”
The air grew chilly.
“Why do you need my name?”
“Just wondering if we’ll meet again.”
The merchant instantly broke into a wide grin.
“Name’s Piyo. Would be grateful if you came back!”
“…Piyo. Got it.”
Anyway, that wrapped up the first day’s agenda.
The black market ran for a total of three days, and we’d only finished day one. Since we planned to stay all three days, there was no need to rush.
* * *
On day two, the first place we visited was a magic stone trader.
Magic stones were practically the most trusted currency in dungeons, but that didn’t hold in human society.
“This... is a top-grade magic stone?”
“Top-grade?”
The merchant immediately identified the stone I offered.
I’d just learned magic stones even had grades. So why did all the adventurers in the game carry only top-grade ones uniformly?
“We don’t deal in those here. Probably not most places around these parts either.”
“Why’s that?”
“Rarity. Top-grade stones have low yield, and most are pre-contracted before mining—to imperial magic institutions or influential nobles.”
“So individuals can’t get them?”
“Not right now.”
As we left the merchant’s tent, I sank into thought.
‘Can’t get them because they’re top-grade?’
This was a pretty serious issue.
If adventurers came hauling truckloads like in the game, or if I could just buy with cash, it’d be fine—but both were tough now.
To sustain the dungeon, I needed a new way to acquire magic stones. This outing was meant to find that clue, but I’d hit a wall.
‘So why did all the adventurers have top-grade stones?’
I had a gut feeling this question wouldn’t resolve right away.
‘...Guess I have to make contact with the Seven Deadly Sins after all?’
The Seven Deadly Sins were those who’d contracted with demons even before Faust. Maybe they knew all about magic stones.
Next, we stopped at the witch’s tent.
“What’re you looking for? A fortune telling the future? A frog packed with poison? A crow that understands speech?”
“We’ll just browse.”
Amon had guided us here.
‘Was this what Amon needed?’
Thinking back, she was a great demon.
Her mere presence in the dungeon brought massive benefits to Faust.
Plus, each great demon enabled unique facilities, leading to all sorts of synergies.
‘She got a lot of flak... for forcing spending.’
Lemegaton ate plenty of criticism and vanished quickly, so no need to dwell on its flaws.
‘Amon’s unique facility was... the lab.’
The lab itself was potent, but what happened when Amon was there occasionally was even more absurd.
‘So hopefully there’s something here to pique her interest.’
She couldn’t slack off—not when my future was on the line.
“Hmm?”
After browsing a while, Amon stopped in front of a potted plant.
“Oh ho... The very thing I’ve wanted to experiment with once.”
Fortunately, something caught her eye. I casually asked the price.
“Ah, mandragora? It’s a wild plant, so it’s pricey. About... this much?”
...No way.
It’s almost my entire remaining fortune?
Keeping my inner shock off my face, I asked Amon.
“Do you need the mandragora?”
Please say something else!
Please—there’s something similar next to it. They look identical to me.
“Ahh... Inspiration strikes. Something will burst forth from these hands, pow! and be born...”
“......”
“But it’s rather expensive, it seems. No matter. Amon is no child. I shan’t throw a tantrum over such things.”
As she said that and turned away, her gaze lingered fixedly on the mandragora.
Swoosh...
Without hesitation, I paid the owner.
“Handle it carefully. Mandragora curses and kills whoever uproots it.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
I took the small box with the mandragora from the witch and handed it to Amon.
“Here.”
“Ahem... It wasn’t something I absolutely needed, you know? Isn’t this a bit excessive?”
“Think of it as a gift.”
“A gift? Pfft... You’ve misunderstood this Amon greatly.”
She lifted her head proudly and declared.
“I am not one to be swayed by such gifts. Remember that.”
[Amon, Great Demon of Sloth, grows closer to Faust.
Current Affinity: ♥♡♡♡♡♡]
...
Yeah, she was totally swayed.
Would this fix her slothfulness?
“Ahem... When we get back, there’ll be research topics worth pursuing waiting.”