Shadows of the Dark Merchant

"Viscount, you've emerged."

"Yeah. What about the magic corps commander?"

"He moved out once things here were more or less wrapped up, to make his report. He asked me to pass on his apologies if you came out, and I've been waiting."

It had been a full five days since Vulcan entered the forge in the lord's castle. In that time, Alter's magic corps had combed through Prolant Territory like a fine-tooth comb, yielding some results. The commander had already departed.

He'd meant to say goodbye in person but worried it might disrupt the crafting, so he'd left a message instead.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Anything else?"

"No, sir. He asked me to give you this."

Along with a brief greeting, he'd left a letter. Vulcan figured it probably detailed everything that had gone down here.

"Hm?"

He tore it open right there, and sure enough, his hunch was spot on. It concisely summarized what they'd uncovered here, along with Vulcan's own findings, and even intel extracted by forcibly reviving the suicidal Prolant Viscount for interrogation.

'Dark Merchant, huh?'

- Same bastard from the Right Wall, probably. At least they're in cahoots.

The letter covered the dark knights and the viscount's planned territorial war, but it also named the culprit behind it all.

The Dark Merchant. An entity whose name and identity were unknown, but whom the viscount referred to as such. It mentioned acquiring dark mana stones, dark knight training methods, and more from this figure.

It also noted methods and items to enhance troll intelligence for communication—monsters turned into sparring partners for the dark knights by sacrificing some of their own in exchange for ample food and weapons, on the condition they weren't exterminated. A way to amplify their savagery and cruelty.

'Maybe when the dark knights were complete, he snatched ownership and took them.'

- Could be. Those things need spells or items for control. Snagging command is a piece of cake if you've got that—or something better.

Beings manipulating humans and monsters directly or indirectly? Sounded familiar.

Vulcan and Tud immediately recalled the Right Wall incident—the soul stones left behind, the chaos they caused, and the massive theft that followed.

Maybe this Dark Merchant never intended to help the viscount at all. Like poaching artisans from Smell, he might've stoked the viscount's greed to use them as soldiers, then swallow the results whole.

"...Huh? A player?"

But the juiciest bit on the Dark Merchant came later: he might not be a native NPC, but a player.

Hard to tell by looks alone, but pulling items from inventory? That screamed player. Sure, Vulcan's crafting pouch used sub-space magic, but that was high-tier stuff—not something anyone could whip up or easily snag. Botched versions were too tiny to be practical anyway.

'This'll make catching him a pain.'

If true, things got tricky. Hiding his identity was one thing, but as a player, he could escape via all sorts of means—log out, suicide-respawn, whatever. Tough to pin down or extract info.

Vulcan frowned, but Tud sprawled atop his head with a bored look, like it was no big deal.

- Do we even need to catch him?

'What?'

- Make him come to us. Or seek you out. Problem solved.

'Sure, but how...? Oh.'

Vulcan tilted his head, then his eyes lit up as realization dawned. If the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠guy was a player hiding his face...

'With this, I could pull off something similar.'

What Vulcan thought of was the new helmet he'd crafted. Other gear focused on plugging his defensive gaps and boosting raw power, but this one leaned into utility.

Time to really cut loose. Vulcan alone wouldn't pinpoint him with duplicate naming allowed, but now folks might recognize his face too. His look had shifted a bit, but those who'd met him might clock him soon.

- Not sure if your acting chops are up to it, but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it's got potential. If we snag even part of their harvest along the way, they'll come crawling.

'Heh heh heh! Leave the acting to me. No worries there.'

But what if he didn't just hide—what if he actively deceived enemies? Impersonate the Dark Merchant? Flush out traitors and dupes?

Of course, he'd need more intel. Botch the act, and he'd blow it instantly. But succeed? He could not only find their weapons but steal them outright—like the dark mana stones he'd scored here.

'Thanks to that, I got this. Anything we swipe won't be chump change.'

Vulcan was already wearing the Shadow Hunter's Boots, forged by grinding dark mana stones. The shadows' power was so intense it nearly birthed a cursed item, but saint-era powder ignited the flames just right for purification.

A calculated gamble that paid off. Transplanting Wind God's Wings from the Shadow Hunt Dog's boots turned it into a monster. Stealth, teleport, air walk. All-weather extras, plus huge agility and speed boosts, let him focus his chest and leg armor purely on defense and vitality.

'Time to set the stage. After I grab that first. Heh heh heh!'

Play these right—nail the impersonation—and he'd make massive headway in the main scenario quest. Vulcan grinned ear to ear.

"Guess it's time to clear out."

"The vanguard from Ilichi will arrive soon, but if you wish, you're welcome to stay longer—no issue."

He pocketed the letter and prepped to leave Prolant. The end noted the territory's fate.

Alter and the magic corps wouldn't occupy it. Their job was exposing the viscount's crimes, gathering evidence, reporting. No land grabs—Alter taking it would stir trouble.

- That spoiled brat's got some restraint, at least.

Instead, they'd tipped off Ilichi, the metropolis the viscount had targeted. Its lord was furious, naturally. A powerful city ruler who cherished peace over ambition, but this? No sitting idle.

He declared territorial war first; his vanguard was en route. Perfect casus belli, territory already cleared by the magic corps—bloodless entry.

'Nobles and factions mean nothing to him now. This is a warning shot. Scheme too hard, and you hand ammo to rivals.'

Ilichi Count wasn't Alter's ally but opposed the viscount's faction. Viscount swallowing Ilichi would've boosted his side; losing the territory? Pure win for enemies.

Alter provoking the count into war drove the point home: Pull stunts, and neutrals like me don't profit—your foes do. Rein in or self-police.

No friction if Vulcan (seen as Alter's man) stuck around, but no reason to. He had the secret society's seal to deliver and Tud's next setup to claim.

"Quest list."

First, check for new main scenario quests from Alter's side—he'd earned mission pick from the last reward.

"Hm. Nothing jumps out."

The options weren't thrilling. Maybe Alter and the temples split main scenarios—him handling nobles/rumors, temples continent-wide oddities.

Thus, Alter's quests tangled with nobles.

"Is that why he bumped my title...?"

Investigating nobles was a nightmare. This time was easy—suspicious events in Prolant, not the viscount himself. Probing a noble directly? Hell for players.

"Maybe this one."

Given his rank, high-ups were off-limits. Baron/viscount probes aplenty; stretch to weak counts maybe, but meh. Better: attend Alter's upcoming ball, aid his investigations.

"Huh?"

Suddenly, the list refreshed. No investigations resolved—just a new quest added.

Vulcan's expression turned subtle as he checked it. Just one new quest—no nobles this time.

Investigate Ornis Mountain, a continental mystery. Its mana-infused fog maze trapped entrants; now suddenly gone.

"This place...?"

Ornis was a forbidden zone from the Demon King War's aftermath—or clashes among Divine Sword wielders. Mages, adventurers, even kingdoms sent teams, but its secrets endured.

- Hm, found already? Quick work.

"Already?"

- No biggie. Just a simple barrier prank. Meant for my incarnation later, but you nagged, so I spilled. Guess it's down.

And it was Tud's next setup. Endless theories—war fallout—but really Tud's barrier for his incarnation.

A "prank" fooling the continent? Absurd, but Tud-level stuff.

"So anyone can enter now?"

- Yup. No door seal.

"Damn. Gotta hustle."

Vulcan's heart raced. A continental mystery unlocked? Crowds already swarming, per the description. Others might snag Tud's prize first.

Past setups were claimable by anyone, so extra worry.

He unfurled Book of Space and bolted for Ornis Mountain.