Chapter 123
Chapter 123
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: Shop
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Cartel employees arrived in the village around 2 a.m. They slowly crossed the village, illuminated only by the sporadic streetlights, aboard their stealth vehicles.
"Rear clear. No ghouls."
"Left and right sides also clear. Thermal imaging shows nothing identifiable."
"Looks like it's inactive. Keep moving."
The woman in the passenger seat gave the order. She adjusted the position of the assault rifle in her hands and stared out the window in silence.
The sound of the vehicle moving was greedily swallowed by the shadows. This vehicle, which ran on human blood instead of electricity or fuel, was itself a byproduct of the anomalous. The Cartel had quite a few such items.
Of course, there were definite side effects.
For instance, if it ran out of fuel, it would forcibly drain the blood of the passengers. Or if it encountered a navigation ghost, it might pull off some bizarre collaboration leading straight to the River of Three Crossings. There were plenty of risks that could easily get you killed if things went even slightly wrong.
But the Cartel didn't care about that.
Humans were, in a way, just resources that could be bought with money. As long as they could be replenished, there was no hesitation in using the anomalous. Why wouldn't they use something with such superior efficiency and power just because a few employees might die?
Well, the Cartel didn't outright force employees to use the anomalous either.
Since they used it strictly of their own volition, the employees bore a certain level of risk themselves. Plus, they offered substantial hazard pay on top of regular wages, so the money-grubbers frequently made use of it.
The people in this vehicle were no different.
"Eight-Foot Ghost under the streetlight. Not our target, so steer clear."
"Got it."
Vroom.
The driver lightly turned the wheel. The massive something under the streetlight turned to look at the vehicle but soon slumped back under the light. The woman stayed vigilant in case the Eight-Foot Ghost lunged, then closed the window once it was out of sight.
Moments later, the Cartel group arrived in front of the dark village hall. They parked in a spot where no light could seep in, disembarked slowly, and entered the hall.
"...Living room clear. Commencing first-floor search."
At the woman's command, the others swiftly and quietly searched the first floor. But they found nothing.
"Moving to the second floor. The client is up there, so everyone mind your manners. He's a mage."
"...Tch, a mage."
One of the younger employees muttered at her order. The woman halted abruptly, approached the mutterer, and slapped him across the face.
Smack!
Her gloved fist struck his cheek, sending teeth and blood flying. The struck employee let out a gag and collapsed, but she caught him to muffle the impact, then beat him again.
Crack! Thud, crunch!
Savage sounds echoed through the living room. She pummeled him until he was on the verge of unconsciousness, then grabbed his collar and whispered softly.
"Whether the client's a mage or a criminal, we just do what the client asks. Never voice personal opinions. Got it?"
"Guh..."
"Keep it in mind. Our paycheck comes from the clients. If you plan to treat our valuable guests like that, quit. Or maybe I'll fix that brain of yours."
Thud.
The woman set the employee down and signaled the others.
"Take him to the car. And who’s responsible for training this newbie?"
"...Me."
"Then you carry him. If this newbie pulls that shit again, you'll be punished too. Train him properly."
"Understood."
The man nodded, hauled the unconscious guy away, and left the scene first. The woman ordered a few employees to clean up the bloodstains on the floor, then took two others upstairs.
'Blood smell.'
The second-floor hallway reeked with an unmistakable thick bloody scent.
The distinct stench of a vampire. They hid it well normally, but the moment they were wounded, it became impossible to mask that repulsive fishy odor.
'The smell's... from this room.'
The woman stood before Ian's door and side-eyed her followers—a warning not to act cocky in front of the client. Once they nodded, she cleared her throat and knocked.
"Cartel here. Are you inside?"
"Come in."
The immediate reply. The woman composed her face into a slightly brighter expression, carefully opened the door, and spoke in a clear voice.
"It's an honor to meet you, Mage. I'm with the Cartel's on-site support team. Reina..."
Her words trailed off into the air without finishing. The room's bizarre scene made it hard to continue.
Ian was fine. Sitting in a chair with a grimoire in hand, smoking a cigarette—he looked utterly relaxed.
And he was. With a serene expression free of any worry, Ian exhaled a puff of smoke.
"You're later than expected. Took about two hours?"
"...We needed time to prepare. But Mage, what the hell is that on the floor...?"
"Oh, that?"
Ian eyed the lump rolling on the floor with a grimace.
"Vampire."
"..."
A vampire? That?
Reina clamped her mouth shut and stared at the 'lump'.
It was literally a lump. Like a snowman, a perfectly intact head sat atop a massive sphere. It wore clothes, but pale, porcelain skin poked through the mysterious fabric, quivering.
"..."
The vampire said nothing. Blood simply poured from its mouth, nose, eyes, and ears as it glared piercingly at Ian. He met the gaze head-on with a wry smile.
"Just to avoid misunderstanding, that's not my taste at all. Quite the opposite, really."
"..."
"I like pretty and cute things too. That kind of lumpy doll-monster just creeps me out. That's why I picked her."
"...I see."
"They said she doesn't feel fear, so I experimented to see how much torment it takes. She'll rest a bit, then I'll restore her. Wait a sec."
Reina nodded and approached Ian. The employees behind her gulped at the sight of Camilla, then schooled their expressions and stepped forward crisply.
"Is this the room you requested cleaning for?"
"Yeah."
"Then we'll start cleaning. You can watch from here or leave it to us."
"How long?"
"Hmm... For this size, about 30 minutes. There's quite a bit of blood."
"Not too slow, then. I'll wait."
"Understood."
Reina first tidied the sofa and bed so Ian could rest comfortably, then asked him to wait somewhere convenient. Ian didn't refuse her courtesy.
As soon as Ian settled, the Cartel employees shoved Camilla into a corner and began cleaning the room.
The Cartel's cleaning wasn't much different from regular. They used special mops and deodorizing cloths to wipe away the blood-soaked floor and flesh bits,izing the smell. Opening the window let cold wind circulate the air.
"If it's too cold, let us know. We'll close it."
"This is fine."
Ian exhaled cigarette smoke out the window, gazing at the darkened village.
He wasn't particularly melancholic. He was just thinking about what to do next after dealing with Camilla.
'Handling commissions is fine, or doing something else wouldn't be bad. Or maybe buy a car.'
Handing Camilla over to the Cartel would net him hundreds of millions. The possibilities were endless. What appealed most was buying a vehicle from the Cartel shop, visiting the Cartel store, and checking out the mages' market.
Vehicle purchase could be done at the Cartel shop anyway. He could use it immediately.
The mages' market, however, was still unfamiliar to Ian.
He'd known it existed for a while. But he knew next to nothing about how it operated or what to use. Just that most items cost tens of millions.
'Never needed it before, and didn't have the cash, but things are different now. Might as well take a look.'
What kind of goods circulated there?
He knew potions from renowned alchemists were traded, but maybe various magic tools too. He might find something useful.
Either way, no loss for him. He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray.
As he killed time, the cleaning crew finished up, reequipped their gear, and bowed to him.
"Cleaning complete. Any inconveniences?"
"None. Let's go if you're done."
Ian rose from the bed. Reina nodded and signaled the others. They donned gas masks, lifted Camilla, and exited the room.
With her mouth sealed, Camilla couldn't even scream. She just glared at Ian with bloodshot eyes.
"Judging by the vampire's reaction, implanting fear didn't work."
"She felt the pain but wasn't scared. Just enraged."
Ian shrugged and left with Reina. Glancing back, the room was spotless, without a trace.
"What'll happen to that vampire once the Cartel has her?"
"Noble vampires are rare. They'll probably drain her blood for drugs or tools. And... there's a new research project they might use her for."
"What research?"
"Transplanting anomalous brains into human bodies."
"...Huh."
Ian let out a disbelieving chuckle. The casually mentioned research was pretty brutal.
"That possible?"
"Theoretically yes, but no successes yet. They'll probably try seriously this time."
"...Bad news for Camilla."
"Feeling sympathy for a vampire?"
"Nah, just bad news. That's it."
Don't misunderstand. Camilla looked like a child, but her true form without disguise was even more monstrous. Who knew how many people those fangs had devoured?
Mages who got excited about monsters existed, but sympathetic ones? No.
That was all.
"How will you erase records of me staying here?"
Ian snapped out of his thoughts. Reina answered promptly.
"We'll leak anomalous-related info to the Management Bureau and let them handle it. Your identity is thoroughly hidden, so no worries."
"...No need for that anymore, but whatever. Good is good."
Bump!
While talking, the employees loaded Camilla into the spacious back of the van. Before they closed the door, Ian approached her side and smirked.
"Be more careful around mages next time. If there is a next time."
He placed a hand on Camilla's head and cast the spell.
"Be reborn."
Crunch!
His final re-creation spell of the day restored her appearance as close to original as possible.
Not perfect. Legs mismatched in length, features scattered wildly. Genitals on her chest, nipples on her thighs twitching.
"Phew, still tough to make a human form."
He muttered, kicked her glaring face, and plopped into an empty seat. Reina confirmed his boarding, rounded up the rest, and they headed out of the village.
"Drop me at the bike by the tunnel."
"Yes, understood."
The van proceeded silently down the road, just as when they arrived. Ian stared out the window, pondering breakfast.
*
"Hm hm humm~"
A small villa on the outskirts of Incheon.
Dolores finished showering and hummed as she emerged naked. Her red hair and breasts swayed with her movements. She roughly dried her hair and eyed the mannequin displayed in the corner.
The mannequin in a silver dress stood in an acrobatic pose. Dolores stared at it, then frowned slightly upon noticing a tear in the dress.
"...Must've torn in the last fight. Sigh, such a shame—it was a favorite."
Not just her usual dresses, but all the ones on her controlled mannequins were made with thread woven by mages themselves. Repairs required the creator's hands.
"Annoying, but no choice. Time to visit the 'Owl' after ages."
Owl.
The term for the market where mages mainly operated. Not frequented often due to the crazies, but unavoidable now.
"Speaking of, Clock Tower Academy should be starting soon. I recall discounts if you bring a partner... but I don't have one."
Dolores muttered, shook out her damp hair, and struck poses naked before the mirror. Her teardrop breasts sagged slightly with gravity.
"Hmm."
She admired her body, then beamed, covering her mouth with a hand.
"Whatever! A partner who doesn't appreciate my beauty is meaningless anyway! Hohohohoho!"
Dolores laughed heartily before the mirror, comforting herself. After a bit, unable to bear the cold, she shivered and burrowed under the covers.
"Ah, this delicate young lady can't handle such chilly weather..."
She turned on the electric blanket, wriggled in, and ordered chicken and beer. Grinning goofily, she hugged the blanket tight and peeled a tangerine.
"This must be what pairing is like..."
Quoting something from the internet, Dolores popped a segment into her mouth.