Valhalla Palace's Bustling Market
Two mysterious foreigners strolled through the market street of Valhalla Palace, taking in the sights.
Among them, the handsome man, Aum Linia, gazed at the grand city with an expression of awe.
"Isn't it amazing?! Per! To think such a massive city has sprung up right in front of the temple?!"
The burly man trailing behind Aum, his younger brother Per, nodded in agreement with his brother's words.
"Yes, brother. It's a far cry from the backwater village Kudan described. The dwarves, perhaps?"
"No, even dwarves couldn't prosper a city to this extent in just six months! There must be something else at work!"
"...Brother. Calm down a bit."
Per waved his hand as if to soothe his brother's excitement.
"You know we came here because we were asked to."
"I know. I know. I know full well why we came here."
'Find Kankun and check on her condition.'
The rebel from the Raguna Tribe, Kudan Raguna. They had come searching for a girl named Kankun at his request.
"But do we really need to get involved personally?"
"They could become enemies. No, they will. A place that grows to this scale in such a short time... We'll clash with them eventually and fight. So it's better to see, hear, and experience it firsthand."
"Still, isn't it dangerous?"
"Dangerous, yes—but that means we get more reliable information. Some things don't hit home just from reports."
Per couldn't understand why his brother was so insistent on going himself. For the Nod people, power ruled everything. How important could this information be?
'Well, he must have his reasons.'
"What now, then?"
"What else? 'Gather information' first, of course~!"
With that, Aum set down the leather bag on his back onto the street. He spread out a mat and laid out the goods he'd acquired from the continent.
"Time to play the 'merchant'!"
"...Play merchant?"
"Merchants are the best for gathering information!"
Aum shouted as he declared this.
"Come one, come all~! Rare treasures from the continent, all gathered here!"
The Nod people in the market street began to glance at him as his voice rang out. The various items laid out before him.
"And foods you can't taste anywhere on the continent—truly exotic delicacies!"
Aum arranged stones in a circle, prepared kindling, lit a fire, and set a pot on top, pouring in water. He added long, chewy lumps and strange triangular pieces, then sprinkled in red powder and stirred vigorously.
A unique aroma, one no one had ever smelled before, spread thickly through the market street. As the Nod people showed interest, Aum smiled.
'Alright, time to gather some intel.'
Aum began observing the city. When people in the market bought goods, they gave other items in exchange.
'Barter system in place. But—'
"Oh, unusual food. I'll take it."
A customer approached Aum and pulled out coins.
'Transactions with currency too!'
It was a massive change for Nod people who had only bartered. Aum eyed the coins the customer offered, smiled, and nodded.
For Nod folk, currency transactions were exceedingly rare. Yet this city was developing, with currency circulation slowly taking hold.
And the currency was...
"Thank you! My finest creation. Please taste it and let me know what you think!"
'Currency I've never seen before.'
Made of wood, stone, and metal. A unique, intricately fused coin of three materials.
'...Different from normal currency. Dwarven make?'
Aum's lips twitched. Astonishing craftsmanship. No, even dwarves wouldn't conceive something this easily. Or perhaps a separate engineer designed it, and the dwarves mass-produced it.
Aum's gaze flicked elsewhere. A shop a short distance away—a weapons store. The weapons being polished and sold by dwarves were all made of unfamiliar materials.
'...Not from this world's resources.'
Aum narrowed his eyes.
'And surprisingly, lots of continental goods too. Meaning...'
Other tribes were looting from the continent and exchanging or selling here.
'Small quantities, but enough for development.'
That was when it happened.
"Ughhh! What the—! My tongue's burning!"
Aum looked at the Nod man who'd bought the food. The man grimaced fiercely, pulled water from his belt, gulped it down, and rinsed his tongue.
"How do you eat this crap?! My tongue's on fire! What kind of torture is this—?!"
"...But it's my finest dish."
At the harsh critique of his food, a vein bulged on Aum's forehead. He took pride in his cooking. The problem was that very few—or rather, no one—appreciated it.
"Damn it! Charging money for this garbage!"
As the Nod man flew into a rage and raised his fist—
Clank!
Aum and Per felt a chill run down their spines. It wasn't just them. The Nod man who'd been about to cause a scene froze in shock and lowered his raised fist.
And there, where he turned—
'Undead...!'
A skeleton clad in jet-black armor stood there. A servant of the Constellation of Sin.
"P-Patrol officer!"
Patrol officer? Such an imposing figure was merely a patrolman?! Aum's eyes widened.
The Nod man forced a smile and said,
"N-No, nothing! I wasn't planning to cause trouble!"
「......」
"W-Well, I'll be going then..."
As the Nod man backed away, the skeleton's gaze turned to Aum and Per.
Aum muttered lowly, his face stiff.
'Per... Is that a Death Knight?'
'...No. Just... a skeleton.'
'Yet it radiates this much pressure? How many could you take?'
'...One would be a struggle.'
Aum fell silent. His brother was exceptionally skilled in combat. The third strongest man on this frozen land after Kudan and Shaman—and even he said one skeleton would be tough. Aum was at a loss for words.
The skeleton glanced at the goods and food the two had laid out. Then it turned and left.
Aum and Per let out sighs of relief.
"...Brutal! Even with all these Nod folk gathered, no disputes—because of them?"
Order maintained by overwhelming force, no doubt.
"At least that's one worry down—"
"Oh! It's the healer!"
"Healer!"
The market street grew rowdy. Aum and Per turned toward the sudden commotion.
A bizarre, grotesque man had entered the market. A man wearing a massive crow mask walked the street, and as he passed, people bowed their heads in greeting.
Aum grew curious about this figure the Nod people thanked so profusely.
"Excuse me."
Grabbing a passerby, Aum asked,
"Who is that man?"
"Huh? Oh, you're a foreigner? You don't know him?"
"...Just arrived today. I was a merchant on the continent. Heard a city popped up here, so..."
"Oh! Perfect timing. For us who want this place to grow, word spreading to the continent is great news!"
"More importantly, that man..."
"Ah, the healer. They call him 'Hoon,' I hear."
"Hoon? Unusual name."
"Yeah, isn't it? He's known as the right-hand servant of the Constellation."
Right-hand of the Constellation? Wasn't Shaman his closest aide?
Reading Aum's expression, the man chuckled.
"Not sure of the details, but even Shaman bows to him. Makes him second in the hierarchy."
"Strong? Doesn't look it..."
"Heh, don't judge by appearances—especially us Nod folk should know better. How strong do you think he is?"
"That strong?"
"Yeah, terrifyingly so. When he first appeared, the village youths thought he was an invader and all rushed him..."
The man shuddered, recalling the event.
"Turned into minced meat, barely clinging to life."
"......"
"Fought hundreds barehanded... Beat them so brutally, no one else dared approach."
Aum eyed the crow-masked man as he listened.
"Well, in the end, some guy named Hans talked everyone down. Something about testing potion effects...? Made excuses, but he healed them all."
His tone and eyes brimmed with trust and faith.
'Hmph... The Nod folk are all being duped by a con artist.'
Rumors of the Constellation of Sin's descent had spread across the island. Few believed it at first. But faith was growing.
'A con artist impersonating the Constellation of Sin, fooling Shaman and the Nod people to build power.'
This was no small matter. Perhaps some continental faction was manipulating the Nod folk. Proof? The development here.
'An empire or kingdom pulling strings from behind?'
Such a grand operation meant a hidden mastermind.
'First, those who seized this place...'
The con artist impersonating the Constellation of Sin. Then that man, and Shaman.
'Hierarchy divided like this?'
Aum narrowed his eyes, glancing at the so-called healer. The healer plopped down right across from Aum and Per on the bare ground and began tending patients.
"Oh! Treating here today? My shoulder's been stiff—perfect! I'll head over!"
The man approached the crow-masked healer. Aum watched him.
The healer seemed to tend patients while eyeing Aum.
"...Per, that crow guy's staring at us, right?"
"...Seems like it."
The two whispered softly.
'Suspicious of us? As the con artist's close aide who fooled even Shaman, he might have sharp instincts.'
'Doubt it.'
'...Let's pull back.'
'Already?'
'That guy's giving off bad vibes.'
'...Understood. Brother's instincts never fail. But what about Kankun, the girl Kudan asked for?'
'We'll check later.'
Then, the healer tilted his head. The brothers froze.
'No way... He didn't hear our conversation...?'
'Impossible. In this noisy market, from that distance.'
Only a superhuman could hear that.
'Anyway, pack up. Best to withdraw now—'
The healer stood. And approached Aum and Per.
Per panicked, but Aum flashed a merchant's smile smoothly.
"Welcome~! Customer! What can I get you?"
"...What's this?"
The healer pointed at a strange item in the bag. A board with colorful patterns, plus small models of rounds, horses, walls, crowns—a game board.
"Ah! This is a popular board game from the continent!"
"...Board game? Mind if I play a round?"
"Haha! Of course. I'll explain the rules."
Aum sweated coldly even as he spoke. He hadn't expected the man to approach! Now he'd missed the chance to retreat.
The healer sat on the ground. Listened to Aum's explanation, nodded.
"I understand the rules."
"Really?"
"So, shall we play?"
The healer picked up a piece and said.
"Ah... With me?"
"Yes."
"Customer, I'm a master at this game. Never lost to anyone."
"Doesn't matter. I'll win."
This guy...
Aum frowned at the healer. Provoking with a game? Fine, time to show him! Maybe he could pry info during play.
"Share some of that food too."
The healer pointed at the bubbling red dish with white lumps and triangular chunks.
"Per, serve some."
Per scooped it into a wooden bowl and offered it. The two began the board game.
Aum's expression was relaxed at first, after moving the initial pieces. But soon...
As time passed, he started sweating.
'I'm... losing?'
After several more moves.
'Losing!'
Aum's eyes widened. Finally.
"Checkmate."
The king had no escape. Aum looked up, sweating profusely.
The crow-masked healer smiled in satisfaction, then picked up the food bowl.
Aum felt bitter. To lose to a first-timer. But he'd scream at the food! At least that would salve the loss—
"Delicious! So good!"
"...?!"
"Ahh... This spicy-sweet flavor! A bit off, but... incredibly tasty! A far cry from the greasy slop here!"
My god! Someone appreciating his cooking?! Aum felt immense joy for the first time.
"P-Per... Maybe this guy's not suspicious...!"
"Brother, I get you're touched by the praise, but aren't you being too gullible?!"
"Delicious. This spicy tang lingering on the tongue! A nostalgic taste!"
"Really? Glad you like... it?"
'Nostalgic?'
Aum stared at the healer.
"It's been ages since I had Tteokbokki. This chess game too."
The healer tilted his head slightly, glaring at Aum and Per.
In that instant, the brothers froze, unable to move. Killing intent poured from him.
"What is the identity of you two, who possess things that shouldn't exist in this world?"