After leaving the inn, Moen had a quick lunch and then followed the route from his memory to the riverbank at the edge of the Lower City District once again.
The token with the rat insignia in his hand grew slightly warm, signaling that the underground black market was indeed open. Without hesitation, Moen donned his black robe and mask that concealed his figure and aura, before jumping into the riverside pipe.
Inside the abandoned sewer pipe, the nauseating stench was far stronger than the last time, as if countless corpses had rotted away here.
At the end of the pipe, however, Moen did not see the tall, decaying figure from his last visit. Instead, a raspy voice emerged from the shadows.
“Got the stuff?”
“Right here.”
Moen showed the token in his hand to the scrawny and shriveled figure in the corner, unable to suppress his curiosity as he asked, “What happened to the previous gatekeeper?”
“He’s dead,” replied the small, emaciated figure. His tone carried neither joy nor sorrow, as if he were describing the death of a roadside rat.
“Checked out. Go on inside.”
Moen didn’t continue asking questions. After all, for those who lived in the shadows of Belland, dying like stray dogs on the street was all too common.
He quickly walked through the passage and entered the black market.
But the moment he stepped inside the black market, Moen suddenly felt an invisible gaze sweep over him.
A chill ran down his spine. That fleeting glance alone was enough for Moen to instinctively sense the terrifying presence behind it.
Even if the source of the gaze wasn’t The Crowned, it couldn’t be far from that level of power.
Thankfully, the owner of that ominous gaze didn’t seem interested in probing Moen’s identity. After briefly sensing his cultivation level, the gaze soon shifted away.
“There wasn’t this gaze last time.”
“That means this formidable figure only came to oversee things after the black market reopened?”
“Looks like the previous cleansing event had quite an effect on the black market.”
Moen reflected briefly but didn’t dwell on it. The black market’s suffering was, from his perspective, beneficial both emotionally and rationally. After all, this place had spawned countless horrors in the shadows.
“Anything can be bought” was a carefree phrase, but who could fathom the blood and tears buried beneath it?
Yet Moen was not naïve enough to think he could use his own stature to completely eradicate such darkness.
He knew it wasn’t within his power.
Nor could anyone else achieve it.
As long as Belland remained the most prosperous city on the continent, the shadows thriving beneath its sunlight would never be extinguished.
Unless he took the extreme measure of overthrowing those corrupt aristocrats and ushering in the glorious light of socialism.
Wait, he himself was an aristocrat. Never mind, then.
“I just hope I can find the Ancient Dragon’s Heart Blood soon.”
Moen sighed. This place unsettled him, and he wished to leave as quickly as possible.
...
However, upon entering the black market, Moen didn’t immediately search for the Ancient Dragon’s Heart Blood.
Instead, he headed for a small shop.
Hanging above the shop’s signboard was a massive skull adorned with ram’s horns, making it stand out conspicuously.
“Damn swindler!”
Moen gritted his teeth upon seeing the shop.
He hadn’t forgotten the trouble that ensued after buying a sedative from this very shop!
In fact, during that whole fiasco, the sedative wasn’t the main culprit—it was the aphrodisiac paired with it as a “bonus” that had led to the situation spiraling completely out of control!
So today, he was here to demand justice!
As the crisp sound of wind chimes echoed, Moen pushed the store door open.
“Oh my, is there a customer this early?”
The shopkeeper was still cloaked in an oversized black robe, their voice raspy and indistinguishable between male or female. Yet, with just the slightest motion of their body, the robe accentuated a breathtaking curve.
It seemed they had only just opened the shop and were busy arranging goods on the shelves. Seeing Moen enter, their hooded face lit up with a ravenous wolf-like gleam, as if staring at a helpless lamb.
“What can I interest you in, dear customer? Our shop boasts an inventory of everything imaginable.”
“How odd…”
Moen scrutinized the shopkeeper with a hint of doubt.
Unlike last time, gazing at this mysterious shopkeeper now gave him an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
Was it an illusion?
Could it be…?
No, he mustn’t get carried away by baseless impressions. Nor should he let a curvy woman’s appearance distract him into thinking he knows her.
He was here for answers!
“I’m not here to buy anything.”
Moen said firmly, his voice altered so it sounded deep and raspy.
“Oh? Then what is the purpose of your visit…?”
Sensing hostility emanating from Moen, the shopkeeper’s demeanor grew visibly guarded.
“Two months ago, I bought a bottle of *potion* from you.”
“Two months ago…”
The shopkeeper frowned in thought, then suddenly seemed to recall.
“Oh, you’re that big sucker—I mean, valued customer from back then!”
“You were about to call me a big sucker, weren’t you!”
Veins bulged on Moen’s forehead.
“I’ll overlook the steep prices for now. But I demand to know: was the sedative you sold me legitimate?”
“Wasn’t it legitimate?” asked the shopkeeper, puzzled. “Isn’t the sedative’s effect powerful enough? Isn’t it capable of knocking out an elephant?”
“It’s true the sedative was effective enough.”
After all, even Celicia was barely able to hold out for two seconds against it.
“But the problem lies with the bonus you included—was that thing legitimate?”
“The bonus…”
The shopkeeper thought for a moment, then her expression shifted as realization dawned. “Don’t tell me you actually used the sedative on an elephant? And combined it with the bonus too?”
Her gaze toward Moen suddenly carried a hint of pity.
No wonder he was so furious.
Rumor had it that elephants… well, their certain appendages could be a meter long.
Wouldn’t that go straight to the stomach?
Tsk tsk, it’s a miracle this man even survived.
“That’s not it!”
Moen slammed the counter, his voice thundering with anger.
“I didn’t use the sedative on an elephant. The sedative’s effect was superb. But what I want to know is, why did you include an aphrodisiac as a bonus? And why on earth did you suggest using them together for better results?”
“Well… bundling products is just a common sales tactic, isn’t it? It’s been quite popular among customers.”
“Yes, popular among those despicable perverts with twisted minds, but I’m not one of them!”
Moen declared righteously, “I am an upright gentleman!”
“... Uhm, upright gentlemen don’t buy products like that in the first place. Besides, I would think even the most basic knowledge of potion-making should be enough to discern the effects of this type of medicine.”
The shopkeeper shot Moen a skeptical glance.
“Don’t tell me you lack even rudimentary knowledge of potion-making?”
“W-Well… does it matter that much?” Moen flushed beneath his mask in embarrassment.
“Of course it matters! Whether you’re a mage or a warrior, basic potion-making is a mandatory skill, isn’t it? Otherwise, how would you dare drink potions during your travels? What if something strange happened, like a potion turning you into a girl?”
“C-Cough… anyway, I’m sticking to the fact that your actions caused me great harm, so…”
Moen cleared his throat awkwardly, then declared in a resounding voice:
“Refund the money!”
