Where we followed the big man was a complicated alley.
It was like a maze of buildings that looked alike and mixed up in an unordered way.
After walking for a while, the big man stopped in front of a door that looked exactly like the one I had seen so far.
Give that parasol.
The big man asked .
Not knowing what to do, I looked at Kalian. He nodded as if telling to do what he said.
I handed the parasol to the big man.
Knock, knock.
When the big man knocked, the small side door opened and a skinny hand popped out. It was so skinny that I could see the bones.
I was startled and clung to Kalian.
Then Kalian comforted my arm as if telling not to worry about anything.
He pulled out a black invitation card from his inner chest pocket and handed it to the skinny hand.
The skinny hand grabbed the invitation and disappeared inside.
Shortly after, the side door closed and the big door opened.
Lets go in.
I wanted to ask where we were going, but I couldn't ask because the big man was staring hard at , so I went inside without asking.
The inside of the building was dark and narrow. Candles were hanging on the wall.
Kalian put the hood he wore on my head.
No matter what, dont take it off.
"Okay."
I carefully grabbed his hood over my head.
Perhaps because he's wearing it all the ti, the hood slled like him.
Strangely, his sll cald my mind.
This way.
In front of us, there's a narrow corridor that only one person could pass through.
After walking there for a while, Kalian and I went down the stairs.
At the end of the stairs, there's a wooden door that looked rather old.
Kalian knocked on the wooden door with a certain rule.
Then there's a sound of a lock being opened from the inside, and the door opened with a squeaking and loud noise.
Behind the wooden door was a completely different world.
Take a look at it at once!
You'll never see sothing like this again!
With the rchants selling all kinds of rare items on the stalls.
"How much is this?"
"That's too expensive. Please give a discount.
The underground square was crowded with people who ca to buy things or onlookers.
It looked like a market on the surface, but it didn't seem to be an ordinary market.
If it's an ordinary market, it wouldn't have been held in the underground square, and there would be no need for an invitation.
And also, the big n wouldn't have to be wary of Kalian by raising such blades like that.
Where are we?
When I asked a question out of curiosity, Kalian answered while looking through the underground square.
Black market.
"Yes? Black market?
Oh, my God. A black market?
When I was surprised by the unexpected answer, Kalian turned to .
Why are you so surprised? Is it your first ti coming to a black market Ah, it's your first ti going to one.
Kalian nodded as if he had realized it too late.
Because a good person like you will never co to a black market.
Does that an Your Majesty is not a good person?
I was just asking jokingly.
"Of course."
And hearing him say yes made a little perplexed.
Im sorry. You ca all the way here because of .
It's okay.
I was a little surprised by the word black market, but that's all.
It's not like I didn't like coming here or had the thought of coming here.
I was rather curious. Because it's my first ti coming to a black market in my life.
If that's the case, Im relieved.
Kalian looked around again and grabbed my hand as if he had found what he was looking for.
"Let's go."
It was not the first ti I held hands with him, but strangely, I was excited.
Is it because I heard the word honey' from him?
It seed that the aftermath of the acting earlier was still there.
I followed him, staring at the hand he held.
Like a black market, they sold many rare items that couldn't be found in general stores, such as fairy wings and rmaid scales.
But Kalian continued to go inside without giving a single glance to those things.
Following him, I saw a group of young children who didn't fit in with the black market.
Why are the children here?
Curious, I continued to look at the children, then stopped when I saw their hands and feet were handcuffed.
Don't tell those children are slaves?
What's wrong, Leila?
Kalian, who stopped with , looked at .
I just looked at the children without answering.
Kalian soon saw the children and nodded as if he understood my reaction.
I guess those kids are bothering you.
Are you okay with that, Mr. Carl?
I rembered he asked to call him Carl in the past, so I called him that.
Kalian replied, "I'm not sure."
You're not sure even after seeing that?
In a different way, I looked back at him, bewildered.
They are all children. Children, who are not even 10 years old, are going through such a thing
Slavery is legal in the Empire.
I was speechless at the sowhat cold words that ca back.
I knew that too. As he said, slavery was legal in the Empire.
Even if soone frowned seeing that, what they did was not illegal.
I knew that, but still
I want to help them.
"How?"
Kalian asked indifferently.
I couldn't find a proper answer again this ti, so I kept my mouth shut.
The joyous feeling I felt from seeing the strange and interesting items subsided in an instant and I beca depressed.
Kalian sighed deeply and added.
I know you feel pity for those kids, but there's nothing you can do. It'll be good for you not to care.
Every single word he said was right.
My head understood what he was saying, but not my heart.
Let's go now.
My heart didn't understand Kalian, who turned around coldly even after seeing the poor children.
Now that I thought about it, he was the ruthless, rciless emperor, who cut even a crying child with a single stroke.
He had been so good to that I forgot about it for a while.
I glanced at Kalian's back as he strode forward while holding my hand.
Until just now, I was excited to hold hands with him, but now it was sohow uncomfortable.
*****
After passing through several stalls, he stopped at the one in the far corner.
A glass bottle containing soone's eyeballs. Lizard skin. Unidentified powder and vials.
There were only bizarre items on the stall.
The seller also had a bizarre atmosphere.
I glanced at the old woman sitting in front of the stall.
Wrinkled face and skinny body. Unfocused eyes.
Her left eye artificial?
The old woman wore a black hood. She looked scary like the witch in a fairy tale that often eats children.
It wasn't right to judge people based on their appearance, but I was still a little scared, so I turned my head.
The old woman smiled strangely when she saw Kalian.
Oh, my. A precious person is here.
Kalian's eyebrow rose slightly at the old woman's aningful words.
Do you know who I am?
"Well. If I know, I know, if I dont know, I dont know.
The old woman smirked darkly as she recounted riddles.
"Okay. What do you need with this poor old woman?"
They said if I ca here, I might be able to find the poison I want.
Poison
Co to think of it, he said there's a plant he really wanted to find.
Was that plant a plant that was used as an ingredient for poison?
Since we ca to the black market, I thought the item Kalian was looking for would be unusual, but I didn't expect it to be poison.
Although I had said that I believed he wouldn't do anything bad, seeing him actually looking for a poison made anxious.
Who he's not trying to really kill soone, right?
If its poison, it's my specialty."
The old woman pointed to the unidentified powder with her skinny hand.
That pure white powder is a powder made from a flower called Baektae. It has no effect on ordinary people, but if soone with diabetes eats it, it can kill them at once.
At the terrifying word of kill, I held the hood I was wearing tightly. anwhile, the old woman's explanation of poison continued.
And this is
What I'm looking for is a colorless, odorless poison.
Kalian said, cutting the old woman's words.
Tsk tsk. This old woman is still talking, but you cut her off. Kids these days don't know how to respect the elderly. Don't glare at fiercely like that."
The old woman clicked her tongue and stroked her chin.
Colorless, odorless poison. There are more than a hundred that co to mind right now. I need more detailed information to know what you want.
Kalian imdiately added more explanation.
After eating it, your mouth will sll sweet and your fingertips will turn black. And the poison doesn't react to silver.
Hmm, the poison that will sll sweet and turn your fingertips black.
The old woman thought for a mont, then took out two vials from her bottari.
[T/N: Bottari is a traditional wrapping cloth of Korea.]
Of what cos to mind, these are the poison I have right now.
What about the other poisons? I want to know the nas.
Ill tell you if you give money.
How much? I'll buy these poisons too.
After getting the information and poison he wanted, Kalian put the poison in his inner pocket.
Co back next ti.
The old woman said as she put the money she had received from Kalian in her bottari.
I'll bring the poisons that I couldnt bring today. If there's anything that cos to mind, I'll bring them too.
I'll be grateful if you do that.
When Kalian, who finished talking to the old woman, turned around.
The emperors spy is here?
"No way. This is a black market with strict security
The people began to buzz.
Kalian clicked his tongue as if annoyed.
I think I've been caught.
"Yes? Th, then what should we do?
What should we do? Of course, we have to run away.
Run away?
How do we run away through this many people?
Not to ntion, all over the place, I saw the big n with swords that I saw on the street earlier.
They were looking around fiercely.
As Kalian said, if he had been caught, they'd probably be looking for us.
I grabbed Kalian's arm and whispered softly.
I think it's impossible to run away from those people.
"It's possible."
Possible? How?
"This way."
Kalian took my hand and went further inside.
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