As I walked through the dimly lit pathway, the sights and sounds of the black market surrounded .
Hawkers shouted from their stalls, trying to sell all sorts of dubious goods.
"Buy this sacred soil. It will increase your earth affinity."
"Mr, please co and take a look at this authentic piece of art. All for 500 Velos.."
"Sir, have this candy. It will boost your energy."
"Boost energy for what?" a man asked, stopping before the shop.
"For bed!"The seller replied.
"BAH! I don't need this shit. I am young and virile. Sell it to an old man."
I clicked my tongue seeing the blatant lies and walked around.
Masks hid everyone's faces, making it feel more like a bizarre masquerade than a place for trade.
I glanced around, trying to piece together the fragnts of mories from the ga.
"That stall… the one running the Thieves' Guild commissions. Over there… organ trafficking. That one sells monster parts. And that building at the corner is where they hold etings to sell forbidden knowledge."
The familiarity sent a chill down my spine. This place was exactly as I rembered, but experiencing it in real life was sothing else entirely.
Ahead of , a light tower stood tall, its beam sweeping across the chaotic market. It was a popular landmark and an easy eting point. I took out my phone and sent a ssage.
[I have reached. Where are you?]
The reply ca quickly.
Saber: [I'm near the lighthouse as you said.]
I looked around, scanning the area. [Any notable reference that would help identify you?]
Saber: [Hmm! I'm smoking. Can you spot ? The cigar is stuck in my mask through a hole.]
I paused, my eyes darting to every figure in sight. Then, near a stall, I noticed him—a man in a rabbit mask, the cigar wedged comically between its teeth, with a single black horn sticking out from the hood of his cloak.
Swallowing hard, I typed back.
[I found a man with a rabbit mask, a cigar in his mouth, and a horn pointing out from his hood.]
Saber: [Yeah, that's .]
For a second, I almost dropped my phone. The absurdity of his appearance made my stomach churn. I stared at him in disbelief.
He noticed and waved. "Here."
Taking a deep breath, I walked toward him. As I got closer, the ridiculousness of his outfit hit again—a rabbit mask with a cigar, a black horn jutting out from his hood. I suppressed the urge to slap him.
"Why the hell are you dressed like this? It's not Halloween."
"Halloween? What's that?" Saber asked, his voice genuinely confused.
I facepald. "Never mind." I fixed him with a glare. "Didn't I tell you to cut that horn?"
"Uh… yeah, about that." He scratched the back of his head, puffing on his cigar. "It hurts to cut it, and anyway, you can't body sha . This horn is precious. Besides, it looks cool. Longer than yours, even."
"What?" I asked, my voice rising in exasperation. What was this guy even talking about?
He pulled out a cigar and offered it to . "Here. Have a puff, and you'll find yourself in the embrace of heaven."
I batted his hand away. "Heaven, my ass. You'll go to hell, and die quicker if you keep smoking."
"Hah! That's all a myth. Smokers live long lives, especially awakened ones like . This stuff won't do shit."
"Yeah, it'll do shit—to your lungs." I gave him the middle finger for good asure.
Massaging my temples, I sighed. Saber's antics were making forget why I was even here. "Did you get the class?"
"Of course! I got the class and registered as an adventurer. I'm already an E-class hunter," he said, puffing out his chest.
It was hard to take him seriously with that mask on. I couldn't even see his expression, but his smug tone was enough to annoy . "Okay, enough. Let's get to business."
He nodded, grinning. "Let's go."
Before I could move, he slung his arm around my shoulders. I shot him a cold glare, and he flinched, starting to pull away.
I grabbed his arm and sighed. "Fine, you can keep it."
"You're a softie," he teased, grinning wider.
"F*** off."
.....
Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire
We entered Whiteshawn Pub, the air heavy with a mix of smoke, sweat, and stale alcohol.
The dim neon light flickered, casting long, distorted shadows over the dingy walls. I walked straight to the bar, knocking twice on the worn wooden counter. The bartender glanced up, his eyes wary, but he put on a professional smile.
"What do you want, sir?"
I leaned closer and lowered my voice. "ssage Samuel that Lukas Star is here."
The man froze for a mont, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied .
"I'm not kidding," I added sharply. "I'm one of his partners. Call him urgently, even if he's asleep. It doesn't matter."
The bartender swallowed, the tension evident in the way his Adam's apple bobbed. Without a word, he turned and walked off to make the call.
Saber, who had been lounging against the bar, tilted his head and smirked. "You act like a rogue."
I ignored him, though his words made glance at him briefly. He was busy eyeing the bottles of liquor behind the counter, his behavior so casual it was almost disrespectful. This wasn't the Saber I rembered—a polished and civilized guy. No, now he moved like a hardened rcenary, his carefree attitude masking the harsh life he'd been living.
I wanted to call him out on it, to remind him of the person he used to be, but I held back. Life was cruel, and people coped however they could. If drinking helped him numb the pain, who was I to stop him?
"Drink after we've had the talk," I said finally, cutting off his train of thought.
Monts later, the bartender returned, bowing slightly and gesturing for us to follow. We moved through a narrow hallway, the dim light barely illuminating the path. As we walked, both Saber and I removed our masks. I glanced at him, taking in the rough, tanned face beneath. He still had good features, but the sharp lines and hardened expression told he'd been through a lot.
I wanted to say sothing—ask him how he was, maybe—but I bit my tongue. Sentint wouldn't help either of us right now.
The bartender pushed open the door, and before I could step in, a voice thundered from inside.
"LUKAS, YOU SON OF A BH!* You're the trashiest piece of shit I've ever seen!"
I froze for a second, then stepped in, smirking. Samuel was standing, his hair disheveled and his eyes bloodshot, glaring daggers at . He looked like he hadn't slept in days, his body tense with anger.
Behind , Saber took a cautious step back and muttered, "We aren't about to be killed, right?"
I chuckled, amused. "Nah, why would he? Despite his theatrics, he's benefited plenty from . Isn't that right, Samuel?"
"You…" Samuel growled, his lips twitching with fury, but he didn't deny it.
Saber followed into the room as we took our seats. Samuel was about to explode again when the bartender interrupted, asking what we'd like to drink.
"Vodka," Saber said imdiately.
"I'll take a soft drink. Coke, preferably," I added.
"What are you, a pussy? Why don't you drink?" Saber asked, staring at like I'd just insulted his family.
"One of us needs to stay sober," I replied curtly.
Samuel, watching our casual interaction, looked like he was about to lose his mind. His lips quivered before he finally shouted, "Do you have any idea what I've been through since I sent that ssage? The lengths I went to, the risks I took? I was locked in prison, tortured, left without food—treated like a dog...No, I was treated worse than even a fucking dog!"
The bartender returned with our drinks. Saber took his vodka eagerly, while I just placed my Coke on the table without drinking it. Turning to Samuel, I asked, "Is it over?"
"Huh?" He blinked, confused.
"I an, is your narration over?"
"Y-yeah… I guess."
"That's it?" I raised an eyebrow, genuinely curious.
Saber, mid-sip, choked on his vodka and stared at like I was insane. His expression practically scread, Bro, what the hell do you an by 'that's it'?
Clearing my throat, I clarified, "I an, it's better than I expected."
Samuel's face twisted in disbelief. "Better than expected? What the hell did you expect?"
"Oh," I said, scratching my cheek as I thought about it. "I thought that they'd skin you alive, pull out your fingernails, whip your back, and maybe stab your ass a few tis to make you confess."
The room fell silent as words hung in the air like a bad on.
Samuel and Saber both stared at , their faces pale. A cold, dreadful tension swept through the room.
"…" Saber.
"…" Samuel.
F**k, this guy's a nace, Saber's eyes seed to say.
I took a casual sip of my Coke, enjoying the uncomfortable silence.
Reviews
All reviews (0)