Author: lipzoldyck

“Wait a minute, Noah.”

After thinking for a while, I cautiously said to the merchant.

“I can’t believe it’s 900 franc. I’m really worried. But looking at the emblem, it seems like you belonged to the Pennsyl Magic Guild. Among my master’s friends, there are also the people of Pennsyl Guild, and they’re very kind.”

Recalling the emblems of the various magic guilds I had seen in books, I casually lied.

At my words, the merchant frowned.

“Then I will go around the night market a little more. Master’s friends are also coming out today, I’ll be greeting them and discussing the price of the magic creature egg.”

At my words, the merchant suddenly coughed.

“Cough… Well then, I can give you a little more.”

These items belonged to each guild, and they probably had a set price.

However, there were many cases where the entrusted merchant intercepted the difference other than the commission after raising the price.

“500 franc.”

I proudly told the store owner.

At my words, he waved his hand.

“No, that’s really not enough for us. I bought an egg for 550 franc, how can I give it to you for 500 franc?”

“Ah. So, the Pennsyl Magic Guild’s shop was trying to sell something that costs 550 franc for 1,000 franc.”

The store owner was startled at my words.

“I also have to tell the friends of the Master, people from the Pennsyl Guild. With such a high margin, won’t the Pennsyl Guild get rich quickly?”

“C-Customer!”

“Perhaps other items are also sold at very high margin rates, right? I have to urge them to check out the other artifact lists as well.”

The store owner’s expression became urgent. Guild magicians wouldn’t stand still if they knew that customers were ripped off every time and money was stolen.

“Customer! then…”

He said with a change in his face.

“Alright. I will give it to you for 550 franc.”

“500 franc.”

I replied with a bright smile.

The store owner looked at me with a puzzled look and sighed deeply.

So I put the demon egg I got into the bag.

[Your Money: 19,600 franc]

The bargain was successful, but it was still expensive.

“If you come to our guild, I think you will become a great talent.”

At Noah’s admiration, I was embarrassed for nothing. Shall I consider the Thief’s Guild as a second career path?

I walked the night market again with Noah and looked around other shops.

What I was looking for today was the Deviamon Guild’s shop.

Holding the paper with the Deviamon Guild symbol drawn by Noah, I looked around. Yet no matter how much I did, I couldn’t find it.

“Aren’t they coming today?”

It would have been nice to be able to meet someone from the Deviamon Guild, but it was the moment when I sighed while thinking.

I could see the flags of the shops that I passed without thinking about it and were blown away by the wind.

When I inadvertently looked at the flag, I stopped. Then I stared at the paper in my hand.

A black skull.

And if I put it upside down…

“I found it. Right?”

It was the Deviamon Guild.

Behind the stall stood a suspicious-looking merchant in a black robe.

With a trembling heart, I approached the Deviamon Guild’s stall. And I mustered up the courage while holding out my things..

“Hey… You’re from the Deviamon Guild, right?”

“I want to meet the Guild Leader of the Deviamon Guild.”

It was absurd, but the merchant’s eyes stared at me sharply.

The item I brought out was a 100 franc “Ancient Coin with Minor Divine Power”  I bought at the holy relic shop.

I bought it after hearing from Noah that The Guild Leader of the Deviamon Guild liked ancient coins and collected them.

The merchant who picked up the coin looked at it carefully, and then he stared at me.

“It’s a unique thing. Where did you get this?”

“I came here because the Guild Leader was very interested in coins, so I wanted to trade. I also have something to buy.”

The merchant, who had paused for a while at my answer, touched the magic ring he was wearing with his other hand.

After a moment, two men in black robes appeared behind me.

“I’ll take you to the Guild Leader.”

As expected, Noah’s information that the Guild Leader also traded coins was correct.

I followed them out of the night market and started walking through the night.

I wasn’t afraid as I had received Ciel’s blessing in bed with the forced excuse that I was afraid of nightmares. Noah was with me, too.

“I think it’s over there.”

As I listened to Noah’s words, I saw a mansion exuding a gloomy energy.

“Noah, from here on, I will go in by myself.”

“But…”

“I have an idea. Let’s meet in front of the house later.”

Although the truth is I’m worried that something dangerous will happen to Noah.

I turned around and walked forward, leaving him behind.

As I entered the gloomy place with two men without a word, the mansion door closed with a squeaking sound.

After that, I just kept walking with them. As we approached a large space, I could see the back of a man sitting on the sofa.

He was facing the fireplace, with his back against me, so I couldn’t tell if his hair was orange or silver.

The man’s hand was fiddling with the coin I had handed to the merchant earlier.

“I came here because I wanted to get something.”

I looked at him and opened his mouth.

However, even at my request, the Guild Leader didn’t look back for a long time.

A little frustrated, I moved closer to him.

“It’s an ancient coin. It’s not a common thing, but it’s a product that has a low value. It’s expensive, about 100 franc.”

I was startled by the sweet voice, later I realized that it was a man’s voice.

The man who was looking at the fireplace slowly turned his head.

Thus, for the first time, I came face to face with the representative of the Deviamon Guild.

“…!”

His hair, which had been discolored by the flames, was silver as white as snow. The purple eyes, which seemed to be a mixture of blue and red, made me feel like my heart was sinking.

“Uh…”

I was speechless for a moment with a beautiful face, and then I opened my mouth.

“I brought it because I thought it was precious, I’m disappointed.”

“What are you looking for?”

I answered right away.

“Kronia.”

Kronia, the illegal medicinal herb, was banned from trade. This is the item that the Empress’ Chief Maid was trying to buy from Lloyd’s Merchant.

Noah said that it was sold by the Deviamon Guild.

The man looked at me and said in a relaxed tone.

“Ah, that.”

My heart was pounding.

Is the information Noah obtained correct?

“We don’t deal with it.”

A corner of his lips twisted. It was an outright lie and rejection.

But I didn’t give up and pleaded with him as if it were nonsense.

“No way. I’m sure I’ve heard that Kronia is sold here.”

At my words, his purple eyes stared at me.

“I heard that you can get Kronia as well as Beckia and Ansha here.”

They were all banned narcotics.

According to the information Noah obtained, those items are rumored to be distributed to only a small number of people in the Deviamon Guild.

At one point, his eyes seemed to glow mysteriously.

His feet approached me and he stopped in front of me.

“Who did you hear that from?”

I kept my composure and answered clearly.

“I can’t say that.”

Then he raised his hand.

Soon his eyes lit up, and a mysterious light stretched out from his hand. And I heard his question again.

“Who are you.”

“…Celestine.”

I recited the information with blank eyes. It’s only half of the information anyway, so he can’t infer my information.

Celestine was the surname of Ariel’s mother, who was a baron’s daughter, and Ariel used her mother’s surname when introducing herself deliberately to show that she had half the aristocratic blood.

“I’m a lady of a local province noble who is the first cousin of the in-laws of Her Imperial Majesty the Empress.”

He continued to ask.

“Whom did you hear about the drugs from?”

I opened my eyes and answered politely.

“Emperor Rosé Illide mentioned the ‘Deviamon Guild’ at the secret meeting of the female nobility. I need Kronia for personal purposes, so I came to you with a coin.”

“What was Rosé Illide talking about?”

“I heard that the Deviamon Guild handles drugs that are prohibited. She also gave the names of those who belonged to the Deviamon Guild among the nobles. The Empress said that she was well aware of the weakness of the Deviamon Guild, and that she had the Deviamon Guild in the palm of her hand.”

His fine eyebrows could be seen contorting.

He quickly licked his lips nervously.

“You will forget everything you heard from Rosé Illide.”

I answered with a blank expression.

“Yes.”

“And you will forget that you met me today.”

“Yes.”

I answered him politely.

He stared into my eyes for a long time. Then he mumbled.

“I don’t know why… I feel bad.”

I stood blankly, trying not to make eye contact with him, then he reached out and tried to put his hand close to my cheek, stopped, thus he lowered his hand.

“What is your name?”

“Celestine.”

He asked my name again to confirm my compliant state.

“Now go. Celestine.”

As he turned and walked out, his purple gaze persistently tickled the back of my head.