Episode 103
* * *
At the edge of Guild City. The night sea is filled with pale, pouring starlight.
The city of Cambio is a port city bordering the southern seas of the continent and can be said to be the empire’s greatest trading port.
Arte del Cambio.
One of the great guilds in charge of currency exchange and finance, and the guild to which the ‘City Master’ who oversees the seven cities and the great guild belongs. It is in this guild’s city that the ugliest desires stir.
Beasts too.
Pigs, birds, horses, cows. It’s not a metaphor, but there were people there wearing the masks of all kinds of beasts, literally. Like a carnival, each wearing a mask of honor, and enjoying a party that would be as extravagant as the imperial palace.
Dale was no exception.
He wears a white mask like something out of The Phantom of the Opera, and disguises his shadow cloak with a black robe to hide his identity.
The day the continent’s largest black market, the Black Market, opens.
In the midst of the beasts’ masquerade, Dale turns his head.
As the name market suggests, there were countless products lined up.
Just like a glass display case in a department store.
Items that are not valuable enough to be auctioned off, but are valuable enough to liven up the Black Market. From living beings to rare artifacts that adventurers risk their lives to obtain in the labyrinth. Treasures that cannot be purchased even by selling all of the property and lands of lower-class nobles, here they are nothing more than mere trinkets rolling around in the marketplace.
A golden battlefield that even the empire’s leading nobles cannot participate in without being prepared to ‘bleed’.
“Gentlemen, ladies… … .”
Right there, the man opened his mouth.
“And you, ladies and gentlemen, are your puppets.”
Leaving behind the strangely torn crescent-moon-like pattern at the corner of the mouth.
He was wearing the mask of the Laughing Man.
One of the seven guild masters, and at the same time, the one representing the other six guild masters and the seven cities.
“We sincerely welcome you to the ‘Black Market’, the pride of our guild city.”
The pinnacle of Guild City. The City Master has finally revealed himself.
* * *
“Black chips, we will start the auction with three.”
“Four.”
“five things.”
“seven!”
“Oh, seven, there are seven!”
The City Master raised his voice as if he was having fun. He was wearing the mask of the “Laughing Man” with his mouth grotesquely torn like a crescent moon.
For what is called the continent’s largest black market, the number of currencies they are shouting out is ridiculously small. However, the price of a single chip they are shouting out is literally worth a thousand gold pieces.
In a sense, it wouldn’t be much different if you said it was similar to casino chips.
There was a commodity, it was valued, and its owner was determined. That was it.
One item was sold, and the next item appeared. People competed to put up their chips, and the next item also went to the person who called out seven chips.
Things that don’t even interest Dale in the slightest.
The night is still long.
Feeling the weight of the ‘hundreds of black chips’ hidden inside the robe, I turned my head away.
Dressed in a bird beak mask and black coat.
Leaving behind the limbs of the ‘Shadow Court’ who were blending in without any sense of discomfort amidst the most beautiful ball of beasts.
* * *
“One hundred.”
The man opened his mouth, and silence fell over the room. The silence was broken by the applause of the ‘City Master’.
“This is truly an excellent decision.”
The number of agents was rapidly decreasing.
After chipping in, the actual payment they make is made through the branches of the ‘Cambio Guild’ scattered across the continent.
Promissory Note.
In other words, receiving the goods in your hands is not something that happens here, but after the payment for the goods has been made. Guild City is not stupid enough to gather all of its expensive goods and treasures into one place.
After all the chips were taken out, the nobles’ representatives began to disappear from the room one by one. And even in the midst of all this, there were those who remained in their positions without moving an inch.
Starting with the ‘Black Prince’ of the House of Saxony, the imperial agent Ray Uris, Mikhail of the Duke of Lancaster, and others whose identities are obscured by masks.
But amidst the endless stream of goods, their numbers steadily decreased, and at the same time, nothing could stimulate the greed of Dale and the Black Knight.
I wonder if he’ll hide the card until the very end. I guess it’s okay. Dale thought as he moved his shadow’s prosthetic hand amidst the throbbing pain.
“I guess it’s about time.”
At that moment, after some incomprehensible muttering, the City Master continues speaking.
The final product.
“… … !”
Dale’s expression, no, everyone’s expression was frozen in shock.
* * *
That moment.
The night sea ripples in the thick darkness. Leaving behind the heavy silence, several boats cut through the waves and reached the land. The shadows moved quickly.
Siege hooks were soundlessly hung on the walls of the port city of Cambio. Shadows raced along the stone walls.
Choaack!
The blade swung down at one of the guards guarding the outpost/watchtower.
“Ugh, ugh… … !”
Blood gushed out from the severed neck, and a voice that could not be heard leaked out through the gap. The guards who were supposed to protect the outpost collapsed without even being able to put up a fight.
Some time after that.
Beyond the pitch-black horizon, giant silhouettes like monsters began to appear one after another. The prows of the fleet revealed their majesty as they cut through the water, and their sails fluttered in the night breeze.
Painted on the sail is a pirate flag with a skull and two femurs crossing each other.
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Jolly Roger.
In this world, that symbol meant only one thing: the coat of arms of the House of Barbarossa, one of the ‘Three Great Dukes’ of the Empire, along with the Houses of Saxony and Lancaster.
A maritime powerhouse with an invincible fleet, based in the Death Sea Archipelago.
Chorus!
The ships let go of their anchors, and all the anchors were lowered into the sea. The strongest fleet led by the Drowned Man, Francis Barbarossa.
As if monsters from the sea were coming up onto land, the silent fleet slowly came to a halt towards the land.
But there were no more sentinels left to report their landing from the watchtower and light the signal fire.
* * *
“Hey, City Master!”
In the Black Market, which was supposed to be guarded like an iron wall, a vulgar noise broke the silence. Unable to hide his shock, a soldier ran over and shouted urgently to the City Master and other guild masters.
“Drunkard Bar, Barbarossa’s fleet is landing on the city!”
“… … !”
Raiding the black market. Because there is no way they wouldn’t know the gravity of that act.
It is not an act of turning one Guild City into an enemy. It is an act that is no different from turning the Red Tower, which represents the Imperial Family, the Emperor, and the Empire itself, the two Dukes of the Empire, and even the countless nobles, into enemies.
Because it’s literally like ‘turning the world into your enemy’.
Yet no one in the black market dared to be shaken by that fact.
The seven guild masters and their representatives are no exception.
“So, at what price should we start bidding on the item?”
The City Master opened his mouth.
Without even a hint of hesitation, looking straight at Dale.
Guild City was right when they said that the Black Ball would be so greedy.
No, not just one black ball. Who in the empire would dare to covet this prize? It was not the time to worry about an arm lost in a fight club. Even if I lost an arm forever, it wouldn’t make a difference.
“Even I cannot even begin to guess the value of this.”
“… … What do you wish for?”
Finally, after a silence, Dale opened his mouth.
“How on earth did you get your hands on that?”
Throwing the Phantom of the Opera mask he was wearing to the floor.
“It’s a trade secret.”
Behind the mask of the “Laughing Man”, the City Master smiles slyly.
“Why don’t you keep ‘it’ for yourself and hand it over to us?”
“Because there is no need.”
The City Master answered.
“If I have ‘it’, does it give me any other benefit?”
“You call that talking?”
“Then let’s change the question.”
The City Master continues.
“What difference does it make if it is in the hands of our Guild City?”
As if I couldn’t understand.
“Prince Dale is threatening the Guild Master of Kalimala, and has taken control of the Shadow Court… … Prince Ray is threatening the Master of the Lana Guild, and Prince Mikhail is subjugating the Santiago Guild… … .”
“… … !”
He goes into detail about the dark struggles taking place in Guild City.
The six guild masters were unable to hide their confusion and were in turmoil. Furthermore, when the name of the Shadow Court was mentioned, even the great Dale could not maintain a poker face.
“Hey, damn it.”
Even the men in the new beak masks guarding the black market, including Master Baro, were no exception.
“What will change in the future of this city, where solidarity collapses and the city becomes an arena for the strong?”
It was just then.
Boom!
At the entrance to the Black Market, which must be guarded more strictly than anything else, a great uproar echoed. Led by Master Baro of the Salgeom, the most powerful figures in the ‘Shadow Court’ put their hands on their swords.
The strongest of the Guild City, protecting the Black Market where the Empire’s VVIPs participate.
Step, step.
“Oh, don’t worry too much.”
From far away, the sound of shoes echoed.
“Even so, I’m not foolish enough to hand ‘it’ over to the Empire.”
The City Master continued.
“From the beginning, only two people were qualified to own this product.”
Two people.
“Saxony, and Lancaster.”
The three great dukes of the empire, two of whom are mentioned in the name.
“And I have no doubt that Prince Dale is the best person to get his hands on this product.”
“… … .”
“It was only after seeing Confucius in action at Fight Club that I was able to be convinced.”
“What are you talking about?”
“A genius who is said to be the greatest talent in the empire in swordsmanship and magic.”
The city master said.
“Furthermore, despite the overwhelming difference in ability, he has the guts and insight to accurately understand his opponent’s psychology and make a gamble.”
“… … .”
“Prince Dale is ‘qualified.’”
“What qualifications are you talking about?”
“──The right to take possession of this world.”
“… … !”
From the beginning, this wasn’t an auction or anything. It was a test.
A test to determine who is qualified to obtain ‘it’ through a fight club match.
Among the geniuses who are said to be the best talents in the empire, to find the one who has achieved the final victory.
“The scales of power that support the empire will tilt, order will be broken, and many things will truly change.”
But there was one thing I couldn’t understand. What on earth was that man, the City Master, after?
The footsteps got closer and closer.
Boom!
Finally, the iron entrance to the Black Market broke open and a man appeared.
A man who looks like a rat soaked in rain.
One of the high-ranking assassins of the ‘Shadow Court’ kicked the ground as soon as he saw the sight, and he adjusted the handle of the sword he was holding in his hand.
“You little punk, stop right now!”
At the same time, Master Baro raised his voice in shock.
Towering.
The assassin’s body remained still.
Bogle.
A sound like bubbles were rising came from somewhere.
The body of the assassin, which was supposed to rush towards the man, stopped in its tracks.
“Ugh, ugh… … ugh!”
At the same time, in the empty space, it began to ‘sink’, struggling as if it were sinking into water. The floor of the room, built of marble, seemed like sea water.
“Then let me introduce the product.”
Leaving the mask of the “Laughing Man” behind, the City Master opened his mouth.
In the place where Saxony, Lancaster, and Barbarossa are all gathered.
“Francis Barbarossa, one of the three great dukes of the Empire and the Drowned Duke.”
“… … .”
“Starting with one black chip, we will begin the auction of the box containing the drowned man’s heart.”
A box containing the drowned man’s heart.
In the past, there was a legendary anecdote about Barbarossa, who was known by the nickname of the pirate king, making a deal with the ‘devil’ of the sea to gain eternal life… … and putting his heart in an obsidian box and hiding it at the bottom of the sea.
And the fact that the person involved in that anecdote, the drowned man, had come to this place leading his entire fleet.
More than anything, it certainly proved the City Master’s words.
In other words, the last commodity hanging on the black market meant only one thing.
If you get your hands on that ship, you will hold the lifeline of one of the three great dukes of the empire… …the drowned duke.
