A fine young man in his 30s wandered the streets of [Nyd]. He stopped at a bead shop selling shiny beads and necklaces made from precious, glimmering stones. The man's eyes were drawn to a twinkling, glassy blue necklace. He looked like a noble, wearing a hefty green suit made of silk—a luxury for commoners.
"I would like to buy this necklace for someone important," he said, his voice elegant and his tone as calm as the ocean. He asked the merchant about the price. The merchant smiled and whispered,
"I mostly sell these items for 5 silver coins, but just for you, sir, I can go for 3." He clearly stated a higher price than normal, seeing that the man looked wealthy.
"Excellent!" The man took out his wallet, which was not common, but made from the skin of [Rukon], one of the highest quality leathers. He pulled out three shiny silver coins and handed them to the merchant.
The man disappeared. The necklace, which the merchant thought was just a common piece made from shiny blue stones, was something much more. Amidst the beads was a [Sapphire Crystal]; just a small amount like that could easily be sold for 4-5 gold coins.
• • • • •
A small river called [Ghun] flows between [Nyd] and [Giefu]. There are four small bridges in [Nyd] to cross the river to the other side. Just below one of these bridges, there was a secret alley, connected to a place where even light refused to shine, always reeking of darkness. Even the guards were afraid to step foot there. This place is the "Black Market."
"So tell me, how do you know about such a place?" Han confronted Martha.
"During our time in the carriage, I overheard a conversation between those two fine gentlemen in suits."
"But isn't such a place risky?" Jay objected, calculating the risk.
"Says the man who tried to fight the Drows alone," Martha squinted her eyes, smiling at him.
"Whatever," Jay surrendered.
The group reached the bridge after boarding a private carriage from the guild to the riverside. The driver billed them 13 copper coins.
They cautiously stepped down the bridge, finding a small alley just below the arch. Entering the alley, they soon encountered a big man standing there, wearing a heavy robe, a big axe in his left hand.
Jay stepped up. "We want to enter," he said, staring into the man's eyes.
"Pass," the man blocked the gate.
Martha stepped forward and slowly whispered something in the man's ear. He stepped back and opened the gate.
"Welcome," his heavy voice rumbled as he stood aside.
The group entered the black market.
The ceiling was made of earth, located beneath the streets of [Nyd], surrounded by all kinds of people—from common peasants to high nobles—scented by layers of heavy perfumes. On the left and right, countless shops sold cursed weapons, items of magic and exorcism—eyes of rats, tails of lizards, intestines of Kogar. Some shops sold potions—red, blue, even black—unknown in effect.
At the end, there was another door, slightly askew, its handle broken, moss covering the corners. It had never been opened and had been closed for almost a decade.
Scarlet looked at Martha, curiosity in her eyes. "What did you say to that guard?"
"Ghun," she replied. "It's the secret pass—the name of the river."
Scarlet was still confused. "But how did you know that?" But Martha didn't say another word.
The group stumbled across a tiny shop—or what looked like a shop. The walls were made of torn pieces of cloth. Inside sat an old woman, almost in her 70s, wrinkled eyes, a crooked smile, eyes barely open. She was selling odd materials. On the table were cut hairs, torn nails, teeth, and other body parts of different animals. The foul scent made Nana and Scarlet step back immediately, nearly vomiting.
Martha pulled out a small leather pouch of very low quality, inside were the Drow teeth she had extracted. The old lady's eyes brightened, her smile growing even more crooked. Her voice was creepy and shrill, like someone being strangled.
"Oh! My, my, isn't it the teeth of Drows, beautiful young lady," she said, looking at Martha. "Do you want to sell them?"
"You're sharp despite your age. What amount are you willing to give for them?" Martha replied, returning a devious smile.
Han and Jay could feel the tension—the tremendous pressure of a bargaining match between two sharp-tongued women.
At last, the old lady offered 1 gold and 5 silver for all the teeth. Martha, though she wanted to go higher, accepted the deal rather than negotiate further.
The old lady opened a big bag, inside which was a pile of materials. She pulled out a red purse, old and worn but made of high-quality fabric, and took out 5 shiny silver coins and 1 gold coin. It was the first time the group had seen a gold coin.
Martha quickly put the silver coins in her pouch, but, fearing someone might steal the gold coin, she gave it to Jay, asking him to hold it carefully.
They decided to explore the market and buy some items for dinner. The party hadn't eaten all day, and now their stomachs sang the melody of hunger.
"I don't think we can find anything edible here," Scarlet muttered.
Suddenly Han stopped, his eyes fixed on something—a familiar smell that he knows too well. He rushed over to an old man selling fish. The man's beard almost touched the table, his hat hiding his face. Among the different fish, Han's eyes landed on one at the corner, its body lightly red with silver scales. It was salmon.
"Wh—Salmon, in this world?" he was confused.
Jay finally caught up to him. "What the heck were you thinking, running off like that? Are you a kid?" But as he was about to say more, his eyes also landed on the salmon. "A salmon? But how?"
Han asked the old man,
"Hey, gramps, where did you find this fish?"
The old man finally revealed his eyes, blue like the ocean, hiding untold stories. He replied with a heavy yet calm voice,
"I caught it from that river outside."
Both were shocked—a fish that survived the apocalypse. Suddenly a familiar voice came from behind.
"This could mean the apocalypse didn't affect fish or anything living underwater," said Martha, with Scarlet and Nana behind her.
"No, that's wrong," Han contradicted her. "The fish [Red Blob] we eat is the successor of [Japanese Perch]. How could it be affected and not salmon?"
"Maybe it never got infected in the first place," Jay replied to Han. "The apocalypse was seventy thousand years ago. Many species could have evolved in that time, without any apocalypse."
In the serious moment, a noise broke the silence—the growling of their stomachs.
"Why don't we eat first and talk later?" Han suggested. The others nodded. They bought the fish from the fisherman for 2 copper—a really good deal. Martha and Scarlet explored a bit more and bought ingredients like rock salt, chili peppers, and fermented sugar from other merchants, totaling 3 copper.
Meanwhile, Nana, Jay, and Han explored other parts of the black market, collecting information about Kazuki. They also bought some peculiar things—small glass bottles for potions, metallic stones, and materials for Jay to make weapons. Nana bought some clothes, since they didn't have any to wear, totaling 4 silver. It was a bit of heavy shopping, but all necessary.
After collecting information and shopping, the group exited the black market. As everyone left, Han felt something, like someone was watching them. But he didn't mind much and left with the others.
They boarded a private carriage again. Their next stop was Downtown Housing Society.
"What is it?" Nana asked, not knowing.
"We're going to rent a house. We can't stay at the tavern—it charges more, and thieves might break the already broken doors," Jay answered.
"But a house—isn't that too much?" Scarlet was concerned.
"Not at all. We asked the guild lady about it. The downtown housing complex is pretty affordable, and we may have to live here for a long time," Han replied, easing her concern.
"What type of house should we get?" Jay asked Martha, who was sitting at the front.
"One for temporary comfort, until we can afford a better house somewhere, and find Kazuki," she answered.
Nana smiled a little, her heart still concerned about her brother.
• • • • •
At the Kingdom of Drognar, something happened that changed the course of history. A single man destroyed the castle of Drognar. The ruins of the castle were everywhere, and a report stated a total loss of 200 soldiers. But the kingdom was truly shaken when news came that the king had disappeared.
On the east coast, somewhere near the ocean, a man was lying unconscious and naked. On his wrist was a symbol—a broken temple. He was the Cursed Saint...