How a Reincarnated Warlock Lives – Chapter 143

Chapter 143: Shadow Market (1)

A proposal without action or evidence doesn’t carry much weight.

But if an extremely attractive argument and sufficient grounds to support it are presented……

“Hmm.”

The story changes.

“That’s a very interesting story, Inquisitor Luciel-nim.”

Markel Pavlino, the Head of the Inquisition, said with sparkling eyes.

His upper body leaned forward as he listened to my long explanation. It was a situation where I had already obtained half the permission.

“I’ve heard rumors of that place, passed down through adventurers’ tales.”

He continued, seemingly satisfied.

“But this is the first time I’ve heard such detailed information.”

The incident in Cobeln. In other words, the sudden wraith rampage had already become the work of the Amadrid Catacomb in my report.

And with the help of Jerit and Lephra, I perfectly resolved the situation, tracked down those who had plotted to destroy the city, and finally managed to find a clue.

While one might be surprised by the great achievement, there’s no room for doubt.

All the evidence had already disappeared, and unless I revealed it myself, there was no way anyone could know that the wraith incident in Cobeln was my doing.

“……”

Well, it didn’t matter what excuse I used.

Anyway, the story I told based on that was the truth, without any exaggeration.

The location of the Bone Fortress, which the Holy See’s army had previously attacked on a large scale, and the Radechione Catacomb, which recently launched a surprise attack on the Grand Temple of Mount Calimphus, are relatively well-known.

And even though the exact entrance to the Industriousness Catacomb in the north is unknown, its approximate location is known.

However, the headquarters of the Amadrid Catacomb, which uses nightmares, imagination, and dreams as its power to spread its evil schemes, had not even a clue, let alone its approximate location, caught in the Church’s information network.

Of course, not for me, and now not for the Inquisition either.

“……”

The Head’s eyes narrowed as he listened to my explanation.

Shadow Market.

A mysterious place where its entrance opens on the night of the black crescent moon.

It was a place that many races, including humans and demons, secretly visited, and where one could find the way to the headquarters of the Amadrid Catacomb.

Brucian mountain witches who visit to purchase unusual ingredients and wizards who secretly research forbidden magic, avoiding the eyes of the Church.

Adventurers who happen to enter the place by tremendous luck or misfortune.

Humans and various mixed-blood beings who reside there, either by choice or by force.

Markel Pavlino nodded after hearing the general explanation of the place, which could be considered a breeding ground for various heresies.

His face was filled with anticipation that he would finally be able to put an end to the widespread magical attacks on numerous cities and villages.

“So, support? How much do you need?”

I pretended to think for a moment and lowered my head at his words.

I knew they didn’t have many extra personnel. The Head would probably want to handle this with minimal support.

That was fortunate for me. No, rather, this side would refuse any unnecessary interference.

“It’s a covert operation. The fewer people, the better. I can handle it alone.”

A faint smile appeared on the Head’s lips at my unhesitating answer.

“Don’t overdo it. After all, what you need to do is secure a definite entry route and reconnaissance.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

After finishing his words, he looked at me intently and opened his mouth.

“No matter how much I think about it……”

He lightly moved his hand, burning the report containing the general explanation of Cobeln and the Shadow Market.

“It seems clear that your accidental visit to that city was divine guidance.”

I replied with a light smile at the Head’s words.

“I think so too.”

🔹🔹🔹

There was no time to dawdle. I left Hesterica immediately after leaving the Head’s office.

Lephra remained in the city to recover from her injuries sustained in Cobeln, and Jerit returned to the Pope in Delphaud.

Of course, with a completely changed set of values.

I was a little curious to see what kind of fruit the seed I had planted in him, and the seed he himself had realized and sprouted, would bear in the future.

But that’s a story for another day. Now I had to focus on the present. The task before me was not something to be taken lightly.

Instead of the easily noticeable giant black horse of the Inquisition, I rode an ordinary horse and headed to a secluded countryside. It wasn’t a place I had chosen beforehand.

What you need to enter the Shadow Market is overflowing luck, or misfortune.

Naturally, it wasn’t a place that ordinary people who knew nothing could find. Without a small piece of your soul anchored to the place, allowing you to come and go, or a proper invitation from there, you wouldn’t be able to find the entrance in the first place.

But as with most knowledge, information, or qualifications of the underworld……

Step.

It wasn’t a story that applied to me.

The place I found was a small, deserted graveyard. The setting sun was casting gloomy shadows around the area.

The entrance to the’market’exists all over the continent.

Of course, not in such ordinary places. Most of them are located on mountain peaks or cliffs that are rarely visited, or in the middle of fog-covered islands.

In addition to that, the entrance only opens at specific times, three or four times a year. There was still a considerable amount of time left until then.

But I couldn’t just sit around and wait.

Swipe.

I slowly raised my hand.

Demonic energy began to gather as I gestured in the air.

An ominous energy began to heat the air of the long-neglected graveyard.

The right granted only to a very small number of masters. A spell that can temporarily open the door to the Shadow Market.

However, it was a considerably old magic that I hadn’t used many times before, so it took a little time.

“……”

But I suppressed my impatience and continued to form the hand signs. If I remember correctly, there would be a reaction soon.

Whoosh.

The wind brushed past the overgrown graveyard. But that slight tremor soon became a large movement.

Rumble.

The scattered, moss-covered, and half-broken tombstones began to shake and rise.

The materials that make up the graveyard.

Tombstones, weeds, dry branches, and bare bones gathered in one place, forming a single shape.

And……

Twinkle. The moment the moonlight, dyed dark, shone down on the nameless graveyard……

Grooooan.

With a creaking sound, beyond the empty door that appeared in the air, the place that was just reflecting the graveyard began to be dyed in darkness.

Sigh, I let out a small sigh and slowly lowered my hand.

It was a very old-fashioned method, but it seemed to still work well.

‘Shall we go?’

I glanced at the blue moonlight, which had returned to its original state, and then stepped into the door, where only darkness flickered, without hesitation.

🔹🔹🔹

The merchant of the Shadow Market, Mephestroth, scratched his smooth, hairless head.

“Hmm?”

He tilted his head, stopped walking, and turned around.

Midday, with the sun high overhead. The market was still quiet.

It was the time for demons to hold their breath and hide in the shadows. Most of the market merchants were snoring, or asleep with their wings or tails wrapped around them.

Therefore, naturally, the numerous customers were also not emerging from the inns lined up in the fog and from within the tombs.

There was still quite a bit of time left before the market lights would be lit.

“Hrmm.”

However, Mephestroth was a rather diligent merchant. After all, in order to earn even a single penny more, shouldn’t one be awake even during these bright hours when everyone else is asleep?

Therefore, the suspicious energy he had just felt was, in a way, a gift brought about by that diligence.

“Hrmmm.”

Mephestroth was a merchant who had lived in the Shadow Market for quite a long time, with a fair amount of experience under his belt. Of course, to be precise, there were hardly any bones in his body.

He tapped the short horns protruding from his head. It was his unique habit when he was deep in thought.

Slowly, his neck smoothly rotated a full circle. The surroundings were still quiet.

But the wave from just a moment ago was definitely the kind that occurred when the market gates opened.

He counted the days, extending each of his seven fingers one by one. There were still a few weeks left until the gates would open.

‘Did I feel it wrong?’

When he shrugged and was about to start walking again.

“Ah, thankfully there was a diligent merchant.”

A sudden voice from behind him.

“……!”

There was definitely no one there just a moment ago. Startled, he hurriedly turned his head back.

Of course, his torso was still facing forward.

“Nice to meet you.”

There, a stranger was looking at him with a calm expression.

“What’s your game? You scared the wits out of me!”

Despite his somewhat eerie appearance, the unfamiliar young man chuckled and spoke nonchalantly.

“You don’t have any wits. You probably sold them off.”

Gasp. Mephestroth gasped at the sharp remark.

Quite an experienced customer. But then again… how did he get in?

It’s not the center of the market where the inn district is. He was on his way there.

“……”

The merchant narrowed his eyes and looked at the strange customer. Unfazed by his gaze, the young man brushed the dust off his shoulders and opened his mouth.

“I want to buy something.”

“……!”

At the young man’s words, Mephestroth’s eyes darted around. He wasn’t a peddler selling cheap trinkets in the corner of the market.

As a veteran of the market, his eyes, accustomed to handling only expensive items, quickly scanned the young man from head to toe.

Not an elegant witch, nor an old, ugly wizard. Not a visitor who entered through the’front door’either.

An adventurer who luckily escaped captivity or drifted here?

In many ways, he didn’t seem like someone he could make a satisfactory deal with.

“The things I handle are a bit expensive. Can you afford to pay the price?”

“I can pay the price, so I’d like to go inside and talk first.”

“Why should I? What makes you think I should trust you?”

“Hmm… as a gesture of goodwill to a potential customer?”

Click. Mephestroth, clicking his sharp teeth, said coldly.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m busy, so go find an inn over there─”

He raised his limp arm and pointed to the shabbiest building in a secluded corner. But then, seeing the object the young man in front of him pulled out, his arm stiffened as if bones had suddenly sprouted within it.

“Th, that’s… ……!”

The object that emerged from the young man’s bosom.

“Are you interested now?”

Whoosh. A tingling sensation that stimulated the merchant’s instinctive senses caused Mephestroth’s arms to quickly come together politely.

“Let’s not do this here. It would be better to go inside and talk. What kind of tea do you like?”

“Ah, shall we?”

A deep smile spread across the young man’s face as he saw the instantly transformed, exemplary merchant’s demeanor.

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