The Duke’s Madness

The first day to Arcane.

Whitebeard, whom I met on a train equipped with a magical engine, held out a black card and said:

‘If you go to the Black Bell Tower and hold out this card, you will be able to meet me.’

It was a memory that he had forgotten for a while because there was no reason to meet him, but it was Arthur who remembered it thanks to the black bell tower mentioned by Willet.

‘Could it be that the black bell tower is this black bell tower?’

Arthur, who had been stroking his chin, nodded.

It was because the black bell tower couldn’t be that common, and there were a lot of connections.

The largest black market held in Arcane.

An underworld organization that dominates the continent.

Unless you’re an idiot, it was a part where you could notice that there was a link.

‘But Mr. Willett said that the black market was managed by Chilhwang… . hmm.’

It was when Arthur, who was interested, raised the corner of his mouth.

Willett, who had been watching, narrowed his eyes and asked.

“Why are you laughing like that again?”

“yes?”

“Every time you raise the corner of your mouth like that, I’m dying of anxiety. Why are you smiling like that again this time?”

Arthur scratched his head.

“uh… Did I laugh badly?”

“That’s not it… Something has gone wrong.”

“So you’re saying I laughed ominously?”

Willett kept his mouth shut.

“… nope Just get over it.”

“Cutting off the conversation like this, Mr. Willett?”

“I thought it would only hurt me if I had to explain it. By the way, I’ll give you a present.”

Arthur tilted his head.

In the meantime, Willett rummages through the drawer and hands over a silver engraved plaque.

“uh… This?”

“It’s a C-class mercenary group.”

At his explanation, Arthur raised his eyes.

That’s because he received a D-class mercenary card a few days ago.

Considering that it was not easy to raise a mercenary’s rank, it was something he shouldn’t have received right now.

“… Didn’t you give it the wrong way?”

“No, that’s right. The Mercenary Association has adjusted your rating.”

“Adjustment?”

Willett tilted his glass.

“Looking at this case, they seem to have judged that your grade doesn’t fit the D grade. It is very unusual.”

Arthur groaned and murmured.

‘oh… I didn’t even complete the quest, but the grade went up?’

The strict mercenary association didn’t even solve the request, but they raised the grade.

Arthur was suddenly troubled by a new experience that he had never experienced in his previous life.

‘Then, if I have more accidents like this in the future, will my grade go up again?’

If he was going to continue his mercenary life for the time being, it would have been better if he had a higher rank.

A high-ranking mercenary not only has a high reward, but also can receive quality requests.

‘And there’s a high chance that a good lineage will come from a quality quest… .’

Then Willett got up from his seat and said.

“You seem to be thinking about something else, stop it. You shouldn’t be noticed anymore.”

At his advice, Arthur tilted his head.

“Didn’t you think it was strange?”

“… Good luck then.”

With these words, Willett nodded.

“Enough of today’s story, let’s see it tomorrow. How is it?”

“I will do that, old man.”

“You’d better bring a lot of money.”

“sure. Do not worry.”

After exiting ＜Manners Make a Man＞, Arthur muttered as he stretched.

“hmm… It’s an arcane black market… .”

Although I had visited several times in my previous life, this was the first black market on such a large scale.

‘It’s also a black market related to Sky Island… .’

I was thinking lightheartedly, but it seemed like it would be a more fun place than I thought.

From nob le mt l dot com

Not only the Sky Island, but also the seven emperors and pirates who are called the real titans of the underworld.

Both organizations are involved.

“Isn’t that enough to sell dragon blood?”

It doesn’t even make sense to think about it, but again, it’s something I don’t know.

It’s a place where you can get anything if you have money.

Arthur raised his mouth in anticipation and headed for my mansion.

* * *

It was an unusually clear morning.

Arthur headed to Area B-13, the place he had promised with Willett.

As a private residential area, people moving in family units were noticeable throughout the streets.

The faces of the people in harmony with the bright sunlight were overflowing with happiness and composure.

Because of that, Arthur couldn’t help but tilt his head.

‘The largest black market in Arcane is held in a place like this?’

Everywhere I look, there doesn’t seem to be a place like that open.

As Arthur snoops around with his thoughts, Willet, who was sitting on a bench in the distance, gets up from his seat.

“Here you are.”

“hello. Elder Willett.”

At this, Willett bowed his head.

Unlike the comfortable clothes he had at the tailor, now he was wearing a gray-brown suit and a black fedora.

Thanks to that, the hideous scars that were full of her face were covered, and perhaps because of that, a grace that I hadn’t seen before overflowed.

‘Couldn’t Elder Willett actually come from an aristocratic background?’

It may be just a prediction, but it seemed possible.

Willett didn’t swear even though he lived a long time on this floor full of swear words.

‘There’s no way that kind of elegance could have arisen on its own.’

But I didn’t bother to open my mouth to ask.

According to previous life experiences, Willett hated being asked about his past.

“Are you ready?”

“yes.”

“Then go.”

With these words, Willett moved on.

Arthur followed.

how long did it take

Willett passed the well-paved road and entered the huge promenade behind the housing complex.

“ha ha ha-!”

There were also many gatherings on the promenade where families went on outings.

Arthur and Willett passed them, heading deeper and deeper.

Then, the color of the forest, which had been saturated with greenery, began to grow darker, and instead of doves, cries of crows could be heard.

While Arthur burst into exclamation at the sudden change, Willet stopped walking.

“hmm… It seems like here.”

Arthur, who was behind him, stuck his head out.

At that moment, I saw a black paper placed in the middle of the promenade.

Surrounding the bell was a pagoda in appearance, but to be honest, it was an embarrassing size to call it a pagoda.

However, regardless of its size, it was clear that it was a heterogeneous building to be in a place like this.

So Arthur, who tilted his head, asked a question.

“Can I be open like this?”

“Of course not. It seems to be a barrier.”

Arthur raised his eyes.

“A barrier? Didn’t you feel any magic?”

“Real magic makes no distinction between reality and lies. The owner of this black market must have such a wizard.”

At Willett’s explanation, Arthur stroked his chin.

‘hmm… That’s definitely true.’

Real magic makes no distinction between reality and lies.

Making even lies into reality is the real magic.

And the magic in front of my eyes seemed to be real magic.

‘If I can’t feel that I’m magic, I’m a wizard of at least 50 years… Who the hell is the owner?’

This is the real Chihwang or the leader of the pirates.

Or maybe it should be a white beard?

It was a time when Arthur was troubled with his thoughts.

Willett tapped the bell carefully.

with my daughter

once twice three times.

The chirping of crows that had been heard along with the low ringing of bells had disappeared.

Because of that, the moment a light silence is about to fall, a voice like scratching iron resonates from beyond the fog.

“Kick-kick… customer. Are you a guest?”

Arthur raised his eyes and looked at the dwarf who had walked out from behind the bell.

‘oh… ?’

Her ears were long like those of a genie, but her skin was green and she was a very ugly dwarf.

As Arthur looked at the green dwarf with interest, Willett opened his mouth.

“It’s a goblin… I don’t think I’ve seen it before.”

At his murmur, Arthur raised his eyes.

“oh… Are you a monster?”

“okay. Have you seen it for the first time?”

“I only saw it in books. Aren’t they the lineage of the greenskin race that was exterminated a thousand years ago?”

Willett nodded.

“that’s right. It’s been a really long time since I’ve seen this. I’ve heard that some warlocks are breeding monsters with high intelligence, but… .”

At his words, Arthur thought.

‘Looking at the high intelligence, that goblin must be the guide.’

Willett seemed to think the same thing.

Willet, who has finished his thoughts, asks the goblin.

“I want to go into the black market.”

“Kick… ticket. I need a ticket.”

Willett takes out two tickets from his chest.

The goblin holding the ticket looked around and beckoned.

“customer… Follow me. This way.”

Arthur and Willett follow the gesture and move on.

The goblin headed somewhere without hesitation, and Arthur, who was looking at the back, muttered to himself.

‘Suddenly I’m curious. Are you going to respond to the card that Whitebeard gave you?’

If there is a connection, they will respond.

Then, shall we take you to the black market like now?

Or straight to Whitebeard?

Arthur, who was worried, licked his lips.

‘Even though we haven’t met a few days ago, it’s just an experiment.’

If he had been crazy, he would not have known, but as long as he understood Whitebeard’s intentions, there was nothing good about bumping into him several times.

So Arthur suppressed his curiosity and quietly followed the goblin.

how long did it take

widely.

The goblin stopped walking and at the same time raised the lantern he was holding.

At that moment, a huge tombstone was revealed, and the goblin pointed to it and said,

“Go in. this one… This is the entrance.”

Willet stroked his chin and followed the goblin’s words as he moved towards the tombstone.

At that moment, surprisingly, his new model disappeared.

Arthur, who was watching from behind, burst into exclamations and murmured.

“These are the teleport coordinates.”

“Kick-kick… That is correct.”

The goblin next to me replied with an unpleasant laugh.

Arthur looked at the goblin for a while and carefully asked a question.

“Mr. Goblin. Excuse me, can I ask you something?”

“Is this a question?”

“yes. I have a question.”

The goblin tilts its head.

“money.”

“… … .”

“Give me the money, money.”

Arthur shrugged and bounced a gold coin.

The goblin snatched the coin off the hook and laughed badly again.

“What are you curious about?”

“Do you know what a white beard is?”

“… … ?”

“Do you know someone from the Dark Magic Mountain in the Sky Island?”

The goblin flinched and shook its shoulders.

At the same time, the bright red eyes trembled up and down without stopping, and then suddenly let out a scream.

Ayeee!!!!

Arthur frowned at the scream that was close to noise.

In the meantime, the goblin tore off my ears.

Dig-!

The goblin, slumped to the ground with a fountain of blood gushing out, ran around with his ears in his hands.

“Oh, Whitebeard! Hee, Mr. Whitebeard! Sin, sorry! Mr. Whitebeard!!!”

pain and fear.

The goblin, who was spitting out something in the middle of that feeling, fainted within seconds.

Arthur, who watched with bated breath, burst into exclamation.

“also… It had something to do with Mr. Whitebeard.”

That’s because it’s not very good.

‘Looking at it, the master and the slave… Maybe that’s it?’

Since Willet had also said that warlocks had goblins a while ago, it seemed so.

Thinking this far, Arthur lowered his head as he retrieved the gold coin he had just handed over.

“You seem to want to be alone, so I’ll go, Mr. Goblin.”

With these words, Arthur approached the tombstone.

As if waiting, the surrounding scenery became blurry.

It was when Arthur closed his eyes for a moment in the sense of the misaligned vision.

“… … .”

A noise I hadn’t heard before reached my ears.

Arthur opened his eyes again and exclaimed.

“oh… .”

Red Moon.

and black sun.

A city shrouded in darkness was wriggling under the sky that went against the laws of nature.