*
I arrived at the inn and unpacked.
Kainel and I got one room, while Pina and Ariel shared another. Pina seemed a bit disappointed, but it couldn’t be helped.
If we shared the room, she would definitely chase after me. She’s that kind of person. But that can’t happen.
I need to meet this guy alone and then head back.
In the game, there are NPCs that are hard to come by. Drake, the hidden master, was one of them.
And among them, there are NPCs that only appear on specific days and at specific times.
They only show up in one of the four locations. Merchants that only come from the ruins of the old countries, excluding the empire.
“He was commonly known as a loner. With Kruna around, there’s a high chance this guy is here too.”
Right after I got transported into the game, I couldn’t trade. I just didn’t meet the conditions.
I stepped out of the inn and entered a narrow alley.
Whoosh went the dank smoke, with the clink of colorful potions reflecting in front of me.
It was so dark, it felt like something creepy would pop out at any moment.
“Hey dude, aren’t you watching where you’re going?!”
As I walked in deeper, I bumped shoulders with something soft.
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
I bowed my head to the Lycanthrope that was blocking the path.
This guy is like the guard who kicks out players who don’t meet the conditions. He looks like a wolf with a head intact.
“Ugh… no. Why does it smell so bad? Go wash yourself!”
“Huh? I just had a wash…”
“Get inside! You’re good to go.”
He clicked his tongue at me and let me through. I must have satisfied one of the conditions.
Since I had to take down a Demon King in [Black Heart]. This was quite an easy condition.
“Newbies should look for a loner after defeating the Demon King of Innocence.” There’s even a community rule about it!
It’s so embarrassing, seeing a clueless newbie getting owned because they didn’t know about poison drops.
Questions like, “[How do I play?? My character keeps dying T_T]” would be met with an angry swarm of veterans.
I often commented for people to take the Saintess route.
But this is a prequel. There aren’t even the Demon Kings of the Hero Church, let alone the Demon King of Innocence.
At the end of the alley, a giant black tent appeared, resembling a huge traffic cone. I pushed through the entrance curtain.
“Is the owner here?”
As soon as I finished my sentence, all the candles inside the tent went out. Complete darkness.
“Did you come here alone?”
A deep, serious voice echoed in the dark. It had a gentlemanly vibe, similar to a Head.
“Yes, I’m a lonely traveler.”
The second condition. The reason I couldn’t bring Pina along.
This merchant only meets with those not affiliated with any party.
Whether you’re a player or an NPC, you have to come alone. If there are two or more party members, the shop disappears like a mirage.
“Please provide the code, traveler in the Black Knight helmet.”
A code? There was never any code. I was surprised since it didn’t match my knowledge.
What should I do? I need to combine the items I bought for Pina.
“…”
I racked my brain, trying to recall any code-like words I had heard. Hero of Conviction? Pantoze? Tardun… No, those aren’t the names of gods.
“There will be light. Arcturus.”
Words spoken by the Nameless Saintess Pina.
Too vivid to be a dream. The Pina from a different route, with the black rose as a symbol, intervened in the library or future predictions.
Honestly, wasn’t it the help from the Saintess Pina that made me survive after nearly dying?
“…It’s our first meeting, yet you somehow know the code to our shop.”
“My wife is quite impressive.”
“Very well. Please come in.”
The moment I spoke the correct answer, the surroundings lit up like day. Only then could I see the inside of the shop. A goblin dressed like a gentleman greeted me politely.
“Welcome to the most ‘gentlemanly’ black market, traveler.”
The unique condition of needing to visit alone earned the shopkeeper the nickname “Loner.”
The wrinkled face, aged white beard, and striking green body were quite unforgettable.
“Traveler, do you need the wisdom of this old, shabby man?”
“Yes, do you know about the Magic Sword Horizon?”
Not a physical item, but hidden information. There might be things I couldn’t find in Akasha’s library here.
“That’s the first I’ve heard. There’s no such name among the swords forged by the God of Darkness.”
“…I see.”
The goblin shook his head and replied. He seemed to have no knowledge.
At the library, there was too much vastness that I almost lost my eyes.
It was hard to pick out the information I wanted from the numerous books, so I consulted the Grim Reaper for advice.
“It felt like information was deliberately obscured…”
There’s a high chance the black rose route’s Pina might have reflected a future vision of the sage. What on earth did I do in that route to make our cute wolf end up like that?
“I’d like to combine this ring. Is there a way to enhance its defense?”
I pulled out the ring I secretly bought during the day. A ring I had gifted to Pina when she was still the Nameless Saintess. The silver wolf encircled itself to form a ring shape.
If Pina saw me, she would surely quiz me and snatch it away. I hastily left the shop due to my conscience pricking me.
“Hmm. It’s probably at the Epic grade for defense. If you want to raise it, perhaps Masterpiece level is the limit?”
“That’s not enough.”
It fell far short of being a masterpiece. No matter how many defensive spells I cast or tried to reroll, I couldn’t prevent the forced event where Pina dies.
There would be moments when I’d have to fight Magic Hat again to free Queen Bellin, so I needed to prepare.
“What level of defense are you seeking?”
“I want enough defense to alter fate.”
“…I’ll need an upfront payment. Traveler.”
Hearing that, I handed the goblin a platinum coin. I almost forgot since he’s a merchant who buys and sells information.
“Is this enough?”
“Is this… a platinum coin? How…?”
The shopkeeper was astonished at the shining coin in my palm. It’s only natural, considering it was worth a hundred gold coins.
But to me, Pina is worth more than any amount of money. I can earn money later, but love isn’t something I can just make.
“It’s quite important to me. I need a surefire combination method.”
When she was the Nameless Saintess, there was nothing, but now, I was in love, so I said all I had to.
I visited this place hoping it might be a hidden piece, like the ring I gave to the Hero couple.
A ring shaped like a wolf made from steel was sold in Iron Wolf Village?
When I was playing the game, I might have overlooked it, but now I wonder if it holds deeper significance.
Among players, I’m probably the only one who stubbornly focused on the Saintess route. I wouldn’t have bought that ring in the village of the earth.
It’s a defensive ring, not an offensive one. I just wanted to wrap items around Pina because I couldn’t bear to see her get hurt.
“[A useless Saintess like me… always just gets hurt. I’m sorry, Sir…]”
How painful those self-deprecating words shared during a defeat and rest were. Everyone has weaknesses in different areas.
What’s the problem with a Saintess not being able to use Divine Power? A warm heart is the most important thing.
Another reason rings symbolize marriage for humans is that I tried to comfort the Saintess, who had no events related to lovers, by matching it like a couple’s ring.
“Use this as a mold, and put in two wolves. That should do it.”
“Two wolves? What do you mean by that?”
The goblin, peering intently at the ring with a magnifier like a Lupe, finally spoke up. Seeming to have seen something odd, he sighed heavily.
“I can only give you that hint: day and night.”
“Day and night… you mean the wolves representing that?”
“You’d need to be prepared to go against fate for that level of resolve.”
For even a hidden information merchant to not be able to divulge information? Could it be related to the gods? If we’re talking about wolves representing day and night, could it mean Emperor Rock?
“Since I’ve received an excessive amount, would you like to settle the rest? Traveler.”
“No, do you know anything about my helmet? It’s called the ‘Ideology Helmet’.”
Not a chance. I can’t back down now. I also need to find out about my bonus, rumored to be Ideology Helmet. Unknown knowledge could spell disaster.
I pointed at the Black Knight helmet, and the goblin appeared to ponder while stroking his beard. He looked as if he had never seen something like this before.
“I really don’t know about the helmet. The only faint piece of information I have…”
“…What’s that?”
“It has a very faint rose scent, traveler.”
The goblin tilted his head questioningly. It seemed like the unpleasant smell wasn’t there as he continued sniffing with his long nose.
A rose scent? Did Pina touch the helmet and leave a smell? Just as I was puzzling over that strange rose scent.
[Richard. Where are you..??]
A slightly high-pitched, cute voice rang in my head. It was a transmission from Pina.
[Why do I feel your location outside the inn..?]
Oh no, she found me out. Ever since I had the Dragon Heart implanted, we’ve been able to sense each other’s locations to a certain extent.
“…I think I should get going. Thank you for the transaction.”
“Haha, you’ve got a pretty tight life. I could tell right from the start that the scent of the Inrang Tribe was strong on you.”
The shopkeeper, known as “Loner,” handed me a pile of gold coins with a gentle smile on his face.
At the same time, he pushed me towards the back door to exit the shop.
So gentlemanly of this goblin. Thanks to the merchant’s help, I quickly escaped from the alley.
I didn’t want to engage in a yandere route, so I dashed through the streets. I needed to return to the inn before Pina arrived at my room.
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