Chapter 12
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Chapter 12
Finishing touches (2).
In order to enter the castle gate, people were standing in line, waiting, while security guards were inspecting them at the door.
Quietly slipping some money to the strict soldiers, one could pass through and be greeted by numerous people.
'...I was expecting something else, why is it like this here?'
Despite the small scale, the sight of the city, enclosed by a castle wall with many buildings, confirmed it was undoubtedly the city.
'But why does it feel so bleak?'
Even the guards at the gate only glanced briefly, not uttering a word as I passed, absorbed in their own murmurs.
'It's fortunate there's no stringent inspection, but...'
I knew nothing about this world.
Just like the vague answers I received from the elders in the Village, it seemed impossible to slip past the city guards with half-hearted explanations.
Asking too many questions could only complicate matters.
'I even prepared some money to slip them discreetly.'
Despite the early hour, there were few residents wandering around, and it seemed they had no interest in outsiders like myself.
The entire city seemed lifeless.
'Why does the atmosphere feel like this? Is something wrong?'
Though uneasy, I decided to first find my lodging.
Even if I were to go elsewhere later, I needed to gather some information from this place first.
'Let's see... I wonder where the lodging might be. Should I ask that person?'
When I approached someone who seemed to be a local resident to ask for directions, my attention was suddenly drawn to an alleyway by the side of the street.
A muscular man with a tattoo on his neck and a frail-looking girl who appeared to be about twelve.
"I'm sorry, please give me a little more time..."
The girl pleaded, bowing her head repeatedly to the man.
"I understand your situation, but you know I can't wait forever, right? I'll give you three days. If you don't bring it within three days, I can't help it either."
He uncrossed his arms and scratched his head, grumbling in dissatisfaction.
Without waiting for the girl's response, he turned inward.
"Did I say it clearly? Two, two silver coins within three days."
As he disappeared into the darkness of the alley, the girl slumped down where she stood.
She sat there for a moment, seemingly dazed, then took a deep breath as if trying to swallow her tears and slapped her cheeks.
She staggered to her feet.
'Hm... A young girl exploited by the city's thugs. Quite a cliché.'
Considering it was a medieval fantasy world, such incidents were likely commonplace.
Even if I were to advocate for human rights, it would probably not make a difference, and there was no reason to do so in the first place.
As I stood there watching, the girl stumbled out of the alley and bumped into me.
"Oh... I'm sorry..."
I looked down at the girl, who bowed her head in front of me.
Roughened skin and bruised, calloused hands that were too rough for her age.
Hollow pupils and a faintly discernible gloomy atmosphere were all too familiar to me.
After apologizing, the girl walked past me, shuffling away.
Her slumped shoulders and a lack of vitality in her steps were palpable.
Her figure lingered in my mind.
"Hmm, two silver coins," I muttered, pulling out a pouch from my pocket.
This was a separate purse I had prepared for bribery, filled with several coins and about six silver pieces.
'I put in plenty, not knowing the cost of living here. The value of silver seems to be greater than I thought.'
Even though I had anticipated no use for it, passing through the castle gate without inspection, the timing seemed perfect for a suitable opportunity.
'Just when I needed information about this world.'
A local who could provide information and faithfully fulfill the requirements, with minimal risk of any other shenanigans.
It seemed like the perfect opportunity had presented itself.
'I'm not sure if I can trust her, but if I can obtain information with just this much money...'
Taking out two silver coins from the pouch, I put it back in.
'Well, this must be fate. After all, this might be more efficient than bribery.'
I approached the still staggering girl.
Despite my attempt to approach her with a gesture, she showed no response.
"Um... hey, little one?"
"..."
"Hey there? I have something to say, little miss."
Receiving no response, I spoke a bit louder and tapped her shoulder.
"Eek! I, I'm sorry!"
Startled by the girl's sudden jump, I too was taken aback and blinked in surprise.
"..."
"Um, who are you?"
Our house wasn't that poorly off, and given the current situation, selling this amount of gold posed no problems.
The avatar, prepared to go out, paused for a moment as it was about to step outside the door.
Having expensive items in hand made me suddenly anxious.
"It feels a bit unsafe to just go out like this."
Even though I had taken protective magical tools, something still felt uneasy.
As I looked around in contemplation, Hans, who was standing there hesitantly, caught my eye.
***
"Thank you. Have a good day."
The staff at the gold buying shop bid me farewell with a ninety-degree bow.
As I had expected, there were no issues with the sale, and the feared accidents did not occur.
It felt rewarding to have visited a place that intentionally offered a high price for the gold, and I smiled contentedly at the healthy balance in my bank account.
The street had gradually darkened, with streetlights flickering on one by one.
With a light heart, I moved my steps and glanced at the shadows on the ground.
The shadow appeared particularly darker than elsewhere.
'I may not be able to directly confront others, but it's fortunate that I can use it like this.'
Hidden within the shadow was Hans, who had used black magic.
I had hidden him in case of emergencies, but it seemed like my worries had been excessive.
WEEEEEEE— WEEEEEEE!
CRASH!
As I finished my thought, the security door of the gold buying shop behind me came down, and a moment later, the wall exploded.
'Why do bad feelings never turn out to be wrong?'
I closed my eyes tightly and glanced behind me.
A werewolf-like man over two meters tall, accompanied by another man wearing a black mask, leaped out of the broken building and fled into the alley.
Glancing at the mess inside the now-devastated building, I noticed the precious metals were gone, and people were lying on the ground.
Fortunately, I wasn't directly caught up in the incident since I had left just before it happened.
But...
'Villains, I suppose...'
Those who commit crimes with awakened abilities.
Of course, there were guardians who protected citizens from such villains, but as always, it was impossible to shield people from all dangers.
Just like one's own family.
I glanced briefly in the direction they disappeared, then continued walking.
The surroundings had turned chaotic with people reporting and filming.
The guardians would handle the pursuit, and if caught, they would face enhanced punishment for using abilities for crime.
If not caught...
'They'll live well, but there's nothing I can do.'
Hansung-hyun left the scene and headed home.
***
"Alright Wolf, as planned. Once we reach the location of Portal, we're done if we escape only through here!"
"Grrr, we've got about 3 minutes until the Guardians arrive, plenty of time."
The plan was simple.
The enforcer, 'Wolf,' would subdue the guards and destroy the safe and security measures to secure an escape route, while the transporter, 'Porter,' would vacuum up all the precious metals and cash and carry them away with Wolf.
The escape specialist, 'Portal,' would swiftly move to the location and use his ability to get far away.
"Kahahat— We'll have to see the Guardians' pathetic faces when they arrive late!"
"Kreung! Enough. We've arrived, so get down."
They soon entered the interior of the construction site.
As it took a long time to generate the gate using Portal's ability, they couldn't use it directly on-site and had to find a location in advance for their escape preparations.
Thud—
Thwack!
Rushing inside, they saw construction workers sprawled and unconscious in a corner.
And there was Portal, who should have been waiting after creating the gate, also lying unconscious.
"What... what's this?"
Something in the darkness stood before the fallen Portal.
"Kreurr..."
Wolf's fur bristled, revealing his fangs and claws as he crouched and raised his tail.
Yet his two eyes were clearly filled with fear.
"Uh... w-what is that?"
Porter's condition was worse.
His thoughts abruptly stopped, unable to continue.
And 'it' raised a hand, pointing at them.
The last thing Porter's eyes caught was a smiling face with glowing blue eyes amidst the engulfing shadows.
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Chapter 12
Finishing touches (2).
In order to enter the castle gate, people were standing in line, waiting, while security guards were inspecting them at the door.
Quietly slipping some money to the strict soldiers, one could pass through and be greeted by numerous people.
'...I was expecting something else, why is it like this here?'
Despite the small scale, the sight of the city, enclosed by a castle wall with many buildings, confirmed it was undoubtedly the city.
'But why does it feel so bleak?'
Even the guards at the gate only glanced briefly, not uttering a word as I passed, absorbed in their own murmurs.
'It's fortunate there's no stringent inspection, but...'
I knew nothing about this world.
Just like the vague answers I received from the elders in the Village, it seemed impossible to slip past the city guards with half-hearted explanations.
Asking too many questions could only complicate matters.
'I even prepared some money to slip them discreetly.'
Despite the early hour, there were few residents wandering around, and it seemed they had no interest in outsiders like myself.
The entire city seemed lifeless.
'Why does the atmosphere feel like this? Is something wrong?'
Though uneasy, I decided to first find my lodging.
Even if I were to go elsewhere later, I needed to gather some information from this place first.
'Let's see... I wonder where the lodging might be. Should I ask that person?'
When I approached someone who seemed to be a local resident to ask for directions, my attention was suddenly drawn to an alleyway by the side of the street.
A muscular man with a tattoo on his neck and a frail-looking girl who appeared to be about twelve.
"I'm sorry, please give me a little more time..."
The girl pleaded, bowing her head repeatedly to the man.
"I understand your situation, but you know I can't wait forever, right? I'll give you three days. If you don't bring it within three days, I can't help it either."
He uncrossed his arms and scratched his head, grumbling in dissatisfaction.
Without waiting for the girl's response, he turned inward.
"Did I say it clearly? Two, two silver coins within three days."
As he disappeared into the darkness of the alley, the girl slumped down where she stood.
She sat there for a moment, seemingly dazed, then took a deep breath as if trying to swallow her tears and slapped her cheeks.
She staggered to her feet.
'Hm... A young girl exploited by the city's thugs. Quite a cliché.'
Considering it was a medieval fantasy world, such incidents were likely commonplace.
Even if I were to advocate for human rights, it would probably not make a difference, and there was no reason to do so in the first place.
As I stood there watching, the girl stumbled out of the alley and bumped into me.
"Oh... I'm sorry..."
I looked down at the girl, who bowed her head in front of me.
Roughened skin and bruised, calloused hands that were too rough for her age.
Hollow pupils and a faintly discernible gloomy atmosphere were all too familiar to me.
After apologizing, the girl walked past me, shuffling away.
Her slumped shoulders and a lack of vitality in her steps were palpable.
Her figure lingered in my mind.
"Hmm, two silver coins," I muttered, pulling out a pouch from my pocket.
This was a separate purse I had prepared for bribery, filled with several coins and about six silver pieces.
'I put in plenty, not knowing the cost of living here. The value of silver seems to be greater than I thought.'
Even though I had anticipated no use for it, passing through the castle gate without inspection, the timing seemed perfect for a suitable opportunity.
'Just when I needed information about this world.'
A local who could provide information and faithfully fulfill the requirements, with minimal risk of any other shenanigans.
It seemed like the perfect opportunity had presented itself.
'I'm not sure if I can trust her, but if I can obtain information with just this much money...'
Taking out two silver coins from the pouch, I put it back in.
'Well, this must be fate. After all, this might be more efficient than bribery.'
I approached the still staggering girl.
Despite my attempt to approach her with a gesture, she showed no response.
"Um... hey, little one?"
"..."
"Hey there? I have something to say, little miss."
Receiving no response, I spoke a bit louder and tapped her shoulder.
"Eek! I, I'm sorry!"
Startled by the girl's sudden jump, I too was taken aback and blinked in surprise.
"..."
"Um, who are you?"
Our house wasn't that poorly off, and given the current situation, selling this amount of gold posed no problems.
The avatar, prepared to go out, paused for a moment as it was about to step outside the door.
Having expensive items in hand made me suddenly anxious.
"It feels a bit unsafe to just go out like this."
Even though I had taken protective magical tools, something still felt uneasy.
As I looked around in contemplation, Hans, who was standing there hesitantly, caught my eye.
***
"Thank you. Have a good day."
The staff at the gold buying shop bid me farewell with a ninety-degree bow.
As I had expected, there were no issues with the sale, and the feared accidents did not occur.
It felt rewarding to have visited a place that intentionally offered a high price for the gold, and I smiled contentedly at the healthy balance in my bank account.
The street had gradually darkened, with streetlights flickering on one by one.
With a light heart, I moved my steps and glanced at the shadows on the ground.
The shadow appeared particularly darker than elsewhere.
'I may not be able to directly confront others, but it's fortunate that I can use it like this.'
Hidden within the shadow was Hans, who had used black magic.
I had hidden him in case of emergencies, but it seemed like my worries had been excessive.
WEEEEEEE— WEEEEEEE!
CRASH!
As I finished my thought, the security door of the gold buying shop behind me came down, and a moment later, the wall exploded.
'Why do bad feelings never turn out to be wrong?'
I closed my eyes tightly and glanced behind me.
A werewolf-like man over two meters tall, accompanied by another man wearing a black mask, leaped out of the broken building and fled into the alley.
Glancing at the mess inside the now-devastated building, I noticed the precious metals were gone, and people were lying on the ground.
Fortunately, I wasn't directly caught up in the incident since I had left just before it happened.
But...
'Villains, I suppose...'
Those who commit crimes with awakened abilities.
Of course, there were guardians who protected citizens from such villains, but as always, it was impossible to shield people from all dangers.
Just like one's own family.
I glanced briefly in the direction they disappeared, then continued walking.
The surroundings had turned chaotic with people reporting and filming.
The guardians would handle the pursuit, and if caught, they would face enhanced punishment for using abilities for crime.
If not caught...
'They'll live well, but there's nothing I can do.'
Hansung-hyun left the scene and headed home.
***
"Alright Wolf, as planned. Once we reach the location of Portal, we're done if we escape only through here!"
"Grrr, we've got about 3 minutes until the Guardians arrive, plenty of time."
The plan was simple.
The enforcer, 'Wolf,' would subdue the guards and destroy the safe and security measures to secure an escape route, while the transporter, 'Porter,' would vacuum up all the precious metals and cash and carry them away with Wolf.
The escape specialist, 'Portal,' would swiftly move to the location and use his ability to get far away.
"Kahahat— We'll have to see the Guardians' pathetic faces when they arrive late!"
"Kreung! Enough. We've arrived, so get down."
They soon entered the interior of the construction site.
As it took a long time to generate the gate using Portal's ability, they couldn't use it directly on-site and had to find a location in advance for their escape preparations.
Thud—
Thwack!
Rushing inside, they saw construction workers sprawled and unconscious in a corner.
And there was Portal, who should have been waiting after creating the gate, also lying unconscious.
"What... what's this?"
Something in the darkness stood before the fallen Portal.
"Kreurr..."
Wolf's fur bristled, revealing his fangs and claws as he crouched and raised his tail.
Yet his two eyes were clearly filled with fear.
"Uh... w-what is that?"
Porter's condition was worse.
His thoughts abruptly stopped, unable to continue.
And 'it' raised a hand, pointing at them.
The last thing Porter's eyes caught was a smiling face with glowing blue eyes amidst the engulfing shadows.
Chapter 12Finishing touches 2.In order to enter the castle gate, people were standing in line, waiting, while security guards were inspecting them at the door.Quietly slipping some money to the strict soldiers, one could pass through and be greeted by numerous people.'...I was expecting something else, why is it like this here?'Despite the small scale, the sight of the city, enclosed by a castle wall with many buildings, confirmed it was undoubtedly the city.'But why does it feel so bleak?'Even the guards at the gate only glanced briefly, not uttering a word as I passed, absorbed in their own murmurs.'It's fortunate there's no stringent inspection, but...'I knew nothing about this world.Just like the vague answers I received from the elders in the Village, it seemed impossible to slip past the city guards with half-hearted explanations.Asking too many questions could only complicate matters.'I even prepared some money to slip them discreetly.'Despite the early hour, there were few residents wandering around, and it seemed they had no interest in outsiders like myself.The entire city seemed lifeless.'Why does the atmosphere feel like this? Is something wrong?'Though uneasy, I decided to first find my lodging.Even if I were to go elsewhere later, I needed to gather some information from this place first.'Let's see... I wonder where the lodging might be. Should I ask that person?'When I approached someone who seemed to be a local resident to ask for directions, my attention was suddenly drawn to an alleyway by the side of the street.A muscular man with a tattoo on his neck and a frail-looking girl who appeared to be about twelve."I'm sorry, please give me a little more time..."The girl pleaded, bowing her head repeatedly to the man."I understand your situation, but you know I can't wait forever, right? I'll give you three days. If you don't bring it within three days, I can't help it either."He uncrossed his arms and scratched his head, grumbling in dissatisfaction.Without waiting for the girl's response, he turned inward."Did I say it clearly? Two, two silver coins within three days."As he disappeared into the darkness of the alley, the girl slumped down where she stood.She sat there for a moment, seemingly dazed, then took a deep breath as if trying to swallow her tears and slapped her cheeks.She staggered to her feet.'Hm... A young girl exploited by the city's thugs. Quite a cliche.'Considering it was a medieval fantasy world, such incidents were likely commonplace.Even if I were to advocate for human rights, it would probably not make a difference, and there was no reason to do so in the first place.As I stood there watching, the girl stumbled out of the alley and bumped into me."Oh... I'm sorry..."I looked down at the girl, who bowed her head in front of me.Roughened skin and bruised, calloused hands that were too rough for her age.Hollow pupils and a faintly discernible gloomy atmosphere were all too familiar to me.After apologizing, the girl walked past me, shuffling away.Her slumped shoulders and a lack of vitality in her steps were palpable.Her figure lingered in my mind."Hmm, two silver coins," I muttered, pulling out a pouch from my pocket.This was a separate purse I had prepared for bribery, filled with several coins and about six silver pieces.'I put in plenty, not knowing the cost of living here. The value of silver seems to be greater than I thought.'Even though I had anticipated no use for it, passing through the castle gate without inspection, the timing seemed perfect for a suitable opportunity.'Just when I needed information about this world.'A local who could provide information and faithfully fulfill the requirements, with minimal risk of any other shenanigans.It seemed like the perfect opportunity had presented itself.'I'm not sure if I can trust her, but if I can obtain information with just this much money...'Taking out two silver coins from the pouch, I put it back in.'Well, this must be fate. After all, this might be more efficient than bribery.'I approached the still staggering girl.Despite my attempt to approach her with a gesture, she showed no response."Um... hey, little one?""...""Hey there? I have something to say, little miss."Receiving no response, I spoke a bit louder and tapped her shoulder."Eek! I, I'm sorry!"Startled by the girl's sudden jump, I too was taken aback and blinked in surprise."...""Um, who are you?"Our house wasn't that poorly off, and given the current situation, selling this amount of gold posed no problems.The avatar, prepared to go out, paused for a moment as it was about to step outside the door.Having expensive items in hand made me suddenly anxious."It feels a bit unsafe to just go out like this."Even though I had taken protective magical tools, something still felt uneasy.As I looked around in contemplation, Hans, who was standing there hesitantly, caught my eye.***"Thank you. Have a good day."The staff at the gold buying shop bid me farewell with a ninety-degree bow.As I had expected, there were no issues with the sale, and the feared accidents did not occur.It felt rewarding to have visited a place that intentionally offered a high price for the gold, and I smiled contentedly at the healthy balance in my bank account.The street had gradually darkened, with streetlights flickering on one by one.With a light heart, I moved my steps and glanced at the shadows on the ground.The shadow appeared particularly darker than elsewhere.'I may not be able to directly confront others, but it's fortunate that I can use it like this.'Hidden within the shadow was Hans, who had used black magic.I had hidden him in case of emergencies, but it seemed like my worries had been excessive.WEEEEEEE WEEEEEEE!CRASH!As I finished my thought, the security door of the gold buying shop behind me came down, and a moment later, the wall exploded.'Why do bad feelings never turn out to be wrong?'I closed my eyes tightly and glanced behind me.A werewolf-like man over two meters tall, accompanied by another man wearing a black mask, leaped out of the broken building and fled into the alley.Glancing at the mess inside the now-devastated building, I noticed the precious metals were gone, and people were lying on the ground.Fortunately, I wasn't directly caught up in the incident since I had left just before it happened.But...'Villains, I suppose...'Those who commit crimes with awakened abilities.Of course, there were guardians who protected citizens from such villains, but as always, it was impossible to shield people from all dangers.Just like one's own family.I glanced briefly in the direction they disappeared, then continued walking.The surroundings had turned chaotic with people reporting and filming.The guardians would handle the pursuit, and if caught, they would face enhanced punishment for using abilities for crime.If not caught...'They'll live well, but there's nothing I can do.'Hansung-hyun left the scene and headed home.***"Alright Wolf, as planned. Once we reach the location of Portal, we're done if we escape only through here!""Grrr, we've got about 3 minutes until the Guardians arrive, plenty of time."The plan was simple.The enforcer, 'Wolf,' would subdue the guards and destroy the safe and security measures to secure an escape route, while the transporter, 'Porter,' would vacuum up all the precious metals and cash and carry them away with Wolf.The escape specialist, 'Portal,' would swiftly move to the location and use his ability to get far away."Kahahat We'll have to see the Guardians' pathetic faces when they arrive late!""Kreung! Enough. We've arrived, so get down."They soon entered the interior of the construction site.As it took a long time to generate the gate using Portal's ability, they couldn't use it directly on-site and had to find a location in advance for their escape preparations.ThudThwack!Rushing inside, they saw construction workers sprawled and unconscious in a corner.And there was Portal, who should have been waiting after creating the gate, also lying unconscious."What... what's this?"Something in the darkness stood before the fallen Portal."Kreurr..."Wolf's fur bristled, revealing his fangs and claws as he crouched and raised his tail.Yet his two eyes were clearly filled with fear."Uh... w-what is that?"Porter's condition was worse.His thoughts abruptly stopped, unable to continue.And 'it' raised a hand, pointing at them.The last thing Porter's eyes caught was a smiling face with glowing blue eyes amidst the engulfing shadows.
