Chapter 54 : Chapter 54
Chapter 54. I’ll Use It and Give It Back
The Black Market required an entry pass. It hadn't always been that way. After I went around smashing up places here and there, declaring I would erase their existence, they created the entry pass system in the name of seeking safety.
“I-is there no other way besides robbery?”
Odekerkh asked.
The others, seeming to feel the same as Odekerkh, looked at me with wide eyes.
“Anyone who knows another way, please raise your hand with confidence.”
Of course, there was no one. Because among this group, there were no bandits, thieves, pirates, or members of a criminal organization.
The Black Market entry passes were issued by a place called the Black Market Association.
The issuance procedure was quite strict. Members of small criminal organizations were excluded from being issued one. It was as if they were saying that even for bad deeds, you had to belong to a reputable place.
‘What a load of pretentious crap.’
Anyway, if one wanted a Black Market entry pass, they had to submit an application through their affiliated organization. An individual could not go directly to the association to receive one. Therefore, there was no other way than to ambush a criminal who possessed an entry pass and take it.
“If you don’t want to do it, you can all go back. I have no intention of forcing you.”
I said with a generous expression.
“Robbery, robbery, robbery…”
“What are you contemplating? We’re not attending the academy to become robbers, are we?”
Piontek said to a contemplating Adellian. He pulled Adellian, saying that only bad things would happen if she moved with me and that they should return to the academy.
“I-I’ll d-do it.”
Odekerkh stood beside me with a resolute expression.
Michelle wrinkled her nose and walked over to my side.
And.
“Alright.”
Adellian followed suit.
“No, why? Why is everyone acting like this?”
Piontek wore an expression mixed with bewilderment and injustice.
“It’s not too late, so if you don’t want to, how about you go back now?”
“……”
It seemed he hated the idea of participating in a robbery, but he hated the idea of leaving Adellian alone even more.
“Has everyone decided?”
I asked for a final confirmation. Everyone except Piontek nodded with their lips firmly sealed.
So I stared intently at Piontek.
Piontek’s nostrils flared violently.
“What?”
“You’re the only one who hasn’t answered. Would you like to change your mind now?”
Piontek bit his lip and looked back and forth between Adellian and me. That kid should never be asked to lie to anyone.
“I’m going.”
“You’ve decided?”
“Ah, I said I got it!”
“You know what happens if you complain from now on, right?”
Piontek lowered his head and moved his lips.
“I can’t hear you. Properly. If you’re not going to do it, then go back.”
“…I won’t.”
“What?”
“I said I won’t! Happy now?”
I showed a satisfied smile at Piontek’s clear answer.
Seeing this, Piontek swallowed dryly.
Why are you swallowing? You’re sweating too? I’m not a monster, it’s not like I eat people.
Why are you so needlessly tense?
Mhuhuhuhu.
***
“This Demonic Moon was quite lucrative.”
A man with a face full of scars, who looked for all the world like he made a living with his fists, laughed heartily.
“That’s right, boss. From now on, it would be better to change our business to collecting protection money rather than tolls.”
A bald man following the scarred man said. At that, the largest man smacked the bald man on the head.
“Hey! Damn it! Are you crazy?”
“You’re the crazy one. Do you think we’re doing this to get that kind of money?”
“What’s wrong with that money? Isn’t all money the same? If it makes money, we do it.”
“You idiot. If you get blinded by that chump change, when are you going to touch the big money?”
“This bastard, really! Then what? What are we going to do to make big money? If you say something like banditry, I’ll really kill you.”
“What did you say, you bastard?”
“Enough!”
As the two snarled fiercely at each other, the scarred man spoke, his eyes casting a chilling gaze.
“I’m sorry.”
“Boss, I’m sorry!”
Once the noisy argument was settled, the scarred man patted both their shoulders, and his hardened face relaxed.
“It’s fine. Just get your act together from now on. Now! Look at this.”
The scarred man held up the pouch tied to his waist. Inside it were shining gold coins.
“With this, we’re buying the tax collection rights. And some weapons too.”
“So, are we going around collecting taxes from now on?”
“Since we bought the collection rights, we’ll just collect it with a little interest attached. If we make a clean sweep of just one province like that, we should be able to earn tens of times the money we have now.”
“T-tens of times? Then boss, can we go independent too?”
“Independent? That’s not even a problem.”
At the scarred man’s words, the eyes of the other two sparkled brighter than ever. They praised the scarred man, saying things like, ‘As expected, the boss is different.’
Just then, a person in a mask stood before them, looking around.
“Uh… li-like this… uh.”
And in a very awkward tone at that.
“Boss. What do you suppose that is?”
The large man asked.
“Why are you asking me? I’m seeing it for the first time too.”
“……Hey! Who are you?”
The large man stepped forward and asked the masked person.
“Well, that is…. Uh… I’d like to ask you something.”
“What? Ask what? Are you lost?”
The large man looked the masked person up and down and smirked.
‘Looks like a first-time robber. I’ll just shake him down a bit and let him go.’
He had been itching to rob someone or a house lately, so his hands were getting restless.
So he thought a perfect opponent to loosen up his hands had appeared.
“No, that is, so…”
“What was that? I can’t hear you. Come closer and speak. That’s how I’ll be able to understand.”
“Haa. Why am I doing this…”
The masked person shook their head and approached the large man.
“I’d like to ask you something.”
The masked person said, standing before the man.
“Is that so? But what to do, I don’t just talk for free.”
“……I haven’t even said what it is.”
“I don’t think that’s what’s important right now, is it?”
The large man approached the masked person with a crooked smile. The scarred man and the bald man behind him said things like, ‘He picked the wrong person,’ and ‘Don’t kill him.’
“I think that is what’s important… By the way, what do you guys originally do? Where were you headed?”
“I’m not a person who speaks for free, so I don’t think I can answer that.”
At the large man’s words, the masked person’s gaze grew increasingly fierce.
“Oh my. The world is a scary place. Anyone would think I’m the one getting shaken down.
Right?”
“You were planning to shake me down for money, weren’t you?”
“What? You just figured that out? Do you not know how scary the world is? Or are you just stupid?”
“I… really didn’t want to do this, but looking at you, I think I have to.”
The masked person drew the sword they were wearing.
Seeing this, the large man snorted and picked up the hand axe that was hanging from his waist.
“That sword looks expensive. Put the sword down and take out all your money, and I’ll let you live.”
“That’s what I should be saying.”
The masked person, raising their sword to aim at the large man, kicked off the ground.
The large man also snorted and charged forward with all his might.
Kagang!
The sword and axe clashed, sending sparks flying.
The two men, with their weapons locked, glared at each other with sharp eyes.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Can’t even get him in one go.”
As the scarred man and the bald man were watching the battle, a cocky voice popped out from behind them.
“What?”
The scarred man tried to draw his sword.
At that moment, a sharp blade lightly touched the scarred man’s chin.
“No, no. You shouldn’t move your hands carelessly. One twitch of your finger and it’s getting cut off.”
At the stranger’s words, the scarred man’s eyes widened.
‘What? Where did he suddenly…’
The scarred man withdrew his hand and swallowed dryly. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead.
“Very good judgment. You and I both only have one life, right? Better to stay still than to do something stupid and die.”
“W-what? Why are you doing this to us?”
“It’s nothing much, just thought I’d borrow your Black Market entry pass.”
“……Is this how a person who’s borrowing acts?”
The scarred man, as if finding it absurd, furrowed his brow and tried to turn his head. He instinctively wanted to see what kind of crazy bastard was spouting nonsense.
“Is there some kind of code of conduct for people who borrow?”
Along with the assailant’s clear voice, the sharp blade pressed firmly against the scarred man’s skin.
“There isn’t… but people don’t borrow like this.”
“How did you guys borrow things?”
“Huh?”
At the unexpected question, the scarred man blinked his eyes.
‘Have I ever borrowed anything?’
There was nothing in his memory.
‘No, why am I even thinking about this? The bald guy…’
The bald man seemed to have been beaten by another man and was lying on the ground, foaming at the mouth.
‘There weren’t just two of them? Shit, then how many are there?’
The scarred man’s heart beat rapidly. The sweat he produced trickled down his cheek and collected at the tip of his chin.
Drip.
A drop of sweat fell onto the blade aimed at him.
“……W-why are you doing this? What did we do wrong?”
“Something wrong? I’ve never thought about it, but if I start looking, wouldn’t there be countless things? Do you really want to know?”
“No, no! Just why are you doing this?”
“Ah, my ears hurt. I can hear everything even if you don’t speak loudly. So don’t shout. You should save your voice for when you need it, right?”
The scarred man felt a killing intent in the assailant’s words.
“Don’t tremble. And don’t ask why I’m doing this. You keep asking what I’ve already said. It’s annoying.”
“Th-the Black Market entry pass?”
“Yes. Take it out quickly. I’ll use it well and give it back.”
The scarred man couldn't answer, even with a knife to his throat. It was because his future, and the futures of those with him, depended on that Black Market entry pass.
“Ugh!”
While the scarred man was hesitating, the large man sprayed blood into the air and fell backward like a felled ancient tree.
Seeing this, the scarred man let out a sigh of ‘Ah!’, as the hope he had harbored—the hope that the large man would defeat his opponent and come to his side, allowing him to escape somehow—crumbled like a dried flower petal.
“You’re not supposed to kill him.”
“I didn’t kill him! Do you think I’m you?”
“That’s because I’m not you.”
“What kind of bullshit is that!”
The assailant holding the sword and the masked person who had knocked down the large man bickered.
“He said I’m talking bullshit, what do you think? No. Don’t think about that and take out the entry pass. If you don’t take it out right away, your brother there might really die. That one is super cruel, he’ll zap people with lightning.”
“W-with lightning.”
The masked person looked at the scarred man, their eyes flashing.
“W-will you really give it back?”
“Have you only ever been deceived?”
The scarred man let out a rough breath. He had lived by deceiving others, but he had never been deceived, so he couldn't think of a proper answer.
“You look pretty dumb, so just hand it over quickly. We don’t have time!”
“W-when are you going to return it? W-where should I wait?”
“……Shouldn’t you just wait at the entrance?”
The assailant’s answer was unsatisfactory. It wasn’t just the scarred man who felt that way; a similar sentiment flowed from the eyes of those who came with the assailant.
“My future is in that entry pass…”
“Ah, seriously. You talk too much. Future or whatever, if you don’t want to die, hand it over. I said I’ll use it and give it back. If you’re at the entrance, I’ll give it to you when I come out.
Did I say I’d run off with it? It’s useless except for getting in!”
The assailant, along with his irritation, put strength into his hand. The blade dug slightly into the scarred man’s skin.
“I-I’ll give it to you! I-I’ll lend it to you! So the knife, please move the knife away!”
The scarred man reacted violently as if having a seizure.
“I’ll move it when you take it out.”
“You said you’d cut me if I moved.”
“……Take out the entry pass. I’ll let that slide.”
The assailant’s sword loosened slightly.
The scarred man, feeling the killing intent from the tip of the sword, slowly lowered his hand.
Then, he began to rummage through his pockets, searching for the Black Market entry pass.
‘An opening…’
“If you try any funny business, he’ll zap you with lightning. Think carefully.”
The assailant pulled the scarred man’s shoulder and made him face the masked person.
Because of this, the stray thought that had been growing in the scarred man’s mind disappeared completely.
“H-here. Here!”
The scarred man, having taken out the Black Market entry pass, squeezed his eyes shut. He internally blamed the men who followed him, calling him boss, thinking, ‘This happened because you guys couldn’t hold out!’
“I’ll use it well and give it back, so don’t worry too much. Wait quietly at the market entrance.
Got it?”
The assailant who received the entry pass let out a laugh filled with satisfaction.
And then.
Thwack!
He struck the scarred man on the back of the head.
“You son of a…”
The scarred man lost consciousness without being able to utter a proper curse.
“Agh! Damn it!”
The masked person who had knocked down the large man roughly pulled off the cloth covering his face. It was Piontek.
“To think I’d have to do something like this in my life…”
Piontek, who was grumbling, made eye contact with Maxim, who was waving the Black Market entry pass back and forth.
“I can do it. Yes, we have to go to the Black Market. I have to do it without complaint.”
“Good to know. You worked hard, so drag that one over.”
Maxim pointed to the large man with his hand.
Piontek’s eyes widened, and he gaped as if to ask how he was supposed to drag that thing.
Of course, this was not conveyed to Maxim. No, Maxim ignored it completely.
“Odekerkh gets the one with the scarred face. And Michelle and Adellian get the one with the shiny head.”
“And you?”
Adellian let out a hollow laugh as if she couldn't believe it.
“I’m holding this, aren’t I?”
Maxim waved the Black Market entry pass flirtatiously.
And so, with a mix of complaints and joy, they headed for the Black Market.
Caw.
And a crow was watching Maxim and his companions.