A Hero’s Black Market Welcome

Indeed, following the direction the Driver had pointed, we truly arrived at a small town.

[That town is truly a blessing for us merchants! It’s excellent! Hey, you shorted me on the guide fee! Why only 90 silver? One gold is 110 silver! Can’t you do basic math?!]

—Such was the Driver’s description.

A blessing land—by all accounts, it should have been a wonderful place.

Yet… no matter how I looked at it, this place felt utterly terrifying.

The autumn wind rustled through the withered trees at the town’s entrance.

The main gate’s guard post lay in ruins, its walls crumbling, as if no one had stood watch there for ages.

The signboard above the entrance swayed precariously. It once read ‘Wine Fragrance Town,’ but those characters had been boldly struck through.

Beneath them, in stark red, was scrawled: ‘Black Market Town.’

“Black Market…”

Dumbfounded, my three companions and I slowly made our way inside.

“This deal won’t work! Do you really think people from our Assassin’s Club are so easily hired? Money is the only true measure of sincerity!”

From a dark, shadowy building, a figure entirely cloaked in black cloth abruptly kicked out a seemingly amiable young man.

“This is a priceless treasure. That paltry sum might barely be enough to appease a beggar here.”

A masked street vendor, sitting with elegant posture, held an unknown colorful crystal, haggling with a customer.

“This beast hide isn’t as easily acquired as you might imagine, understand? It’s perfectly normal for the price to double!”

Inside a clothing shop, the owner rudely pointed a small knife at a customer, an unmistakable threat!

‘No wonder the Driver spoke so highly of this place… it’s a den of unscrupulous merchants!’

“Um… perhaps we shouldn’t have come in here…” I murmured, glancing fearfully at my companions.

“My thoughts exactly…” Helter’s gaze was also tinged with unease.

“To think such a terrifying place exists…” Crimson Aironi said, already turning to leave.

“What a lively place, so many people,” Naya remarked.

“What did you say?!” The three of us stared at Naya in astonishment.

“Isn’t it?” She tilted her head, blinking her wide eyes.

“Naya, aren’t you scared?” I knelt down to gently pat her cheek.

“Not scary at all. It looks like a lot of fun.”

There it was! The innocent smile of a child!

“Naya, don’t you know some basic common sense?” I asked, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down my temple.

“Of course. Lots of people, lots of goods, lots of shouting—isn’t that what makes a street lively?”

I found myself utterly speechless.

‘Still a bumpkin, I see… does she think knowing how to read means she understands social etiquette?’

Crimson Aironi walked over, pointing at a passing stranger. “Look, even a random passerby has shifty eyes, indicating the poor moral climate here. It’s no place for upright individuals like us to linger.”

‘Where is she? I was so focused on listening to Crimson Aironi that I hadn’t noticed Naya in front of me.’

“Mister, what’s wrong with your eyes? Someone said you have shifty eyes.”

‘Naya! Don’t talk to strangers here!’

“Ah…” Crimson Aironi wiped a cold sweat from his brow. “Please don’t say I said that…”

The passerby wore coarse cloth, his face fierce.

His build was neither weak nor particularly robust, yet his entire demeanor was unsettling.

He exuded the aura of someone who had long thrived in this gloomy place, a person of no small standing.

“Huh?!” The squinting passerby furrowed his brow, radiating the intimidating presence of a gang leader. “Are you talking about me?!”

His booming voice made even the ruffians in the surrounding streets glance over nervously.

“Yes, this one was speaking of you.”

‘Oh, Naya!’

“My apologies, Big Brother!” I quickly stepped in front of Naya. “The child doesn’t know any better, please forgive her…”

“Forgive her?!” The man said, turning his body slightly.

“I’m sorry! Please don’t call anyone over!” I pleaded, hastily retreating a few steps.

“So it’s two young ladies. The one who just spoke to me was the shorter one, I suppose. I didn’t quite see her.”

Then, he slowly reached into his pocket…

“Let’s talk this out! Don’t use a weapon!”

I braced myself, expecting him to pull out some kind of weapon.

Instead, he produced a bag of candy…

“Oh, it’s been ages since I’ve seen children in town. Want some candy, little one?” He offered with a smile, though his expression looked worse than a grimace.

‘Huh… he’s unexpectedly a good person.’

‘Wait, where are you even reaching? Not straight ahead, but to your left!’

Naya walked over without hesitation and took it.

“Thank you, Uncle. Uncle, could you please tell us why your eyes look shifty?”

“Who told you that?!” The passerby’s eyes widened.

“Cough,” Crimson Aironi let out a nervous, fake cough from the side, clearly trying to signal us to stop.

“Naya, don’t ask anymore…” I whispered cautiously to her.

“A friend of this one believes so.”

‘Pfft—sometimes a child’s innocence can truly be disastrous…’

“Oh,” the man mused thoughtfully. “That’s normal. Many people here call me Uncle Squinty-eyes, hehe. Since you want to know, I’ll tell you.”

Sometimes, the straightforwardness of adults is truly a blessing.

“These eyes are a relic from a war over twenty years ago,” he stated simply.

Yet, I sensed a profound depth in his brief remark.

Twenty years prior, as the Village Chief had recounted, the Demon King’s army had swept across five continents.

Each continent’s king, guided by their respective patron deities, had employed various methods—summoning, selection, or divine birth—to acquire their own Hero.

These Heroes, leading their armies, had collectively decimated and weakened the Demon King’s forces.

Ultimately, the Five Heroes converged, uniting their strength.

It was Hero Emily, the Hero chosen by God Sein, who wielded the Holy Sword and plunged it into the Demon King’s heart, bringing an end to that dark era.

“There must have been a very poignant story behind all that.”

While it was true the Hero slew the Demon King, the path to victory had claimed countless lives of people who deserved better.

It had also shattered the happiness of many warriors for the remainder of their lives.

“Poignant?” The man lowered his head, remaining silent.

‘I must have hit the mark…’

“Not at all, little girl, what are you thinking?” Uncle Squinty-eyes began to reach out to pat my head.

However, due to his eyes, his hand missed me entirely, creating an awkward moment.

“Um… my eyes became like this because during the war, while practicing military posture, the women in the comfort tent to my left were just too tempting. I kept squinting at them all day, and over time, my eyes just stayed that way. Hahahaha.”

‘What?! I built up that dramatic backstory for nothing! I was trying to paint you as a glorious old veteran, and your words just ruined it all!’

“Anyway, where are you travelers from?” the man asked me.

It was time for a grand introduction of our team.

“First, we hail from Newbie Village. Second, my name is Emily, and I am the Hero. Although my current objective isn’t entirely clear, I intend to lead my companions to the Royal Capital, stopping here along the way.”

‘Though it might sound a bit boastful, openly stating my grand identity should quickly earn me some prestige here, right?’

“The Hero?!” Uncle Squinty-eyes exclaimed, utterly shocked.

“That’s right,” I nodded.

“Guards! The Royal Capital’s lackeys are here!”

‘Wh… what’s happening…’