Currently, the observed monsters are generally divided into five levels.
A trained soldier can handle level 5 alone.
An apprentice knight or novice mage, capable of using magic, can face level 4.
Elite knights or intermediate mages are required to take on level 3.
As for higher levels, those are handled on an imperial scale upon their appearance, so they’re not my concern for now.
If I were prepared to die fighting, I could attempt to take down a level 3 monster, but…
“The problem is that they’re everywhere.”
Even setting aside level 4 monsters, just the level 3 monsters I can see easily number more than ten.
“Ugh… There are too many of them.”
“Evacuate the VIPs and prioritize securing the auction items!”
“Bring the branch manager! Hurry!”
The staff protecting the black market are fighting, but with the overwhelming number of monsters pouring in, they’re barely holding their positions.
They are stationed near the warehouses where the items are stored, and they also need to keep an eye on VIPs, such as high-ranking nobles or investors.
There’s no time to care for the safety of others at all.
“Ugh… Ah…”
“Is anyone there?! I’m trapped here! Please, save me!”
“W-Why are there monsters…”
Because of this, many people have already lost their lives, and I could do nothing but watch the scene unfold before my eyes.
“Damn it, what should I do?”
My emotions surged, clouding my thoughts.
But I had to recognize my limits.
I’m at level 4.
Thanks to various circumstances, my magic power has increased somewhat, but that’s about it.
Handling everything on my own is impossible.
Even just doing my part feels overwhelming.
“Click. For now, let’s start by finding Gray and Lady Bichen.”
I didn’t have a weapon, but that didn’t mean I had nothing at all.
Because the glass cases used to store the items had shattered, shards were scattered across the floor.
“This should work.”
I grabbed a suitable shard, tore a piece of fabric from a decorative cloth, and wrapped it around the shard’s base to make a handle.
“The glass used in the black market is tough, so this is better than nothing.”
Since expensive items were stored here, they wouldn’t have used fragile, ordinary glass.
This glass had undergone magical treatment to make it sturdy.
If I infused it with magic, it should be enough to pierce the hide of lower-grade monsters.
“Gray and Lady Bichen were tracking those involved in the slave trade.”
The monsters rampaging through the black market were likely released by slave traders disguised as monster dealers.
Why did they suddenly release the monsters?
The reason was simple.
“They must’ve realized their slave trade was exposed.”
Otherwise, causing this kind of chaos would be a loss even for them.
If they’re going as far as releasing the monsters and self-destructing, it means they’re not just guessing their plan was uncovered—they’re certain it was.
“Maybe they’ve even been caught already.”
If Gray and Lady Bichen were captured while trying to steal evidence of the slave trade, this situation before me makes more sense.
The problem is their survival.
“I hope they’re still alive.”
The slave trade, strictly prohibited by the imperial family, has been exposed, and the black market operated by the empire’s top merchant group, Elyon, is in ruins.
The ones responsible have likely gone mad with desperation, leaving them with nothing to lose.
They’ll kill anyone in their way and try to escape.
“For now, let’s find out where they’re coming from.”
The first disturbance occurred in the auction area—a massive hall resembling a theater.
It was the main event of the black market, where auction items were displayed and explained onstage, and bids were fiercely contested in the audience.
I wanted to head straight in, but…
“This is complete chaos.”
With no proper evacuation routes or anyone to manage the situation,
“Get out! Get out of the way!”
“I’m going first…!”
The paths created by monsters breaking through the walls, as well as the exits from the auction, were clogged with people.
I was avoiding being swept away as much as possible, but even so, the thought of heading inside was daunting.
Still, just staying here wasn’t an option.
“Screeech!”
“Creee…”
The monsters weren’t going to leave me alone.
“Don’t drool on me, you bird-brained bastard.”
A massive bat with the head of a bird clung to the ceiling, drooling sticky saliva.
It was only a level 5 monster, so I kicked off the ground, leaping upward.
I drove the magically enhanced glass shard into its gaping mouth.
“Screech… Scree…”
It died instantly without resistance, but…
“They just keep coming.”
Perhaps because the screams were so loud, other monsters started converging on me again.
I continued fighting them off, but there was no way to know how long I could keep this up—
Especially when I had no idea whether Gray and Lady Bichen were alive or dead.
I couldn’t just sit here, endlessly killing monsters, and wait.
So I chose another method.
“Let’s try going in the opposite way.”
If it’s a place holding an auction, there should be more than just the entrance for the customers.
There must be a back area where employees come and go or where auction items are brought in and out.
“This would have been impossible under normal circumstances, but… The situation is such a mess that there probably isn’t proper control in place. If I sneak in quietly, there shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Is it this way?”
As I quickly scanned the outskirts of the auction house, I found a small door with a sign that read [Employees Only].
“No one’s here.”
I carefully opened the door and stepped into a straight hallway.
There, I found multiple passageways entangled in a complex maze-like structure.
“Ugh, where should I go from here… As someone born with zero sense of direction, this kind of structure is giving me a headache. Still, based on the rough size of the auction house and the direction of the passages I observed on my way here, I’ve narrowed down a few possibilities. But I’m not confident in any of them.”
Since I didn’t want to waste time worrying, I decided to look around quickly.
“Hmm? What’s this…”
One of the passages I had narrowed down caught my eye.
On the floor, I noticed thin gray threads scattered around.
They didn’t look like they had simply fallen out from somewhere.
Rather, they seemed to be deliberately scattered at regular intervals, almost like Hansel and Gretel’s trail.
Seeing this, I quickly removed the wolf mask covering my face, pulled out the mane decoration from the top of the mask, and compared it to the threads.
“…As expected, my brain does work pretty well sometimes.”
I realized that the gray threads were traces left behind by Gray.
Following the trail, I navigated through the winding passageways without hesitation.
When I reached the spot where the traces ended,
“Seems like the little Count doesn’t know their place after I cleaned up their messes for them, huh?”
“…I was at fault. I should’ve handled the aftermath more thoroughly.”
I could faintly hear their conversation beginning to reach me.
* * *
“…What? Where are you going?”
Exhausted from the series of events that had overwhelmed her lately, Rozennia decided to take a break and spend time in the deserted clubroom where no one would bother her.
She had grown tired of the shallow flattery and petty schemes she encountered at the imperial court.
She had come to visit him, but she was told he had already been discharged.
Feeling dejected over her poor timing, she slumped over the desk in disappointment.
“Your Highness, I have a report for you.”
The guard she had stationed with him—no, her escort—brought her some unbelievable news.
“Wh-what? The red-light district? He passed through the brothels?”
For someone who had never seemed interested in women, the thought of him going through the red-light district, especially to the brothels, was simply unimaginable.
“Ugh, what on earth could it be…”
As Rozennia bit her nails and her expression darkened, the escort quickly added more information.
“It’s likely related to the black market event that’s taking place soon.”
“…The black market?”
“Yes, there are several routes leading to it, but unless you’re a VIP like Your Highness, most people have to go through the red-light district to get there.”
“That makes sense. That could be it.”
After pondering for a moment, Rozennia finally came to a decision.
“Hmm, alright, that’ll do.”
“Uh, what do you mean, Your Highness?”
She slammed her palm on the table and declared,
“The black market has been under a lot of scrutiny lately, hasn’t it? People are saying it’s exceeding the limits of what’s quietly tolerated.”
“Indeed, there have been reports about that.”
“Then as the rightful heir to this empire, I must personally inspect it. Don’t you think it’s a good idea?”
“Uh…yes? I suppose…”