The slums smelled different from the rest of the capital.
Not bad.
Not good.
Just... tired.
The buildings leaned against one another like old men too stubborn to admit they needed a cane. Rainwater trickled through cracked gutters. Children darted barefoot between alleyways, quick enough to disappear the moment an unfamiliar face turned toward them.
Luceris walked through the maze with his hood pulled low.
For the first time since arriving in this world, he wasn't sightseeing.
He was hunting.
His fingers absentmindedly rubbed the crystal phone in his sleeve.
Ria's phone.
The last picture was still open.
Flowers.
A laughing little girl.
A bakery window...
And reflected in the glass--
A man in a black cloak.
Watching.
Not looking at the flowers.
Not looking at the street.
Looking at Rex.
Looking at Ria.
"Professional," Luceris muttered.
The reflection had been too calm.
Too patient.
Someone who had been waiting.
He stopped in front of a fruit stall.
The old woman behind it looked up lazily.
"Apples?"
"No."
"Pears?"
"No."
She sighed.
"Then stop blocking my customers."
Luceris smiled politely.
"I'm looking for someone."
"So is everyone."
"A man."
"So are half the wives in this district."
Luceris chuckled.
"I like you."
"I don't."
She folded her arms.
"What do you want?"
Luceris quietly placed three gold coins onto the wooden stall.
The old woman's eyes flicked downward.
Then immediately away.
"...You're overpaying."
"I know."
"...Which means this question is troublesome."
"It is."
She sighed.
"You nobles always bring headaches."
"I'm not a noble."
She looked him up and down.
"Pretty enough to be."
"...I'll take that as a compliment."
"You shouldn't."
She leaned closer.
"The man you're looking for..."
Luceris didn't interrupt.
"...Black cloak."
"...Yes."
"Scar on his left hand."
Luceris's pupils narrowed.
"You've seen him."
"I've seen plenty."
She looked around before lowering her voice.
"He buys."
"Buys what?"
"...People."
Luceris's smile disappeared.
"What kind of people?"
"The kind with long ears."
Silence.
"Pretty races."
"..."
"Rare races."
"..."
"Children."
Luceris's eyes grew colder.
"He was here yesterday."
"Where did he go?"
The old woman hesitated.
"I didn't see."
"You heard."
"..."
"...East."
She quietly pointed deeper into the slums.
"Don't follow."
"Why?"
"They don't leave witnesses."
Luceris nodded once.
"...Thank you."
As he turned to leave--
The old woman called after him.
"Boy."
He glanced back.
"If you're going..."
She looked strangely serious now.
"...don't go alone."
Luceris smiled gently.
"I appreciate the concern."
Then he disappeared into the alleys.
The old woman stared after him.
"...He's going to ignore my advice."
She sighed.
"They always do."
Meanwhile—
Enia had reached an entirely different conclusion.
Unlike Luceris, she didn't ask merchants.
She asked beggars.
Nobody noticed beggars.
Which made them the best observers in any city.
An old man sat beneath a broken bridge, wrapped in a patched blanket despite the warm afternoon.
Enia quietly crouched before him.
"You've seen unusual movement."
The old man smiled toothlessly.
"I've seen everything."
She handed him two silver coins.
"I only need one answer."
He weighed the coins thoughtfully.
"...White-haired elves?"
Enia's expression didn't change.
"...Yes."
"They passed here."
"Alive?"
"Scared."
Her fingers tightened slightly.
"They weren't walking willingly."
A pause.
"They wore collars."
Enia's eyes sharpened.
Magic suppression.
Professional kidnappers.
"...Where?"
The old man pointed toward the abandoned warehouses near the eastern canal.
"They'll stay there until dark."
"Why dark?"
He laughed bitterly.
"Because buyers prefer moonlight."
Enia frowned.
"Buyers?"
"Rich fools."
He looked at her.
"You don't know?"
"...Know what?"
The old man's smile vanished.
"Every month..."
He spoke quietly now.
"...there's an underground market."
Enia remained perfectly still.
"They sell rare races."
"..."
"Elves."
"..."
"Beastkin."
"..."
"Merfolk."
"..."
"Anything beautiful."
Her heart sank.
Not because she feared the worst.
Because she understood the economics.
Rare supply.
Wealthy demand.
Organized.
This wasn't random kidnapping.
It was business.
Which meant...
There would be records.
Routes.
Leaders.
A network.
Enia slowly stood.
"When?"
"Tonight."
"Where?"
"The old wine warehouse."
He pointed.
"Follow the lanterns."
Enia bowed slightly.
"...Thank you."
The old man blinked.
Nobody had bowed to him in years.
She didn't waste another second.
The crystal phone appeared in her hand.
She opened the emergency application Luceris had secretly built months ago.
Emergency Transmission
Only available to:
Demon King
Grand Dukes
Executive Personnel
She pressed one symbol.
Mana surged.
The message disappeared instantly.
Far across the city...
Luceris stopped walking.
His own phone vibrated.
He pulled it out.
One line.
Found location. Underground auction. Eastern wine warehouse. Immediate support required. —Enia
His golden eyes narrowed.
"...Auction."
His smile returned.
It wasn't pleasant.
Elsewhere...
Rex slowly opened his eyes.
Darkness.
Cold stone beneath him.
"...Ria?"
A tiny voice answered immediately.
"...Brother..."
Relief washed over him.
"I'm here."
He tried to stand.
Couldn't.
A metallic weight rested around his neck.
He looked down.
A black collar.
Covered in glowing runes.
He instinctively reached for his wind magic.
Nothing happened.
"..."
Again.
Nothing.
His heart skipped.
"...My magic..."
Ria's frightened voice trembled from somewhere beside him.
"...Mine won't come out either..."
Rex crawled toward her in the darkness until his fingers finally found her hand.
She grabbed it immediately.
"...Brother..."
"I'm here."
"They..."
Her voice shook.
"...They said we'd be sold..."
Rex swallowed hard.
He forced himself to smile despite knowing she couldn't see it.
"...His Majesty will find us."
"You think so?"
"I know so."
"...How?"
Rex remembered Luceris proudly declaring:
"I've adopted you."
He almost laughed.
"...Because..."
He squeezed her hand gently.
"...our father is very troublesome."
Ria sniffled.
"...Boss Father?"
Rex sighed.
"...Let's never call him that again."
For the first time since waking--
Ria giggled.
North of the capital.
The Grand Duke's estate.
A raven landed silently upon a windowsill.
Cassian Draven untied the tiny scroll from its leg.
His silver-gray eyes scanned the message once.
Then again.
Rare-race disappearances.
Underground warehouse.
Eastern canal.
Auction tonight.
His expression never changed.
"...How many?"
The spy kneeling nearby lowered his head.
"At least twelve confirmed captives."
"Twelve."
Cassian folded the message neatly.
"...The city guard?"
"Bribed."
"The nobles?"
"Some are involved."
"I see."
He stood.
His black coat settled around him like winter itself.
"Prepare no troops."
The spy blinked.
"...Your Grace?"
"They'll notice an army."
Cassian calmly buckled the sword at his waist.
"I'll go."
"...Alone?"
"Enough."
The spy wanted to argue.
Instead—
"...Yes, Your Grace."
A cold wind swept through the room.
When it settled...
Cassian was already gone.
Night descended over the eastern district.
The abandoned wine warehouse looked exactly as abandoned as it was supposed to.
Broken windows.
Collapsed roof.
Rotting barrels.
Perfect.
Luceris watched from the rooftop opposite.
"...Too obvious."
At almost the same moment-
Across another rooftop-
Cassian reached exactly the same conclusion.
"...Too obvious."
Neither man noticed the other.
Not yet.
Below...
A carriage rolled into the warehouse.
Then another.
Then another.
Each bearing noble crests.
Each arriving without lanterns.
Quiet.
Hidden.
Illegal.
Luceris's gaze hardened.
"...Found you."
Across the street----
Cassian silently stepped onto the warehouse roof.
No sound.
No wasted movement.
Like snow falling.
Luceris leapt from his rooftop at precisely the same moment.
Both landed on opposite sides of the warehouse skylight.
They froze.
A hooded figure.
Dressed entirely in black.
Silent.
Watching the warehouse.
Cassian's hand rested on his sword.
Another infiltrator.
Luceris narrowed his eyes.
Another buyer?
Neither spoke.
Neither moved.
The night held its breath.
Then-----
Both disappeared.
At exactly the same instant.
Straight toward each other.
Chapter 23: The Shadow Market (Part 2)
The night held its breath.
Then—
Both disappeared.
Straight toward each other.
Clang!
Steel met water.
Cassian's sword stopped less than an inch from Luceris's throat.
At the same time, a razor-thin spear of compressed water hovered against Cassian's neck, humming softly enough to slice through stone.
Neither blinked.
The warehouse roof creaked beneath them.
For one suspended heartbeat, two monsters measured each other.
Cassian's eyes were the first thing Luceris noticed.
Steel gray.
Cold.
Not emotionless.
Simply... efficient.
The sort of eyes that decided whether someone lived before breakfast.
Handsome, Luceris thought automatically.
Dangerous, Cassian concluded at exactly the same moment.
The man before him was beautiful enough to make people lower their guard.
Cassian never did.
His grip on the sword tightened.
"You aren't one of the buyers."
His voice was deep.
Calm.
Luceris arched an eyebrow.
"You aren't either."
"So you admit you're here illegally."
Luceris smiled beneath his hood.
"And you climbed onto a roof through the front door?"
"..."
"...Fair point."
Without warning—
Both attacked again.
Cassian's blade swept horizontally.
Luceris leaned backward just enough for the sword to cut through a few loose strands of his sky-blue hair.
"Hair!" Luceris protested.
Cassian stepped forward without apology.
"You moved."
"So did my hair."
The water spear dissolved into dozens of razor-sharp droplets.
They shot toward Cassian like a rainstorm of glass.
Cassian didn't retreat.
He simply flicked his wrist.
A pale silver aura exploded from his sword.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The droplets shattered into harmless mist.
Luceris's golden eyes brightened.
"Oh?"
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Not many people could erase one of his spells that casually.
Cassian reached the same conclusion.
Water manipulation...
Extremely refined.
Not a mage.
Something else.
Neither intended to reveal more.
Which was unfortunate.
Because the roof had other plans.
"Intruders!"
A shout echoed from below.
Luceris and Cassian both looked down.
"..."
"..."
A guard stood in the broken skylight, staring directly at them.
Behind him—
Half the warehouse looked up.
One guard pointed dramatically.
"There they are!"
Luceris slowly looked toward Cassian.
"You."
Cassian looked back.
"You."
"I was being subtle."
"So was I."
"Clearly not."
Cassian glanced at the shouting guards.
"...This is your fault."
Luceris gasped.
"My fault?"
"You started fighting."
"You swung first!"
"You were suspicious."
"You were sword-shaped!"
"..."
Cassian frowned.
"...Sword-shaped?"
"It was threatening."
The guards below exchanged confused looks.
"Weren't they trying to kill each other?"
"I think they're arguing."
"Should... should we interrupt?"
The captain smacked the speaker on the back of the head.
"Of course interrupt!"
"Right!"
Twenty crossbows rose together.
Luceris sighed.
"This is becoming inconvenient."
Cassian agreed.
"Indeed."
The captain grinned.
"Fire!"
The bolts shot upward in a black cloud.
Cassian moved first.
One clean swing.
A crescent of silver energy cut through the air.
Half the bolts splintered.
Luceris flicked two fingers.
Water erupted from the humid night itself, forming a spinning curtain.
The remaining bolts vanished into it with dull thuds.
Silence.
One smuggler blinked.
"...Did they just..."
"...work together?"
Luceris immediately pointed at Cassian.
"I absolutely did not."
Cassian nodded once.
"Neither did I."
Another pause.
Then—
Click.
Both men looked down simultaneously.
The roof beneath their boots glowed.
Runes.
Ancient.
Complex.
Luceris's expression changed first.
"...Trap."
Cassian's pupils narrowed.
"Move."
Too late.
The entire rooftop disappeared.
"WHAT IDIOT PUTS A PITFALL ON THE ROOF?!"
Luceris's indignant shout echoed all the way down.
The two men crashed through a wooden chute.
Then another.
Then another.
Boards snapped.
Dust exploded everywhere.
Cassian caught himself against the wall halfway down.
Luceris grabbed the edge of a beam.
For exactly one glorious second—
It looked as though both had recovered.
Then the beam cracked.
"...Oh."
It broke.
The narrow maintenance shaft beneath them wasn't designed for two grown men.
Or even one particularly dramatic Demon King.
They landed together with a muffled thump.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Luceris blinked.
Cassian blinked.
The passage was absurdly narrow.
Their shoulders were pressed together.
Cassian's left arm was pinned awkwardly against the stone wall.
Luceris had somehow ended up half sprawled across him.
Their faces were...
Far too close.
Close enough that Luceris could clearly count Cassian's eyelashes.
"..."
"..."
"...You have nice eyelashes," Luceris observed.
Cassian stared.
"..."
"...Thank you?"
The answer escaped before he could stop it.
Luceris smiled.
"So polite."
Cassian immediately regretted speaking.
"Get off."
"I would."
"...Then do it."
"I can't."
"...Why?"
Luceris looked downward.
"Our legs are tangled."
Cassian looked.
Unfortunately...
They were.
Very tangled.
"..."
"This is awkward."
"It is."
Above them--
Footsteps thundered.
"They fell down here!"
"Find them!"
"Kill them before the buyers arrive!"
Luceris sighed dramatically.
"I'd love to continue this uncomfortable bonding experience..."
Cassian turned his head just enough to glare.
"...Bonding?"
"..."
"...Poor choice of words."
"You think?"
Luceris tried moving.
Nothing happened.
Instead--
His forehead bumped Cassian's.
Thunk.
"...Sorry."
Cassian closed his eyes briefly.
"...Please stop apologizing after hitting me."
"I wasn't aiming."
"So that's accidental?"
"Very."
"...Impressive."
Luceris couldn't help laughing.
"You know..."
Cassian remained expressionless.
"...You're calmer than most people."
"I've had difficult days."
Luceris glanced upward as smugglers began climbing down ladders.
"...Does this count?"
"It has potential."
For some reason--
Luceris laughed harder.
"You're funny."
"I'm not."
"You absolutely are."
Cassian stared at him.
"...You're strange."
"I've heard that."
"...Frequently?"
"Daily."
Above them—
"There!"
A guard pointed into the shaft.
"I see them!"
Another peered down.
"...Why are they hugging?"
Luceris and Cassian both froze.
"..."
"..."
Luceris slowly looked upward.
"We're not."
The guard scratched his head.
"...Looks like hugging."
Cassian spoke without emotion.
"...We're trapped."
"Oh."
The guard nodded.
"...That makes more sense."
Then another guard whispered loudly,
"...Still kinda looks romantic."
Cassian's eye twitched for the first time in years.
Luceris bit his lip.
Don't laugh.
Don't laugh.
Don't--pft
He failed.
A snort escaped.
Then another.
Soon he was laughing so hard his shoulders shook.
Cassian looked at him.
"...What's amusing?"
Luceris could barely breathe.
"They..."
Another laugh.
"...They think..."
He pointed upward weakly.
"...they think we're on a date..."
Cassian looked toward the ceiling.
Then back at Luceris.
"...Ridiculous."
"Absolutely."
"..."
"..."
"...Would you stop laughing?"
"I would if your face wasn't getting darker."
"It isn't."
"It is."
"It isn't."
"It resembles a ripe tomato."
"I don't know what that is."
"...Fair."
The guards finally remembered their job.
"...Should we shoot them?"
The captain frowned.
"...Can you hit them without hitting each other?"
Silence.
"...No."
The captain sighed.
"Then climb down."
Five smugglers began descending.
Luceris finally stopped laughing.
His expression sharpened instantly.
"Temporary truce?"
Cassian answered without hesitation.
"Until the children are safe."
Luceris blinked.
"You know about them?"
"Twelve captives."
"...Only two are mine."
Cassian gave him a strange look.
"...Yours?"
"I adopted them this morning."
"..."
Cassian considered that sentence carefully.
Then decided...
He didn't want the explanation.
"Fine."
Luceris smiled.
"You ask surprisingly few questions."
"I prefer answers."
"I like you."
Cassian immediately replied,
"...That concern is mutual."
The first smuggler reached the bottom.
He grinned.
"Looks like the rats--"
He never finished.
Cassian drove his boot straight into the man's chest.
At the exact same moment--
Luceris snapped his fingers.
Water burst from the damp stone walls, wrapped around two more smugglers like serpents, and slammed them into the ceiling.
Boom!
The shaft shook.
Dust rained down.
Luceris grinned.
"See?"
Cassian didn't take his eyes off the remaining attackers.
"What?"
"We work well together."
"...Don't get ahead of yourself."
Luceris laughed again.
For the first time in a very long while--
Cassian found himself standing beside someone whose movements matched his own without a single word.
Efficient.
Precise.
Almost... instinctive.
Neither of them realized it.
Neither of them had time to.
Because somewhere deeper beneath the warehouse...
Ria's frightened voice echoed faintly through the stone.
"...Brother..."
Luceris's smile vanished.
His golden eyes turned cold.
"They're close."
Cassian nodded once.
"...Then let's finish this."
The two men looked at each other.
No introductions.
No names.
Just silent agreement.
Then, shoulder to shoulder, they charged deeper into the darkness.