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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Wrapping Up (2)
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People lined up to enter the city gates, waiting while the guards at the front inspected them.
Slip a bit of coin to the picky soldiers, pass through, and you'd see crowds of folks...
'...or so I was hoping. What's up with this place?'
It was definitely a city. A bit small-scale, sure, but ringed by walls and packed with plenty of buildings.
'So why does it feel so empty?'
The guards at the gate barely glanced my way as I passed, not bothering with a single word. They just whispered among themselves.
'No inspection is a relief, at least.'
I knew nothing about this world.
I'd bluffed my way through with vague answers to that slash-and-burn village elder, but that wouldn't fly with city guards.
If they started grilling me, I'd be in trouble.
'I'd prepped a few silvers just to grease palms if needed.'
It was still bright out, but hardly any locals roamed the streets. No one seemed to care about an outsider like me.
The whole city lacked any spark of life.
'What's with the vibe here? Something go down?'
It felt off, but I decided to find lodging first.
I needed to gather info here regardless of whether I stayed or moved on.
'Let's see... where might an inn be? Ask that guy?'
I started toward a nearby local-looking man to ask for directions when something caught my eye in the alley beside the road.
A muscled brute with a neck tattoo and a grubby girl who looked about ten.
"...Sorry! Just a bit more time..."
The girl bowed repeatedly to the giant, her face crumpling as she begged.
"I get your situation, but I can't wait forever, got it? You got three days. If you don't bring it by then, I can't help you."
He unfolded his arms, scratched his head roughly, and grumbled curtly.
Without waiting for her reply, he turned deeper into the alley.
"I said it: you two. Two silvers in three days."
As his last words trailed into the alley's gloom, the girl collapsed to her knees right there.
She sat dazed for a moment, then took a deep breath like she was swallowing tears and slapped her cheeks.
Staggering, she pulled herself up.
'Hmm... city thug exploiting a poor kid. Cliché as they come.'
In a medieval fantasy world like this, it probably happened all the time.
Me raging about human rights wouldn't change a thing, and I had no reason to anyway.
Thud.
As I stood staring, the girl stumbled out of the alley, eyes on the ground, and bumped into me.
"Ah... sorry..."
I looked down at the girl bowing right in front of me.
Skin rough beyond her years, scarred and swollen hands.
Empty eyes and a faint aura of despair—it all felt eerily familiar.
After apologizing, she shuffled past me.
Slumped shoulders, steps devoid of any energy.
Her retreating figure stuck in my mind for some reason.
'Hmm, two silvers, huh.'
I pulled a pouch from my pocket.
Bribe money I'd set aside: a bunch of coppers and about half a dozen silvers.
'Didn't know local prices, so I overpacked. Guess silvers hold more value than I thought.'
Figured no need after breezing through the unguarded gate, but perfect timing for a use.
'Need info on this world anyway.'
A local guide who'd faithfully handle my requests.
Low risk of tricks.
Perfect candidate right in front of me.
'Not sure if she's trustworthy yet, but info for pocket change like this?'
I took two silvers from the pouch and tucked it away.
'Fate, I guess. Better than straight bribes anyway.'
I strode up to the still-stumbling girl.
Whatever she was thinking, she didn't react even as I approached with clear footsteps.
"Ahem... hey, kid?"
"..."
"Hey~? Big bro's got something to say..."
No answer, so I tapped her shoulder louder...
"Eek—! S-sorry!"
She jumped in fright, and I blinked in surprise too.
"..."
"Uh, who... who are you?"
Your potential employer.
I felt bad for her, but I wasn't handing out charity blindly.
Mutual benefit makes the strongest bonds.
No clue how long I'd stay here, but I'd keep my promises.
Time to negotiate terms.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Heinz met the girl in the city, secured lodging easily with her help, and began gathering info.
Having a local guide made everything smooth.
"Alright... time for me to get to work."
Gold bars! Time to harvest.
Otherworld trips were fun, but priority one was living well as my main self.
'Summoning Hans straight-up is kinda scary, though.'
I'd felt his sheer presence firsthand as Heinz.
'Still, got Clear Mirror Still Water. Short summon should be fine.'
Just in case, I closed my eyes to avoid eye contact and summoned Hans.
Shaaaa...
A chill hit instantly with the summon.
Even without looking, instinct screamed something ominous loomed before me.
[Whoa... this guy's no joke. Can't show his face in public ever.]
Hans muttered while viewing my frozen body through his eyes.
His mana-resonant voice stirred primal fear, like a demon whispering from the abyss.
'Thanks to Clear Mirror Still Water, it's getting better, though.'
First summon had shaken the skill badly, but now familiarity settled my mind.
"Phew, okay now..."
I opened my eyes calmly and faced Hans—then whipped my head away.
No, I turned fully and bolted to the bathroom.
"Let's keep some distance for a bit. Gotta hit the john. Bladder emergency."
Muttering to myself despite no audience, I put space between us.
'He'll handle unloading the goods.'
While I was in the bathroom, Hans neatly stacked his haul in one spot.
Gold bars, precious metals, magic artifacts.
Grabbed protective ones for safety—main body's priority.
Tested the skull staff by tapping the floor, just in case.
[Hmm, no summons in this world, huh.]
Seemed impossible to call undead across dimensions.
If he could craft a sub-space pouch fully his own, maybe—but he didn't know that magic yet.
'Figure it'll come with growth.'
Enough for now. No rush.
Beep-beep-clank.
Finishing up and getting used to Hans from afar, the front door opened. The avatar back from his workout.
I'd pondered a cool name but hadn't settled; he had the handy Acceleration skill for burst speed.
'Made a wooden mask to fit the era, and damn, it suits him.'
The avatar returned with a wooden mask prepped for Hans.
Plastic masks don't fly in fantasy—though possible, I preferred this.
Guided the avatar to fit the mask on Hans and tied the strap tight.
Extra tough leather, multiply secured.
"Ooh... got atmosphere. Way more menacing than before."
I clapped, eyeing Hans' masked face.
The avatar had spotted it while jogging: that grinning hahoe mask vibe.
Robed hood, blue soulfire from eyeholes, glimpsed fangs, foggy chill leaking from the mouth.
Pure horror flick material.
'Wait, does the mask even mean anything?'
Thought crossed my mind, but nah.
Pink bunny on Hans would still scream psycho killer.
Hiding the non-human part was enough.
'As long as the skull stays covered, we can bluff.'
Ignoring Hans' intimidation, grabbed a bag and packed gold bars.
'Brought 3kg. Plenty for now.'
Long-term: buy a house outside Seoul, ward it up. But couldn't leave yet, so take it slow.
'Things'll get better. Can't live like this forever.'
Sell these legit.
Say I found them sorting parents' stuff.
Family wasn't broke; chaotic times made selling gold unremarkable.
The geared-up avatar paused at the door.
Expensive cargo made him uneasy.
"Kinda nervous heading out like this."
Had protective artifacts, but still iffy.
Glancing around in worry, spotted Hans standing blankly.
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"Thank you. Come again."
The gold buyer's clerk bowed ninety degrees as I left.
Smooth sale as expected, no issues or incidents.
Went to the high-buyer spot for the win: grinning at my fatter bank balance.
Streets darkening, streetlights flickering on.
Light-hearted steps, I glanced at my shadow.
Blacker than others.
'Can't show publicly, but useful like this. Good.'
Hans lurked in my shadow, Black Magic style.
Prepped for trouble that never came.
Weeeeng— weeeeng!
Boom—!
Thought ended as the shop's shutters slammed, then the wall exploded.
'Why do bad hunches always hit?'
Winced, peeked back.
A 2m+ musclebound werewolf and a black-masked guy clung to him, fleeing through the hole into the alley.
Inside: jewelry gone, people down.
Lucky I left just before.
But...
'Villain, huh.'
Awakened ability criminals.
Guardians protected from them, but couldn't cover every threat.
Like my family.
I stared their way briefly, then walked on.
Chaos behind: reports, videos.
Guardians would track; caught meant heavy ability-crime sentences.
Not caught...
'They'll live large. But I can't do shit.'
Han Seonghyeon left the scene for home.
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"Nice, Wolf! Plan's perfect. Hit the portal spot, escape, done!"
"Grr, 3 minutes till Guardians. Plenty."
Simple op.
'Wolf' the muscle subdued guards, smashed vault/security for exit.
'Porter' sucked up jewels/cash, hitched a ride.
Rush to 'Portal,' dip via his gate ability.
"Kahah— love seeing those Guardian chumps' stunned faces late!"
"Grunt! Here. Get off."
They entered the construction site.
Portal's gate took time to spawn, so prepped spot ahead.
Thud-thud!
Rushed in: knocked-out workers piled in corner.
Portal too, out cold.
"Wha...?"
Something in the dark before fallen Portal.
"Grrrrr..."
Wolf's fur bristled. Crouched, fangs/claws out, tail up.
Eyes pure terror.
"Wh-what the hell is that...?"
Porter worse. Thoughts fragmented.
It raised a hand, pointing.
Porter's last sight: grinning face with glowing blue eyes amid lunging shadows.