Chapter 81

Ariel quietly stepped forward and picked up Ragnarok, which was lying on the ground.

Though her expression was hard to read due to her calm face, Belmont thought Ariel’s expression seemed slightly stiff.

“Please.”

Ariel held out Ragnarok to the dwarf once more.

“Cost doesn’t matter. Fix it.”

The dwarf’s face twisted into a scowl.

“Ha, didn’t you hear me say get lost? Before I beat you up and chase you out… Ugh!”

Belmont quickly covered the dwarf’s mouth.

The dwarf flailed his stubby arms, but Belmont didn’t let go.

The difference in their size was so great that even the strong-armed dwarf couldn’t move.

“Just fix it. You like money anyway.”

Belmont whispered quietly into the dwarf’s ear.

He knew this dwarf well.

A craftsman renowned in the Imperial Capital.

No one in the Imperial Capital could match this dwarf’s crafting skills.

Nobles and knights often sought him out, and naturally, his pride had grown so high that he wouldn’t even glance at commoners like Ariel or Belmont.

Commoners didn’t bring in much money.

“That kid has a high status. She’s the princess of the Elf Kingdom.”

At Belmont’s words, the dwarf’s eyes widened. He seemed surprised.

Even if she were of a different race, a princess of a kingdom wasn’t someone to be treated lightly.

“……”

The dwarf’s eyes gleamed with the spirit of a craftsman. Seeing this, Belmont removed his hand from the dwarf’s mouth.

Of course, Ariel being the princess of the Elf Kingdom was a lie.

But if he didn’t lie, this dwarf probably wouldn’t fix Ragnarok.

And if Ariel, in a fit of anger, killed the dwarf?

They would immediately become fugitives of the Empire. Belmont would also be in danger.

‘That can’t happen. At least not before I escape…’

Once Belmont escaped from Ariel, he wouldn’t care what happened next.

Whether Ariel turned the dwarf’s head to dust or used telekinesis to strangle the Emperor, Belmont wouldn’t care at all.

“Hmm…”

The dwarf crossed his arms and stared at Ragnarok.

“If cost doesn’t matter, fine, I’ll fix it. But since I have to waste my time on this trash, I’ll charge double. Is that okay?”

Ariel nodded at the dwarf’s question.

“Make it sturdy.”

“How sturdy?”

“Sturdy enough to never break.”

“That’s a problem. I can make it as sturdy as you want, but I also have to consider the weight…”

“Weight doesn’t matter.”

At Ariel’s words, the dwarf blinked.

“Is this toy for you to use?”

“It’s for me.”

“Then it should be light. With those skinny arms, you’ll collapse before you can even swing a heavy sword. How about I make you a cute dagger instead?”

Belmont cleared his throat loudly.

This was a kind of warning.

Don’t provoke her, just do as she says.

Fortunately, the dwarf seemed to understand.

“…Just kidding. If you want a sword that’s sturdy enough to never break, regardless of weight… Ah!”

The dwarf snapped his thick fingers.

“Now that I think of it, there’s that troublesome metal. Perfect. It should meet your requirements exactly.”

Ariel smiled slightly, and Belmont also looked at the dwarf with interest.

A troublesome metal that perfectly meets the requirements?

Belmont couldn’t contain his curiosity and asked.

“What is it?”

“Titanium.”

“Titanium…?”

“Yes.”

The dwarf explained.

“Titanium is a metal imbued with the power of giants. It’s ridiculously heavy, but it’s incredibly tough, almost indestructible. It’s comparable to the legendary metal, Adamantite. The only downside is that it’s so heavy it makes you curse…”

“Use that.”

Ariel said brightly.

The dwarf hesitated slightly but eventually nodded.

“…Fine. Since it’s what you want, don’t complain later.”

*

Belmont sighed deeply as they left the armory.

“Seriously, that’s too much. Ripping us off like that! That money-crazed dwarf!”

Belmont glanced at Ariel, who also looked slightly dejected.

They had paid all their gold coins for the repair of Ragnarok, that piece of junk.

Even the gold coins Belmont had received as collateral for Ariel’s identity at the city gate were taken.

“What’s so special about this Titanium metal that it’s so expensive? It’s so heavy no one would want it anyway!”

To Belmont, the repair cost felt more like a scam than just overcharging.

‘With that money…’

The money spent on repairing Ragnarok could have bought at least a few top-tier weapons.

No wonder Belmont felt wronged. If only his own gold coins hadn’t been taken, he wouldn’t have cared.

“Anyway, what now? You look broke too. Do you have money for food? No, what was your purpose in coming to the human Imperial Capital in the first place?”

Ariel, who had been silently standing, turned her gaze sharply to Belmont. Belmont flinched and stepped back, waving his hands.

“…Not that I’m interrogating you. Just, I’m worried.”

“Do you know where I can sell monster corpses?”

“Monster corpses? Of course. This is the human Imperial Capital. First, what kind of monster corpses are they? Are they edible, used for potions, or for crafting armor and weapons? If it’s the latter, that armory we just left isn’t bad. Generally, it’s convenient to take them to the adventurer’s guild or a merchant group, but selling them that way reduces profit. It’s better to decide where to sell based on the type of corpse. Do you have any corpses worth selling?”

Ariel took out the corpses from her inventory.

The Succubus corpse she had killed while saving the baker’s son, the giant scorpion corpse from the dungeon, the Medusa corpse…

As various corpses popped out of thin air, Belmont’s eyes widened in surprise.

“What the… These are all rare. And in top condition. The Succubus is a bit twisted, but… Anyway, I know where to sell these kinds of corpses.”

Belmont spoke confidently.

“Follow me.”

*

Leaving the central area of the Imperial Capital, Ariel and Belmont entered a dark alley.

It was a completely different world from the bright central area.

The narrow, dark alley was devoid of life, with damp moisture dripping down the walls.

“Don’t worry. Despite the location, this is the best place to sell the corpses you have.”

Ariel didn’t react much to Belmont’s words.

Suspicious-looking people were everywhere.

Ragged beggars, thugs with tattoos, mysterious figures cloaked in black.

They all smirked at Ariel but didn’t approach.

They passed through the alley and descended a narrow staircase.

As they went down, the sound of people murmuring grew louder.

The murmurs soon turned into a clamor, and they finally arrived at a large underground space.

“We’re here. This is the Black Market, an auction house where you can sell your rare corpses.”

Ariel looked around at Belmont’s words. The smell of tobacco and alcohol filled the air.

Everyone wore masks, and eerie magical lights were installed here and there.

“Are you two here to sell?”

Someone approached and asked.

A man wearing a deer mask and a uniform. An employee of the Black Market.

“In the Black Market, masks are mandatory.”

The employee handed them two masks.

A lion mask and a rabbit mask.

The employee seemed to have chosen the masks based on Belmont and Ariel’s appearances.

Belmont put on the lion mask, and Ariel the rabbit mask.

The employee asked again.

“Do you have anything to sell?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll guide you right away. Please follow me.”

The employee led Belmont and Ariel somewhere.

It was a place where items for sale were inspected.

They checked if the items were dangerous or illegal before putting them up for auction.

Despite the location and atmosphere, the Black Market was surprisingly a legal place.

“It’s just the concept.”

Belmont explained.

“Did you see those guys sprawled in the alley earlier? They look like beggars and suspicious characters. They’re all employees here. For some reason, many nobles like this atmosphere. They enjoy wearing masks, drinking in dark places, and participating in auctions. Well, they’re the kind of people who waste money on unnecessary things, so they’re likely to pay a high price for your rare corpses.”

Ariel nodded quietly.

The Imperial Capital sure had its share of peculiar places, but that didn’t matter.

What mattered was that she was getting hungry.

She wanted to sell the monster corpses at the auction and use the money to visit a bakery.

Preferably the most famous bakery in the capital.

Just thinking about the sweet desserts there made her smile and her heart race.

After waiting in the inspection room, the Black Market employee approached and said.

“You two, you can come out now.”

Ariel and Belmont followed the employee to a stage-like area, and the auction began.