Welcome to the Demon Bookshop!

Chapter 5 - Operation Counterattack

Paul had been through all sorts of things ever since he had come to the demon world, so he thought he couldn’t be surprised by anything anymore. However, Paul’s predictions were completely off the mark. A few days later, another big incident broke out.

‘Ding-dong’

“Pablo-nim!”

Paul, who was sitting at the cash register, was startled and rushed to the entrance. Pablo was coming into the bookshop, holding his right arm with his left hand. His hand was full of red blood.

“Hello, Boss, Teeter-nim?” Pablo spoke with an awkward smile. Even in this situation, he was polite and greeted the two first.

“What in the world happened?” Paul asked as he took out a first aid kit from the checkout counter in a hurry. As someone who occasionally cut his hands while handling books, he had requested the boss to prepare these tools for an emergency.

“I encountered a gang of bandits on my way to Moires. I got cut while trying to protect the goods.”

“Pablo-nim!”

After finishing his sentence, Pablo had fainted and fallen to the floor.

The doctor called by the boss came to Kshatrit. Fortunately, Pablo only passed out temporarily, and his life wasn’t in danger. However, as he had said, he was cut on his right arm with something sharp and had to get dozens of stitches.

Paul was looking anxiously at his sleeping figure in the boss’s bed. The doctor had assured him that he would be fine, but Paul kept checking Pablo’s condition just in case. Fortunately, Pablo’s condition was stable, and his chest went up and down regularly as he slept.

‘Whose son is he to be so good-looking?’

Paul began to observe Pablo’s sleeping face closely, stroking his chin with his hand. Paul hadn’t noticed before because he had never thought about it. But up close, Pablo had a rather good-looking face too.

Pablo’s skin was sun-tanned, but without a single blemish. His nose bridge was high, and although his tightly closed lips were thin, they were beautifully shaped. His closed eyes fluttered sometimes with long grey eyelashes, matching the colour of his hair.

‘He’s more like a big puppy, rather than a wolf.’

Although Pablo’s ears and tail were definitely those of a wolf, every time Paul saw his drooping eyes, he thought of an innocent-looking puppy.

“…Teeter-nim”

As Paul was lost in his thoughts, Pablo, who had awakened, called out to him.

“Pablo-nim, lie down some more. Or do you need anything? Shall I bring you some water?”

“…I’m sorry for my lack of manners,” Pablo said in a hoarse voice.

“If you are sorry, please don’t get hurt again. Do you know how worried I was?” Paul said in a reproachful tone, handing over a glass of water. Pablo got up weakly, took it with his left hand, and slowly drank the water.

“Still, I’m glad you’re okay.”

Pablo looked at his right arm, which was exposed under the cut off tunic. 

Paul quickly added, seeing him slightly upset, “You can cover the wounds on your arm with clothes. But what if you had a scar on your face?”

“A merchant like me is fine as long as their arms and legs are intact.”

“You have a precious face, so you have to be more careful.” Paul spat out his innermost thoughts in a fit of anger and realized his mistake.

“What do you mean?” Pablo asked Paul, blinking his innocent eyes.

“Your parents gave you good looks… I mean, you have a precious face. Of course, even if you’re not good-looking, it would still be precious. What am I saying? Since you’ve been lying down all day, you must be hungry. I’ll bring you something to eat.” Paul rambled and quickly headed to the kitchen on the first floor.

“Good-looking face…?”

Paul couldn’t see Pablo’s slightly reddened face as he repeated Paul’s words.

A little while later, Paul brought out the milk porridge he had worked hard to make in the kitchen. Having spent a long time living alone without his parents, he was confident in his cooking skills. Of course, he didn’t forget the share some with the boss who was guarding the bookshop alone on the first floor.

“Teeter-nim! It’s really good.”

Fortunately, it seemed to suit Pablo’s taste as well. Pablo seemed awkward with using the spoon with his left hand but quickly finished the bowl. Looking at him, Paul smiled proudly.

“It’s a porridge made of milk. There’s more, so let me know if you want some more.”

“I know I shouldn’t be asking for it, but yes please.”

Paul smiled slightly at Pablo’s words and headed back to the kitchen. Finally, after Pablo had finished off several bowls, Paul asked him, “Do bandits often attack?”

“They sometimes lurk on the roads that connect villages and attack when the opportunity arises.”

“Did the bandits take the books that would come to our bookstore?”

“I let my guard down. I didn’t know they’d even take the books that I was transporting because they’re usually after expensive items. They probably heard the rumour that I was looking for <Prelude to the Battlefield> and thought that I was transporting valuable items.”

Paul paused at Pablo’s words. Wasn’t <Prelude to the Battlefield> the book Paul had asked for?

“We must get them back.”

At that moment, the boss appeared and interrupted in a low voice. He, who was crossing his arms, had an expressionless face as usual, but the atmosphere he exuded was quite fierce. It was as if a fire was burning in his black pupils.

“What about the bookshop, boss?”

“It’s fine. We closed early because there were no customers.”

The boss took off his black apron and sat down on the sofa. Paul thought to himself, ‘If the boss has that look on his face, even existing customers will run away,’ but he swallowed his words because of the heavy atmosphere.

“Pablo, how many bandits were there?”

“There were about five men who attacked me.”

“Can we retrieve the books back?”

“I’m sorry, but it will be difficult unless we can find their base.”

Finding the secret headquarters of the bandits was like trying to catch stars in the sky.

“We’ll have to set a trap.”

“You mean a ‘counterattack’?”

The boss nodded quietly.

“What’s a counterattack?” Paul asked about the word he had heard for the first time.

“After throwing the bait to the bandits, we attack them.”

“Oh, I see.”

“But to get information about their base, we need to bring a bait that even the top members of the bandits would make a move for.”

“It must be something very valuable.”

“That’s right. It would be difficult to prepare such a thing before they get rid of the stolen books, wouldn’t it?”

Something valuable that can be prepared in a hurry? There was something that came to Paul’s mind as he listened to the story.

“What if I become the bait?”

“No!”

“No!”

Both the boss and Pablo replied at the same time.

“But there’s nothing rarer than humans right now, is there? I’ve never encountered another human being since I came here.”

“But Teeter-nim, it’s very dangerous.”

“I know you two will definitely rescue me even if I get caught.”

Upon hearing Paul’s subsequent words, the two demons were silent. There was no falsehood in what Paul said, as he truly believed in the two of them.

Pablo briefly glanced at the boss. Paul’s words certainly made sense, as humans were rare and were expensive slaves popular among the noble circle. It was certain that the bandits would attack if they heard a rumour that humans were being transported. Furthermore, his boss was a ‘Fomor’, the most powerful demon in the world. No matter how hard the bandits tried, they were nothing in front of a Fomor. However, it was unlikely that the boss would allow Paul’s idea.

“Boss? Please.”

“It’s too dangerous.”

“I’ll get the books back again somehow, Teeter-nim.”

Pablo also dissuaded Paul from doing so. Then Paul’s voice grew slightly louder.

“But what if they attack Pablo-nim again next time? What if Pablo-nim gets hurt badly?”

“Teeter-nim.”

“Actually, books don’t matter. The important thing is Pablo-nim. Plus, how can I sleep well knowing that Pablo-nim was injured trying to get <Prelude to the Battlefield>? In a way, it’s my fault!”

The boss brought his fingers to his chin upon hearing Paul’s words. He knew why Paul valued Pablo so much. Whenever Pablo came with the books, Paul’s smile never left his face. He was Paul’s only friend with whom he could communicate in the demon world. Furthermore, Paul was feeling guilty towards Pablo at the moment.

There was a moment of silence.

“I’ll stand by Teeter-nim instead.” Eventually, Pable seemed to have joined Paul’s opinion.

Afterwards, the boss, who had remained silent for a long time, finally declared surrender. He was also internally boiling with anger at the fact that the bandits had dared to touch his possessions.

“When do you think your arm will be okay?”

“Our race has a fast recovery rate. It should be fine in three days.”

Paul was inwardly impressed by Pablo’s words. It wouldn’t have been possible for a human being.

“Then we’ll leave in three days’ time in the afternoon.”

“Thank you, boss!”

“Thank you!”

This time Paul and Pablo spoke at the same time. Having a Fomor boss behind them was no different from a winning battle.

***

“Then we’ll be off,” Pablo said, holding the reins. For the first time since its opening, the bookshop was marked as ‘closed.’

“I’ll be back, Lego! Keep the bookshop safe!” Paul shouted at Lego, who was hiding somewhere since Pablo had arrived. Of course, he didn’t forget to prepare plenty of food and snacks for Lego.

The wagon that Paul was riding on departed at the appointed time. There were only Paul and Pablo in the wobbling wagon. The boss and the demons from the Wolf Merchant Guild had decided to follow them at intervals to avoid suspicion from the bandits.

Soon after, Paul felt a sense of relief as the wagon finally left Moires and drove down a quiet path. The sky was blue without a single cloud, and greenery lined both sides of the road. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect. Paul looked at the passing scenery with child-like excitement, even forgetting why he was in the wagon in the first place. He felt so happy, which was a rare feeling because he had not been able to wander around outside the bookshop, let alone Moires since he had come to the demon world. Furthermore, Pablo also looked much better than before.

“Pablo-nim, is your arm okay?”

“I think I got better quickly thanks to your first aid.”

Pablo raised his right arm to show Paul. But contrary to what he said, his arm was still bandaged. 

Paul, who felt somehow depressed when he saw it, said, “I’m sorry… It’s all my fault that you got hurt. If only I hadn’t asked you to find the book…”

Paul told the truth with a gloomy face. Then Pablo smiled slightly.

“No. The bandits are the bad ones, and Teeter-nim did nothing wrong. Also, I was grateful that Teeter-nim persuaded the boss.” Pablo meant what he said. He was grateful for Paul’s kindness.

“Is there anything you want after we finish this job? I can ask the guild for you.”

“Yes, actually I have two things.”

“That’s okay. Please tell me.”

“First of all, let’s go to the lamb skewer restaurant you mentioned. What’s the name again? Mama?”

“It’s Mimi.”

Pablo laughed once again at Paul’s unexpected response.

Humans were such a cute race, Pablo thought to himself as he replied, “Of course. It’s close to our Merchant Guild, so I’ll take you there myself.”

“Great! And secondly, if you don’t mind, Pablo-nim’s tai…”

Before Paul could finish his sentence, Pablo quickly grabbed the reins and stopped the wagon. Paul almost fell out of the wagon, but he didn’t get thrown off thanks to Pablo’s grip.

“Please stay behind me, Teeter-nim.”

Pablo, who had been using his ears and nose to stay alert, spoke quietly. Getting off the wagon and sending Paul behind him, he suddenly drew out his weapon.

It wasn’t until Paul saw the shadows in front of the wagon that he realized why Pablo had stopped. The bandits had shown up much faster than expected! However, contrary to their predictions, there was only one person raiding the wagon. They had their face covered with a black mask, leaving only their eyes visible.

“Be careful!” Pablo spoke as he tightened his grip on the weapon in his hand. As his words trailed off, the other person wielding two daggers attacked him at a terrifying speed.

Paul tried his best to stay close to the wagon so as to not interfere with his movements. Pablo was in the midst of fending off the enemy’s attacks with a large sword. Paul couldn’t help but marvel at his swift movements. With his animal-like developed senses, he dodged or perfectly blocked the enemy’s attack like the main character of a martial arts novel.

Unfortunately, however, the opponent was not to be underestimated either, moving the daggers in both hands freely and quickly. They believed in their skills enough to block the wagon alone. If Pablo was a Murim master belonging to the righteous faction in martial arts novels, the bandit was a master of the evil faction. 

‘…! Pablo-nim’s arm!’

Watching over Pablo, Paul noticed that something was wrong with him. Pablo’s white bandage was turning dark red as if the wound had opened due to his violent movements.

‘Where the hell is the boss? Please come quickly! Hurry!’

In front of the sharp sounds of metal ringing before him, there was nothing an ordinary human being like Paul could do now other than call for the boss desperately. However, the boss showed no signs of appearing contrary to Paul’s wish.

‘I don’t think I’ll last long at this rate. I have to be careful and end this with one blow.’

Pablo clenched his teeth, enduring the pain in his right arm. Although he had the upper hand at first, he was being pushed back as time went by. Nevertheless, he didn’t panic and looked carefully at the opportunity.

‘Now!’

Pablo didn’t miss it and swung his sword with all his might because the bandit showed a gap as if they had read his thoughts. He finally slashed at the bandit’s shoulder. However, the cut was only shallow enough to stall for time, and instead, the collar of his shoulder fell off.

‘What’s that symbol?’

Although brief, Pablo looked at the tattoo on the bandit’s shoulder with both eyes. It was a picture that was all too familiar to Pablo, even though only its eyes were visible.

That was when the bandit deliberately lowered their shoulder and fiercely struck his right arm. Unable to endure the burning pain for a moment, Pablo let go of the sword. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the bandit quickly plunged the sword into Pablo’s chest.

“No!”

Paul’s heart sank at the sight. Pablo was stabbed in front of his eyes!

“Pablo-n…”

Paul’s cry was cut short when the bandit suddenly grabbed him and hit him on the back of his neck to knock him out. The bandit, who turned over the situation in an instant, grabbed Paul’s limp body and put their other hand in their pocket. Soon a small white feather, as if plucked from a white bird, came out and emitted an unusual brilliance.

The goddess’s feather! Pablo’s eyes widened as he was struck with a sword in his chest. Having worked at the Wolf Merchant Guild for a long time, he knew what the item was in an instant. The goddess’s feather was a kind of warp device that could transport the user’s body and soul to a designated place. However, it was a one-time use and a highly expensive item even in the Wolf Merchant Guild. So it was Pablo’s first time seeing the real thing in person. 

“Teeter-nim…!”

As soon as the feather was used, Paul and the bandit were quickly engulfed in a bright light and disappeared without a trace as if they had never been there. At the same time, Pablo passed out and fell to the ground.

“…Kulk!”

How much time had passed? Pablo woke up suddenly, spitting blood from his mouth. As he opened his eyes, he saw the boss injecting magic into his wounds. His forceful magic penetration was so powerful that it hurt as if his limbs were being ripped apart. But if he hadn’t stopped the bleeding with his magic, Pablo would have been dead.

“Boss… I can’t… ugh… face you.” Pablo endured the pain as he spoke. His voice was shaking just like when he spoke to Paul while lying on the boss’s bed.

The boss didn’t respond. Instead, he raised his hand to stop Pablo as if telling him to stay still. Seeing the signs of the fight around the wagon, he had already grasped the situation.

“They were already aware it was a trap.” The boss finished injecting magic and finally opened his mouth.

“While I was following, there were suspicious people approaching the wagon, so I hurriedly turned in that direction. But when I caught them, they turned out to be unrelated to the bandits.”

What a trap! Pablo let out a sigh. They tied up the boss’s feet and bought some time for the bandit.

“When I pressed them, they said someone had bribed them to go that way.”

“By any chance, did they mention that the person who ordered them to be the bait… covered their face… with a black mask? And they were about Teeter-nim’s height… and had daggers?” Pablo asked, enduring the pain.

“Yes.”

It was clear that the person who set the trap was the one who took Paul away. They must not only have nimble movements but also exceptional intelligence.

“Did you see where they took Paul?”

“I’m sorry. After the bandit kidnapped Teeter-nim, they used the goddess’s feather to escape.”

The boss, who knew about the goddess’s feather, understood what Pablo was saying. If it were a goddess’s feather, they would have vanished from the spot without leaving any clues. He fell silent once again.

“…But even though I didn’t see it, I think I know where they went.”

Pablo groaned and sat up. The boss, who had been silently looking inside the wagon where Paul had been, turned to him. His face appeared indifferent as usual, but Pablo saw a surge of anger in his eyes.

***

Paul opened his eyes and found himself in Kshatrit bookshop. He was sorting the books, basking in the warm sunlight pouring in through the large window. Thanks to the bright sunshine, every time he lightly brushed the books, dust flew in the air like dancing.

‘Ding-dong’

Someone opened the door and entered the bookshop. Paul looked up at his tall figure and smiled slightly. He had a basket full of groceries in both hands, probably just back from the market.

“You’re back? Did you get everything I asked for?”

“Yeah. I also bought some milk.”

He went straight into the kitchen and put the shopping basket down. Paul followed him into the kitchen, offering his help to put things away.

“Why did you buy milk? I still have some left to drink.”

“I felt like drinking it.”

“Milk? You don’t usually drink it.”

Paul, who had been thinking for a while, snapped his finger.

“Wait, did you really want to eat the milk porridge I made? Is it really that delicious?”

Paul said with a playful smile, and the other person nodded slightly as if embarrassed to have been caught.

“I like everything you make.”

His face stayed the same, but his ears were burning red. Paul looked up at him and laughed even louder. Soon the man raised his big hand and stroked Paul’s curly hair slowly. His touch had a faint scent of soap.

Maybe this was a dream? Paul was so happy that he felt like he was in heaven. If it was a dream, he hoped he would never wake up.

At that moment, Paul woke up from his dream with a splitting headache. His vision spun around for a while. After a moment, Paul finally came to his senses and was surprised. He was in a place he had never seen before. The room had an old, tattered yellow wallpaper and a dirty wooden floor.

“Hello?”

As Paul regained his senses, a husky voice greeted him. The person who was sharpening the knife on the opposite side seemed to have been waiting.

“Ugh… Ughh…!”

Terrified by his appearance, Paul tried to scream but couldn’t because his mouth was gagged. Moreover, he was tied tightly to the chair and couldn’t move at all.

Paul was surprised the first time to learn that the other person was the bandit who had kidnapped him. And the second time, he was even more surprised that he spoke in human language.

The other party, who was observing Paul’s reaction, narrowed his eyes into a crescent moon shape and smiled. Although only his eyes were visible, it seemed that a decent-looking face would appear if he took off his mask. He dragged the chair and sat down in front of Paul, asking.

“Are you a human, too?”

This was the third time Paul was surprised by what he said. He clearly said ‘you too.’

“Yo~ It’s been a while since I found a good item.”

He came closer and lifted Paul’s chin with his finger, carefully turning Paul’s face around and examining it.

“Your face is as small as a fist, and your skin is as white as porcelain. It’s a bit disappointing because you have a lot of freckles, but it’s a style that perverted aristocrats would like. It was worth using the goddess’s feather!”

“Umph…?”

“But do you have that kind of experience? Strangely, experienced slaves are in trend these days. It seems they enjoy being tormented rather than tormenting others. Oh, man, it’s hard to keep up with the trend~”

“Mmmph?!”

What were you saying, you crazy?

“Do you want to speak?” The other party asked as Paul kept trying to say something. Paul nodded vigorously.

“Yeah~ You look so delicate that you won’t even be able to carry a book. Don’t scream, though. If you rip your mouth open, the product value will drop significantly. There aren’t as many perverts who like mute slaves as you might think~ If you’re going to be sold, you might as well sell for a high price, right?”

Soon, Paul’s mouth gag was released. Paul didn’t scream for help. There was no point in yelling in front of his kidnapper. 

Instead, Paul asked cautiously, “Are you a human, too?”

“Yep~ I’m a human!” The bandit replied with a pretty eye smile again.

“What do you mean by ‘I can’t even hold a book’? I work at a bookstore, you know.”

“I know that. You’re a slave of the Fomor who runs the bookshop? A Fomor owning a bookshop… I’m speechless, really speechless. Just sitting still should have brought them money.”

“But why do you keep calling me a slave? I’m not a slave.”

“Ahahahahaha! You just said something funny! How can a human not be a slave!”

As time passed, Paul and the bandit, whom Paul thought to be of a similar age, began to talk. Paul could now move freely thanks to them loosening his body. Paul wondered why he was trying to kidnap and sell another human, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask for fear of provoking them. Paul started asking other things instead.

“Where are we, by the way?”

“Don’t you know by looking? It’s my room.”

“So the bandits have personal rooms too. I thought they’d all be together in a hut or something.”

Upon hearing Paul’s words, he chuckled. Since Paul couldn’t escape anyway, he quietly looked around the room. This place, which was older and narrower than Paul’s basement room, had more things to see than he thought. Perhaps he liked books, as there were many of them on the bookshelf on the side of the wall.

“Where did you get all these books?”

Paul, a reputed bookshop employee, asked while looking at each book. The books were all clean and in good condition. In addition, some books were written in human language, which seemed tp be worth a lot of money.

“Oh~ those? I stole them all.”

“What?”

“Bandits steal, do you think they would pay for them?”

It was a little strange, but his bold statement had a point.

“…Don’t tell me you stole them on the road to Moires three days ago?”

“Yes, that’s right. How did you know?”

Paul sighed inwardly. Perhaps, in a way, all of this might have been caused because of money.

“What’s your name?”

“Why do you care? Are you trying to sell me out?”

“Then how old are you?”

“Obviously older than you~”

Paul, who was trying to dig up information about the other person, was on the verge of losing his temper. He had been using honorifics, but the other person kept speaking informally to him.

“When will I be sold…?” Paul, who was trying to speak casually like him, eventually began to use honorifics again as he met his eyes.

“Um~ probably today?”

“So soon?”

Paul was taken aback. No, this was too sudden!

“Isn’t your owner looking for you? Before that, I should sell you quickly and keep my mouth shut.”

“Can’t you just let me go? We’re both humans, it’s better if we help each other out.”

The other person raised his eyebrows. Paul hurriedly shut up, wondering if he had made a mistake.

“Then why are humans like you so obedient to a Fomor?”

“What…?”

“Don’t you know? The humans were destroyed because of the Fomors.”

It was the first time he had heard it in his life. Paul’s mind went blank as if he got hit in the back of his throat.

“What? You don’t know that either? Do you have nothing in your head? Or did you come from the past?” he said with a snort.

“The Fomors led the demon race and started a war 100 years ago, didn’t they? Thanks to them, all the humans died. Your and my ancestors somehow survived, though.”

“Is that true?”

“I never tell a lie. But of course, this is a lie. Ahahahahaha!”

He tilted his head back and laughed heartily. Paul still had no idea what was going on.

Then, he heard a small commotion outside. The man’s eyes changed sharply in an instant. His eyes looked pretty when he smiled but looked very fierce when he didn’t. He hurriedly tied Paul back to his chair and gagged his mouth again. Then the door opened as if it were about to break.

The person who opened the door was a beastman Paul had never seen before. The beastman was much taller and bigger than Pablo. His entire body was covered with brown fur and his face was very fierce, reminding him of a wild bear.

“เป็นแค่ทาสมุนษย์แท้ๆ”

“ให้ข้าช่วยหุบปากเจ้าไหมไอ้บ้า?!”

Paul could only blink his big eyes and watch since he couldn’t understand their fast demon language. They didn’t seem to get along well. They argued in demon language for a while and eventually took out their weapons.

However, the battle ended faster than expected. The bandit quickly climbed onto the beastman’s back and scraped his ear. The beastman snarled like an angry bear and left, grabbing onto his bleeding ear. He seemed to realize that he was the only one to lose if the other person fought and attacked him like this.

“See? This is how harsh the world is for humans to survive,” the bandit said while removing the gag from Paul’s mouth again and wiping the blood off his dagger.

“What did that beastman say?”

“He told me to hand you over to him. Do I look like a crazy person? Of course, I said no, but he suddenly attacked me, saying, ‘You’re just a slave!’ They treat humans like they’re worthless pieces of tissue used to blow their nose.”

‘But you were the first to attack, weren’t you?’

Of course, Paul didn’t express his thoughts out loud.

“Oh, so let’s run away! Okay?”

Paul tried hard to persuade him. At that moment, he tried to flick Paul on the forehead as if to make him come to his senses but soon withdrew his hand, considering that Paul’s body was still valuable.

“Okay, then will you give me your ransom? You have to give a lot of gold to get out of slavery because nothing sells as expensive as humans.”

“How much would that be? Let’s hear it first.”

However, Paul shut his mouth again when he heard the amount. There was no way Paul could prepare such a large sum of money. Unless the boss helped him, or if he could find <Prelude to the Battlefield>, who knows? Paul suddenly thought of something and asked. 

“Come to think of it, you like books, right?”

“You’re going to lure me with books now? I’m not that easy of a person~”

“No, it’s not that. Have you ever seen a book called <Prelude to the Battlefield>?”

“No? But you say it’s such an expensive item? I’m curious about what it is. Is it something that turns paper into gold?”

Paul was disappointed by his answer. What kind of book was it that no one knew where it was located?

“Well, do you happen to have any candy?”

“Of course… no!”

“That’s a big deal? I’m low on sugar right now! When my blood sugar drops, my hands start shaking and my face gets really ugly. Then won’t my value go down a lot?”

“If you’re lying, I’ll cut you in a place that won’t be visible?” he said, twirling his knife around.

“I’m, I’m telling the truth! So before I get sold, can’t you just let me eat one green grape candy as my last wish? Green grape candy is the best for recharging sugar,” Paul said in a sullen voice. The man he smiled and said yes.

“Well, it’s okay for a last wish. If you’re to leave, a green grape candy should be fine?”

He gagged Paul again and went outside to get the candy. Paul, who had been sitting in the chair for a long time, fell asleep perhaps because he felt relaxed now that the bandit had left. Paul began dozing off as he was tied to a chair.

At that moment, the boss and Pablo were in front of a large building. They got off their horses and looked at the grey building in front of them.

There were fierce bear-shaped statues on both sides of the entrance to the large mansion-like building. The garden was well-kept, and the building behind it was luxurious, but the lights were too dim, giving off an eerie feeling. Furthermore, there was a strangely thick fog around the mansion, and in the distance, owls were crying softly as if to create a grand finale of eerieness.

“Why here?” the boss asked Pablo without taking his eyes off the front. Pablo answered immediately.

“I saw a tattoo on the shoulder of the bandit during the battle earlier. Although I only saw it briefly, it was definitely the kind that is engraved here, the emblem of the ‘Bear Merchant Guild.'”

As someone who had worked at a Merchant Guild for a long time, Pablo could tell where the tattoo belonged just by looking at a part of it.

“It’s surprising that a Merchant Guild is the bandits’ headquarters.”

Contrary to what he said, his voice was dull. They quickly walked inside without Bear Merchant Guild’s permission.

Once inside the building, Pablo concentrated and smelled the air. There was a familiar scent that brushed the tip of his nose. It was only for a moment and disappeared quickly, but Pablo was sure it was Paul’s.

“I smell Teeter-nim here.”

“Which way?”

“I’m sorry. It disappeared too quickly for me to know.”

At that moment, a few beastmen came and blocked the uninvited guests. They were all tall and rugged, resembling the bear statues at the entrance. They were the bear beastmen of the Bear Merchant Guild.

“Get out of the way.”

The boss moved his fingers a few times as if he was too annoyed to deal with them one by one. In an instant, everyone was pushed back against the wall. The impact was so strong that the wall broke and the displayed ornaments were shattered, making a total mess. Only the area around the boss remained intact as if it was the miracle of the Red Sea.

“What is all this fuss?”

As Pablo walked along the path created by the boss, he saw someone standing alone at the end.

“I don’t know since when our guild became a place anyone could come in and out like their own home.”

“Guildmaster.” Pablo quickly bowed his head in respect.

He was a middle-aged man holding an ornate oak cane with a rough appearance befitting his large build. The tattoos all over his body created such a prominent impression that an ordinary person wouldn’t dare to look at him directly. He was the guildmaster of the Bear Merchant Guild.

“I don’t know since when inferior beings were allowed to touch a Fomor’s possessions,” the boss replied in a low voice. The other party’s momentum was strong, but the boss was also formidable. Pablo, who was standing next to him, felt like his hair was standing on end just from watching the psychological war between the two races.

“It appears that Fomor-nim, who I’ve only heard about from rumours, has visited. But won’t you tell me what’s going on so I can take care of it for you?” the guildmaster said, confused.

“I’ll turn a blind eye at this point if I get back what was stolen.”

“What are you talking about?”

“My human.”

“Our Merchant Guild doesn’t deal with humans. Still, seeing that you’re telling me to hand it out so confidently, you must have something in mind.” The guildmaster raised his chin. Pablo realized he was taking it easy because it was only Pablo’s guess and there was no evidence to prove they had taken Paul. His scent couldn’t be used as evidence.

Indeed, there was no way that guy had left a trace. As the other party didn’t say anything, the guildmaster laughed inwardly, convinced of his victory in the fight. He now began to pour out harsh words at Pablo.

“The guildmaster of Wolf Merchant Guild must be too busy and had no time for their children’s education, daring to leave the child with Fomor-nim. But this child is so rude that I don’t know whose fault it is.”

At the same time, the thorny words were also directed at the Fomor, but the boss did not care about his provocation. 

He interrupted him and said, “You’re quite confident. Then I’ll take matters into my own hands. However, if I find my possession, not a single person in this guild will survive.”

“Yes, let’s do that. But if Fomor-nim cannot find what he wants, I won’t just sit back for the sake of the guild’s reputation.”

The guildmaster answered the boss without blinking an eye. Then the boss immediately gave a command.

“Bring everyone working here out right now.”

Although the guildmaster of the Bear Merchant Guild had accumulated great wealth and fame, he dared not disobey the Fomor’s orders. Thus, with a frown, he turned to the follower beside him.

“Do as Fomor-nim commands.”

A few moments later, dozens of workers from the Bear Merchant Guild were called out before them. A diverse group of demons gathered in one place, worthy of being a large Merchant Guild.

“No one is missing, is there?”

“I swear that not a single one is missing,” the guildmaster replied to the boss.

Pablo smelled each and every one of them in front of everyone’s eyes. Smelling dozens of people made his nose numb. Besides, it took longer than usual due to his poor condition.

“Are you trying to smell the scent of human slaves now? They will give off an unimaginable stench.”

“It’s okay. She has a rather pleasant scent.”

After smelling a female human slave, Pablo finally finished smelling everyone’s scent. His mouth had become dry with nervousness. Unlike when he first entered the building, he couldn’t smell Paul’s scent from anyone.

“Guildmaster, if you don’t have any further orders, I’ll withdraw now.” The woman standing at the end spoke with her head bowed.

“Go inside.” The guildmaster commanded her, so she was about to leave her position.

“Wait.”

The boss’s voice immediately caught her.

“What’s your name?’

“It’s Ia, Fomor-nim.”

“Are you a human slave?”

“Yes, Fomor-nim.”

This time, the boss asked the question in the human language. Then she smiled and answered in human language as well.

“You don’t have any magic, so I’m sure.”

Even at first glance, she looked like a human slave to Pablo. She was dressed in shabby slave clothes, her skin was a little dirty, and her hair was dull and messy as if she hadn’t washed it in a few days.

“But how can a human slave wear perfume? And such a high-end perfume at that?”

Pablo was surprised by the boss’s words and sniffed her again in detail. She definitely emitted a fragrant scent but Pablo didn’t know that it was a high-end scent.

“It seems we found a suspicious person.”

‘Oh no! Of all things, the thing I sprayed in a hurry seems to be the most expensive perfume I’ve ever stolen. They caught on quickly,’ she thought to herself. But there was no one here who could catch up to Ia’s slyness. She concealed her true feelings and continued to smile.

“I’m just a slave doing odd jobs here. How could I ever lay a hand on something that belongs to you, Fomor-nim?”

Pablo also had his suspicions, but he couldn’t be sure. No matter how much he looked at her, she seemed far from the bandits. With a slender figure and facial features that were elegant and unadorned, she gave off a refined impression. Furthermore, her eyes folded in half when she smiled, looking quite charming.

“Take off your clothes and show me your shoulders.”

Unlike Pablo, who was hesitant, the boss ordered with his arms crossed.

“Take off my clothes?”

She looked at the Fomor in front of her in astonishment. No matter if you were a Fomor, how could you order a woman to take off her clothes without batting an eye? He seemed to be out of his mind.

“What are you doing, not following Fomor-nim’s orders?”

“…I understand.”

She reluctantly replied as the guildmaster ordered her. She slowly removed the old top garment she was wearing, proudly raising her long straight black hair with her hands. Then a large tattoo was revealed on her firm shoulder.

“It’s at the right position that I saw.”

The frenzied eyes of the bear tattoo on her shoulder. They were the exact same eyes Pablo had seen on the shoulder of the bandit during the battle.

“But Fomor-nim. In our Merchant Guild, we tattoo everyone from children to adults in the same place, even if they are lowly human slaves. So you shouldn’t try to read something into a tattoo.”

Unable to sit still, the guildmaster intervened.

“We’ll see about that,” the boss replied as if he was roaring back his words.

Thus, Pablo searched the room of the woman named Ia with the guildmaster’s permission. However, contrary to expectations, there was nothing in the small room where the slave stayed. In the first place, this place was more like a shabby warehouse than a place where people lived. There were holes in the wall as if mice had burrowed them, and the bookshelf on the wall was empty. In addition, the perfume she used was still lingering in the room, so Pablo couldn’t use his excellent sense of smell.

“It’s certainly wrong for a slave to use a perfume they stole from somewhere. Saying that, would Fomor-nim like to educate our Merchant Guild’s slaves? It’s such an honour that I don’t know how to conduct myself.”

Seeing that there was no gain, the guildmaster said in a voice full of ridicule. Pablo was at a loss. He couldn’t sense any trace or scent of Paul here. He looked at the boss with an embarrassed look. The boss had been silent since earlier, but his eyes were bloodshot.

‘Green grape candy?’

At that moment, Pablo noticed a piece of green grape candy lying inexplicably on the ground. Normally, it would have been a trivial thing that would be overlooked, but he picked up the candy and took a closer look at it.

“Is green grape candy unpopular with children…?”

He remembered talking to Paul about green grape candy. Pablo inspected the ground where the candy was lying and eventually tapped on the floor.

‘Tap tap tap’

A clear sound echoed as if the inside was empty.

“Boss, this way!”

There was a part of the floor that was subtly different in colour from the rest. Finally, Pablo found the entrance and tore it off. Then a spacious area hidden beneath the floor was revealed, containing dozens of books the bandits had stolen from Pablo. However, Paul was still nowhere to be found.

“This bitch! How dare a slave like you hide books?”

The guildmaster, who grasped the situation, immediately berated Ia. Now that she had been caught red-handed with the stolen books taken from Pablo, he seemed to pass all the blame on her. The Bear Merchant Guild’s guildmaster was shameless as if he had put iron armour on his face.

“Argh!”

Ia fell to the ground after being hit in the back by the guildmaster’s cane. If it were her usual self, she would have easily dodged it. However, she intentionally didn’t avoid it because everyone was watching.

‘Sure. Let’s just get a few hits since this happened.’ She closed her eyes tightly, thinking inwardly. However, before the guildmaster could swing it again, the cane flew to the wall by the boss’s gesture and fell with a clatter.

“It’s distracting, so be quiet.”

At the Fomor’s words, the guildmaster quietly shut his mouth. The boss stroked his chin with his long fingers. There was something that came to mind when he saw a hidden place on the wooden floor. However, he was still gauging the direction.

“It won’t work. As you said, I should personally teach the rough-handed human slave myself.”

“…!!”

At the boss’s words, Ia’s body rose into the air. She flailed her arms in surprise. The smile on her face disappeared, replaced by a sharp expression.

“Boss!”

Ia’s face twisted with pain, strangled by the black smoke from the boss’s hand. Pablo looked at the boss in surprise. If he didn’t stop it, it seemed like she would breathe her last at any moment. Then, there was a place where her loosened pupils headed.

“It’s over here.”

Ia’s body fell to the ground as the boss released his magic. She gasped and held her neck.

Regardless, the boss went straight to the bookshelf without hesitation. And in an instant, he gathered an immense amount of magic and threw it towards the bookshelf. Pablo, who was watching the scene, quickly covered his big ears. He was sure that the bookshelf would be shattered into pieces with a loud noise. However, contrary to his expectation, it did not break. Instead, there was a slight metallic sound.

‘Crack-crack-crack!!’

As the sound of metal grew louder, the barrier surrounding the place finally broke. It was such a powerful force that the entire Merchant Guild trembled. Pablo opened his eyes narrowly and saw that a staircase leading to the basement had appeared where the bookshelf used to be.

“How did you know there was a barrier?

“Human beings tend to look towards what’s most precious when their lives are at stake.”

“She looked towards this place?”

“Yes, but there was only a bookshelf, so I thought there might be a barrier. Certainly, with a barrier this strong, you wouldn’t sense it.”

Pablo felt a little annoyed at the boss’s words but even more surprised to find the suspicious place revealed in front of him.

Meanwhile, the Bear Merchant Guild guildmaster’s face turned red and blue with anger after the hidden secret place he had spent a considerable amount of money on had been revealed. He ran over in a hurry and blocked Pablo and the boss with his big body.

“What on earth are you doing, breaking into someone else’s territory like this? I’m sure you’ll regret it. Behind our Merchant guild, there’s also F…”

However, he couldn’t finish his words since the boss forced his mouth shut with magic.

“I should have told you to be quiet. Pablo, let’s go.”

“Understood.”

This time, Pablo went into the broken barrier first. The boss followed suit.

They managed to reach the basement floor after walking down for a while. It was as dimly lit as the mansion they had seen from the entrance, with only a small candle flickering in the darkness.

‘I smell Teeter-nim!’

Paul’s faint smell was gradually getting stronger. Pablo focused his senses to feel his presence, and he could feel something faintly moving in the distance.

“Boss, over there!”

Pablo hastily pointed in the direction of the presence. The basement was cluttered with various things, making it difficult to move their feet. The boss used his magic to clear the objects on the ground.

At that moment, a trembling figure was revealed in the corner. It was Paul, whose hands and feet were tied, shivering like an aspen tree.

“Teeter-nim!”

“Ugh!”

The boss’s eyes burned once again at the sight of Paul, who was bound and shivering. Pablo quickly approached Paul and released his gag and ropes that were binding him.

“…Boss, Pablo-nim. Why did you come so late…?” Paul said with a weak smile.

“Are you hurt anywhere, Teeter-nim?”

“I don’t think so. I’ve been in the same position for a while so I think I have cramps, though. If Lego were here, he would have scared them away.”

The boss, who had been silent since entering the stairs, spoke in a low voice. “Paul, I told you it was dangerous, didn’t I?”

“Sorry, boss. Instead… Instead, I’ll clean the bathroom from now on…! So please let it go this time.”

“That’s already your job.”

“Boss, come on… Can’t you just pretend it’s not…?” Paul replied with a faint smile as if to reassure the boss. The boss’s gaze softened as he looked at Paul. He kneeled down and gently hugged Paul’s body.

“These are the items that were looted from our Merchant Guild. It seems like the Bear Merchant Guild is the base of the bandits, after all.”

Pablo, who was examining the items on the floor, spoke. In his hands were the valuable goods stolen from the Wolf Merchant Guild a few months ago by the bandits. With so many items stolen from the basement of the mansion piled up, there was no way for the guildmaster of the Bear Merchant Guild to escape now.

“Guildmaster, what is this about?”

The boss carried Paul while Pablo carried the stolen items upstairs. Numerous bear beastmen armed with weapons were waiting for them in a narrow room.

Pablo was amazed at how shameless they could be after being caught committing a crime. On the other hand, the guildmaster was relaxed. He was far away from the boss, and so his previously sealed mouth was now open.

“Since you’re here, I’ll continue with what I was going to say. Behind our Merchant guild, there’s also Fomor-nim, who is even a Count.”

“Count?”

“That’s right. No matter how distinguished a Fomor may be, they’re not all in the same rank.”

As expected, he had someone who backed him up.

“Say, no matter how much I say I favour your guild, would I let you call me so recklessly?”

As soon as the guildmaster finished speaking, a man walked in. The arrogance in his eyes was evident, and he was wearing a clearly expensive fur coat. He was tall and had a handsome face. The guildmaster quickly kneeled when he saw him.

“I’m sorry, but Count Lozen Pike, there are a few audacious fellows who are trying to attack our Merchant Guild. We had no choice because it could ruin your reputation if we leave them alone.”

“Which idiots dare to challenge me? Let me take a look at their faces!”

However, Count Lozen’s dignified appearance quickly faded as soon as he stood in front of the boss. He checked the boss’s face and began to sweat profusely as if it were raining. His cloudy eyes were shaking left and right crazily like an earthquake.

“E, E, Edmond Dantes-nim…?!”

“Long time no see, Count Lozen.”

The boss lifted his chin and spoke in a sarcastic tone.

“W-Why is a Duke like you here? I heard you were carrying out the royal orders?!”

“That’s what I want to ask. How dare a mere Count like you stand in my way?”

His face became whiter than a blank sheet at the boss’s words. He looked like a living corpse, with all the colour drained from his face.

“N-no way! Duke, I… I didn’t see anything! I didn’t see anything at all!”

The startled Count hastily retreated from the spot, not even noticing that the shoes he was wearing had come off. The guildmaster’s face distorted with anger as he looked down at the Count’s shoes lying on the ground.

“Duke…?”

The guildmaster stammered as he realized the situation from the Count’s behaviour. His eyes went black. This Fomor was even higher in rank than the Count who was behind Bear Merchant Guild!

“It’s that slave’s doing! Our merchant guild has nothing to do with it!”

He hurriedly pointed his finger at Ia and spoke. She was being held by a bear beastman whose ear was scratched. There were bruises all over her body, perhaps from being beaten while Pablo and the boss were in the basement.

“You bear bastard! Everything I did from one to ten was what you ordered me to do!”

She retorted fiercely without giving up even though she was being held back. Hearing her voice, Paul was startled and jumped out of the boss’s arms in surprise.

“No more excuses.”

“W-we did wrong. We’ll give you everything you want! Please just spare us!”

He kowtowed as if he was going to break through the floor. But the boss seemed to have no intention of listening to his plea for mercy. The bodies of all the members of the guild, including the guildmaster, rose into the air as before.

“Didn’t I make it clear? The moment I find my possession, not a single person in this guild will survive.”

Everyone in the merchant guild, except Paul, Pablo, and the boss, writhed in pain at the same time. Pablo was just looking at the ground at his wits’ end.

“No, boss!”

It was none other than Paul who stopped the boss this time. Paul couldn’t follow their conversation. However, he knew without anyone explaining that everyone would die if he left things like this.

“Don’t kill them, please!”

Paul rushed to Ia and grabbed her body in a hurry. Ia, who was caught, looked at Paul with a slightly surprised expression. 

“Please, boss!”

Paul was dropping tears that he had been holding back for so long. The boss paused when he saw his tears.

“I’m sorry, boss, but can our Merchant Guild take care of this case?”

At that moment, Pablo, who had been quietly watching, spoke up. The boss turned his gaze to him. Pablo stood there with a body that would collapse at any moment, still clenching his teeth.

‘He was stabbed with a knife, but he bravely stood by their side.’

The boss nodded slowly toward Pablo. Then everyone was thrown to the ground. The boss gently hugged Paul, who was exhausted from crying, with his big hands again and strode outside.

The next day, an interesting rumour circulated among the demons. It was said that the Wolf Merchant Guild had swallowed up the Bear Merchant Guild just overnight. How was it possible when the two guilds had always been at each other’s throats? The demons buzzed with excitement at this story whenever they gathered. However, no one, not even Count Lozen, who frequented the Bear Merchant Guild, knew the reason for it.