C905
"No death energy? That doesn’t make sense..."
Wrath froze in the middle of a disdainful snort.
"Wait a moment. Now that I think about it, there's also no demonic energy..."
He trembled, his blue eyes wide open, saying that even the demonic energy he could normally sense had completely disappeared.
"Can you really not feel any demonic energy?"
Raon swallowed hard as he watched Wrath gulp down empty air.
"I'm sure. Even though my senses aren't normal in this spiritual state, I shouldn't be unable to sense demonic energy."
Wrath nodded, saying he could guarantee it.
"Aren't negative energies like death energy and demonic energy supposed to exist everywhere, right?"
Raon bit his lip slightly as he looked at the clear sky of Montiro.
"Not everywhere, but wherever there are humans, at least."
Wrath slowly shook his head.
"You, being different from humans, might not understand, but humans are extremely complex creatures. They can be happy about getting a gold coin, but if they hear that their neighbor got ten, that happiness turns into jealousy and anger."
He shook his head, saying that humans were even more troublesome beings than demons or angels.
"Because they are such complex beings, they emit negative energies like death energy and demonic energy just by breathing, like animals shedding hair. Of course, it's in such minuscule amounts that it doesn't negatively affect others. However..."
Wrath raised his round hand and struck the air.
"Not even that small amount of demonic energy exists on this land. As long as humans are gathered here, this doesn’t make sense."
He rolled his eyes, saying there must be some hidden device at work.
"I think the same."
Raon nodded slightly as he looked forward again.
"I've never been in a place where I couldn't sense death energy before."
Since leaving Zieghart, he had always been using `<Death Energy Detection>`, but Montiro was the only place where he couldn’t feel even the slightest hint of death energy. Even in small villages with only a few inhabitants, he could sense particles of death energy, but here, not even the faintest trace existed.
"Should I try again?"
Just in case, he used `<Death Energy Detection>` again, but he couldn't sense any ominous energy anywhere. The world around him felt as clean as looking at clear spring water at dawn.
"It’s the same for me as well."
Wrath frowned deeply.
"I still can’t feel any demonic energy. It’s as if it doesn’t exist."
He bit his lip, saying it was too strange.
"Then, regardless of what happened or how..."
Raon tightened the tips of his fingers as he watched people laugh and enjoy themselves.
"It's true that this place is strange."
The words that Demonblade had spoken before dying began to carry more weight. Of course, this was just the beginning.
"Are we still far? I need to go shopping quickly."
Dorian urged Rensia, tapping his feet as if he were in a hurry.
"Over there. The most expensive accommodation is on the hill because of the view."
Rensia, acting as their guide, smiled and pointed to a building on the hill. A white building rose in angular waves, looking extremely luxurious, shining white as if it were well-maintained.
"Wow, that place must be quite expensive, right?"
Krein, with a large sword slung over his shoulder, opened his mouth in an O shape.
"Then you can stay at an inn."
Raon played the role of a rich and arrogant playboy, tilting his chin.
"Oh no! I need to protect the Head of the Merchant Association!"
Krein shook his head firmly, saying that was not the case at all.
"Please let me go! Please!"
Dorian licked his lips as if quickly buying things were more important than luxury accommodation.
"Oh my..."
Raon murmured for Dorian to just go quickly while giving him a light smack on the back of his neck.
"Are you three merchants, right?"
Rensia asked, blinking her green eyes. With black hair and light green eyes, she looked cute now but seemed like she would become a stunning beauty.
"Yes. We make a living collecting this and that."
Raon yawned and nodded.
"Young Master! The head of a merchant association shouldn’t say those things! Have some pride!"
Dorian raised his clenched fist, telling Raon to show the attitude of a merchant.
"Keep it. Do you want me to pass it to you?"
Raon waved his hand, saying he didn’t need such things.
"How, how could I..."
Dorian's lips trembled as if overwhelmed, despite being the official successor of Sephia, a large merchant association.
"Then just follow me in silence. Both of you."
Raon shook his head, indicating to Dorian and Krein to be quiet.
"You’re playing your roles better than I expected."
Dorian was so sincere that there was nothing to say, and Krein was naturally playing the role of a slightly deranged bodyguard. At this rate, it seemed that no one would doubt them.
"Still, we must be careful."
This place was probably the inner sanctuary of the Black Tower. Raon prepared himself to be ready for anything as he followed Rensia uphill.
"We've arrived!"
After walking for a good while, Rensia stopped her small feet and extended her hand to the right.
"This is Balorens, the best hotel in Montiro!"
She energetically extended her hand as if she were the owner of the huge hotel. Of course, being still young, she only looked cute.
"You can enter through that entrance over there!"
Rensia pointed to the hotel entrance with a bright smile.
"Are you not going to enter?"
Raon furrowed his brows as he looked at Rensia. Generally, kids acting as guides present the accommodations and receive a tip from the manager, so it was strange that she would just stay there.
"Ah, I need to take care of the carriage."
Rensia smiled, shaking the reins of the horse she held in her small hand.
"Is that so?"
Just as Raon nodded and was about to enter the accommodation first, the hotel door opened, and an old man in a gray suit stepped out.
"Welcome to Balorens, which boasts the best view of Montiro."
The old man placed his hand on his chest and bowed to Raon, Dorian, and Krein.
"I am Aphel, the manager of Balorens."
He straightened his body and introduced himself as Aphel.
"Kayden."
Raon gave the name of the head of the merchant association he was currently disguised as.
"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Kayden."
Despite Raon merely stating his name arrogantly, Aphel maintained his smile without flinching.
"Rensia. Did you bring these guests?"
Aphel nodded his chin as he looked at Rensia, who was about to take the carriage to the outskirts of the hotel.
"Oh, yes!"
Rensia approached Aphel with a cheerful laugh.
"Then you should have said something, little one."
Aphel patted Rensia's head as if he had known her for a long time and handed her a tip.
'...'
Raon narrowed his eyes as he watched Rensia smile brightly.
"Is your hand trembling?"
Rensia's hand, held behind her back, trembled slightly.
"Are you tired from driving the carriage?"
It seemed her hand had lost strength from holding the reins from the entrance to this hill.
-Tsk tsk. Putting a little girl to work.
Wrath clicked his tongue as if he found it pathetic.
"It can't be helped. Right now, I'm not Raon Zieghart, but Kayden, the playboy head of the merchant association."
He shook his head, biting his lips. He could flaunt his money, but he couldn't kindly take care of her.
"Hmm..."
Raon licked his lips as he watched Aphel, the manager of Balorens, chatting amiably with Rensia.
"I can't feel anything from that person either."
For someone who runs such a large hotel, he should have connections to the underworld, but Aphel didn't emit any death energy, demonic energy, or even aura. He was literally just an ordinary old man.
"Please, come in. I’ll guide you to a room with a great view of the emerald sea."
After finishing his conversation with Rensia, Aphel gestured for them to follow him.
"Not just a room with a good view. The best room."
Raon said that money was no issue and tossed a gold coin to Aphel.
"Ho ho, understood."
Aphel nodded as if to say not to worry, then slightly bent his waist and opened the door himself. They entered the hotel through the door that Aphel had opened. Under the ceiling that rose high like a cathedral, a majestic chandelier hung, spilling bright light as if welcoming them.
"It certainly is luxurious, but..."
Raon slightly furrowed his brows as he looked at the interior of the hotel, which seemed to have the word "luxury" plastered everywhere.
"Why does it look so dark?"
* * *
"Hmm..."
Raon licked his lips as he exited the hotel.
"It’s nice, I’ll grant you that."
As befitting the best accommodation in Montiro, Balorens had decorated the entire room luxuriously yet neatly. The best feature was the window with a view of the sea. A whole wall was made of reinforced glass, making it seem like you could gaze at it all day without getting bored.
"Money really is nice after all."
Krein licked his lips, saying he didn’t want to leave the room.
"C-Can we go to the market now? There’s so much I want to buy!"
Dorian stuttered like someone going through withdrawal, insisting they needed to restock.
"Not yet."
Raon shook his head as he pressed Dorian's trembling shoulders.
"First, let’s do a general tour and then split up."
"That’s right."
"Ah..."
Krein nodded as if it were obvious, but Dorian let out a long sigh as if he could barely contain himself.
"Where would you like to go first? It’s still daytime, so we can see any place."
Rensia stepped forward with a bright smile.
-Food! Food comes first!
Wrath raised his hand, insisting they eat first.
-It would be stranger for someone with so much money to be hungry!
He raised his voice, urging Raon to quickly say "food."
"Hmm..."
Raon looked at Rensia's hands, which had stopped trembling, and nodded.
"Let’s start with a meal."
"Understood! I’ll take you to a restaurant that serves the best seafood!"
Rensia, seeming to have discovered their preferences, took the lead downhill, saying she would guide them to a first-class restaurant.
"Let’s go."
"Yes."
"Yes..."
Raon lightly smacked Dorian on the back of the neck and followed Rensia. Shortly after descending from Hotel Balorens, Rensia stopped in front of a restaurant with a blue sign near the beach.
"This 'Sea View' is the best place for seafood in Montiro!"
She gave a thumbs up, saying everything from the ingredients to the chefs was the best.
"The best, huh..."
Raon briefly licked his lips and opened the door to the restaurant.
"Aren’t you coming?"
Dorian tilted his head as he looked at Rensia, who was sitting on the steps by the stairs.
"Huh? I should wait here."
Rensia shook her head as if to say how she could enter such a place.
"But you're hungry."
"Ah, I brought bread."
She pulled out bread from her blue backpack as if to say not to worry.
"Head of the Association..."
Dorian looked at Raon as if suggesting that Rensia should eat with them.
"..."
Raon looked down, staring intensely at Rensia.
"Oh no! This place is really expensive! It’s not a place I can afford to eat."
Rensia waved both hands, saying it wasn’t a price she could pay.
"Expensive, you say?"
Raon frowned deeply.
"Just follow me. And from now on, don’t say the word 'expensive' in front of me."
He clicked his tongue as if his pride had been wounded and gestured with his finger.
"Huh, yes?"
"I said come."
Raon left those words and entered the restaurant called 'Sea View.'
"Dorian prepared this well."
If it had been out of affection, he would have ignored it, but since the conversation was centered around money, it wasn’t strange to feed Rensia.
-Kyaa!
Wrath let out a deep exclamation after finishing the meal.
-You can confidently claim to be the best restaurant! The ingredients are fresh and the cooking methods are perfect.
He patted his full belly, saying it was the most satisfying meal he had had in a long time.
"Let’s get up now."
Raon set down his empty wine glass and stood up.
"Um, excuse me..."
Rensia lifted her head slightly, looking cautiously.
"Can I take the leftovers?"
She pointed to the nearly untouched plates while carefully measuring their reactions.
"Oh! No problem!"
Dorian nodded, saying she should take them.
"These are seafood; won’t they spoil if we don’t eat them today?"
Krein blinked as if asking if that would be alright.
"Ah, I want to take them home for my younger siblings."
Rensia giggled shyly, saying she had younger siblings at home.
"Oh, you have younger siblings."
"Then it should be fine. But leave the raw food. It might cause stomach upset."
Dorian and Krein, seemingly feeling pity for Rensia, who had siblings, helped her pack the food themselves.
"..."
Raon watched the three for a moment, then finished paying and exited the restaurant.
-Didn’t I think you’d order something new for her?
Wrath shook his head as if surprised.
"The Kayden I’m pretending to be doesn’t have that much kindness."
Raon shrugged.
"Of course, if it were about money, that could be different."
Smiling, he descended to the beach beneath the Sea View restaurant.
"I don’t sense any death energy here either."
He couldn’t feel any death energy in the 'Sea View' restaurant they had just visited, nor on the beach and sea where he was now standing.
"It’s clear that the Black Tower or whatever has set up a special barrier or artifact here."
The problem now was how to find it.
"What should I do...?"
While Raon touched his temple and licked his lips, Dorian and Krein approached from behind.
"The sea is so clear. You can see right through it."
Krein exclaimed, impressed by the sea.
"Indeed. We could use all that as merchandise, right?"
Dorian licked his lips while examining the sea.
"You three just..."
Raon sighed briefly and waved his finger.
"Get to work. There’s no point in waiting."
It seemed better to send Dorian first since he looked like he could go crazy soon.
"Pant! Yes, sir!"
"Understood."
Unlike Dorian, who responded enthusiastically, Krein simply nodded and left the beach.
"Where would you like to go now?"
Rensia tilted her head, holding tightly onto the straps of her backpack.
"The next place is..."
Just as Raon was about to speak while watching the gentle waves reach the shore...
"Who do we have here?"
A middle-aged man with black hair, whom Raon had never seen before, waved his hand as if greeting an old friend.
"It's been a while."
-
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