Frost Swordswoman

The bandit groups that had arrived early had already set up stalls stretching for several kilometers in the temporary market.

An armory displaying an array of firearms, a blacksmith's shop with boilers belching thick black smoke, a potion shop reeking of medicinal herbs, a steam equipment shop.

Even more numerous were street stalls laid out on tattered burlap.

The streets teemed with people, most dressed as adventurers with firearms and blades at their belts.

They were members of the various bandit groups. Even from far away, one could sense the vicious, desperate aura radiating from them.

The weather was good today, and the poisonous fog was less dense. Some people had even removed their gas masks, exposing the horrifying tattoos on their skin and their savage gazes. Worn leather trousers, sweat-stained linen shirts, smoky makeup, nose rings, dirty little braids, colorful mohawks, mechanical arms with exposed clockwork gears.

Everywhere he looked was steeped in a heavy-metal dark punk style.

"Come take a look! Fine firearms, an ultra-long range of three hundred meters, high-precision scopes, smokeless powder at wholesale price—ten thousand Lisuo, minimum purchase of one hundred!"

"Fire-enchanted weapons! The famed Basil's Red Serpent Saber, a Lafayette Family heirloom! Only five million Lisuo!"

"One ton of potion materials sold as a bundle! Just robbed, still fresh and hot! One price—thirty thousand Gold Kron!"

"Beautiful war slaves! Daughters of wealthy merchants, refined young ladies, even female knights from marquis estates! Come have a look!"

"Imperial-standard Steam Machinery exoskeletons, the Royal Guard Legion's current-issue model! Limited quantity, come quickly!"

"..."

Cries of vendors filled the air along the way.

A crowd of bandits who looked nothing like proper merchants were hawking goods from their street stalls.

Those valuable wares were casually spread out on the ground, as disorderly as a junk shop.

Female slaves with numb expressions wore only scraps of cloth over their private parts. Chained together like livestock, they stood in rows on display platforms for sale. Below the platform, buyers with lecherous eyes pointed and discussed them.

Occasional gunshots and cannon fire rang out as well. The arms dealers in the black market were demonstrating their firearms and steam equipment.

On an open-air fighting platform, two powerfully built bare-chested men were fighting to the death, while gamblers below howled in excitement.

Of course, the liveliest places were the pleasure taverns and gambling dens at the entrance, where prostitutes stood outside soliciting customers.

Those opportunistic merchants who secretly colluded with the bandit groups would not pass up such a fine opportunity. They had long prepared wine and women, waiting to "clean out" every last gold coin in the bandits' pockets.

These people who lived with blades at their throats were the ones most willing to spend lavishly on pleasure and indulgence.

This was a chaotic, lawless, bloody "Black Market Trade Fair."

Yet as Rein took it all in, an emotion in his heart became increasingly difficult to suppress.

After a year in this world, spending every day hovering on the edge of life and death, this was the closest he had ever felt to "freedom."

This Black Market Trade Fair, the largest in nearly a decade, had likely gathered more than a hundred thousand people!

This was his best chance to escape. He had to seize it.

Of course, a certain old man was thinking the same thing.

"Let's go. There's nothing good out on the streets. At gatherings like this, the truly valuable goods are traded within private circles."

"Yes, Teacher."

"..."

Piscis put on a show of leading Rein around for a while. Then they gradually moved toward a more secluded area and arrived at a quiet tavern called the Hyacinth Tavern.

At this sort of Black Market Trade Fair, taverns without prostitutes rarely attracted the lecherous, wine-loving bandits. Yet they were the favored meeting places of those arrogant potion masters.

It was an upscale tavern in a remote location, suitable for doing certain secret things.

For example, murder and robbery.

With a clatter, the butterfly spring door was pushed inward from outside, and the wind chime hanging from it rang crisply.

The interior was decorated in a Wild West style, except there were many black pipes and valves from Steam Boilers throughout the room.

Perhaps because it was still early, there were not many customers in the tavern when Rein and Piscis entered. The mustached bartender was listlessly polishing a goblet over and over.

This Two-Star Potion Master, Piscis, seemed to be rather well-known. When the bartender saw him, he greeted him warmly.

"Hey, Mr. Piscis, my old friend! We meet again!"

"Mm."

Piscis nodded indifferently, then asked, "Boss Tom, have Joseph and the others from the Flower Snake Gang come by?"

The bartender shrugged. "Haven't seen them, Mr. Piscis. But the trade fair hasn't started yet, so I suppose Mr. Joseph is probably still on the way."

"Oh."

Piscis raised an eyebrow.

Without any hesitation, he flicked out a Gold Kron with his finger. It landed steadily on the bar. "The usual. Prepare a large, quiet room for us."

That was a full ten thousand Lisuo.

Holding the coin, the bartender beamed. "Certainly. It is my honor to have a noble potion master patronize my humble tavern."

Nothing about their conversation seemed suspicious.

Rein did not say a word throughout, but he took in the entire tavern from the corner of his eye.

He was looking for an opportunity while remaining alert for Piscis to make a sudden move.

Tap, tap, tap.

The wooden stairs gave soft creaks beneath their feet.

Rein cautiously followed Piscis upstairs, only then noticing an inconspicuous pair of customers seated in a distant corner.

Huh? How had he not noticed there were other customers here?

He glanced at them.

The customers were a man and a woman.

The man was a burly, bearded brute built like a human bear. He was probably a Transcendent of the Fighter Sequence.

The woman had a graceful figure, with wavy flaxen hair cascading over her shoulders. However, she wore a half-face gas mask that revealed only her eyes, making her features impossible to discern.

The two appeared to be discussing something secret. Even if one focused and listened closely, it was impossible to hear what they were saying.

These two are a little suspicious.

Rein pondered this to himself.

At this moment, everyone in the room could be an "enemy."

After that glance, he naturally withdrew his gaze and followed Piscis upstairs without giving anything away.

He had no idea that while he was observing others, every one of his movements had also fallen into the eyes of the pair in the corner.

When two strangers suddenly entered the tavern, wariness flashed across the faces of both people in the corner.

But once they clearly sensed the newcomers' strength, that wariness vanished in an instant.

Transcendents at that level could not possibly pose any threat to them.

No matter how one looked at it, they were merely two customers who had happened to come into the tavern.

Only after Rein and Piscis had gone upstairs did the bearded giant speak to the woman across from him. "Your Highness, let us continue discussing the cooperation. The terms can be negotiated, but first I need to see your sincerity."

The woman in the half-face gas mask spoke with a coldness that kept others at a distance. Calmly, she said, "Mr. Bazel, you should understand that coming here alone to meet with you is already more than enough sincerity on my part."

"Heh heh."

The burly man grinned and shrugged. His tone did not conceal his praise in the slightest. "Princess Ymir, you truly are the bravest high noble I have ever met, far better than those hypocritical scoundrels. Fine. I do not trust the Oma Royal Family, but I have decided to trust you. We can discuss cooperation."

At that, the woman nodded calmly.

No one would have imagined that the two inconspicuous tavern patrons in the corner were actually two renowned figures of the Oma Empire.

One was White Wolf Bazel Gustav, leader of the White Wolf Bandit Group; the other was the Princess of the Oma royal family, the equally top-tier Frost Swordswoman, Ymir Spuglin!