Mr Devourer, Please Act Like a Final Boss

***

Chapter 16

“Please use our service again!”

With a business smile that never seemed to get familiar no matter how many times you saw it, Belbir greeted the next customer, disappearing. Judging by the impression of the next customer, it was probably a fairly influential noble. Besides the Heavenly carriage Devourer rode, there were two more Heavenly carriages circling the skies of Reage, indicating that it was a popular means of tourism for wealthy nobles.

The landing spot for the Heavenly carriage was ‘Survey Rose.’

Another name for it was the ‘Street of Gold and Pleasure.’ Externally, it seemed well-known, but in reality, it served as a hub for fulfilling the peculiar hobbies of nobles after sunset, involving numerous deformed slaves and large sums of money.

“It’s called the ‘Night Street.’”

Devourer had no knowledge about it, but according to Belbir, at least that was the case.

Beyond one fortress wall was the Imperial Palace of the Empire, and since the street was considered a habitat for the so-called humans, even in the overflowing crowd, there was a restrained and organized atmosphere. Even with a sufficient number of people to fill a market, no one raised their voices. No one disrupted the street with noise, even with the performance of a street musician. However, not everyone in Survey Rose was naturally refined.

In short, the modest atmosphere kept the mouths of those who would disturb the peace sealed shut.

Devourer and Melje were no exception to having their voices stifled. Caught up in the atmosphere, they repeated their questions without raising their voices.

“So… is it true that the ‘Teleportation Hub’ cannot be used?”

“Yes, I apologize for the inconvenience.”

Of course, there was no expression of apology to be found. After using the expression of apology hundreds of times a day, the feeling of remorse might have disappeared. The gatekeeper bowed his head while uttering the scripted lines.

A black robe extending down to the knees. The alchemical symbols on the necklace and the outer eye pattern, along with four intersecting lines, indicated that he was a member of the Alchemist Association.

Behind him, something that looked like the teleportation hub, as Melje described it—a large bio-experimentation tube.

Whether it was the metal alloy plate beneath it or the unprocessed mana solution contained in the giant crystal connected to the hub, anyone could guess that it was a teleportation hub.

However, at the moment, no light emanated from the crystal. Typically, mana circulating for use emits its own light. The fact that mana wasn’t glowing meant that it wasn’t even ready for use.

In that situation, the hub was in a powered-down state. The gatekeeper’s statement that it was unusable was not a lie.

“I didn’t expect this… Sir Devde, it’s embarrassing.”

Melje, who was at a loss, tightly gripped Devourer’s sleeve with a disheartened voice. It must have been confusing for Melje, even from the perspective of someone who confidently claimed that everything would be solved just by going to the hub.

“Ha…”

Sorry as Melje might be, Devourer couldn’t bring himself to say it’s okay.

Because it wasn’t okay.

Everything went dark. Initially, the thought was to kill the gatekeeper and take the hub. However, upon further consideration, it wasn’t a great solution. Without knowing how to restart the hub and, more importantly, with no guarantee that the gatekeeper in front of them was the only one managing the hub, killing the gatekeeper could lead to another administrator who witnessed the act rendering the hub unusable.

Then, should I ask Melje for a mind control spell?

As Devourer entertained that thought, the gatekeeper cautiously spoke. Perhaps confused by Melje’s use of the honorific ‘Sir Devde’ in addressing Devourer, the gatekeeper, who had been struggling to grasp the situation, ultimately directed his question to Devourer.

“It seems like you urgently need to use the Teleportation Hub. Are you in a hurry?”

This chapter upload first at NovelUsb.Com

“I need to get to Hastin… so, yes.”

“If it’s not a situation where you’re in a dispute, how about coming back around 8 p.m. tonight?”

“At 8 p.m.? Will the hub be operational again at 8 p.m.?”

“The auction is scheduled to end at 6 p.m., and the dinner after the auction is expected to finish before 8 p.m. VIPs skipping the post-auction reception will use the hub temporarily, so permission for hub use will likely be granted by the higher-ups at that time.”

“I haven’t received any instructions yet,” the gatekeeper added cautiously, scratching his side. The Uroboros-shaped ring on his index finger reflected the sunlight, shining yellow.

I wonder if the instructions he mentioned are transmitted through that ring.

“Auction?”

“Didn’t I mention it? The reason the hub usage was suspended today is because of the upcoming auction. Some quite rare items are being auctioned this time.”

“If it’s an auction, why block the hub? How significant can these important items be?”

“The item coming up this time is one of the legendary ’36 Masterpieces.’ The long-lost ‘Brachycephalic Tooth’ suddenly came up for auction a few days ago. Blocking the hub is, of course, to prevent accidents in advance.”

36 Masterpieces.

“Ah, this. It’s famous among humans. Boss, you’ve probably heard of it, but the 36 Masterpieces… They’re quite famous weapons.”

It was a word Devourer had recently heard from Patrick. The leader of the intruders who invaded the Primordial Core last time had one… and now, Patrick owned one of those swords. Rene also mentioned that one of the weapons she possessed was one of the 36 Masterpieces.

Ultimately, the gatekeeper explained that preventing infiltration of the auction through the Teleportation Hub was necessary, and with that, he stopped talking.

However, from Devourer’s perspective, there were several points that didn’t make sense.

How would they prevent wizards who could use teleportation magic without the hub, and why not just place teleportation resistance throughout the auction venue if that was the case?

There were a few other questions that came to mind, but even if Devourer thought about it, the situation wouldn’t change. Even if Devourer didn’t understand the situation, it was still the reality.

If the current situation is like that, then so be it.

He looked up at the sky. The sun had already tilted to the west. There were still five hours to wait until 8 p.m. During that time, there was nothing to do but wait. The artificially heavy atmosphere of the street, although aesthetically pleasing, was uncomfortable.

“Still, if we wait, we can definitely use it, right?”

“As long as you pay the usage fee, you can enjoy the best service at any time.”

Money was not a problem. When Devourer flicked the gold coins from his pocket into the air, the gatekeeper skillfully caught them, offering a slight smile and bowing his head. It was an apology for suspicion and rudeness.

Certainly, the usage fee for the hub was unreasonably expensive for commoners, and proof of noble status was required, making it an absurd condition.

In Devourer and Melje’s case, they were in a position where they had to pay extra, but the amount of gold coins they could use was a whopping 22 ounces.

“Well then, we’ll come back around the time the auction ends.”

“I apologize for the inconvenience. Since there are many attractions in Survey Rose, you can enjoy the scent of the street at ease…”

“No, I don’t particularly want to…”

“You don’t like the street? Well, it’s not a street filled with passion and excitement. If you want to experience that atmosphere, participating directly in the auction might be a good option, but if you need it, take this.”

Saying that, the gatekeeper handed Devourer a paper filled with content. Melje also showed curiosity when Devourer accepted the paper. However, perhaps due to the small stature making it difficult to see, Melje jumped around towards Devourer and said.

“Something! I’m curious too! Show me!”

“Is this the list of items for the upcoming auction?”

“Yes, well. Each item to be auctioned is so expensive that an ordinary gatekeeper like me can’t afford to live even if I save for a lifetime.”

Saying that, the gatekeeper pointed his finger at the upper part of the paper. Melje, who could finally see the content with difficulty after standing on tiptoes, let out a small gasp at the intricately drawn small blade picture.

“Wow, quite well-drawn.”

“It’s a magic-made woodblock print, so it should be identical to the real thing. This is the ‘Brachycephalic Tooth’ that will be auctioned this time.”

─Where have I seen this form before?

Even though he internally urged himself that he didn’t have time to leisurely observe such things, an inexplicable uneasiness kept his gaze fixed.

Only after looking at the drawing did the pieces of the puzzle in his mind start to come together. It didn’t take much time to recall the memory.

“Oh, this… It’s the same as the weapon my… companion uses?”

“Huh? Are you sure you’re not mistaken?”

“No, it’s the same. Exactly the same. When you apply force, it transforms into a large blade, right?”

“I don’t know about that, but you must be mistaken. It’s a one-of-a-kind weapon in the world.”

“Is it not a fake that’s up for auction this time?”

A smile appeared on the gatekeeper’s lips upon hearing those words. Suppressing the laughter that was about to burst out, he playfully clapped his hands, indicating that the joke had gone too far. Judging by the reaction, it seemed like everything he had said until now was genuine.

So, was the one Renee was using a fake?

No, no matter how much he thought about it, it didn’t make sense. There was no way that something so finely crafted could be fake. The fact that she had been using a fake for decades was absurd in itself, and if it was fake, there was no way such a small blade could transform into a large one.

Above all, Patrick had clearly said, ‘One of Rene’s weapons is one of the 36 Masterpieces,’ so it was definite. Patrick, who instantly recognized that the human’s sword was one of the 36 Masterpieces, was the one who made it clear.

…He definitely mentioned the 36 Masterpieces. Definitely said it was a one-of-a-kind weapon in the world.

In that case?

A suspicious conclusion emerged.

Could the item currently up for auction be Renee’s, or—

‘No, no way.’

Are there any other possibilities? Are there any?

────────There aren’t any.

‘No, no, no. Am I playing around right now?’

[This item up for auction this time is the legendary ’34th Masterpiece.’ The ‘Brachycephalic Tooth,’ which has been elusive for a long time, suddenly came up for auction a few days ago.]

[36 Masterpieces.]

[For a long time, its whereabouts were mysterious—]

[Suddenly a few days ago—]

There might be a possibility.

Too many thoughts were swirling in his mind, and it felt like his thoughts were about to explode. Melje noticed first that Devourer’s expression was crumpled, and she observed him cautiously.

Maybe he was too complacent.

“As Patrick said, if you grovel and kiss someone’s shoes, things will somehow work out, right?”

The words he uttered in the early morning came to mind. Yes, in truth, he had been treating it somewhat lightly. Despite saying that every minute and second mattered, his actions were leisurely. To act like that, he had his own corners of belief. He had confidence.

Because Renee was strong.

Renee was really strong. So, Renee could “rule,” but she would never “submit.”

Moreover, he had never even thought about what it would be like for Renee, who had left the core, to die. He hadn’t considered it in the slightest. It was audacious even to imagine such a thing.

Renee is dead?

Renee, who couldn’t be easily touched even by the bosses of the Great Evil Dungeons. It was ridiculous to sit there and say, ‘It’s not for nothing she’s known as ‘The Blade Maid’.’

In the first place, this story had only two possible endings: “Apologize to Renee and return to a peaceful daily life” and “Unavoidably let go of Renee, whose heart already has been broken.” He firmly believed in such a story.

But now.

Why was Renee’s weapon in the hands of humans?

He recalled Renee’s figure when she last left.

The pockets on her baggy clothes were very small. Moreover, she threw a dagger at me, mistaking me for an enemy, and yes, she didn’t have a waistband either. Then, how many weapons did Renee have when she ran out?

Has Renee ever fought humans with fewer than five weapons?

What remains when the ‘Blade’ is removed from ‘Blade Maid’?

Patrick was strong even without a sword. With a sword, he’d be even stronger. But Renee was different. Renee had to have a blade to be strong. Renee without a Blade.

Renee.

“Renee…”

To humans.

To humans?

To the likes of humans?

He couldn’t breathe.

“Sir Devde? Sir Devde! Snap out of it! Sir Devde!”

In reality, it was as if the cry of Melje reached him from a very close yet far distance. Devourer, with a blank expression, looked at Melje. He took a few steps forward. With a worried expression, Melje followed his steps.

It was only when the distance was so far that the gatekeeper couldn’t hear that Devourer slowly opened his mouth.

“Melje.”

“What happened, Sir Devde! Do you realize how suddenly your behavior changed? Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?”

“Me.”

There was no need to ponder any longer.

“I’m going to retrieve the Brachycephalic Tooth.”

***