The Mysterious Black Magician

None of the data written in the holographic screens approved the vendor's claim.

"All of them were Low and Normal-Tier only!?" Rea who was able to read the data inside the holographic screen was astonished.

Beads of sweats appeared at the back of the vendor's head. Because he too could read what was written on each of the small screens. And all of them were showing the results accurately.

"Eh? Uh—er…" the vendor stammered his words, uncertain what to say.

"Fufufu, Mister. It is unwise to become a swindler," he heard The Youngman's giggle. And beside him, The beautiful Young Miss was staring coldly at him.

Now, even the vendor's nose was sweating.. How to avoid this dilemma! He was unprepared for such things as he didn't expect that the toy could do such a thing.

Rea was surprised at it too. Looks like, these human Deities truly came up with many surprised. The same as her owner! She sneaked a glance at him and saw his evil smile.

Probably, he was thinking of something— unkind. She believed.

Then she darted her gaze towards the vendor. Now her gaze was cold. Then she slowly opened her mouth.

"Mister, you said they are the Medium and Advance-Tier Elixir. But, it seemed they are not…" her voice was soft, but with a mixture of disgust towards the vendor.

The vendor was sweating profusely while trying to scan his brain for an escape.

His eyes darted from left to right as his legs and hands started to tremble.

'Shit! What the heck that toy is!' He grunted inwardly.

"Ahem!" He cleared his throat and calmed his disorder breathing. He couldn't show any doubtful action.

Yman and Rea stared at him, but the vendor could feel that their stares were demanding an explanation about this.

"Ahaha, that's impossible. That thing must be showing random things. Young man, don't you think it's quite rude to point an honest vendor like me as a swindler just because of that toy? Is that even a reliable one? How could a man's honesty be compared to a piece of metal?"

'Sigh. Good thing he's talented in wordplay. Fufu, too bad for these people. Now, I can use to turn back the table and get double from them. That's what they get for trying to embarrass me. You want a play huh, then bring it on! Try this cleverness of mine!' Thought the vendor.

He already harnished his swindling skills for ages. So these kinds of amateur were just an infant compared to him.

"What do you mean, Mister?" Rea asked with a frown.

"This young man and that toy of his are trying to frame—(Thomp)!" Now he intentionally raised his voice to gather some consent from the other people around. This one of the basic moves to put pressure on the enemy. But the mouth of his was left hanging when an insignia in golden color was placed on top of the glass counter.

'A—A-A golden rank adventurer!' The vendor exclaimed in shock upon seeing the badge.

As a professional swindler, just a glance by the item, he could already tell that it was real!

Rea stared at the insignia with understanding.

Well, after defeating a Golden Rank in an easy and domineering performance, and single-handled a mission of subjugating a bandit encampment. The guild would be put in shame if they let him as a Bronze Rank adventurer. It was unsightly to see a Golden Rank being kicked in the butt by a Bronze Rank newbie. It would lower the value of the guild High-Ranker member.

To avoid this ordeal, the Headmaster hastily promoted him so that the others would see it as a duel of two High-Ranker.

Thankfully, the guild was able to avoid the mess.

Well, no one had expected that the duel would come out like that.

She sighed.

"Now Mister, who is framing who?" His voice was as mellow was as the soft drifting wind. He even was putting a warm smile on his face. But the vendor felt a weight on it. 

He knew this smile. It was the smile of the same profession as him!

"Ah—!" He about to say something but stopped when a voice was heard,

(I won't sully my name in the name of Her Grace Htraerea!)

(I won't sully my name in the name of Her Grace Htraerea!)

(I won't sully my name in the name of Her Grace Htraerea…!)

it was his words recently. The young man repeatedly replayed it.

(0_0)

Damn! Damn! Damn! It was the only word that his mind repeatedly screaming at the moment.

It was inevitable to say some reason. This man in front of him was on a higher level than him! Not in strength, but in 'SWINDLING business!'

He never would imagine meeting someone as cunning as this person. The vendor finally realized. He was already trapped in this man's hand from the beginning! Only a person of the same doing knows each other's thinking! So that's the reason why he acted so calm?!

No! This man is his senior! The real beast in the world of trickiness! The real monster in swindling! The immortal!

The vendor showed a dying face. Like 60 years past in an instance of his life.

His hair started to fall one by one. Until it became two by two, three by three….. and so on.

If only he could turn back the time, he would ask him to teach him how to reach the height where this man was stepping.

But now only regret remained.

"Fufu."

Suddenly, he heard the young man's chuckle.

"Rea, what's the possible sentence for a swindler?"

"Uh? Eh…" Rea who was staring at the sorry state of the vendor was having a puzzled face. She had no idea what happened and when this person beside her able to record the voice of the vendor.

In any case, she needed to respond.

"Probably, confiscate his sales, detain in prison, pay a huge sum of money, and…"

(O,,o)

Upon hearing her reply, the vendor's head started to turn into a skull.

"Fufu." An evil chuckle again which slowly turned his skull-head into dust, being swayed by the wind.

"You heard her, Mister. Without even counting the sentence they would bestow onto you… this girl beside me is an important figure in this empire. Look at this…" Yman said while showing a picture of Rea standing beside The Empress. He secretly asked Sistela a while ago to download one.

Rea on the other hand, had her eyes turned white and blank.

In her mind, she was mumbling.

'What this person was doing? What this person was doing….. why he secretly storing my picture!!!?'

She screamed and was fuming. Her brain could not focus.

She wanted to beat him. But, is she capable of it? Noooo! She wanted to scream! This person is so shameless!

But Yman didn't stop with just that.

The vendor did not want to listen anymore.

"Look, Mister, this young lady was being protected by shadow assassins…" he said while beckoning to the building not too far behind them.

The vendor stole a glance and noticed some people sneakily spying on them. They were wearing black clothing all over their bodies!

Rea tried to glance also but before she lifted her head. She was dragged onto his chest.

Poof! Something in her head went short-circuit and steam of smoke went out.

"Wha-wha-wha-what?!"

Yman knitted his brows. He wondered why she sounded like Sistela when he first dominated her System the first time he activated his Black Miasma and Skill Modifying ability.

In any case, he needed to warn her, "don't look behind, we are being followed and surrounded…"

However, this whisper was like a hazy whisper in Rea's ears. Her brain was muddled up by the current situation. 

This person suddenly pulled her towards him! She wanted to free herself but his grip could not be budged.

Rea stood stiffly, being hugged in front of many.

So-so clingy...(Rea's thought.)

On the contrary,

The vendor already turned into a stone and didn't want to talk anymore.

Sistela wondered if her partner awakened a Petrify skill.