027 SHOPPING FOR LINGERIE IN THE BLACK MARKET?
But that was the price of her revenge. Leo had been the necessary sacrifice to bring down Green Rose. No matter how much it hurt, she had to accept that.
"I am sorry idiot. We would never be together"
For her friend. For everything the Roses had taken from her. The cost had been steep, but the deed was worth it.
-----
"Where are we going now, young master?" Kasshyek asked, trying to keep up.
"Just keep up and don't ask," Leo replied, dashing through the streets, leaving Kasshyek struggling to match his pace.
"How can you run so fast?" Kasshyek panted.
"I had a breakthrough last night, remember? It boosts my constitution and speed," Leo explained.
"But this speed is incredible. Few mages below Cakra Svad tier can move like this," Kasshyek said, astonished.
[Cakra Svad is the next major tier after Cakra Mula]
"Other mages didn't have their breakthrough during... well, you know, a fuck," Leo shot back, to the annoyance of Kasshyek.
"Our soldiers can't even keep up with this pace. They probably don't even realize we've left the cathouse," Kasshyek said.
"That's exactly why we need to move fast—to lose those guys," Leo replied.
"Why? They're here to protect you," Kasshyek protested.
"To spy on me, maybe. They'll still think I'm... fucking at the Bagnio La Pleasures when we return," Leo said, glancing back at him.
Kasshyek fell silent, torn between his duty to protect Leo and the logic of his master. According to Leo, his soldiers' presence was more of a hindrance than a help.
At least he trusted him enough to bring him along.
They soon reached their destination: a small valley littered with debris from collapsed buildings.
Despite the chaos, a clear path emerged if one looked closely. Leo navigated the mess with ease, as if he had done this before, while Kasshyek followed closely behind.
"Have you been here before master?"
"Before I was weak, but I often travelled," Leo replied.
"But you were always staying in the Bagnio la Pleasure", Kasshyek asked.
"That was to cover my trips. I came here looking for things to improve myself but never got anything good", he added.
When they finally emerged from the alley, they found a large gate standing amid the ruins of the city. It was a desolate place, a remnant of the past before the city of Gomora had been devastated by Angels.
"Who are you? You're not supposed to be here! Guards, take them before they reveal our position!" a guard shouted upon spotting them.
"Back off. I have an invitation," Leo said, producing a small token.
The guard examined the token before handing it back. "You may enter the Ruins of Gomora," he said, stepping aside to let them through.
As they entered, Kasshyek looked around in confusion. "What is this place? I've lived in this city my whole life and never heard of it."
"This is the Ruins of Gomora. The Black Market—the lifeblood of commerce in this city not those cheap slave shops outside," Leo explained.
"How do you know about this place?"
"Contacts and acquaintances from my visits to the Bagnio La Pleasures. They get their Viagra... the long-lasting cock enhancement ointments from here. The upper-class playboys all know about this place and come here secretly," Leo replied casually.
"Master has never come here," Kasshyek remarked.
"Father's too upright for his own good, and it's causing chaos in the family," Leo said, shaking his head.
"Yes, General Lillye is a good man," Kasshyek acknowledged.
"Now put on these masks. No one must recognize us here," Leo instructed, handing one to Kasshyek.
-----
The pair navigated the streets of the Gomora Ruins, surrounded by the remnants of once-magnificent buildings that had towered over the city.
Stalls and shops cluttered the area, peddling an array of rare goods, including contraband that was hard to come by elsewhere. This was the go-to place for such illicit treasures.
Masked patrons and shopkeepers moved through the chaos, concealing their identities. Many were aristocrats seeking to hide their presence in such a place, while others were criminals looking to evade the law, selling their ill-gotten wares.
"What are you looking for, Master?" Kasshyek asked.
"I'm in search of a spell," Leo replied.
"The library at House Gullee has plenty of good spells. You could learn whatever you want from there," Kasshyek suggested.
"Those spells are well-known, especially to Lillrune. I need something he doesn't know about—something to surprise him," Leo responded.
"I see your magic has improved. You no longer need to fear Lillrune, any spell will work for you if you take the time to learn it," Kasshyek noted.
"Lillrune is not my fucking worry. Living in that house alone poses its own risks, it's not easy to survive in the House of Gullee for an heir of the family," Leo said.
Kasshyek understood his predicament although previously he didn't care too much about the heir.
"I'm sorry we didn't pay you more attention before. I don't know what you've faced in the House, we were only blaming you as useless to the master, a burden," Kasshyek apologized and finally realized his young master's situation and experience.
"It's in the past, and I've grown stronger because of it," Leo replied, recalling the schemes and threats he faced as the heir of House Gullee.
He learned that being perceived as harmless kept him alive, but ultimately, it had been a foolish strategy. His enemies murdered him regardless. As long as he was the heir of the family, some people would want him to be harmed.
"Where can we find a good spell?" Kasshyek asked.
"I'm looking," Leo replied, activating a deeper layer of perception in his mind.
Leo focused on objects around him.
As a player of the Realm of Sins, the layer of reality around him revealed identification box markers on objects and people. It was an invaluable skill in the Black Market, where genuine treasures often mingled with cheap fakes could be identified easily.
Suddenly, something caught Leo's eye.
"What is this?" he asked a nearby shopkeeper, picking up several pieces of thin fabric—lingerie.