Ch.27Chapter 27. I’ll Do It With My Hands

Ravin had rather ambiguous stats, whether in terms of strategy or physical strength.

In terms of combat ability, she was below Arsil.

Of course, it was also strange that the Holy Maiden was both a healer and a martial artist.

In terms of strategy, she couldn’t match the mage or the shield knight.

Nevertheless, she had elevated her survival skills and status by objectively assessing situations and utilizing her strengths accordingly.

But that was only when she was the action leader of a mere gang.

Like Arsil, Ravin was terrible at theoretical discussions.

“So~ you see, demons shouldn’t be unconditionally~ defined as enemies based on deep-rooted historical grudges. That’s what I’m saying.”

“Merchant fellow! The demons are a race trying to wipe us all out! When they’re trying to kill us first from over there, how can you say they’re not enemies?”

“Well~ you see, this is how the economy works. You buy what you want with money! You sell what others want for money! So if demons also have desires like ‘I want this!’ or ‘I want to sell this!’ then instead of unconditionally defining them as enemies, we should first see them as business partners, that’s what I’m saying.”

Even though she was bad at such discussions, she wasn’t so clueless as to miss this farce.

Ravin was so dumbfounded that she found herself listening to the pointless conversation between the mercenary and the merchant with her mouth agape.

“I don’t care about economics! They’re the ones putting knives to our throats! As the mercenary guild responsible for Valtercrua’s security, dealing with demons is all pointless! We never know when they might stab us in the back! For complete safety, we need to eliminate all risk factors! Demons should be beheaded on sight!”

“Well~ then, how does the mercenary guild plan to identify the demons within Valtercrua? Will they come out if you just say ‘Come out, we’ll kill you’? Whether you want to trade with them or kill them all, to make them appear before you, you need to lure them out by saying ‘Come out to negotiate because we want to do business with you.’ If you just run around with weapons, nothing will be accomplished, that’s what I’m saying.”

Wondering if perhaps she was too uneducated to understand properly, Ravin looked around, but even her thieves were frowning or looking blank.

Even Adora herself.

‘What the heck?’

Suppressing the urge to flip the conference table, Ravin desperately hoped.

That Lin and Lucy would quickly subdue the monster market.

Then she could satisfyingly send this round table flying.

And those mouths spouting nonsense would need to be torn apart.

Only such imagination was the sole support keeping Ravin going right now.

—

Lucy couldn’t contain the tingling in her fingers.

Not just her fingers, but her legs also twitched with the urge to rush forward.

This was her first battle since recovering her limbs.

‘I want to show Lin my impressive side.’

Having been pushed around by Ravin, Lucy was quite intimidated.

Even Lin showed only minimal interest in her, which made Lucy anxious.

Then came an opportunity to shine.

A suppression operation she could easily accomplish with her skills.

The plan was simple.

Go to the black market trading magical beasts, take everyone down, and secure the beasts.

Conveniently, the conference hall was close to the black market.

After sending a signal confirming the suppression, Lucy would take Lin to the conference hall and also capture the two minions of Rainford.

Rainford.

That name made her blood run cold.

The vile man who had deceived her for three years.

The man who made her realize how poor her judgment of men was.

The stain on her life.

If not for Lin’s instructions, she would have immediately captured the minions, interrogated them about Rainford’s location, and gone to kill him.

As long as he lived, Lucy felt anxious that she couldn’t be loved by Lin.

Unlike other enemies whom she might not need to kill personally, Rainford was someone she had to tear apart herself, even if it meant being separated from Lin for a while.

She needed to definitively end his life and show Lin.

That she had cleaned up all of her foolish past.

She would show the left half of Rainford’s body, split vertically as a symbol of her absolute devotion, and the right half as proof of her single-hearted loyalty.

And then she would say:

‘I love only you.’

Just the thought made her body heat up.

There were many obstacles to overcome to gain Lin’s love, but eliminating Rainford’s existence was a major factor.

Now, no matter what was said, Lin wouldn’t be reminded of Rainford like during the previous “ideal type” conversation.

The black market merchants were all looking warily at her as she snickered with a gloomy smile.

“Lucy, get ready.”

When Lin whispered, Lucy looked up.

Awakening from her thoughts, she quietly closed her eyes and sensed magical energy, soon detecting the presence of unrefined magical beasts.

“Yes, this is the place.”

It was really not far from the conference hall.

Once preparations were complete, the plan was to immediately connect with Ravin, show evidence, and publicly expel them.

But Ravin wasn’t easy to deal with either.

Not only did she have thieves accompanying her to the conference hall, but hundreds more were waiting at their guild house headquarters.

Instead, only Lucy and Lin were assigned to suppress the black market.

This was entirely because Lin had insisted.

In reality, the enemies here were event-level, just mob-class.

The real defense needed to be against the two traitors of the Triumvirate they would face next, and the members of the Dragon Knight party who might appear at any time.

In other words, they just needed to quickly subdue this place and join Ravin.

“Welcome! What are you looking for?”

A bald man greeted Lin and Lucy.

Ignoring Lin with his gentle impression, the bald man openly stared at Lucy’s chest, which had considerable presence even through her clothes, and licked his lips.

“Oh my, sister. The lingerie shop isn’t here. There’s a place that handles H-cups and above over there, should I guide you?”

“Excuse me.”

“Ah~ they look so heavy, should I help carry them for you?”

“Excuse me.”

“Don’t interrupt. I’m talking to this sister here. Mmm?”

Being a thug by nature, the bald man was irritated by Lin who kept trying to speak.

Raising one eyebrow and leaning slightly forward, the bald man made a typical bully face and tried to intimidate them.

“Ah shit, what are you here to buy? I’ll get you a kid, so just look around and get the fu— GAAACK!!”

Crack!

“Baldy, what kind of attitude is that toward Lin?”

Lucy exploded first.

Grabbing his face with one hand and lifting him up, Lucy crushed even his cheekbones with her grip.

“Apologize to Lin.”

“KUEEEEEK-!!!”

“I said apologize, you bald bastard.”

“KEEEEEK!!”

There was no way a human with fractured facial bones could speak properly.

Soon after his pig-like squealing, his gang members came rushing over.

“Who the hell are they!”

“Wow, look at those jugs on that woman.”

“You idiot! Don’t you see that woman crushing Max’s head?!”

There were about several dozen of them.

Hmm, matching the number Adora had mentioned.

Lin stepped forward.

“You have magical beasts here, right?”

“How did you…?”

“I’ll pay, so sell them to me.”

“Those are not for sale!”

He’s using difficult words.

“Why? Because smuggling magical beasts or demon-related items is punishable by death? But you’ve already brought them in, so there’s no reason to fear that now. Sell me the magical beasts. Then I’ll be in the same boat as you.”

“That’s absurd…!”

“Wait a minute, hey! How much did you bring?”

Apparently, they’re curious about the price.

Lin emotionlessly pointed at Lucy with his thumb.

“She’ll do it with her hands.”

“W-what?”

“Lin, what are you saying?”

“Hm? What do you mean? It’s exactly as I said. She can only use her hands anyway.”

The black market gang members murmured among themselves, and Lucy also asked Lin in confusion.

But Lin replied innocently:

“Let’s be honest, Lucy. You don’t have a sword, right?”

“…!!”

“Then you can only fight with your hands.”

“Ah….”

Lucy, who was trying to cover her flushing face, realized her hand was covered in snot and saliva from the bald man, which irritated her even more.

“Hey! Will you only use your hands? I prefer feet!”

“Uh…? I never said I’d only use hands. Using feet is good for me too?”

The black market gang cheered.

“WOOOOOOO-!!! She can use feet too!”

They seem happy for some reason.

While Lin chuckled in disbelief, Lucy’s expression grew increasingly rigid.

“So, will you sell the magical beasts?”

“No, quite the opposite.”

The gang members drew their weapons.

“We’ll kill you, and she’ll have to please us using not just her hands and feet, but various parts of her body.”

Wow.

Lin was genuinely amazed.

They just saw their baldy’s face get destroyed, and they’re still acting according to their lower halves?

“Anyway, who’s in charge here?”

At least let’s take the disguised beggar who was paid to act as the black market leader.

He’s an important witness.

“If you mean that bald guy, he’s already collapsed there. We paid him a lot, so you’ll have to work your body to cover his value too.”

Oh damn, this is messed up.

Why did that beggar act like such a thug?

Lin took leather gloves from his pack and handed them to Lucy.

“It would be more troublesome if they escape and spread news about us, so let’s kill them all.”

“Is that okay?”

“Of course.”

Lin put the gloves on her hands while speaking.

“They said bad things to you. Don’t forgive them.”

“…Yes! Only Lin truly cares about me!”

Lin wiped away the tears forming at the corners of Lucy’s eyes.

“Go ahead, Lucy.”

“Yes!”

Lucy turned around with a bright smile.

But the expression the gang members saw on the hero’s face was devoid of any vitality, completely emotionless.

CRACK-!

Immediately, one man’s head exploded from her kick.

“You said feet were possible too, right?”

She wiped the residue from her foot by grinding it on the ground.

“H-hieek!”

“R-run away…!”

Now realizing the situation, the black market gang began to scatter and flee.

“You can’t go. Lin told me not to let you live.”

Lucy quickly chased after them.

And Lin realized something had gone wrong.

“Huh?”

Lucy had gone after the escapees.

Lin was left alone.

And right behind him were three remaining gang members who had frozen in place and hadn’t managed to escape.

“Uh oh?”

Lin and the remaining members stared blankly at each other.

“Damn it!”

As Lin snapped to his senses and pulled a shield from his pack, the remaining members rushed at him.

Slash-!

A dagger grazed Lin’s cheek, and the scent of his blood rose,

Reaching her who had been hiding her identity in an instant.

“…Lin?”

Crunch, she bit her nails in anger.

“Who dared to hurt you…!”

“Information officer? What’s wrong?”

A thief waiting at the conference hall asked, but Adora simply ignored him.

“Go tell the boss.”

“Information officer, why are you suddenly acting like this?”

“Tell her to prepare for battle.”

“Hey, information officer!”

Despite the thief’s call, Adora vanished from the spot.

No, she disappeared from that place entirely.

“What on earth is…!”

Just then, loud voices were exchanged at the conference table.

The mercenary guild and merchant guild trying to frame Ravin as a traitor.

“We mercenaries only know how to fight for what we want! But thieves know how to negotiate!”

“Well~ you see, we merchants use trade as our weapon, but thieves also know how to conquer through force, that’s what I’m saying.”

Ravin faced them both, shaking her fist.

“What kind of Zen riddle is that! You’ve been talking nonsense from the start, and now your logic is all messed up, you idiots!”

The exchange of nerves and insults continued without either side backing down.

But shortly after,

AWOOOOOOOOOO-!!!!!!

“What’s that?!”

With the sharp cry of a beast, the surroundings began to collapse.

The building used as the conference hall crumbled as if it had never existed.

Among the buildings dispersing like smoke, Ravin saw it.

“A unique… mutant…?”

A wolf-like magical beast the size of a house, surrounded by what appeared to be hundreds of wolf magical beasts in a swarm.

“Where’s Lee? Information officer! Find Lee!”

“Boss! The information officer has left her post!”

“What nonsense is that?!”

Her mind couldn’t keep up with the sudden turn of events.

Ravin was only worried about Lee.

The unique mutant stared directly at her and howled once more.

AWOOOOOOOOOO-!!!!!!

“Everyone prepare for battle!”

Ravin drew her dagger.

The unique mutant began to move.

And following it, the smaller magical beasts charged forward in a rush.

At this moment, the merchant guild and mercenary guild were on the same team.

One wrong move and everyone would die.

“Do we have to fight this together?!”

“If we leave them be, we’ll all die, that’s what I’m saying!”

To the hesitating guild leaders, Ravin shouted roughly:

“What are you doing, you fools! Tear those dog bastards apart right now! This is our city! Our Triumvirate’s Valtercrua! If anyone’s going to devour it, it should be one of us, not some magical beasts or whatever else!”

Only then did the two guild leaders draw their swords and charge.

“You bastards, it’s battle time, let’s go!!!!!!”

“We must protect our assets, that’s what I’m saying!!!!!”