Black Market!
Rita instantly understood what kind of place this was.
After all, in a game world, the Black Market and Slums were common fixtures.
But unlike the usual grimy, chaotic image, this entire street resembled the orderly layout of the university town’s snack street from Rita’s memories.
It wasn’t dirty or messy, but in another sense, it was still a kind of disorder.
There was the older sister in a dancer’s outfit posing seductively in the shadows, a burly man covered in scars sitting on a roadside stone with a wolf-tooth club standing beside him, and an old lady clutching a small basket with gleaming eyes—all of them looked far from ordinary.
Yet maybe here she could really find the kind of shop she needed?
Rita surveyed her surroundings as she continued deeper inside.
Vendors along the way called out one after another, seemingly hoping she’d stop by their stalls.
“Puma Energy Elixir! One bottle to refresh your mind, two bottles to never feel tired, three bottles to live forever.”
“Trained Slimes! Non-toxic, harmless, no residue—guaranteed to give you a wonderful night! Suitable for both men and women!”
“Old Mage’s Breast Enhancement Formula—creator of devilish figures! Become the brightest star!”
What kind of nonsense was all this? She wasn’t Cecilia; why would she need some old mage’s secret formula?
Rita thought this as she waved off a vendor carrying a chicken covered in tentacles and stopped a weapons dealer holding a dagger that looked like jelly.
After walking for a while, Rita was still surprised that although this place looked like a chaotic mix of people and goods, it somehow maintained order.
Just as she was thinking this, she heard a quarrel up ahead.
“What makes you think you can do business on a Dame’s turf? Getting her protection isn’t free!”
“Please, just a few more days! Once I sell this treasure, I swear I’ll pay!”
Following the voices, Rita saw a crowd gathered around a stall.
In the middle stood two debt collectors in light armor, glaring and grabbing the vendor’s clothes.
Oh, debt collectors.
According to typical novel plots, the vendor would pull out a hidden super treasure, which the protagonist would snatch up, gaining both a valuable item and relieving the vendor’s urgent crisis.
“What’s the treasure? Let me see?” Rita lowered her voice and squeezed through the crowd.
“Hm?” One of the debt collectors looked at her suspiciously, exchanged glances with his companion, then shoved the vendor forward.
The vendor staggered several steps before barely steadying himself, looking at Rita nervously and fearfully.
“Let me have a look,” Rita repeated, extending her hand.
“Oh! Oh, oh!” The vendor nodded hurriedly and took out an old wooden box from the stall, opening it in front of her.
Inside the box was a small piece of red carpet at the bottom, on which lay several coils shaped like mosquito coils arranged in a circle, with a heart-shaped protrusion at the end.
“What is this?”
The vendor’s eyes lit up immediately. “This is no ordinary thing. Many years ago, there was a succubus who made a lifelong promise to a human girl—a Forbidden Love. But society wouldn’t allow it, so the succubus was taken away, leaving behind this tail as proof of their love. Later, during the wars, this item changed hands many times before ending up with me. If I didn’t need the money, I really wouldn’t want to sell it.”
“What does it do?”
“Whether soaked in wine or used as an Alchemical Material, it’s top-notch. Even as a collectible, it’s incredibly rare. I’ve heard that Her Royal Highness, the princess, said that anyone who brings her a Succubus Tail can become a Holy Knight.”
“How much?”
“Not expensive, just two hundred gold coins.”
Not expensive? She’d only earned a thousand by sleeping with the princess.
Although… a thousand was still quite a lot.
“Let me see.” Rita stepped closer.
“Please, please,” the vendor said.
Seeing it up close, Rita was startled!
It was fake!
She shook her head and turned to leave. “Forget it, it’s a fake.”
“Hey! What are you saying?” The vendor closed the box and tried to chase after her, but one of the debt collectors pulled him back and punched him in the head.
“Don’t try to run! You won’t know when you’ll sell it! Pay up!”
So pitiful.
No matter how, Rita had nothing to do with any of this; she just thought novels were full of lies.
Not far from there, she heard someone calling after her several times.
Rita turned around to see two young, beautiful, mature sisters standing behind her.
“Calling me?” Rita raised an eyebrow.
“New face, huh? First time here?” one stepped closer.
“Why do you say that?” Rita didn’t admit it directly.
“Didn’t you just say that thing the vendor sold was fake?” the other said.
“Oh?” Rita’s expression turned cautious, her fist tightening beneath her cloak. “You’re here to back him up?”
“No, no, we don’t even know him. What backing?”
“Then what are you here for?” Rita asked.
“Just a friendly reminder: cutting off someone’s income is like killing their parents. Outside is one thing, but this is a Dame’s territory. Doing this here will bring great trouble.”
True, she wasn’t going to buy it, but openly calling it fake did spoil their scam.
The problem was, her own tail definitely didn’t look anything like that fake thing—dry and shriveled, not round and plump at all.
But since they came over to talk, she’d be polite.
Rita nodded. “Thanks for the warning.”
“Don’t just say thanks,” one woman rubbed her fingers together.
Rita’s alarm bells rang loudly. “What do you mean?”
“A reward? You’re not going to give anything after we shared such important info?” the other chimed in.
Oh, so that was it.
Rita relaxed and pulled a gold coin from her pocket.
Seeing it, both women’s eyes lit up.
Usually, Rita wouldn’t have been so generous.
Her treasured shop sword, broken by Momoka, was worth five gold coins.
But this time was special.
Rita didn’t want to linger in the Black Market.
She tossed the coin forward, and the woman caught it with a grin that stretched nearly to her ears.
“Thank you for your patronage~ We won’t bother you further. Hope you find what you need.” She pulled the other woman along and turned to leave.
“Wait.” Rita called out to them. “This warning isn’t worth just one gold coin. Answer me one more question.”
They pocketed the money, their mood instantly brightening. “Sure, sure. What do you want to know?”
Rita was curious about the Dame too, but after the trial she planned to leave Solus City, so gossip wasn’t much use.
Besides, she hadn’t forgotten why she was here.
“Are there any brothels nearby? You know, the kind with only girls.”
The two women exchanged a glance, and when they looked at Rita again, their eyes were as soft as if looking at a fluffy little lamb.
“Of course! It’s far yet near, at the same time~”
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