## Chapter 329 – Those Martial Artists
“Oppa… Thank you, really, thank you… I haven’t been able to eat properly lately. It’s been so long since I’ve eaten this much…”
Lina, who devoured her meal without leaving a single breadcrumb, thanked me in an almost tearful, moved tone. This little thing… she really must have been starving all this time.
How hungry must she have been to eat all that?
Looking at Lina, I somehow see a past version of myself.
“Alright. Good that you ate well.”
“It was so delicious. Thank you.”
“Little thing…”
So, I guess I feel like taking care of her a little.
After all, I witnessed my grandmother’s death with my own two eyes. Once you see something like that, your heart can’t help but soften.
—Those damn heretic bastards.
If it weren’t for those bastards, Lina’s grandmother wouldn’t have become a ghoul. I’m also practically separated from my parents, so I know very well the sadness of not being able to see your blood relatives.
She’s practically my little sister.
“Anyway, Lina. I need you to do some work for me.”
Those bastards who stole my condolence money.
I was convinced that those bastards were heretics too. Only heretics would do such a heinous thing.
Come to think of it, all the serious problems were caused by heretics. It would benefit the world to kill all those damn bastards as soon as possible.
“Work…?”
“Yeah.”
I can’t just start a stabbing spree based solely on Lina’s word.
I need solid proof that the heretics stole my money.
That’s what I’m going to find out now.
“The bastard who stole your money. I need to find him.”
“Ah… but Oppa, I don’t really know where he is…”
“That’s why I’m saying let’s find him together. You know what he looks like, right?”
There’s no way Lina would know the whereabouts of those kinds of guys in the first place. First, let’s find the guy with Lina, and then interrogate him to extract information. I don’t know what he looks like, so I absolutely need Lina’s help.
“Yes… I know. It’s not like I’ve only been robbed once or twice… He’s quite famous around the slums. But are you sure it’s okay? I don’t want you to get involved because of me…”
“It’s not because of you.”
What is this little thing saying?
This is by no means because of Lina.
“It’s the money I gave you.”
It’s my problem.
“He stole the money I gave you.”
I have to get it back.
“So, it’s practically my problem. Lina, how did we make that money? By killing heretics and ghouls. By risking our lives to steal artifacts, and then even dealing with that evil giant. Only then were we able to get that money.”
Defeating Youngsaengdo was definitely our achievement and our fame. It’s part of the life I’ve built.
He desecrated our souls by taking away all that effort in one fell swoop.
That’s… a terrible thing.
I never imagined that a ‘person’ could be a being that could desecrate a human’s soul, personality, and foundation to that extent.
He felt like a devil from hell with hideous horns on his head and bright red skin. This is going to be a pretty difficult task.
Because the enemies I’m about to face are truly demons.
Demons are beings who have fallen into such an evil path that not even any god or saint in the world can save them. My opponents are beings who take the form of humans but are not human.
However.
I, Grand Devil Kim Kkat, never run away.
I will make them pay the price.
“He desecrated all our efforts, and even our souls and lives, in one shot. It’s not just a matter of stealing money.”
“I, is that so…?”
“Yeah. Well, it might be a little difficult for you, who is still just a child, to understand. So, you don’t need to understand.”
It took me quite a long time to reach this ideology. If I get the chance, I’d like to teach Lina about the doctrines of Fusion Confucianism.
Anyway, to explain it easily for Lina, it’s like this.
“It’s about getting back what was stolen and making them pay the price. In other words, it’s about revenge. Do you understand?”
“Yes… I understand now that you put it that way… Revenge… Then, Oppa, what should I do?”
Lina, who had been smiling happily after finishing her meal just a moment ago, said with a dark expression again.
The more I look at her, the more pitiful she seems.
“It’s nothing much. I don’t know what that bastard looks like, so just come with me and help me find him. It’ll probably take a few days.”
“A few days…?”
When I mentioned a specific time, Lina looked at me with wide eyes.
Well, Lina is an F-class adventurer who can’t even make a living if she doesn’t work.
Of course, I’m planning to pay her for the time it takes to find the culprit. In other words, it’s a business expense… Just getting that 5 silver back won’t be enough.
“Yeah. I’ll buy you food and pay you a daily wage during that time.”
“F, food and a daily wage!”
“I’ll buy you food like the meal you just ate, and the daily wage is 3 coppers each.”
“…Th, thank you, Oppa!”
“But you have to find him.”
“I understand!”
Lina was overjoyed when I said I’d give her money.
She must be really short on money since she quit her pickpocketing business. Or is she just getting robbed more often?
Lina’s emaciated appearance reminded me of the underprivileged children of Haiti and Ethiopia.
Lina is probably even younger than Elise.
“Let’s definitely find him.”
I need to find the guy who stole the condolence money I gave her and interrogate him.
“We have to find him no matter what.”
If it turns out to be true that he stole my money, then I can take action from there. How dare you do such a thing to this Heavenly Demon? The moment the truth is revealed, you’re all as good as dead.
They are already living corpses.
“Yes. I’ll work hard…!”
Seeing her determined attitude, it didn’t seem like Lina was lying.
“Then let’s get up.”
I got up from my seat, paid the bill, and went outside with Lina. It’s still midday. Midday is the perfect time to start working.
Strike while the iron is hot, let’s start exploring the slums now.
“Shall we start now?”
“Now?”
“Yeah. It just so happens that…”
…Well.
Let’s meet Lisha and Karin next time. They will surely understand my chivalrous act.
I’ll be searching the slums for a while, so Lisha might see me.
“…I don’t have anything else to do. Don’t worry. I’ll pay you properly.”
“Ah, no, that’s not what I’m worried about.”
“Then there’s no problem.”
I headed back towards the slums with Lina.
Lina, who was half-hidden behind me, diligently looked around and checked people’s faces. I just walked slowly and waited for Lina to find the culprit.
How many days will it take?
It probably won’t take that long.
The fact that she gets robbed often means that she encounters him often. Even though the slums are quite large, we’ll run into him soon if we keep going around for a few days.
We passed through the long, winding alley.
The slums, which had fully unfolded, were generally yellowish-brown. Half-collapsed buildings and, of course, half-collapsed people… Even though we had completely destroyed the Youngsaengdo bastards, nothing much had changed.
No matter how heroic you are, there will be no change unless you fundamentally change people’s hearts.
In fact, whether Youngsaengdo exists or not, the lives of the guys who live here don’t change. They’ll just fill Youngsaengdo’s place with other evil bastards.
“Ah, Oppa…”
“What.”
At Lina’s call, I placed my hand on the hilt of my sword.
“…”
Looking around, I saw several gazes directed towards us. Those gazes were mainly fixed on me and Lina… Are they friends with Lina?
“Are those your friends?”
“N, not really… They’re just thugs too. They’re probably looking because they’re wondering what’s going on since I’m with Oppa.”
“Is that so?”
Lina seems to be quite well-known in the slums.
In other words, she’s practically a lackey of those guys, so it’s no wonder they’re curious when someone like that is walking around with a dark-skinned barbarian swordsman.
“…”
Those guys don’t seem to be the culprit, so let’s move on.
There’s no need to stir things up and give the target a sense of caution. Fortunately, when I stopped paying attention, they stopped paying attention too.
I’m glad I didn’t get into any unnecessary fights.
“How is it? Do you think you can find him?”
“I usually run into him every few days… so I think it’s just a matter of time.”
“I see.”
I spent time walking around the slums with Lina. We started working from midday, but as expected, we couldn’t find the target.
It’s already sunset.
Let’s continue tomorrow.
“Lina. Let’s stop here.”
“…”
I stopped walking, put my hand in my pocket, and took out my coin purse. I took out three copper coins from there and handed them to Lina.
Come to think of it, this was what I extorted from my number one guild member earlier.
“Take it. It’s today’s wage.”
“…Thank you, Oppa.”
“No need to thank me. Then I’ll see you tomorrow. Come to that restaurant we ate at today by tomorrow morning, okay? If you’re late, you’re really dead, so be sure to be on time.”
“Yes. I’ll definitely be on time.”
Lina’s face seemed a little brighter after she put the money in her pocket. I decided to give her one last piece of advice.
“And… if possible, don’t stay there. If you have money, just stay at a regular inn outside the slums. Cheap places cost one copper per night. Don’t go back there and get all your money stolen again, okay?”
“…Yes. I will. Don’t worry. Goodbye, Oppa.”
Lina smiled and bowed.
“You know some manners. Then come out early.”
With those words, I parted ways with Lina and came out of the slums. I was going to see Lisha on the way, but it was too late, so I decided to return to the accommodation immediately.
Winia will say something if I’m late.
—Whoosh!
I immediately kicked off the ground and ran. The sun hasn’t completely set yet, so I think I can get there just in time.
—Thump, thump, thump, thump!
Even though I ran for a long time, my enhanced stamina didn’t complain of any particular fatigue. When I arrived at the area where the accommodation was, I saw a familiar chest. No, silhouettes were walking towards me.
It’s Claudia and Winia.
Did they go somewhere together?
“Claudia! Winia!”
When I called out loudly, they answered.
“Kkat?”
“It’s the darkie? You went out before us, but the timing was right?”
“I guess so?”
When I got closer and joined them, Claudia, with a snake-like movement, put her arm around my arm and said with a smile.
“Hehe, Kkat. Really… yesterday you didn’t even listen when I begged you to stop. Do you know how hard it was for me?”
“Ah, sorry. But you told me not to stop even if you asked me to stop.”
“I was thinking of the usual… that kind of pace. I never thought you’d be so wild.”
Claudia was showing that she was sulking, so I had no choice but to apologize profusely. Even though she said that, it was good… right?
She seems to be in a particularly more affectionate tone, so I guess so.
“This damn darkie bastard. How dare you treat me like that?”
Winia also put her arm around my other arm and said.
“I thought I was going to pass out. Who told you to be so violent? Huh?”
“Sorry, Winia. I couldn’t help it because of the drug. But when you think about it, isn’t it all your fault?”
“I guess so.”
Anyway, I could feel the sensation of breasts on both arms, and all the fatigue of the day disappeared.
“Kkat, but what about that pauldron?”
Claudia, who recognized the pauldron, asked immediately.
“I was wondering when you’d notice. I bought it today.”
“Hehe, it suits you very well. You really look like a warrior? You should have bought it sooner.”
“Hehe, right? I should have bought it sooner.”
Winia also reacted to those words.
“That’s right, darkie. Did you go out today and sell everything you brought?”
“I sold everything except what we’re going to use.”
I stopped for a moment, took Winia’s arm off my arm, and took out the prize money pouch I received after disposing of the nest’s core from my chest.
It’s a total of 19 silver.
I handed it to Winia.
“Oh, how much is it?”
“19 silver. I sold all the other equipment too, and I bought this pauldron with that.”
“Okay, our darkie did well. You packed everything and went out while me and unni were sleeping?”
“That’s right.”
“You’re commendable.”
Winia, who received the pouch, put it between her breasts as if it were natural. What?! That goes in there?! My head! Let me put my head in there too!
While I was in shock, Winia put her arm around my arm again.
As we walked while talking, we arrived in front of the accommodation door. I used the key to open the door and went inside.
Today is over.
Let’s go see Lina early in the morning tomorrow too.
