Karina glanced at Mikhail next to her.
He seemed to be waiting for her instructions, just as she had ordered before coming in.
'What should I do with these guys?'
Karina was wondering what to order Mikhail.
She wanted to handle it quietly without making a big deal out of it.
"Oh, the escort knight is here with you."
The man sneered at Mikhail, seeing Karina's gaze on Mikhail.
"Oh, that's scary."
One of the group members who was looking at Mikhail's attire from the side snickered and chimed in when he saw that there was nothing on his waistband.
"What the hell. Our scary escort knight forgot to wear a sword on his waist!"
"What would you do if you met someone scary and left your sword behind?"
"Hehehe."
"Did you come alone, trusting such a stupid escort?"
"The young lady is pitiful."
The punks joked among themselves and then showed their true colors.
“Miss, we’ll protect you instead of that escort, so come with us.”
"Yes. We’ll do it better than that guy.”
They approached Karina and Mikhail.
It seemed as if they were going to kidnap Karina at any moment.
Karina glared at the thin man and warned him.
“Get out of the way.”
“Whew~ You have a temper.”
One of the group whistled and chuckled with an unpleasant laugh.
“It’s not bad to be a bit sullen. There are a lot of weird guys who like that.”
“The fiercer you are, the easier it is to tame you.”
“But you’re still pretty, so you’ll be useful.”
“You dirty guys!”
Karina frowned at their dirty conversation.
“I told you to get out of the way. I told you to let me go nicely, but you still want to get beaten. Are you one of those weird guys?”
“What? This is ignoring us.”
“You need to show them the bitterness of the world so you will behave.”
“If you are sold anyway, you will feel it a lot in the future. It’s a pain to buy you.”
At that moment, Mikhail, who had been waiting for Karina’s instructions with an expressionless face, raised his head.
And he reached out his hand toward the thugs.
His eyes were as cold as ice.
Karina suddenly felt a chill down her spine at that sight.
‘He won’t kill them, right?’
For some reason, she felt a chill that Mikhail might kill them all.
“Hey, stop for a moment!”
Karina grabbed Mikhail’s arm and stopped him.
“...!”
Mikhail’s shoulders flinched as if he was slightly surprised when her hand touched them.
“Did you forget what I said?”
“Oh... Were you supposed to stay still?”
Mikhail looked at Karina with a face that had become gentle.
“But...”
His blood-red eyes swept over the group of thugs.
“Do we really need to leave these guys alone?”
Mikhail tilted his head as if he was really curious.
As if asking why he shouldn’t kill dirty pests.
An icy tension hung around them.
“...”
Mikhail whispered softly as Karina looked at him with anxious eyes.
Unlike the tense atmosphere, Mikhail’s attitude toward Karina was affectionate.
“Just say one word to take care of it. I’ll take care of everything.”
“...”
“I said just one word?”
Mikhail whispered pleadingly close to Karina’s ear.
“Please allow me. Okay?”
However, unlike his tone, his voice sounded dangerous, like a beast tempting its prey.
“...”
Karina’s lips trembled at the strange feeling.
At that moment, an unfamiliar voice was heard from behind her.
“Should we stop?”
“...!?”
A woman wearing a black robe approached them.
Next to the woman, a large man wearing a robe was also standing guard.
Everyone’s eyes turned to them at the appearance of the new people.
Karina, who had come to her senses, grabbed Mikhail’s hand and lowered it.
“...”
Mikhail looked at Karina with regret and smiled, then obediently lowered his hand.
“Huh? What? There’s another woman here?”
The bald man, who was looking at the woman’s face in the robe from below, let out a laugh.
“Your sister’s face is also half and half. I guess the two of you will get along well together?”
The fat group next to him added a word to the bald man’s words.
“We’re quite lucky today! Two of them came rolling in on their own.”
“If we sell something young and fresh, we can get quite a good deal.”
As they gasped at the robed woman, the large man next to her took a step forward.
“Don’t touch her.”
The man’s low voice rang out menacingly.
“What are you?”
“Why don’t you just go your own way without getting in the way?”
“Hey, stop for a moment!”
Karina grabbed Mikhail’s arm and stopped him.
“...!”
Mikhail’s shoulders flinched as if he was slightly surprised when her hand touched them.
“Did you forget what I said?”
“Oh... Were you supposed to stay still?”
Mikhail looked at Karina with a face that had become gentle.
“But...”
His blood-red eyes swept over the group of thugs.
“Do we really need to leave these guys alone?”
Mikhail tilted his head as if he was really curious.
As if asking why he shouldn’t kill dirty pests.
An icy tension hung around them.
“...”
Mikhail whispered softly as Karina looked at him with anxious eyes.
Unlike the tense atmosphere, Mikhail’s attitude toward Karina was affectionate.
“Just say one word to take care of it. I’ll take care of everything.”
“...”
“I said just one word?”
Mikhail whispered pleadingly close to Karina’s ear.
“Please allow me. Okay?”
However, unlike his tone, his voice sounded dangerous, like a beast tempting its prey.
“...”
Karina’s lips trembled at the strange feeling.
At that moment, an unfamiliar voice was heard from behind her.
“Should we stop?”
“...!?”
A woman wearing a black robe approached them.
Next to the woman, a large man wearing a robe was also standing guard.
Everyone’s eyes turned to them at the appearance of the new people.
Karina, who had come to her senses, grabbed Mikhail’s hand and lowered it.
“...”
Mikhail looked at Karina with regret and smiled, then obediently lowered his hand.
“Huh? What? There’s another woman here?”
The bald man, who was looking at the woman’s face in the robe from below, let out a laugh.
“Your sister’s face is also half and half. I guess the two of you will get along well together?”
The fat group next to him added a word to the bald man’s words.
“We’re quite lucky today! Two of them came rolling in on their own.”
“If we sell something young and fresh, we can get quite a good deal.”
As they gasped at the robed woman, the large man next to her took a step forward.
“Don’t touch her.”
The man’s low voice rang out menacingly.
“What are you?”
“Why don’t you just go your own way without getting in the way?”
The group of thugs arrogantly responded to the sudden interruption, irritated.
“That’s why those mercenary rascals who get paid to do bodyguard work are the problem. They rely on their size and act like troublemakers.”
The bald man arrogantly blocked the large man’s way.
“You look like a stupid bear.”
Bam!
As soon as the bald man finished speaking, his fist flew out.
“Whoa!”
The bald man, who was hit by the large man’s fist, fell backward with a scream.
The table and chair behind him also fell down with a loud crash.
The fallen man was bleeding from his head and nose.
“If you want to do more, then do it.”
The large man took off his hood and clenched his fists with a loud clank.
“That bastard!”
The bald man, who was gritting his teeth and swearing at the sight, was stopped by one of the gang of thugs.
“Hey! Stop it. Don’t you know who that guy is?”
“Who is he?”
“That bastard?”
“That bastard?”
“The bastard who blew up that crazy bastard Eton with one punch!”
“...!”
The bald man’s face turned pale at those words.
“That... What am I going to say now?”
“This... !”
The gang of thugs stood up hesitantly, then quickly dispersed and ran away, saying,
“That’s why those mercenary rascals who get paid to do bodyguard work are the problem. They rely on their size and act like troublemakers.”
The bald man arrogantly blocked the large man’s way.
“You look like a stupid bear.”
Bam!
As soon as the bald man finished speaking, his fist flew out.
“Whoa!”
The bald man, who was hit by the large man’s fist, fell backward with a scream.
The table and chair behind him also fell down with a loud crash.
The fallen man was bleeding from his head and nose.
“If you want to do more, then do it.”
The large man took off his hood and clenched his fists with a loud clank.
“That bastard!”
The bald man, who was gritting his teeth and swearing at the sight, was stopped by one of the gang of thugs.
“Hey! Stop it. Don’t you know who that guy is?”
“Who is he?”
“That bastard?”
“That bastard?”
“The bastard who blew up that crazy bastard Eton with one punch!”
“...!”
The bald man’s face turned pale at those words.
“That... What am I going to say now?”
“This... !”
The gang of thugs stood up hesitantly, then quickly dispersed and ran away, saying,
“Let’s just wait and see.”
“You’re so annoying.”
The large man snickered as he watched the thugs disperse.
Mikhail, who saw this from the side, said to Karina.
“I can do that much. No, I can do it better than that.”
Karina snickered at his seemingly indifferent, serious gaze.
“I know.”
Mikhail’s expression brightened as if he liked Karina’s answer.
Karina turned her head and looked at the woman and the large man in front of her.
‘If those thugs run away just by hearing your name, you must be quite famous...’
“Thank you.”
Karina expressed her gratitude.
“It’s nothing.”
They nodded and received her greeting.
“But you should be more careful when you come to a place like this. Especially if you have a lot of gold.”
“Oh... That’s right.”
Karina answered sheepishly.
After giving Karina a word of caution, they returned to the table where they were sitting.
Karina continued to stare at them, lost in thought.
“Why are you doing that?”
Mikhail asked as Karina stood still, seemingly frozen in place.
Karina’s expression was clearly troubled by Mikhail’s question.
“No... Those two. I think I’ve seen them somewhere.”
Karina looked at the faces of the two people who somehow felt familiar.
Just then, a staff member from the restaurant kitchen brought out food and placed it in front of them.
When the food arrived, the woman sitting there took off the robe she was wearing.
The woman had unusual purple hair.
“Ah!”
Karina suddenly let out an exclamation.
Seeing that hair color brought back a vague memory.
“They were definitely the staff members in charge of information at the Dark Shop.”
The large man snickered as he watched the thugs disperse.
Mikhail, who saw this from the side, said to Karina.
“I can do that much. No, I can do it better than that.”
Karina snickered at his seemingly indifferent, serious gaze.
“I know.”
Mikhail’s expression brightened as if he liked Karina’s answer.
Karina turned her head and looked at the woman and the large man in front of her.
‘If those thugs run away just by hearing your name, you must be quite famous...’
“Thank you.”
Karina expressed her gratitude.
“It’s nothing.”
They nodded and received her greeting.
“But you should be more careful when you come to a place like this. Especially if you have a lot of gold.”
“Oh... That’s right.”
Karina answered sheepishly.
After giving Karina a word of caution, they returned to the table where they were sitting.
Karina continued to stare at them, lost in thought.
“Why are you doing that?”
Mikhail asked as Karina stood still, seemingly frozen in place.
Karina’s expression was clearly troubled by Mikhail’s question.
“No... Those two. I think I’ve seen them somewhere.”
Karina looked at the faces of the two people who somehow felt familiar.
Just then, a staff member from the restaurant kitchen brought out food and placed it in front of them.
When the food arrived, the woman sitting there took off the robe she was wearing.
The woman had unusual purple hair.
“Ah!”
Karina suddenly let out an exclamation.
Seeing that hair color brought back a vague memory.
“They were definitely the staff members in charge of information at the Dark Shop.”
They were the staff members who had dealt with Karina when she had gone to the Dark Shop to get information several times before obtaining the potion. She even remembered that they had quite a high position in the Dark Shop.
'But why are there only two of them? Are you hiding your identity?'
Karina took a moment to collect her thoughts.
She took a deep breath and approached them.
"Thank you for helping me earlier."
Karina said with a smile.
“I just didn’t like the noise, so I came out. You already greeted ua earlier, so don’t worry about it.”
The robed woman answered in a soft voice.
Her tone was friendly, but her attitude was clearly drawing a line.
Karina bit her lower lip nervously. She had to get the attention of those working in the dark room. She had to win their favor and open up to them enough to accept her as a guest.
Or at least, she had to win their favor and open up to them so that they could meet again next time.
“I heard there was a dark room here, but do you know anything about it?”
“Well, it’s the first time I’ve heard of it.”
“I already knew everything, so you don’t have to hide it.”
‘Please!’
Karina swallowed dryly in tension.
“...”
A moment of silence passed between them.
“I think there’s some kind of misunderstanding. We don’t know anything about the dark room that Young Lady is talking about.”
“...”
Karina was speechless.
‘What the...’
Looking at the woman’s expression, it didn’t seem like she was lying.
Karina, who had been confused for a while, suddenly realized something.
‘Oh! Could it be that the Dark Lord hasn’t come to the North yet?’
It had been three years since Karina had obtained the wishing potion.
Even then, the Dark Lord’s main base was the capital.
If he had grown from the capital and gradually expanded his influence to the surrounding areas, it was quite possible that the Dark Lord hadn’t come to the North yet.
Then, this bar wouldn’t be the Dark Lord’s base, and these people wouldn’t be employees. It was understandable that they had no idea.
When she thought about that, her eyes darkened.
‘Then what should I do now?’
She didn’t know when the Dark Lord would come to the North, so she couldn’t just sit there and wait until then.
As she was thinking about it, a good idea suddenly occurred to Karina.
‘What if I make it in advance?’
Karina already knew to some extent what would happen in the future.
Even if it wasn’t the Dark Lord, it was worth making and operating an information shop.
'Now that I know these two people who will be in charge of information work in the Dark World in the future...'
She thought that the Dark World forces that would hire them would naturally come.
'Okay. Then.'
Karina's eyes lit up.
"I want to hire you, the people who saved me."
"... Hire?"
The woman and the large man looked at her with puzzled expressions at Karina's unexpected suggestion.
"I need competent people who will do what I ask."
"I will decline."
The firm refusal came from the large man sitting next to her instead of the woman.
"... Why?"
The large man answered Karina's question with a trembling expression.
"Honestly, isn't it a stranger to hire someone you've just met in a place like this?"
The man looked suspicious and wary at Karina.
"What do we trust in you to do this obediently? What kind of dirty work do you think you're going to do? I highly suspect your intentions."
"..."
Karina was speechless for a moment.
It was not that she didn’t understand the man’s suspicion, but she was quite embarrassed.
Mikhail, who noticed Karina’s awkward expression, intervened.
“It seems like you’re reacting too harshly to the offer my Lady made with good intentions. If that’s the problem, shouldn’t we just get to know each other?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
Although it wasn’t exactly pure good intentions, Karina quickly followed Mikhail’s words.
“You don’t have to worry about money. I’ll take care of you enough so that you won’t be disappointed.”
The large man who heard those words suddenly stood up and asked.
“Today, no, I just met you for the first time. Why do you want to hire me so badly? That’s even more suspicious.”
'But why are there only two of them? Are you hiding your identity?'
Karina took a moment to collect her thoughts.
She took a deep breath and approached them.
"Thank you for helping me earlier."
Karina said with a smile.
“I just didn’t like the noise, so I came out. You already greeted ua earlier, so don’t worry about it.”
The robed woman answered in a soft voice.
Her tone was friendly, but her attitude was clearly drawing a line.
Karina bit her lower lip nervously. She had to get the attention of those working in the dark room. She had to win their favor and open up to them enough to accept her as a guest.
Or at least, she had to win their favor and open up to them so that they could meet again next time.
“I heard there was a dark room here, but do you know anything about it?”
“Well, it’s the first time I’ve heard of it.”
“I already knew everything, so you don’t have to hide it.”
‘Please!’
Karina swallowed dryly in tension.
“...”
A moment of silence passed between them.
“I think there’s some kind of misunderstanding. We don’t know anything about the dark room that Young Lady is talking about.”
“...”
Karina was speechless.
‘What the...’
Looking at the woman’s expression, it didn’t seem like she was lying.
Karina, who had been confused for a while, suddenly realized something.
‘Oh! Could it be that the Dark Lord hasn’t come to the North yet?’
It had been three years since Karina had obtained the wishing potion.
Even then, the Dark Lord’s main base was the capital.
If he had grown from the capital and gradually expanded his influence to the surrounding areas, it was quite possible that the Dark Lord hadn’t come to the North yet.
Then, this bar wouldn’t be the Dark Lord’s base, and these people wouldn’t be employees. It was understandable that they had no idea.
When she thought about that, her eyes darkened.
‘Then what should I do now?’
She didn’t know when the Dark Lord would come to the North, so she couldn’t just sit there and wait until then.
As she was thinking about it, a good idea suddenly occurred to Karina.
‘What if I make it in advance?’
Karina already knew to some extent what would happen in the future.
Even if it wasn’t the Dark Lord, it was worth making and operating an information shop.
'Now that I know these two people who will be in charge of information work in the Dark World in the future...'
She thought that the Dark World forces that would hire them would naturally come.
'Okay. Then.'
Karina's eyes lit up.
"I want to hire you, the people who saved me."
"... Hire?"
The woman and the large man looked at her with puzzled expressions at Karina's unexpected suggestion.
"I need competent people who will do what I ask."
"I will decline."
The firm refusal came from the large man sitting next to her instead of the woman.
"... Why?"
The large man answered Karina's question with a trembling expression.
"Honestly, isn't it a stranger to hire someone you've just met in a place like this?"
The man looked suspicious and wary at Karina.
"What do we trust in you to do this obediently? What kind of dirty work do you think you're going to do? I highly suspect your intentions."
"..."
Karina was speechless for a moment.
It was not that she didn’t understand the man’s suspicion, but she was quite embarrassed.
Mikhail, who noticed Karina’s awkward expression, intervened.
“It seems like you’re reacting too harshly to the offer my Lady made with good intentions. If that’s the problem, shouldn’t we just get to know each other?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
Although it wasn’t exactly pure good intentions, Karina quickly followed Mikhail’s words.
“You don’t have to worry about money. I’ll take care of you enough so that you won’t be disappointed.”
The large man who heard those words suddenly stood up and asked.
“Today, no, I just met you for the first time. Why do you want to hire me so badly? That’s even more suspicious.”
Because of the huge difference in their physiques, Karina had to look up as much as possible to see his face.
The large man seemed threatening even though he was just standing in front of her as if he was paying for his size.
“I’ll be blunt. If you need someone who will treat you like a dog no matter what, go look somewhere else.”
Mikhail's expression hardened coldly at the giant man's words and he warned.
"Hey. Watch what you say."
The large man seemed threatening even though he was just standing in front of her as if he was paying for his size.
“I’ll be blunt. If you need someone who will treat you like a dog no matter what, go look somewhere else.”
Mikhail's expression hardened coldly at the giant man's words and he warned.
"Hey. Watch what you say."
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