The Male Lead Has Gone Mad Over the Troublesome Villainess - Chapter 38

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Male Lead Has Gone Mad Over the Villainess 038
At that same moment, negotiations were underway in front of a tent at the edge of the Cliff.
Kael stood back with his hood pulled low, but the Merchant’s gaze kept drifting toward him—even though it was Millers seated at the negotiating table in his stead.
“Ground Spider Carapace. It’s been an age since I’ve seen goods of this caliber.”
The Merchant lifted one carapace plate and held it up to the torchlight. The smooth surface reflected the flames.
“I’ll give you two gold coins per plate.”
“Four.”
Millers’s answer was firm.
“Listen here—do you have any idea how scarce such goods are in times like these?”
“You just said you hadn’t seen them in ages.”
The Merchant’s hand twitched.
In truth, high-quality carapace as pristine as this was exceedingly rare to come by.
“Three coins, then.”
“There are also Venom Sacs.”
Millers opened the next pouch. Kael caught the shift in the Merchant’s expression. Venom Sacs were the sort of goods traded only in whispers at the Black Market.
“This is… heavens. You acquired this? Venom Sac from a Poison Spider? No, I’ll offer four coins. This is merchandise that demands fair pricing.”
The haggling stretched on for more than half an hour.
Kael observed from behind. It took considerable time, but Millers finally managed to exchange their goods for coin.
“Your Highness.”
Millers approached and spoke quietly.
“It appears we’ve secured adequate funds. We should be able to purchase medicinal herbs, additional weapons, and equipment.”
“Find out where the herbalist is located.”
“Yes.”
Kael exhaled a long breath. The information about the Black Market had come from a visit to the Information Guild. He’d paid a substantial sum there for intelligence concerning Greystone. He also needed a guide who could lead him through Greystone. The information broker had mentioned he could find a suitable person in this region—and conveniently, the Mercenary Guild was said to have a branch near the Black Market. He was considering posting a request there.
‘I’ll need to choose carefully.’
Kael smiled coolly. In a world as tumultuous as this, cunning men thrived. Not a soul revealed their true nature transparently, so the task of selecting someone fell to him. Yet there was one person whose hidden depths had laid bare before him.
Kael recalled Rosana, who had coveted his sword. Giving it to her had been an impulsive decision—she didn’t even know how to wield it properly yet.
Still, he suspected she would manage it eventually. He found himself suddenly wondering what she might be doing now.
* * *
At the next stall I visited, I purchased an additional sword to give as a gift to Kael. My purse had grown lean after withdrawing funds for him to buy the mine, so I had no choice but to haggle fiercely. The merchant insisted he wouldn’t sell, but I pressed and finally succeeded—though the effort had worn me down somewhat.
“Whew.”
I ought to be pleased with the find. As I adjusted the strap of my bundle to head back, laughter echoed across the space.
In a hollow deeper within the Cliff, roughly a dozen men sat in a circle around boulders, with a bonfire in the center and barrels of liquor scattered about. From their rough appearance, they seemed to be mercenaries.
One of them raised a cup and spoke.
“That’s what I’m saying—Greystone is no place for people anymore.”
Greystone? Drawn by that word as if bewitched, I walked toward the bonfire.
“Have a seat.”
Someone nudged a log toward me with their foot.
“Thank you.”
“A traveler?”
“Something like that, I suppose.”
Someone slid me a cup. It was a crude wooden vessel half-filled with beer—cloudy in color, with barely any head, and the smell alone told me it was strong stuff. I pretended to sip it but didn’t actually drink. I had no idea what Rosana’s tolerance for alcohol was.
“That’s what I mean—venturing into Greystone is pointless.”
That same voice continued.
“There’s profit in it, though.”
“Profit means nothing when you’re dead. Most who go in there don’t come back out.”
A man drained his cup and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
“I’ve been in and out of that place three times myself.”
At that point, I set my cup down entirely.
“The Temple area is completely inaccessible. Monsters infest every direction near it—the path inward is completely sealed off.”
“What’s supposed to be in the Temple?”
“If I knew that, I wouldn’t be sitting here drinking this swill.”
Laughter erupted. But not everyone laughed.
“And the creatures lately—they’re acting strange. Moving in packs. Even the solitary ones are doing it.”
The man leaned forward. As his voice dropped, everyone naturally fell silent.
Only the crackling of the bonfire could be heard.
“A place already dangerous has become even more so.”
“Still, I’ve heard there are people living deeper inside.”
My heart pounded. We had to venture into that dangerous place they spoke of, so it seemed wise to carefully reconstruct what the original story contained. As I listened to their exchange, someone sat down beside me.
The log tilted under the weight. We were close enough that our shoulders nearly touched, but in a gathering like this, that was hardly unusual—it didn’t particularly register. Not until he spoke to me.
“So you were here.”
I thought my heart had stopped.
I turned my head very slowly. Beneath the shadow of the hood, a familiar jawline came into view, and above it, eyes I knew just as well fixed themselves on me.
“I… Your Highness.”
“Hush.”
I pressed my lips firmly shut.
“A companion of yours?”
The mercenary across from us asked.
“That’s right.”
“Wondered about that. She’s been sitting alone since we arrived.”
The mercenaries laughed. In that instant, alarm bells rang through my mind.
‘If I’m caught sneaking to the Black Market alone, I’ll be sleeping in my room for the rest of my life.’
I swallowed hard.
“The reason I came here.”
Kael glanced at me, then took the cup in front of me and drank from it in great gulps before he spoke.
“They were telling amusing stories. Greystone? Sounds like you’ve been there.”
“Well, it’s definitely worth a visit at least once!”
The mercenaries, thoroughly excited, launched into their own tales of adventure. After that boisterous hour had passed and people began to drift away one by one, the firelight was already dying down.
“So what happens if you’re caught sneaking into the Black Market alone.”
“I wasn’t alone.”
Kael’s eyebrows rose ever so slightly. Holding his gaze, I smiled and tried to make my face as pitiful as possible.
“I’m with Your Highness right now.”
“…….”
“So I didn’t come alone.”
Kael stared at me for a long moment, then finally lowered his head and let out a soft laugh. This won’t pass without consequence. Kael’s gaze swept past me.
“Let’s be on our way.”
I nodded and followed Kael out, padding along behind him. Millers and several knights fell into step behind us. Kael casually handed them the bag I’d been carrying.
“Shoes.”
“Yes, the reason I was going to use them was…….”
“To distribute them among those who can no longer wear shoes.”
“…… They’re made from Ground Spider Carapace. I thought it would be good if we could learn to make shoes like these.”
Kael shook his head slightly. Perhaps everything would have remained peaceful. If only Kael hadn’t noticed the bruises on my wrist.
Kael’s eyes sharpened at once.
“You’re hurt?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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