The old lady moved incredibly slowly—she took three steps while Rudolf only took one.

  "Enter this alley. The third door on the side is the Black Gold Exchange, which you call the black market." After pointing the way, the old lady turned back and said, "Alright, now pay the guide fee."

  "Guide fee?" Rudolf was stunned. That was a thing? Kashino hadn’t mentioned it. Then again, Kashino probably never imagined that the esteemed student of the Bloody Selen wouldn’t be able to afford it.

  "Ten silver shields," the old lady stated firmly.

  Rudolf hesitated but eventually asked, "What if someone refuses to pay?"

  "Oh, then that's unfortunate. I’ll kick their ass." Her voice was frail and trembling, but her tone was firm and uncompromising.

  That made it hard for Rudolf to act tough.

  "What if someone decides not to go?"

  "Not go? You already know where the Black Gold Exchange is, and you want to leave? What, planning to report it to the police? Don’t tell me—are you a six-foot-tall man without ten silver shields to your name?"

  That was... awkward. Fortunately, before Rudolf left, Ivona had given him some money. Otherwise, not only would he have failed to enter the black market, but he might have also been beaten to death by an old lady over eighty years old.

  Rudolf reluctantly pulled out the new wallet Mayol had given him and counted out ten silver shields one by one. The pain of it was real.

  The old lady, satisfied, lifted the floral cloth covering her basket and placed the coins inside. For a brief moment, as the cloth lifted, a slight trace of astral energy leaked out, triggering the star map in Rudolf’s mind.

  This old lady was not simple.

  Good thing he was a sensible man when out and about.

  Rudolf walked through the narrow passage and quickly entered.

  Fabro City's urban planning was exceptionally orderly, with grid-like streets dividing the city into neat blocks. The block where the black market was located didn’t appear special at first glance—just an ordinary residential area.

  After entering the designated door, Rudolf walked through a long, dark, winding corridor. When he finally reached the end, he saw a half-open door emitting a dim yellow light.

  Pushing it open, he stepped into the Black Gold Exchange.

  The moment he entered, he felt at ease—this place suited him.

  No one here looked like a good person.

  Some wore masks like him, unwilling to reveal their identities, making him stand out less. Others showed their faces openly, clearly unconcerned about being recognized. Judging by their appearances, they weren’t exactly upstanding citizens.

  Rudolf stood against the wall, quietly observing.

  Some people were chatting in groups, seemingly familiar with one another. Others stood in corners, watching silently, just like him. Servers moved through the crowd, offering drinks.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  When Rudolf picked up a glass, he noticed a piece of paper on the tray.

  A quick glance around revealed that people were occasionally writing on these slips.

  The server beside him spoke, "Sir, if you have any requests, you can write them here. I will be at your service throughout the evening."

  After some thought, Rudolf wrote: Selling 20 vials of Wolfbane Potion.

  The server took the note and left. A short while later, he returned and remained at Rudolf’s side—this really was a VIP, one-on-one service.

  Before long, the lights dimmed, leaving only a single bright spotlight illuminating a two-meter-wide circle in the center. An old man stood under the light.

  "Welcome to the world between black and white. If you dare to sell, someone will buy—whether it’s a viscount’s relic or something worse. If you dare to buy, you will leave this place in one piece."

  With that, the old man in the tailcoat began hosting the evening’s transactions.

  "White Knight B is selling a Grade 2 Festering Potion. Bidding starts now."

  Hearing this introduction, Rudolf glanced down at the chess piece in his hand. It seemed like the participants were identified by chess pieces—his was a Black Pawn, marked with an 'N'.

  Bids quickly came in, all called out by attendants on behalf of the buyers.

  Eventually, Black Rook H won the Festering Potion. Judging by the name, it was likely something that could keep a person bedridden in agony for a long time.

  "Black Bishop F is purchasing the life of Sheriff Zapudi for 600 gold shields. Any takers?"

  Rudolf was taken aback. So direct? He had no idea who Sheriff Zapudi was, but clearly, someone had it out for him.

  Soon, Black Queen accepted the contract.

  At first, the deals were all between the higher-ranking chess pieces—big players. Even if Rudolf wanted to join, he didn’t have the financial means.

  But soon, the lower-tier trading began—at least now, the currency wasn’t in gold shields anymore. Judging by the volume of sales, the demand from Fabro City's underworld was quite high.

  Eventually, he heard his own listing.

  "Black Pawn N is selling 20 vials of Grade 1 Wolfbane Potion. No asking price provided. Bidding starts now."

  Rudolf blinked. He’d forgotten to set a minimum price.

  What if the bids were too low? Should he sell or not?

  Wolfbane Potion was an excellent healing remedy—useful to anyone—which meant plenty of interest.

  "Black Pawn X bids 300 silver shields for 20 vials of Wolfbane Potion."

  Rudolf let out a quiet breath of relief.

  That was a solid price—even a bit of a premium.

  If someone went to buy directly from a Druid settlement, a single vial would cost around 10 silver shields.

  "Black Knight B is selling three starstones. Price: 60 silver shields."

  Rudolf’s attention snapped to the listing. Starstones!

  But if he bid for them, would people suspect he was a wizard?

  Before he could decide, competing bids rang out across the room.

  Clearly, he was overthinking it—he wasn’t the only wizard here.

  If they dared, so did he.

  He placed his chess piece onto the server’s tray, signaling his bid.

  To his delight, he won—90 silver shields for three starstones.

  It seemed the other wizards weren’t exactly wealthy either.

  He noticed some participants leaving, presumably to complete transactions. He told his server that he also wanted to finalize his deals.

  The server led him to a room off to the side.

  Inside, a staff member sat at a desk.

  "Please present the Wolfbane Potions for verification. Once confirmed, your payment will be processed."

  Rudolf placed his briefcase on the table and opened it. Inside, nestled in shredded paper and goose feathers, were twenty vials of Wolfbane Potion.

  The staff member inspected them one by one before nodding.

  "They are all valid. Please wait a moment."

  He left the room, leaving Rudolf alone.

  The dim glow of the desk lamp was the only light source.

  There were no windows, no ventilation—it was humid and stifling. Rudolf found it unpleasant.

  He pulled out his pocket watch and casually observed his surroundings.

  Then, shadows flickered—causing him to frown.

  The staff member returned, carrying neatly stacked silver shields.

  "Sir, here is your payment. 300 silver shields. After deducting a 10% commission, you receive 270 silver shields."

  This place was a ripoff.

  An entry fee of 10 silver shields, plus a 10% transaction fee—Rudolf felt the sting.

  The staff member also handed him a small leather pouch.

  "Here are the starstones you purchased. Please verify them."

  Rudolf opened the pouch. The starstones were authentic, so he accepted them and handed over 90 silver shields.

  "Now that my business is done, may I leave?" he asked.