"You shouldn't involve yourself in this. You might die for real this time."
Turning around, I found a woman in her 30s. She wore a black robe that covered her entire body. Except for her face, which was partially visible, everything else was hidden behind that robe.
From the little that was visible, one can make out that she had a white complexion, and she was truly beautiful. Just like a goddess.
"Who are you-" Aisha was about to ask but I raised my hand, stopping her as I answered,
"It's fine. I know what I am getting into."
That black robed woman stood there for a moment as if thinking something. The moment seemed to have paused in space as she stood there. For the time she was thinking, nobody uttered a single word.
"All right. Just promise me one thing," she spoke again as she focused on me and continued,
"If you are going to go through it. Then don't back out, no matter what happens. If it is you… then I think I can believe a little."
"Sure," I smiled as I looked at her, making her smiled a litte before she answered,
"Then let's meet again soon. Since the path you are taking is going to coincide with mine, too."
And then she vanished from there with no trace. While we stood there in a trance for a moment.
"Josh. Who was she?" Aisha asked, mesmerized just by her presence, while I gave it a bit of thought before answering,
"A close friend of mine."
She narrowed her eyes at me, but I just ignored her and then spoke," let's go. Let's see that place."
Aisha wasn't thrilled with that answer, but she didn't pry anymore, except for peeking a couple of times back to where that robed girl was. And then she began walking forward towards the place where she met that scammer.
We took a couple of turns before reaching a blind alley. There was a half-open window on the side where Aisha knocked 4 times before knocking 2 times again. And then 2 more times.
Waiting for a few seconds, a voice came from inside.
"What is your purpose here?"
"To put the sun to sleep so that night comes faster," Aisha spoke as she looked at that window, while Geralt and I stood behind her, a bit amazed.
"Why are you amazed? Aren't you from this city?" I questioned Geralt, who was stumped.
"Well. I have never ventured into the black market before. Most of the things were managed by my subordinates, who took care of everything. I usually focus on what's on the surface," answered Geralt.
I looked at him, wondering if he was an idiot or something? Well. I don't care about his reasons. Not my place to judge anyone.
-Creak!
The window opened up in front of us as a young man wearing a bandana appeared in front of us.
"Hey, Aisha! How come you are here? I heard Geralt finally caught you-" he was speaking, but then his eyes suddenly reached behind Aisha, specifically on Geralt.
"Shit!"
He was about to close the window but Aisha put her hand in between, stopping it from closing as a devilish smile appeared on her face.
"What's the hurry?" She spoke while he gave a dry chuckle before speaking.
"T-That's just. I remembered something important."
"Take us to the third sector of the lower market," Aisha spoke as she glared at him, making him shake in fear even more. He shouted,
"Y-You know I can't do that! I will die a dog's death-"
And then I took out a gold coin and threw at him, which he caught with excellent skill before looking at me.
"Take us there," I spoke as I looked back at him. He looked at that gold coin, and then back at me before his fear filled expression changed to that of a serious one.
"Are you that eager to die?" He asked as he played with that gold coin. The previous cowardice was nowhere visible now, as his eyes narrowed at me.
It was basically easy to see through the facade he was putting up. Being with those people from the Border Town, it became pretty easy to see through the true nature of those two faced people.
Aisha, too, probably knew of it. She was hopefully going to do something from a different approach as well. But well… this was just faster.
"We just don't have enough time to kill. Plus, the situation is just as grave," I told him, making him smile as he put that gold coin in his pocket and answered,
"Pleasure doing business with you."
And then, moving back, he clicked some buttons, opening a pathway just beside the window. It seemed to lead into a dark alley.
"You can call me Fey. I'll guide you to that place. Our deal ends after that," that guy, Fey, appeared from that dark alley before turning around then walking into that alley.
Aisha moved in first, and then I followed along with Geralt.
[Eyes of Mana!]
I activated my skill as I looked at the traces of mana in front of me. Fey was walking a bit ahead, with Aisha behind him. From the looks of it, it doesn't seem like they had any problem with this darkness, either.
It was the same for Geralt, who simply kept following behind me.
The dark path continued for a few more seconds before a light appeared and all of us entered into an underground market that seemed to contain twice the population that was in the city. It was bustling with people, no matter where you looked.
But what really caught my eyes was the giant ball floating in the center. It seemed like a screen showing a number. Looking carefully, I tried reading that number.
"750,249,902."
"You curious about that?" Fey asked, and I nodded slowly, making him chuckle before giving a smirk.
"It seems like this is your first visit to this underground market. Since it's like that, let me welcome you… to the Auralian's Empire Biggest Underground Casino. Here you can bet anything from money to your entire existence. That is, if you are capable enough to keep it."