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Chapter 69: Bad Taste

The dim candlelight cast the silhouette of a graceful figure.

Leanna donned her robe, hood pulled up, and a lavishly adorned sleeveless black mini-dress that accentuated her already curvaceous form, revealing a generous expanse of neck, arms, and milky skin below the skirt—if this was the case, it was a bit too revealing.

Yet, Leanna wore a black choker, ornate wrist cuffs, and black fishnet stockings. Her fair skin was covered, but it only added a layer of playful seduction, like a beauty hiding behind a thin veil, making it even more tantalizing.

Under the hood, her familiar face was partially obscured by the black veil. Her usually tame brown hair was styled into soft curls, losing its dignified appeal and gaining an unbearable allure.

To linger in the South District, Leanna certainly couldn’t show up as a student, something Roy had anticipated long ago.

One of the seven wanted criminals, the “Serpent Eye Witch,” was a fitting identity for this part of town.

However, upon actually seeing the witch, Roy couldn’t help but be slightly dazed.

If he didn’t already know Leanna’s identity, he might not have recognized that the “Serpent Eye Witch” and the Student Council President were one and the same.

“This outfit really suits you,” Roy offered a tentative compliment.

Leanna winked mischievously: “Which do you prefer, this or the usual me?”

Mysterious and alluring or dignified and elegant—what a tough choice.

Roy replied nonchalantly, “Each has its merits.”

“How greedy of you,” Leanna chuckled, stepping closer to Roy, eyeing his attire shamelessly as she teased, “I’m actually a bit curious how you figured out my identity.”

“I have my ways. But didn’t you already know mine?” Roy shot back.

“Not really. I guessed you had something to do with the ‘Sword Demon,’ but I didn’t expect you to be the ‘Sword Demon’ himself.” Leanna raised an eyebrow.

Having collaborated to this extent, Roy didn’t mind that the “Sword Demon” identity was known to her. If Leanna wanted to make a fuss, it was easy enough to just scrap that identity and come up with a new one.

“Let me guess, you set up that identity to woo that elf?”

“Not telling,” Roy sighed.

“As an adventurer, you’re a bit too indifferent.”

Leanna complained but then boldly stepped forward, playfully lifting Roy’s chin with a fingertip.

“Mr. ‘Sword Demon,’ can I hire you for a job? I promise, the pay will be satisfying.”

Perhaps because of the hood and veil, the mischievous glint in her purple eyes seemed even more pronounced.

Roy felt a bead of sweat roll down his back, relieved he wasn’t short on cash, thinking to himself, if you’re already this daring, who knows what other surprises you have in store if I actually work for you!

“Pass. I’m not taking requests.”

Roy gently pushed Leanna’s hand away, prompting her to pout, “What a pity.”

“Gentlemen, it’s almost time,” the voice of the Black Mage rang out from outside.

That put an end to their banter, and they immediately set off.

Under Leanna’s lead, they weaved through the deep alleyways, twisting and turning before passing through a few illusion barriers, finally arriving at an underground tavern.

At the entrance stood a tall, bald man exuding an aura of an Extraordinary Being at Rank 9.

You see, even many minor nobles can’t afford to have an Extraordinary Being as a bodyguard. Roy doubted that this underground auction had no backing.

Just as they were about to enter, the guard glared fiercely at them, gruffly demanding, “Identity!”

His lewd gaze slid over to Leanna in her fishnets, admiring the stark contrast of her thighs, clearly tempted.

It wasn’t until Leanna produced a magic crystal card Roy had never seen that the guard suddenly stiffened, changing his attitude to one of respect, hastily averting his rude stare.

But just as Roy was about to follow her inside, the guard glared at him again, “Miss, bodyguards aren’t allowed at the auction!”

Roy fell silent.

It’s really inappropriate to stir up trouble before even getting in.

Leanna was a regular here; she should handle this.

To his surprise, Leanna unexpectedly linked her arm with his.

The familiar scent of bellflowers and coffee wafted gently. The soft contact left Roy a bit flustered, and he instinctively wanted to pull away, but to appease the guard, he silently endured this overly familiar proximity.

Leanna practically nestled her head on Roy’s shoulder: “He’s not my bodyguard.”

“This…” The burly man scratched his head, then said: “Even if he’s a partner, you still need a VIP card.”

Leanna sighed at that.

“Get your boss out here.”

The burly man went inside.

Moments later, a finely dressed middle-aged servant emerged with the burly guard.

The servant beamed upon sighting them: “My apologies, Miss Witch, the new guy is just unaware of the rules. If there’s any offense, please forgive him.”

“But, regarding your partner…” He glanced at Roy, weighing his words, “You know, even partners need to be certified for the auction. If you don’t have a membership card, you still need to present appropriate identification.”

Roy understood now.

Of course, right under the Academy City’s nose, illicit Extraordinary items couldn’t be freely circulated. Even if it was just a formality, they had to verify the identities of guests to trace them later if needed.

Rather than an unregulated black market, it was more like a gray market that the Mage Association turned a blind eye to.

The downside is that it wasn’t as freewheeling as a real black market; even identities were subject to some scrutiny. Essentially, without a decent identity, you wouldn’t even qualify to attend the auction.

The upside, however, is that the auctions managed by the Mage Association had higher quality items compared to the mismatched goods found in a black market. Those mages, and even royal nobles, probably came here to buy rare treasures that couldn’t be openly displayed.

Roy silently pulled out his adventurer identity card.

The servant took the card, gave it a cursory glance, his brows twitching slightly, and his demeanor became more respectful as he returned it: “Welcome, Mr. ‘Sword Demon.'”

“Please, both of you, come in.”

The burly man quickly bowed his head, fearful of causing further offense.

Just as they were about to enter the underground tavern, Leanna casually glanced back at the burly man.

“By the way, that guy’s gaze makes me uncomfortable.”

The burly man’s face turned pale, while the middle-aged servant leaned in and asked, “What can I do to make Miss Witch feel better?”

Leanna shot a cold glance at the burly man.

Dig out his eyes—just as she was about to speak, she suddenly remembered that Roy was right beside her.

Whether it’s a dutiful knight or a brave adventurer, neither would feel kindly toward a cold-blooded person, right?

Seeing Leanna silent, the servant took the initiative to suggest, “How about we dig out his eyes?”

“Wait, no need to go that far with the eye-gouging.”

The burly man sighed in relief, stammering, “Th-thank you, Miss Witch, for sparing me.”

“But, he seems to really like fishnets, right? Just let him stand guard in fishnets. Oh, and only in fishnets.”

Roy, the servant, and even the burly man himself fell into a stunned silence.

Especially Roy, whose feelings were quite complicated.

In the original work, Leanna was a genuine lesbian, which was why Roy thought her teasing was just for fun.

Even if she was interested, it wasn’t the normal kind of interest a girl has for a guy!

After all that, he felt immensely grateful he hadn’t fallen for Leanna’s charms; otherwise, what awaited him wouldn’t just be a pair of fishnets!

Looking at the smile the girl directed at him, Roy felt a chill run down his spine.

 

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