Chapter 15
“Where on earth…?”
Yulines furrowed his brow as he turned his head along his outstretched arm, his expression hardening.
The sign read “Duck and Dog”—a bar with no building name, just the image of a duck and a dog.
Even after so many years, it hadn’t changed.
He scanned the exterior with a small, inward admiration.
An ordinary three-story wooden building, not much different from the others around it.
It was slightly larger than neighboring buildings, but hard to notice unless one looked closely. Behind its seemingly ordinary appearance lay a meticulously crafted, deliberate design.
It ensured that only certain people could enter through specific entrances, while others could be quietly expelled without a trace.
Roughly 90% of the people gathering there were commoners or above, split between those concealing their identities and those who did not.
Those who revealed their status were usually individuals whose physical power exceeded their reputation—mercenaries boasting of having slain dragons, mages claiming they destroyed an entire island, or even actual dragons in disguise.
Those hiding their identity were similar.
Nobles, royalty, or high-ranking officials. Simply being inside could tarnish their honor, so these “high and mighty” individuals came disguised.
Yet, whatever they did inside was no less extreme than any other place.
They would indulge in drugs or alcohol, hire prostitutes, fight like pit bulls to show off their strength, or sometimes even buy and sell begging children as slaves for amusement. Or, like Sia’s master, they would sink into gambling.
Yulines glanced at the sign for a moment before asking Sia,
“Do you even know where you’re pointing?”
“It’s the kind of place I’m looking for.”
“What kind of place is that?”
“The kind of place the master likes.”
Yulines’ expression shifted slightly at Sia’s straightforward response.
Perhaps thinking he agreed with her, she continued, seemingly nonchalant:
“Gambling, alcohol, drugs, prostitution—all there. But not a place for the poor or beggars, only a secret space made by wealthy, foolish nobles dividing themselves into factions. That’s where the biggest flow of money can be found.”
“…….”
“The information is blocked from leaking outside but filtered by skilled people. If the information is so obscure that even experts can’t detect it, it’s a perfect environment for scams. Of course…”
“Of course?”
“Of course, it’s the lowly people at the bottom who bring all the information to them.”
Sia’s eyes flicked toward somewhere across the street.
A few drunk vagrants were collapsed there, forgetting even to beg.
Yulines, who had been silently listening to her flowing words, turned his gaze back to her.
He realized that he often underestimated her too easily. Just being someone he couldn’t kill easily made her remarkable.
It felt unfair to claim pure arrogance as the reason for his admiration.
Thanks to his position as the “Spirit King,” Yulines was accustomed to being treated with respect and reverence. He displayed confidence in his power without hesitation or humility.
In contrast, Sia acted like a normal human unless the situation required otherwise.
She only intervened when her life was at risk, or when she needed to swap outfits with the dress in the painting. Otherwise, she didn’t step forward.
So it made sense that he was constantly surprised or flustered.
“Could it be that you’re worried about me?”
Her sudden question scattered his thoughts. Yulines quickly corrected his expression and shook his head several times.
“Not at all.”
Underneath the brief response, he swallowed the unexpected emotion.
Worry? Why would I, who resents you, feel worry?
“Really…?”
Sia asked again with a faint, enigmatic smile.
She didn’t seem to be seeking an answer.
Still, Yulines felt slightly uncomfortable.
Her reaction implied either “I know, but I’ll let it slide” or “I don’t care either way.”
“Then is it okay to go in there?”
“It’s fine.”
Unlike earlier, Yulines’ answer came without hesitation.
He even pointed toward the building, signaling her to go ahead. His steps quickened toward their destination.
As he strode forward and drew close behind Sia,
“Stop.”
Two suddenly appeared doormen blocked their path.
Where had these people come from?
Sia’s eyes quickly scanned the building’s structure again.
The door was recessed inside, so she had assumed the design emphasized the windows instead. She hadn’t imagined hidden spaces in the walls on either side.
Moreover, the doormen were exceptionally burly. How had they hidden themselves in such a small space? Perhaps the magical energy in this world helped.
“Identify yourselves.”
One doorman demanded identification.
Unlike before, Sia naturally looked to Yulines.
It was a signal for him to handle it.
“The doormen have changed,” Yulines muttered.
He lightly pushed Sia aside and stood in front of them, turning his palms to display them.
Perhaps many people gave strange responses when asked to reveal their identity, but surprisingly, the doormen calmly watched him.
“…!”
“……”
From his thick, rough palms, water slowly began to flow, like a faucet turned on from below.
When Yulines tapped the stream, it gradually solidified from the bottom up.
The rising droplets froze into ice, reflecting the dim alley.
“A water and ice spirit…”
One doorman murmured quietly.
In no time, a palm-sized piece of ice formed above his hand.
Sia, who had been standing back, peeked forward to see what Yulines had created.
The ice wasn’t just frozen water—it was shaped like a fairy, with surprisingly elegant details.
“Is Isabel inside?”
Isabel—who was that?
Sia frowned slightly and looked up at Yulines. He hadn’t mentioned this person before pointing out the building.
Was she reluctant to come here?
Her eyes narrowed as the thought struck her. If he had been unwilling, he would have suggested another place.
“She’s inside, but there’s someone else to deal with today…”
The doorman’s tone became polite.
“That’s enough.”
Yulines lightly nodded and pushed aside the doorman’s arm. He seemed to assume that simply announcing his visit would bring Isabel out.
A kind of narcissism, perhaps.
Sia tilted her head in curiosity and followed closely behind Yulines.
But the doormen who had let him in now blocked her again.
“Are you accompanying him? We still need to check your identity.”
Sia’s eyes flickered in surprise.
Thanks to Yulines, the tone was gentle, but their stance remained firm.
Seeing her helpless expression, Yulines let out a small sigh to the sky. His face looked slightly exasperated.
“Show me something interesting.”
Behind the doormen, Yulines mouthed the words. He was already holding the door handle, clearly impatient.
Earlier, he had seemed reluctant, but now he wanted to get inside quickly.
The answer soon became clear.
He wanted to meet Isabel.
As Sia casually turned her gaze away, it met one of the doormen’s eyes. She noticed the previously stern look vanish instantly and smiled.
“A butterfly tattoo.”
She pointed lightly, and the doorman scratched his neck, seemingly understanding she meant the multiple butterfly tattoos etched there.
Sia raised her hand from a safe distance and waved gently.
“What are you—!”
“…?!”
The other doorman stepped forward, thinking she might try something.
But at that moment, blue glowing butterflies began to appear, following her gesture.
The man frozen in place had no chance to react.
There was no need to see where the butterflies came from—they had started from his colleague’s neck.
“That’s also a spirit,” Yulines said graciously from behind the surprised doorman.
Both men stared blankly, then looked at Sia again.
They had heard of spirit powers, but this was something they had never seen.
“Sp… spring spirit.”
Yulines added, his voice faltering, and turned his head.
The doormen naturally stepped aside, guiding the way. Sia walked confidently and said to Yulines:
“Let’s go. Water and ice spirit.”
It was dark.
The first impression inside the building was nothing remarkable.
Yulines had been slightly tense, as if he hadn’t wanted to bring her here.
Honestly, it felt a little anticlimactic.
Still, what stood out were the unnecessarily many rooms and staircases. None of the rooms connected via hallways—each was only accessible by stairs.
“Shall we have a drink or something?”
Sia glanced around while Yulines muttered absentmindedly behind her.
“What’s in this place?”
