My Eldritch Horror Wife Followed Me To Another World
Chapter 98: Sugar Dame

Chapter 98: Sugar Dame

It took a while for the sun to finally set and bathe Mischel in darkness, but the Free Bird Mercenaries–the ones not imprisoned–were used to waiting. Their patience on the brink of a mission like this was unmatched. They went through their own preparatory rituals.

Hugo caressed his bow and whispered soothing words. Mole sharpened his daggers. Lily relaxed against a nearby tree with her eyes closed and hands clasped over her stomach like a dead man.

Squawks flipped a coin or rolled a die repeatedly, depending on the day and mood. Dima looked at his reflection in one of his blades, using them like mirrors.

Odd to others. Perfectly understandable to each other. It was what worked for them, what kept them in top form, and what increased their odds of getting out of Mischel alive.

Eventually, it was time.

The five mercenaries got up, erased their traces, and split up. They went to different sides of Mischel to minimize the risk of detection and, should any of them get caught, the possibility of implicating and exposing the others.

Mole was the best climber, so he went to the hardest and most guarded place right next to the gate. The others find their own places to try to climb the wall. It was a stone wall with many outcroppings and footholds, but it was also five or six times as tall as Damas, and the holds weren’t the best.

Fortunately, it was also a city of criminals.

If you were good enough, you were basically permitted entry. After all, climbing a wall wouldn’t ensure your life once inside. It would just mark you as one of the underworld and turn you into a target for the Syndicate or whoever else was interested.

For the most part, it went well for all the Free Bird Mercenaries, except the one who wasn’t free, of course. It was just a little awkward when Squawks bumped into someone doing the opposite climb, and both of them almost fell.

But Squawks helped the guy hold onto the wall again, gave him a thumbs-up, and proceeded up the wall.

The man on the wall couldn’t really return the gesture. He was busy trying not to have a heartattack. That had scared the shit out of him. Falling from that height wasn’t necessarily lethal unless he made a bad landing. But he would have made a bad landing. If he were lucky, he would have broken a leg or two and been caught.

He couldn’t afford that when he had jus barely managed to escape with his loot.

The man eventually solidified his grip enough to pat the pouch by his waist to comfort himself.

He had risked his life countless times over the past couple of days for that tiny leather pouch.

"!"

The man fumbled around his waist before switching hands and checking the other side.

He couldn’t find the pouch.

It wasn’t on his waist, his chest, or his legs.

He glanced down.

It could be on the ground. He could have dropped it when he accidentally bumped into the other guy who was climbing up the wall.

But...

The man gritted his teeth and looked up. The other man was already over the wall and had disappeared like a ghost.

Someone that good at climbing a wall could be just as skilled a pickpocket. The odds that he had taken the pouch were high.

The man glared upward.

Go down and look for the pouch or go up and chase after the thief... That was the question.

***

The auction house was one of the biggest buildings in Mischel. There was no missing it, especially with a steady stream of people flocking toward it. People who looked like beggars, and people who looked like nobles, with their faces covered by masks.

No one arrived by carriage.

Most people ignored the other guests at the auction hall. Well, they pretended to ignore them. Everyone was looking at everyone else out of the corner of their eyes, taking note of those who looked like they could afford whatever they wanted, and those who looked like they wanted the same thing as others.

Naturally, they also looked for those who looked strong enough to be a threat after the auction ended.

Of course, people also did their best to seem as inconspicuous as possible. To be specific, most people did their best not to attract too much attention.

Two people decided to do the opposite.

As soon as the couple appeared on the street, everyone who noticed them couldn’t help but stare.

The man had luscious dark hair that seemed to glitter like stars in the night sky. His slightly tan skin and dark eyes gave him an air of mystery and an exotic look. The dark blue suit was like the depths of the ocean.

He cut a striking picture. Surprisingly, he wasn’t the main attraction.

On his arm, he had a beautiful woman with an alluring appearance. A flaming red dress to match her hair. It hugged her body and elevated her curves. No man with working eyes could look away.

The visible muscles and scars on her exposed forearms gave her an unexpectedly lethal charm.

The Vorad Kingdom’s trends leaned toward more conservative dresses with many layers and wide skirts that made the women who wore them look like elaborate flowers. The dresses were the focus while the women highlighted their beauty.

Tonight, that trend slowly started shifting toward the opposite.

Dresses were made to highlight the beauty of women.

When the couple entered the auction hall, they didn’t even have to say anything before one of the servants guided them to one of the VIP rooms on the third floor. It was the second-highest floor.

They entered the room without sparing the servant so much as a glance.

As soon as the door closed behind them, they let out deep sighs and relaxed before slumping down on the chairs.

"So you went with the Sugar Dame, after all?" A voice asked from the shadows in the corner.