Looking at the two ogre guards dozing at the tavern entrance, who resembled two mountains of meat, Histori felt a bit intimidated, even though she knew they were no match for her.
The two stood over 2 meters tall, and the morning stars gripped in their hands were still stained with splashes of colorful fluids.
Just sitting there, they radiated a murderous aura that warned people to keep their distance.
“But, Hero — “
Histori tugged at the corner of Amir’s cloak, then stood on her tiptoes to whisper into Amir’s ear.
“This tavern looks like a gang hideout. We don’t have a pass, and we’re wearing these suspicious cloaks. Will they really let strangers like us inside?”
” — Well, it depends.”
Amir rubbed her chin, thinking seriously for a few seconds.
“Normally, places like this that prefer to stay in the shadows do have many specific rules to prevent officials from infiltrating, like secret passphrases or requiring a referral from an acquaintance…”
As she spoke, Amir turned back and gave Histori a slight smirk.
“However, we could also choose not to be reasonable.”
” — Huh?”
Before Histori could process the deeper meaning behind those words, Amir unhesitatingly raised her long, greave-clad leg and kicked hard at the gap between the two ogres.
“Boom — !!!”
Accompanied by a deafening roar, the already weathered wooden door instantly shattered into several pieces.
The shards struck by Amir’s foot drew a perfect parabola through the air, eventually slamming heavily onto a table in the center of the tavern where a gambling game was in progress.
Wine bottles shattered and wood chips flew.
The gamblers who had been shouting around the table were scared out of their wits, scrambling to hide in the corners of the tavern.
In an instant, all sound within the tavern ceased.
Amidst the swirling dust and wood chips, Amir retracted her leg as if nothing had happened.
She patted the dust off her leggings, took Histori’s hand, and calmly walked past the two dazed ogres, striding boldly into the tavern.
“Hiss, which blind bastard dares to cause trouble on my turf?!”
A one-eyed ogre, even larger than the two guards at the door, stood up angrily from behind the bar.
He grabbed a meat cleaver hanging on the wall and roared furiously at Amir.
“You dog, you must have a death wish to come here and — “
Before he could shout the last word, three flashes of silver light shot rapidly from between Amir’s fingers.
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
They weren’t hidden weapons, but merely three silver coins glowing with an alluring luster.
Like bullets, they embedded themselves into the thick oak counter in front of the one-eyed ogre, sinking in more than halfway.
“I have urgent business.”
Facing a room full of fierce thugs, Amir simply shrugged and placed her fingertips on the hilt of the sword behind her.
She stated in her usual calm voice, “Help me find your best Face-Changer. Two silver coins are a tip, and the other is to pay for the door.”
“…”
The one-eyed ogre silently lowered his head and used his thick fingers to measure the depth of the coins embedded in the table.
If she had thrown throwing knives, it would be one thing, but using silver coins…
*Gulp.*
He unconsciously swallowed his saliva, and his fierce expression instantly transformed into an amiable smile.
“Ah! So it was just such a small matter. Look at the mess you’ve made — we’re all friends here!”
He hid the meat cleaver under the table and enthusiastically hurried out from behind the bar, rubbing his hands together as he approached Amir.
“A Face-Changer, right? I know a master with extraordinary skills. She takes jobs in the underground market of our Shadowdeep Town.”
Amir moved her fingertips away from the hilt and crossed her arms over her chest.
“How do I get to the Black Market?”
“Our tavern has a back door that leads there. Come, come, this way please. I will personally lead you two distinguished guests down.”
“…”
Seeing how a face full of scars and fat could display such visible kindness and friendliness, Histori silently wiped the cold sweat from her forehead.
‘Wow… this is the power of money and violence combined. It can even reform an ogre into this.’
However, what exactly was the “Face-Changer” Amir just mentioned?
‘Could it be… that kind of perverted doctor from the legends who specializes in collecting the faces of beautiful girls? Does she cut off someone’s original face while they’re still alive and sew on a new one…?’
After realizing the potential meaning of the term, Histori’s face immediately turned pale.
She stopped walking and pulled on the corner of Amir’s cloak with some resistance.
“Um, Hero… what exactly does a Face-Changer do?”
“Someone who helps you change your identity.”
Amir glanced back at Histori and stated succinctly, “In order for you to move around normally in the Unified Kingdom, we must hide your Demon Race traits. Let’s go.”
‘Can I just not go…?’
Although Histori really wanted to scream and run away, she looked at Amir’s cold eyes and managed a forced smile while nodding.
After the incident at the broken bridge, her relationship of trust with Amir was already on thin ice.
Amir could snap and bite her at any moment.
If Histori resisted everything she was told to do, Amir might find her annoying and simply cast her aside…
According to the Demon King, when the Blood Contract triggers next time, it won’t be something that can be solved by sucking a few drops of blood from Amir’s fingertip.
‘…But, going under the knife to change my face, I still…’
Histori patted her cheeks and took a deep breath, trying her best to comfort herself.
‘It’s fine, it’s fine. Not everyone has Amir’s monstrous strength. If this Face-Changer really tries to use a knife on me, the worst that happens is I fight back and wreck her!’
‘No, wait. Killing the Face-Changer wouldn’t solve the underlying problem, would it?’
Amir had specifically brought her here to change her image.
Resisting the Face-Changer would be resisting her kindness…
“Let’s go, Histori.”
Seeing Histori hesitating, Amir raised an eyebrow slightly and beckoned to her.
“Or would you actually prefer to stay here for a drink?”
“No, nothing like that. Let’s go…”
Steeling herself as if she were heading to an execution ground, Histori took a deep breath and followed Amir and the one-eyed ogre down the stairs behind the bar that led underground.