She was nervous, too. As if she was scared, her eyes were welled with big tears.

He couldn't continue because his head was in a whirl at the moment.

But she didn't wait indefinitely. Instead of biting her lips, she p.r.i.c.ked her ears straight.

Facing him directly, she said, "I was serious when I said that."

That was how far she could say.

Even without Brigada and even without getting connected to the dungeon spirit, he could know her feelings. So, he answered, "I like you, too."

In fact, Yong-ho thought of a lot of nice expressions about her, but that was all he could say calmly at the moment. He said again, "I mean I like you."

It looked like a basic answer that even an elementary boy could say, but Yong-ho didn't care.

He saw her flapping her ears like wings after a long time. Despite her watery eyes, she couldn't hide her lifting the corner of her lips with joy.

His heart was beating faster again. She pulled her b.u.t.tocks slightly and approached him.

"Master…"

"Uh?"

"I hope you can grant my wish… Will you?"

He never expected it, but he nodded immediately. Honestly, it was impossible for him to think rationally now.

She let out a big breath then swallowed and moved boldly. She narrowed her distance with him and said, seeing him face to face, "Please stay still. Don't even talk."

At that moment, he was going to say, 'Wait a minute,' but stopped.

He thought about what she just said because he had heard it before and several hours ago at that.

Anyway, he stiffened like a piece of wood, and Catalina wrapped her cheeks with her trembling hands.

Ophelia and Kaiwan did the same thing to him, and now Catalina was doing it.

It seemed that he was born to be kissed rather than kiss somebody.

Catalina gently closed her eyes. However, Yong-ho couldn't close his eyes.

He couldn't take his eyes off her lips, getting closer to his lips little by little.

"Ophelia, Enderion's daughter, is interfering with the master of the great House of Mammon. I'm really really sorry. But It's too urgent for me. And I think this is the perfect time."

Startled, Yong-ho turned his head toward the direction where the voice came from.

Catalina was standing in the corner of the room, boasting of her best agility among the dungeon spirits. She erected her tail as if she was quite surprised.

Ophelia, the owner of the voice, alternately looked at her and Yong-ho with mixed feelings and narrowed her eyes. Salami was shaking behind Ophelia's back for some reason.

Clearing her throat once, Ophelia continued, "It's not something like the enemy's ambush. It's because of the bones and restored items of the Bone Dragon."

She couldn't hide her fatigue when she said that. In fact, she was incapacitated after she was. .h.i.t by Embrio during the battle. No matter how much she took the potion, it was irrational for her to stand before Yong-ho like this now.

However, instead of falling and taking a break, Ophelia chose to move, clenching her teeth.

She needed someone to take care of picking up the pieces after the battle.

Even though Yong-ho and Catalina were busy with picking up the pieces after the battle, they weren't yet used to it. It might sound arrogant, but without Ophelia, it would have taken much more time for Yong-ho to clean up after the battle.

Ophelia said, "Although I collected the ruins of the battlefield in one place, I don't have enough troops to guard and transport them. And it is not the right time for us to ask for additional troops from the Free City. So, I wish we could use the transport service of the Dungeon Market, although it was expensive. Besides, we need more medicine to treat the injured."

The bones of the Bone Dragon were in themselves a great treasure. So, they shouldn't be neglected.

Despite that, the ruins of the bones were scattered on the battlefield randomly.

In the eyes of former merchant Ophelia, it looked like the gold nuggets were up for grabs on the street.

Yong-ho couldn't answer right away. It wasn't because he didn't understand her request. Since he was busy cleaning up outside the dungeon until now, he knew well how badly the bones were neglected.

The reason he agonized was because the House of Mammon had no cash reserve. The delivery service of the Dungeon Market was quite expensive as Ophelia said.

Like an excellent dungeon spirit, Ophelia read his mind, and said, "You can pay for their service with some of the bones. I know it's too good to pay with the bones, but it's more urgent to safely move the bones of the Bone Dragon into the warehouse of the Mammon House and to heal the wounded. I am sorry, but I would like you to approve it."

Ophelia found one more value in the bones of the Bone Dragon.

Who made the Bone Dragon? Who the h.e.l.l gave the Bone Dragon to Embrio?

The clue on that question could be found in the bones. There weren't so many individuals or groups with the ability to create undead monsters like the Bone Dragon.

Such power was too strong for the master of a house in the abandoned southern land.

The Death Knight and the Bone Dragon were too powerful dungeon spirits to be owned by the master of a house in the south.

There must be somebody behind it. Be it an individual or a group, there was clearly a certain presence behind Embrio's back.

Yong-ho nodded at Ophelia. He stood up and approached her.

"Let me approve it. I think you are in charge of the deal with the Dungeon Market, too, right?"

"Sorry," she replied, narrowing her eyebrows.

Since she was sincerely sorry, she couldn't even smile.

He smiled at her. Although he really wanted to take a break at the moment, he gave it up.

"Okay, let me access the virtual s.p.a.ce right now. But I also have something to order you."

He grabbed Ophelia's hand then led her to the bed, so she could sit on it.

"Now, take some rest. Sleep first, and take care of other stuff after you wake up."

Ophelia couldn't answer right away because she felt like she would collapse on the bed when she was just sitting there.

"Well, I think I have to greet you when you come back…"

"Just go to sleep, lady."

Yong-ho slightly winked at her and sat on a throne in one side of the demon king's room.

"Lucia, get ready for me to access the virtual s.p.a.ce."

[Okay, Master.]

[And just a moment ago my heart was pounding.]

Lucia giggled brightly. Yong-ho, who completely forgot Lucia was watching him all along, tried to calm down. Before accessing it, he saw Catalina for the last time.

"I will be back."

"I'll wait."

Catalina's tail flapped. Yong-ho closed his eyes comfortably.

He accessed the virtual s.p.a.ce of the Dungeon Market.

***

It was the first time that Yong-ho accessed the virtual s.p.a.ce of the Dungeon Market in a place other than the House of Mammon.

He opened his eyes in a strange atmosphere.

It was quiet. And there was nothing.

He just blinked in a white s.p.a.ce. It was a very familiar s.p.a.ce, but he had never encountered anything like this.

"Uh… Sitri?"

There was no answer from her. He looked around in a little anxiety.

'Was this such a terrible place?'

The pure white horizon, which was just connected endlessly without even its shadow, was terrifying.

What the h.e.l.l happened? He tried calling her once again.

"Sitri?"

[Recognition number: 009]

[Descendant of the man.]

[Yong-ho Chun, the current master of the House of Mammon]

[Your recognition has been completed. Welcome.]

When the letters of light spread out in front of his eyes, he could hear the slightly stiff voice of a woman. Her voice was suddenly heard, but since he was familiar with it, he was rather relieved. It was a standard voice that could be heard everywhere, such as when they introduced the catalog of the Dungeon Merchant.

The voice continued.

[Sitri is currently attending the Dungeon Chamber of Commerce.]

[You can't chat with Sitri now.]

[Would you like to go back? Or would you like to trade in normal mode?]

Yong-ho knitted his eyes slightly. Maybe he was overconfident, but it was Sitri's way of dealing with him. The Sitri that he used to be familiar with would have conveyed a direct message to him instead of relaying her message through a machine.

'Is she attending an emergency meeting?'

He became curious. Sitri always described herself as a big shot in the Dungeon Market.

And her statement wasn't a lie. She was a powerful witch that had lived for over a thousand years.

If it was an emergency meeting in which Sitri had to attend, the agenda was highly likely to be unusual.

'I wonder if it's related to Embrio.'

He momentarily questioned it, but he soon shook his head. There was zero possibility that the emergency meeting was about it.

It was highly likely that it was a much bigger agenda at the meeting.

Looking at the letters of light, Yong-ho asked, "Can't I wait here until Sitri returns?"

[You can.]

[However, I can't tell you exactly how long you have to wait until she comes back.]

"How long has it been since the meeting started?"

[I can't answer that question.]

In a way, it was a natural answer.

Instead of asking more, Yong-ho moved his fingers. Although he couldn't see Sitri at the moment, the whole white s.p.a.ce made him adjust to the situation. A chair that looked very fluffy rose behind his back.

"Let me wait here. Can I browse the catalog of the Dungeon Market?"

[Sure, you can. I hope you have a great time.]

The letters of light disappeared. And, as if it could be a subst.i.tute, a round sphere of light was formed around his left hand.

Buried deep in the white chair, he gently touched the sphere of light. Then, a familiar catalog of the Dungeon Market opened in the air.

The reason he chose to wait wasn't just because he was curious about the results of the meeting that Sitri attended. He needed a direct deal with her. Since he wanted to pay with the bones of the Bone Dragon for the delivery service, it was absolutely necessary for him to negotiate with her about the price.

'Good.'

He decided to relax. Being connected to the virtual s.p.a.ce itself consumed mana, but now he had five horns. The amount of mana recovered naturally was more than that consumed in the virtual s.p.a.ce. If he could stop being impatient, he could have a pleasant break.

'What a big catalog!'

It was different from the limited catalog that Sitri had shown to him so far. The general catalog of the Dungeon Market boasted of very detailed items because of the vast variety of its trading items. Yong-ho first typed Bone Dragon on the search bar. Soon, the complicated stuff on the screen disappeared and a concise sentence appeared on it.