Cardboard Houses Do Not Tear

79 – The Rat’s Den

As is normal for those who do dirty work, their lair was in a messy place.

That’s to the point where I don’t know if I’m in a f*cking place because I don’t want to feel remorse, or if I’m in a f*cking place just because I’m in a f*cking place.

And.

Tuck, the one-eyed man sitting far away with his hands resting on his desk, looked at me and asked.

“A disciple of an artist?”

I answered, ignoring the hunchback’s gaze from the side.

“Are you stuck in a dark place and your ears are blocked, rat? I am his assistant.”

“Yes. Necromancer’s assistant. Clean the corpse of the corpse.”

The guy who passed it like that began to show off as he untied his gathered hands.

“What did the maniac of the mad old man who was trying to open the gates of hell come here for? If you’re looking for a spot in a cemetery, you’re welcome! If you lie down on the floor right now, this place will become your grave!”

Turk raised the tone of his voice. Then laughter came from all sides.

“My God, what kind of pride did you come all the way here?”

“You have a lot of guts, did you come because you wanted to follow your dead master?”

“……”

‘I’m so scared.’

This is how anyone would feel if they were staring at each other sneeringly through the darkly shining lanterns.

I was the only one who would get f*cked if I didn’t say that, so I opened my mouth.

“The rats who have been eating flesh from the piles of corpses are finally full.”

Then the laughter that echoed around them suddenly stopped, and Turk stood up from his seat and asked.

“What?”

I ignored his words and looked around.

“Even though I am barely living like a rat while eating some of the forbidden knowledge, it’s not enough that I can’t treat guests properly, and that people who deal with information are fooled by the Count’s nonsense and commit such rudeness.”

“What are you talking about, nonsense?”

“Has leftover cheese stuck in your ear, rat? My master lives.”

From noble mtl dot com

The Warlock is dead, and is no longer there. It doesn’t even live in my heart, and it’s been a long time since I’ve been dead with my head broken.

But at this moment, the Dark Demon is still alive. He had to believe that.

“Then treat them respectfully. As much as the weight of the body pieces you ate.”

“…It was a good try. A self-appointed assistant.”

Turk looked at me and said.

“By the way, do you think one or two people saw a necromancer die on that battlefield, a self-appointed assistant?”

It was a bluff. We were the only ones who saw the warlock dead on that battlefield.

I knew how to say that, so I asked him in reverse.

“How much do you know about necromancy?”

“What?”

“Cheating death. In the face of a mystery that makes the obvious unobvious, you cannot deny that my master is alive just because you are cutting with the little thoughts you know.”

He paused for a moment, then spat it out again.

“Because he already denied death himself.”

Yes, no. He denied denying negation.

Then, the vigilance felt from all sides increased, and a hunchback, unable to withstand the tension, stepped forward and shouted.

“Don’t talk nonsense and get out of here. You crazy bastard!”

Of course, I ignored his words. Because the person I’m talking about is right in front of me.

“So please forgive my rudeness up until now. Because not knowing is not a sin.”

I squeaked with a hard expression on my face.

“And thank you for coming, the boss who thinks that the little mouse den is everything in the world. If my master, who can make a corpse dance on its own with a gesture, would have come in person…”

I stopped talking naturally, and there was silence.

Human beings are animals of alternative history, creating dozens of ifs in their heads the moment they receive the question, ‘What if you came?’.

I opened my mouth again around the time the canvas of imagination created in their heads produced the work as I wanted.

“…All of you must have been undead by now, chewing your limbs off.”

As always, when copying someone, just come up with the anecdotes and gestures that leave the most impression.

And that’s what I have to do best right now.

“It was really like that in the North.”

“Crazy man. Talk about bullsh*t in moderation!”

“It was exactly four years ago, on this day. You stupid hunchback, you idiot who thinks all he sees under his feet is as low as his bent back.”

I looked at the hunchback who said that and said.

“Have you ever been to the North? There won’t be If I had, my men would have ripped my mouth to death. Anyway, there is a place called Fern Village, a short distance from the Hebrides. As for what happened there-“

“Just stop there.”

Just as he began to unravel the necromancer’s gag, as if he had seen it vividly from the side, Turk cut him off.

“I know what happened in that village too.”

In that tone, there was a hint of disgust.

“If you know, do it right, rat. Otherwise…”

“But I can’t believe you are that assistant, and there is no proof that the warlock is alive. It could be that you just picked up on what happened in that village.”

As expected, he was a guy who knew how to use his brain in his own way.

Not as much as me.

“Evidence?”

I leaned back. The back is still bent, but when viewed from the front, the upper body appears to be upright.

It’s like a master trying to give legitimate authority to his servants.

“Since when can cattle demand proof from their owners?”

“Master? Did you decide to go out like that this time?”

“For something like that always, the word this time can’t go into it. So let me show you.”

I took the beacon out of his arms and he immediately opened his one eye wide.

According to Priest Rien’s explanation, the tokens made by the black magician can only be received by someone close to him.

“It’s a beacon.”

“Yes.”

“That is also a used item.”

“Right. This beacon is a used item.”

I nodded.

“That’s what I used to go to him.”

“I see, is there any other evidence? Will your assistant be okay?”

Tuck asked with a smile.

“If you emit even sparks from your hands, I will recognize you as an assistant.”

While laughing like that, I saw something crawling on his desk.

“Aha, evidence. More proof…”

And finally, I had something good in my arms.

Whoosh!

With a gurgling sound, the dagger I threw was lodged in Turk’s desk.

To be precise, the elongated centipede that was crawling on the desk turned into a centipede.

But the lower half of the creature that had been cut in half was still struggling, rubbing against the blade, and the rest was still crawling on the wooden desk.

As if I didn’t feel anything.

“I don’t know about sparks, but I can shoot out a dagger.”

And my low squeaking voice also lodged itself in Turk’s ears.

“Besides, the undead centipede you cherished so much is still alive and moving, so that should be enough proof.”

In fact, centipedes move even when cut in half.

But what can I do? Centipede can’t speak, and if I don’t want that dagger stuck in my neck, if I’m undead, I’ll just say undead is right.

“Because your centipede is undead. Isn’t that right, the chief rat?”

“……”

Tuck, who I didn’t know until the dagger I had thrown into the desk, was trembling slightly.

“And if you ‘handle all kinds of information,’ you know very well that if the caster doesn’t die, the necromancy spell won’t work.”

Actually, I don’t know.

That’s a dagger drenched in healing potions that the butler gave me to heal the cuts at the villa.

But Turk had no intention of revealing to his men what he did not know.

Because if there is information that the head of the information department does not know, it means that the qualifications are not met.

I said, waving my sleeves gently.

“Do I need more evidence?”

“…I believe. You are an artist’s assistant.”

When Turk nodded, the murderous feeling around him subsided.

I let out a sigh of relief inside, but then opened my mouth.

“Come on. Jae-rong ends here. Rats. Because my master is waiting for you.”

With those words, I wiggled my arms covered in sleeves a little more, and they started to flinch.

However, what came out of my chest was not a dagger, but a wad of paper that I showed to the guy who guided me earlier.

“So let’s stop the f*cking sh*t and start your favorite trade.”

Deal.

Tuck’s face softened at the words familiar to them.

“Ha, you’re pretending to be the owner in someone else’s front yard just because you’re carrying a necromancer on your back.”

I said that, but it was just a small struggle to build up my pride.

He has already recognized me as an artist’s assistant.

But since I couldn’t lose in the battle of spirits, I fought back even more arrogantly.

“I am the shepherd who was rightfully entrusted with you by my master, and you are the sheep. Can you say that the shepherd is not the owner of the pasture?”

One side of Turk’s face twisted slightly at that, but it soon changed to a smile.

It was thanks to the fact that whenever the artist came in from time to time, he turned the people who ‘stumbled’ into the undead.

In the necromancer’s diary I read, each time it happened, a line of explanation was inserted at the bottom.

-No need to be nice to rats trying to climb!

And I agree with that statement.

After a while, the negotiating table was set between him and me.

“What my master wants is information.”

“Information, isn’t it a potion? Well, i’m fine Because that’s what I specialize in.”

He was puzzled, but he asked the price first.

“Then what is the price?”

“This is data on black magic that you guys can digest. It’s useless to put a gold necklace around a pig’s neck.”

I said, placing a piece of data on the wooden table.

After reading it, Turk put the paper down on the table and said.

“…Really.”

“Did you dare to doubt the artist’s fruitfulness?”

I closed the paper and started to let out a trembling voice filled with anger.

“I have never spoke false in my life, and it will be cool to chew hundreds of times in the undead! Especially when it comes to artists! Any more insults to my master’s achievements—”

“I apologize. There will be no such thing.”

He gestured for me to calm down, but I was still upset.

“Are you going to check the other data one by one? I can take it out if you want. All. Entire.”

As my robe flinched, he spat out his words even more quickly, as if recalling the dagger that had just come out of my sleeve.

“No, no. I won’t offend you any more. In that sense, I will grant you one favor. I won’t even check the data separately.”

Seeing that weak figure, he squeaked even more as if to clean a wound.

“Really, rat?”

“Sure-Sure!”

It was fortunate.

Only the paper he was holding and the one in my chest were genuine, but the rest were fake.

Like putting 23,000 won in money for condolences at a funeral home, saying that you put in 5 pieces, he was fooled by a simple trick that puts the real thing on the very first page.

‘If I had asked to see one more, I would have taken out the real one again.’

It was worthwhile to persuade Priest Rien.

On the other hand, the guy who quickly regained his composure without knowing what I was thinking asked me.

“So, what do you want first?”

“The personal details of the guys who are coming to investigate the territory this time.”

“How do we know that? Friend.”

“There’s no way that an information dealer like my master would be looking for doesn’t know that.”

I told him about the mistake that happened today even as I got him off the ground.

“Because it was also moved to direct execution. But you made the wrong mouse choice. Didn’t you almost ruin my plans by giving me an empty-headed bastard?”

“…Five sheets of material.”

The materials I brought were 20 sheets, excluding the two genuine ones. I had to fight in it.

“Three chapters.”

Turk’s face contorted.

“Four chapters.”

“Three chapters, from now on, except for one word ‘call’, every time I say something else, I will go down one by one. Because I can’t forgive the bullying that undermines my master’s value.”

From noble mtl dot com

Oh my God, I never thought I would negotiate with counterfeit money.

Then he nodded his head. It’s unfortunate because it’s him, not me.

“…Call. But I have to get five copies. If so, just give me the booklet.”

I nodded, and four upside down papers landed on the left side of the table.

“Why four?”

“Because you said something other than calling. You stupid kid Give me the booklet.”

“……”

After a while, a thin booklet went up on the other side without a word.

I checked the cover the same way he did, then turned the book inside out.

A smile appeared on Turk’s lips as if that was the correct answer.

“Anything else besides this?”

“Lorna Prianian.”

Hearing the name, Mark’s eyebrows went up.

“What is the name of that crossbow shooter, mate?”

“The master said he gave you the information.”

“I did.”

“He wants you to take care of it yourself. Down all info Because it gets in the way of hunting.”

These guys’ bounty and her provision of information were the cause of her devastation.

I don’t know how long I will suffer, so I’m taking this opportunity as a bonus.

Then, Mark said.

“Is it necessary?”

“What?”

Unbeknownst to me, a momentary rage rose up, but I suppressed the trembling as much as I could and said.

“Now, do you mean rejecting our master’s request?”

But it seemed to him that I couldn’t hold back my anger.

“No. Not like that.”

“You guys have already failed several times. That’s why our master suffered damage.”

“Hey.”

“I won’t say anything else. Erase it. We don’t need small pliers to avenge our master.”

I shouldn’t have given him time to make excuses.

“Or should I erase you first?”

With those words, as I waved my sleeves, he yelled behind my back as if he was tired of it.

“Hey, bring it!”

After a while, a small paper bag came onto the table.

Tuck pointed at it and said.

“This is the original request and data related to Lorna Prianian. If you don’t have this, you won’t get paid even if you catch her.”

Without this copy, she won’t have to worry about getting her bounty hunted.

I laughed out loud, but it was fortunate that I was wearing a mask.

“Next time, I hope this doesn’t happen to you, rat.”

“…That’s right.”

At the same time he took the false data, I also took the items on the table.

One of the insurances that Priest Rien put on. It was because I had to jump out quickly before the effect of the ‘Prayer of Friendship’ was exhausted.