## Chapter 825 – Winter in the Capital

“Ah.”

A leisurely morning.

After waking up in bed for the first time in a while, I didn’t get up right away but just lay there, being lazy. Suddenly, I remembered that Winnia’s mom had asked to see me. I received a letter from her the day I returned after catching the Spirit King, didn’t I?

That’s probably tomorrow, isn’t it? Do I have to go?

I gently stroked the waists and hips of Claudia and Risha, who were sleeping with their arms across mine, and pondered.

“…”

She asked to see me alone, but honestly, I had no idea what she was thinking. And more than anything, a conversation at a restaurant? It just made me uncomfortable, reminding me of the time I spent with the Saintess.

Wasn’t that just a few days ago?

But since then, there hasn’t been much to do, and the Saintess hasn’t asked me to do anything, so I’ve been relaxing and training at home. Going to the Grand Temple is just talking and coming back.

Since I don’t have anything else to do anyway, should I just meet her quickly, talk a bit, and get it over with? If there’s something that seems annoying, I should tie it up.

Yeah, that would be better in many ways.

While I’m meeting her this time, I need to firmly nail it into her head to never mess with me again. Being a Paladin and a martial arts tournament winner should be enough, right?

“Katt… that tickles…”

As I kept touching her waist, Claudia woke up and snuggled into my arms.

“Oh, I woke you up. Sleep more.”
“Okay…”

Just looking at her sleeping face fills me up.

So I closed my eyes for another hour or so and then got up and started moving. By that time, Risha and Ari had also woken up. Risha seemed to be doing experiments with Ari, touching her heart.

Looking at it, she had already made a few more test subjects. It’s just that she hasn’t been able to do clinical trials with them yet. If she does that, there will be a big breakthrough, she says.

So I changed my clothes and went outside.

Originally, if there was something to do, I would take all the test subjects and go out and try them on monsters, heretics, or demons, but there’s nothing to do, is there? So when I said I was going to buy some monsters for guinea pigs, Risha thanked me.

So I arrived at the arena.

“Oh!! Dancing Paladin!! What brings you here!!”

As I went inside and wandered around, the staff recognized me and ran over. Dancing Paladin, huh? Hmm. Still a crazy title. I like it.

It felt like pride was swelling up inside me.

I am Kim Katt, a member of the nation of Heung and Eol. My dancing and singing skills are as proud as my martial prowess. Come to think of it, are they not holding a kingdom singing contest? If they do, I’ll immediately participate and destroy Seol Woon-do’s compass.

ㅡHic, sob.

Thinking about that, it felt like I could hear the wails of banshees from somewhere. If it’s my singing that even moved those evil spirits, then winning is a sure thing.

“Hehehe, it’s nice to see you.”

Extremely happy, I smiled and offered him a handshake. He also smiled brightly and took my hand.

“I came here today on business. I was wondering if I could buy some monsters?”
“Monsters, you say?”

He asked back as if he was wondering, and then immediately answered.

“Ah, that’s not my responsibility. If you go down to the basement, we have a place there. You can ask the people there.”
“Oh, thanks for the kind explanation.”

I immediately went down in the direction he told me and found the place. There were signs everywhere, so it wasn’t hard to find.

The place I arrived at was blocked by a fairly large door.

ㅡSqueak.

As I went inside, a musty smell began to waft around.

ㅡKrrr…
ㅡGrrrr…!
ㅡKerhk…! Ker-herk!

And familiar sounds were heard from all directions. All I could feel were primal bloodlust and violent gazes.

The inside wasn’t very dark.

It was bright enough to see the surrounding scenery properly.

ㅡClang! Clang!

The place was packed with monster cages. Inside, wounded and restrained monsters were shaking their bodies and whimpering.

“You fucking bastards. Lower your eyes.”

Such arrogant monster bastards.

“What are you shaking your bodies for, you guys who don’t even know how to have fun?”

ㅡ…
ㅡ…
ㅡ…

Once I glared at them, they all lowered their tails.

The capital’s grand arena also has these kinds of matches active. Fighting between people is fun, but catching monsters is also very popular. Monsters caught from all over the kingdom were trapped right here.

I can just pick out a goblin or something here and buy it.

I wonder if there’s a good one? I’ll pick one out first and then ask if I can buy it… Oh, shit. There’s a lizardman too? All sorts of bastards were caught.

As I was looking around, an armed breeder wearing chainmail approached from over there.

“You are… oh? Could it be? Are you the Paladin?”
“That’s right. Nice to meet you.”
“What brings you here? This place is off-limits to anyone but those involved…”
“Ah, sorry for coming in without permission. Excuse me, but are you in charge here? I wanted to ask something, so I had to come down.”

I explained the reason to him, who was tilting his head.

“I’m trying to do some combat experiments using real monsters right now, and I was wondering if I could buy the monsters here. I have money. Is it possible to trade?”
“Ah, that’s what you’re here for.”

He nodded.

“Hmm… but I think it’ll be a little difficult. All the monsters here are scheduled to appear in matches… so they can’t be taken out.”

Damn it.

“But it’s not like there’s no way. Let’s see.”

With those words, he rummaged through his pockets and took out something like a business card.

“Go here. This is where you need to go.”
“Where is this?”

I asked while taking the business card.

“It’s a company that supplies monsters for matches. You can get neutralized monsters there. They also sell a lot of monsters that are used for experiments in the Magic Tower, so I’m sure you’ll find what you want.”
“Oh! Thank you! May Verde’s blessing be with you!”
“Such an overwhelming blessing!!!!”

I greeted him like that and came outside.

The business card had a detailed address on it, so it seemed like I could find it easily. They handle all sorts of monsters. Livestock, arena monsters, experimental monsters. And even pets.

Yeah, the capital is so big, there must be a company like this.

Come to think of it, the Magic Tower often does experiments with various monsters for reagents and medicines. That’s how products come out, and they can properly understand their magic skills. They also have to test the power of combat magic.

Since there’s such a big Magic Tower, there has to be a company like this.

I immediately ran to the address written on the card.
Looking at it, it’s outside the castle walls.

“…”

But experiments.

This is a ghost story I heard when I was a nobody in Krasheim, but there were rumors that wizards were buying orphans from slums or kidnapping beggars to do human experiments.

So I was scared when I was homeless.

I think about half of it is true. A slum human trafficking organization may have kidnapped people who had lost the will to live and sold them to those vicious wizards.

Just thinking about it is heretical.

If I ever have to go back to Isvant or Krasheim, I’ll have to raid the slum crime organizations first.

Anyway, as I was running, I arrived at the company written on the business card.

This place was outside the castle walls. It’s like a place where monsters are raised, so it’s natural. I immediately told the armed gatekeeper my business and went inside.

ㅡCreak.

But there’s a lot of traffic from the morning.

ㅡKeoheong!
ㅡKeng!

A lot of carriages pulling monster prisons were coming and going. Inside, various monsters were restrained. There’s a lot of demand, so they’re diligently catching them.

I immediately went into the office.

“We have a customer. What brings you here?”
“I’d like to buy some monsters for experiments.”
“Ah, did you come on an errand for the wizards? Come on in. We have a lot of fresh merchandise.”

I came because Risha needed them, so it’s half an errand.

I immediately followed him. All the while, I could hear the screams of monsters from all directions. This place is pretty good. I could charge admission like a zoo.

“This is the place.”

The place I arrived at was a prison zone where small monsters were trapped. Kobolds, gnolls, and goblins with eyes that had completely lost the will to live were looking at us.

“We deliver everything. Feel free to choose. The price tags are in front of the cages.”

I immediately looked at the price tags.

ㅡGoblin 90 coppers.
ㅡKobold 80 coppers.
ㅡGnoll 1 silver.

You fucking bastards.

Is that the price per head?

“Keuh… it’s a bit pricey.”
“There aren’t many monsters near the capital. Catching them, tying them up, and carrying them here. Feeding them and raising them here naturally makes them expensive. Even if we breed them and have babies, it costs money to raise them. And then there’s labor costs. Taking care of them and cleaning them. And it’s more expensive if you buy them retail.”

There certainly aren’t many monsters near the capital.

Unlike the outskirts, the security is pretty good. But there are a few, but that’s not enough to meet the demand, so they catch them from cities farther away and bring them here.

I hate to admit it, but it has to be expensive.

I immediately paid the price and bought three kobolds and three goblins. Armed breeders immediately came and opened the cages and dragged out the goblins and kobolds. Soon, a packaging-like operation began, and the guys I bought were loaded onto a transport prison carriage.

“We deliver everything like this. Please use us again next time.”
“Okay. But can I ride in the carriage with you?”
“Well… there’s no reason why not. Then goodbye.”

After telling the coachman my home address, I sat down on the roof.

* * *

Not long after, I arrived home. As soon as I got off, I opened the door of the prison, pulled the leashes, and dragged the monster bastards towards my house.

ㅡKer-reureu…
ㅡGyureureu…

The monsters just made miserable noises as they were half-dragged along.

“I’m home!”

I opened the door to the house like that.

“Father… aah.”
“Oh my? Blackie? What are those guys?”

As soon as I went inside, Ari and Winnia were surprised and came over.

“Risha said she was going to do some experiments. I went outside and bought them.”
“Ah. You bought them. Well, they must sell them. There’s the arena and the Magic Tower.”
“Father? Are these guys okay?”

They’re almost dying.

“Of course they’re okay. They’re just small monsters.”

As I was about to drag them to the basement, Karin, wearing hot pants and a tank top, came over with a towel around her neck.

“Wow, you bought all this? But they’re so weak, can you even experiment on them?”
“I’ll try it first. If it doesn’t work, I’ll have to buy a stronger one.”

Anyway, I immediately dragged the guys down to the basement. Looking at it, Risha was already working. Hilde was standing next to her.

“Katt… AAAAAK!!! What are those inhuman beings!!! They’re so unholy!!!”

ㅡFlap!

Hilde, who was about to turn around and run towards me, jumped up on the spot and spread her wings wide, flying into the air. At the same time, she pointed at the monsters with a completely horrified face.

“Hey, hey. Come down, come down. I bought them for experiments.”
“Is that so!”

Hilde came down.

“Hoo, you came quickly.”

Risha smiled and came towards me.

“Yeah. I bought six for now, and if you need more, I’ll buy more. But is this enough for today?”
“Six should be enough. Hehehe, thank you.”
“What are you going to do with these?”

As I was about to prepare, my wives started coming down from upstairs.

“You bought monsters?”
“Katt?”

Liz, Claudia, Winnia, Karin, and even Ari.

They all heard the rumors and came down wearing only slippers.

“Yeah. Come and see this.”
“Oh my.”

It’s fun to watch Risha experiment.

“Hehehe, we have a lot of spectators. First…”

Risha took something out of the cupboard and opened the lid, and smoke seeped out. Risha exposed the smoke to the goblins and kobolds.

ㅡ…
ㅡ…
ㅡ…

Soon, the monsters fell asleep as if they had fainted.

It’s a kind of anesthetic or sleeping pill.
Humane.

“Now, will you tie them to the workbench?”
“Yes.”

I immediately put the limp goblin on the workbench as Risha told me and restrained its wrists and ankles. Then Risha brought a box containing the test subjects.

“Now, let’s test this elixir.”