When A Ghoul Falls In Love - Volume 1 Chapter 163

Nick holds on to Baek Joon Woo’s sleeve as they make their way through the narrow corridors. The red walls are velvety, warm, and wet — an awkward combination that adds to his apprehension.

The mocking susurration in faint music adds to his anxiety. A few hooded figures brush past them. Even if he is only eighteen, Nick can guess that none of these people is normal.

He feels like he is walking through a horror house. If a ghost pops up suddenly, he won’t be surprised.

“Hello.” A tall lanky figure pops up right at that moment. He gives them a wide smile that reveals his rotten yellow teeth. “Welcome to the Bazaar.”

“Oh my god!” Nick cries as he takes a step back. “It’s a ghost!”

The man widens his eyes in shock. His long face turns pale as his round eyes become rounder and bigger. “Ghost? Where?”

“Why…” Baek Joon Woo exhales. “Nick, this is not a ghost.”

Shivering, Nick is holding tightly onto Oliver. “He is more than eight feet tall.”

“I am?” The man is also surprised. He blinks his glowing green eyes. “I guess I am. Thanks a lot for calling me tall. In return, you can give me your legs and make me taller.”

“What the f.u.c.k?” Nick can’t believe what he is hearing. “Why would I give you my legs?”

“Because you called me tall,” The man says, “I think that you want me to be taller.”

“No.” Nick yells, “I want you to be shorter.”

“Then, do you want my legs?” The man bends down and pulls up his long cloak, revealing two long bamboo legs. “I can give you a part of my legs if you give me your heart.”

Before Nick can say anything else, Baek Joon Woo interrupts, “We aren’t interested in making any deal with you, Meister.”

“That’s a loss.” Meister straightens his back. “Why are you back, Boy?”

“I want to meet the dealer,” Baek Joon Woo replies. “Did she come back?”

“Erm!” Meister hesitates. “Things are complicated.”

After hearing that, Baek Joon Woo raises his brow. “Complicated?”

“Follow me.” Meister walks ahead of them. “The dealer never came back, but her apprentice did.”

Nick wonders what is going on here. The look on Baek Joon Woo’s face isn’t good.

They climb a never-ending narrow spiral staircase. There is a hole in the centre of the dome ceiling and one can see the waning moon.

The steps are slippery. It’s like they want people to fall and die. Nick can barely complain. Baek Joon Woo is silent. Oliver is ignoring his signals. Meister looks like a grim reaper.

Nick regrets coming here.

They climb for a long time before the man comes to a halt in front of a wooden door. He inserts an iron key in the keyhole. Nick hears the sound of clicking and a soft ominous cry. When the door opens, he sees a brightly lit room with a bloody floor.

Nobody speaks a word. Nick feels Oliver’s hand on his back, keeping him from falling.

The blood on the floor is dried. Nick decides to concentrate on anything but blood. There are hangings on the wall with weird letters that he can’t read. Three desks are lined up against the stone wall.

On the first desk, there are piles of stones that strangely look similar to gravestones. Maybe he is wrong.

On the second desk, there are scrolls. Some of the papers are torn and lying on the floor.

On the third desk, bones of different shapes are kept in an organized way.

Nick takes a deep breath. Fae folks are real. He notices another door to his right. All of a sudden, it opens up.

A chubby man with blue skin and a big round nose enters the room. He turns his head toward Meister and makes a disgruntled face.

“You are here again.”

“This boy made a deal with her.”

“That old crone only knew how to make deals.” The man turns to Baek Joon Woo. “Oh, I remember you.”

“I deserve some explanation,” Baek Joon Woo utters slowly.

“Someone killed her.” The man replies, “She had many enemies. It could be anyone. Since she failed to fulfil her deal, the deal is null.”

Nick lets out a breath of relief.

“I want the contract.” Baek Joon Woo stares hard at the man. “Give it to me. I want to destroy it.”

The man laughs. “Oh, you are smart. I guess I have to give it back to you. The old crone only left work for me.”

He ambles toward the table and then looks for a certain scroll. A few pieces of papers fall on the floor.

When he doesn’t find what he is looking for, he looks into the drawers, then the cabinets, and secret reserves. But the contract is gone.

“It seems that it’s stolen.” The man turns around and tells him, “or it might have been sold. It’s hard to steal anything from this room. My master was already talking about selling the information to someone else since there were other people who were looking for what you were looking for.”

Baek Joon Woo’s face contorts in anger. “What’s the meaning of this?”

“Someone else knows the information that you sought.” The man smiles at him. “That person might have killed my master. Also, that same person has your contact. I cannot do anything for you.”

Even Nick, who is clueless about contracts and Fae, can tell that something bad has happened.

“What can happen in an hour of life?” The man lets out a laugh. “A lot.”

“I want to find out who has the contract!” Baek Joon Woo turns toward Meister. “I know that you know.”

“Even if I know, I can’t help you.” Meister replies, “I don’t deal with those sorts. The Bazaar stands on neutral ground, and the deal has fallen out of the jurisdiction of the Bazaar. I can be of no help.”

Meister flicks his fingers. In the next instant, Nick finds himself in the alley.

He is not alone. Baek Joon Woo and Oliver are with him.

They have been kicked out.

“What the hell!” He stomps on the floor. “They can’t do this. How could they shake off their hands like this? Someone came and killed their salesperson and stole the contract.”

“That’s just how they are.” Baek Joon Woo massages his forehead. “This isn’t good.”

“We have to find the person who took the contract.” Nick crosses his arms. “But you don’t know about Nell’s father. Does it hold any value?”

“The person can reveal it to me anytime they want,” Baek Joon Woo tells him, “They have already heard it from the dealer.”

“Is it Killian?” Oliver contemplates. “They said many people were looking for Nell’s father. It could be an enemy.”

“A normal person won’t kill the dealer like that.” Nick frowns. “It’s someone who wants to take advantage of the situation. I think it’s Killian.”

“How did he find out that I was looking for Nell’s father?” Baek Joon Woo creases his forehead. “Nobody knew except for Nell.”

“He could have heard from the dealer.” Oliver says, “Do you think that he knows where Nell’s father is?”

“I think that he already knew who Nell’s father is, but he killed the dealer because he didn’t want others to find out.” Baek Joon Woo furrows his brows. “Killian approached Nell with a motive. We already know that Killian is Nell’s father’s enemy.”

“How do you know?” Oliver questions him. “Did Nell say it?”

“She hinted at it.” Baek Joon Woo inhales sharply. “We have to do something. Nell is in danger.”

“We will find some ways,” Nick assures him. “How about we go to the salon lady?”

“I don’t know where she lives.” Baek Joon Woo runs his fingers through his dark hair in frustration. “I forgot to ask for her number.”

“Let’s go to the salon.” Nick glances at his wristwatch. They have spent a lot of time inside the Bazaar. “It’s almost morning, but some salons open up early. Maybe we will find someone who knows her.”

“Alright.” Baek Joon doesn’t seem hopeful. “We might be able to find her.”

The salon is a little far from the alley. Oliver calls the taxi through an app. After thirty minutes, they arrive at the salon.

It’s closed.

“There is a phone number.” Oliver points at the board on the top of the salon. “I will call.”

The phone keeps ringing, but nobody picks up.