Veronica looked around as she walked. Lanterns dangled from rusted hooks, casting shadows that flickered like they were breathing. Vendors shouted half-heartedly about cursed blades and blood-bound contracts, their eyes dead behind their smiles.
A woman with ink-stained hands hawked imitation spell scrolls. Another was selling enchanted collars—Veronica didn't ask what kind of beings they were meant for.
Not far from her, a loud cheer erupted.
She turned just in time to see a man collapse to his knees, clutching the bleeding stump where his hand used to be. A crude-looking knife was tossed aside, and coins exchanged hands in the crowd. It had been a bet. A brutal one. And he'd lost more than just money.
Before she could even process it, a strange creature scuttled forward, something between a lizard and a monkey, with leathery skin and glowing eyes. It snatched the severed hand off the ground and began gnawing on it like it was a drumstick.
Veronica's stomach twisted.
She turned away quickly, hugging her cloak tighter around herself.
She wasn't squeamish. At least… she didn't think she was. But this?
This world was different from the panels and dialogue bubbles of the webtoon. It was darker. Real. And it was going to take time before she could walk through it without flinching.
Veronica kept her hood low. She passed a glass case filled with black-market potions, one bubbled like it was alive, another whispered in a voice too low to be human.
"Host," System 5060 spoke, quieter than usual, "I think someone just tried to pick your pocket."
She grabbed the hand behind her without turning and twisted the wrist sharply. A grunt of pain, then retreating footsteps. She didn't even glance back.
"Nice try," she muttered.
Her eyes swept across the chaos—past the glowing potions, cursed necklaces, and shady merchants selling mermaid scales. She wasn't here for any of that.
No, her destination was far less… noble.
She stopped in front of a small, unassuming stall tucked between two weapon vendors. Its table was cluttered with books, all covered in brown paper, as if trying to pretend they were something scholarly.
They were not.
System 5060's voice pinged in her head, sounding horrified. "Host… are you insane?! You snuck into the black market—for those kinds of books?"
Veronica ignored it, her eyes lighting up like a collector finding a rare gem.
They weren't just any books. They were full-color illustrated novels—bold, scandalous, and unashamedly adult. In her world, they'd be classified as mature-rated manhwa or ecchi doujinshi. Here? Contraband for the lonely and curious.
The stall owner, looked up and grinned like he recognized her.
"Back so soon?" he chuckled. "I just got a fresh shipment. Even racier than the last batch. Interested?"
Veronica didn't even hesitate. "Show me everything."
System 5060 let out a digital sigh of despair. "I'm bound to a pervert…"
But wait, "Back so soon."?
System 5060 was baffled. When had Veronica ever been here before? Why didn't it know about this? Wasn't it supposed to be aware of her actions?
"This doesn't make sense," the system muttered, panicking. "Host, when did you—? How did you—?"
Veronica didn't answer. Her eyes were already glued to the stall, gleaming with anticipation.
"You're in luck!" the vendor exclaimed, rubbing his hands together. He was a short man with a rounded belly and squinty eyes that made him look constantly suspicious. "You came at just the right time. Fresh delivery—straight from the underground illustrators of the North Sector. Very limited stock."
He pulled out a stack of picture books wrapped in thin cloth, unrolling them one by one like priceless treasures. The covers were bold and colorful, featuring scandalous poses, flushed cheeks, tangled limbs, and carefully hidden "plot."
Each book was more provocative than the last.
Veronica's lips curled in amusement, flipping through them like an art critic admiring masterpieces.
System 5060 shrieked internally. "This is beyond inappropriate! I thought we were here for magical items, rare weapons—something actually useful!"
Veronica hummed thoughtfully, picking up one with gold trim.
"Oh, this one has foil embossing," she whispered, impressed.
"Host, please! At least buy a healing potion or a dagger while we are here! Anything!"
But the host was too far gone. For someone thrown into a dangerous fantasy world, Veronica had an odd sense of priority.
Maybe she was a little vain.
Or maybe, she just knew what brought her joy and that joy came in illustrated, blush-inducing pages.
"I want them all," Veronica said without hesitation, eyes gleaming.
System 5060 let out a high-pitched squeak. "A-All of them?!"
The stall owner froze for a second, stunned. Then his entire face lit up with joy.
"Yes, yes, dear customer!" he said quickly, already stacking the books. "That will be 200 gold coins."
Two hundred?! The system nearly glitched.
Two hundred gold was no small amount. While the Ravenshire family wasn't poor, they weren't bottomless either. Spending that much on… adult picture books was simply devastating.
But Veronica didn't even blink.
She calmly pulled out a heavy pouch from beneath her cloak and dropped it on the counter with a soft thud. Gold coins spilled out, shimmering under the market's lantern light.
The stall owner's hands shot out, grabbing the bag like it was his firstborn. "Always a pleasure doing business with you," he said, bowing deeply, practically glowing with gratitude.
Veronica gave a satisfied smile as she tucked the books into her bag, completely unfazed.
Carrying a stack of books nearly half her size, Veronica let out a tired sigh. Her arms were sore, her bag felt like it was filled with bricks, and the weight of her questionable priorities was now very real.
System 5060 floated in silence, emotionally drained. 'She actually bought them all…'
Still, she had other things to do.
Dragging her aching feet, Veronica made her way to a nearby weapons stall—nothing fancy, just a place that sold decent, ordinary gear. She might not have magic, but she wasn't about to walk into the academy completely defenseless. That would be asking to die on day one.