Catherine seemed ready to just about reveal the identity of the Summoning Stone, but the door suddenly opened and the Black Merchant intervened at the perfect time to prevent her from speaking any further. He said, “Not now.”

Catherine stared at the Black Merchant, who behaved as if he had been listening in to the conversation inside the room the whole time. “It was you, wasn’t it?” she asked.

The Black Merchant had a troubled look, avoiding Catherine’s gaze as she spoke words that made no sense out of context. But she continued to stare down at him, and after a long time, he finally gave in and said in resignation, “Please don’t forget our oath with us, the Black Merchants.”

“What oath? It’s just give and take,” Catherine replied. Despite her subtle tone, her expression still didn’t ease up.

“Urgh.” The usually quiet Black Merchant looked back at Catherine with an earnest gaze.

“Well, fine. You must have a plan as well, so I’ll stop my presumptuous meddling too.” Catherine seemed to have other ideas, as she quickly changed her attitude.

“What are you all talking about now, leaving me out of the conversation?” Kim Jin-Woo, who had been alienated from the conversation, intervened belatedly.

But...