---

Greg Bisk.

He was an orc close to what people commonly refer to as a mutant.

What is an orc, you ask?

They are a filthy, barbaric, and utterly ignorant race.

Despite that, they are incredibly strong and have a boiling point that’s absurdly low.

In fact, statistics show that about 30% of crimes are committed by orcs.

But Greg was different from those ordinary orcs from the moment he was born.

He absolutely despised bad smells, preferred books over clubs, and chose quiet cafes over noisy banquet halls.

So, when he turned into an adult, it was only natural for him to leave orc society without a second thought.

“Y-you want to join our company?”

“Yes.”

“But, being an orc…?”

However, the fact that he was born an orc became an absurd obstacle for him.

Perhaps it was because he was the son of an orc war chief.

Greg towered over everyone at well over 2 meters tall and weighed in the triple digits.

Thanks to his mother’s good looks, his face wasn’t too terrible, but…

He still had the trademark green skin and protruding tusks of an orc.

No matter how capable and calm he was, those who had an aversion to orcs refused to hire him.

“Living in the city isn’t easy. How long have I been stuck in place…?”

“Hey, green pig! Hand over everything you’ve got!”

“Oh? So this is what a mugging looks like. What happens if I don’t?”

“I’ll turn your insides into mush with this knife and feed them to the dogs… Ack!”

“Hmm, I don’t think that dull knife could pierce my skin. Conveniently, guide me to your buddies.”

Thus, to avoid starving to death in Night Haven, Greg had no choice but to dive into the underworld.

And thanks to his overwhelming specs as an orc war chief and his naturally calm demeanor, he quickly rose as a dark horse in the underground world.

“Boss! What are we doing next? Shall we topple another organization?”

“…I’m bored. I’m done now. You guys can figure it out.”

“What?! Boss, please!”

But the underground life didn’t suit Greg’s temperament at all.

A place where the strong beat up the weak and can live however they please.

Wasn’t it just like the orc tribe he used to live in?

What he wanted was a life free from battles and schemes, enjoying hobbies in a peaceful place.

So, once he felt he had enough money, he left without regret.

Using most of his savings, he opened a shop in the gray area that separated the underworld from the outside world.

The shop’s name was Greg’s General Store.

Naturally, customers were scarce, and it didn’t make nearly as much money as during his days as an organization’s muscle.

But the time spent here was incredibly satisfying for him.

This place was calm and peaceful, with hardly any incidents to get caught up in…

And whenever customers came by, it was just enough to provide a fresh stimulus.

“…”

“Don’t hold back, eat as much as you like. There’s plenty.”

“…!”

Greg quietly watched the snowy cloth that was mindlessly devouring barbecue turn away.

A ghost.

This little guy had recently become quite the popular figure in the underworld for various reasons.

Amidst all sorts of incidents in the underworld, simply existing kept troublemakers at bay.

And if left unchecked, it seemed that the annoying vampire would surface.

Rumor had it that they had even casually broken through a blockade set by the Double Number Fixer.

With a unique appearance and suspicious exploits, it was only natural that word of mouth spread.

Recently, there were even rumors that they had nearly killed an innocent passerby.

Bad rumors also circulated about trading dangerous drugs and illegal enhancement substances.

The Black Sun Society placed a bounty of 700,000 credits on capture, making the ghost a hot potato, almost a ticking time bomb in the underworld.

‘From my perspective, I don’t think they’re that type.’

Of course, Greg had had contact with the ghost before, so he didn’t particularly believe the recent bad rumors spreading in the underground.

The ghost attacking innocent people or trading drugs?

If they had been the type, those stories would have circulated long ago.

The timing of the rumors about the Double Number Fixer missing the ghost and the ghost’s bad deeds surfacing felt too suspect.

It was almost as if someone was intentionally directing this atmosphere.

With his extensive experience, Greg instinctively sensed the core of this situation.

‘The Black Sun Society… Perhaps that cowardly rabbit is being outsmarted by a darker lizard. They must be trying to contain the ghost’s influence.’

Naturally, there were plenty of motivations for that.

The Black Sun Society was a new organization that had barely reached the western labyrinth in less than five years.

After the death of Wang Wei, once called the Rabbit King, his daughter had hastily risen to the top.

Competitive factions were watching for any weaknesses to seize the Black Sun Society’s wavering foothold.

But suddenly, with the ghost’s appearance shaking the Black Sun Society’s status, the members must have been taken aback, forced to act.

‘Not a method I care for.’

But even if that method was quite logical, for Greg, it was incredibly displeasing.

To solidify one’s position by fabricating someone else’s actions into an enemy.

He had experienced that enough while in the underworld.

As a result, Greg frowned slightly, reminiscing about the underworld.

He belatedly noticed the ghost approaching him.

“…?”

“Hmm? What’s up?”

“…!”

The ghost was rummaging around in their pocket.

Then suddenly, a thin, delicate arm popped out from the snowy cloth, as if offering something to Greg.

Greg, thinking it was a friendly gesture, extended his thick hand, like a pot lid.

Thud.

A thin piece of paper fell onto Greg’s palm.

“This is… a bread discount coupon?”

“…?”

“Is this a gift? Not that I expected a reward, but… I appreciate it.”

“…!”

A bread discount coupon.

Greg couldn’t help but chuckle at the ghost’s ridiculously trivial action.

The paper coupon, which seemed like it would blow away with the wind, was so carefully handled it was completely wrinkle-free.

It felt pleasantly warm as if it had just been held close.

So, after observing the bread discount coupon for a moment, Greg looked at the ghost seriously and said.

“Ghost. You have a bounty of 700,000 credits on your head. Sounds like quite the headache.”

“…!”

“Relax. I don’t have any intention of capturing you.”

Perhaps surprised that the bounty conversation came up, the ghost sprang up from their spot.

To calm them down, Greg hurriedly added that it wasn’t his intention.

“Seems like you haven’t had a proper meal either, right?”

“…?”

“If you help me with my work here, I’ll assist you in hiding until the situation cools down. It’s unlikely bounty hunters will come this way. It’ll definitely be helpful.”

“…?”

“Why do I want to help? Hmm, I just don’t like the Black Sun Society.”

Greg’s inquiry earned nods from the ghost, who shook their head in agreement or cocked their head as if questioning his meaning.

Eventually, the ghost seemed to contemplate his proposal seriously.

‘Surprisingly transparent for someone so seemingly ethereal.’

Despite Greg not seeing the ghost’s face or body at all, their emotions were clearly visible, which was genuinely fascinating, as it was rare to encounter someone so upfront in the cutthroat underworld.

“…!”

Did their thoughts settle now?

The ghost jumped up and showed their intention to accept Greg’s offer.

With bounty hunters swarming throughout the entire labyrinth, it seemed they found Greg’s condition more than manageable.

Once they exchanged their intentions, the proposal was established.

Suddenly finding himself as an employer, Greg immediately assigned the excited ghost their first task.

“Well then… I think it’s best to remove that cloth. Keeping it on advertises that you’re a ghost.”

“…!!”

The ghost stood motionless for a few seconds, as if shocked by Greg’s words.

Then, realizing there was some merit to his statement, they hesitated briefly before starting to peel off the cloth they were wrapped in.

And finally, when the ghost revealed themselves after shedding the snowy cloth, Greg’s eyes widened in surprise.

‘…The ghost is a young girl?’

The silky white hair that fell to her waist.

Soft skin, and petite arms and legs.

One slightly exposed shoulder looked as though it could break from being too thin.

Though her face was hidden beneath an unattractive goblin mask, her proportions were still quite commendable.

Seeing the appearance of the ghost, who appeared to be a young girl, Greg stroked his chin in contemplation and said.

“This… could fetch a good price.”

“…!”

“No, that’s not what I meant. My shop tends to scare off customers just because an orc is running it. So I was just saying that those worries could be alleviated for a while.”

Lacking in charisma, Greg hurriedly explained to the ghost, who was covering themselves with both hands.

He was horrified by the thought of almost becoming a human trafficker selling a child.

Fortunately, it seemed the ghost didn’t take it too heavily out of context, merely nodding as if understanding.

“The outfit you’re wearing… is it… pajamas? It would be better to wear something else when working.”

“…?”

“Oh, do you not have any other clothes? Just wait a moment.”

Greg stood up from the sofa and walked over to the ghost.

After measuring her height appropriately, he disappeared into the back of the shop.

After a little while, when Greg reappeared, he was holding a pile of clothes.

“Once, a quirky old scientist visited. He wanted to dress the cute android girl he was making with this, but apparently didn’t like it enough, and came to dispose of the spare parts. This is the leftover clothing from that.”

“…?”

“I’m not a collector of such outfits, so don’t misunderstand.”

The ghost tilted her head, receiving the clothes from Greg, who wore an awkward expression.

Since this was a general store where anything could be sold, she didn’t seem to think anything strange about it.

She seemed to be pondering such thoughts in her mind.

However, when the ghost unfolded the clothes she received to look at them, she froze, unable to move like a statue.

What she was handed was an incredibly obvious outfit, one that looked like it belonged in a maid cafe.

What’s this? You want me to wear this?

The eyes of the ghost, silently staring at Greg, were filled with confusion.