Witches and Nobility

Under the Cover of Night

(A/N: Screenshot above was created by my amazing friend smartkitten12u4 with the power of her editing skills for this chapter, which is officially the first of many original chapters I'll be writing!💕💖💝 Hope you all enjoy the lore I'm going to be pouring here👀)

"Caveat emptor" – let the buyer beware

  
        The principle that the buyer alone is responsible for checking the quality and suitability of goods before a purchase is made.

        And the unspoken, yet absolute rule of the one and only Night Market of the Boiling Isles.

        Illuminated by the shining scarlet eyes of the skull street lamps lining the sides, the streets were bathed in an eerie scarlet glow along with the accompanying stalls. A torn and faded banner that read "NIGHT MARKET" in messy writing hung over the entrance, the letters sloppily painted on with black paint.

        Long after gathering everything she needed beforehand, Danica waited until the blanket of evening fell, officially signaling the opening of the demon realm's equivalent of the black market. As she stood before the entrance of the marketplace, she silently inhaled and reached back to tie her violet locks in a low ponytail to prevent it from distracting her in any possible outcomes before pulling the hood over her head.

        Then she stepped forward and passed under the entrance banner, finally entering the Night Market.

        As soon as she took a step into the maze of stands before her, she could feel a chill crawl up her spine the second the street lamps' ominous red light enveloped her figure along with the other customers flocking to and fro throughout the marketplace. She instinctively shrunk close to herself as she forced her feet to continue to move forward, heading deeper and deeper into the shady market.

        She knew better than to rely entirely on rumors to make rash judgements, but right now, she couldn't help but allow the various gossip and whispers she had always heard about the Night Market to flood her mind.

        How the majority of everything on sale during this time of night were illegal for all the wrong reasons.

        How there were rarely any benefits from buying anything from here.

        And how the smallest sign of vulnerability will cause the local stand vendors to target you like a pack of beasts baited by a juicy lump of meat. Whether you were just a humble customer looking for the right product, or a fellow salesperson serving as competition, they will do absolutely anything to make their business successful.

        The names of the stalls Danica passed by so far did nothing to alleviate her inner turmoil, ranging from unassuming signs such as "STOCKS AND BONDS" to ominous ones like "ABYSSAL EYES" and "MADMAN'S CANDLES". Even the advertising most of the other vendors were hollering out to commercialize their products for their customers sent more unpleasant chills down her back.

        "Poisons! Pick your poisons! Get them here if you want to paralyze an enemy or make your in-laws' deaths look like an allergy attack! Now selling fifteen types for 700 snails each!"

        "Nightmare fuel! Get it while it's still traumatizing!"

        "Repressed memories! Now back on unpopular demand!"

       "Hey, you there!"

        Danica stumbled back a few steps with a soft yelp when a merchant suddenly stepped directly in her path, her hands instinctively flying up to tug her hood further over her head so the stranger wouldn't spot her features from how close he was standing in her personal space. It was a short demon resembling some sort of goblin while donning a hooded cloak similar to hers, his head barely reaching her chest as he gazed up at her with a 'friendly' grin on his grizzly features.