The Black-Stockinged Nun Is Actually a Boy?! [12]

After officially advancing to the rank of nun, Helen could now enter the Upper City without paying the entry toll.

So when she presented her nun’s certificate, the city guards not only let her through—they saluted her.

“You’re Sister Helen from District 33, right?” One of the guards smiled as he asked.

Helen blinked in mild surprise and nodded.

“My cousin lives in 33. Heard of you before—just as beautiful as the rumors say. My son—”

Before he could finish, Natalie abruptly shoved Helen through the city gate, leaving the flustered guard awkwardly behind.

Once they’d entered the Upper City, Natalie finally muttered, “Didn’t you catch that? He was trying to set you up with someone~”

Helen blinked again, then simply shrugged. “So what? I’ve gotten used to it.”

Natalie gave a quiet huff.

Hmph. Just wait till tonight—I’ll get you back. While I was buying the salt and silverware, I should’ve picked up some feathers. I’ll tickle your armpits until you cry!

As she plotted her petty revenge in silence, Helen stepped into a clothing shop and spent over 500 copper coins on two hooded cloaks.

“I thought we were buying weapons and transcendent items?” Natalie asked, puzzled.

Helen handed her one of the cloaks. “Put it on.”

Natalie reached out and took it.

Helen turned into a narrow alley as he removed his nun’s veil and swapped it for the cloak’s hood.

Natalie followed his lead without question.

“Tighten the hood. We’re going shopping,” Helen said as he moved toward the alley’s exit.

“So dramatic…” Natalie muttered behind him.

Emerging onto the street, Helen finally took a moment to observe his surroundings.

The Upper City of Constantinople was the epitome of splendor and grandeur. Towering spires loomed above, flanked by rows of elegant shops. Window displays flaunted a dizzying array of extravagant goods.

In the bustling crowd, nobles in finely embroidered attire strolled leisurely, speaking in low voices and flaunting their latest acquisitions. Even the street vendors were impeccably dressed, shouting out their wares—exotic treasures from every corner of the world.

Gentle glows from enchanted crystals mixed with the vibrant hues of far eastern paper umbrellas, casting a dreamlike hue over everything.

Occasionally, a bizarre-looking magical pet would dart through the crowd, drawing startled gasps and delighted laughter. Florists pushed carts overflowing with blooms, their scents sweetening the air and bathing the city in fragrance.

This was the Upper City of the Empire. This—was the world as the nobles saw it.

Natalie found herself a little dazed. She’d been here before, but the grandeur still hit her like a wave. The contrast to the Lower City was jarring—just a wall between them, yet it felt like two different worlds.

The choking smog of the Lower City mornings versus the clarity and crispness of dawn here—too stark a difference.

“Let’s go. Everything here is beautiful, yes—but it all comes at a price.” Helen gave her a light pat on the shoulder.

Natalie blinked and snapped out of her trance.

“That one,” Helen said, pointing toward a storefront.

Natalie followed his gaze. It was an antique shop—modest foot traffic, only a few customers drifting in and out. The only notable thing was its sheer size, comparable to the auction house across the street, even down to the height of the building.

“I thought we were shopping. What is this, your dowry? Planning to marry a noble now?” she teased.

Helen flicked her on the forehead and strode into the shop, whose sign read Leicester’s Antiques.

Natalie rubbed her forehead with a quiet grumble and followed him in.

“One Far Eastern Bagua Sword, a Shrine Maiden’s Kagura Bell from the Extreme East, and… one Venetian Fish Idol,” Helen said calmly as he approached the front desk.

“Apologies, miss. We only sell imperial antiquities,” the clerk replied with a smile. “Of course, you’re welcome to check the auction upstairs—it’s ongoing on the second floor.”

“I’m not interested in the auction. I’d like to see… the basement,” Helen said.

The clerk’s smile froze. He glanced around subtly before lowering his voice. “I’m sorry, miss. If you have a token, please show it. If not, I must ask you to leave.”

“It’s right here, in my pocket~” Helen leaned against the counter with a coy smile. Her emerald eyes shimmered faintly as the corners of her lips curved into something almost… sweet.

[Charm of the Mind].

The clerk’s eyes glazed over for a heartbeat—then cleared again, though slightly dazed.

Helen withdrew a silver coin from her robes. “Is this the token?”

But in the clerk’s eyes, it wasn’t a coin—it was a centaur figurine.

“My apologies. I didn’t know you were a new guest.” The clerk produced a small key and handed it over respectfully.

“Thank you!” Helen swiftly tucked the coin away and accepted the key.

“Left-hand side, staff changing room, third stall,” the clerk murmured, drawing a curtain closed beside him.

Helen led Natalie into the changing area and stopped at the third door.

“What did you say to him? Where exactly are we going?” Natalie asked, keeping her voice low now that they were alone. “You used your ability on him, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t control him,” Helen replied, unlocking the door. “Just gave him a little… push. If the managers here catch you trying to manipulate minds, it’s a problem. This is a transcendent market—an unofficial one. You could think of it as a mini black market for extraordinary items.”

Truthfully, this was Helen’s first time attending something like this. He didn’t think much of it, to be honest.

But that wasn’t entirely unfair—after all, in his previous life, he’d been a player. Why would a player bother with some NPC-run underground bazaar?

They had guides online, walkthroughs posted by top creators, item spawn coordinates, trading forums. If all else failed, you just shouted your needs in world chat, attached a price, and waited. Inventory issues? Please—at worst, things were a bit expensive.

By contrast, NPC bazaars were obscure, slow, and subject to political shifts. Their reach was limited, and their item circulation poor. Finding what you actually wanted was often a long shot.

Because players were kings. They had entire off-platform black markets NPCs couldn’t dream of touching.

But now? Helen wasn’t a player anymore. This was the only path available.

“Keep your hood up,” he reminded, unlocking the stall. A concealed passage opened behind it, and he stepped into the dim corridor beyond.

Natalie followed close behind.

They passed through the shadowed passage until it opened into a hidden underground theater.

The stage was set with a large auctioneer’s desk. The audience seats were arranged in semi-enclosed booths, veiled in swirling black mist.

“How do you even know about this place?” Natalie asked, watching Helen walk to one of the booths like he knew exactly where he was going.

Helen waited until she joined him inside before flashing a small smile. “No big deal. Father Mordes brought me once.”

A lie.

He knew this place because, in his past life, players had raided and taken it over—turning it into a trading hub for guild members.

The one who first discovered it? He later became the leader of one of the Five Great Guilds. And after the fact, he finally told everyone how he’d found—no, taken—this place for himself.

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This is a fan translation of 黑丝修女姐姐居然是男孩子？ by 水滴磐石 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!