213 Cut off the city?
[Ren Hilton's POV.]
The cafe door's bell rang with a pleasant jingle as I pushed it open and stepped inside. The cozy atmosphere of the cafe welcomed me as I scanned the room, and that's when I spotted Alver.
"Thank God you came. Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for you?" Alver practically shouted. His outburst drew the curious gazes of other cafe patrons.
I shook my head and chuckled, making my way over to his table. "Chill, dude," I said as I settled into a chair across from him. Today, like the previous time, we were supposed to meet here.
"Chill? How the hell am I supposed to chill in a situation like this!" Alver's agitation was palpable as he ground his teeth. "Not after what you said before leaving me in that damn warehouse, making me go crazy while thinking -"
Ah, I remembered. Alver was clearly still reeling from the revelation of how I'd discovered his secret.
Guild Master Alver was an aristocrat.
"Would you like to shout even louder and attract more attention?" I asked, raising a hand to signal the approaching waitress. She rushed to our table to take our order.
"Two dark coffees... wait," I grinned slightly as I caught Alver's intense gaze. "Would you be fine with just coffee, my lord?" I playfully teased.
"....fucker," Alver replied with a pause, not wishing to expose his aristocratic status in front of the waitress or anyone else.
I still wasn't sure which noble family he hailed from or where they were currently situated. But I knew it was only a matter of time before I uncovered that information.
"And that means only two dark coffees...?" I raised an eyebrow as the waitress, flustered from our exchange, hastily jotted down the order.
The atmosphere in the cafe was now a bit more animated, fueled by the drama at our table.
"Man, these girls are real suckers for good looks, huh," Blaze quipped as he noticed the waitress's flustered state.
Before I could comment further, Alver tapped the round table to get the waitress's attention. "Miss, it's not good to daydream like this; you might lose your job." In a departure from his usual playful demeanor, Alver's tone was more serious, revealing his irritation.
The waitress, still blushing, snapped back to reality and bowed deeply, her head accidentally thumping against the table with a "baam."
"You heard him. Take your time, though," I said with a wave, as she hastily retreated to the back of the cafe.
'You're in quite a good mood today, aren't you?' Blaze commented, and, well, I don't know why, but it's satisfying to uncover a mystery and then watch someone else stress over it.
"Haaa... Be honest, Ren. Who told you?" Alver leaned back in his seat.
"Hm? Why do you think I was given information from an outsider? Do you think someone set you up?" I wasn't about to tell him.
"Look, I know you're smart, really capable too, but you can't find anything about me without help from someone with a lot of influence," Alver's expression turned grim.
"Hmm... interesting. Are you sure I didn't find it out from someone important to you?" I asked.
"No one is important, and no one knows," his words were resolute.
I remained silent, as it was quite funny. Old man Clay didn't know what he shared with me at the time, so Alver can't blame him, but these kinds of slip-ups can reveal a lot if used wisely.
"I don't think I'm obliged to tell you," I refused to take the lower end of this conversation.
Alver sighed as he looked around. Leaning forward, he whispered, "You are interesting, but that doesn't mean you are important enough for me to keep you alive."
This was something that I hated the most: threats. They always ticked me off the wrong way. "I do look like I care?" I kept it short and simple. "But since we're both civil people, I might propose a deal."
"What..."Before Alver could respond to my proposal, the waitress returned to our table, carrying two steaming cups of dark coffee. She placed the cups down with great care, creating a brief intermission in our conversation as she quickly departed, allowing us some space.
I took a sip of the rich, aromatic coffee, feeling its warmth seep through me. It was the perfect backdrop to continue our discussion. "It's good... have a taste," I offered to Alver, trying to ease the tension in the air.
Alver accepted the coffee and took a cautious sip. His expression remained tense, but the act of sharing the drink made the atmosphere a tad more relaxed. "What kind of deal are you proposing?" he asked, his curiosity overriding his reservations.
I contemplated his response for a moment. Alver was right to be cautious, especially when dealing with someone who had already unearthed part of his secret. "Tell me which noble house you come from, and I will explain how I uncovered your aristocratic background," I suggested, attempting to offer him some transparency in return....or I didn't.
'Just say that you want to know so you can connect his fate with the main storyline of the game.' Blaze was oddly fast to catch up on that one.
Alver, however, swiftly rejected the idea. "Nope, not happening. You already know too much, and I'm not taking any risks." It appeared that he wasn't about to divulge his noble lineage easily, making our exchange more challenging... didn't fall for it too, he's not as dumb as he seems I guess.
"That means we'll have to move on to the next topic," I said, deftly switching our focus to another matter at hand.
Alver's expression displayed a mix of surprise and disgust. He clearly didn't appreciate my persistence in these matters.
"What? Let me clarify this for you," I continued, ensuring that we understood each other. "I uncovered Alright, let's forget the idea," as I pretended to relent, lifting my coffee cup to my lips.
09:37
But Alver wasn't ready to let it go that easily. "At least try to convince me! I may be older, but you your origin independently, without outside help, so you can rest assured. Now, let's delve into more serious business."
Blaze interjected with a probing question: 'Do you trust him enough to make a deal?'
The answer was far from straightforward. It wasn't about trust but about recognizing an opportunity. I replied, 'Not yet, but I don't believe I'll have many chances to engage with someone as influential as Alver. The situation warrants some risks....maybe a lot of them.'
"What serious business... the stuff you mentioned about Viceburg? I've already told you I don't see any reason to get involved. The city is already in shambles, and there's no point in investing there."Alver questioned the seriousness of our discussion, particularly concerning the matter of Viceburg.
It seemed like he was about to elaborate on his viewpoint, but I stepped in and said, "There isn't? Alright, let's forget the idea," as I pretended to relent, lifting my coffee cup to my lips.
But Alver wasn't ready to let it go that easily. "At least try to convince me! I may be older, but you make it seem like I'm in the lower position here. Give me a reason to believe you," he demanded.
I couldn't help but chuckle at how easily he took the bait, his ego slightly wounded by the suggestion that he might be in the inferior position. "Haha, don't worry. I was just joking," I assured him, genuinely amused by his reaction. It appeared that he was now fully engaged in the conversation, ready to hear more.
"Alright, let me explain," I began, preparing to outline my proposition. "I want you to purchase approximately half of the land in Viceburg and attract three significant criminal groups to the city. One of these groups must be Akh Helna."
Alver's curiosity was piqued, and he inquired about Akh Helna. "Akh Helna, the criminal brothers?" he asked, "And the reason for that?"
"As an influential person, you are aware of the current relationship between Elishia Forest and Hestia Empire, right?" I asked. He seemed somewhat indifferent.
"And what does that—" He paused, processing the information, and I saw his eyes widen as he gasped silently, bringing his hand to his mouth. It seemed the realization had sunk in.
He gets the court politics too, maybe from a marquis's family?
'You still hung up on his lineage?'Blaze quipped.
"Who are you... Ren Hilton... This is... how? Like—" he glanced around and leaned closer to me, asking, "You want to cut off the whole city from the empire!"
He tried supress his voice but yeah it might sound absurd but it's possible.... really possible.
He was right; I did. Perhaps it was time to move beyond everything.....and have some real fun.
.....
[A/N: So.....Give me some Power Stones and Golden tickets, maybe gift too T T I need motivation....oh you can comment something too and yeah.... y'all did a good job, Completed challenge of hundred PS in a single day so tomorrow we smash and I gib three chapters in a single day as a prize.]
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