Liam took a deep breath as he stood in front of the run-down guild. At first glance, it looked like any other failing establishnt—cracked walls, a flickering sign barely hanging onto the building, and the distinct sll of old wood and spilled liquor.
But Liam had seen enough to know when sothing was just a front. His system had already confird that this place wasn’t as simple as it appeared.
"This place stinks. It is irritating my sensitive nose."
Asger muttered, scrunching his nose. His sharp half-dragon senses were picking up sothing foul, and Liam couldn’t bla him.
"Yeah, I can tell. But it’s not the building that stinks—it’s the people inside. However, we are here for a purpose,"
Liam replied, his system flashing warnings about hidden magical barriers, protective enchantnts, and deception spells ant to fool ordinary humans.
Without hesitation, Liam activated his presence-masking spell, a subtle but powerful magic that didn’t make him invisible but instead caused people to overlook him.
It was more useful in crowded areas where people wouldn’t question why they suddenly forgot about soone standing right in front of them.
He pushed open the wooden door, and the sll of alcohol and smoke imdiately hit him. The inside was just as dilapidated as the outside—at least, on the surface.
The bar was lined with dusty bottles, and a handful of patrons sat slumped over their drinks, looking like they had given up on life.
Liam walked up to the bartender, a burly man with a jagged scar running down his cheek. He was wiping a glass, though it didn’t seem like he was actually cleaning it.
The man’s sharp eyes flickered toward Liam, narrowing slightly.
Liam didn’t say anything. Instead, he subtly wove a hint of magic into his aura, a silent signal among magicians that he wasn’t just another human wandering in.
The bartender stiffened for a brief mont before setting the glass down.
"Back room."
He muttered under his breath, nodding toward a door on the far end of the bar.
Liam gave a small nod and made his way to the door, Asger following close behind.
"You sure about this, human? I don’t like this guy already"
Asger whispered.
Liam sighed.
"I don’t like him either, but I don’t have many choices."
Pushing open the door, Liam found himself in a dimly lit room, the air thick with the scent of old parchnt and ink.
Seated behind a cluttered desk was a man who looked so harmless that it almost felt like a joke.
He had soft brown eyes, a kind smile, and a neatly pressed shirt that made him look like a humble scholar rather than a man who specialized in fabricating identities.
But Liam wasn’t fooled.
The mont he locked eyes with the man, his system flared up, bombarding him with information.
[Na: Vincent Moreau
Occupation: Forger, Information Broker, Conman
Threat Level: Moderate
Personality: Greedy, Cunning, Opportunistic
Warning: Will overcharge if given the chance.]
Liam raised an eyebrow at the description, but he wasn’t surprised. Even without the system’s analysis, he could tell this guy was bad news.
Asger let out a low growl, stepping back slightly.
"I don’t like this guy. He slls like a rat."
Vincent chuckled, clearly unfazed.
"My, my, what a rude guest. And here I was, thinking you ca here to do business, not insult ."
Liam crossed his arms.
"I don’t care if you like or not. I heard you can make identities—ones that can withstand both human and magical scrutiny."
Vincent’s smile widened.
"Ah, straight to business! I like that. Yes, I can create a flawless identity for you, one that even high-ranking officials wouldn’t question. Of course, quality work cos at a price."
Liam wasn’t surprised.
"How much?"
Vincent leaned forward, his fingers tapping the desk.
"That depends. How quickly do you want the others to be able to see through your information and recognize you? Do you want just a na and docuntation, or do you want a full history, background, and embedded enchantnts to make your identity foolproof? Do you want a look to go with it as well?"
"The full package." Liam said without hesitation. If he was going to do this, he needed it done right.
Vincent’s eyes glead with delight. "Excellent choice! That will be... let’s say, three million? I will give you a discount and offer this generous price, just for you."
Liam narrowed his eyes. This was far too much money for him to have...usually. But if he combined everything he had, he would barely have enough to get by.
"That’s a rip-off."
Vincent shrugged.
"Quality isn’t cheap, my friend. But, if you’re worried about being found out, I also offer a special service. For an extra hundred gold, I will erase my mory of you ever coming here."
That made Liam pause. On one hand, he hated the idea of paying extra just so this scumbag wouldn’t rember him. But on the other hand, having no loose ends was worth it.
Asger snorted.
"You’re really trusting him to forget? What if he just takes the money and lies about it?"
Vincent chuckled.
"Oh, I don’t just rely on my own honesty. I use a spell that wipes my mory of a transaction while keeping the docunts intact. It’s a foolproof thod. Of course, you’d have to pay in advance, since I wouldn’t rember you owed anything otherwise."
Liam sighed. It was a scam, but a smart one. He turned to Asger.
"We’re doing this. But the price is too much. Can I exchange anything other than money?"
"Hmm, we don’t usually do that. But I have a feeling you will give sothing worthwhile-"
Liam brought out a copy of a forbidden book he had in his system.
To be precise, it was just a few Chapters. But the way Vincent’s eyes widened told Liam that this would be more than enough.
"This should be enough, right?"
Liam asked with a smile on his face.
Vincent simply smiled, looking far too pleased with himself.
"Wonderful! Now, let’s get started, shall we?"
Liam sat down, ntally preparing himself. He knew this was going to cost him, but if it gave him the freedom to act without being constantly watched, then it would be worth every coin.
Reviews
All reviews (0)