Everyone can be bought, even the prestigious families if the price was good enough.
And that’s what the Bartender’s Guild was ready to do.
"Such a price, are you capable of backing up your offer?" The family’s matriarch asked, looking toward the tall young woman with a curious eye.
The seas still remained the most dangerous part of the world for them. There were few safe routes in existence and most of them were under the protection of certain powers, so from the island nations or even small warlords that had turned so island into their ho. And to the ignorant, no path was actually safe unless they had access to the treaties.
This is barring the pirates as well as adventurers, who never cared about such details and lived life at the edge. However, they also had developed their own little passageways that were rarely used by the rchants or the Guardian ships.
"I believe Matriarch might not know, but us Bartenders originate from the seas themselves. Our organization was initially ford as a small information-gathering organization focused on helping the sailors sail the dangerous seas by providing them updated news as well as charter on the new routes. It was only later a couple of decades ago that we chose to expand to inland areas, specifically big cities like Rudrain." Only a few understood this truth about the Bartender, their origin, and how they established themselves in the Capital of Cynark.
One of which is providing the Military of Cynark with so special routes that neither the public nor the adventures knew of, including certain small islands that had slowly been turned into strongholds for the Cynark military, all built to act as a wall when the Land of Azad begins their conquest once again.
But that was the kind of cooperation that was done under the table and barely anyone was aware of it or the reason why they were allowed to operate in the city.
"This... All you need in return is us keeping our relationship with Sailor Heroth as it was before?"
"Yes Madam, that’s all we need." The woman spoke showing a subservient expression, but the people at the table understood that this woman was not for the easy pickings. She ca here with a simple intention and as long as the Vermilion family can fulfill her desire, there is only profit to be earned.
"I apologize, we won’t be able to agree on the deal."
"If Madam is worried about the passageways, don’t worry, the ones we will provide you will be one of the safest with the least amount of tax deduction possible."
"That officer is not the issue, it never was." the Matriarch spoke in a kinder tone than before. "We are first and foremost, the guardians of the Church of Truth, their will is our will. As long as you have an antagonistic relationship with the Church, we won’t be able to do any form of dealings with you." The fact that they allowed this woman to co here so deep was to show enough of the respect they intended to show, but nothing more.
They had listened to her and learned that the man was a lot more important than he appeared on the surface, and definitely part of the Bartender’s from the looks of things.
’Soone high up in this organization.’ They thought after hearing the whole story.
"Then don’t, this is not a deal but treat it as a gift," Pea spoke while pushing a small folder to the Elders. "We understand that it’s harder for you to show support for Mister Heroth due to the current circumstances. People are angry, and one might not think straight under such anger. So all I hope of you is to show a bit of support during the hearing. And even if things don’t go the way we expect, our gift won’t be voided. This is just a show of goodwill on our end, nothing more." Pea was eloquent in her speech, showing that she didn’t mind if they didn’t take Heroth’s side directly as long as they could show so support to him.
As for the rest, that can be worked on later, because Pea believed that the church should be able to take asured actions after seeing the desperation on her organization’s end. She will let them know the importance of this old man without ever revealing his identity.
Which in truth, she didn’t even know about.
But what she did know was that the individual in question was soone too big to be made enemy of, and he loved his peace and quiet whenever he went on vacations, just like now.
*****
In the dark corner of an old abandoned house around the outskirts of Rudrain, Rossos’s body materialized in the eyes of the little rats that had called this place their ho for a while.
And just like before, he was pale in color. "This was dangerous." After leaving the shop, it was not as bad early on, but it didn’t take long for him to notice that certain individuals were looking for him. An individual with powers much stronger than his own, which forced him to use the curse of Isolation once again, and use the little ti he had to escape to his marked safe house.
"Weak... weak..." Curse of Isolation, or Curse of loneliness, whatever one wants to call it. This was the greatest weapon in his hand and also the greatest two-edged sword. With each use, Rosso can feel part of his being lost to him, as for what it was, he never understood, as he never rembered it to begin with.
"The body is on the verge of collapse again... this level of strength can’t carry on operations in this city, I need to attain a higher level of strength, a stronger body." The backlash hasn’t arrived yet, and like last ti, it would take so ti before he is hit with it, but during the little ti he had, Rosso already confird that he won’t be able to carry on with the current operations in the state he was in.
His enemies have directly evolved to the level of Grandmasters. People were nothing like the two fools he fought before.
"They remain on edge, my face is open too, this is getting harder, my master’s blood, if I had that." Envy, a hint of envy was written on his face, but he couldn’t complain about what he didn’t have.
"I am exposed, completely. Help if possible, I wish to change my face." Rosso sent the ssage on the pager and turned to wait for a bit, as it usually takes a while before the person on the other end cos online.
But today, today was a bit different.
: I am aware of it, one of our agents saw you in action.
Ca the ssage from the other end, which made Rosso’s face twist in a bit of disappointnt with himself. He understood that going to a place he had gone to before was stupid, but he still chose to do it. And part of him is glad that he did it, and it’s not because of the girl in the pawnshop whose na he didn’t even know about. But the fact that he noticed the oddity in the movents of his followers had disappeared after tracking him for a while.
They probably caused an issue with that monstrous old man, Rosso knew it full well, and hence he was happy about it.
Although he was exposed in the end, his small actions did end up creating a dangerous enemy for the Church. And for a while, their focus would be on that old Pawn shop owner instead of him. But no matter what, he can’t live like this for long, he needs a new face, a new life before he is active in the city again.
And besides, the woman had also promised him the na that he had been waiting for a while, just one more target left and she would give it.
"Then you know the issue on my end, it’s harder and harder to hide my face, they noticed the mont I entered the shop."
: The solution is straightforward on our end: A simple skin mask.
"Skin mask? Is there an additional paynt for this?"
: No, none needed. : Though to receive it: you would have to et with one of our agents.
"I don’t do well with etings, nor am I in any position to partake in it."
: You are exposed, Mister Blood Flower. : Things can’t go worse than they already are.
: And besides, if you do et with our agent: The lead we promised before will be given: without any additional missions required. : We both know you are in no position to do them anyway.
"...." This was getting problematic, but with the ntion of the clue he had been looking for, Rosso didn’t mind eting them.
The worst that can happen has already happened, and as long as there is no one with the power of Domains, none can find him the mont he uses the curse of Isolation anyway. So why worry?
"A few more and my body will break... but this should be worth it." Rosso nodded and agreed to the request. The individual on the other hand gave him a string of numbers that were also the address where the eting would be held.
"Ho, this is..."
"A fool, they will betray you." Ca the voice that startled Rosso, who turned to look around for a bit before his eyes fell on the rats that were strutting around.
"?" There was no intelligence in their eyes, only ignorance. They were simple rats and not the proxy of his Creator. "What voice..." Those were his last thoughts before the backlash arrived.
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