Chapter 159: Ratted Out
Now that the three are in the city, Ralf splits up from them after they secure an inn room so that they might search for Derflinger faster. Tiffania goes with Michael as he doesn't exactly trust her or this city to not eventually discover her identity. He at least wanted to be there to save her ass if shit did hit the fan after all.
Ralf leaves to go see if he could find any information of value while the duo begins walking around the streets of Tristania to look for the smithy that sells Derflinger. This isn't as easy as Michael would have anticipated however, as there are far more smithy's, workshops, weapon stores, and armourers than he'd realised.
Indeed, even his memory of the shop from the anime was pretty fuzzy at this point. He could remember that it was some back alley place run by some rat-faced man who liked to con customers with fake or useless decorative blades. Saito only found that fact out halfway through a battle though, which Michael was more than happy to have avoided that fate.
Fortunately, the search only lasted around two and a half hours after the duo started asking civilians for directions. Even if when most strangers were worried about speaking with anyone they didn't already trust... Man, General Gramont has really torn this city a new asshole.
*Driing!*
A bell chime rings out as Michael and Tiffania step into the shop, his eyes almost instantly locking onto the small faced, smug-looking man at the counter. Indeed, the anime didn't portray him as accurately as it should have, as this man looked like a rat in human form... How anyone could trade with this guy without triple-checking things was a mystery to Michael.
"Ah, welcome customers! What would you have need of today, hmm?" the man asks while rubbing both of his clasped hands together.
Michael just ignores it and gets on with his goal however, "I'm looking for a sword, a unique sword that I am told you had in stock." he says while glancing around, quickly finding the wooden barrel where Derflinger had been kept in the anime.
"Oh? And what sword might that be? I have a few unique germanian blades in stock if you wished to peruse them? Might I ask you to be careful though, they are each worth more than this shop itself." the rat-faced man says, most likely setting up a scam where he'd have them break an 'expensive' blade and make them pay for it. Maybe even suggesting to get the guards involved.
Michael frowns, not because of the man, but because he couldn't find what he was looking for... "Shopkeep, the blade I'm looking for calls itself Derflinger. It has the ability to speak and should be heavily rusted..."
...
The shopkeep's tongue flicks at his lips as he looks thoughtful, "Ah, that annoying little thing? I sold it to someone many days ago, said they thought a sword that could hurt and be hurt was an amusing thought." he shrugs noncommittally, losing interest in the duo as he realises they weren't going to buy anything.
Michael lets out a sigh as Tiffania turns towards the shopkeep, "Do you know who might have bought it, please? It would help us out a lot if you could." she asks, as the rat-faced man finally takes an interest in her... Specifically her 'curves'.
"Why, I might be able to remember something... If you helped job my memory a bit." he says with a lascivious smile appearing on his face.
Michael pushes Tiffania behind him as he grips the hilt of his swords with one hand and walks over to the desk, grabbing the man around his throat with the other and squeezing until he hears his spine start popping. "Will this help then? I heard blunt force trauma was a good way to recall things, we can test that next if you like?" he says, releasing his grip slightly to allow the man to talk.
The shopkeep cough and splitters as he tries to catch his breath, glaring at Michael with a great deal of animosity, "I... If I tell you who they are, they will kill me. They will hang me in the square with every other 'dissident'... I'd rather die to you than them!" he spits, clearly more fearful of 'them' than he is of Michael.
Michael shakes his head with faux-mirth, "Do you know who I am? I'm the one that killed Guiche de Gramont, destroyed Antomiers, helped take back Albion. I'm the one 'King' Gramont wants to kill the most, and you think anything they could do to you would be worse than me!? Don't fuck with me you piece of shit!" he growls, holding up his hand and letting orange sparks crackle between his fingers with a half-cast EtherShock spell.
The shopkeep gulps at the sight, having heard of the 'False-Familiar' all around the capital. Indeed, unbeknownst to Michael, people had started making up stories of him. Most of them were perpetrated by the now 'King' Gramont and his men.
"P-please, promise they won't find out if I tell you... Promise on your life!" the man begs, and Michael nods. "O-Okay... It, it was a new commander, someone called Nicolas Grimpt... That's all I know, I swear!"
Michael shakes his head, "You must know more than that, what does he look like? Sound like? Did he have an entourage? Where does he reside!?"
Fortunately, getting all this info apart from the latter question was fairly easy to do. Now that the hypothetical dam had broken, the man was more than willing to give up all he knew.
And, with all that said and done, Michael snaps the man's neck with ease. He shoves the corpse behind the counter and out of view of the street and turns towards Tiffania who he'd expected to look shocked, but apparently wasn't.
She shrugs, "He knew too much... And I didn't like the way he was looking at me. It does feel wasteful though." she admits, taking one last glance at the corpse before ignoring it.
Michael presents his elbow to her, "Maybe, but I didn't like the way he was looking at you either. Come on, let's see if we can find out a bit more about 'Commander Nicolas Grimpt' before we meet back up with Ralf." he says, as they both leave, Michael not forgetting to turn the sign on the door to 'Closed'.
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