章節 35: Preparation (7)
Raphael Earhart
— Who the hell is this crazy guy?! — Erin shouted, her eyes blazing with fury.
Honestly, if I didn't already know that this man before us was Sarik Lowmor, one of the best suppliers of healing goods in the country, I might've thought the same thing. His appearance left much to be desired, and as for his manners… well, "lacking" would be an understatement. But he wasn't just some loony old man. He was a talented merchant and, I had to admit, a master of deception.
— Watch your mouth, girl, — Sarik growled, adjusting the greasy collar of his worn-out jacket.
— Shut up! You almost killed us, you lunatic! — Erin jabbed her finger at him furiously.
— I apologized, didn't I? — he replied, holding up his hands in mock surrender, smiling like nothing had happened. — I just wanted to shoot out your knees.
— Oh, yeah, that makes it sooo much better! — she shouted.
Sarik just shrugged, like the argument was already over in his mind.
Watching this absurd exchange was like witnessing a bizarre mix of comedy and tragedy. A grown man of about forty was explaining to a nine-year-old girl, with all seriousness, that he "only meant to cause her grievous harm." Meanwhile, she, having been quaking in fear moments earlier, was now chewing him out for "inappropriate" behavior.
Pure theater of the absurd.
And why was Harumi so quiet? I sensed something was off and turned to see that, instead of my bright pink fox, I now had what looked like a miserable mix between a fox and a rat perched on my shoulder. Her fur was a dull gray, and her ears were flattened back, like the world was about to end.
She'd shrunk back, her entire demeanor overtaken by fear.
Grabbing one of the sweets we'd picked up on the festival street, I held a small pastry out to her. Instantly, her mood perked up, and she latched onto the treat. She gobbled it up, and, before my eyes, resumed her usual form.
Quite a sight, really.
— So, what business do fancy folks like you have in a godforsaken place like this? — Sarik folded his arms and squinted at me, clearly eager to steer the conversation away from his "shooting practice."
I sized him up. Same filthy jacket from last time, trousers that had to be a decade old. His entire outfit reeked of dirt—a vital part of his miserable image. And all this despite the fact that Sarik was rich. In truth, he was one of the few people in town who could afford to deal in rare potions and herbs. But his stinginess was infamous. Even this shack of a store was a testament to his cheapness.
No one in their right mind would ever come here, much less anyone representing the Earhart family, so the question was valid enough.
I took a deep breath, preparing the best answer to avoid raising suspicions.
— I need the best stamina elixir you've got.
Sarik narrowed his eyes, studying me with suspicion.
— There are plenty of decent pharmacies on the main square, and with a luxurious selection. Why come to this dump? — His disdain was clear in every word.
Erin nearly lunged at him again, ready to tear him apart, but I caught her arm just in time, signaling her to stand down.
— I'm not interested in overpaying for mediocre medicine, — I replied calmly, holding his gaze. — I was told I could find exactly what I need here.
A silent duel of stares ensued between us. Sarik was looking for any hint of deception, but I was ready for this. I had planned out every detail of this visit in advance. Sure, I hadn't anticipated the shotgun, but everything else was under control.
Finally, with a heavy sigh, he relented.
— Fine. Tell me what you need the potion for, and I'll help you choose. But remember, the price will be different for an Earhart, — he sneered, a sly smirk creeping onto his face.
On the main square, he'd have been immediately thrown into prison for such insolence. But here, in his "sanctuary," he felt safe, knowing he could slip away at the first sign of trouble. Of course, he had no idea I knew about his hidden traps.
Or maybe it was that he just underestimated me entirely.
He was sure that I posed no threat whatsoever. In his mind, I was just another spoiled rich kid, accustomed to having everything done for him by servants and bodyguards. A mistake he would pay for later.
This wasn't even a matter of the Earhart family honor. No. I'd never really cared much about that. It was something else entirely. I couldn't stand it when someone looked down on me. That look... like I was weak, incapable of pushing back.
And that was something I'd have to set right. Later. Calmly, coldly, when the time was right.
I smiled to myself and replied:
— Don't worry, I've got the money.
— Good. So, what exactly do you need?
— Ten vials of top-quality stamina potion, — I said, watching his reaction closely.
Sarik smirked and disappeared into the back room.
While waiting, I began wandering around the room, examining the dusty, cobwebbed shelves. They were lined with various bottles and jars filled with what appeared to be poisons, potions, and other alchemical items. The shop was spacious, about thirty meters wide and forty long, so it took some time to cover.
— My Lord, can we trust him? — Erin's voice interrupted my thoughts.
I turned to see concern in her eyes. Even Harumi was looking at me as if sharing her doubts.
— Of course not, — I replied calmly.
— What?! Then why are we here?! — Erin gasped, unable to believe what she'd heard.
— Just because I don't trust him doesn't mean he doesn't have what I need. We just need to apply a bit of pressure.
My confidence was short-lived. A moment later, the door swung open, and three hulking figures walked in. Their muscles looked impressive, and I quickly realized they were adventurers, probably C-rank. In a fight, they'd likely be on the second level of the Blazing Spark or at the first stage of the Moon Slice—not the fiercest opponents, but more than enough to take down a child or an unarmed person.
And there they stood in a row before me, with Sarik smirking from behind them. The air grew heavy with tension.
— What's the meaning of this? — I asked, keeping my voice as icy and neutral as possible.
Sarik chuckled, crossing his arms.
— I figured, why bother selling you anything? Why not just take the money and be done with it? — His voice dripped with self-satisfaction.
— Aren't you afraid I'll bring knights here to smash your hovel to pieces? And have you executed for this?
— Oh, please, — Sarik waved dismissively, as if it were all trivial. — You won't do that.
— And why's that?
He raised an eyebrow, as if surprised I didn't get it.
— Because you'd humiliate yourself. Think about it, boy, you're an Earhart! Are you really going to admit you can't handle a common merchant? And then go whining about it? — His words were deceptively calm, but his eyes held a cold edge. This bastard wasn't joking.
He really thought this would work. Same scumbag I remembered. Only this time, it was better—even more reason not to hold back on him.
— Oh, look at the kid trying to act tough, — one of the mercenaries mocked, the words barely leaving his mouth before I took a step forward.
They stopped dead as I calmly released an ice shard that pierced his head. With a sickening crunch, the ice embedded itself in his forehead, leaving a clean hole. The man's body crumpled to the ground with a dull thud. The others froze, disbelief clear on their faces.
— You bastard! — The two remaining adventurers charged at me, rage blazing in their eyes.
With a single flick of my hand, I sent mana surging through the room, instantly coating everything in a layer of ice. Spikes rose from the floor, frost crept along the walls, and the ground turned into a frozen lake. It was as if the shop itself had become my domain. The two adventurers lost their footing, struggling to stay upright as ice-bound chains shackled their feet to the floor.
— What the hell is this?! — Sarik's voice shook with terror as he tried to make sense of what had just happened.
The two mercenaries scrambled, desperately attempting to melt the ice with their own magic. But it was pointless. Even though their Sparks were technically a rank higher than mine, they lacked the control I'd spent years perfecting. Years of training and honing my skills allowed me to hold my own even against higher-level opponents. C-rank? Laughable.
— Erin, — I called out, calm as ever.
— Right away, — she responded immediately.
With a single fluid motion, she drew her sword from her spatial ring and sliced through the air in a graceful arc. Two heads rolled to the floor, leaving Sarik as the only one alive. Trembling, he collapsed onto the frozen ground, trying to shrink away from the lethal intent he saw in our eyes.
I walked toward Sarik slowly, relishing the way he cowered and shrank back. His eyes flicked frantically from me to the bodies of his dead henchmen, his fingers scraping desperately at the frozen floor.
Popping a candy into my mouth, I looked down at him.
— You got it wrong, Sarik, — I began with a cold smile.
— How… how do you know my name? — he stammered, panic filling his voice.
— That's not something you need to worry about. What you need to know is this: I know every single one of your little smuggling operations. I know all your traps in this filthy dump. I know just how many bribes you've paid aristocrats to keep out of prison.
Sarik's face drained of color, as if he were staring down his own execution. His mouth opened and closed helplessly, like a fish gasping for air.
— You can hate my family all you want. I even get why. But… — I leaned closer, letting my voice drop to a whisper that wrapped him in the chilling aura of my mana. — If you ever try anything like this again, you'll be begging me to end you.
I straightened up, meeting his gaze, which was empty now, hollowed out by fear.
— Do I make myself clear?
— Y-yes! I'm so sorry! It won't happen again! — he stammered, nodding frantically like a madman, trying desperately to avoid further punishment.
— Good.
I relaxed, allowing the ice to slowly melt away. The room returned to its usual state, and Erin sheathed her blade.
— Now, bring me what I ordered.
— Y-yes, right away! — Sarik stammered, stumbling back into his storeroom, shaking like he'd just narrowly escaped death.
The bodies of the mercenaries still lay scattered on the floor, lending the room an eerie, grotesque atmosphere, as if death and business had long since become one in this place.
Within a minute, Sarik returned, clutching ten potions. I took them and carefully inspected each one for authenticity. They were all in order. After placing them in a pouch, I started for the door, when Sarik's voice stopped me.
— Uh… and what about payment..?
I turned to meet his gaze. My smile was icy, my intent crystal clear.
— Excuse me?
— A-ah, sorry, it's on the house! — He forced a strained smile, clearly realizing he should keep his mouth shut.
— That's more like it, — I replied with a mockingly cheerful smile, stepping back. — And, by the way, Sarik, I'll be visiting frequently. So, be ready for me.
— ...I look forward to it, — he muttered, voice barely a whisper as he tried to keep as much distance from me as possible.
Once we stepped out of the shop, I took a deep breath.
Didn't expect filling the whole room with ice to be so exhausting. Guess it's time to double down on training.
— That was… irritating, — Erin sighed, finally releasing a breath.
— You right. But now we need to head to the Mage's Tower.
Erin looked at me with a tired expression, as if she'd just been drained of every last drop of energy in the past thirty minutes.
— Wait, it's not over yet?!
— Nope. The best part's still to come.
— When you say "best," it always means something crazy or infuriating... — Erin rolled her eyes.
— No idea what you're talking about. Let's go.
Erin and Harumi sighed in unison, but they followed me, not another word of complaint between them.
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