He walked slowly, leaning on his cane to stabilize himself, yet his gait was straight and powerful. walking among the men in Bruguise square, watching and listening to the men trading and haggling with each over the price of grain, the rates of exchange, and the buying and selling of debts.

He took in the air of cafes, strong coffee and ink, and paper. Even in the open air of the trading square, there was a certain smell of parchment amid the fresh rain from the earlier storm.

The single tone of his copper siren still rang in his head, now mixing with the hushed tones of whispered deals and the laughing men as they made their money by trading stocks, securities, and debts. To the demon among them, it felt like home. Haggling over the possession of souls, new contracts coming in daily, and the constant shuffle of the print shop churning out new ideas for temptations and terrible ideas to peddle to the unsuspecting human psyche.

Actually, this was nothing like that, this was way more organized, structured, and civil. Lacking the omnipresent hidden daggers and the need to buy up human souls for their creative powers. So much easier this way. Yes, Demons had a touch of that divine spark, being creatures of Spirit, they were privy to many of the universe's dirty little secrets. But they were good at thinking outside the box as it were.

But at least the weather was nicer here, no brimstone, no constant wailing or begging for mercy or the Endless excuses on why they don't belong in literal Hell.

So glad to be rid of that, here, there was only money, paper, and the art of the deal.

He sauntered about the square listening carefully to the bits and snatches of conversation. Trying to get a lay of the land before dipping his beak into this potentially turbulent pond.

"-I'm telling you, these land prices are absurd!"

"And I'm saying it's just a phase, once the Duke of Marton is restored his lands will-"

"Bah you're all talking to fog, we all know the Duke of Marton hasn't a prayer against Lord Bellington. His lands are forfeit after his defeat in Glenmire Dun."

The demon raised his head slightly, a dispute over land ownership. Spurred on by, it appears a sudden change of local powers. Sounded tense, and likely uncertain. Given the argument.

"Look, gentlemen, Friends. Let not some base political affair change our nature. To Business! Now, Gerald, I have for you the certificate of Debt, my cousin Markus will arrive to pay it off himself in a week's time. Can I count on you to guard his interest in this?"

there was a rue joke in there when both men chuckled. "Aye, good friend Jacob. It'll be most interesting indeed. Your cousin's future is in good hands."

The demon watched at a distance trying to get a feel for the conversation, and what it might get him. But from what he could tell it was a private affair that had already been settled in advance of his hearing of it.

He turned to find a different conversation to listen in on when one of the men, Jacob maybe, approached him. He was a simple-looking man, brown beard and robes, but underneath were finer clothes with just a touch of purple to them. Next to him, was the man he'd just been speaking to, a round smiling man in a red jacket, hemmed with black ribbon. And their third man, tall with a shrewd face and blue coat decorated with small stars and silver buttons.

"Ah, you there, Young man, I see you listening. What can I do for you?"Jacob called out

The Demon flashed a simple smile "I was hoping to learn the trade, I'm new in town and just trying to understand what's in demand, before spending any money."

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The men chuckle to themselves "a Wise choice my friend. So, what are you looking to invest in?"

The demon smiled again "well, I'm just trying to get a look around. I didn't mean to intrude on private business. I would be glad to talk of mutual business."

the three men all exchanged looks, Jacob then smiled and sat down next to him.

"Well, then I think you'll find this interesting young man"

The Devil winced "Please, Zachery will do fine. were all men here."

The group nodded to this and then Jacob started again. "Well then Zachery, Allow me to introduce myself and my business partners. I am Jacob Greenwood, to my left is Ruberto James, and this is my personal friend, Atrelis Farhorn, from Glistening Meadow."

The Devil, calling himself Zachery, greeted each man in turn as they all sat together on the bench and started to talk.

"So, Mister Zachery, what are you?" the blue-jacketed Mr. Atrelis started with, Zachery paused a moment and then smiled

" I'm a jeweler by trade, but recently was committed to doing enchanting work. Since then I've taken a tangential interest. Now I'm thinking of joining one of the guilds to expand."

The three men of money nodded to that "A wise move, securities with the Guilds are always in high demand I've seen, however, it usually depends on which Guild you plan to apply for, have you been made any offers?" Ruberto James, the man in red, inquired. Zachery slumped a little.

"Sadly not, I'm afraid in my time here I've made a stigma of myself, a bit of drunken quarreling. A rotten streak from my father. And since I'm new in this town, I've laid out most of my money keeping out of jail."

Not a very good lie, unoriginal, but lies are about function, not flare. The trio of money changers had no reason to dispute it and the demon could sense their sympathies.

"Tis a shame, do you happen to know which guildsman you quarreled with?" Asked Jacob, his intent coming as a probe of his simple description.

Zachery did sigh aloud "Unfortunately no, Though I dodged a trial, I do not know the name of my advisory that night, nor can I seek him for reconciliation."

"Well, It doesn't matter too much, but the advice I can give you is that you seek out at least one of the Guilds and buy at least a few shares in that Guild. Most of us have at least a few shares in such dealings, In fact, I could sell you some stock in the Triple Serpents, or perhaps the Silver Bulls."

Ruberto James spoke next "Wait, I have a share In the Gilded Flowers, I wouldn't mind selling those."

"Bah, you're just mad the price dropped again, for shame, selling bunk stocks to a novice." Aterlis scolded and Ruberto scoffed back at him.

"Well at least I didn't buy shares in that Greater Winds Trading Company scam last year, they went bankrupt in less than a week!"

"Aye, and near took the Bank of Esther with it, I can't believe people fell for such a flagrant deception."

The Devil sat and listen with rapt attention as the three brokers discussed and bickered over the disastrous events of the fraudulent company's meteoric rise and catastrophic downfall, and its effect on the grain markets and international goods in general.

The Devil paid 22 silver out of his purse for the sixteen shares in the Guild Flowers Guild Atrelis offered and assured him that it would let him at the least, purchase a membership in the small organization.

The Devil thanked him for the opportunity and Atrelis and the rest encouraged him to come back again for more advice and potential deals. They were always willing to welcome a new broker to their ranks.

The devil stood, finding the pain had dulled and he was now, slightly poor, but also somewhat richer.

He would like to visit the Guilded Flowers, but not today. He'd gotten a taste, now he wanted to see how far it would go.

"Excuse me, gentlemen, would you mind, I'd like to earn some coin before going home tonight." He said, THe three men considered their new fourth, and Ruberto James smiled

"Lad, Follow close, I hope you have wit. Because we work fast and Can't wait up for you if you lag behind." the cheeky man in red flashed a smile at him.

So he rose and walked with the men as they introduced him to a great many people and started trading, exchanging, buying, and haggling prices and promises up to and down the square. From one end to another, for the rest of the day.

He learned tricks even Demons didn't know, showed his shrewdness a few times, and walked away from the table of the exchanges with a purse that weighed more than when he'd arrived, and also stuffed with slips for futures ready to pay out at the end of the month.

As he set out for home once again, he felt a smile cross his face. He'd be coming back here tomorrow, he'd seen enough that he could likely make twice this if he wanted to. But this was just one of his goals, now that he was a man of some wealth, now he could pursue his ideals.

He would visit the Guilds, see if anyone there was interested in taking his pens, it could be a solid basis for future profits. And of course, Trading.

Hmm, He might have to be careful with this, wouldn't want to become reliant on this kind of lifestyle. Might be too fast for him.