The next day they decided to start off immediately by inquiring with the top merchants. Zae Zin Nim was adamant that they should start with one of the wealthiest, a man named Suortril who apparently controlled trade from Cloudspire. Since Kai had no strong opinions and could use a bargain on cultivation resources, he went along with her.
Fortunately, it turned out to be easy to get an invitation: there might be a hundred crystalliers in the city, but in a city with hundreds of thousands of people, that still made them a valuable asset. To Kai's surprise they actually headed directly to the merchant's palace, which was in the wealthiest district that still overlooked the river.
He was less surprised to find that it was a literal palace, made out of crystals. Most of the wealthy might prefer understatement, but clearly not Suortril. There was so much glimmering and shining that it all kind of blurred together and Kai wasn't even impressed anymore. They were instructed to land in a circular area studded with crystal spire that looked like an arena of some sort, without any stands.
They weren't the only ones, either: two others joined them, equally surprised. One was a man with flowing Elemental Nations hair and a flawless shroud. The other was a younger Krysali woman with a weak shroud that left the impression she had around 100 Power.
If this was a negotiation tactic, then it was probably intended to show them that they weren't unique and drive down their value. Kai pondered if there was any way to strike back while they waited, which was probably another power play. He was just beginning to wonder if it was a test when a crystal chair glided into the room bearing their host.
Lord Suortril turned out to be a middle-aged man with tailored clothes that flattered his trim figure, an immaculate thin beard, and eyes like a pair of gold coins. He gave the impression of moving briskly despite the fact that he wasn't walking at all, just hovering on a levitating chair.
"Thank you all for coming," Suortril said smoothly. "I don't like to waste my time, so I won't waste yours. Every crystallier who works for me will be paid wages second to none, increasing if you can attain Ruby or Diamond rank. But if you want that position, there are no games or tests. Show me your souls."
The merchant didn't feel like a warrior and Kai didn't sense any kind of shroud from him. He still hesitated, in case he was facing someone who might be able to see through to the truth, but if all his work wasn't good enough yet, it never would be. Kai lowered his shroud and tried to surreptitiously look at the others.
"You, I'm interested in." Suortril extended a ring-laden finger at Zae Zin Nim first, then shifted toward the Krysali woman. "You, get out."
"But I-"
"Out."
She fumed for a moment before turning and leaving, without Kai even getting a glimpse of her soul. Suortril didn't give her the slightest glance as he shifted to Kai. "You... not interested, sorry. And finally you, attack me."
Kai blinked at being rejected so quickly, especially since the merchant had already moved on. The man from the Elemental Nations looked surprised as well. "Attack you?"
"It's not hard to understand, is it?"
"But it's a test. I've heard you have defenses, and they must work against the elements."
Suortril gave him a thin smile. "Smarter than you look. Alright, talk to my staff and we might be able to arrange some sort of provisional assignment to see your mettle. Everyone else out, I want to talk to the cultivator."
"The two of us are traveling together," Zae Zin Nim said with a gesture toward Kai.
"If you want to fund his lifestyle, you're welcome to, but I'm not interested in hiring him."
Now that he'd gotten over his surprise, Kai was irritated at being brushed aside so quickly. There might be stronger crystalliers in the city, but he wasn't weak. "Why ask him to attack?" Kai asked. "I doubt it was just to test how hot-headed he was, it must have been to gather some sort of data."
"Do you think you can punch above your weight?" Suortril glanced at him again and shrugged. "Then attack me and see."
This time wasn't a test, he was sure. Kai carefully drew on Tyrant's Claw, though he concentrated it into a single line of force that would look more like a human attack. He lunged forward and swung with all the power he had, assuming that some power or other crystallier would emerge to block him.
Stolen story; please report.
Instead he collided with something that rang like a bell and an instant later was flat on his back. Kai blinked in shock and struggled to see what had happened.
A nearly invisible prism shimmered around Suortril, made of qi and yet nothing like any qi technique he'd seen. It felt more like a crystal itself had been given spiritual form. Whatever it was, it had utterly blocked his attack and even thrown some of the force back at him.
"Raw physical force is not useful to me." Suortril leaned forward in his chair to frown down at Kai. "You're wondering if I'm a cultivator, but you're wrong. I don't fight, that's what I hire fighters for."
His smug condemnation made Kai want to punch his face in, but attacking without knowing more would be foolish. There didn't seem to be any other power in the air, not consistent with the idea that someone else had defended him. The only thing he could deduce was that a crystal on one of Suortril's rings seemed to be glowing. Could there be defensive wards that strong?
"I'll leave you to sort yourself out," the merchant said as his chair rotated away. "Now, cultivator, come with me if you're interested in being employed by the household."
"Of course." Zae Zin Nim bowed and followed him without a look back at Kai.
For several seconds he just stared in shock. Having his attack blocked hadn't really made him angry, he was just puzzled and curious. The idea of Zae Zin Nim abandoning him the very first moment it was convenient triggered something in him that he didn't know existed.
He stormed out of the mansion and returned to their diamond star, then paced around it. Most likely Zae Zin Nim hadn't actually abandoned him - he knew her, they had gone through too much together. But that anxiety was surprisingly close to the surface. Life had spat in his face and told him he was worthless so many times, the idea of someone he cared about turning on him hit deep.
In his storm of emotions it felt longer than it really was, but it wasn't long before Zae Zin Nim returned. "Alright, time to go."
"You didn't take the offer?" Kai asked.
"I was just getting more information from him." Zae Zin Nim spoke as if it was obvious, as if she would have been surprised if he'd thought otherwise. "Come on, get in."
More relieved than he wanted to admit, Kai jumped in beside her. "So what did you learn?"
"Suortril was offering twenty five thousand Goralian Eagles per month. He's probably the wealthiest merchant in Yulthens, but he isn't secure in the military side of his position. I couldn't get him to reveal too much information, but I think he's worried about his rival. Apparently she has hired a cultivator - a real one from Cloudspire - who he's afraid will upset the balance."
"Huh. Who's his rival?"
"A woman named Riuklina." Zae Zin Nim smiled back at him. "Want to go ask her next?"
As they flew across the city, into the grandest and highest quarter, Zae Zin Nim shared everything else she'd learned. It seemed that there were three prominent merchants who each employed one of the Diamond Crystalliers in an uneasy balance. That left one independent agent and one who worked for the city - actually the man Kai had met the previous day.
Riuklina was another prominent merchant from old money. When she signed her name as "Riuklina of Yulthens" it actually meant that her family had helped found the city. But apparently she was open-minded enough to have hired a foreign cultivator and try to encroach on businesses that had long been controlled by other families.
Yet when they reached their destination, it turned out that Riuklina wouldn't speak to them herself. She sent out some employee of her house who explained that they had a standard contract for crystalliers. Everyone was paid ten thousand per month and they were expected to engage in regular military action putting down "uprising" - what that meant wasn't clear.
There was no need for them to discuss this offer. If anything, Zae Zin Nim was so insulted by being offered less than her last position that Kai had to pull her away before she slapped someone hard enough to kill them. For his part, Kai was a lot more concerned about exactly how she was using crystalliers.
It would have to be a question for another time, because now Zae Zin Nim was determined to find a patron that day, no matter the cost.
With a little investigation, culminating in the local Crystallier Headquarters, they learned the identity of the third merchant who hired a Diamond Crystallier. They inquired and got a prompt response that the merchant was busy and they could potentially make an appointment the following week. Zae Zin Nim was further incensed, while Kai made sure to figure out a date, just in case everything else went wrong.
"This is ridiculous," she said on the way back to their inn. "We deserve more than this."
"We don't need to go for the highest offer," Kai said. "There are a lot of worthwhile challenges in Yulthens. It might make sense to take a lower offer that gives us free time to pursue them."
"Ideally, we should find both. If we can't do better than Romastir, I will be insulted."
They had planned to eat and then figure out their next move, but when they returned to the fancy inn, a servant greeted them by the door.
"My lady, my lord, a message for you." He bowed low and handed them a gray card. It contained only a few lines of flowing text Kai couldn't read from that angle. "This is the official card of an estimable merchant interested in your services. She would very much like to meet you."
Zae Zin Nim took the card and scowled at it. For his part, Kai wasn't sure what to think, but given their first attempts, he thought they should take the offer seriously. He looked over her shoulder and read the card properly.
Dowager Orillia of Philaster
Patron of the Crystallier Cooperative
44 Citrine Lane
Whoever Dowager Orillia was, she'd apparently heard of them and thought it was worth reaching out. Maybe he'd get an answer on what kind of reputation they'd built sooner rather than later.