A new Day in School and in the middle of the lesson a small piece of Paper lands from his right on his Desk. Seeing how Eleonora wants something from him he took it and read it in an idle moment.
- Can we please talk in private during recess?
Drak found it curious how Eleonora was including ‘please’, as she was normally more authoritative, towards him but seems to have something on her mind. Throwing the piece of paper back with an ‘okay’ written on it Eleonora had a more relaxed demeanor. Curious about the meaning of it, Drak was hardly taking attention fearing the wrath of Seria, if she would knew he could not concentrate on his studies.
-
Walking through the hallways Drak and Eleonora were surrounded by their Stewards and maids, leisurely going in different directions to stretch their legs before eating their lunch.
“...~”
“We can talk, everyone hears something different than we talk about.”
“Still unsettling how you can just change the words on the fly. You will be shipping a new charge of Magic Crystals into the Imperial City, right?”
“Yes, what of it? You want me to stop making income? No dice in doing that.”
“No no, I just want to tell you someone from my family is invading the talks and I would like to be… be nice to him.”
“Your Family? The Imperial Family?”
“No, my direct Family branch. He is my Uncle and one of the ones I care deeply about. Could you please be nice to him? At least do him no harm, he just wants to help me.”
“...Should be doable. We already had a hunch an Imperial Envoy would come, but did not think it would be one of your Family.”
“Our Family is dedicated to inviting you as a Calamity. Our Branch has not much Power and we got you to handle, as not much Information could be scryed from the Seers. As an unknown variable, we were ordered to ascertain your allegiance and find ways to invite you to work for the Empire.”
“And if I would not align to the Empire?”
“...removal of dangerous individuals.”
“I see.”
Falling silent a bit, Drak was in thoughts for a short while, until he came to a conclusion.
“It will be possible. I will think about making it more convenient for me through him, also maybe I can strengthen your Position with it a bit. You are rather badly treated right now as a disposable piece.”
“I was always ready for it, do not worry about me, but I do not want to see my Uncle or anyone in my direct Family get hurt. Can you please do this for me?”
“As I said, it will be possible.”
“Thank you.”
After talking for a while Drak took his leave to eat his meal before going back to class. Eleonora was walking a bit more and was thinking about many things.
“What do you think about this talk? Anything you can ascertain?”
Asking her Maids this, the Maids looked at each other to see who wants to go first.
“Princess, his grasp of history is a bit lacking.”
“Is it?”
Not quite understanding, she wants to see what they were hearing, while Drak and her had a conversation. The answer was interesting, as she does not understand what they were insinuating.
“While he asks such simple questions about the Timeline of historical events, you could perfectly point the different Years out, while he even had some Events mixed up. For you to help your Classmate in this way is admirable, but maybe a bit of a waste, as he will not be in any high position in the future, if he is not the person we are thinking of.”
‘So they just heard questions about School topics? Those powers are frightening.’
-
The next Night Drak was donning his black Buddha mask to meet the Syndicate again. As he has no need to let the Ripper make an appearance all four and another Maid were coming with him.
This Maid also had a Mask out of porcelain and a black rose on it. Otherwise she was dressed similar in dark leather and with a cloak over her whole body.
“Complications might happen. Be ready, all of you.”
“Yes Boss.”
With this affirmation, the whole troupe is going to the meeting place. This time the place was a cemetery with a small mausoleum in the eastern part. This part was slightly overgrown but had otherwise be tended to quite meticulously.
Going deeper into the Mausoleum, the middle altar was already moved to the side showing another stairs going deeper.
“Why always down? No one is thinking of having the place further up? Whatever, at least it is not the sewers.”
Grumbling to himself Drak is walking down with Celia and Raja at the Front while on the back were the other three. Entering the place a table with some drinks already put down . On the other end was someone masked while on his right an elderly man with platinum blonde hair and Mustache.
‘Should be already her Uncle. I thought he would come out after the meeting.’
“Greetings Black Merchant. My Name is Anderson Gracia Imperia, please be at ease, this is not a setup or anything, but a genuine request for cooperation. You might be already aware of us looking into you from the specifics of a certain person we had been watching.”
“You mean the kid? Yes, I had to put a stop to it, as he helps me without even asking for much in return. So you stop harassing him?”
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“If you wish so, we would consider it thoroughly, but for this there is a need for a small cooperation from your side. You see the Crystals you sell the Syndicate have more worth than just being a black commodity. We would like to buy them openly in the name of the Gracia household of the Imperial Family.”
“Hard to do after the ‘incident’.”
“What incident are you referring to?”
“My last official sale of the Crystals on the open Market. I was rather blunt and just sold them, when the Guards were surrounding us to force our source of the commodity.”
“Ah, I have read the Documents. Six dead Guards and a destroyed side street at Galesville. You had wanted posters for you ever since and made clear in the Underworld not to try and cash this Bounty.”
“Since then I kept my customer circle close to similar people who are being chased.”
“This misunderstanding can be cleared with a small donation and a contract to sell to a Merchant affiliated to our own Family. With this the whole selling would become a legal affair and can be worked out more at ease. If you want, we can also officially put a bounty on this ‘ripper’ person.”
“No need for the Bounty, I am more interested in understanding why you want to just make me a supplier for the Empire.”
“You see, my Niece is right now working with a special mission to watch over your Scapegoat. With this she would be able to instead be clear of this task and just live a happy School life.”
“So for Family, huh?”
“I was asked by my Niece to be as open and forthcoming as possible for some reason. While I do not understand why, I trust her the most in such affairs, so this is where we are.”
“...There are some conditions.”
“We are listening and considering them, if they are not over the top.”
“First I would like to create a brand. Giving the Crystals have a stable quality, those who will try to forge my artificial Crystals with wild ones will appear.”
“This could be possible, but for this the Crystals need a common characteristic. Otherwise it would be impossible to keep counterfeits at bay.”
Pulling out something Drak had already manufactured himself, he put it on the table. On the table was lying a crystal bar around the size of a palm with an engraving on top. Seeing this, Anderson took it for scrutiny.
“This is rather interesting. You made a crystal into a bar? How?”
“Trade secret.”
“I understand. The engraving is a mountain with ten long mountains? Has it a special meaning?”
“Just something I came up with, by happenstance of an acquaintance of mine.”
“And what is the hollow part in the middle for?”
“It was supposed to be the Berklin seal formerly. To be honest he can not get the seal himself unless I help him take over the Family business, but had already found some ways to let the Family not disown him for good. While he is unloved, he is a rather smart child and even came up with the Idea of me disguising myself by emulating his body shape in part.”
“So, you already knew him before?”
“Long Story, but yes. Poor kid, but honest and I took a liking to his honesty, so we work together. He takes the dangerous part out of his own accord, so I take him seriously in seeing him as a partner. If someone kills him, I will make sure he will not be buried alone.”
Saying this, the Mausoleum which was already cold felt like freezing over. All the female guards behind him emit a rather intimidating Aura, but being released by this rather chubby looking Person was a kind of pressure of another level. Everyone was sure he was not kidding in any way. If there is a mishap, he would bring down who had made that Berklin kid suffer. A Note was being made by all listening to him, that this was a fully set trap for people to show themselves. Attacking a Noble and then having an unknown Figure like the Black Merchant also on their tail would destroy most hidden Powers with ease.
Some wondered how the Ripper survived for so long, if the Black Merchant was that crafty, but forgot about it for some unknown reason after a slight thought.
“So… You want to say it would be Okay for the Gracia Seal to be there?”
“Or the affiliated Merchant store, if it is not good enough. At least until Drak is finished with his Studies and can become a true Business Partner of mine.”
“And afterwards?”
“We will see what he wants to do. I already decided to make him the official face of my wholesale. A Duke's Son can do way more than any other Merchant Cologremate. Showing him the ropes in being a Merchant will be a chore, but his honesty and stubbornness had already convinced me to let him grow.”
“That is some rather dedicated trust you have in him. Did something happen between you two?”
“Not a trade but a private secret. You better not ask things that might get you put on a List.”
“I am sorry.”
While Anderson is a Prince in the Empire, he knows right now in front of him is a Calamity class Individual, which can break Duchies by himself and for now is a loose cannon. If he can make him happy, he would benefit greatly for himself and especially for his Branch of the Family, if not he will lose out on the maybe only chance to rise in the Food chain. Gracia does not have a Calamity under their Wing like many other Families, and with at least one, it would make an enormous difference.
“Nah, it is fine. I am rather in a good mood, as I heard from the boy he has made a friend in the School. You are the uncle of the Friend, so why should I be angry about something like that?”
‘Eleonora is still a key part. Sorry Dough Bread, but it seems you have to still be sacrificed. It is just so vexing she might only marry a mouthpiece and not the Calamity itself.’
“...~”
“...the whole Family.”
“What is it Black Merchant?”
Noticing the shift in emotion to some kind of disappointment Anderson asked concerned.
“Nothing, I just thought about the Family of the Kid. If the Family had been so nice like that girl, he would have not suffered so much.”
“Ah, I see. So what do you need?”
“Take this bar for now and if you are fine with me making this a commodity for your Branch bring me a stamp to engrave the bars with it. Ah, I have an idea! Talk through that kid with me, you know he needs some practice in handling such tasks. Make your Niece bring him the Information, so he can be relaying to me.”
“That is too convoluted, would that not hinder our supposed partnership?”
“The more lines between me and the main party the less dangerous it is for me and someone to clash. I vaporized a few Organizations which were trying to backstab me, you know?”
“...So for both of our safety, he will be in charge?”
“And for his growth as a Middleman. I will not easily change my mind about him.”
“If this is what you wish for, we will adapt to it.”
“And now to you.”
Drak turned to the silent masked man. He did not say even one Word from the beginning, and was close to invisible.
“You know, if I make a connection to the Imperial Family directly, there will be no further sale to the black Market. Are you fine with it?”
“While it is regretful, the merits outvalue the demerits. The Syndicate has many dealings in the Nobility, and while we have dealings with the Imperial family once in a while, another connection can help in further stabilizing our position in the City. Also it helps to keep balance inside the Empire for us to not only do business, but also keep the status quo.”
“...~”
“Figures. Then we will work with the Gracia Branch and call again, if they are deemed untrustworthy.”
“We will demand next time at least a small reduction of costs.”
“Maybe. Five, put the stuff down, One count the coins.”
The last sale was easily completed, albeit Anderson had a headache explaining this to his Niece while continuous haggling with Drak over the pricing. The smile on the masked Syndicate Member was visibly shown as he noticed the price had become forty two Gold per Kilo.
Unlike the Syndicate the Imperial Family got ripped off way more, even if it still was rather dirt cheap for high quality Magic Crystals.