Isaiah arrived at the Heinz branch of Orkellion alongside the rest of the troupe. Though he was very excited to go on a shopping date with Senzuki, the contents of the message from the guild's courier required that all of them be present. Upon arrival on the three-story large warehouse-like building Richter was waiting for them outside, with a smile on his bandaged-up face, he bowed low.

"Greetings, good sirs..." He bowed, "The master is waiting."

"Master Richter, it's good to see you well." Hannibal greeted him,

"Indeed it is, had it not been for Isaiah I would have been dead already."

"Senzuki was there too you know," Isaiah spoke up,

"But of course." Richter then gestured for them inside, "Now let us go, let us not tarry."

Inside the spacious warehouse were lines of boxes of spices with all sorts of colors and smell creating a stinging but pleasant scent permeating throughout the room. It was quiet with only two workers sorting the many boxes around and one man who was armed serving as security. Richter nodded to the man who opened the door leading to the second floor of the building, there they climbed the stairs until they reached a huge mahogany double door.

Richter knocked thrice before knocking two more times, then after a few seconds of waiting the door opened slightly revealing the face of a young man in his early teens, he saw the merchant and the two spoke in hushed tones, then the young man scanned the faces of the troupe before allowing them entry. There, on a great mahogany table sat Ephillus, his face wrinkled and his eyes darkened,

"Master Ephillus, sir." The merchant hailed as he stood in front of the desk,

"Richter, glad to see you still alive. I've heard of-" Ephillus stopped speaking when he saw the people behind, more particularly, "I see... They were the ones who saved you is that so?"

"Yes, master. I shall introduce them to you, the leader of the troupe Hannibal, and his compatriots Fei the Nyan mage, Hugo the warrior, Iska the scout, Senzuki a Kisunean healer, and..."

"Isaiah, a mage."

"Ephillus, or should I say, master Ephillus." Isaiah gave his greetings.

"Ahahaha, any would do." His once tired face suddenly breathed in new life as a smile crossed his lips seeing Isaiah, "Surprised to see you here and with them of all things."

"Same goes for you, I thought you were heading to... Somewhere else."

"This was the, somewhere else, I told you about..." He then gestured towards the sofa on both sides of the table, "Please, have a seat, anything you people would like?"

Just about everyone in the room was surprised to see that they both knew each other, Hannibal especially since he thought that Isaiah came from some countryside village.

"Master Ephillus. You knew herr Isaiah?" Richter asked,

"Indeed I do, I met him on my way to Koln, and was a man of great talents, capable of making calculations inside his head and solving complex financial transactions without the use of the abacus."

"My, rare are the people who could do such things."

"Indeed they are, I think we only have a dozen or such in our whole guild. Which is why I would like to ask again are you willing to be adopted by me and be my heir?"

Isaiah chuckled but he shook his head, "As I said before, I will say it again. I have settled on adventuring, I may be good in mathematics but my magical abilities are far better."

"One week had passed, surely even you know that merchants earn more than adventurers? Your magic would work wonders at the negotiating table as well."

"That is correct, and my mind will not change."

"Ahahaha, I see... But then what about 'that'?"

"That?"

"Indeed, that... You still wish to reject my proposal?"

Ephillus knew about his slave status and Isaiah knew that he would one day use it against him, just that he was not expecting that day to be like this. Though he was surprised, it doesn't mean that Isaiah was not prepared.

"My..." Isaiah sighed as he chuckled, "That is a problem... But not mine though."

The young man had returned to the room carrying trays of coffee, seeing the opportunity he decided to send a message to Ephillus. He reached his hand out and before anyone could even react one of the cups flew straight into him with a single drop spilled. Two cubes of sugar and a spoon followed after blending themselves into Isaiah's drink as if handled by invisible arms.

Isaiah then sat comfortably on his sofa, leaning slightly to the left then gingerly grabbed the tiny handle, raising his pinky he sipped the steaming hot coffee, and his face crumpled from its bitterness and heat. Though Isaiah's reactions to drinking the hot coffee were laughable, Ephillus did not join the laughter but instead gave a sly grin,

"I see..." He nodded as he sipped his coffee, which was separate from what the others got, "That is your response."

"Indeed it is."

"So be it... That said, If you change your mind I shall always welcome you to my household. Now where was I, oh yes, onto the matters at hand..." Ephillus turned to Richter who went out of the door, returning with the gang boss in hand,

"Master... This man is one Gaiel, leader of the Red Union which has been a thorn on many sides, save for ours."

"You bastard." Gaiel spat upon seeing Ephillus, "What is the meaning of this old man, you know I have enough information to bring you down unless you wish for it to be revealed..." Gaiel's suddenly ate his words upon seeing Isaiah sitting comfortably,

Ephillus knew that Isaiah was the one who destroyed his group last night,

"Cat got your tongue Gaiel?" Ephillus chuckled,

"I did everything you asked me now, this is how you treat your allies?"

"You were a dog, and a dog who turned on his master needs to be put down."

"Bastard."

"Indeed I am, so why did you attack Richter knowing that he is one of my personal merchants."

"Well if it wasn't for the information I got from a little bird, and how Richter over there took in 12,000 florins for betting against the arrival of the Silk Hound, I even found evidence linking him to its sinking. Such wonderful coincidence eh?"

"That is not true and a blatant accusation. I don't even have that much money in the first place, and isn't the Silk Hound supposed to dock at Ur which is a few month's walk from Heinz? What business do I have with that ship?" Richter's face turned red as he defended himself,

"Which is why I was there to confirm those accusations."

"By beating me up?"

"Well, that's how we usually get information, you know how that works, right spymaster?"

"You-"

"Enough with that, I shall talk to you Richter regarding that issue,"

"Master-" Richter pleaded but was ignored,

"However, there is still that issue ongoing. You said that you were trying to protect one of your boys with you that this troupe here caught before he died in that battle. Tell me, what was one of your lackeys doing attacking a commissioned adventurer of mine?"

Gaiel glared at Ephillus before sighing

"Am I not paying you people enough? Or is it you incapable of handling your men? Tsk tsk, people today do not know how to instill discipline within the ranks."

Gaiel did not reply immediately as he kept glaring at Ephillus, a full minute had passed before he finally opened his mouth.

"What of it... Not like this would work now doesn't it."

"What do you mean?"

"I know you're already aware of it, you bastard. The matriarch is dying and that bitch aint got much time left, so the family is fighting over who gets to control Orkellion, now many had seen you as a problem for decades, and with you being the best out of the candidates they must have felt threatened, by an orphan no less."

"So they hired you."

"Ahahahaha! I've always hated you."

"I see, you were not happy with me destroying your gang and reputation and turning you into my dog, but you doing this for money isn't what the truth now is it."

"Oh of course not... Ahahaha, I just wanted to see you suffer is all. Messing around with your troupes and merchant convoys, making it expensive to do your business, but despite all my efforts your performance had only dwindled by a small amount making the folks up above angry, its as if nothing is happening at all, it's frustrating when your opponent is far better than you are."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, just tell the truth about who sent you."

"The youngest."

"Ainz Orkellion?"

"More specifically, his wife Hilda, though I believe both of them are involved."

"Such an odd confession. No tortures or beatings necessary?"

"If I tell you this much then at least you can fight back, which means a costly war between you two, and with no surprises, it is bound to be very brutal. If I cannot take you down then perhaps this civil war will bring all you folks down, or at the very least weaken you just enough for others to pick up the slack. Either way, I win the war but lose the battle."

"How would you win the war?" Richter asked but was ignored by Gaiel.

Ephillus fell deep in thought as he contemplated what he had just heard. He knew that the main family had seen him as an eyesore, especially since he was adopted by the matriarch twenty years ago after the death of her husband. He became instrumental in the continued growth and success of the business and had been appointed to many important posts that were coveted by his step-siblings.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

His siblings are in no way incompetent, they were good at their jobs but Ephillus simply outclasses them in handling the business. Not to mention the sheer amount of nepotism they practice and the general incompetence of their heirs had been hampering down the guild in more ways than one, and Ephillus's responses to those issues were not popular with many. This made him more enemies than allies and with the mother now out of the picture, they became more and more aggressive to him.

Thus Ephillus had gone into voluntary exile to Germania where on his way he was beset by their assassins before meeting Isaiah in the forest. This region was where he started his career and so he had a good amount of contacts and friends that he could count on and thus he used the favors he had gathered to prepare for the inevitable corporate civil war that was about to happen.

'If the board conveys and sees my performance, they have no choice but to pick me. But only if the mother lives long enough to decide on her successor. Though I doubt my brothers will just sit still and not do anything about that.'

He wiped the sweat off his brow and looked up,

"Dear me... You guys were here." He chuckled as he saw the Silver Spoon troupe sitting around rather surprised to hear the story they were never supposed to hear. "Not a word of this must be leaked."

"Yes sir."

"Don't worry."

"Trust Us"

Came their replies as Ephillus nodded, that said he felt worried about their assurances.

'Looks like I will have to increase their pay.' But it was worth it as he was in a desperate position, though he was financially strong and had lots of political backing within the region his martial strength was very weak.

"Young man." Gaiel turned to Isaiah, "I don't know how much Ephillus over here is paying you guys but I will tell you it is not worth it. It doesn't matter how strong you are the main family is stronger and richer with access to god knows how many powerful people, I overheard that even Diamond-ranked adventurers are at their beck and call. It would be for the best if you change sides now while it isn't too late."

"Silence you bastard!" Richter slapped Gaiel who spat on the ground,

"It is the truth, this bastard right now has nothing on him to protect himself against the folks up above. It's best that you leave as well, in fact, that's what you are doing."

"How..." Richter turned to Ephillus, "Master, this man speaks lies. I have no intention of leaving."

"Lies Richter, you and every other merchant had already planned on doing so."

"Master!"

"Not that it matters, I would do the same if my master was a dying man. What use is loyalty in the face of death?" Ephillus gestured for the man to be removed, "I will deal with him later..." He murmured something but was too soft for anyone to hear, he shook his head as Gaiel was dragged outside,

"Fuefue sounds to me that you're self-contemplating. Are you a sad boy nowadays?" Isaiah chuckled,

"Does it now, Isaiah?"

"Indeed... Oh well." Isaiah then stood up and got in front of Ephillus, "An eye for an eye, that's what you told me back then, and I admit you definitely helped me enormously, so I'ma return the favor ya'll."

"You heard what the man said and you're still willing to fight for me?"

"Potato potato, it sounds like you already gave up without a fight."

"Hmph, as if."

"So, we good?"

"In exchange for what?"

"Simple really, if you win, now you owe me a favor."

"If I win."

"I do not doubt my abilities Ephillus."

"Hmm..." Ephillus grinned as he stretched his back, "A favor."

"Yes... A very good favor."

"And what favor will this be? Will it be related to that?"

"Oh no, that, I can just squeeze out of you some time... What I was instead is something that pays."

"Money? Ahahaha, I did not take you as that kind of man."

"Not money... Opportunity, one that also happens to coincidentally pay really, really, really, well."

"Which is?"

"I'm talking about the license to trade."

"A license..."

A license to trade was basically what it sounds like, the ability to turn troupes into merchants by allowing them to buy bulk goods from the guild and give them access to information only merchants are privy to in exchange for a small cut, this would net enormous profits for adventurers and guilds alike. But that was not all, as the merchant guilds could use the troupes to wage war against other corporations with price wars or market disruptions, and as troupes are legally independent and not part of a guild, even when commissioned, this would give the guild plenty of deniability if things go sour.

Troupes with the license are generally the most trusted within the guild so it was cheaper and safer for the guild, rather than using their merchants and since it pays well for troupes it is a win-win.

Isaiah heard that Britain was engaged in several of these trade wars many of which included Orkellion, if he could join in massive profits were to be made,

'Especially once I started bringing over advanced technologies from the modern world.'

However, these were only profitable if he could gain the license since with it comes many benefits. Not just the cheaper rates one could buy goods from but also the information network and insurance with the backing of such an institution.

'So you do not want to be my heir but want to play trade eh?' Ephillus grinned, "Where have you heard of that word?"

"Somewhere."

"A license..." Ephillus mulled about the option,

A license was not something the guild could just give to anyone as they would have to make a very risky gamble. It was essentially a bet similar to how the guilds operate their trading vessels, eventually, some will sink and others captured or defect to foreign groups, but there will be those who complete the voyage netting them vast profits.

It's up to the guild if they are willing to take the risk.

A war was brewing and it would do him well to gather as many powerful individuals in his camp, now Isaiah was something he was interested in his strength based on the reports, however, he was not sure just how strong Isaiah was considering that people like to exaggerate a lot, which is why he wanted to conduct a test to see if he could trust him or not.

A smile crossed his face...

"You know that I cannot just give that to you without proper procedures."

"Eeh?" Isaiah tilted his head but then shrugged, "A test you mean?"

"Correct."

"Name it."

"Well, I am sure many of you heard rumors about our Burkasmine mining camp, and yes it is true. We recently lost contact with the camp so we sent out investigators yet neither they nor their reinforcements returned to tell us anything. We suspect an attack by a foreign camp but an insider is not out of the question. That said, my younger brother is supposed to be in charge of this mine and is good friends with the local nobility."

"What's the issue with that?" Isaiah asked,

"It probably has to do with the whole succession crisis," Hannibal replied,

"That is true, I am sure the main family or my younger brother specifically will lend a hand and I have no reason to deny his aid, and so would send his own men and troupes. This might cause some conflict as they might try to sabotage or kill those allied with me."

"So you want us to go there with this in mind."

"You are confident of your skills aren't you?"

Isaiah chuckled, "Fine then... But I better be paid really really well yeah?"

"That goes without question. You can expect a maximum to be paid on top of the high rewards. I am talking roughly 50,000 marks for the trouble. That's more than what we offered the other troupes."

"50..." Hugo murmured. The amount would be the most the troupe would earn, heck that amount was more than the monthly income of a small village.

"This is on top of other benefits and opportunities you may earn. As this is a raid sponsored by our guild we will provide for your transportation, food, and to some extent even equipment. Not only that but you will get the rights to all you have killed or defeated meaning that the loot and body, in the case of monsters or people with bounty, you will get to collect. Naturally, you can only sell to us."

"This doesn't sound unprofitable to you guys."

"That would be correct, this quest that is. But running the mine makes up for all the losses. This much is nothing compared to how much we can earn in a day or two."

Isaiah turned to Hannibal who thought about the proposition. It was true that there were many benefits but it was simply too dangerous for them to just run straight and so...

"I would like to discuss these with them in detail first..."

"Aah, I thought you would, so... Let me remind you of your bill from the cargo that was lost, I have half the mind to remove your commission altogether, of course, this will change if you accept this one."

"We..." Hannibal turned to his team who reluctantly gave their approval, "We accept then."

"Great, your troupe will be leaving by dawn, until then you are free to do as you wish..." He gestured for them to hand over their bronze tags, "I'll be keeping this for security, oh and Isaiah, I would like you to remain, there is something I want to talk about."

With the formalities being handled by Richter at the lower offices, everyone but Isaiah had gone. Ephillus stood up from his seat and took out a scroll,

"How much can I trust you?"

"As much as I trust you to not talk about that..."

"Hmm." Ephillus nodded as he returned to his seat and opened up a scroll, he showed it to Isaiah. The scroll had a list of names and descriptions of people and troupes, he pointed to one of them in particular, "This... I want you to pay attention to them, and this man in particular."

"Noted Troupe..." Isaiah read the description, a troupe composed of one man named Jair and five women whose names Isaiah just skipped. "Bastard."

"Indeed." Ephillus nodded, though both might have misunderstood each other. "He is under the employ of my younger brother, and as you all know this succession crisis made me suspicious as to why he would assign his most powerful commissioned troupe for this quest."

"He a threat or something?"

"Probably."

"Eeh..." Isaiah scratched his head but sighed and nodded, "Maybe your brother just wants to help you out? Sending out feelers to try and see if you want to ally with him."

"No... I am well aware of his attitude, he wants me dead. All of them."

"What a fun and loving family you guys are." Isaiah turned at Ephillus and returned the scroll, "So you want me to watch him right?"

Ephillus looked at his eyes and replied, "I want him dead."

"Woah there... Just because he might try to kill your men doesn't mean you should pull the trigger first."

"He is my younger brother's strongest asset, if he dies then he would be left out of this issue." Ephillus took out an envelope from his desk, "Which then gives me the ability to focus all my strength in defeating my older brother and sister, he might be the weakest but one less thing to worry about is preferable. I am sure you can do this now?"

"An assassination though." Isaiah has killed people already, but those were done because they posed a threat to his life, unlike this one... "I am not so sure about that."

"Naturally." Ephillus stood up and turned to the window, he then watched the carriages entering the building, "It is unheard of for me to ask you to kill someone for money, you don't look like an assassin after all."

"True... Still, I can watch him, that will help.

"Probably... But at the end of this crisis, I would have lost due to the existence of the Noted Troupe, and once I lost I might be forced to speak out truths that might or might not harm a certain individual."

"Are you threatening me?"

"A probability Isaiah, the same as this man might cause harm to my power..." He then opened his cabinet and took out a piece of paper, "A banknote, I am sure you know how this works." He then wrote down 50,000 marks addressed to Isaiah Peter and slipped it to Isaiah, "It won't come cheap naturally, his rank, their number, and your silence will come at a cost and I pay good working employees."

"Oh." Isaiah's eyes were wide, "That much?"

"He is one of the few people I should be worried about, in the event of a war with my brothers, the powerful high-ranking troupes under their employ will be a huge thorn in my side as I have no one to counter them, being able to deal with one of them, especially someone as strong as Jair, would be a godsend."

Isaiah straightened his back as he thought about the offer, though he wasn't happily selling his morality for money, he did know that Ephillus would be useful in the future for him to survive his whole affair, there was the problem of the Silver Spoon troupe being at the mercy of Ephillus due to their horrible track record, once the others take over the company they would be the first to disappear.

If this man is a threat to Ephillus, then taking him out would make things smoother in the long run.

'Not to mention being directly under Ephillus means we are their enemy too...'

However, he simply could not complete such a deed. Isaiah sighed, he decided not to sell his morals now as he knew it would only pull him down further the dark path.

"I will not take this commission." He said, "If he tries to harm us he will be killed, if not then so be it."

"Can I not change your mind?"

"I will not."

"Then cruel as it may sound I wish for him to harm you, that way he will be dead."

Isaiah sighed, he had thought of Ephillus as a kind old man but that was not to be the case. That said, he was generous and kind enough to help him out despite being a slave so he has mixed feelings,

"Will that be all then?"

"Yes." Ephillus took a sip from his coffee and handed him the paper "You may leave."

"I won't take it."

"Just do... If you happen to kill him return that to me and I will have it signed."

Isaiah paused to deliberate and in the end took the banknote with him, once Ephillus heard him stepping on the stairs he lowered his cup and asked,

"What can you say about him."

"Nothing much Father..." Quincillus appeared from a hidden corner in the room just behind the bookshelves, "His mana however has increased significantly,"

"Increased? I thought you could not increase your mana?"

"There are methods Father, but conventionally speaking you shouldn't be able to and the increase he had doesn't hold up. As an escaped slave, it's only been weeks since we last met him but his growth is remarkable."

"Huh, does that mean he found a way to make himself stronger?"

"Through items, rare ingredients, or perhaps a skill. Isaiah might have found something."

"Hmmm... Then, how do you assess him?"

"Strong. Not too strong but strong enough to make me wonder what is he doing in that troupe." Quincillus held a scroll that gave details about the Silver Spoon troupe, based on what he saw they were nothing special just a ragtag bunch led by Hannibal, a former marine. Yet somehow they managed to obtain a talent like Isaiah and add him to the group. "Perhaps he made the group?" Quincillus asked,

"Nonsense, they existed well before I met Isaiah." Came the reply. "Well, let's just forget about that. What matters more is that he is with us."

"Will he be loyal father?"

"He has no choice. I know of his slavery status, if he wishes for me to remain quiet then he better work in my favor."

"But if I were him I'd have you dead instead."

"He will not."

"How so?"

"No matter how strong you are, you need people who know how the world works to help you, one must find the right pillar to lean on. My brother may have comparable abilities as I do but he will not move too quickly knowing his disposition. He will remain loyal to our cause out of convenience." Ephillus then smiled, "And he will see me the most convenient."