"Hmm...The Mad Hero rises..." Glenn hummed as he strolled in the Cleaner's Workshop with a wide grin.
'So how much do you think we're talking? No, do you think I'm getting to the Platinum rank? That would be crazy. I think I would be the only bastard in the entire Fringe who would reach this rank. No way anyone at my level of power didn't already go to the Bourgeoise or become a Cleaner.'
'...Sigh, I don't know, Glenn. I think you should keep your expectations as low as possible, so you only have good surprises,' Diamanes tiredly replied, the entity exhausted from dealing with Glenn's over-excitement. The young man had practically been running from the Dormitory to the Main Hall, earning himself quite a few judgmental gazes, not that he cared anymore about those.
After a sharp turn in a hallway, he reached his destination, the Main Hall. As always, it was crowded with Fixers of all ranks trying to find a mission suitable to their levels and skills, and the request board submerged under the flood of mercenaries. Glenn walked past them, saluting an awkward smile to the weird female attendants with robotic reactions, and went to the passage reserved for Gold-Rank Fixers and above.
"...You took your time," Sahro grumbled, the Black Heir leaning against the wall, playing with a spark of electricity. His belt was empty of any weapons, an absence that seemed to bother him quite a bit, but Glenn didn't doubt the Smith would manage something that would satisfy his friend.
"I had to deal with an important matter," He explained seriously as he pointed at his new haircut and his new set of clothes. Sahro slowly clapped, not the least impressed by Glenn's new look, instead inviting him to guide them inside the hallway. Since Sahro was still a Gold Rank, he couldn't open the Dark-Gold private hall and needed Glenn to open it for him.
The young man didn't make himself wait for another second and summoned his Identification Dagger, planting it at a specific spot in the wall and turning it like a key. The wall revealed a black-gold marble door, sliding away mechanically, letting the two enter. Glenn glanced around, but couldn't find Mary anywhere, his sadistic teacher nowhere in sight, the counter empty of any clients. A few Dark-Gold Fixers were hanging around, but none that he could recognize.
'No matter. So, the private lounge...' Glenn thought as he went for a door with a name tag reading "Upper-echelon appointments". Sahro followed him, the two sitting on the comfortable sofas patiently, sipping on cold non-alcoholic beverages to make the time pass faster. Finally, after a dozen minutes of waiting, space seemed to warp as a well-dressed gentleman with an incredible mustache popped into existence, tipping his round hat at them politely.
"Fixer Glenn, Fixer Sahro, it's my pleasure. I suppose you bring good news since you've even brought your lower-ranked friend with you?" Sir Reginald questioned, a mysterious smile hanging on his lips. Glenn stretched slightly and drew a deep breath. He pointed his hand at a nearby seat, inviting the butler-looking Cleaner to sit. Reginald made himself comfortable, his arms crossed.
"So, where do I start..?" Glenn rubbed his forehead, struggling. Reginald smiled gently as he rubbed his mustache.
"By the beginning, hopefully."
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"...This is insanity."
All semblance of elegance and good manners were gone, replaced by disbelief and shock. Reginald hid his face in both of his hands, sighing loudly at the prospect of all the work he'd have to do. His eyes firmly closed, and he raised a finger to the ceiling as he moistened his lips.
"...So, let me resume it. Prince was a noble of the Court, which you understood after interrogating one of his teammates. Before that, of course, you had to fight what? — an evil god's child, and worst of all, one from the damned Fallen Mother. Additionally, you had to deal with the Maron's Company owner going half-mad, who was then tortured and kidnapped by some kind of ancient existence, and ending up being transformed into a half-human half-Blumar Golem. Oh, and I'll skip the fact that you destroyed an entire village for my convenience, King's Rise outer territories aren't submitted to our rules, after all..."
Glenn nodded happily, his hands tightly clasped together. Sahro searched through his mind for a few seconds, before snapping his fingers with an amused smile.
"Oh, and we also got rid of an Abbot of the Thorn's Church, getting rid of those whackos' influence in the Sewers," The Black Heir leaned back in his sofa, restraining a chuckle at Reginald's pale complexion. The Cleaner rubbed the bridge of his nose slowly, drawing one breath after another.
"...Just give me a minute..." Reginald asked, Glenn and Sahro happily giving the older man space to breathe. The Cleaner leaned and grabbed something from under the cough, pulling out an exquisite bottle of liquor, and serving himself a drink before their astonished eyes. He drank it without even trying to enjoy the taste, swiftly serving himself another drink and downing it similarly. Glenn and Sahro exchanged a look but didn't comment, the memory of their party still much too fresh in their memories. Reginald placed the bottle back down, sighing loudly as he looked at his glass.
"Much better...Alright, so, that's quite a lot to deal with currently, I'll be honest." The Cleaner explained half-heartedly, rubbing his temples painfully.
"I'm already starting to feel the headache coming in... Anyway, first thing first, I declare that Sahro Sand is promoted to the Dark-Gold rank, effective immediately. Your Identification dagger will be given to you in the next twenty-four hours. Next..."
Reginald cleared his throat, pulling out a long sheet of paper and writing down some kind of calculation on it. Sahro lifted his chin proudly as he stood once more at the same level as Glenn, proving that he was worth at least as much as his friend. Glenn ignored him, much more interested in what Reginald was doing. Finally, the Cleaner was done.
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"Glenn, Glenn, what am I supposed to do with you..." He muttered through his teeth, shaking his head in disbelief.
"I don't have the authority to make you a Platinum Fixer, even though you reached the necessary achievements for it. You need to have broken through the Wall first and have your Fourth Circle, which, I believe, isn't the case, right?"
Glenn hesitantly nodded, deciding on the spot not to reveal that he had broken through said Wall a little early.
'Yeah, it's a good idea to keep this hidden. It would be a shame to have you put on a dissecting table so that people can understand what the hell is wrong with you,' Diamanes agreed, Glenn snorting at the comment.
'I'm not sure opening me up would give them the answers anyone doing such thing would need.'
'Maybe, but it wouldn't stop them from doing it.'
At a loss for words, Glenn gave up on his mental discussion, instead focusing back on Reginald, the Cleaner's expression complicated as he tried to figure out a proper reward.
"Let's keep my promises, to begin with..." He pulled out two paper letters decorated with golden filigree and handed them to Sahro and Glenn, who understood with a glance what the item was.
"It wasn't that hard to get the Recommendation from the Gold Church, even more with the relation you both share with the Maron's Company CEO, I'll be honest, but still, that was part of the deal, so here it is. Enjoy the trip to the Bourgeoisie," Reginald smiled, Glenn stashing the recommendation away in his dimensional pouch, Sahro storing it away similarly.
The Cleaner then cleared his throat, casting a glance at their waists, where no weapons were hanging.
"...I believe you both had weapons before, and I understand that they are now lost. You probably both have already planned to replace them, but let us take care of it."
He pulled out a black coin stamped with the burning flame that represented the Workshop.
"Show this to the Smith, and he'll make you the best weapon possible, free of charge."
Glenn nodded, still unsatisfied. All of that was nice, but it seemed still a little underwhelming compared to the fact that they had killed a fucking god's son. Reginald instantly noticed Glenn's expression, the young man not seeing any use in hiding his dissatisfaction, and hurriedly opened his arms inquisitively.
"Now, if you want anything, I'll try to fulfill it however I can. But keep in mind, due to the official nature of the Cleaner's Workshop, we do not trade people, drugs, or forbidden items." Reginald warned worriedly, secretly sighing with relief when he saw the confusion on both Glenn and Sahro's faces. The two deliberated for a few minutes, Sahro being the first to ask away.
"...I would like you to bring support to the Black Heirs in the Sewers. Be it construction materials, workers, food, anything they need, I want it to be done." He asked coldly as he rubbed his stump, a spark of electricity dancing at his fingertips. Reginald looked at the ceiling with a frown, before smiling widely and holding his hand out for Sahro to shake.
"That'll be done. We'll be supporting the Black Heirs as much as we can, and I'll throw our help on top of it to suppress any remnants of the Thorn's Church. Deal?"
Sahro shook the hand gratefully, a satisfied smile on his face.
"Deal."
Glenn rubbed his chin, quite happy with Sahro's choice.
'That means I won't have to use my connection with Maron to bring them the help the Black Heirs need, and they'll probably all feel super grateful to him. I know he wasn't the most welcomed there since he was adopted, so that would probably work as well. Pretty, pretty great... It's my turn now.'
The young man slowly passed his tongue over his teeth before smacking his lips, grinning wickedly.
"Sir Reginald, you had my help for the investigation of Prince's identity, now I need your help in a similar case."
Reginald leaned forward, curiosity filling his eyes.
"Please, ask away, I'll be glad to help as best I can."
Glenn rubbed his hands together, his nose creased.
"Well, I need help to find an old man close to me. An Ice mage that can also use Aura, who's in the Fourth Rank or a little lower than that, and who's named Redan."
Reginald's smile froze, all pleasantness melting away, replaced by a cold emotionless expression. A chill ran down Glenn's spine, making him shiver slightly. Reginald's shadow seemed to grow, oppressing him from all sides with a dreadful feeling.
'Wait, I'll filter that out for you...I finally get what's that filthy power these guys are wielding...' Diamanes grumbled, all dread or uncomfortable feeling disappearing. Glenn grinned as if nothing happened, his hands clasped together.
'You'll explain later, I need to deal with this right now.'
"...Sir Glenn, this is very important now, how do you know of him?" Reginald threatened, a thick strand of magic wrapping all around him. Glenn glanced at Sahro, almost choking when he saw the Black Heir pick his ear without a care in the world.
'...Well, at least he doesn't seem too affected.'
"Well, I met Redan by chance, and he taught me a bit of magic for free. He's a person I consider very dear to me. Is that a problem?" The young man asked, clenching his teeth as he prepared to shoot a spell away depending on Reginald's answer. The Cleaner stared silently for a few more minutes before all the pressure he exuded dissipated away with a sigh.
"I...I apologize, I thought you might be one of his detractors. I suppose they began acting out once again, then?" He muttered that last part through his breath, low enough that Glenn would have almost missed it had his hearing not been an enhanced one.
"His detractors? The old man has what now?" Glenn asked with confusion. He knew there was some kind of strange deal going on with Redan that forced him to not go inside King's Rise aside from some very specific occasions, but he would have never guessed someone would actively come looking for troubles with the nice old mage.
Reginald rubbed the bridge of his nose, hesitating to reveal what he knew.
"Well, the White...No, Sir Redan was previously part of an official force of King's Rise. I can't reveal much, or that would be betraying his privacy. If he didn't tell both of you about his past, that's probably for a good reason. Anyway, for some reason, he was banned from this official force and kicked out of King's Rise. Now, some people would have rather preferred he would be entirely gone, if you see what I mean."
Sahro grunted, his brows creased deeply.
"No way we're talking about the same Redan, he has always been with us for the longest time..."
Reginald looked up and down at the Black Heir, nodding slightly.
"You should be around twenty years old or something, that doesn't surprise me. Those are events that happened half a century ago."
Glenn and Sahro's hearts missed a beat.
Half a century ago?
"Holy shit, and you're telling me those guys are still holding a grudge against him?" Glenn exclaimed in disbelief, his eyes wide open. Reginald nodded with a sad look, sighing loudly.
"Indeed. Anyway, don't worry about it, the Cleaner's Workshop will help find him. We already have a bit of a bad relationship with the people who always trouble Redan, so it doesn't matter if we annoy them a bit more. And I do owe him that, after all."
Glenn raised an eyebrow, sure that he had misunderstood something.
"Wait, you know the old man?"
Reginald chuckled, fiddling with his exquisite mustache.
"Of course I do. I was one of his subordinates back then, haha."
For the second time that day, Glenn's brain stopped braining.