My eyes narrowed but I sneered at the wall as if thinking about the dishonor to my name.

"Those idiots should be punished, but I am pressed for time," I grumbled.

"Of course. I'm not one to speak bad about my competitors, but I am more than happy to see a customer come my way."

Alright, throw in the hook.

I turned and examined him, smiling but not too much. "Good. If you can provide me with equipment anywhere near the level that my friends own, I'll be more than satisfied. Especially after I return to that disgusting shop and show them what true craftsmanship looks like."

"Insulted. But happy. There's... a memory. It's so tasty..." Galarion slurred.

"No eating! Not until I see it," I admonished.

My all-too-hungry mind-squid pouted, but he dived back in.

"Excited about opportunity. Curious about friends. Happy that plan is falling into place."

"Well, Cyrus. We shouldn't make you wait. What are we looking for? If it's another sword, I have some of the finest crafts in our emporium," Revin said.

He transitioned into a salesman talk, but he kept the easy smile on his face as he sipped more of the alcohol in his cup.

"Doesn't expect you to be happy about the offer. Wants information about Master. Tasty poison!"

My eye twitched. I expected the stream of thoughts to be a little jumbled.

And if he wanted me to play it up, then he'd get his wish.

I channeled my inner peacock and stood up. "Pre-made? Really? That's the kind of insult you'd throw at me? I thought you were a man of promise! It seems I've made a mistake coming here. I'll make sure to tell Broken Tower to avoid this place."

"Ah! Sir Cyrus, I apologize. I meant no insult. Especially to one part of such an esteemed group. But is it true? You're friends with Broken Tower?"

"I'd advise you not to insult me by questioning my relationships."

Galarion bounced around, growing bored. "Something about big fish. Careful approach. And stronger poison."

Master Revin bowed before folding his hands. "You're right. So then, what may I help provide?"

I sat back down reluctantly, hesitating before adjusting and uncrossing my arms. "While I desire a sword, I prefer a caster. Short, easy to use. One that leaves my fingers free while I can use my skills. The other shop had some, but the efficiency was abysmal."

Revin finished his drink and stared out the window. It was a weird shift compared to earlier, but I played along and waited. Eventually, he reached over and poured another glass before summoning a white crystal and a piece of parchment. He placed his hands on the crystal and sent mana into the ring of gold embedded in the center.

A beam of light shot into the air and stopped above head height. A flat plane of transparent blue came into existence. He channeled more mana into the device, and images appeared in 3D.

It displayed a glove, a wand, and a staff. They spun in full view and Revin gestured to the models.

"We can start with the base options. A staff is bigger and easier to enchant. The mana core is mounted on the top of the staff while the channels are carved throughout the shaft. But it's the most unwieldy of the options. The wand is the middle ground. Smaller, more flexible. But its size limits the enchantments and the core. Generally, while a staff can have up to three, the wand would hold one, and doing more would require rare materials."

"And the glove?" I snorted.

He grinned and the other models fell away. "The best design if you want to be truly hands-free. Its size depends on you, but we can inlay around two enchantments. Anymore and you risk ruining the material."

"And the mana capacity?"

"That's the best part. Because of its design, it is usually best to install smaller cores instead of a central core. You'll have a higher capacity for mana but smaller than what a staff would have."

The other models reappeared and he waited patiently. I tapped the armrest and pretended to give a damn. It was fascinating, but if I had to get something made I didn't want it from him.

I guess I'll use my last bait.

I tapped the table, and a single crystal appeared. It was orange and warm to the touch. The same material that was used in Zharia's nest.

"Ooh. Interest. New material, wants more."

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

A small smile spread, and I showed my fangs. "Before I left, I spotted this on their table. The idiots tried to sell me it before I tore into them about the sword."

I slid it over and he carefully grasped it. He turned it around and even sniffed it before placing it back on the table.

"Do you mind if I run some tests?"

"If you must," I quipped. "But this is the only one I have. The idiot went on and on about new material from a rare dungeon. I'd like you to use this if it's good enough."

Galarion tapped my head. "New memory. Thoughts about felkin kid. Ways to get more information. Interrogation."

Gotcha.

I kept my cool and stood up. Revin blinked in surprise and I sighed.

"I must go. I'll return in a few days. If the material is good, I'd like you to find more for the caster. Can you handle that?"

Revin stood up and extended a hand. "It would be my pleasure. Have a good day, Cyrus."

Instead of grasping his wrist, I grasped his hand and placed my second atop his. "Good day, Riven."

I released his hand and left.

"Is he staring at me?" I asked.

"Yes," Galarion bubbled.

He sounded bored and disappointed. I sighed and waited until I exited the building. The receptionist smiled and said something, but I tuned her out and kept walking until I made it back to the Lightcrest manor.

The gates opened with the familiar chimes, and I slipped inside and collapsed on the couch.

"Alright, Galarion. Let's see those memories," I grumbled.

"Cyrus?" Igas asked as he walked in.

I sat up. "Oh, hello."

He grunted and sat down, filling out the chair as he settled in. "Who's Galarion?"

I tapped my head and opened my palm. Galarion slipped out with a rainbow wrapped around his neck.

"Galarion, this is Igas. Igas meet Galarion, my astral familiar and newest skill," I explained.

Galarion waved. "Hello! Feed me your memories!"

I flattened him between my palms and sighed. "Sorry, he's adjusting."

Galarion pushed my hands apart, but he was now upside down and hanging from my fingers. "Willingly feed me your memories!"

Igas leaned closer but kept his hands away. "Cyrus. Is that a..."

"Astral spirit, for my astral mental skill. Yep. And full disclosure, I'm pretty sure I just did something very illegal."

His eyes hardened and he leaned back. "What did you do?"

I thought of an embarrassing memory where I forgot to strip the bark from a branch during the first few days in Inoria. The cut I had on my ass was not something I needed in the mind vault.

"Here, eat up," I said as I poked Galarion's jiggly head.

He laughed and harmlessly munched on my finger as I tossed him back into my skull.

"Tasty!"

Igas shook his head and crossed his arms. "Spill. If it's not too bad we can hide it, but Teddy wouldn't approve."

"Well, first of all. I did it for a good cause."

"That's what they all say," he growled.

I shrugged.

"Felkin family, nice people. Dad, mom, two sons. Youngest son has been missing since before we left for Helio. Suspected a different family, competitors of doing something."

"And?"

"I grabbed a cheap sword, puffed myself up like those dumbasses in the square and got a talk with the head dude. Can't say I feel bad for scraping his mind. I was about to look into the memories Galarion acquired before you walked in."

"Cyrus. Define acquired."

Galarion popped out, jiggling around as he waved his arms like an inflatable-tube man. "Copied!"

Galarion returned and I smiled.

"There's your answer."

He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes as he leaned back. "Who else knows you have a mind skill? Especially an astral one?"

"Teddy's parents. The head woman at the healer's guild. And now you."

"That's better I think. I can never tell with them. Good that you're putting it to good use rather than espionage. But you need to tell the others."

"Planned on it over dinner. Can I access the memories now?"

"Fine," he groaned.

He summoned a pillar of ice and broke off ice cubes with a tap before tossing them into the air, where they landed in his open mouth.

Oh, he's crunching. Apparently, a mind familiar is stressful.

I chuckled and closed my eyes. Galarion had the memory ready, presented in the soulspace like a shiny bauble.

He reluctantly handed it over, and I tossed it down my throat.

The memory played like a murky screen where the image blurred at the edges.

I walked through the underground facility. The goons in the corner glared with teasing smiles. Idiots. My guards unleashed their skills and sent them scurrying.

They were rats, but they had their uses.

Grey building, nondescript, embedded into the wall. The guard opened the door and I stepped inside and followed the puppet guide to the cell room.

Foolish kid. Thought he could barge in, and shit on the reputation of the emporium. He looked miserable. Pathetic and broken. Almost enough to pity. But that's the game.

The memory ended and I tasted the tingle of something sharp on my tongue that faded away.

It was confirmed. The kid was definitely Daergo's son. Felkin, sharing gray-dusty skin. He looked decently built, most likely from time in the forge.

Galarion held up the second memory, and I knocked it back. Again, my consciousness sank, and I became someone else.

The kid was resilient. Too tough for his own good. His words were lies. It had to be. The stupid felkins could never afford prime material.

But just in case...

I snapped, and the rat extended his fingers into the cage. The kid screamed as the water pelted his skin. It reopened wounds, and blood dripped down.

Maybe I went too far...

The kid screamed, but despite another round of questioning, he had nothing else to offer.

Fine.

Lock him in a comfy cell. There was no use killing the kid. Might as well find a way to leverage him in the future.

The rat practically stomped their feet, all prissy about not being able to torture someone. And they were supposed to be a non-hostile gang.

At least I no longer needed their services after the tournament.

I snapped back to reality and reached out and booped Galarion's avatar. As I opened my eyes, Igas crunched on a thick cube the size of his thumb and quirked an eyebrow.

Now that everything was said and done. I melted into the chair and summoned some food.

"Cyrus?"

I summoned him some fries and tossed them over. "Looks like I was right. The bastard had something to do with the kid's kidnapping."

"How bad?" he said between fries. The sauce splattered his chin, but he froze it off and ate the chunk. "Where are we sending Isaac?"

Anger. A seething rage swelled and curled inside my chest before I crushed it and tossed it back. I blinked at Igas, who glared. He clenched his teeth and slowly exhaled.

"What?" I asked.

"You just... Nevermind. You need to practice aura control with Teddy when you can," he grumbled. "I can't believe I sympathize with Isaac. I owe him a drink."

Okay.

"Anyway. I was right. And I recognize the outfit of the people holding him."

"Who?"

"The same assholes who tried to extort Isaac for information. Long red gash, all black attire."

Igas stopped and his eyes widened. He looked to the left, where I had already sensed the rogue's approach.

"Those bastards," Isaac snarled.