"Sir! It's such a pleasant surprise to see you!"
Rey was almost instantly greeted by a very excited Aldred Winsley.
The man was grinning sheepishly at him, almost the way a fan would react when meeting their favorite celebrity for the first time.
'He's literally gushing…' Was Rey's impression as he nodded slightly, entering the room.
"I was just asking your subordinate here when next we can see you."
Rey glanced at Noah and noticed him giving an uncomfortable smile.
'Were they pressuring him to convince me to come? Is that why he took so long?'
It was just a guess, so Rey dismissed it.
"In any case, it really is good to have you here. We have a lot to discuss."
Rey sat on the sofa, and Noah went and stood behind him almost instantly.
'Good. He knows how to keep appearances without me needing to tell him…' Rey's thoughts trailed on relief.
Noah seemed to be able to handle himself in business now, but sometimes he was still an indecisive klutz.
Like just now, when he allowed his time to be delayed because of Aldred Winsley.
His discomfort was hidden behind a smile, but Rey just ignored it. These sorts of things were best experienced for one to learn from it.
'But this is going better than I thought. It seems like they haven't caught wind of the incoming saturation.'
Rey was relieved, to say the least.
This meant he had a shot here—to sell and be done away with what would soon become useless rocks given enough time.
"Before we get straight into business, I believe there is someone you should meet."
After Aldred said this with a smile, he raised his hand and spoke to a bracelet on his wrist.
"Bring him in." His voice echoed.
'Who? I wonder what this is all about.'
Ret didn't need to wonder too long, because a knock promptly echoed and the door soon opened before he was done making guesses.
Then…
"We have brought him, sir."
Rey's eyes darted at the door and he saw two hefty-looking men standing behind someone who looked absolutely miserable.
The man in front of them was tied up. And he had rags for clothes. Bruises covered his face, and he had an expression that showed he was desperately begging for mercy.
He couldn't speak, though, as his mouth was covered in a very thick gag.
His eyes, however, said all that needed to be said.
'What the hell?! Who is that guy?' Rey wondered in shock.
He caught Noah fidgeting from the side of his eye, which meant that perhaps it was someone he recognized.
'C-could it be…?!' Rey's eyes widened under the mask as the two men dragged the miserable man into the room.
"We managed to track down and capture the man who claimed to be our Affiliate. A lowlife like this, using our name to scam one of your esteemed subordinates… that strikes me as unjust."
Rey found himself nodding despite the state of shock he was in.
"And so, we decided to punish him for his acts. Of course, he regrets his actions and would like to say a few things to you."
Aldred then proceeded to look at one of the hefty men and nodded while saying "Untie him."
The constraints that bound the man were removed, and the gag was also done away with.
Once this was done, Rey was greeted with the desperate prostration of the badly wounded man.
"I… I am shawry… Sho Shawrry… Sharry for my a-ackshuns. Won't… won't do it again. P-pleashe… hab mershheyy…"
It seemed like the man's teeth had been broken, and his swollen lips got in the way of his words.
'This is brutal…' Rey watched as the man repeatedly apologized for his actions and hit his head on the ground while begging to be forgiven.
'I feel bad for him. I even got my money back, so there's no need to be this extreme.'
However, this was the Black Market. He couldn't say something like this here—to these criminals and brutes.
"Hm. You didn't have to go out of your way…" Rey responded, turning to Aldred.
"Hah! Nonsense! This is the least we could do for your continued business with us."
Aldred was smiling the same way any bootlicker would.
'I've spent enough time with Billy in the past to know what asskissing looks like.'
Aldred Winsley wanted something from Rey, which was why he and his group went ahead and did this.
'Do I really strike them as someone who would enjoy this? Goddamn!'
Rey was both impressed and worried about this.
'At least, now I know that this persona works well in the Black Market.'
His black skull mask was crudely made, so he was thinking of getting something new, but with this entire thing, he knew he had to keep it somewhere… just in case,
"Well, it's fine. It seems he has learned his lesson, so he's free to go. We have more important things to consider anyway."
Aldred seemed very satisfied with this answer, so he turned to the hefty men and nodded.
"T-THANK YOUU! Thank you so muuussshhhh!"
As he was dragged off, the pitiful man thanked Rey with his broken teeth exposed and his bulging eyes nearly popping out of his sockets.
'Now I feel like a criminal overlord or something, how did things end up this way…?' He nearly sighed to himself.
Still, he Rey himself for the conversation about to go down.
"Alright. What do you want?" He went straight to the point.
It was better if he took the initiative and had the lead in this conversation.
"Oho! It seems you figured it out, Sir."
"You wouldn't have done something as unnecessary as that without an intention. So, I ask you again… what do you want?"
Rey felt it was a bit insensitive, if not downright rude, to refer to what they did to that man in such a light manner.
But he already knew how the game had to be played.
He wasn't about to slack off.
"Indeed. The thing is… Sir… we are in need of those Monster Cores you provide." Aldred began with an honest position.
He had a gentle smile, one so genuine you wouldn't believe he ordered that a man should be beaten so badly.
He leaned closer to Rey and had that look of excitement still radiating all over his face.
"I see. How many exactly?" Rey answered, his tone calm and unchanging.
However, something entirely different was going on within his thoughts.
'YES! Perfect! The worst-case scenario has been avoided!'
He had to hide his excitement very well, and he felt like his mask really helped with that.
'I just hope they need as much as I have. It would be suspicious if I try to sell them more than what they are asking for.'
That would ruin the value of his goods, per the law of demand and supply.
'But right now I'm desperate. I don't mind selling it at a slightly lower price if—!'
"As much as you have!" Aldred's loud voice interrupted Rey's intense thoughts.
It was so surprising that he was taken aback by the broker's words.
"Hm…?"
As if Rey didn't hear it the first time, Aldred repeated his words with far more fervor.
"We are willing to buy everything you have!"
*
*
*
Some good news at least.
I wonder what they need so many Monster Cores for, though…
