"So my choices are dying or joining you guys?" Ning asked as he narrowed his eyes at the 3 that sat before him.
"Yes," Clara spoke with not much emotion in her eyes.
"Hmm, that's a hard decision," Ning said as he slumped back on his chair. "Give me a moment."
Carlos and Kepli gave a weird look to each other. They couldn't imagine why he was not just simply accepting the deal.
Clara was surprised as well. "Do you really have to think to make a choice between life and death?" she asked.
"Others might fear death, but I don't," Ning said. "I only fear what I might have to do if I were to join the gang. Do you guys go around asking for protection fees from various stores in the empire?"
Clara looked around awkwardly. "What's a protection fee?" she asked.
The other two shrugged as they weren't aware of such a thing at all. Ning realized that he might have spoken about something they did know about, so he quickly changed the subject.
"Do you steal from innocent people?" he asked. "Hurt them to benefit yourself? How do you make money? What's the purpose of your gang?"
Clara narrowed her eyes as she watched Ning's expression, but found it difficult to get any information from them.
"We don't steal from anyone," she said. "We have people in the merchant and mercenary business that bring in money. We monopolize on getting those tasks and thus earn from them. Most people end up having to pay a little extra to get the services they want, but that's about it. We don't go around looting and pillaging people if that's what you are asking."
Ning nodded when he heard that. "And the purpose of the gang?" he asked.
"Primarily to make money," Clara said. "Although, there are other motives behind me forming a gang, but those motives are private to me, so I won't be answering."
"Okay, so what will I have to do if I were to join?" Ning asked.
"Same thing as everyone. Mercenary or Merchant. Your choice," Clara said.
Ning smiled. "Very well, I'll join," he said.
"Good," the girl said with no change in expression. "Now, let's talk about what you are not allowed—"
"Yes, yes. I won't tell anyone, anything about you at all," Ning said. "I know how to keep a secret. Don't worry."
Clara paused for a second, then continued. "If so, the next thing I have to do is test you to see what you are better at," she said. "You are a courageous one, and Carlos had vetted for your fighting capabilities, so having you go into the mercenary line would be a good idea."
"But just to be safe, I want to check your other skills too. Maybe you are better for the merchant line than you appear to be," she said.
"Sure, do whatever you have to do," Ning said. "I'm ready for all of it."
"Alright, I'll test you personally," Clara said. "Carlos, look after Kepli for a while. Kepli, get that crystal tested."
"Yes, boss!" the two of them spoke at the same time.
Ning looked back at Clara and asked, "Do I have to call you boss from now on?"
"What else will you call me?" Clara asked.
"Can't I just call you by your name?" Ning asked.
Clara frowned a little when she heard that. "Is that how you plan on keeping my identity hidden? By calling out my name every time we speak?" she asked.
"Oh shit! You're right. My bad, boss," Ning said and continued walking.
Clara stared at him with a weird look on her face before sighing finally. "Not that way. Why are you going on ahead like you know the place?"
"Hmm? I thought we were going outside to test my fighting skills," Ning said.
"No, I need to do something about your memory first," Clara said. "Follow me."
Ning got a little curious and followed the girl. They arrived at a room on the second floor that was full of books from ground to ceiling.
"Woah! That's a lot of books. You like reading books, boss?" he asked.
"This isn't our place," Clara said. "It used to belong to a moderately rich noble who died during a pirate attack on his way to the Glades Kingdom. He was apparently some sort of knowledge collector, so he has a lot of books. Although most of them are stories, there are a few with information that can help us."
Black fog rolled from Clara's fingers that flew to one of the books on the shelf. The book flew back down to a study table beside the window.
Clara gestured for Ning to sit down.
Ning curiously went up to the book and looked at it. "The many wonderful places of the Glacien Continent?" he read the words on the book.
"So you can read," Clara said. "I thought you lost your memories."
"I did," Ning said as he flipped through the book. "But I didn't lose everything. Just as I remember my name and how to speak or how to eat, I also remember how to read. Although, I don't remember most of these names in here. What is the Glacien Continent exactly?"
Clara sat down opposite him and explained. "In this world, there are 3 continents," she said as she flipped the book in Ning's hand until it reached a world map. "This is the Glacien Continent, the one we are on. This down here is the Springwind continent, and in the east here we have the Blueflame continent."
"What's this nonsense at the top? A smudge?" Ning asked.
"That's not a smudge. That's a cluster of islands, large enough to become a continent in its own right, but no one lives there at all," Clara said. "They say the waves get so high that most of these islands are underwater for multiple months at a time."
"The people around the world have unanimously named it the Sunken Lands."
