Upon entering Rory's mother's brothel, Vicente ignored the girls clearing the tables around the entrance hall, where customers usually drank and chatted before choosing their company.
No half-naked girls were around at the moment, so neither of these young men saw anything children should not see.
Both looked more like adults than children, but by local regulations, they were still juveniles and would be better off avoiding profane places like this.
But even if they saw something there, neither of them would mind.
Rory had grown up seeing breasts and asses, while Vicente had his memories of the time when he was on Earth and was a criminal.
"Vice, Rory, please, sit here." A beautiful redheaded woman said this as she saw these two arriving in front of her office.
Seeing Rory's mother, Vicente greeted her and avoided looking at this woman's beautiful cleavage.
Although she was no longer in her prime, Heidi Point had a very nice body with bountiful dimensions, as a good MILF should have.
"So, Miss Point, Rory told me you wanted to talk to me..." He said, looking into that woman's brown eyes.
She looked at Rory and then at Vice. "Not just to you. With both of you, actually.
I know that you and Rory have been very close since you were little and have been through a lot, he told me. So now that you guys are growing up and getting close to becoming adults, I think we need to talk."
In Polaris Realm, children didn't have as many rights until they turned 10. At that time, they would start working if they couldn't study in special academies and gain a little more freedom.
But only after the Magical Awakening would they gain full independence from their families and have rights and freedoms.
From the age of 14, one could join sects or clans, leave their family and start another, try to subordinate themselves to a higher power, etc.
Parents could not stop a young person of that age from doing whatever they wanted, so Rory's mother worried about her son and Vice, for they would soon reach such an age.
Both had shown in their recent behavior that they were ambitious, and she judged they would leave the village.
She said. "I see that you and Rory have found unique methods of negotiating and protecting yourselves. Given some of your recent moves, I think perhaps you are planning to start your journey in one of the provincial cities through the underworld.
Answer me honestly, is that what you want? To grow your partnerships using the contacts you can acquire in the underworld of our society?" She asked, looking seriously at Vicente.
The underworld of society was not necessarily related only to groups of murderers, thieves, etc. Even some noble powers supported groups in the underworld because they had easier access to opportunities, information, and much more.
Few had the courage to expose their real intentions and sell some resources in daylight. But in the darkness of the underworld, much of what was in demand in this society and was not sold in daylight was offered.
It was not easy to get contacts to take advantage of this offer, but if one got deeply involved, getting information and resources like this would be simpler.
In daylight, they would have to put in a lot more resources, get a lot more influence, and compete openly with great powers.
For someone growing from a small position, investing in normal growth methods was not interesting!
Vicente did not express his respect for this woman's wisdom and remained silent.
"Hmm, you don't need to tell me." She smiled as she propped her back on her chair. "I can see that's right.
So let me give you some advice.
I have lived in this world that you want to enter, so I know the dangers that lie in your path and how difficult it is to get out once you enter that journey.
I honestly would prefer that both of you stay here in the village, but both of you have a determination that I don't understand...
So if you're going to take that narrow, dark path, at least do it the right way." She sighed before continuing.
"What do you have in mind?" Vice asked.
She looked at him and said. "I believe you guys are going to start with Millfall, right? If that is the case, look for someone named Aaron Wilson in The Broken Vial. That is a magic item store in that town, and he is an old friend. Say Sweet Cheeks sent you."
"Aaron?"
"Sweet Cheeks?"
The two asked.
Even Rory had never heard his mother speak of her past by specific names. Whenever she told him anything, it was rather vague, always hiding many of the details that really needed to be hidden.
She nodded positively to both of them. "Aaron owes me a favor and will help you. But make it clear to him that this will not involve me. He will only have to help you, and I personally do not want to be contacted. That will end the debt he owes me."
"Who exactly is Aaron?" Vicente asked.
"In the light of day, he works as a salesman in this magic store. But he's a local dealer, someone who has contacts and can introduce you to the right people, steer you away from some mistakes, but also harm you.
So don't step on the ball with him. Be honest with him, and don't try to pull the wool over his eyes. He's not the type to forget, whether for good or bad." She said this, looking at them seriously.
Seeing the two of them looking at each other, she closed her eyes briefly and then finished. "When you start your activities, be careful with whom you meet. Take a good look at who or what is behind the business you will be involved in.
It is a common mistake of newcomers to the underworld to think they have discovered the business of the millennium and try to get involved in things that already have owners...
Otherwise, don't offend anyone unless it is crucial and you have at least one ally.
But never think that an ally will be eternally loyal to your alliance or even that they will be your friends."
Hearing that, Rory was thrilled, seeing that his mother was supporting him even as he was turning away from her and going in a direction most parents would be disappointed to see their children go.
Vicente was grateful, feeling some of Heidi's motherly care.
"Thanks for the tips, Miss Point. After my mother, you are the person who cared about me the most. I won't forget that." He stood up and kissed one of Heidi's hands.
"As long as you take care of Rory, there is no need for you to worry about me." She said before asking Vice to leave for her to speak to her son alone.
After Vicente left that office, Heidi looked at her son and said in a resolute tone. "Rory, when you leave with Vicente, support him, but know that you do not always have to support him by standing by his side.
At some points in his journey, you will have to support him from afar and not get involved in the same problems as him.
I say this for your sake but also that of your friend. In the underworld, the worst thing for people involved with what they shouldn't be is their vulnerabilities.
If you are always with him, one will be the other's vulnerability. Then there will come a day when someone will use this against you.
Be willing to take the risk, or you will lose yourselves at that point."
"I understand." He said in a low voice before leaving to go to a meeting with Vicente.
