500 Solving the Problem
The amount demanded was too much even for Vicente. With something between 5,000 and 10,000 gold coins, Vicente could raise several Acolytes in his family until they became Mages.
On the other hand, if he only got the information about the Bone Mountains, he could gather the information about Dax for himself once he went to the Chutha Dynasty.
With that in mind, he asked. "And how much would it cost me just to get the information about the Bone Mountains?"
"A thousand gold coins. The person I told you about already has that information cataloged because of another investigation he recently commissioned into that group. So I just need to negotiate a price with him for the information." The man said, apparently reading the book in his hands.
"He's out of the city today, so I have to give you what he has within a month."
"Okay, I'll buy the information regarding Bone Mountain. I'll put the Dax investigation on hold for now." Vicente said as he left an old spatial ring on the table and got up to leave.
The man understood the gesture and said. "Come back in exactly 30 days. I'll give you the results."
Vicente left, leaving the man to analyze the spatial ring with exactly 250 gold coins inside.
In contracts like this, 25% was paid at the time of the contract and the rest upon delivery. There was no need for contracts, which was risky, but that was how the underworld worked.
Contracts formalized things that underworld criminals usually didn't want to be formalized. Given the nature of their actions, men like this investigator used their words to guarantee their agreements.
Why should anyone trust a criminal's word? Simply because there are no other more reliable methods.
Professional investigators who worked in the light of day were few and far between. Most were affiliated with powerful organizations or groups and did not offer their work to third parties.
The few that did exist were busy, and their services were expensive.
If someone wanted information quickly and cheaply, they would have to look for someone like the man Vicente had just met.
But the risks were not as great as one might think. Even though the investigator hired by Vice could get away with this young man's coins, it was more advantageous for him to close the deal.
If he could get another 750 coins from Vicente, he would make a much bigger profit than 250 coins, even if he had to pay something to the other man with the information Vice was looking for. So it wouldn't be worth it for him to cheat his new client!
Confident of this, Vicente left his coins before heading back to his local affairs and visiting the local blacksmiths' association building.
...
Two days later...
Vicente was on his way to meet Benson and Ronan, having finally produced all the items his senior brother had promised The Ruby Devils.
Arriving in front of the house where he had met them days ago, Vicente knocked twice on the door before his master allowed him to enter the small building.
Ronan was already sweating with anticipation and asked in a nervous tone when he saw Vicente. "Well? Did you succeed? We only have until tomorrow to make this delivery, man."
Vicente nodded affirmatively. "Yeah, I made it."
"Let me see." Ronan forced a smile on his face, but he would only feel relieved when he saw what Vicente had done.
Vicente gave Ronan a spatial ring containing all these artifacts to analyze. At the same time, Benson was relieved to see that his student and himself wouldn't have to die.
When Ronan tried to scan Vicente's ring, he noticed all the 3rd-
grade artifacts with 100% efficiency just before he felt something strange enter his mind.
'Never ask my master for help again, Ronan. If you make another mistake and seek him out, I will personally put an end to you.'
Vicente's voice rang in Ronan's mind as he felt a powerful killing intent, not in the slightest doubting Vice's ability to do what was promised.
He looked at Vicente and saw the black-haired young man smiling.
'Damn you! How did you manage to put that in my head?' Ronan wondered, imagining that Vicente was much more complicated than he appeared on the surface.
He had threatened him in a very subtle and difficult-to-
decipher way!
Benson was standing next to them, but he was completely unaware of what was going on, a sign of how fantastic what Vicente had just done was.
'Don't worry about it. Think of your life. If you put my master in danger again, this will be your last breath.' Vicente said, smiling as if nothing had happened.
Vicente could see in Ronan's eyes that this guy was a walking problem. This person had probably already done things similar to what had gotten him and Benson into their current predicament and would most likely get into trouble again.
'Vicente! I'm your senior! Who do you think you are to threaten me?'
'I am the one who can kill you if I decide not to give you those artifacts.'
Gulp!
'Tsk! All right. I'll do whatever you want. I will no longer involve our master in my affairs. Is that all right with you?' He smiled softly, trying to settle this once and for all.
Vicente said aloud. "You should go and deliver the artifacts to The Ruby Devils today. Fulfill your obligation to them right away, and take this advice from me: get out of Saltstar City as soon as possible. These artifacts will relieve your situation, but after what you've done, they'll look at you differently. Take advantage of your situation and the local tensions and get as far away as you can."
Benson didn't know exactly what Vicente was trying to say, but he agreed with the words. "That will be better, Ronan."
Ronan clenched one of his fists but promised he would. "I understand. Then I'll say goodbye to you both here, master and junior brother. I'll hand over this equipment and leave town. I hope our situation will be better the next time we meet."
Ronan left without further ado, leaving Vicente and Benson behind.
Left alone in the house, Benson thanked Vicente. "Thank you for your help. Without your intervention, this fool would have died in no time."
"Master, forgive my skepticism, but I don't think Ronan will live much longer. I feel he hasn't learned his lesson and will soon make the same mistake again." Vicente broke into his thoughts. "You shouldn't help him in the future. It will only lead to trouble for you."
"Sigh... I can't do that. All my students are my responsibility. If Ronan is like this today, it was a mistake on my part." Benson sighed, feeling guilty about the whole situation.
