Chapter 82 - Wanted Bounty
By the time the servant got out of the mansion, Mayer already destroyed the entire office from anger and insecurity haunting him down.
"Cursed spawn, why don't you just die and let me sleep? Since that day 3 years ago I've had constant nightmares, but they got worse when you escaped from my mine. It must been you who cursed me to never sleep peacefully."
Thirty minutes later, the servant arrived at a shabby house inside Dawn District. Feeling a bit scared, he made up his courage and entered inside. What met him was the chilling gazes of men who had all short of battle scars on their bodies.
Gulping hard, he then talked with someone to update the contract on Vlad's head. Thereupon the servant exited the building with some fear on his face, hurrying to save his life.
While the servant exited hurriedly, the one he talked with entered inside an office. Inside was a middle-aged person wearing black clothes and on his desk could be seen a golden mask on it. He had black eyes and dark shoulder-length back hair, with a sharp goatee that accentuated his jawlines. His eyes were a bit small, but all in all, he looked normal. It was hard to recognize the man's height when seated, but he looked close to 1,82 meters.
"What's the problem now? Isn't it enough the fact that idiot Lacilet can't even tie his shoes and requests me to actually clean his problems."
"That's not it Oliver. Do you remember 1 year ago how that pig Mayer Loftso sent an killing order to us? About some kid that escaped from his mines, where he only offered to pay 30.000.000 belies."
"What about it? You guys haven't caught that kid?"
"Well, it's a bit complicated. The information and details we have about the target is too small, and since we were focused on searching for Opheltius, none of the lower graded assassins even bothered with him."
"I see, so what does that pig wants from me now? To clean his ass too? Do I Cranfon Oliver, star of the Assassin's Union really look like a caretaker or a good samaritan to help out beggars? Do I Wincester?"
"Ohh, do you want my honest opinion? You kind of look like one, your face just doesn't tell people you're that dangerous. Simply put you're too handsome. But let's not stress about those dogs. I'll tell you what. That pig gives 100.000.000 belies for this escaped kid."
"Still a cheap price for his life. How much does all of his business value, do you even have an idea?"
"No clue, why should I even bother?"
"I'll tell you. His entire fortune from his ancestors to what he has now is about 1.1 billion. In short, he's a golden pig, yet he gives those low prices to us as if he thinks we're his dogs.
However, money is money. Just update that target bounty, and if the lower-ranked ones want to earn something more, have them look for that kid instead of whining to me."
"It shall be done Oliver. Have you got any news from the Headquarters? I kind of feel missing seeing those old monsters and the new recruits."
"Sure, can you not put that fake expression? You missing going to the Headquarters? You probably have the time of your life in this kingdom, whoring around that pink district."
"Hehe, what can I say. These bastards have nice women compared to the ones close to the Headquarters. The New World isn't for the beauties, the environment there is too harsh for normal people, so I'll just enjoy my time here until we're summoned back."
"Sigh, it's like those old men forgot about us. It's been 15 years since I arrived in this kingdom, and all I did is waste my time. I Cranfon Oliver could already be a Platinum or Master ranked Assassin, but since with that failure 15 years ago. We're waiting for that key."
"Haha, we're still just Gold Rank. How long has it been, both of us were young lads at that time."
"Forget it Wincester. Focus on finding Oplhetius and catching him. This time, we'll no longer approach him slowly. We'll torture him, or worse case have to kill his entire kingdom if he doesn't tell us the location of the key."
"I understand Oliver. I'll tell the boys to prepare for a hunt, if we find something we'll report back."
As the right hand of Cranfon Oliver, Wincester Davis left the office to inform the elite troops of the assassin guild, something else happened in another zone.
At the harbor of the Sun District, there was a tall young man wearing a suit with a dark coat and black hat embarking on a transport ship that was due to arrive at the Dawn District.
"Hey young man, are you going to start a business in the Dawn District?" asked a middle-aged guy Vlad, as if having nothing better to do in the time the ship had to sail.
"You can think of it like this, is far more easier to get to Dawn District than when we had to pay the guard to enter."
"That's right. I never had the chance to see the Dawn District because of that. How could I fork 100.000 bellies just to get inside?"
Hearing that, Vlad just smiled a bit and talked for a bit with that person.
The boat ride took about 20 minutes, and slowly he could see the outline of the harbor belonging to the Dawn people.
Getting off the transport ship, he saw a bustling place that was comparable to his district.
Chaos lived in this atmosphere at the harbor and outside, but he quickly blended in with the common people.
Getting out of the harbor area, he started looking around himself at this familiar place.
"Well, what now? Should I go spend my time at the pink district? No, no. Sofiya would kill me if she hears such news since she has some friends here. Tsk, then what?
Right, since I'll have to wait for night to settle, I'll go check on Pholdor since he and his family lives here."
Settling down his thoughts, he began walking toward a residential zone where the simple people had their houses ranging from stone to wood.
As he walked down the streets toward Administrator Pholdo, he also managed to scare some kids playing around when they dumped into him.
"Argh, run, he's a scary ghost." Cried out the kids, scared to see Vlad's outfit.
Not minding this reaction, he chuckled as he said to himself.
"Are really my clothes so bad? Tsk, don't tell me Sofiya is pulling a joke on me when she says those clothes fit me well."
Finally, he arrived in front of a brick house that seemed to be maintained and knocked on the door.
Along the way, he could hear a person's footstep, or better say, a young person that quickly opened the door.
"What do you want mister?"
Hearing this young boy of 10 years ask him that, he smiled kindly at him and asked.
"Is your father home?"
"My dad? He's not home, you can go." said the boy, but then another voice belonging to a man resounded.
"It's fine Karl, I know this mister. You can go play for a bit before we get back to the study."
"Yes, dad."
Quickly, the boy went away from Vlad's gaze in front of him, remaining only a bald, middle-aged guy of average stature.
"Young Zagreus, I don't remember ever telling you about my address. Come inside. Do you want to serve something?"
"It's good to see you administrator. You've finally balded all your hair. Time really can be mean to others."
Commented Vlad while looking at the bald Pholdor Novio as he stepped inside before being taken to a study room.
"So what do you want to drink?" questioned Pholdor as he stared at Vlad's face that matured a lot in those passing years since he saw him.
"Some coffee if you have, or tea otherwise."
Getting out from the study room, Pholdor came back after 20 minutes with a kettle that was giving off the flavor of the coffee.
Placing the coffee in some cups, he commented on the taste after taking the first taste.
"Good coffee, is this from Picodras or outside of the region?"
"No, no. I think this coffee is from Sun District. I brought some bags of those coffee beans. From where they belong I have no clue, what matters is the flavor."
"Indeed. How have you been administrator? Are you still working for Mayer?"
"That, fortunately, no. He laid me off for some dumb reasons, but I'm doing fine as you can see. I've been working some odd jobs since no one wanted to hire me because of my association with Mayer."
"That must be hard for you at the start. Well, if you find it hard living in the Dawn District, you can always come to Sun. I'll pull some strings and settle you down."
"No need Zagreus. I'll try my best to remain here since I can still work the odd jobs. It would be hard for my son and wife to get used to a new environment, or get past the idea that the Sun is no longer what it used to be."
As they talked about their lives, Pholdor asked Vlad what happened with him after escaping since he was shocked to find out that most of Belpel guards died at that night.
Vlad's response simply resumed at telling him some parts of the truths.
The conversation between them lasted for a while, and when Vlad got the right feeling about Pholbor, he asked him.
"Pholbor what would you say if I was to offer you a job. Would you work for me?"
"Depends young Zagreus, what job are we talking about?"
"Administrating a business."
"An administrator job? Can you give me more details, and give me some time to think?"
"Its easy, this night I'll make a visit to Mayet Loftso to settle an old debt he haf with me. Let's say the debt he has for me is all his entire fortune and bussiness."
"What!? Are you serious? Isn't it dangerous young Zagreus?"
"It doesn't matter. Tell me Pholdor would you enter this play with me? Overseeing the business I would get from Mayer in my place?"
"This, are you sure you are able to do this?"
"Sigh, come on Pholbor how much insurance from me do you need. Here I'll tell you something else and with that, I end my say. My other identity around Sagletius is Blood."
Pholbor looked shocked when he heard Vlad say that. His thought process was really put to the test by him.
'For him to tell me that. Does he really intend to trust me with this information? But why? Just because of what happened between us 2 years ago?'
"Do you really trust me, young Zagreus? Or are you trying to do me and my family harm?"
"You remember what I've said to you 2 years ago? Well, I'm right in front of you offering you a decent job where you'll influence the lives of people for good. You're a simple person, who even in the face of profit thinks of his family well being. That's what I appreciate about you Pholbor, your simple way of conducting."
"Please don't embarrass me with those words, I'm too old to get myself rosy in the checks."
"Haha, that's just the truth, Pholbor. You might not notice this trait of yours or try not to focus on it, but outsiders can see your worth if they look closely.
So what do you say, do you take this job administrator?"
Ended Vlad while extending his hand toward Pholbor as if waiting to seal the deal.
Looking a bit undecided, he thought for a bit about his future path. Should he work odd jobs for some years before his body gives out and suffer the burdens of not having money or taking the devil's offer?
"Fine, I'll take this devil's offer. Heck, I'll even dance with him." said Pholbor with a smile while shaking Vlad's hand.
Vlad chuckled a bit, and by the time he was done to set some plans for the business, Pholbor knew Mayer had, night already settled down.
He didn't shift his plan and walked out from Pholbor's house, this time taking the path toward the houses belonging to the wealthy where even Mayer's mansion was located.
As he walked down the alley according to his spy findings, he stopped in place when he saw a wall that contained the posters with people's faces.
This was something he had ever seen inside Sun District or in his visits to Dawn or other islands.
Getting up close, he started studying with a curious expression what those posters said.
"So those are the wanted posters the world government releases for criminals. Hmm, let's see what we got here."
"Wow, she sure has a big nose for a lady, [Catarina Devon - Dead or Alive - 350.000.000 belies.]
Hmmm, I don't know if it is much by this world standard. I even got bought by a change if that's how much the World Government is willing to spend to kill and capture those pirates.
[Bartholomew Kuma - Dead or Alive - 296.000.000 belies]
"This one seems decent enough."
Screening the wall, he finally stopped on two posters.
[ Boa Hancock - Dead or Alive - 80.000.000 belies],
Ohh, this woman is as beautiful as Sofiya. With all honesty, maybe even more beautiful. Sigh, I better don't tell her, or she'll start getting jealous.
Then some guys who looked a bit drunk walked past him and also stopped to look at Boa Hancock's wanted poster.
"Brother, you better don't rip that poster. She's our goddess who treats the loneliness of the bachelors." said the random citizen #1, looking with a smile at Boa's poster.
"Hehe, how many guys are relieving their stress looking at that poster is unthinkable. I tell you friend, she's the most beautiful in the entire world." said random citizen #2 while looking at Vlad and pointing at the poster.
"Interesting. I will keep in mind your information."
The citizens stood admiring Boa's wanted poster as Vlad looked in another direction and saw a familiar name.
[ Nico Robin - Dead or Alive - 80.000.000 bellies]
'So this is the girl Nius talked about. The girl with the knowledge of reading the stones.
Sigh, this girl must have had a harsh childhood. This poster seems to be taken when she was only 9 or even younger.'
'I hope she's not so scared to be afraid of any person trying to approach her with good intentions.'
"Hey man, you've been staring at that poster for a while. Just take it with you already. Also, if you're looking to rip something from this wall, look at that poster. It's so creepy as if the marines did the worst job at taking that guy's picture." pointed out citizen #2 at a poster placed in the furthest corner.
Taking the poster from the wall, his eyebrows furrowed a bit while his eyes turned cold.
The temperature seemed to drop a bit for the drunkards, making them feeling weird, but all lasted around some seconds.
"Hey man are you okay? Do you know who's on the wanted poster?"
"Hmm no, but it's like you said. Those marines did a bad job at taking the picture of this person, which leaves me a bad taste in my mouth."
"Aghh, so that's why. Fine man, it was nice to see you, we'll take our leave. Another tavern, another drink. Let's go brother." said random citizen #2 to citizen #1.
The drunkards left this alley, leaving only Vlad stare coldly at the poster in his hand. This poster was something that shouldn't even be created.
The picture seemed to be drawn instead of being a life-like captured as the rest of the posters. The person in the poster was exactly Vlad when he was wearing the crimson mask.
"Whoever drawn this poster should be promoted a rank. The details on the mask are so vivid that it feels like the person who drew this was the mask's creator.
However, aside from that, why am I now a criminal with a wanted poster? I only killed some criminals, stopped some illegal goods passing toward Sagletius, and kept order in the district. Tsk, right those nobles are hand in hand with the marines here.
Whatever at least I got a decent sum of money on the poster.
Staring at the poster, aside from the draw that deserved praises, the bounty placed on his head was also generous.
[ Blood - Dead or Alive - 145.000.000 bellies]
"Would you look at that? I'm a bonafide criminal now. I'll have to show this to the kids, some bravado always works once in a while. Hah, I wonder who would be crazy enough to come and take my head when I'm the ruler of Kaysang."
