Note: The Novel Will Be Corrected Until Chapter 105, After That Chapter It Will Be All MTL
C31 - 32 - 33
Chapter 31.
With a thunderous clatter, a team of ten horses entered the McLean territory, pulling a wagon and a cart loaded with goods, large as houses. The heavy weight was evident as the wheel tracks were clearly carved into the ground. Although the direction taken by the mercenary guards and the cargo was clear, nobody dared to approach the vicinity.
“Ugh, that smell. Even from this distance…”
“The stench is quite pungent.”
“How can dried meat smell so bad?”
“They say it’s monster meat.”
“Is that the…?”
“Did the young master really indulge in such a grotesque act?”
“The rumors that he gained strength from drinking monster blood…”
“Shut your mouth, you fool!”
“Quiet! You want to get us all in trouble?”
The murmurs grew louder as the largest shipment of Karok meat since the last trade arrived at the storage.
“It’s definitely divine timing now.”
“What?”
Rick, who had been covering his nose from the foul smell, looked up in confusion.
“I was planning to use what we made yesterday, here.”
“Wha-?!”
“Bring that barrel… though, you won’t be able to lift it. I’ll carry it, just get ready.”
“Ready for what? I didn’t hear anything about this!”
“We’re doing it now!”
“Do I really have to come?”
“Of course!”
With a loud groan of disgust, Rick had never visited the warehouse since they started collecting Karok meat, unaware of the reason for his own strong reaction.
But as they opened the door to the warehouse filled with Karok meat, the reason became painfully evident. No explanation was needed for the incredible stench that assaulted their noses and brains with an odor far worse than anything they had encountered outside.
“Uweeeek!”
Logan might have thrown up on the spot if Rick, vomiting a step behind him, hadn’t beaten him to it.
Having somewhat calmed himself by shutting down his sense of smell through force control, Logan saw Rick giving him a resentful glare with his pale, vomit-stricken face.
“Cough! Now, sprinkle this ‘neutralizer’ on the Karok meat. You’ll see the color lighten with just a small amount. Just enough to make the surface completely white. The black parts contain remaining toxins. Be cautious.”
“Do I really have to…”
“Am I not doing it too?”
Rick, nearly in tears, reluctantly helped until about 100kg of meat turned white.
“Now grind it into round tablets.”
As if he had given up on everything, Rick did not utter another complaint.
However, as they created hundreds of tiny round pills, Rick couldn’t help but grow curious about what all his efforts were for.
“Why did we make these?”
“Don’t they look like medicine?”
“…Yes.”
“Good. We’re going to sell them as such.”
“What?!”
Rick’s eyes widened in horror, but his shock was not the end of it.
“Remember what we did today?”
“No. I remember nothing! What did we do? Ha. Ha. Ha.”
Sensing an ominous premonition, Rick forced a strained smile.
“You look like you remember just fine.”
“Ugh!”
It was impossible to deceive the keen eyes of Logan, who had been together as sworn brothers—or more precisely, his sworn follower—for over ten years.
And so, Rick was forced to hear what he dreaded most.
“This will be your task moving forward.”
“I refuse.”
Rick, who had never shied away from difficult tasks in his past life and eventually met his end on the executioner’s block, firmly refused the order.
“Rick. You’re the only one I can trust.”
“I absolutely refuse!”
“Rick! Don’t you trust me?”
“I don’t want to trust you!”
Screaming as if he had lost his mind, Rick ran away.
In the end, Logan was only able to assign the task to his begrudging servant by promising a bonus of 100 gold a week.
Of course, that was not the end of it.
“I suppose I’ll have to test it…”
“Just kill me. I really can’t do it. I’d rather die.”
With a look of desperation, Rick vehemently protested.
But luckily, or perhaps unfortunately, Rick wasn’t the one Logan was looking for as a test subject.
“You’re useless to me. And you’ll continue to be. Of course, it’s not you.”
“Oh, thank goodness. Thank you…huh?”
While Rick couldn’t fully comprehend what was being discussed, he had a feeling that it was unpleasant and gave his master a sideways glance. Logan quickly changed the subject.
“Do you know of anyone around us who struggles with night duties?”
“Huh? Night duties?”
“Why, you know. Like someone who doesn’t have children. Or a chaste spouse. Or a married man who’s always slumping his shoulders in the morning.”
“…What are you talking about?”
“Ah. This! You know!”
Logan eventually had to resort to using profane hand gestures he learned during his mercenary days to explain nighttime activities.
Rick, catching on quickly, suggested a candidate for the experiment.
“Administrator Dwayne hasn’t had any children yet. It’s been ten years since his marriage… He was so happy to marry a young bride back then, but these days he’s just working late all the time.”
“Ah…?”
Who would’ve guessed that the sturdy man had such a sad predicament.
Logan decided Dwayne would be the first subject of his experiment.
* * *
“Huh?”
“It’s something really good for men.”
“Really?!”
“Don’t you get it? It’s this.”
“Ah…”
How did it come to be that even cultured people could only understand hand gestures instead of words?
Dwayne, with a confused look, glanced back and forth between the mysterious pill in his hand and Logan’s face.
“…Is it true?”
“Yeah. It works after just one pill. It’s a patented product from Filips’ Shop in Kail, you know.”
To be exact, it’s more accurate to say it will become famous and patented, but Logan was confident.
‘It’s already proven, anyway.’
But why he was experimenting on Dwayne was something Logan willingly ignored.
------------------------
Chapter 32: [Didn’t you say you knew someone? You spoke as if you’re familiar with the capital.]
“I have absolutely no connections.”
[Hmm. So, you’re saying you’re trying to sell an unproven drug to the nobility without any connections, and I have to figure out a way… is that what you’re saying?]
“Yes.”
At Logan’s casual response, Phillip temporarily lost his words.
[…If this goes wrong, Logan might be fine, but I’m surely done for.]
“Don’t worry about it.”
[You say that as if it’s not your life on the line…]
“What was that?”
[Ah, nothing. Hmm. To make noble connections, a party is indeed the best option.]
“Party? A party, huh…”
[Yes. But I’m a commoner and can’t attend noble parties. So at least Logan should…]
“Me? You’re telling me to go to a party?”
The McLain family, hardly in a position to afford a party, never had such an experience, and in his previous life, the only parties he knew were disorderly victory celebrations with plenty of mercenaries and few knights.
That alone was a troublesome enough request, but there was more.
[Even if you attend a party and make connections, it will take time before those are useful for business. You can’t just sell there either.]
“Hmm? Selling directly? Ho!”
[Not to put a damper on your plans, but really, you shouldn’t do that. Not just for Logan’s sake but also for the reputation of the McLain family within social circles.]
“No. That’s not what I’m talking about. As long as we’re not selling, it should be fine.”
[Excuse me?]
With a rising sense of foreboding, Phillip asked in a concerned tone.
“Hmm. Thanks to you, I’ve got a great idea. Let’s meet in the capital.”
[Me too? I have work to do here…]
“It’ll take a week to arrive. We’ll meet inside the West Gate of Gran in a week’s time, in the morning.”
[Logan, are you even listening to…]
Crack.
Click.
Contrary to Phillip’s desperate cry, Logan, who seemed lost in thought, stepped out of the communication room with notably light steps.
* * *
“Are you going out again?”
“Yes. After such a significant event, I need time to calm my shocked spirit.”
“…You do?”
“Yes.”
The big son, suddenly requesting a meeting, gave an absurdly nonchalant excuse, making Patrik sigh.
“Huh… Hm. Well, where do you plan to go?”
“To the capital for a bit.”
“The capital?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re saying you’re going to a large city to ‘calm your mind’?”
“To broaden my horizons.”
“…I’m supposed to believe that?”
“Yes.”
Patrik couldn’t hide his astonishment but saw no movement on his son’s unfazed face.
‘I can’t exactly tell him I’m going to sell aphrodisiacs in the capital.’
Even if it was a profitable item, it wouldn’t sit well with the trade guild without intermediaries, and certainly not if he announced such personal business ambitions.
‘He’d object, citing the family’s dignity.’
So the best approach was sheer brazenness.
“Fine. You must have something in mind. Go ahead.”
To his surprise, he was granted permission rather easily.
Thankfully, his reputation built on prior achievements was still solid enough.
The capital was uncharted territory in his current life.
The prospect of a noble’s son, with no servants in tow, driving a carriage loaded with nearly 2000 boxes, caused a bit of an issue within the family.
Due to his demonstrated performance in the war, no one dare oppose Logan’s assertive insistence.
Thanks to that, for the first time in a while, Logan could prepare to sleep alone under the starry night sky, using the road as his bed.
“It’s inevitable. Rick has to work.”
If reliable Rick, already tired from daily labor in the warehouse, had heard this, he would have been exasperated.
Rick wanted to keep the relationship between the meat from Karok and this ‘medication’ a secret for as long as possible.
Because he still lacked completely trustworthy confidants.
“Still, sorry about that…”
Logan did have a conscience.
“Alright. Your name shall henceforth be Impo-Rick.”
He named the abundant results produced by Rick’s hard work after him.
‘The Rick that cures impotence. Nice!’
At that moment, Rick, barely able to sleep from exhaustion, shivered with an inexplicable chill.
* * * People were crowded densely in front of the city gate, leaving hardly any space to set foot.
Even from a great distance, where they appeared as mere dots, the gates and walls of the city were impressively majestic.
They seemed like dwarves entering the castle of giants.
Such was the overwhelming size of the Grand Castle of the Thousand-Year Kingdom.
The massive walls, reaching 20 meters high and periodically enhanced by protective magic, had withstood a millennium, neither crumbling nor wearing down easily.
In tales, even the aura of Aura Users supposedly couldn’t easily scratch the city walls.
‘That may be an exaggeration.’
Remembering the walls falling helplessly in his previous life, Logan felt uncomfortable, as they now seemed to emphasize the empire’s might.
And that feeling intensified as the walls drew near, and the bustling crowd grew denser.
‘The capital, with a resident population of one million and a transient population exceeding two million, is the largest and most important city in the eastern part of the continent.’
For the people of the Grandia Kingdom, the capital, Grand, was a symbol and a source of pride representing a millennium of history.
A fort constructed in the distant past, unlike anything possessed by the Ares Empire.
Still, Logan’s view of it was entirely different.
Staring at the gates reminded him of the scene where the gates fell, and countless people perished.
“Ugh…”
Leaving the burnt McLain Castle behind, the frantic charge toward the capital.
At the sight of his brother’s dear face, falling broken before the very Western Gate.
‘…Lonian.’
And the memory of powerlessly watching his younger brother dragged away amid the chaos.
Crunch.
‘Never again…’
Whinny.
“Ah!”
Involuntarily tightening his grip on the reins, the horses reared up as if startled.
“Careful!”
“Move away!”
The ensuing commotion forced the people to retreat.
“Master Logan!”
The early disturbance allowed his meeting party, waiting inside, to spot him sooner.
* * *
“So, what will you do now?”
“First, I need to make a list of customers.”
“Customers?”
“A list of nobles with erectile dysfunction. Can you get it?”
Phillip stared at Logan, incredulous.
“…Is there such a thing?”
“Right? They’d keep that secret, yeah?”
“Of course. Obviously… wait, you don’t mean.”
“Exactly. In a place like the capital, there will be those who sell such secrets.”
And thus began Logan’s venture into sales.
Those who dig for secrets, the real information guilds, often collect private information from the shadows.
The customers are chosen carefully, and if anything feels off, they’re ready to sever ties and disappear.
Among those info guilds, Nox, one of the most notable, had a branch in Grand.
“…How did you know all that?”
“No need for you to know. Just stay here and rest. I’ll be back soon.”
“No, I’ll come too!”
Despite the offer of a safe stay, Phillip’s voice trembled slightly as he insisted on joining Logan to a potentially dangerous destination.
However, his eyes shone with genuine desire.
Every merchant knew the value of information.
For all magnates, establishing ties with a competent information guild was a must, the dream of all traders.
“You might die in a dangerous place.”
“…I’ll stay put.”
Phillip’s surrender was swift; nothing mattered more than his own life.
Smirking at his response, Logan hurried off.
* * * Although Logan had arranged for an expensive, 50-gold-a-night accommodation in the inner city, the place he cautiously sought out was located in the slums outside the eastern walls of the outer city.
With the western rise of the Ares Empire transforming it into the new trade center, those with wealth and power migrated westward.
The impoverished left behind could not afford to move and were mostly the poorest of the poor.
Many such people gathered on the outskirts of Grand’s east side, where criminals escaping justice or societal misfits mingled, forming a slum.
But the corrupt upper-class did nothing for the ‘trash’ they had created, leaving them to their decay.
It led to an escalation in lawlessness, and soon enough, the area was given up on by the state, becoming the ultimate lawless land.
Even at high noon, an ominous aura pervaded the place: the unsightly side of Grand, hidden by the grandeur of the inner city and its busy outer areas.
Nox’s Grand branch was hidden deeper within this lawless expanse.
‘If you look weak, you’ll be stripped down to your intestines in an instant.’
Logan ignored the beggars reaching out asking for coins as he confidently strode down the alleys of the lawless zone.
Though the notion of a shadowy guild remaining in one place for long was laughable, ‘Nox wouldn’t move their branch that easily.’
It was an open secret, in a sense.
Being the most renowned information guild in the continent meant a constant stream of clients.
If they moved each time an issue arose, they’d struggle to service their clientele.
Fortunately, Logan’s guess was correct.
Knock. Knock-knock. Knock. Knock.
After rapping on the door of an abandoned building in a particular pattern, a slot in the door slid open.
Blue eyes peeked out, voicing their annoyance.
“What do you want?”
“Nox.”
“…Password.”
“Lunai.”
“Tch. Wait.”
Luckily, not only Nox’s location but also the password remained unchanged from his previous life.
The only difference was that he had to wait outside for well over an hour.
That reason, of course, was reasonably predictable.
“Come in.”
The abandoned building’s interior was deceptively spacious, and the underground was even more expansive.
The nondescript middle-aged man inside greeted Logan as he opened and stepped through a worn door.
“Welcome, young master Logan McLain, coming all the way from the southwestern fringes of the kingdom. What business brings you here?”
Logan wasn’t surprised to be instantly recognized by a stranger.
Rather, he found it reassuring that Nox could verify his identity within an hour, a testament to their capability.
“I’ve come to an information guild to buy information. Why else?”
“Oh ho. And who may have provided you with our branch location and password?”
“That’s something for your side to figure out.”
Regardless of their inquiry, no answer would come of it.
With a relaxed expression, Logan sat across from the middle-aged man at the table.
“…All right then. As long as the price is right, why should we care? What do you want?”
“First, the list of nobles who have married in the last ten years but have no children. Second, nobles without concubines or mistresses. Third, nobles who often seek foods touted for improving virility. Focused on those residing in the capital.”
“…Excuse me?”
Logan was probing for a list of nobles with potential erectile dysfunction, suspecting Nox might have such information.
Even if they had such sensitive details that could undermine a noble, they wouldn’t sell them cheaply.
For a high-ranking noble’s secret, they might not sell at all, to avoid backlash.
So, instead of going straight for the hardest info, Logan asked for information that he himself could use to infer the delicate details.
“Is it difficult?”
“Not difficult, but why do you seek this…?”
“Would it count towards my payment if I told you?”
“…We will accept your request.”
And the deal was made.
* * * Nox delivered the information the very next day.
The competency wasn’t surprising, but the cost surely was – shockingly so, but not in a good way.
“This sort of almost-rumor-like information cost me 900 gold? Three thin booklets?”
Phillip picked up the booklets, each no more than a centimeter thick, with an astonished look.
“Yes. Nox is expensive, indeed.”
“If we had the time, we could’ve done this…”
“You pay to save time. Now, just focus on finding the people who match all three criteria. And those who match two.”
“…Yes.”
With the merchant from his past life learning from a mercenary’s past life, targets became apparent before even a few hours had passed.
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Episode 33: House of Earl Davis
As a member of the traditional royalist faction, the House of Earl Davis was a distinguished family from the Kingdom of Grang. Although they did not own any fief, they had served as the finance minister for two generations.
The current head of the family, Earl Falun Davis, at the young age of twenty-five, was serving as a clerk in the Ministry of Finance. It was expected that within the next decade, they would boast having three consecutive generations in the role of finance minister.
Hence, there were always plenty of people trying to curry favor with the Earl’s household, and given the number of guests, parties were often held.
Thanks to this, the Davis estate was always bustling with overflowing guests.
“Ho, I’ve never seen a flame emblem before. House of Baron Maclaine, very well. Please, come in.”
The gatekeeper of Earl Davis’s estate, having verified the flame emblem on the silver identification badge, allowed Logan in. Although not a knight but a mere soldier, the gatekeeper, nearly sneering with a semi-polite tone, gestured for Logan to proceed. As the saying goes, the servant reflects the master, and so even the soldier felt at liberty to be dismissive towards the lower nobility.
Seeing this as nothing out of the ordinary, Logan nonchalantly wrote his name in the guestbook and entered the grandiose mansion.
The gardens were expansive, and the mansion, more extensive than the inner stronghold of the Maclaine estate, seemed convoluted enough that a newcomer might easily get lost.
But Logan didn’t need to ask for directions, as the grand music flowing from the party hall naturally led him.
Before entering the party venue, Logan was required to present his identification badge once again because the two knights guarding the entrance seemed skeptical upon observing his awkward evening wear and anxious expression.
“Ah, my apologies. Please, enjoy the exquisite culture of the capital, dear sir.”
Though the officials confirmed his identity, their demeanor didn’t seem too friendly.
“The young master of the House of Baron Maclaine has arrived!”
With an overly loud announcement of his arrival, all eyes turned to Logan.
“Who’s that?”
“Maclaine?”
“Is there such a family?”
“He’s clearly a country bumpkin.”
“Oh my, look at those tasteless party clothes.”
However, Logan wasn’t really there for their attention.
A party was a social playground for making connections with more influential individuals or to seek appealing companions of the opposite sex.
While Logan’s red hair, red eyes, and decent appearance drew some looks, they weren’t enough to overcome the ‘excessively flamboyant and seemingly expensive’ evening wear that he donned.
And so, Logan wore a very satisfied smile.
‘A good choice, Philip.’
Though it was disheartening to realize that nobody knew of his family, Logan had no interest in forging meaningless connections outside of his objective.
The butterflies gathered here, chasing after the nectar would all disappear when the storm came.
He, who would survive the impending chaos and make a name for himself, wouldn’t be idling away in such a functionless party in the middle of a weekday.
“Oh dear, how rustic. Where could he have come from, some remote countryside?”
“Don’t bother with him. I’d hate to see your beautiful eyes sullied by filth.”
Logan couldn’t care less about the contemptuous comments made by a nearby couple as he approached his real target.
“Good evening. I’m Simpson Brown.”
“Logan Maclaine.”
“I’ve heard much about the renown of the House of Maclaine. It’s an honor to meet you.”
“…It’s ‘Baron’, actually.”
“Eh? Wasn’t it ‘Earl’? I’m certain that the noble lineage records I’ve memorized stated… Oh! Uh, umm. My apologies. I seem to have mistaken you for someone else.”
“…Hmm?”
The man, who awkwardly chuckled and stepped back as if he’d made an honest mistake, could be seen exchanging triumphant high fives with what seemed like his companions.
‘You saw? I did it, right?’ The mouthing between the group made it clear that this belittlement was nothing more than their idea of fun.
‘…There’s all kinds of people in the world.’
Ignoring the butterflies unaware of the impending storm, Logan finally spotted his goal.
The host of the party, Earl Falun Davis, was there.
With a somewhat protruding belly, his round face wore a pleasant smile as several ladies gathered around him, sharing laughter.
It was indeed strange to see the man in charge of the finance ministry at this time host a party, especially in such a corrupt nation.
‘He’s a pitiful fellow, really.’
Considering his family and position, he could no doubt make a fine husband.
But despite having remarried and taken concubines after his first wife died at the early age of twenty, he had no heirs.
‘Because he’s impotent.’
While analyzing the information provided by Nox, Logan had stumbled upon this man’s name in three different ledgers and a memory from his past life suddenly surfaced.
A name that had become somewhat famous.
‘The earl who committed suicide because of his wife.’
– The fool can’t even get it up!
Whether it was an incident or his wife dropping the bombshell at a party, it had driven him to suicide.
Logan found it hard to understand, but it seemed that public perception and honor mattered enough to dictate life or death for the poor man.
Of course, Logan had little interest in what would become of Earl Davis.
He simply needed to extend a helping hand to the poor man whose family pressure forced him to yet again find another wife through such parties.
Logan approached Earl Davis and spoke quietly.
“Excuse me, Earl. A guest wishes to extend his greetings to the host of the party.”
“Oh, what do we have here? A new guest, welcome… Hm, where might you hail from?”
Earl Falun Davis, briefly taken aback by Logan’s attire, managed not to burst into laughter and asked.
In such open gatherings, uninvited guests were still guests.
Any noble could attend these parties, so it was the host’s duty to maintain decorum.
“I am Logan Maclaine, the firstborn of the Maclaine House in the southwest. I’ve come to the capital for business and wished to greet you after hearing of your illustrious reputation.”
This would be true regardless if one was a mere merchant from an obscure corner of the countryside.
He was a model noble, knew to show respect.
“Oh, business? There’s nothing you won’t find in Grang. Ha, but perhaps you bring something new from the frontier.”
He insulted, but with a twist. Such was the true language of nobility.
Falun secretly admired his own clever verbal play.
The stress from the party seemed to ebb away just a little.
But it seemed as though this country noble didn’t quite grasp the social context.
“Indeed. I came confident I had something you lack.”
“Ah… Is that so? What might you be selling?”
Falun responded, but it was clear that he had little interest.
“Medicine. A rare one, the likes of which are not found elsewhere.”
“Ah, I see. Then, I’ll be on my way…”
“It’s particularly beneficial for men, especially for… nighttime activities.”
Logan whispered the last part swiftly, just loud enough for the earl alone to hear.
The sudden intrusion should have caused a stir, but the tremble in the earl’s eye was undoubtedly due to something else.
“…What do you mean?”
“A virility tonic. A remedy so potent, it can even revive the impotent, addressing erectile dysfunction.”
his hush tone carried an implication that thundered in the earl’s ears.
However, Falun’s reaction was not what Logan expected.
“A young nobleman peddling aphrodisiacs? What are you implying?”
Falun raised his voice so loud it drew attention, almost as if he intended to shame Logan.
The surrounding ladies blushed and turned away at such a remark.
From the look on his face, it was clear that the earl was skeptical.
‘Right. He doesn’t believe me, does he?’
Given his predicament, it’s likely he had done his research.
“Because I’m confident of its effectiveness.”
Logan was unruffled, shrugged with ease, and smiled.
“Selling something that hardly befits nobility. However… well, commerce is free in our lands. Good luck with your endeavor.”
After sizing Logan up, Falun turned away with a stiff face.
Watching him go, Logan pulled out his final card.
“Nevertheless, as a visitor, I must show good manners. I’ve brought a gift to honor the esteemed individuals of the capital.”
>A gift?
>Either the mention of a hundred gold pieces or the sheer word ‘gift’ had Falun turning back promptly.
>This is ‘Imporik’, scheduled to sell at a hundred gold per piece. It’s my gift to you, Earl Davis.”
“I can swear on my noble honor that it is a top-quality remedy with absolutely no side effects.”
With Logan’s closing words, the earl’s pupils rippled like waves.
* * *
“Will the earl really come to buy the medicine?”
“Probably not. The odds are higher he won’t.”
“What? Then why…”
“But I won’t just be waiting there.”
“Ah, I see what you mean.”
“He who digs a well when thirsty. If we toss enough bait, someone will eventually bite. Then…”
“It’s game over.”
“That’s not it. That’s when the real game begins.”
Though worded differently, their meaning was aligned.
Logan and Philip exchanged knowing smiles.
* * *
In Grandia Kingdom, three-quarters of the nobility were concentrated in the capital, Grang.
Most of the honorary nobles, who made up over half of all nobility but didn’t own land, resided in the capital. Even the landed nobility often left their estates to stewards or heirs, preferring to live in Grang themselves.
Most sought connections, and such networking often happened at the countless parties that filled the city with noise and bustle.
A young noble from the countryside making the rounds at these parties was not a rare sight.
Anyone of noble status could enter these gatherings.
But not many, like Logan, arrived in such ostentatiously radiant attire.
“…Do you have an invitation? If not, please show your identification badge.”
A soldier politely bowed to Logan, less out of courtesy and more to contain an impending laugh.
After seven similar encounters, Logan shrugged and showed his badge, now used to the routine.
‘There should’ve been a bite by now…’
He had been laying out bait at one or two parties every day.
His targets were peculiar in that they hosted parties more frequently than ordinary nobility.
‘Is it because of an inferiority complex?’
A wry smile crossed his face, but the reason didn’t matter much.
Once a breakthrough was made, everything would start to unravel.
For now, spreading as much bait as possible was pivotal.
And so, Logan continued to humbly nod to a human-shaped pig that dissuaded belief with its sheer bulk.
‘That one seems like it would need to lose some weight before it needs the potion… But, let’s cast the bait anyway.’
His efforts paid off before even five days had passed.
* * *
“You’re not going to a party tonight?”
Logan sat on a 20,000 gold-piece chair in a tight space that had been lavishly decorated to resemble an exclusive meeting room.
Absentmindedly staring at the ceiling, he responded to Philip’s question after a moment.
“Considering whether the tacky clothes have hurt the image too much. Should we keep up the act?”
“Don’t rush things. Your strategy has been perfectly logical. Just as we start to get a response…”
“Someone is here!”
And with perfect timing, the awaited voice sounded.
“They’ve come.”
“Finally.”
A smile spread across both their faces.
