“Do you know him?” Vince asked when he noticed Theo’s reaction.
Theo nodded. He was not about to forget someone who had actually helped him in this city. Their stalker was the black market trader he had visited in order to fill up his insufficient magic power.
“Canis?”
“… Thanks for remembering me,” Canis replied with a resigned expression.
He had been one step too late in withdrawing, and now he had been trussed up like a chicken for market.
Vince recognized the name too. “Is this perhaps the black market trader that you dealt with?”
“Yes, it certainly is.”
Theo and Vince had once talked about Canis. VInce had been of the opinion that he was not to be trusted, even though Theo had asked for a Geass-verified oath. Theo had followed his advice and never gone back to the black market trader’s shop. Vince had been able to provide artifacts for him, so there was no reason to take the risk.
Canis interjected, “Excuse me, can you just let me go?”
He could only feel the binding magic increasing in power as the two magicians talked. Sweat was beading on Canis’ forehead. Theo’s magic power had grown more potent after stabilizing his 5th Circle. It could even suppress some aura users.
Theo glanced at Vince, who shook his head resolutely.
.
“First, we need to know why he was following us,” Vince said. He grabbed Canis’ neck and pulled him close. “But keep this in mind. I know lowlives like you very well. If you utter a single word, I’ll start by pulling out an eye. You understand?”
“… Damn, you’re an executor?” Canis gulped as he realized Vince’s identity.
Vince’s killing intent was far more condensed than some rookie’s. He had spent decades hunting down humans. Canis realized that Vince wasn’t someone he could cross easily. The executors of the Red Tower were completely ruthless when it came to dealing with people who lived in the shadows of society.
Canis choked out, “Gurk. I understand. But you gotta let me go—guh—I can’t speak.”
“You have one chance.” Vince relaxed his grip on Canis’ throat, and Canis hurriedly inhaled.
Theo could see the imprint VInce’s fingers had left on Canis’ neck. It was also a warning that Canis’ life could be taken at any time.
Canis spoke in a slightly hoarse voice, “So, you must be wondering why I was following you? Today was pretty much a coincidence. Young Master hasn’t come to visit me for almost two months already. I just thought of it as extra income until I coincidentally passed by you today.”
Vince’s fingertip burst into flame. “Coincidence? It seems like you want to lose an eyeball.”
“W-Wait a minute! Please listen a bit more!” Canis screamed hurriedly, “I’m going to leave this town! I thought I would find Young Master and do one last deal!”
The flames died away as Vince asked, “Leave? A black market trader like you?”
It was especially hard to leave an organization that operated in the dark side of the world. Cutting off some fingers, arms, or legs would only be considered a moderate punishment if one wanted to leave. Why would a black market trader, who was treated as a senior executive in this town, want to leave? Someone might find his mutilated body in a ditch somewhere if he actually went through with it.
However, Canis’ thoughts were a little different. “Things have gone really wrong in this town. The guild idiots have started digging their own graves. I never expected slavery in Meltor, and I don’t want to be burned with those idiots.”
Vince’s eyes narrowed. “… Slavery?”
Canis babbled, “I’m not lying! Some group from Austen secretly crossed the wall a week ago! I swear it’s true!”
The two magicians glanced at each other. Perhaps the organization that the black market trader belonged to was directly connected to this case. Indeed, an organization without any connections in Bergen couldn’t have tried to conduct such a large deal without reaching out to get some local muscle. It was worth using the black market trader. The two magicians came to a mutual understanding.
Theo released the spell binding Canis.
“Tell us more about that group.” Vince’s cold voice doused any happiness Canis felt at being released. ．
***
The three of them started making their way to the black market trader’s store. It was a relatively private location, so Vince deemed it a good location to share a secret story.
Creeaak…
The rundown door hinges creaked as the door opened. Canis entered the store first, followed by Theo and Vince. Theo glanced around the store.
Two months feel like quite a while, huh?
The store hadn’t changed much. The items were still dust covered and jumbled together. Canis kicked a few items out of their path and hastily cleaned up the area for the three of them.
He pulled out a couple of chairs. “Come, sit down. There is nowhere else to entertain you.”
It was pretty ridiculous for the three of them to perch on small desk chairs, but it did lighten the atmosphere.
Vince started the conversation. “Forget the small talk. Your information will determine whether you walk out that door alive.”
“Hoo, how bloodthirsty.” The few remnants of Canis’ composure he’d regained disappeared at Vince’s ultimatum.
Theo didn’t meet Canis’ eyes either. He had no intention of undermining his master.
Canis bet on a hunch he had. “Do you want information about the group who’s trying to sell slaves? Like their location and the time and place of the transaction?”
Vince remained impassive. “Didn’t I tell you to spill everything you know?”
“I’ll be honest, I don’t know a lot of the details.”
The atmosphere inside the room turned frigid as the two magicians started revolving their Circles. Canis knew that they would react this way, but he couldn’t tell them things he didn’t know.
“I have a rule about never setting foot in dangerous places. After all, I only have one life. I was preparing to run.”
Theo knew that Canis was very cautious, since he once rejected a favorable deal until he had received an oath. If he had been directly involved in the slave deal, Vince would’ve immediately tortured the information out of him. In a way, Vince was just as prudent as Canis.
“So, I’d like to propose a deal.” Canis could feel sweat beading on the back of his neck as he quickly spoke, “I’ll get you your information. In return for my cooperation, I would like your help.”
Vince’s eyes were cold. “Do you think you are in the position to ask for money?”
Canis swallowed. “I’m sorry, but my life is also at stake. I don’t know anything worth torturing out of me anyway. Just think of it as a good story for a bit of money.”
Canis wasn’t wrong. It was highly unlikely that Vince would be able to find the slavers since they hadn’t revealed themselves. An insider who was willing to obtain information was an excellent opportunity. It also worked out for Canis, who was looking for a new identity and money.
The critical question was his trustworthiness. Vince glared at Canis coldly. He had long learned that a criminal’s words were unreliable. He was even more cautious since this criminal could be connected to his disciple.
“How can I believe you? You might betray us as soon as you meet the organization. Do you have any guarantees that you won’t go back on your words?”
“The same goes for you as well. I don’t think an executor will keep his promise to a person like me.” Canis retorted, but he glanced at Theodore meaningfully.
Theo knew how to fix this situation. He had also run into this problem when he first tried to make a deal with Canis, but the latter had been worried about the overly generous deal. The two had relied on something that both had trusted.
Theo grinned. “Do you want to use the Geass Scroll?”
“Well, there is that method.” Canis smiled at the words he had been hoping for.
The Geass Scroll bound everyone equally, holding no distinction between criminal or executor. After all, artifacts couldn’t distinguish between a person’s status or position. In any case, neither side would trust a verbal promise. The Geass Scroll equalized the negotiations.
Vince laughed as he grasped Canis’ plan. “… Every mouse knows how to escape through a hole.”
Canis chuckled. “I’ll take that as a compliment. If I didn’t dig holes like this, then my life would be different.”
“But you understand it isn’t enough, right?” Vince’s laugh died away.
It seemed fine at first glance, but Canis had hidden a loophole. If he failed, the two magicians would face more scrutiny from Shackler. Therefore, Canis needed to get rid of that risk.
Canis didn’t miss this and, after a moment of struggle, said, “Dammit, I’ll pay an advance.”
He sighed as he got to his feet and looked around. His store was filled with genuine, defective and cursed items. Theo had appraised many of them for him, but there were also quite a few that he hadn’t touched.
Canis swept his hand across the room and said, “Take what you want.”
Theo stared at him. “Huh?”
However, he hadn’t heard wrongly as Canis repeated in a pained voice, “I’ll give it all to you, so take as much as you want.”