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IDWTBTHQ Chapter 143 - A Deal with the Devil
🕑 Added 2023-10-12 23:28:47 +0000 UTCMarcus woke up to the sound of someone knocking at his door. At first, in his sleep-induced daze, he tried to ignore that noise, hoping that whoever was outside his room would give up and go away, but after a few seconds his thoughts started working properly again and he reluctantly opened his eyes.
He was in his bedroom in the royal palace, right in the middle of his huge canopy bed, with soft and pillowy blankets wrapped all around him like a cocoon. The room was completely dark due to the heavy curtain covering the windows, so it was almost impossible to tell what time it was, but if he had to guess he would have said that it was late in the morning.
He unwrapped himself from his blankets and stretched his arms and tail while letting out a long yawn. Then, slowly and methodically, he got up and jumped down from the bed, scratching his backside as he went to answer the door.
“Yeah? Who is it?” He asked as he opened the door a little and peeked outside.
The question turned out to be superfluous, since he immediately recognized the person who was waiting at the doorstep.
“Good morning lady Marcus.” Eisen greeted him. “It's me, Eisen. I hope I didn't disturb you.”
“No, no. Don't worry.” The Vex Queen said, opening the door completely. “I was still sleeping, but I guess it's time I got up. What time is it, by the way? Ten o' clock? Later?”
“Actually it's already afternoon.” The nobleman replied. “But given that we had a rather eventful evening yesterday, no one could blame you for wanting to stay in bed for a bit longer.” He paused, stared at the monster girl for a moment, and then coughed and looked away. “Ehm. And while no one would blame you for sleeping in your underwear either, I'd still suggest that you wear something before answering the door.”
Marcus looked down at his body, and noticed that he was, in fact, almost completely naked except for his lace panties.
“Eh. Sorry. I’m still half asleep.” He apologised. “Give me a second.”
He closed the door and walked back to his room to grab something to cover himself with. He personally didn't really care much about being seen in his undies, especially since there wasn't really much to be seen in his opinion, but he could see why it could be considered rude to wander around half naked in front of others.
“It's not like I am at my house, where I can decide that it's No-Clothes Sunday or whatever.” He thought. “I guess I'm still technically on a business trip, so I better follow the dress code... wouldn't be the first time I got in trouble for not doing that.” He made a bitter smile. “Though luckily Eisen seems much more lenient than my previous bosses, so he probably won't fire me for not wearing a bowtie properly.”
He found a bathrobe and quickly wore it, before going to open the door again.
“Here.” He announced. “I think I'm decent enough now. Sorry for making you wait, marquis.” He paused, remembering the previous evening, and asked: “Or is it duke now?”
“You can just call me by my name.” The nobleman replied with a smile. “We've known each other for a while now, so there is no need to be overly formal. Besides, I still haven't got used to my new title.”
“Excellent. I'm not really good at being formal anyway.” The Vex Queen nodded. “And by the way, you can call me Marcus too.”
“Very good Marcus.” The nobleman replied. “Now, do you mind if I come in? I need to talk with you.”
“Sure.” Marcus replied, and he stepped aside to let Eisen in.
The nobleman entered the apartment, but as the Vex Queen closed the door behind him, he looked around a bit and said:
“Could you also open the curtains? It's a bit too dark in here for me at the moment.”
“Oh, right!” Marcus said, rushing to the windows and quickly parting the curtains to let the light in. The sky was clear, but despite that the light of the winter sun wasn't too bright, and the Vex Queen had to open all the windows in order to properly light the room. Then he made Eisen sit on the couch, while he himself grabbed a chair and sat in front of him.
“Alright. So, what did you want to talk about Eisen?” He asked.
“I'll get straight to the point.” The nobleman replied. “I’ve been told that the king would like to talk with both of us in private, but right now he's too busy. So he'd like for us to stay here in Rennhafen a bit longer, until his schedule is empty enough to make space for a formal meeting with us. It shouldn't take longer than a week.”
“Uhm... I don't mind, but why couldn't we just have an informal meeting with the king?” Marcus asked. “I mean, can't he just call us to his room and talk with us for an hour or two? Or maybe he could just invite us for dinner or something.”
Eisen looked around suspiciously, almost as if he expected to see some spy to come crawling out of the walls, and then leaned towards the Vex Queen.
“He could, but doing so would paint a huge target on our back.” He whispered. “The Council of Nobles are going to be keeping their eyes on us after yesterday’s ceremony, and acting incautiously could have some unpleasant consequences. It's better to wait until the king can come up with a legitimate excuse to meet us.”
“Ah right. Politics.” Marcus shook his head in disgust. “I still can't stomach them. And I don't think I ever will.” He sighed. “Very well then. I have no objections to staying here a bit longer. However, I don't want to attend any other banquet for a while. The one from last evening already stressed me out enough for a month.”
“Don't worry.” Eisen reassured him. “Last evening's banquet was a special occasion. It's unlikely that you'll have to make another public appearance any time soon.”
“That's a relief. So that means that I'm free for the rest of the week then?”
“I guess so.” The nobleman replied. “Why? Is there something you want to do?”
“Well, I wanted to visit the city a bit. Felix often talked about this famous Red Light District and I'd like to see it for myself.”
Eisen raised an eyebrow at these words, and Marcus realised that what he had just said could be interpreted in a rather colourful way.
“Uhm...” The Vex Queen stammered, desperately trying to elaborate further in order to avoid an embarrassing misunderstanding. “Well, Felix said that the Red Light District has, like, a bunch of different attractions, like pubs, shows and festivals, and that's what I want to see. Not the other stuff. The stuff that can usually be found in a red light district I mean... or at least, what I assume can be found in a red light district, because I've never visited one before...”
“Don't worry, I get what you mean.” The duke said, raising one hand to interrupt the Vex Queen's ramblings. “The red light district of Rennhafen is indeed renowned for the vast range of entertainment it provides, so it's perfectly understandable that you might be interested in visiting it. However, I'd highly recommend having someone accompany you, just in case.”
“No problem. I can ask Felix and Klara to come with me.”
“Actually, I think it'd be safer if someone else comes too.” Eisen said, his face dead serious. “Preferably someone with experience as a bodyguard who could watch over you.”
This time it was the Vex Queen who raised an eyebrow.
“Well, in that case I think Felix should be more than enough.” He argued. “He can incinerate an orc with ease, after all. And besides, I can take care of myself, so I don't see the need to have anyone else coming with us.” He smirked confidently. “I've lived for months alone in the Caligare Forest after all. After that, I don't think that a stroll through the city would be anything to worry about!”
“I know.” The nobleman said. “And yet, I must insist. You and Felix might certainly be able to hold your own in a fight but neither of you has any experience in dealing with political intrigue. You need someone to protect you not only from physical threats, but also from possible attempts to besmirch your reputation.”
“Ah... so you think that the Council of Nobles is going to try and involve me in some scandal or something?” Marcus asked, starting to feel a little irritated. All this politicking had already stressed him out a lot, and if he had to be on his guard even when going out with his friends then he’d rather just pack his stuff and run back to Brettholz, where at least he could relax in peace.
“Actually, no. I don't think they are going to try anything just yet.” Eisen reassured him. “They have probably been caught by surprise by the king's announcement, so they're going to need time to reorganise. Besides, such a direct course of action is not really their usual modus operandi. However, it wouldn't be wise to not be prepared against such eventuality. After all, better safe than sorry.”
“Sigh. Fine.” The Vex Queen yielded. “I'll bring a bodyguard with me, if you think it’s so important.” He gave the nobleman a side glance. “I assume you already picked someone for this job, right?”
“I haven't, actually.” Eisen replied with a smirk. “I've merely asked captain Yasen if he could spare one of his men to watch over you if you visited the city, and he said that he knew just the right person for this job. So I’m going to trust him on that.”
“Oh, so I'm going to be accompanied by one of the Royal Knights?”
“Most likely.” The nobleman confirmed.
“Okay then.” Marcus shrugged. “Those I met in Treval seemed reliable enough. Though I still think that having an Aura User accompany me is kind of overkill. Also, wouldn't that make it seem like I'm scared or paranoid or something?”
“Actually, no.” Eisen shook his head. “You're a countess now, and it's perfectly normal for someone of your rank to be accompanied by a bodyguard. I also usually bring one of my aides along when I go outside.”
“Oh right. Nobility. Still have to get used to that.” The Vex Queen said. “Well if that's the case, I'll do as you say. But can I still bring Felix and Klara along?”
“Of course.” Eisen confirmed. “The more the merrier, as they say.”
At that moment, some distant bells rang, announcing that it was now one o' clock. Noticing the time made Marcus also realise that he was really, really hungry. So much so that his stomach immediately grumbled in response, something the nobleman immediately noticed.
“Ah, sorry.” The monster girl said. “I haven't had breakfast yet, so I'm getting a bit hungry by now.”
“Don't worry. If anything, I'm the one who should apologise, since I came to bother you at lunch time.”
“Well, I'd have likely kept sleeping if you didn't come, so you don't have to apologise either.”
“Very well. Anyway, since we are done talking for now, do you want to join me for lunch?”
Marcus thought about it for a moment. He knew that the most polite response would be to accept Eisen's invitation, but right now he really wasn't in the mood for the formalities required for a meal with the nobleman. After the stress of the previous night’s dinner, he just wanted to relax and stuff his face with no regard for manners. And since he and the marquis —or rather duke— knew each other pretty well by now he was unlikely to take offence from a refusal.
“I'd rather have lunch by myself, if it's not a problem.” The Vex Queen said. “I still need some alone-time to relax.”
“That's perfectly understandable.” Eisen nodded. “In that case, I'll take my leave.” He paused and added: “However, before I go, do you mind telling me when exactly you want to visit the city? I'll pass that information to Yasen and tell him to have your bodyguard wait for you at the gates for that time.”
“Oh, sure. I think I'll leave at... dunno, about six pm. Is that fine?”
“Perfect.” The nobleman replied and stood up, heading for the door. He was halfway across the room when suddenly Marcus remembered something.
“Oh, and by the way, before you go... do you perhaps know anything about something called Crucis or something like that?”
The nobleman frowned.
“No, I don't think I do. Why do you ask?”
“Well, last night Tiny woke up very agitated and kept telling me that she heard voices in the wall that said that they were going to make me fight something called Crucis.” He shrugged. “But it was most likely just a bad dream. It wouldn't be the first time she had one of those. Last week she woke up scared that a dragon was hiding under her bed, if you can believe that.”
“I see.” The duke nodded. “Well, if you want I can ask Orr or someone else more learned than me about the word Crucis.”
“No, don't bother.” The Vex Queen said. “As I said, it's probably just a bad dream she had. I don't even know why I brought this up, to be honest. But you kept insisting that I need to be cautious so I thought to mention this, just in case.”
Eisen smiled at those words.
“I'm glad that you took my advice to heart.” He said. “If there is anything else you need, don't hesitate to call me. If I'm not in my room you can leave a message to my valet.”
“Thank you, marquis... oh, sorry, I mean duke.”
“You're welcome, countess.” Eisen replied. “Have fun visiting the city.”
“Thank you again. And have a great day!”
The nobleman then walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. The Vex Queen kept still for a few moments, but then he slouched on his chair and started massaging his temples.
“Diggity doggety dongs!” He swore silently. “It's always problems, problems and more problems with these damn politics! First I have to learn all kinds of stuff in order to make a good impression with people I couldn't care less about, then I find myself straight in the middle of a frigging conspiracy and now I can't even get out by myself cause there may be bloody assassins out to get my ass! I almost miss dealing with the orcs, at least I didn't have to be polite to them!” He sighed. “I'm just not cut for being a noble. Maybe I should just quit, pack all my stuff and run back to the Caligare Forest. At least no one would bother me there now that Blueskin and his orcs are all dead!”
He seriously considered that idea for a few moments. But then his stomach grumbled again, taking him back to reality.
“You know what? Maybe it's better if I get something to eat first. I’ll be able to think better with an open belly anyway.”
And he got up to go sound the bell that would summon the servants assigned to him.
About half an hour later, as he was eating some delicious meat from a silver tray while lying comfortably in his hot tub, he decided that the noble life wasn’t that bad after all, and that the frustrations that came with it were, all things considered, an acceptable price to pay.
Inside an old mansion in the outskirts of Rennhafen, Vicker the Vulture was standing still and feeling quite nervous but doing his best not to show it. The environment he was in wasn't helping him though. On the surface it was just an old study, and a rather elegant one at that, but somehow the whole place had a weird, creepy feeling to it. The ancient furniture was made of dark wood, which seemed to absorb what little light entered from the windows, while dark-red carpets on the floor evoked the image of blood and a huge grandfather clock, which looked almost like a coffin, ticked loudly in the otherwise completely silent environment. No noise could be heard from the outside, giving the impression that the room was somehow completely separated from the rest of the world. All in all, the whole place seemed specifically designed to make people uncomfortable, and the moneylender thought that it probably was. After all, making people nervous was a good strategy to have an advantage when negotiating with them, and he himself had employed similar tricks in the past. However, the uneasiness he was feeling because of the room was nothing compared to the sheer dread caused by its owner.
Dar was sitting right in front of Vicker, behind a huge mahogany desk. The sorcerer looked just as dark and ancient as every other piece of furniture in the room, and he seemed perfectly at ease in that creepy environment. Right now he was shuffling through some files and he had yet to acknowledge the moneylender's presence despite the latter having been in the room for a few minutes already, not even inviting him to sit on a chair. That was another tactic the moneylender was familiar with, an implicit statement that Dar was above Vicker on the pecking order, and it almost dared him to say otherwise. But Vicker knew better, so he just waited patiently for the sorcerer to speak to him. He knew Dar's reputation far too well to try anything funny just to satisfy his pride.
Officially, Dar was just a scholar specialised in studying magic items and there was nothing really remarkable about him apart from being considered one of the greatest experts in the field. However the man was actually one of the key figures of the Empire's criminal underground, and specifically the greatest broker of magic items on the black market. It wasn't much of an exaggeration to say that pretty much all illegal magic items in the empire would eventually pass through his hands or those of his subordinates. There were rumours that the various states of the Empire and even the Exarchate employed his services when they wanted to acquire magic items without anyone knowing, and some even said that his influence extended beyond the borders of the Empire, going as far as the Djinni Dominate and even the Slave Kingdoms in the Southern Continent.
However, it wasn't his position or influence that made Dar so terrifying, but rather all the horrible things that happened to those who tried to get in his way. A powerful Beccan criminal family, the Levaranos, had tried to take control of the magic item market away from him, only to have many weird and horrific fates befall all members of the family, including women and children. Some had suddenly developed incurable diseases, while others had come out of their rooms in the morning having aged by decades in a single night, and others still had been victims of spectacular and deadly incidents, until the whole family had been destroyed. And then there had been that famous Thulian thief, the one called the Black Cat, who had tried to steal a certain item from Dar. The thief had disappeared without a trace, and only a few days later a nearby travelling circus had started showing a talking black cat as one of their attractions. And those were only two out of the many examples of why it was a very bad idea to get on the sorcerer’s bad side.
Not wanting to be the last entry of that list, Vicker had always exerted extreme caution when dealing with Dar, and if possible he would have liked to avoid him entirely after selling him the Chronicles since staying near such a figure would only invite trouble. However, right now he simply had no other choice.
After a while, Dar was finally done going through his paperwork, and finally turned to the moneylender. Vicker had to repress a shudder under that icy gaze, which made him feel almost naked.
“Good day, mister Vondar.” He said, using Vicker's second name. “Please, do take a seat.”
“Thank you, mister Dar.” The moneylender replied, grabbing one of the chairs and letting himself fall on it with a sigh of relief. Due to his sickness, standing for too long was a challenge.
“I didn't expect to see you again so soon, after we made that deal a year ago.” Dar said. “I would ask what brings you here, but I think that in order to save time I can answer my own question. You have been cursed, have you?”
“Yes.” Vicker replied, quite surprised. “How did you know?”
“It’s not that difficult to deduce. There aren’t many reasons why you would choose to visit me, and I find it unlikely that you have managed to obtain another Relic. Moreover you look terrible, as if you’ve been seriously ill for quite some time, and the curse caused by the Chronicles of Alhareziel dp have similar symptoms as far as I know. So it’s only logical to assume that you’ve come to me in search of a cure.”
“Yes.” The old man admitted. “That's exactly why I have come. I thought that if there is anyone who knows how to get rid of this curse, then it has to be you.”
“That’s correct.” Dar replied. “If I don’t know a cure for this curse, it’s highly unlikely that anyone else does. Which is rather unfortunate for you, since I don’t.”
“What?” Vicker cried, his eyes going wide.
“This kind of curse has no known cure.” The sorcerer explained calmly, as if discussing the weather. “Some sufficiently skilled high priest or master sorcerer might have been able to prevent the curse from taking root, but now that it has, there is no getting rid of it.”
Vicker’s eyes went wide with shock, as his shoulder slumped.
“What am I supposed to do then?” The moneylender asked.
“You can pay a cleric to treat the symptoms of that curse. With regular therapy, you should be able to survive a few more years, or even a decade if you’re lucky.” Then, without missing a beat, Dar grabbed another pile of documents and started shuffling through them as well. “Now, unless you have another matter you wish to discuss with me, I’d ask you to leave. I’m extremely busy right now, and I have no more time to spare for your troubles.”
The moneylender remained silent, in complete shock, for a few seconds. But then his desperation suddenly turned into smoking-hot anger, making him forget all caution.
“A few years or a decade!” He said angrily, his voice coming out as a bark. “Even if I’ll survive that long, the state I’m going to be in can't be called living! The priests already told me that at this rate I’m going to be permanently bedridden within a year! I’m going to shit myself and have to be fed and washed like a godsdamn child!”
That tirade didn’t seem to impress the sorcerer.
“I’m sorry to hear that, but you should have thought about it before stealing the Chronicles.” He replied without even raising his eyes from his papers. “It’s not my fault that you were careless.”
“But I was careful!” Vicker protested. “I did everything I could to obtain the Chronicles legally! It’s not my fault that that damn Zeno gave me false information and told me that Klara was dead when she was actually still alive!”
“Again, I’m sorry but there is nothing I can do about it.” Dar said, still sounding completely calm but somehow still giving the impression of starting to get annoyed. “Now, since it seems that we don’t have anything else to discuss, I’d kindly ask you to please leave.”
Rage boiled inside of Vicker, but he realized that he wouldn’t get anything else from the sorcerer and that trying to do so would only make things worse for him. So, feeling defeated and frustrated, he started getting up from his chair to leave the room.
It was then that all of a sudden Dar raised his eyes from his papers and gave a sharp look at the moneylender.
“Wait.” He said. “Just now, you mentioned someone called Klara. May I ask who she is?”
“Uh…” The moneylender hesitated, taken by surprise by this unexpected question. “Why do you want to know?”
“Just answer the question, please.”
For a moment, Vicker was tempted to tell the sorcerer to pound sand, given how he had been treated, but then he decided that such a course of action would be unwise. After all, Dar had changed his mind about making him go away, then maybe he could also change his mind about not helping the moneylender.
“Her full name is Klara Kriegdoter. She’s the previous owner of the Chronicles. She owed me money, and so when she was declared dead during a mission to the Caligare Forest I legally seized her possessions, which included the book.” His tone turned bitter. “However, as it turned out she was still alive, and the Chronicles cursed me for stealing them.”
“I see.” Dar said, his tone sounding vaguely more interested. “By any chance, is this Klara Kriegdoter the granddaughter of Karl the Adventurer?”
“She is.” Vicker confirmed. “She inherited the Chronicles from him, once he disappeared into the forest a few years ago. Shame she didn’t share the same fate.”
Dar didn’t respond right away, as he seemed to be lost in his thoughts. The moneylender waited quietly, since now he had started to feel somewhat hopeful again. And when the sorcerer finally spoke, it seemed that Vicker’s hopes were indeed well founded.
“Tell me, do you have any plausible reason to keep in contact with Miss Kriegdoter, or at least keep an eye on her?”
This question almost made Vicker smile. If he wasn’t completely wrong, Dar wanted something from him, which in turn meant that he could maybe ask something from the sorcerer in return.
“Maybe.” He replied, trying to keep himself vague in order to leave himself more room to haggle. “Klara doesn’t like me very much, but I can always find a reason to keep pestering her. After all, she was declared legally dead for a while, so I could dispute the ownership of her house and other possessions. She would almost surely win in a legal process eventually, but I could manage to drag it out for months or even years… if I was healthy enough to do so, at least. Something which seems unlikely given the current circumstances.”
This attempt to wriggle a cure out of Dar was painfully obvious for Vicker’s standards, but he didn’t really mind. He was betting everything on the sorcerer’s need for his services and being subtle wouldn’t help him in this case.
Dar studied him coldly for a few good seconds, his face so emotionless that Vicker couldn’t even begin to tell what he was thinking. But then, when he spoke, the moneylender felt that his bet had paid off.
“I can’t lift your curse permanently, but I might know of a way to neutralize its effects, albeit temporarily. I can arrange for you to have access to this treatment, but I want something in return.”
“You want me to spy on Klara.” Vicker guessed with a smirk on his face.
“Yes and no.” Dar replied. “Spying on Klara is just a convenient excuse for you to keep an eye on the Queen of the Vex.”
“The Queen of the Vex?” The moneylender raised an eyebrow in puzzlement. “You mean that bug creature that defended Brettholz and Treval? What does she have to do with Klara?”
“Apparently they are best friends. It seems that the Queen of the Vex was the one who saved Klara and her friend Felix from the goblins in the Caligare Forest, and afterwards she hired them as her aides.” The sorcerer explained. “Klara often accompanies the Vex Queen around as her lady in waiting, so by following one of them you should usually follow them both.”
“I think I can do that.” Vicker nodded. He already had several contacts amongst the population of Brettholz, so getting information about what happened in that province wouldn’t be too difficult. “But why are you so interested in the Queen of the Vex, if I may ask?”
“You don’t need to know that.” Dar replied. “All you would need to do is follow my instructions to the letter, constantly keep an eye on Klara’s and the Vex Queen’s movements and report all of your findings to me down to the most minute details. And in exchange for that, I will provide you with the treatment I told you about.” He got up and extended his hand towards the moneylender. “So, what do you think? Do we have a deal?”
Vicker thought about it. Dar was quite literally blackmailing him into becoming one of his agents, and accepting his offer was a very serious commitment. If he did that, he would most likely be the sorcerer’s pawn until the end of his days. However, his current situation was so desperate that he simply couldn’t afford to refuse.
“Deal.” He finally said.
“Very good.” Dar nodded. “Now, let’s make a couple of things clear. For starters, we never had this conversation. You decided to spy on Klara on your own. You won’t ever mention me to anyone. Ever. Is that clear?”
“Crystal.” Vicker nodded. “I’m not stupid, mister Dar. I know how these things work. I won’t tattle, don’t worry.”
“Just making sure you understand. Also, if you get in trouble during this operation, I won’t do anything to bail you out. You’re entirely on your own. Our only contact will be your sessions of treatment, during which you will report to me everything you found. If you don’t come to our sessions, I won’t come to search for you. Understood?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” Dar nodded. and once again he seemed to get lost in his thoughts. The red gem in the middle of his forehead suddenly shone, and after a few seconds the sorcerer spoke again. “I’ll have your first round of treatment ready in a week from now. In the meantime, I want you to immediately mobilize your agents to keep an eye on the Brettholz territory.”
“Uhm… I can do that, but Klara is in Rennhafen right now.” Vicker replied. “I met her last night in Temples’ Square.”
“I’m aware of that.” Dar said. “But that doesn’t change my orders. I have other ways to keep an eye on them as long as they are inside the capitol, but I have more trouble following their movements when they are in Brettholz. So I want your network ready for when they return.”
“Understood.” The moneylender nodded. “Then I shall do that, mister Dar.”
“Excellent.” The sorcerer nodded. “Then you can go now. Come back in a week at the same hour to fill me in about the progress you’ve made and I’ll give you the treatment I promise.”
“As you wish, mister.” Vicker replied, his smile getting even wider as relief washed over his shoulder.
However, not even two minutes later, when the moneylender sat on the couch that would take him back home, his smile had completely disappeared. He had managed to retain some hope for his future, sure, but at the same time he had irreversibly tied himself to Dar, and for some reason that filled him with a nasty sense of foreboding. After a while, he even understood why: the whole situation reminded him of those stories where desperate people made deals with demons… and those stories almost never had a happy ending.
Comments
BlackFire13th
I needed this chapter.
ZCochraine!%
Well, seems like he’ll get his mind read soon once Marcus finds out. And hopefully Marcus check tiny anyway.
