Chapter 336: Price(2)

[Breaking news. Former CEO of Everett, Vern, has reportedly taken his own life in prison...]

It was a morning that the news of Vern's suicide buzzed across the continent.

[His suicide note stated that he takes all responsibility and apologizes to all associates of Erzebet...]

I sat on the sofa in Zia's room, watching the screen. There were many testimonies from those close to Vern, saying he had been struggling greatly, and his suicide note was displayed.

It seemed Derek's side had prepared thoroughly.

"Werewolves..."

Suddenly, Zia, sitting at the dining table, muttered.

I reported to her about the werewolf tribe.

"WiLL it work?"

She blinked while eating.

"Yes. If they cooperate, they can build a village."

Werewolves should not be considered merely as individuals. As a 'tribe: they have enough power to fight on equal footing with Derek's balancers.

"We need to build them a village..."

"A village without moonlight can certainly be built."

Zia pondered this, chewing her Lip before nodding.

"Okay... I'll trust you, Shion."

"Yes."

Being with her, I've come to understand a lot of Zia's expressions. Among them, 4I trust you' often means it's a plan she herself isn't fully confident about.

Integrating werewolves into society is a challenging task.

"I will definitely make it succeed."

I don't know how she managed to win over the tribe before her regression, but I will use my own methods.

"Shion. How is brother Derek?"

Zia asked about Derek.

"There's increasing suspicion. It seems he's not ready to reclaim his shares yet, considering the ongoing Lawsuits including claims from the bereaved, but most of the requests from the Intelligence Agency are directed towards Miss Zia."

Derek and his balancers continue to request the Intelligence Agency to monitor Zia.

"Is that so...?"

"Yes. They1 re only getting responses that everything is normaL"

The Intelligence Agency has already become privatized.

Of course, there are Chasers Loyal to Derek inside, and there's exactly one team Leader. Its all to avoid suspicion.

"Good..."

A few of Derek's loyalists inside aren't a problem. The information they receive is already being blocked.

"Yaaawn..."

Zia yawned contentedly and then smiled, pointing at the dishes on her dining table.

"Shion. It was delicious, as always..."

"l'm glad to hear that."

I looked at Zia's dining table. The dishes were all cleaned out.

In the past, Libra's Zia was known as a Light eater but a gourmet. The daily feasts were varied, and she was so picky that there were many foods she couldn't eat.

Now, she's satisfied with my cooking. More precisely, her taste is being tamed.

From these small things, I'm making her dependent on me...

"Well then."

I stood up and bowed to Zia.

"l'll take my Leave now."

"..."

I am facing the Leader of the werewolves. His appearance is quite ordinary. His body is a bit, no, quite hairy, and his features are sharp and robust, Looking Like a healthy man in his 70s.

"...Webler is not here."

"I couldn't bring a child to negotiate."

His voice is quite resonant. Truly befitting a chieftain leading a tribe.

"What is your name?"

"They call me Zebet."

"Yes, Mr. Zebet. Let me start with what we want to discuss: mutual cooperati 0 n ."

"...Mutual cooperation."

The elder asked in a Low voice.

"Do you mean to ask us to fight on your side?"

"Yes. There will eventually be a civil war within our family. If you support us then, we will build a village for your people."

Elder Zebet then looked into my eyes, as if trying to discern my true intentions. His wo If-like eyes were deep and sharp.

He soon let out a deep sigh.

"Young man. I have lived nearly a hundred years."

"A hundred years?"

I was startled. Zebet nodded.

"103 years old. Anyway—"

"You look remarkably young."

His face suggests he's in his 70s, and his muscular body seems even younger, perhaps in his 30s or 40s.

It's genuinely astonishing. A genetic trait that many nobles would envy.

"...Thank you. Ahem."

Zebet cleared his throat with a snort.

He quickly became serious again.

"Throughout the century of my life, do you think you're the first person to speak to me this way?"

"There must have been many."

"And how many times do you think we've been exploited?"

"We are not the ones who have exploited you."

I stated the principle. A new wrinkle formed between the elder's brows.

"What?"

"lts not rational to project the wounds from a former lover onto a new one."

"...H uh."

The elder chuckled dryly. Then, as if he thought it was futile to continue talking, he began to stand.

"We will build it first."

"...7"

Encouraged by a senior mage, Elise quickly picked it up and answered.

"l'm in a meeting."

—Oh, really?

"...?!"

She was startled by the overly familiar voice. Elise glanced back at the phone screen.

[Shion]

It was Shion.

Shion AscaL

—I'll call back Later then.

"...lt just ended."

Elise whispered softly and Looked around the conference room.

"There's an urgent matter, may I take this call first?"

"Uh... sure, go ahead."

Everyone understood.

Probably because Elise was Elise. The only famous doctor in the Magic Tower, the brightest talent, the supernova illuminating the Magic Tower.

"Yes. Sorry."

Elise quickly left the conference room.

Leaning against the wall, she grinned and asked.

"What? Whafs up?"

—Ah, nothing much. Are you interested in buying a painting?

"...A painting?"

A painting?

—Yeah. A painting.

"What... what are you talking about all of a sudden?"

After such a Long time without contact, he's not selling insurance but asking her to buy a painting?

—rm trying to make you some money.

"...You're phishing, aren't you."

-What?

Elise looked at the screen again.

It was indeed Shion AscaL

"So what is it?"

—Really, I'm trying to make you some money. Just buy a painting, Let it age a bit, then submit it to a gallery. You could make ten times, no, maybe even a hundred times your investment."

Elise puffed her cheeks.

After months of no contact, he suddenly calls to tell me to buy a painting, saying it'll increase tenfold, maybe a hundredfold.

It's a bit disappointing, but...

"...A hundredfold?"

She wasn't completely uninterested.

"Really? It'll actually increase a hundred times?"

Elise, whose family support had completely stopped, needed money. Although she was covering her Magic Tower tuition with scholarships and earning her Living expenses through medicine, her expenses were just too high.

The cost of magical books and journal subscriptions skyrocketed as her grade increased, and she even had to produce and sell Bianca merchandise.

—Yeah. A hundredfold.

Of all things, the biggest deficit was from Bianca merchandise.

Due to the economic downturn, the merchandise wasn't selling well. Of course, she kept trying, believing that someday everyone would recognize Bianca's cuteness...

—It might even increase more.

"How much is that painting?"

—Well, it should be a few hundred thousand Elnes at least.

"A few hundred thousand... What if its not?"

—Then it's not.

"What? Are you crazy? Is a few hundred thousand your dog's name?"

—I have a cat.

"Ah, jeez!"

Elise couldn't help but revert to her old way of speaking from when she was younger.

Shion AscaL is always like this, pulling out the most direct desires from his heart.

—But it's almost certain. Almost a sure thing. ItlL definitely rise. 99%. Its such a perfect painting that I'm giving you this opportunity on purpose.

A perfect painting. A perfect opportunity.

No matter how you think about it, Shion isn't someone to speak carelessly.

"Whose painting is it?"

—Okay. Write this down.

There's no reason to refuse an opportunity to make money.

"...Okay."

—Do you have your notebook?

"Yes. Til write it down."

In reality, she didn't need to write it down. Her mind was like a Notepad, and once she heard a name, she could [magnetizej it to ensure she never forgot.

—The name is 'Lynsie'. It's going to be auctioned at a small gallery near Lorca Art Center. You must buy that artists painting.

"Lynsie... is that for real?"

Elise, who had firmly memorized the name, asked doubtfully.

"Is it really?"

—Yeah. Its definitely going to skyrocket, so just buy it.

"Or else you're dead."

—Go ahead an kill me. I'm hanging up now.

"...Alright. Take care."

Click-

The call ended.

Elise smirked slightly as she re-entered the conference room.

"Ah, you're back. Shall we resume the meeting?"

The senior mage... actually, more of a grand senior. A top-ranked mage in his 40s, highly respected in the Magic Tower and the Likely next vice tower master.

Elise had already reached a position where she was in meetings with such senior figures.

"Yes, let's get right to it."

She started the PowerPoint presentation. The screen displayed images of a person whose Limbs had been severed and killed, and a video that seemed to manifest the magic used in the murder.

"First, here's the process of Raquel Dra's [Chimera MagicJ being manifested. The movement of all magical energy is quite unique. Its both structured and amorpho US..."

Raquel Dra.

His crimes continued steadily. In every moment not covered by the media, he was killing quite a few people.

"The development of the magic and magical energy is very strange. But, because of that..."

Elise snapped her fingers with a winner's smile.

"We can now track him with certainty."

A new magic appeared on the PPT. It involved a somewhat complex structure using mana stones, but Elise's smile was confident.

"lrve named this magic... 'Sky Network.'"

Elise and the Magic Tower had been tracking Raquel Dra.

Soon, they would catch him.