Chapter 98: Welcome abroad (1/2)

”I'm all ears,” Antion announced, slightly changing his position on the sofa.

”Let me start from the beginning.” Layn smiled. Without the outright refusal, there was some room for negotiation. It was now all up to the archmage to find just what exactly this man wanted.

Antion's abilities… Didn't lay in his strength. In fact, while he was a two-star expert, Layn could tell how weak he actually was.

'No, his strengths lay in his head,' Layn thought, smiling to his own thoughts. ”Let me start from the very beginning, then,” he asked while sitting on a chair.

”First off, the purpose. As for now, I'm gathering people that will venture with me to the middle of the desert. A reward for everyone who managed to accompany me all the way will be one grade one stone.” Layn decided to start with the smaller information.

In this warcamp, a single or two grade one stones weren't that coveted as they were back in Irea's former city of residence. Just by being the middle-man between the mercenaries and the outer market, the city officials could easily get their hands on those stones… But that didn't mean those stones were cheap here.

”But that's not all, isn't it?” Antion interrupted while putting a bored smile on his face.

”How did you know?” Layn smiled in response, sending a taxing look at the prefect.

”Please, let's stop playing games. I believe you are intelligent enough to notice this is not enough to even get me interested.” Antion protested. His expression changed from bored to an agitated one.

”Right, let's not drag it for too long, then.” Layn couldn't stop smiling. 'This man resembles him a lot,' Layn thought when a momentary memory disturbed the peace of his mind.

The face. The face of one of his most staunch followers back in the future. The man who made his revenge and time heist available in the first place.

His first and most devoted student.

And now that Layn noticed this similarity, only more and more of them continued to appear.

Their faces were similar. Their builds were almost the same. Even their voices were nearly identical!

”Hello?” Antion said, staring at the archmage immersed in his thoughts.

”Oh, right, my bad.” Layn apologized as he shook his head to regain the clarity of his thoughts. ”The spirit stone is just a bait. The real rewards await those who will choose to follow me once we reach the middle of the desert.” Layn explained with a smile on his lips.

”Wait, follow you?” Antion suddenly asked, ”Are you going somewhere further, or are you trying to…” his words stopped, as his eyes widened with understanding.

”You are trying to create a permanent group, a host? A following? A warring party?” Antion covered Layn with questions as soon as he got as much as just a glimpse into the archmage's plans.

”That I cannot tell you yet. But I can already tell you, that once the world will learn of what I'm going to do, there will be no end to the people willing to join me.” Layn said with confidence. Then, his smug smile was replaced with a kind one. ”It's up to you to decide whether you want to have a headstart. In my plans, I would have a great use for someone with brains like you.”

Layn wasn't trying to praise the man in order to get him to agree. His value wasn't big enough for Layn to turn subservient and start begging the man though.

'In the end, he only has my word for it. And I can't give him too much too early, to not make him dependant of my help!' Layn thought, trying to figure out the best way to deal with the situation.

”I might surprise you here,” Antion started, before his cheeks turned red. Rather than trying to fight his embarrassment, he reached for the bottle of the booze Layn brought before taking a huge sip. ”It might be surprising, but I'm actually interested.”