Chapter 69 - Volume 4 (2/2)
“Hey old man. I think I’ve asked this before, but why do you believe so firmly that I have the Queen’s Artefact?”
“Because you must have it.”
Isaac began to speak out in annoyance at the old man’s reply.
“This conversation we have just isn’t moving forward at all. Do you understand what I’m telling you, old man? Just how many times do I have to repeat myself? Are you just that senile? Whoever taught you to negotiate like that couldn’t have been a successful merchant.”
“You! Do you wish to die?”
“Sure thing.”
Isaac’s nonchalant positivity met the old man’s cry of anger. As Isaac moved to twist the eggbomb, the man spoke again in desperation.
“W, wait! Calm yourself! I told you I’ll let you live if you just hand over the Queen’s Artefact.”
Noticing the s.h.i.+ft in the old man’s tone from a demand to a plea, Isaac smirked.
“I’m thankful that you’re planning to let me live now, but it really p.i.s.ses me off that someone else tried to decide whether I live or not, you see? Shouldn’t you at least apologize for the torture you put me through?”
“…”
The old man was baffled. It should have been him who was making the threats. He couldn’t understand how the situation had been flipped on its head with him being thrown around by the one who was supposed to be his victim.
But the old man was well-seasoned from the long life he’d lived so far. Although the situation changed in a weird direction because he’d let his guard down, he hadn’t been just playing around. While he continued to stutter and act desperate, he was buying time for the shadow under his feet to creep ever so slowly toward Isaac. And in order to continue this conversation, he had no choice but to lower his head – no matter how frustrating and insulting it felt.
“I, I apologize.”
“Then why did you do all this in the first place? You’re one weird old man, you know that?”
‘What am I supposed to do then?’
Although his eyes were filled with rage, it didn’t cloud his vision of Isaac’s hands grabbing at the eggbomb.
“Wait! I’ve already apologized! Why are you doing this?”
“You think just an apology would be enough after torturing someone? You think this world is that easy?”
That was not a threat. Reaching the conclusion that Isaac was someone who’d detonate the eggbomb without hesitation, the old make quickly used the shadow that had been creeping toward Isaac in a desperate attempt to rush him.
“You!”
“Ah!”
Isaac flinched back when he saw the shadow suddenly reach out at him like a whip, but the tip of the whip hit Isaac’s wrist, making him drop the eggbomb.
Both Isaac and the old man looked at the dropped eggbomb, which rolled on the ground. Their eyes then locked together.
“Kuhuhu. Play time’s over, you arrogant mutt. I’ll make you neither dead nor alive.”
Once again, the tide had turned. Numerous wisps of flickering smoke began to sprout from the old man’s feet.
“Man, I am so scared now. So scared in fact that I may as well just kill myself.”
When Isaac pulled out another eggbomb from his coat, the old man spoke out in a state of confusion.
“You crazy b.a.s.t.a.r.d! Just how many eggbombs do you carry with you?”
“Enough to not be bullied around by some stranger.”
Isaac showed the inside of the left side of his coat to the old man. The sight of eggbombs lining the insides of the coat was akin to a fruit tree ready for harvest.
The mineshaft’s confines were starting to crumble, with cracks spreading all over the walls and the roof. Dirt trickled down from the ceiling, indicating that the mine was about to collapse at any minute. The old man considered attacking Isaac with his shadow, but that accursed coat was still functioning somewhat. He couldn’t even imagine how many attacks it’d take for all the mana crystals on the coat to dry out. And that would buy more than enough time for Isaac to detonate another eggbomb. The old man considered what kind of madman would really do that only to die, but both his body and mind were convinced that Isaac would be more than capable of doing such a thing.
How did the plan go so awry? The old man thought to himself, but there was no answer. Was he supposed to keep Isaac tied up? But the old man was well aware that the cursed coat prevented all stimuli that weren’t approved by the owner from reaching him.
‘Hnng. I have heard that he had bought eggbombs en ma.s.se along with other magical artefacts during the provincial war, but to think he’d use them himself.’
It was the old man’s fault for overlooking information he was aware of. While the old man reproached himself for his mistake, Isaac took out a cigarette and asked a question.
“Hey old man.”
“Hm?”
The old man looked back at Isaac with deep concern, wondering what insanity was going to come out of his mouth this time. Isaac let out a thick, white puff of smoke and continued.
“Let’s negotiate.”
“…. Negotiate?”
“Old man, you need that Queen’s Artefact right?”
“… Correct.”
“I don’t know what that is, and I don’t want it either.”
“So?”
“Well, I’m just saying that I could hand over the Queen’s Artefact to you as long as you give me something back.”
“… You want something in return?”
“That’s right. I honestly don’t know what this Queen’s Artefact is or what it looks like. So if you tell me what it looks like and who has it, I’ll do everything I can to help you retrieve it.”
“… And what must I do in return?”
“See how nice it is when conversations make sense? Imagine how easy it would have been if you were like that from the start?”
“Shut up! Just speak your conditions!”
Isaac smirked at the old man’s refute and grabbed one of the mana crystals that was in the mine’s wall. He played around with the crystal, tossing it into the air and catching it, as he continued.
“It’s simple. You found this, old man?”
“… That’s right.”
“That’s exactly it. I will help you find the Queen’s Artefact. In return, you provide me with the locations of mana crystals and other minerals that are buried in this mine. How about it? A fair trade right?”
“…”
The old man was baffled by Isaac’s offer. This was the first human being who negotiated with him.
“… You do realise I am a warlock, right?”
“So?”
“Do you think Central would just stay idle against someone who bargained with a warlock?”
“It’s all good as long as we don’t get found out.”
“Do you really want to trade with me?”
“Then shall we die together instead?”
When Isaac reached for the eggbomb again, the old man quickly responded.
“Wait! I got it! I accept! But how am I supposed to believe your words? Can you swear that you aren’t spouting lies right now to just get out of this place?”
“Rather than swearing on it, it’d be much better to have some guarantee. Like a contract of some sort. Do you have any of those?”
“…”
The old man did have one. And he was planning to lead the conversation that way too. But he never expected Isaac would be the one to go that route. The old man took out a crystal ball from his pockets and let it float into the air.
“Since poison and curses won’t work on you, I will capture the moment of our negotiation in the form of a video.”
“Sure thing. I, out of my own free will, am trading with a warlock. In return for helping the warlock retrieve the Queen’s Artefact, I will receive the locations of many minerals that are buried in this mine. Is that enough?”
Seeing Isaac speak to the crystal ball without a single stutter, the old man made a difficult expression and took back the crystal ball.
“… I’m saying this because it seems like you don’t know, but if this evidence of you dealing with a warlock were to fall into Central’s hands, they will never leave you alone.”
“Then you better be careful not to get caught, old man.”
“…”
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