114 Donor (2/2)
”It may very well have simply been a gift of goodwill to try and curry your favor, for at the very least, she perceives the magnitude of your might. Regardless, I thank you for your permission.” Alexei moved on, ”Now then, for the matter of this sudden furor over your grain.”
”Solution seems relatively simple to me,” said Li. ”The east seems like a great copout to anything these people don't understand because they have no idea about it. Just say I got the grain from the east but make sure to emphasize that it's Old Thane that decided to donate all of this.”
”Even if this will bring upon attention to your farm?”
”I despise unwanted attention, but to spread Old Thane's name, I'm willing to stomach it. Besides, I guarantee that whatever ruckus that gets on my farm, none of it will be harmful. My farm is far too well guarded. Most I'll have to do is answer a few pestering questions here and there.”
”With a greater demon and forest spirit at your behest, I do suppose that there is no chance for harm to your property. I merely worried for your convenience.”
Li raised an eye. ”You knew I had a demon and forest spirit there? Their disguised forms are on par with mine in terms of suppressing and hiding their presence.”
Alexei tapped the middle of his forehead, where his third eye was supposed to be. ”I hold powerful clairvoyant vision that lesser members of my kind do not. That is why had I been the one to encounter you that night my subordinates foolishly harassed you, then our meeting would have been far more amiable. But alas, bygones are bygones.”
He took a moment to consider a thought. ”And, If you will, please forward my apologies to the forest spirit.”
”Hm?”
”She and I have had a few disagreements in the past few years, though it seems she has put it past her knowing that Black Vine has been thoroughly dismantled by you. When Black Vine yet operated, she routinely broke into our shops to sabotage our products. She even attempted to follow our underground drug network to me as you did, but unfortunately, my forces were too much for her to challenge by herself.”
Li crossed his arms, nodding in wonder. ”I'm surprised you didn't try to get rid of her more thoroughly, knowing the way you do things. You're passive and let things move at their own pace, but when you have to seize a moment, like when there's an active threat to you, you don't waste time.”
”Oh, to be certain, at first I did consider her a sizable threat to neutralize, for any forest spirit of merit can challenge even me in combat.” Alexei shrugged with a nonchalant air. ”But upon further investigation, it became known to me that she was nothing of the sort, diluted as she was by consuming humans and allowing herself to wallow in thoroughly unproductive self-pity and despair.
I daresay her attacks upon my establishments were akin to a child's tantrums, lashing out as she had nothing else to live for, homeless and friendless as she was. I surmised that when she understood her efforts were futile, she would simply give up again, and she did. She simply was no threat to me.”
”I see.” Li knew that Iona understood he worked with Alexei and his vampires considering his transport consisted solely of their kind, but she never mentioned it. He had always thought she simply did not care anymore after Black Vine was torn down, but perhaps there were deeper scars to heal here. ”Well, I can relay the apology, but it'd be better if you could sort it out in person with her when you have time.”
Alexei nodded; his air very much business-like. ”I will see to it, then.”
”Also, something you said before stoked my interest a little. Your subordinates must have reported that I've started to raise a wyrm, no?”
”I have heard of the news, and I must congratulate you for obtaining such a rare beast.”
”Not a beast,” said Li, his tone a little curt.
Alexei nodded in quick understanding. ”Forgive my loose tongue. I did not know that it meant so much to you.”
”I'm responsible for her being motherless, and so I have a duty to raise her right,” Li explained. ”But that aside, you mentioned restauranteurs wanting to know who made the donation, right? Let them know a day or two before anyone else.”
”Are you certain of this? They will be relentless in attempting to pursue some form of business relationship with you.”
”A farmer's crop isn't just meant to sit and rot, after all. I can afford to distribute a little of my harvest to one of these high class restaurants so that I can get access to premium ingredients to feed my wyrm with. Attention's going to come to the farm regardless of what I do, and I might as well make it productive.
Plus, I hear the chefs they hire know how to prepare food from any monster or plant. Summoning sentient monsters for slaughter doesn't sit too well with me, but if they can prepare some of my plants, then I'll have access to the best food this entire world has to offer.”