Kaiz trudged out of Gold Lips with both the answers he sought and far more questions. He was at a loss. Whoever the statue woman was, she disappeared. Leaving neither notice nor trace. That should have been a good thing, but Kaiz knew in his bones that this wasn't the end. Power only submitted to greater power. That was universally true. He didn't know the specifics of Lyn’s levels, but he did know that she definitely hadn’t crossed [50] yet.

  Unless his inference about the statue woman’s level was wrong, they would not be evenly matched.

  What the hell did she see?

  At the heart of the issue, was that very question. Kaiz knew he didn't have a title, he spent many nights praying one would come. Believing that one day on the hundreth scan or the two hundredth scan one would pop up. It never did. Three years ago he finally let the hope die. A part of him deep down wished to revive that hope, but he immediately quelled it.

  Now isn't the time for hope, it's the time for action.

  Reel couldn't tell him much, but she had said enough. The woman was a problem, but not an immediate one. She had other business that would monopolize her attention for a while. He couldn't be sure how long ‘a while’ meant. There was a huge gap between several months and a couple years, but both could be considered ‘a while’.

  Either way, all he could do was prepare himself for their inevitable inquest. For now, that meant continuing what he was already doing, building connections and cementing their legitimacy as a trading group.

  With renewed resolve, he marched back towards the slums. Amidst the whirlwind of trouble he walked into, there was one piece of good news. He’d accomplished his main reason for coming to Gold Lips in the first place. Reel knew most of what he needed to know.

  Crypt was without question the biggest honcho in Waldaun. Even though his ventures were largely legal at this point, he’d never relinquished his grasp or influence on the underworld. Until now. Though everything appeared unchanged with him, his various factories and businesses were still fully operational, Crypt was gone. He’d left them all in other’s names. He’d left the city.

  To say the gap he left was massive wouldn’t begin to describe it. Crypt had practically founded the criminal operations in Waldaun. Even if the entire population of the city hated him to his bone marrow, his fingers were everywhere. Both inside and outside the wall.

  Kaiz had heard rumblings that he wasn’t around, but he’d been focused elsewhere. Even if he hadn’t though, he would have assumed it was a temporary thing. Who would believe that Crypt would just leave Waldaun?

  Snake, evidently.

  As the second biggest honcho, he was the heir apparent. He had his crew scrambling in all directions to covertly fill that gap.

  That answered why Snake was both desperate and willing to use outside help, but it still left Kaiz with questions about timing. The blood run was discussed around the time of his dance with the Nightwatchers. Crypt had been around then, he’d been visited by him. Even if Kaiz assumed he disappeared that very night, which would be odd considering what their conversation had been, it would still be days after the deal had been made.

  Things didn’t completely add up. Unless, Snake somehow knew Crypt would leave even before he did. Reel seemed to know why he left, but didn’t or couldn’t explain. That was another wrinkle. What was sealing her lips?

  Kaiz took a deep breath, “Control what you can control.”

  A couple hours later, Kaiz was blissfully ignoring the world. Or as he would put it, ‘tactically re-energizing’. His to-do list bordered upon unhealthy lengths. While he was returning home to strategize, he’d been bombarded by members of their trading company. With the president away at the moment, they sought some leadership and he was the only one they could find.

  Apparently, Code usually took up the mantle, but he was completely indisposed for the day. He sent a message from the parlor, laced with threats and insults, confirming his inability to fill the role. An unfortunate situation as they had just begun fulfilling their first order.

  They needed the final sign off to any movement of goods. Their first order wasn’t anything big, just a shipment of spears and shields, but it was their first order. Every aspect of it was double, triple, and quadruple checked.

  Kaiz had only just learned the name of the company a week ago, so he was very much not the one to be signing off on anything. He needed to call a meeting with the other board members. First, to give that sign off, but second for him to see exactly who was part of their operation.

  If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  He’d get to that in a bit, though. For now, he was locked in his study with a book in hand.

  ‘The purpose of such a measure is obvious, to acclimate the specimen to the ecosystem and to assure an instantaneous, continuous connection, but this chapter does not detail its direct application. It is an overview of its greater implications.

  Many of my colleagues can often be found debating the importance of such a mana-intensive procedure. It is a topic of extensive discussion. The minds in my field find the concepts of mana conservation an overly alluring snare. There are some merits to the discussion, we would not have discovered the restorative properties of controlled mana poisoning if not for Ehrlich’s experiments (see page 303) for example, but these arguments forget the true purpose of medicine. The role of a doctor does not overlap with that of a field magus. It is a great folly to mimic their methodologies. Though it is also a common one. It would be remiss of me to appeal to you that seeking greater efficiency in your work is wasteful, but one should tread carefully upon its soil. Your end goal lay far beyond its horizon.

  The heart is both literally and metaphorically the nucleus of all humans. Through it, all nourishment flows. When—’

  A heavy thud hit his study’s door, “Kaizer! Open this goddamn door!”

  What? Who is that? Lamar?

  Loud bangs continued to barrage the door as Kaiz stood to go open it.

  “Kaizer!”

  He swung the door open to see a thin, dark skinned man with long black hair and an unnecessarily symmetrical face staring deep into his eyes.

  Kaiz blinked, then looked down, “Why are you wearing a rucksack? Does that say manure?”

  Lamar continued to stare, “You went to Gold Lips!”

  “I’m not going to ignore what you’re wearing.”

  “It doesn’t matter.” He moved right up into Kaiz's face, “You went to Gold Lips, without me?!”

  Kaiz strained to control his facial expressions. He knew leaving the comforts of his secluded hideout would come with headaches, but he didn’t anticipate how great those headaches would be.

  “First of all, I didn’t even know you were back. You’ve been south for months. Second of all, I went for business not pleasure. And third of all.” He pushed Lamar away from him, “Go shower you pig.”

  “Lies! You took Code with you! What does that brolic nerd know about sweet, gentle love? Hmmm?” He was back in Kaiz’s face, “Nothing!”

  Kaiz pinched his nose, “In that case wouldn’t taking him make more sense than taking someone who has an unpaid five darkgold debt?”

  Lamar fake gasped, “How could you?! I work harder than anyone else. Tracking caravans, tracking trains, and tracking titleds. I come home, from a job fantastically done, to no applause, no congratulations, not even a ‘Hey Mar, great job breaking your back for us. We really appreciate you.’ Nooo. I come ba…”

  Kaiz started zoning Lamar out. He couldn’t be bothered to keep up with his tirade. There was some merit to his words, but Kaiz was the last person that would sympathize with him. Walking away would just exacerbate this situation though, so he continued to look towards Lamar even as his mind wandered elsewhere.

  The author is definitely one of those genius types. Endless mana to spare and only time as a constraint. Efficacy is obviously more important, but you have to be insane to argue against efficiency.

  “Oi! Are you listening to me?”

  Finally done.

  Kaiz rolled his eyes, “I apologize, I have a blood run in White Turtle to plan for. I don’t have time for your complaints.”

  Lamar froze, “A blood run? In White Turtle? You accepted a blood run in White Turtle? No.” He shook his head, “You’re lying. No way. Impossible. YOU? Don’t believe it.”

  “‘The truth requires neither faith nor belief.’ I have work to do, but while you’re here.” He retrieved an envelope from his desk and handed it to Lamar, “Be useful and take this to Code. You’ll both want to read it together.”

  Lamar gave Kaiz an incredulous look, “I’m not being experimented on.”

  “Take this.” He pulled out a large coin purse, “There are a hundred gold coins in there. Feel free to use it to pay off your debt.”

  “Kaizer!” Lamar nearly tackled him to the ground, “My brother! I always knew I could count on you the most. Behind your cold, masculine exterior beats a truly charitable, compassionate heart. Have you put on some muscle?” He squeezed Kaiz’s right bicep, “Look at these arms! You mu—”

  “Get off me!”

  Lamar deftly retreated, calmly avoiding Kaiz’s left fist. Taking the hint, he continued retreating towards the hatch he came in from.

  “I shall never forget your kindness my dear friend! Be well!” His farewell said, he hastily escaped into the tunnels.

  “Idiot.”

  Kaiz smiled though. The coin in the purse didn’t belong to him. It was payment for ‘a job fantastically done.’

  Hehe.

  With his sudden guest gone and his reading daze interrupted, he was once again confronted with his to-do list. The coming week would be one of the most stressful weeks he’s ever experienced. Between running the two jobs they had in the noble’s district, avoiding the potential schemes of Snake and the statue woman, and taking their first legal steps into the market, Kaiz had a mountain to climb. He wasn’t alone in his ascent, but he was at the heart of each hurdle.

  I guess it's time to meet the board.

  Mini Character Glossary:

  Kaiz: The MC. Has a lot on his shoulders.

  Reel: An artist. A masseuse. An informant.

  Code: A member of Kaiz's crew. Drunkard. In a lot of pain at the moment.

  Lamar: A member of Kaiz's crew. Infiltration specialist. Will be in a lot of pain later.

  Lyn: Kaiz's old mentor and adoptive mother.

  Crypt: Also Creed. Still the wealthiest untitled in Goldfrucht.

  Snake: The most powerful man in Waldaun's underworld.

  Extra long to catch up from the month long hiatus. Thanks for reading!