The Terminally Ill Young Master is the Mad Dog of the Underworld

[Translator - Pot]

[Proofreader - Kawaii]

Chapter 91: I Won't Buy This Counterfeit

"Who is it?"

Two armed men blocked me as I openly walked toward the main gate.

"Move."

I exuded mana outward to intimidate them.

"……!"

The reaction of the gatekeepers who encountered a masked madman threatening them without a word was as expected.

"E-excuse me, but who are you?"

"You don't need to know that. I've come to see Mordecai."

Even in front of an uninvited guest who unhesitatingly called out their employer's name, the men fulfilled their duty.

"I'm sorry, but meeting him without an appointment—"

I cuss out loudly as if I had no patience.

"You dickheads. Do you think I should have come with an invitation like some noble lord?"

"……."

As our confrontation dragged on, a voice was heard from behind the gate.

"Escort him inside."

As the thick steel gate opened, a guard captain with a blank face was looking at me.

"Who are you?"

"That's a question I can't answer."

I retorted, snapping my fingers.

"But I can tell you my purpose."

The guard captain said in a monotone voice.

"Speak."

"I've come to purchase Countess Webern's tiara."

"……!"

I inwardly smiled as I saw the man's pupils dilate ever so slightly. With this much of a reaction, it means they expected a buyer to come beforehand. They might have intentionally spread the rumors.

"……Please wait for a moment."

He whispered something to his subordinate, who quickly left.

"They're well-trained. They're even more impressive than I heard."

I acted like a big shot who knew them well. At the sight of me not fearing them at all, the guards actually started to get nervous.

"What are you glaring at? Are you blind?"

"……."

I crossed my arms and passed the time with a staring contest with them.

"Please come in."

Permission was soon granted. I nodded as if I knew it would happen.

"Good work."

I patted the guard captain's shoulder as I passed by. It was an act considered quite insulting in this industry.

"……."

But if he had lost his temper just because a customer was a bit rude, he wouldn't have been working as a guard captain.

He only glared at the back of my head without a word. That gaze was so intense that I didn't even need to spread my senses.

'So what can you do?'

Besides glaring, that is.

"This way."

A guard led me to Mordecai's study. As I headed deep into the mansion, I felt a stuffy and heavy air pressing on my lungs, as if I was entering a prison.

"I will briefly search your body."

"Of course."

The guard didn't realize at all that the bracelet on my wrist was an artifact that could turn into a sword.

"Please go in."

"Thank you."

The scene inside the study was quite bizarre. It resembled the study of a mage harboring ancient secrets.

A faint metallic scent, masked by the smell of old books and strange incense, was somewhat difficult to distinguish from the smell of blood.

"Welcome, Sir."

Sir. I clenched my teeth and held back a laugh. When had Karzan ever been called ‘sir’? He'd been called ‘son of a bitch’ if anything.

"Are you Mordecai?"

"I am, nameless guest."

His tone was more polite than I expected.

"Please, have a seat. Countess Webern's tiara! You seek a truly precious and storied item."

He gestured for me to sit down with a noble gesture, but it was exaggerated and ridiculous, like a nouveau riche who bought their status forcibly imitating the nobility.

"My master simply desires it; I have no great interest."

"Haha. Is that so?"

His smile was gentle, but perhaps because of his thin and dry lips, it felt somewhat impatient.

I don't know how to read faces, but based on long experience, these kinds of people were generally those whose inner thoughts were impossible to know.

"But you must know the value of that tiara."

"Of course."

I sat down.

"Then I must offer my apologies. That tiara is not for sale."

I replied without surprise.

"So it turned out to be not for sale."

"That's right."

"If your will was so firm, you didn't have to bring me all the way here in the first place."

"I couldn't commit such rudeness to a guest who has come from afar. It would disgrace the name of this Mordecai. It's only right that I offer my apologies."

It's a lie. It was undoubtedly a ploy to gain an advantage in the negotiation.

'As always, these merchants.'

Mordecai, whom I met in person, smelled more of a merchant than a wealthy collector.

If so, even all his fame must have been a kind of strategy to sell things at a high price.

'Above all, this man is strong.'

At least late 3th-tier. He might have even reached 4th-tier. At that level, he could compete evenly with a Royal Guard or a regular knight.

'I smell something.'

The smell of ambition, or perhaps there's another purpose.

Either way, what I had to do was simple.

'Figure out what the other party wants and offer attractive conditions.'

But I don't have much information. It's all just speculation.

'But it's okay.'

I intended to throw out bluffs as if I knew everything and check this man's reaction.

"From what I see, you're not a simple collector."

"What do you mean?"n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Mordecai's eyebrows twitched.

"Why are you hiding your strength? Moreover, you're not a leader. You're more suited to be a capable executive."

"……."

The air turned cold. A wind from somewhere blew out the candle.

"What are you talking about?"

His voice asking that contained a sticky killing intent.

"Did you blow out the candle?"

I asked with a smirk.

"With the incense gone, the smell of blood is too strong, isn't it?"

It's a lie. This was just a question inferred from the stories of him torturing and killing intruders.

"……Haha."

But it seems I hit the mark.

I laughed along, looking at Mordecai's chilling smile. Perhaps a big fish had been caught with a lightly thrown bait.

"Well, now."

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

"Guest."

I threw out the bait with plausible words, and Mordecai said with a seemingly relaxed face.

"Perhaps you haven't come to buy something? You're making strange accusations about the smell of blood and such. Then I wouldn't need to treat you as a guest."

I've been caught.

I was certain as I saw the killing intent rising in this man's eyes. Mordecai was a man who had blood on his hands. Quite a lot of it.

"I apologize for acting mischievous."

I said, looking at him.

"Actually, I've often heard stories about you."

"What kind of stories have you heard?"

"Well, probably the stories you wanted to spread."

"……."

Sensing a strange undercurrent, Mordecai instantly gathered his killing intent and regained his composure.

"Don't bare your fangs like that. I was just joking."

I said, appeasing him.

"The smell of blood can come from slaughtering chickens at home, can't it? Moreover, it doesn't matter whether you're the owner of this business or a branch manager who established a branch under the orders of someone higher up."

Mordecai tilted his head.

"So you've come to make a deal?"

"Haven't I said that from the beginning? If I had other intentions, I wouldn't have come here alone without a single weapon."

"……."

Mordecai wanted to grasp my true intentions, but I'm not a man who would reveal his inner thoughts with just this much.

"You're not an easy person. I almost 'misunderstood.'"

"I apologize for that."

I raised my hand in apology.

"It's true that I'm curious about who you are. But more important than that is that you have the item and I have the will to buy it."

Mordecai wrapped his knees with his clasped hands. As if he had regained his mental composure.

"I clearly told you. I have no intention of selling that tiara."

"Hmm. That's troublesome. I really want to get that item. It's not like there are two of them in this world."

"Well, now."

He chuckled.

"If you want it that much, I might become soft-hearted again."

"Ah, that's fortunate."

"Aren't collectors originally like that? If an owner who would cherish their collection more than themselves appears, they naturally consider which is better, even for the sake of the item."

"Truly romantic."

If I were to interpret this nonsense, it undoubtedly meant to offer more money.

However, the budget Venion gave me is limited. If I show all my cards from the start, the price might increase several times over.

"I hope to make that heart of yours a little softer."

"Haha."

Mordecai leaned back deeply in his chair. It probably meant to offer a price.

Of course, I don't know the proper market price of that tiara. The gold coins Venion gave me might be ridiculously cheap.

"Before that, can I see the item?"

"Unfortunately, I cannot show it to you."

"That's absurd. What kind of way of buying things is there in the world without seeing it?"

I clicked my tongue.

"Even when buying a single sardine, it's common courtesy to check if its eyes are clear, if it's oily, and what the firmness of its flesh is like."

"It's such a precious item that handling and moving it carelessly is a bit……."

"Don't worry. If I accidentally damage it, I will definitely compensate for it."

"How much do you intend to compensate?"

This question contained the implication of asking how much you think the item is worth.

"That depends on how much you charge."

Of course, I wouldn't fall for that intention.

"Hahahaha."

Mordecai raised both hands.

"I give up. You're not an easy person at all. Alright, then let's have a frank conversation between professionals."

Mordecai snapped his fingers.

"Please wait a moment."

***

"This is Countess Webern's tiara."

Mordecai made a big show of it.

"Such elegant goldwork reminiscent of a wreath! Behold this craftsmanship that perfectly engraves leaves and vines. But the most striking feature is this mysterious gem in the center."

I know the name of this gem.

-Young Master, Countess Webern's tiara is said to have a gem called 'Peridotix,' a beautiful mixture of green and gold. It's a gem that is rarely found only in very deep mountains or often seen in the caves of golden goblins. It is known to have the characteristic of attracting mana and shining on its own.

That was the clue Venion had given me. He told me as if he was doing me a favor, but now that I think about it, why did he specifically give me such a clue?

'He probably meant for me to determine whether it's genuine or not.'

Deals in this kind of underworld are always dangerous. Getting ripped off a little is nothing compared to what could happen.

"Indeed, it is remarkably beautiful."

I lowered my voice, as if trying to suppress my admiration.

"Especially this gem is both strange and refined. What is its name?"

"I don't even know that. It's such a rare thing."

Look at this. A so-called collector doesn't even know what the gem adorning the tiara he's trying to sell is?

"Indeed, since it was used by people of old, the name might not have been passed down."

I said some unnecessary things and lightly touched the tiara.

Sss.

I pulled out strands of mana as thin as threads and injected them into the tiara.

'It's said to have the characteristic of attracting mana and shining?'

I recalled Venion's clue and smiled.

"Haha, this is really something."

The thing, whether it was a gem or just a shiny rock, showed no reaction.

"Don't try to play games with me."

Mordecai's eyebrows twitched slightly at my sudden change in attitude.

"What did you just say?"

"This gem is cheap junk."

"What are you talking about?"

I pointed at the tiara.

"According to records, Countess Webern's tiara is said to have been adorned with a gem called Peridotix. That gem was said to shine by attracting mana."

Mordecai's expression turned cold.

"So?"

"I just infused mana into it, but there's no reaction. Just this alone leaves no doubt that this tiara is fake."

Mordecai tilted his head.

"So?"

"What do you mean 'so'? You fucking swindler."

I looked straight into his eyes and declared.

"I won't buy this counterfeit."

[Translator - Pot]

[Proofreader - Kawaii]