I wonder if that means I can enter.
Theo waited a moment, but nothing else happened. He was a little curious about the mechanism that operated the door, but he had other priorities at the moment.
It was dark enough inside that he couldn’t see anything. Some people would be reluctant to step into the dark unknown, but Theo stepped forward without the slightest hint of hesitation.
Step, step.
His clean-soled shoes ground into the sand. It seemed the sand had been purposely left to create an unpleasant echo. Theo scoffed silently as he heard a slight rustling over the sound of his footsteps.
He had already noticed the sound of breathing on either side of the narrow passage. Their attempts at stealth were quite good, but Theo and Mitra’s abilities were simply superior. He had already evaluated their rough strength.
Six people, one of whom is an aura user. His stealth is at the level of a regular knight, but I’m not sure about his frontal combat abilities.?
The inhabitants of the dark side of the world often only resorted to head on battle as a last resort, so battle ability wasn’t a prized skill. They were much more versed in ambushes than combat.
However, Theo continued moving calmly. The surveillance was irritating, but he wasn’t about to become complacent. He mustered his best neutral expression and kept walking.
After a hundred steps, Theo found a shabby door that he calculated to be around 20 meters below the surface. When he walked through, he was greeted by a space filled with deep shadows.
This information guild… Is he the [King of Mice] of the Sipoto branch?
The space was unnaturally open, and there was an unusually old-fashioned table in the center of the room. Theo immediately noticed the quality wood that had been shaped by a skilled craftsman.
Theo looked at the person sitting at the table under the dim light. Despite having the distinct brown skin and brown eyes of the desert people, the seated man was large enough that he was the same height as the standing Theo.
Even so, the presence around him was like a fog.
Considerably skilled.
It didn’t feel like the man could beat Theo, but it would be hard to catch him if he ran away. Theo raised his level of the Information Guild by two stages.
The man sitting behind the desk looked at Theo quietly before saying, “… It has been a long time since I’ve had uninvited guests.”
“Uninvited guest?”
Did that mean the instructions Canis provided him were wrong?
However, he was soon answered as the man continued speaking, “You aren’t a guest that my kids brought, or any of those who work with them. Based on your speech and clothing, you recently came from Meltor in the north.”
“How do you know that?”
“There are all sorts of tricks. How you tie a shoelace, the tan marks, dirt on the hem of your robes, and so on. There are many things that can’t be hidden unless you are a properly trained secret agent.”
Indeed, Theo admired the man’s keen eye for detail. It had been less than three minutes, however, this man had casually deduced his hometown and his recent arrival in Sipoto. If this was the level of the man in charge of the guild, Theo couldn’t doubt their credibility.
Theo sat in the chair before him. “As expected of the best information guild in the central continent.”
“Yes, who introduced you to this place?”
“A black market trader called Canis.”
The man’s eyebrows rose. “Canis? That cub is still alive? Though there has been no message from Meltor recently…”
“Are you acquaintances?”
“We’ve done business a few times. His skills aren’t bad, but his way of thinking is too narrow. He must’ve found a pretty good rat hole,” The man mumbled before extending his thick arms. The tattoo of a two-headed serpent on his forearm wriggled.
He held out his hand as his rough face broke into a smile. “I am Sipoto’s branch chief, Gibra.”
Theo grasped his hand and shook it. “Theo.”
Gibra sat back, and evaluated Theo coolly. “So, why did you come to find us?”
Theo was relieved. Asking for the job was the same as accepting the request. He was concerned about being an outsider, but as Canis said, the Information Guild didn’t distinguish between the origin and identity of the guests.
The only important thing was whether the customer could pay the price, the black market trader had said.
Then this should be quick.
Theo glanced down at his left hand with a strange smile. He had converted his rewards and possessions into cash and stored it in his Inventory before leaving Meltor. It had come up to a substantial amount when he added in the achievements in Elvenheim. The prices of original books or the sales commission shouldn’t even make a dent in it.
There was no reason for Theo to hesitate, since he possessed both wealth and power.
So he said, “There are things I want to buy in Kargas.”
Gibra listened with a brightening expression.
Theo continued,“I want to know the location of all the original books in Kargas and information about their owners. I will leave it to you to act as the agent for the purchase. The status of the item is fine as long as it is an original, and if the item is bought at a reasonable price, you’ll be paid part of the purchase price.”
“Original books? You mean the original copy of a magic book? It will take a lot of money to buy all the ones in Kargas.”
“How much?”
“30 gold as a deposit, the survey period— … Ah, whoops.”
As Theo wondered about the sudden interruption, Gibra scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed expression. “I’m sorry, but I can’t take the commission. I can’t.”
“How come? If it is simply a matter of the cost…”
“No, it’s not that. Honestly, the money is good, but the timing is really bad.”
Timing?
Theo was perplexed. “Timing?”
Gibra nodded. “That reminds me, you’re from the north? Then you won’t know about a famous attraction of Kargas.”
The Kargas Kingdom was the center of the central continent and a trade kingdom, so it didn’t have anything to symbolize it. It was simply the kingdom that served as a central location for all trade from the north, south and center to pass through. It was frequented by numerous foreigners and was a melting pot of culture. It would be strange if there was something unique about this place.
However, it also allowed a unique opportunity. Kargas’ location allowed it to birth the perfect place for money and desire to coexist. In the abyss of the trading kingdom, the underground auction houses bathed in the greed of humanity.
Gibra explained, “The auction is an annual secret event that runs for a few weeks. It’s rumored that the sheer value of goods that move through it often go beyond the yearly budget of a few kingdoms.”
Theo frowned. “What does that have to do with my commission?”
Gibra grimaced. “The auction is a place where sellers can maximize prices. Even more so when there are original books on sale.”
When understanding dawned on Theo’s face, Gibra continued, “You finally understand. The auction is more attractive than selling it to an unidentified buyer. The right time for your commission would be a few months after the auction ends. So, I can’t accept your request.”
Theo was convinced by the reasonable explanation, so he wasn’t embarrassed by the rejection. The auction house where buyers from all over the world gathered was indeed more attractive than a single buyer. It might be possible to persuade the owner, but there would be more people who preferred the tradition of the auction house.
As Gibra said, Theo’s timing was really bad.
… No, not yet. There is still a way.
Theo’s expression recovered as he asked, “How about participating in the auction directly?”
“If that was possible, that would be the best. The auction house isn’t just for sellers, as buyers can also get things at reasonable prices.” However, Gibra shook his head. “But Sipoto’s auction house isn’t a place for the uninvited. The guild doesn’t accept commissions for entry. It will be a problem if we are caught. It is better to wait a few months for the commission.”
Theo smiled. “That is only true if I was an uninvited guest.”
“Hmm?”
This time it was Gibra’s turn to be confused as Theo reached into his robes. It felt like the heavens were helping him. It hadn’t even been a day since he’d received the plaque from Bear. As he held it out, the plaque shone dimly in the room.
Gibra’s expression grew shocked as he recognized the plaque.
“The Polonell Company?”
“You know it.”
“I would be better off dead if I didn’t know the symbol of the top three trading companies in the north. By the way, I don’t know how you got your hands on something like this at your age.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you that.” Theo shrugged casually.
Judging from Gibra’s reaction, this plaque was more than enough to enter the auction house. Who would’ve expected his journey to produce this result? Theo started to feel a mysterious flow of life around him.
Gibra’s eyes held a different look in them as he stroked his chin.
“You are eligible if you have the mark of the Polonell Company. But I want to ask one thing. Guest from Meltor, do you intend to sincerely participate in Sipoto’s auction house?”
Gibra’s aura was remarkably intimidating when he unleashed it, but his opponent was Theo, the master of a grimoire. Theo wouldn’t be overwhelmed by anyone who wasn’t a master. Above all, Theo had no time. The last few months had only made him more aware of his time limit. He could feel his life trickling away with every passing day.
Theo nodded seriously, and so Gibra said solemnly, “Then it seems I will be calling you Employer from now on.”