After a few minutes of interacting with the Lustful Rogue, Arthur realized why he earned that title. The topics chosen by this man were nothing less than plain disgusting. He talked about buying slaves, selling slaves, drugs, wine, alcohol, and how stupid the people were.
"So, that's how I slept with the finest cat woman in Greva." He finished his story with both pride and a slur. "Where are my manners? You haven't told me stories of your own!" He said with a drunken expression.
"Well, there's isn't much to tell." Arthur smiled. "The dishes I carry around are all I have, and being the only one to supply them, I make a decent profit. However, sometimes things get since there are a few dishes which I can't sell."
"Nonsense!" The Rogue blurted. "Why wouldn't one of your dishes sell? I'll buy all of them!" He pounded his chest with pride. Arthur managed to glean off some greed in his eyes.
"That would be difficult since it's illegal to trade in some of the ingredients used. After all, they are..." Arthur allowed his sentence to trail as she shook his head regretfully.
"What kind of materials?" The Rouge suddenly turned sober, despite the wine's toxicity. His eyes darted left and right at the word 'illegal.'
"Well, let's say that the chefs who made these are rather bizarre. They used the flesh of..." Arthur looked around before he leaned to whisper in his ears. "Humans."
"That is illegal indeed, such disgusting people!" The Rogue gave a dismissive shake. "No wonder you're having difficulty selling them."
"True indeed. It's a pity that such materials were used since the dishes' effects go beyond being delicious. They enhance evolution! A pity, tsk, tsk." Arthur clicked his tongue and sipped on his wine.
"I see," The Rogue sipped on his wine as well while looking around. "It's getting a little crowded over here. How about we take this elsewhere? How about my family's branch?" He said with a wide smile.
Arthur nodded with a smile of his own. Greed has taken hold of this Rogue. They left the tavern together and walked through the streets until they reached an empty alley. They walked far into it before the Rogue opened a door with a key.
The place they arrived at was nothing like the outside. It was a pavilion split into many rooms, with gardens and ponds everywhere. The fishes that danced in the water sparkled like the night's sky.
"You followed me without any mistrust, aren't you fearful for your life?" The Rogue had a playful tone as he guided Arthur through the pavilion.
"I'm a merchant too, so I know that we share the same mindset." Arthur smiled. "If you try to rob me, then this will be a one-time profit. It's better if we establish a proper business relationship."
"So, you didn't tell me about those dishes arbitrarily." The Rogue smiled. "Did you specifically offer it to me?"
"I know the young master is an insightful one, but I don't control fate." Arthur shrugged it off. "If it brings us benefits both, then no harm is done."
"I'll drink to that!"
They arrived at a room with extravagant decor. Sitting on the high-quality chair, the Rogue went straight to business. Being blinded by greed, he didn't see that a sphere of light left Arthur's body.
***
After selling twenty dishes for large amounts of money, Arthur checked what Gala's spirit has gathered as he left the pavilion. It worked like a recording orb that could go through walls, making it very useful.
'This is the one, dates and routes. I need to meet up with Gala and see what paths would lead to the border.' Arthur walked through the streets.
His body stiffened when he felt someone following after him. He glanced back and saw a robed figure. With a frown, Arthur remained walking at the same pace.
'Either one of the Rouge's men or someone who saw me with him. Was my disguise seen through?' Arthur concluded. 'Little Spirit, lend me your eyes.'
The spirit left his body and went a separate way. The robed person passed by, and Arthur managed to see his face through the spirit's eyes.
'Galman?' Arthur was baffled, almost laughing out loud. It seems the tavern owner couldn't handle the fact Arthur had better dishes than him. He must have thought he could recreate their recipe.
'Little Spirit, can you pull a little prank on him?'
The spirit followed his request and started sending random images into Galman's head. The man suddenly walked head-first into a wall and fell to the ground.
"What is going?"
Galman was confused as he began backing away. He then walked into the wall again. Arthur realized that the spirit was showing him an empty road.
Snickering to himself, Arthur left the city. A distance away from it, Gala's met up with him and concealed them both. She retrieved her spirit and looked through the images.
"Your spirits are truly convenient," Arthur said as his scales and horns fell off. "How come you didn't opt for more powerful ones?"
"Who said I didn't?" Gala smiled. "You don't survive for this long without having the power to protect yourself."
"You didn't do anything against the duke." Arthur pointed out, and she stuck out her tongue.
"It was a little test, and it's not like you needed my help," Gala said with amusement. "Besides, you'll get greedy if I showed you that."
"Greedy of what?" Arthur asked as they walked back toward their hiding spot. "Of contracting a spirit?"
"Yes," Gala said. "It's alright to be greedy, but spirits hate such people. They won't choose you if you're like that."
"Are you saying that all witches aren't greedy?" Arthur raised a brow.
"No, witches are greedy, but also special. They are also Loved Ones, but by creatures of other dimensions, not this one." Gala said. "For humans, the spirits judge you based on your character. Spirits hate arrogance, pride, greed, gluttony, and other distasteful qualities."
'Is she purposefully describing Rae?' Arthur sighed inwardly.
"Your friend is different, though." The witch said with a smile. "She didn't simply fail; a spirit cursed her. The witch that was the medium was truly evil for her to do this."
"This?" Arthur repeated with a questioning tone.
"She tried contracting her to a powerful evil spirit, causing such a result," Gala answered as they reached their hiding spot. They found Dia holding Rinzo's neck using icy blue flames as he squirmed midair as they walked in. "Welp, that's kinky."
Arthur shot Gala a glance as the two of them hurried to separate the two. Rinzo's face was going purple radially. Even though Arthur didn't like him, he was still a knight of Freda.
"Dia, stop!" Hearing his order, Dia stiffened like a statue and stopped her actions. "Release him." She retracted her flames. "What's going on here?"
"Nothing," Dia said before walking away, not even explaining things. Arthur turned to the knight with a questioning glare as he gathered his breath.
"I guess I said something unnecessary," Rinzo said as a response but didn't go into details. After enduring Arthur's gaze for a few moments, he explained. "I mentioned her mother."
'Great, she has some unresolved issues.' Arthur sighed. 'However, who doesn't have mental issues?' He was aware that even himself was not that stable. Even though it has only been three years since his father disappeared, the attachment he had for him made Arthur repress most memories he had with him.
Arthur left the cave they were hiding in and walked out. He looked around and found Dia standing alone on top of a giant stone. Jumping next to her, Arthur tried to find the words to say.
"Even if you were mad, you can't hurt him," Arthur commanded. "Never hurt anyone unless you are protecting Gala or me." He omitted Rinzo because he didn't trust him completely.
"You're doing a fine job at turning me into your puppet. What's your next order? Stop feeling anything?" She said with a sorrowful tone.
"You can feel, otherwise I wouldn't be able to convince you."
"Convince me that I should follow you willingly?" Dia asked. "How would I follow you willingly if I can't even move without your permission?"
"I promise," Arthur said, and she turned to him. "That one day, when I'm safe, I'll release the order. At this moment, your job is to protect me."
"At that time, you won't be safe anymore." Dia turned to him with a devilish smile. "Because I'll kill you myself." She said with a wicked grin.
"Sure." Arthur turned away and walked toward the cave. "I don't mind that, as long as you can."
He returned to the cave, and Dia followed shortly after. After going through the routes with Rinzo, Gala concluded what trading route the war supplies would take and what time and place they should sneak into them.
"Great." Arthur grinned. "All that is left is to crash the party." He said, but the three of them were confused.
"What party?" Gala asked, not understanding the idiom. Arthur sighed in frustration.