As they settled themselves outside Aaron’s living room, Vicente and Rory momentarily observed the place’s decor.
There were several medals and first-place awards from competitions on a shelf behind where Aaron sat a few moments after receiving them.
The decoration of this office was vintage, with various leather items, a stuffed moose head, and daggers of various types displayed as if they were also awards.
From the looks of the place, Aaron should be a hunter.
Vicente narrowed his eyes at this but said nothing.
Aaron looked silently at Rory for a few moments. But soon, he opened his mouth, breaking the silence in the room. “So, Rory, what exactly do you want with me? Sweet Cheeks sent you here for what exactly?”
Rory looked at Vicente and then at that man. “I would like to make something clear, senior Aaron. Vice and I did not come here on her account. She made it clear to us to inform you that this has no relation to her.
She merely guided us, and your help will pay the debt that the senior owes to her. So we are here for us and not for her.”
Aaron nodded affirmatively. “Of course, she left this world and didn’t want to return. I understand. But why would she send you to me? Not that I don’t want to pay my debt to her, but I find it a little strange.”
Vice said. “She knows she can’t stop Rory and me from going our ways, so she indicated you because she thinks you can help us lessen some risks.”
“Risks about what?” He looked at Vicente and narrowed his eyes.
This black-haired young man was straight to the point. “Risks from the underworld on us.”
After hearing this, Aaron’s eyes opened wider, and he leaned his back against his armchair. “So that’s it…”
Rory said. “We have a business we want to bring into this city, but we’re still uncertain about how the local powers are subdivided. Surely someone with your contacts can help us with that.”
“But why do you guys want to get involved with the underworld?” He questioned. “You can certainly grow by acting in the light of day.”
He could introduce these young people to the local underworld and quickly pay off his debts, helping these two with the basics. But the underworld was complicated.
Every action had its implications, and he preferred to get involved in something that could potentially hit him in the future without even knowing the motivations of the people he associated with.
Vicente replied. “We believe there is more room in the underworld. We know the risks and accept them, given the opportunities that exist in the shadows of the night. We have some ideas for products and services that we believe are in short supply in Millfall but will have a better chance of success if we use alternative avenues to present them to society.”
Vicente’s manner was unusual for a 14-year-old, as Aaron thought both of these young men had. Looking into this boy’s black eyes, he pondered for a moment.
‘This young man knows what he is about to do… He does not speak like a fool about to make the mistake of his life.’
Thinking about it, Aaron looked back at Rory, noting that this young man had potential but nothing compared to Vicente. Heidi’s son was certainly not the leader there, the number two at most.
The hierarchy of the two was evident, something that immediately pleased Aaron.
In the underworld, more than anywhere else, hierarchy was crucial. Without a clear distinction between the possibilities of each person involved, a project would hardly work out.
Aaron then said. “All right, what do you need? I will help you but don’t get me into trouble. If you get involved in what you shouldn’t, I won’t hesitate to pretend I don’t know you.” ．
Upon hearing this, Rory smiled at Vice as that young man grinned quietly.
“We have some plans, but we need the information to make some adjustments,” Vice said, with no intention of telling the things he intended to do. “First of all, we need to know the composition of the relevant powers in the light of day and in the darkness of the night.
Nobles, rich men, merchants, and criminal groups. We need to know at least the basics of each of them, where they are, where they operate, what they operate.”
That was the kind of basic information that someone entering the underworld would have to know to not step where they shouldn’t.
Any fool with a few gold coins and a modicum of patience would discover these things by investigating for themselves.
Talking about it was not a problem for Aaron.
“What else?”
“Second, we need help getting close to some of these powers.”
“Who exactly?” Aaron looked into Vicente’s eyes seriously.
Vicente replied. “I don’t know. That depends on the first thing I asked you for. Without that information, I cannot tell you who I want to contact.”
“I see.”
“Third, I want to know about good suppliers of local minerals and also blacksmiths.”
“Blacksmiths? Do you intend to produce something for sale?”
“Sort of,” Rory replied.
With that said, they talked for a few moments, with Vicente and Rory making it clear what they needed, which was not at all excessive for Aaron.
When they were done talking, Aaron promised to tell them who was in the local power game for them in a few days.
Unfortunately for the two of them, he had an appointment in a few minutes and would be out of Millfall for the next week.
In the meantime, a subordinate of his would find them by the following days to pass them a document about Millfall’s invisible division.
This city had its own map with the areas of influence of the faction groups that someone like Vicente or Rory would need to watch out for.
For the assurance of both parties, they signed a Magical Agreement with Aaron, guaranteeing that this man no longer owed Heidi anything, as well as their agreement would end once they received all the information and help they agreed upon that day.
“Alright, boys, good luck in your future endeavors,” Aaron said as he stood up, indicating the exit to Vice and Rory. “If your business is promising, you can look me up. I’ll be interested in doing business with you.”
“But if not, let us stay away,” Rory said with a smile on his face.
“Exactly!”
After shaking hands with the two, Aaron watched them leave, soon after going his own way.
…
After meeting Aaron, Vicente, and Rory spent two days preparing for their next steps in this city, fighting daily and training their combat skills.
The men in their group continued their training whenever they had time, sometimes even receiving tips from Vice and Rory.
As much as Rory didn’t have Vicente’s experiences, Vice had taught him since childhood, so he had a much more excellent proficiency in many things than these men.
And so, before they received contact from one of Aaron’s men, the time had finally come for Rory’s Awakening!
Rory was older than Vicente by a few weeks, so he would go through the Awakening Ceremony the next day!