"I'm a pretty honest and caring person, you know?" Linkin said with a friendly smile.
William snorted, "If you're so honest and caring, then why did you agree to that contract in the first place? I doubt you did so for the sole purpose of forming a Merchant Group. Even you don't seem that gullible. You must have had some ulterior motive."
"You're quite perceptive. Indeed, I did have some other reasons. Of course, creating a Merchant Group was certainly one of my goals. But, as for the other things I have in mind, well... It's not something I can share with just anyone. What I can tell you is that I'm on to something with a lot of potential. In order to tap into that potential, I need information—information I believe that you might just have for me." Linkin stated.
One of William's brows rose as he was intrigued by Linkin's words.
"Why is this guy acting so secretive? He's behaving completely differently from before. I wonder... Which is his true face?" William pondered silently.
After their first meeting, William wanted nothing to do with Linkin. However, his curiosity toward Linkin and what he hoped to accomplish outweighed his usual prudent nature.
To William, during the brief time he observed Linkin at the Riza-Azir mats and interacted with him, nothing about Linkin followed common sense. Everything he did seemed reckless with zero thought behind his actions. But, for some reason, it all appeared to fall into place without fail.
Whether it was intentional or just dumb luck, William had yet to come up with a solid answer. Regardless, William was sure of one thing. Linkin did not give off the impression of a Merchant just starting out and learning the ropes.
William narrowed his eyes and replied, "What kind of information are you looking for?"
"I think that's something better discussed over drinks, wouldn't you say?" Linkin said with a meaningful look in his eyes.
William immediately understood the meaning behind Linkin's words and gaze. As a Merchant, whenever it came to sensitive topics that needed to be discussed, it was best to proceed with a certain level of caution.
'There are too many eyes and ears in a place like this.'
Linkin could feel the countless attentive stares of the Den of Everdreams employees. Even before he set foot into the establishment, during the time he was not in disguise, Linkin noticed that he was being watched and followed.
At first, Linkin thought that perhaps it was William who sent some people to observe him and ensure that he did not attempt to run away from the contract. However, after approaching William and speaking with him, Linkin quickly dismissed that possibility.
'I didn't acknowledge it earlier because I wanted to see how he acted. But the fact that he gave away my contract to another party and based on his reaction to my presence—it all adds up.'
Linkin overheard William grumbling about how the owner of the Den of Everdreams purchased the rights to his contract.
In truth, because he owed him a debt, Linkin expected William to be more stubborn and hard to persuade. Linkin was even prepared to make a few concessions if necessary.
However, since the contract was no longer William's problem, it made it much easier for Linkin to pique William's interest and get him talking. Of course, this raised an important question—why did the owner of the Den of Everdreams purchase his contract rights?
'The people that have been following me around are probably working for the owner of the Den of Everdreams. After the stunt I pulled earlier, it's obvious why they decided to purchase the rights to my contract, but... Well, it's not like it matters since I plan on paying back every last drop of what I've borrowed.'
Five weeks? Linkin had no intention of waiting until the very last moment to repay what he owed. After all, every day he delayed meant an additional reisai he had to spend.
"Azir." The Riza-Azir Dealer announced.
William's eyes lit up when the dealer declared the results.
"See that? Your luck's already starting to turn around when I'm here." Linkin said with a friendly smile.
William scoffed, "Do you also want to take credit for the morning light?"
"If I did, could you prove me wrong?" Linkin replied casually.
"You—No, forget it. If the conversation goes down that path, I feel like it'll be exhausting to deal with." William sighed as he stood up from the tatami mat after he collected his winnings.
Linkin also stood to his feet as William sized him up. Linkin had managed to pique his interest; however, William was still a Merchant at heart. Why would he do something that was solely for the benefit of the other party?
"So? What's in it for me?" William asked cutting straight to the point.