"Especially when I know that you'd delivered Concentrated Albistum to Reese back when you were still working for him."
Franklin's eyes widened with surprise as he stared at Ray. "I know why you're shocked. It would be almost impossible for that data to be leaked. Especially to a young hunter like me." Ray pressed his hand onto Franklin's shoulder as he spoke. "But you see, it doesn't matter how I know this information. What matters is how I can make use of this information."
"That- It was a different time. Back when I was with Reese, I was someone- I wasn't like the me right now. I had connections. I- I knew people." Franklin continued to speak with a stutter, and Ray shook his head. "I get Concentrated Albistum. You get safety and protection from Reese. That's the only deal that I'll make, and that's the only deal that you can agree to."
His grip on Franklin's shoulders increased a bit more as he asked, "So, what do you say, Franklin?"
Franklin had a look of uncomfort on his face as he stared at Ray. After thinking about it a few seconds, Franklin let out a helpless sigh before replying, "….Fine. But I'm going to need some time to get the Concentrated Albistum for you."
"Two weeks." Ray said as he held up two fingers. "Three." Franklin responded immediately, attempting to bargain how much time he was supposed to be given.
"Two and a half weeks. That's the best I can do for you." Ray said with a serious expression on his face. "No changes. And definitely no second chances. Do you understand?"
"Yes, yes.. I'll agree to your conditions!" Franklin nodded his head furiously as soon as Ray finished speaking. Ray then stretched out the key to the apartment in Caseria towards Franklin, who in turn stretched out his hands in order to receive it from him.
"Ah! But before that.." Just as he was about to hand over the key to him, Ray pulled his hand back up, and Franklin, who had expected to receive the key from Ray, stared at him with a look of betrayal and heartbreak on his face.
"What is it now?" Franklin asked with a hurtful expression, and Ray explained, "Since the time you need to get Concentrated Albistum for me was a bit more than what I had expected, I'm afraid I'm going to need a replacement in its place." Ray spoke with a smile on his face. "I mean, at least until I receive my product.."
"And what do you consider to be a worthy replacement to Albistum?" Franklin looked at Ray with a look of desperation. He seemed impatient, as though he was expecting Ray to answer quickly, so that he could grab the key and move into the apartment in Caseria as soon as possible.
"Well, I wouldn't consider it a worthy replacement…" Ray rubbed his chin before replying with the same faint smile on his face. "But do you happen to have any batches of Harkum tablets?"
"Well, I do have them. But are you sure that you want those?" Franklin felt like he had to warn Ray. "They're known to make the user pretty unstable. Especially if they're newbies."
"Don't worry about it." Ray shook his head and let out a short chuckle before placing his hand across Franklin's shoulders, who seemed uncomfortable by his action.
"Well then, what are you waiting for?" Ray patted him on the shoulder before continuing, "Are you going to hand me the Harkum tablets or not?"
"I'm guessing you'll only hand me the key to my apartment once you receive the tablets?" Franklin glanced at Ray and asked with raised eyebrows, and Ray grabbed his cheeks and pulled them as one would do to little children. "That's my boy! We've only met like two times, and yet you're able to understand my interest without me even having to speak. It's like you were meant to work for me forever!"
"Sure, whatever.." Franklin mumbled under his breath as he walked towards his makeshift tent. He actually wanted to yell and scream profanities at Ray as loud as he could, but he didn't want to lose the privileges that he had gained today, and so he kept his mouth shut and held his words in.
Franklin led him into his tent as he warded off any other pestering shopkeepers away from Ray. "Neat setup you got here," Ray said, and Franklin snorted in response. "Don't patronise me."
He then picked up a small box that was covered in dust and handed it over to Ray, who received it with a suspicious expression on his face. "I don't know if I should be worried or not… You aren't secretly trying to poison me or anything, are you?"
"Look man, do you want the tablets or not?" Franklin rolled his eyes and stretched out the box once again, and Ray shrugged his shoulders before reluctantly grabbing the box from him. "I'll beat the shit out of you if I find out this was poisoned, alright?"
"Can you just leave, if you're done with your threats?" Franklin waved his hands at Ray with an annoyed look, as if he was shooing him away, and Ray let out a short chuckle before throwing the key up into the air and in the direction of Franklin. "Hahaha! I'm kidding, I'm kidding! Here you go!"
Whoosh!
The key flew up into the air and Franklin stretched his hands forward and caught it in his palms. Ray waved his hand at Franklin, who was too busy staring intensely at the key to his apartment, and left the tent. "Bye, buddy! I hope you'll enjoy working with me!"
"…. Bastard. Like that'll ever happen.." Franklin mumbled under his breath in a soft voice before continuing to stare at the key in his hands with wide eyes.
"I guess I got a pretty good deal," Ray whispered softly to him as he walked towards his motorcycle, staring at the dust covered box in his hands with a faint smile on his face.
Although not as rare as Concentrated Albistum, Harkum tablets were relatively expensive, especially when compared to the normal mana core strengthening medicines that you find in the market. So the fact that he was able to get a whole box of tablets for free was a huge bargain.
"Hmm…" Ray brought his face extremely close to the dust covered box and stared at it with raised eyebrows before stating, "I should probably test this for anything weird... just in case…"
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Anfield Alliance Guild Headquarters, Seritona City.
CEO Burk Dokgo was staring at the television and drinking his coffee as he sat in his chair, and all of a sudden, he could hear faint noises from outside the door.
"Who is it?" Burk pressed a button that was on top of the table and asked, and after a short moment, a voice replied, "George Hendrick has come to see you, sir."
The man on the other side sounded a bit uncomfortable, and wrinkles began to appear on CEO Burk's forehead. He bit his lips before replying, "Send him in."
Swoosh!
The large doors opened, and George Hendrick walked through the doorway with speed, towards CEO Burk's table, who narrowed his eyes and stared at the fast approaching hunter with an anxious expression on his face.
WHAM!
George slammed his palms on the CEO's table, resulting in a loud noise. He yelled out, "What the hell is this supposed to mean?"
"I do not understand what you're talking about, Mr. Hendrick. And please, do not use such a loud voice when you're speaking with the CEO of your guild.." CEO Burk Dokgo shrugged his shoulders in response.
"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about! And definitely don't act like you care about manners." George snorted with disdain in his face as he stared at the CEO. "You fired the Hunting Director, and you agreed to a swap deal with S-Force Guild, a guild that's partially owned by my father's company, without my consent!"
"I didn't fire Woo. I've just transferred him to another department. He has a better salary, and doesn't have to work too much like he does right now. It's a promotion, so you should be happy for your former Hunting Director." CEO Burk Dokgo explained with a raised finger. He adjusted his glasses before continuing, "And it's not a permanent swap deal, but a temporary one. It has nothing to do with your father. I had a discussion about you with one of the trainers, who suggested a change of environment and dungeon terrain, which is exactly what S-Force Guild provides. I promise that this will be a great learning experience for you.."
"Yeah, don't even try to make it sound like you're doing this for me!" George clicked his tongue and turned around with anger in his eyes as he walked out of the room. "He thinks he can do whatever he wants just because he has a lot of money and influence? I'll show him!"