'Thankfully they couldn't see what I was holding just then...Defending myself with a measly letter opener would have been difficult. Besides, I don't have a penchant for violence.' Kramoris indulges his thoughts before getting back to the matter.
"As expected from the empire's greatest merchant, I see you're a man of many talents." Rhetta speaks, it felt more like a fact than an attempt of flattery.
"Second best merchant in the empire." Kramoris is quick to correct her.
"We both know that's not the truth. Mr. Tredwit." Rhetta states with a small smile. "Just because you shuffle a few letters around does not make it infallible."
Tredwit, full name Marksori Tredwit is the head of the Goldwyn merchants guild, the first rated in the empire.
"Publicly Silverly and Goldwyn are constantly competing for the first spot, of course without knowing the same person owns the competition. It's quite a show you put on." Rhetta muses.
Kramoris chuckles. "I was found out so easily."
"Before we started negotiations I wanted to confirm if you were really Kramoris but you already did that for me. I would have preferred a more tangible proof but it is what it is."
"I don't see anyone else by the name of Kramoris around here." He pulls out a pocket watch holding the initials K.D inscribed under the merchant guilds crest and hands it over to Rhetta. She inspected it carefully, it was better than nothing.
"So, I will ask again, why are you looking for me?"
Khio mutters a creative slew of curse words about Kramoris between her and Hammy. Florian sits on the sidelines watching this exchange between Rhetta and Kramoris. It is a complex conversation, at least in Florian's eyes and witnessing the skilful use of words and cunning as weapons. Of course from where Rhetta sat, this was as easy as breathing. She had to navigate the sea of liars and nobles each with their own hidden ploys and agenda's, she picked up tried and tested experience from every encounter.
"As stated by Florian previously, we were tasked with finding you. Since you will be a crucial person in what is to come."
"Hmm...Well I believe it was Florian alone who was tasked with finding me. Surely you don't expect me to believe the Sage sent that girl to find me. Why don't you tell me who really is looking for me?"
"The great Sage." Rhetta states calmly.
Kramoris sighs, he won't deny he felt intrigued by the name and the reason.
'No matter how much I have tried to contact him it is impossible. Minus that single time he agreed to share drinks with me. I was so sure I could get him on my side...All things considered why would he be seeking me out now?' Kramoris tried to find an answer searching his memories for a hint, and not all that surprisingly nothing stood out to him.
Kramoris earned the reputation of being someone who is able to obtain anything. Jewels, trinkets, artefacts, antiques and even people. His particular hobby was collecting talented individuals. Not in the literal sense of buying people, slavery is a thing he detests and no matter how much money was on the table, that was one line he would never cross. His 'collection' was in fact; relationships. He would form relationships with talented people and they mutually benefit from an agreement that they set. Up until the Sage there was never a single individual that turned him down. He was the only unobtainable person and by far the most desirable. Mostly because Kramoris was fascinated by the inner workings of his mind, along with all the secrets such a man bore.
The deals he could cut, the things only he could offer. The Sage was someone he had set in his sights for a long time due to his unusual skill set. Well, maybe Kramoris's main desire for wanting Basil related to his unconventional investment in something everyone called a 'worthless treasure.'
He possessed a library filled with books, scrolls and papers all written in archaic script. He could feel the value of these written pieces. It truly is a treasure in its own right, but the content was completely worthless because only two people in the entire empire were literate in the ancient language. Those two people being Basil the great Sage and the archbishop of the temple. Not much of a target market to appeal to.
If the Sage truly was the one who called for Kramoris, this would be a literal deal of a lifetime. It would be difficult to turn down and Rhetta knew this as well.
'Responding to his request would be good in the long term. At the very least he will be obligated to owe me a favour.' Kramoris mulled over the proposition.
Rhetta could see he was debating and decided to sweeten the deal. "If you need to be convinced further, I can provide you with a talented individual."
"If it is you, the imperial strategist or the beast knight over there. I am not interested. Your talents are interesting but only worth a little profit."
"I must say I'm disappointed to hear my skills only amount to a little profit. Especially when you cannot grasp the potential of those talents. Never mind, I was referring to Florian."
Kramoris looks at Florian, analysing and trying to ascertain what kinds of talents she would have. Everything he invested in was and will always be a solid deal based on benefit and profit. He accepted no losses.
"And what talent would be so profitable?"
"It's something you want very badly."
Rhetta holds out her hand waiting for Florian to pass her something. Florian is confused as nothing was mentioned to her. She puts her hand into Rhetta's.
"I meant your notebook Florian." Rhetta replies a tad bashful that was Florian's first reaction.
"Oh! Right..." Florian sets her notebook into Rhetta's hand.
Kramoris takes the book and flips through the pages only half paying attention. The contents are something he is familiar with, none other than archaic script. He notices the handwriting, that alone makes it familiar. The pages are filled with it, not that he can read or understand any of it. He also notices a different set of handwriting. "This is!" Kramoris finally picked up the hint that Rhetta threw to him. "Impossible! Only two people in the empire know this language!"
"Officially that is the case. However, Florian here is the one tasked with finding you and the Sage taught her the language himself. She is fluent." Rhetta does deliver the fact, knowing that may be the only thing that will interest Kramoris enough into wanting to make a deal.
Kramoris grabs Florian's hand "Is that true!?"
Florian nods in response and is startled by his overwhelming excitement.
"I also know just how many permits you always send to the capital to get approval for obtaining magic beasts as pets for nobles. Imagine the profits you could reap from domesticated beasts."
"Domesticated?" Don't be absurd." Kramoris retorts, her words held truth. It would be an exceptionally profitable venture, of course Kramoris had tried it but never succeeded.
It acted as a cue, Khio picks up a stick and throws it a little ways past Kramoris. "Fetch it Hammy." In perfect response Hammy takes off to retrieve the stick that had just been thrown. He returns, dropping the stick gently into Khio's hand. "Sit." Hammy sits.
Needless to say he had been rendered speechless, the creature in question was a magical beast. There was no doubt. From its size it was reckoned to be a pup as well.
"That is a beast that Khio met today, merely a few hours ago. Do you still think it's a useless talent?"
He smiles "I was too short-sighted. Are you saying that just by helping I could have access to all of this talent?"
"Of course, I'll even throw in my consultation for free."
"It's a good deal, too good. I still have doubts regarding...Florian, was it?" Kramoris passes a folded note to Florian. He gestures for her to read it. The handwriting belongs to Basil and it is written in archaic script. Florian's face gave away her surprise at the content.
"This was left for me by the Sage after we had drinks together, if you really can read it then let me know what it says. He didn't tell me."
Florian reads the note in its entirety again, hesitating to tell him the translation. "S-Should I read it aloud?"
"Please."
Florian nods and reads the note aloud. "Kramoris is an entertaining drunk. I quite enjoyed his little moonlight cantata. His stories about a miss Margaret moved me, though it was sad to see him crying so painfully over his first heartbreak because she only liked his face. -Basil"
Kramoris blushes under his cloak. "T-That's enough! Stop reading! I believe you!" He yells, straightening himself after Florian ceases. "Anyway! Back to what we were saying, it's a good deal Ms. Edevane."
"I've shaken that name off a long time ago, it is just Rhetta."
"Very well Rhetta, I will accept your deal."
Rhetta extends a kind hand and they shake as a confirmation of the deal struck between the two of them. The empire's greatest strategist managed to weasel the greatest merchant into a deal with unclear terms. Although Kramoris is bound to find some loophole and exploit it.
"Not that I don't trust your words Rhetta but I'm going to draft up a contract." Kramoris practically gleams with joy. "Just one moment I will get everything ready~"
He could not contain his eagerness at the new venture, he glowed at the thought of all the profit and expansion to his network. Florian peered at the odd man who switched through personalities like flipping cards. It fluctuates between two different extremes.
'I wonder...' Florian was curious about something, a hypothesis of sorts. She sneaks closer to Kramoris while he clamours about everything to write up the contract. He whistles a jovial tune that evolves into humming while he writes the terms. Florian reaches up and pulls his hood down unexpectedly once again revealing his face.
"W-What did you do that for!?" He reverts back to his previous self, the henceforth called baby deer personality. Khio and Rhetta notice the same shift.
They could surmise that the catalyst for his personality shift is triggered by whether or not his face is covered up. Another strange individual to add to the mix, it only further emphasized the fact that all the people they sought to find were truly a ragtag mix of strange people.
"Would you like something to eat?" Florian offers with a gesture of reconciliation.
"Hmph." Kramoris scoffs at the audacity but takes the offered fish from Florian.
"I didn't have an opportunity to say so earlier, but thank you for helping me. Back at Hayle village, I mean."
"Hm? Don't mention it." Kramoris murmurs a bit bashfully with the words of thanks.
The fire dies down to a glow of stray embers that dance and fade against the night. Contributing towards a faint warmth but nothing to light their surroundings. The group sleeps, as peacefully as one can in the middle of an unfamiliar forest. Hammy hears the steps of another creature, he wakes up and growls into the darkness.
Khio is startled by the growls and awakens violently expecting to see Hammy going crazy or something of the sort. Rhetta wakes up with the prodding of Khio who is worried about Hammy's outright hostility towards the forest. Silently they arm themselves with their swords and watch, listening for any enemy that may have been lurking.
Florian and Kramoris are the last to wake up, they are locked in a groggy state and struggling to wake up quickly. The moment Florian is able to perceive her surroundings, she is struck with a nauseating feeling of danger. She glances over at Kramoris, his hood is down and his face is filled with fear.
"Khi-" A hand is thrown over Florian's mouth, she is pulled behind a tree. The clouds covering the moon move allowing the moonlight to fill the forest. Khio holds a finger against her lips. Silently she signals for her to be quiet. She points towards the forest and Florian tries to find what had everyone so tense.