While navigating through the crowded streets of the central market, just ten minutes away from his house, Raziel relied on his memories to find a place where he could obtain some money and an important artifact.
The lively market with vendors calling out their goods and customers bargaining over prices didn't bother him. Instead, he found the scene very relaxing, appreciating the vibrant and authentic atmosphere.
After walking for several minutes, he spotted a tall marble building with an unusual coin symbol at the entrance, confirming it was the right place he was seeking.
As he entered the facility, he was greeted by an attractive, mature woman who approached him and said, "Welcome to the Merchant Guild of Gravantia. How can I help you?"
"I would like to speak with Jasir. Is he available today?" Raziel responded in a formal and educated tone.
The woman frowned upon hearing that name and then asked suspiciously, "Who are you?"
Only a select few knew the name Jasir, as he was a prominent figure whose true identity as the owner of the empire's most prosperous merchant guild was known only to his loyal employees, big shots and family.
Judging by the woman's reaction, she seemed to be a trustworthy underling.
"My name is Raziel Harvestead," he stated plainly.
Upon hearing Raziel's name, the woman's eyes widened, and she politely said, "I'm sorry for my lack of etiquette, young master."
"No problem, ma'am. You seem to be new here, so I won't judge you," Raziel replied graciously.
"Thank you, young master, for your compassion. How can I assist you?" She bowed her head respectfully.
"I just came to see my uncle"
"I see... please follow me, young master, I will guide you," she responded, gesturing for Raziel to follow her.
Raziel started following the woman while Clarice accompanied him in silence.
While walking through the place, he noticed its grandeur and beauty. Golden chandeliers cast a warm glow, and the walls were lined with expensive-looking paintings. Every detail, from the intricate moldings to the polished marble floors, exuded wealth and sophistication.
This was indeed how the headquarters of the Merchant Guild should be. Even the people inside, just by their clothes, appeared to be very extravagant.
After walking through some corridors and passing by some employees-only areas, the woman stopped in front of a simple painting of an elegant boy with blonde hair wearing a military outfit located in an empty hallway.
'What the hell? This is me...' To his surprise, Raziel realized the boy in the painting was him, but younger.
Below that same painting, he noticed there were some strange symbols with a little hole in a round format in the middle, as if something was missing.
While Raziel was distracted by the symbols, the woman suddenly removed her round golden necklace and placed it in the same hole.
The wall then began to tremble slightly, distorting like a mirage, and the painting sudden vanished, revealing a dark entrance to a narrow gray stone corridor that could fit two people side by side.
'Yep... a secret passage... this is indeed something a villain would have, but still cool as heck,' Raziel thought to himself.
"Please, young master, just follow this way," the woman instructed, bowing her head and pointing to the dark entrance.
Raziel nodded and gestured for Clarice to follow him. The girl appeared be unfazed, even after witnessing something like this.
But in reality, she was very afraid and trembling in secret, her heart was sinking in despair at the thought that something bad might happen.
When Raziel and Clarice entered the dark corridor, torches in the wall suddenly lit up one after another, revealing a gray stone door at the end carved with a three-horned dragon showing sharp teeth.
If Raziel didn't know this was the image of his family's symbol, he would probably think it was some kind of hall for a bizarre cult.
When he cautiously approached the door, the dragon's eyes glowed with a fierce red light, and it spoke with a deep voice, "Who dares to disturb my slumber? Give me a good reason, or your body will turn to ashes."
Clarice was terrified after hearing that, unable to maintain her composure. She trembled in fear, her expression was filled with pure terror.
Raziel noticed her condition but remained unafraid, knowing that the place likely had an intimidation magic stone engraved with Harvestead blood somewhere nearby.
Well, actually, the stones were not even hidden, as he identified them to be the eyes of that dragon.
"Uncle, please stop. You're scaring my maid," Raziel said, covering his face in irritation.
"Hmm... Raziel? Is that you?" the deep voice asked, surprised.
"Yes, it's me. Now please stop these intimidation stones before my maid passes out," Raziel replied firmly.
Suddenly, the bright red light vanished, and Clarice leaned against the wall, visibly struggling to recover from the effects of these magic stones.
"Are you alright, Clarice?" Raziel asked with a slight hint of concern in his voice.
"Y-yes, y-young Master," Clarice stuttered, still displaying signs of discomfort.
"Sorry about that. My uncle can be a bit eccentric, but he means no harm," Raziel said, attempting to comfort her.
However, he couldn't help but think, 'Well, he is a bad person, but not towards his family.'
As Raziel tried to comfort her, the stone door behind them began to tremble, slowly opening.
After ensuring that Clarice was in good condition, Raziel walked towards the door. If he wasn't mistaken, this place should be where Jasir stored precious artifacts acquired from auctions or purchases.
When Raziel and his maid passed through the pitch-dark entrance, a strange sensation briefly blurred their vision.
As they regained their senses, they found themselves in a grand, well-lit room adorned with exquisite decor.
Before them stood a finely crafted light brown wooden desk. Behind it, a figure sat in quiet contemplation, flipping through what appeared to be a catalog of treasures from an auction house.
The figure then placed the catalog on his desk and spoke with a dignified voice, "Ah, it is indeed you, my dear nephew. How have you been?"
"I'm well, my dear second uncle Jasir," Raziel replied, mimicking his tone with a hint of affection.
"What did you say?" Jasir asked, frowning and raising his eyebrows in confusion.
A little startled by the question, Raziel then realized his mistake, but it was too late.
"Bwaaa!" His uncle then covered his face with his hands and began to cry.
"My position as first uncle has been taken again! Bwaaa!"
The middle-aged man in his forties was simulating a crying scene in front of him, his mature and scary face framed by round glasses, created an incredibly awkward sight.
"Stop, uncle, I'm sorry! I forgot about my promise. I'll call you first uncle from now on," Raziel urged, desperately trying to halt the embarrassing scene before he died from shame.
Upon hearing that, Jasir smiled and asked, "Really?"
"Really, really, now stop with that 'first uncle,'" he insisted firmly, hoping to put an end to his uncle's joke.
"That's better. So, what brings my favorite nephew here today? Do you need something?"
"Well... yes, I came here today because I need some money to solve an issue," Raziel admitted reluctantly.
"Hmm... I see. Is this issue something that I can help with?" Jasir asked, curious.
"Yes, you can, but that's something I'm going to solve by myself, so don't worry."
"Oh, it seems my favorite nephew is growing up, trying to solve his problems by himself. It's really time for you to start handling your own problems. Neither your father nor I will be here forever, after all. How much money do you need?"
Jasir asked with a light, proud smile spreading across his usually villainous face, which made Raziel feel a tinge of unease. It seemed his uncle truly cherished him.
Perhaps it was because Jasir was his father's cousin, and the two had grown up together like brothers. Their fortunes were intertwined, built on mutual assistance through blackmail, extortion, and even assassinations, which bound them tightly together in a web of shared dirty secrets.
That seemingly silly old man was actually a true villain who would crush anyone who dared to mess with his family.
He was also an incredible Class A summoner, capable of exploring medium-monster density Zones alone, thanks to his high-class beasts.
This guy should not be underestimated at all.
Raziel only knew this because of some memories he retained from the original, as this type of information didn't even exist in the game.
"I'll need five thousand Liridio coins."
"Are you trying to buy a house? That's a good amount of money," Jasir remarked, raising an eyebrow.
"No, uncle, but I need that money to solve my problem. Of course, it won't be for free," Raziel explained, aware that was too much.
"Oh, so you intend to pay me back?"
"No."
"So... how is it not going to be free?" Jasir asked, his curiosity piqued by Raziel's intentions.
"Because I've decided to accept the proposal you made to me last month," Raziel explained calmly, noticing Jasir becoming more suspicious.
"REALLY!" Jasir nearly jumped from his chair, almost losing his balance in his excitement.
"Yes."
"Then it's settled. I'll give you the money. Just wait a minute. I'll go to my locker to get it," Jasir replied, heading off to retrieve the funds.
"WAIT!" Raziel shot before his uncle goes off.
"Bring my rainbow stone too. I remember giving it to you, but can you give it back?"
"Of course, after all, it has no monetary value anyway.
"Well, if that's all, just give me a moment. I apologize for not having a place to sit or anyone to serve you. It's rare for me to receive guests," Jasir said, feeling a little sorry.
"Don't worry, First Uncle, I'm fine," Raziel reassured Jasir, putting him at ease.
"Alright then, wait for me," Jasir said, walking towards a well-adorned dark wooden door after giving a nod to his dear nephew.
Clarice, who witnessed the scene, was taken aback because she never thought someone so powerful and feared by many important figures would act like a idiot towards Raziel.
He glanced at her only once, and Clarice was terrified as she looked into his light brown eyes. It was as if a beast were staring at its prey.
But she still remained composed somehow. The good thing was, probably nothing would happen to her for now.
While Clarice pondered, Raziel was deeply concerned about his earlier statement regarding his uncle's proposal. He recalled the conditions and felt a wave of apprehension wash over him.
'If I'm correct, the proposal he gave was to go on a date with his daughter... So basically, I will have to go out with my cousin... OH SHIT!' the realization hit, making him feel uneasy.