A deal

"In this life, you are either a king or a pawn."— Napoleon Bonaparte once famously quoted.

The underlying analogy suggests that in various situations and societies, some people wield power and control—the kings.

While others are under their influence and control—the pawns.

It draws attention to the dichotomy between those who hold authority and those who are subject to it.

But personally, I dislike this saying.

No... dislike might not be the right word.

I should say ,"I don't have much faith in this saying."

Kings and pawns? Seriously?

Are we merely chess pieces? And if so, who is the one playing the game?

Many people enjoy identifying themselves as kings or likening life to a game of chess.

I mean I get it, who wouldn't like to identify themselves as a king?

But, I wholeheartedly reject the notion that life is like a chess game.

It is not only flawed but also a weak concept.

Let's for a moment entertain the idea that this world operates like a chessboard, with its pawns and kings.

But what happens if...let's say an anomaly—an entity that doesn't belong to this chess set or in this case, world, enters the scene?

In my experience, the world and life is something you cannot put an ,'This is it.' to.

And those who believe themselves to be kings of this chess set and views others as nothing more than pawns are weak.

Those who think that other people are merely tools to be utilized...such a flawed thinking process.

I mean I get the ideology behind such a thinking process — 'Being a winner and nothing else'

All people are tools... doing anything to get to your goals.

But such a flawed ideology can only lead towards the path to catastrophic events like World War 3 or The Great Cataclysms.

There are numerous ideologies that I strongly dislike, such as the notion of equality, which is built upon the superficial concept of equity.

Personally I have a different belief: "For those who fail to understand that their actions are harmful, not only to themselves but also towards the society, for such people punishment becomes mercy. Mercy towards them and towards the society "

Therefore, I am inclined to extend mercy to these self-proclaimed kings who believe they have the right to rule the world.

The elite league, the central union—all of them must be put down. Taking this step is important.

"So, what did he say?"— I asked eagerly over the phone, speaking to none other than Nathan Rivers, also known as Crimson Viper.

["Well... haha, the deal went smoothly as planned, but the conversation took an unexpected turn"], Nathan replied through the speaker.

A frown creased my forehead as I detected a hint of guilt in his voice. "Why do I sense guilt in your voice ?"—I questioned, not pleased with his evasive language.

["Guilt? I have no idea what you're talking about"], Nathan attempted to feign ignorance, but his words didn't fully convince me.

"Spill the beans. What did you do?"— I pressed, wanting to know the full extent of his actions.

["...he asked if we could assist him with a little business, given our particular skill set"],—Nathan finally confessed, revealing the truth behind the conversation.

Nathan soon told how was the meeting with Jailer Rodion Romanovitch.

Crimson Viper went to meet this cunning jailer, who possessed the uncanny ability to elude the authorities while carrying out illicit activities, owing to his position of influence.

It was under my command that Nathan embarked on this mission.

The purpose of the meeting was simple —I needed prisoners, living souls to be utilized in the brain mana tampering experiments conducted by Alice Bailey.

Random people plucked from the streets would not suffice for these highly delicate matters.

Thus, I deemed prisoners as suitable subjects, and it was Jailer Rodion Romanovitch who could assist me in this regard.

However, during the negotiation, an unexpected twist occurred.

The conversation moved towards the agricultural business that Rodion's family was involved in, adding an intriguing layer to our deal.

It seems Nathan returned with an additional proposal entwined with my original arrangement.

"What does he want?" I asked, feeling the weight of the conversation pressing against my temples as I placed my fingers against my forehead.

"He wants us to eliminate his business competition, so that he can secure a lucrative deal and finally establish his family empire," came the response through the phone speaker.

"And what type of business is he involved in?" I inquired, needing a clear understanding of the situation.

"It's actually his family business. They specialize in the production of sweet products, predominantly honey. Their main competitor is Maple Z Company, the local maple syrup manufacturing company-" Nathan explained, before I interrupted him, already familiar with the details.

"Yes, I'm aware. The local maple syrup manufacturing company," I interjected, acknowledging his statement with a brief moment of agreement, still pressing my hand against my pounding forehead.

He wants me to eliminate his business competition... how the fuck am I supposed to do that?

No conversation went on the phone for a whole minute as I went silent.

As I strained my mind, racing through potential solutions, an idea emerged and slipped from my lips, almost like a murmur. "Honey bee venom... a potential cancer cure... invasive species...", I whispered, contemplating the potential path forward.

["What was that?"]

"Oh, it's nothing. Just a passing thought"

Clearing my throat, I gathered my thoughts and spoke with a newfound determination, "Ahem. Inform him that we will fulfill that part of the deal, and he shall receive appropriate compensation as agreed upon in the original terms. However, add an additional condition: I require a healthy colony of honeybees before proceeding."

["But-"] Nathan began to protest, only for me to swiftly interject, "Let's meet at the workshop. I understand that the formalities are still underway, and the place may not be fully prepared, but let's meet there nonetheless. Bring Alice Bailey with you."

After a brief pause, he finally replied, ["Fine... when?"]

"The day after tomorrow," I declared, swiftly ending the call with a decisive —click!

"Nano, I need you to search for facilities or laboratories that specialize in large-scale insect rearing," I instructed.

"Especially those inclined to take on discreet third-party projects. Also, gather their complete history, documenting any past unethical activities. I must have a contingency plan in place in case they ever attempt to expose my part."

[Affirmative]— Nano responded, its voice devoid of any identifiable gender, emitting a robotic tone that echoed in my head.

"Haaa! "—With a heavy sigh, I sank into the plush chair pulled up near the window of my second-floor room.

From this vantage point, I could gaze upon the serene scenery outside, allowing it to provide a temporary respite for my restless mind.

As I watched the scenery outside my mind revised my scheme.

I have crafted a very simple scheme.

In order to strike a deal with Jailer Rodion Romanovitch, acquiring a steady supply of discreet criminals, I needed to assist him in eliminating his family business's competitors.

The Romanovitch family, rooted in the art of crafting natural, unadulterated honey, held sway over a product of remarkable value. Their honey, sought after for diverse culinary uses, potion-making, and even pharmaceutical endeavors, commanded exorbitant prices.

However, the family's success remained constrained by their status as a local enterprise, hindered by their dependence on Maple Z Company, which controlled half of the honey demand due to their monopoly on maple syrup production.

My plan was simple.

I will eradicate the very foundation of Maple Z Company's operations: the maple trees thriving upon their agricultural land.

To execute this, I would employ the aid of a cunning intruder, an invasive insect species known as Caelifera.

I was planning to acquire these Caeliferas from an insect rearing company with a questionable third-party supply chain history. Leveraging this dark history, I would have a contingency plan in case they ever turned against me.

The other part of my deal involved obtaining specialized honey bees from the Romanovitch family.

Through experimentation, I aim to replicate a cure for a specific type of cancer with the help of Nano – it was a cure already discovered in my world.

Despite the presence of magic in this world , diseases like cancer remained deadly without a known cure.

But I possessed the knowledge and means to provide that cure.

The importance of this plan extended beyond the potential honor of being the first to discover a cure for cancer.

A successful outcome would earn me the trust and favor of the esteemed Great Mage Seraphina Darkthorn.

Seraphina's daughter faced a crippling battle with cancer.

By saving her life, I hoped to secure Seraphina's unwavering support, positioning her as my trusted benefactor.