Chance Store

'Evan Neil, yes, wasn't he a mage specialized in runes?'

Evan Neil, a mage who brought runes to a whole new level in the future.

'Where did they say he came from again? Was it Hellison or Puton? Hmm, I'll have to check once I get back to the castle' Ezra thought, setting another objective for later, before coming back to the present.

'This will definitely make some noise…but I can use another disguise tomorrow. As for the carriages, I'll just leave them be, as long as they don't recognize me as a prince, things should be fine' Ezra thought of the implications of his current actions, while making a mental note to notify Cabrera of the attention he would soon be receiving.

People are definitely going to hear about a ten year old boy who cleared out all the chance shops soon, and while he could drink a disguise potion to change his outlook, the coachmen of the carriage's he sent would be questioned.

Which would lead them to the Dark Tooth gang, and then nothing.

As long as no one knows his real face, everything would die down soon. There were almost thirty thousand people in Kingsmere, the number of children too many to keep track of.

At this moment, he suddenly remembered his past life, before looking at himself and thinking…

'Was I always this good at scheming?'

Now that he thought about it, he wasn't anything like he was currently, or was he?

In his previous life, he didn't know how to scheme, or to say it better, he never had a reason to do so.

At the time, he was struggling to survive, trying to get stronger each day. He didn't have any grand goal or ambition, only to journey the world, and he did so.

Yet now…

'I'm more scheming than the ones who betrayed me, more ruthless than someone at war, and suspicious of almost everything and everyone'

Ezra said this not as a bad thing, but to remind himself who he was and who he is.

He shouldn't change who he was completely because of the betrayal.

Of course, he would adapt and grow, but he had to remember that, like his mom, not everyone was bad. If he didn't draw a bottom line to his deeds, he would most likely end up like the people who betrayed him and…

'That can never be allowed to happen' Ezra thought with renewed resolve.

'I will give back what is given to me twofold' this was his principle, twofold.

Any goodwill given will be given back. Same thing for any ill will.

Ezra calmed down after setting a bottom line and a principle. He could never become like those nobles, ever.

At this moment, the carriage came to a halt, pulling Ezra out of his reverie as the trio got off in front of an alleyway.

They moved into it, going through a complex path before arriving at another chance store. Ezra, like before, asked the other two to stay outside while he went in to buy some items.

After all, who could say the seller wouldn't recognize Randy.

The owner of this shop was a drunkard, seeing he was drinking when Ezra came in.

Yet, unlike the others, he was fit and packed with muscle, with a snake tattoo carved on his left arm.

"Hmm" was all he said as he looked at me with interest before focusing on his drink.

Like before, I rapidly searched for hidden treasures while using mana vision.

I could feel the strain in my eyes increase as I kept doing this. It was reducing the amount of time it could be used for.

But just like the strain in my eyes had increased, my hand movements had gotten faster and I was becoming more proficient at sorting things.

Nine minutes later I finished sifting through all his merchandise and it was the best haul I had gotten thus far.

Thirty-four items, with none less than silver rank!

I was exhilarated at the sight of such a bountiful haul. Who knew this place was a literal goldmine just waiting to be found?

Yet, at this moment, I saw the seller's eyes widened…and I knew that was never a good sign.

He slowly got up and looked at me with interest before speaking…

"Tell me, what ability did you use just now?"

"Wait, what now?" I acted dumb.

"Don't try anything stupid kid" he said, pulling a knife out, but I wasn't tall enough to see from where.

"Come sign this contract and I'll let you live" he said, before pulling a familiar piece of paper.

It was soul paper.

I immediately connected the dots and understood.

He wanted to enslave me using the contract so that he can use my powers to elevate his business. He wasn't planning on letting me go.

The minute it clicked, I threw away all the acting. I released killing intent, causing him to stumble, before falling on his butt.

I was really angry at this moment so I jumped on the sales desk and looked him straight in the eye.

I saw his body quiver as he held the dagger forward like an amateur, while staggering before shouting…

"D-Don't come any c-closer I'm warning you, o-or else-" he tried intimidating me with the knife, but he only looked more pathetic.

"Or else WHAT?!" I suddenly hammered. He shut up but kept his stance, looking at me like a cat driven into a corner.

It was hilarious to say the least.

He was stuttering and shaking while looking at me, then I suddenly remembered that he just had alcohol, he was still drunk.

He was the one who wanted to force a seemingly harmless kid into signing a slave contract just moments ago, yet now…any bystander might think he was the victim.

"Tell me, do you have a child?" I asked.

"What does that-"

"Just answer the question" I said as I increased the intensity of my killing intent and continued speaking…

"Who knows I might just spare your life"

The last part must have gotten to him, as I saw hope in his eyes, before he suddenly became gloomy as he said…

"I did, but not anymore" there was immense sadness in his voice, but why would I care?

"So that's why you're willing to turn other kids into slaves?" I asked and he hurriedly answered.

"N-No, that's not it. I-I needed something to boost my sales. When I saw you pick things so fast, I guessed you must have an appraising ability or something like that. So I thought I could have you work for me…"  he said with a regretful expression, as he couldn't believe the absurdity of the situation.

"For the rest of my life?!" I asked.

"No, It's because-" he wanted to protest but I cut him off immediately.

"Enough" I said as my voice resounded.

I looked at the soul paper and a brilliant idea came to mind.

I took the soul paper and quickly scribbled a very one-sided contract, before stretching my hand to take a defective sword in his pile.

It was one of copper rank, but it was enough to threaten.

*Kang*

I hit his knife with the sword and sent it flying, then I put the sword to the man's neck and threw the soul paper towards him.

"Sign it" I said, leaving no room for arguments.

The man quickly caught it and only read a little as his face turned immensely ashen.

But I didn't give any chance to speak as I pushed the sword closer to his throat and said…

"Sign it or die. You have three seconds to choose."

"But-"

He wanted to plead but I didn't bat an eye.

"1"

"Plea-"

"2"

Seeing that he might really lose his life, he hurriedly cut his index finger on my sword and dripped his blood onto the soul paper.

I didn't want to kill him because he might prove useful in the future, but I wouldn't leave him with only a lecture after he wanted to enslave me.

So I did the next best thing and enslaved him with a lot of unfair terms.

There was no end date, so he would work for me for an indefinite amount of time.

I could decide not to give him any wages for his work and there was nothing he could do.

I called Fredrick and Randy in and told them to take all the merchandise I had hand-picked and call a carriage to take it away.

I would love to let him rot and die, but his luck was useful, and I wasn't one to be wasteful.

And so…

"Take this" I said, flipping him a gold coin before adding…

"Fill your shop with such wares. I'll come by every week to pick it up or I'll send someone to do so"

The man was in a daze as he stared blankly at the gold coin in his hand, before looking at me and nodding dumbly.

I would make use of his luck to get even better items. This was the best way I could think of to maximize the profits.

"Yes Sir" he suddenly said as I turned and left, before giving him a message…

"Tomorrow, you will go to the gang called Dark Tooth and tell the leader that Kevin sent you" I said, before boarding a carriage to the next chance store.

"Let's go" I gave the coachman the go ahead and we went on.

Meanwhile…

"I'm not dreaming! It wasn't a dream!" the man shouted in his shop as he stared at the gold coin.

After all, he didn't earn that much in a year, at most twenty silver.

But now he became a slave with the worst conditions ever.

A day that was supposed to be the worst day of his life, yet now…he was jumping in joy with a gleeful expression.

"Maybe this might not be so bad after all" the man said as he calmed himself down and went to take a glass, when unbearable pain hit him.

"No, don't tell me…he didn't, right?" he said as he tried to drink again, but the same thing happened.

"NO!" he shouted as his gleeful expression became unbelievably gloomy.

That bastard, or his new master, had stopped him from drinking alcohol.

Which meant that, from this moment on, he couldn't get drunk.

What followed was a man cursing in every language he knew at an unknown existence throughout the night.