Encore 40 — Comrades (IV)

"Kazuya. What does she mean?"

Mr Kim asked me, not particularly happy.

Damn. She figured me out in a quick second. I guess she wants Mr Kim to only become her benefactor.

"Kazuya. Have you been hiding your identity from me?!"

He shouted, furious.

"Mr Kim, hear me out, I hid my true identity for a reason. I mean, if I went to the underworld like with my real look, I don't know how people would react."

I told him.

He still didn't seem to believe me.

"Then show me how you look like..."

The old man said, tapping his walking stick against the ground.

I sighed.

I have to know, I guess.

I deactivated Alter Ego. My blonde hair faded into white and my red eyes became mismatched with one black eye and, the other, white eye.

Everyone in the room either backed away from me or looked at me surprised. Some people did both.

Elizabeth smiled nervously and Myraliana stared at me in shock. Mr Kim glared at me.

"So... 'Kazuya,' did you plan on hiding this from me the entire time?"

Mr Kim's men pointed their weapons at me. I resigned and raised my hands to show that I didn't want to fight.

"I knew that I would get this sort of reaction if I had shown you my real identity."

"Then, Alpha, tell me, what is your goal?"

"My goal still hasn't changed. To erase all Imperi from this world."

"But what about you? You're classified as the first-known humanoid Imperi. That would include yourself."

I had not considered it but...

"So what? Is that not a small price to pay so that we can have a normal world?"

I asked Mr Kim.

Mr Kim then laughed. It was strange since I had not expected him to laugh, and neither did anyone else. We all watched him until he calmed himself.

The old man looked at me with a grin on his face.

"Lower your weapons!"

"But, sir—"

"Lower your weapons!"

This time, it was Yama who shouted the order. The other gangsters reluctantly lowered their weapons and I put my arms down, sighing with relief.

"Kazuya, Elizabeth and Myraliana. I want you all to enter an auction for me."

As Elizabeth and Myraliana moved closer, Mr Kim started to explain what he wanted from us.

"An auction?"

Myraliana repeated.

"As you might have guessed, I'm quite illusive. Many people are after my life. Anyway, there is a certain item that I want from the auction."

"That is?"

"The jewel that supposedly grants immortality—the philosopher's stone."

The philosopher's stone. Every Magi should know this name. The philosopher's stone refers to a stone, which shines bright like a jewel, that can grant immortal life if you drink its essence. 'Philosopher's Stone' is only one of its numerous names.

"Are you sure this is the philosopher's stone?"

Elizabeth asked.

Yeah, even I'm beginning to have doubts. Especially because the philosopher's stone existed even before the existence of Streia.

"It has been verified by the appraiser, Frank Williams, who is known worldwide."

That does seem convincing but Frank Williams is also easily influenced by money. It could also just as easily be fake as real. I won't say anything since it's an easy way to get Mr Kim's trust.

I looked over at Elizabeth, whose expression I couldn't read. Someone like her should know about his greed. I wonder what she'll do...

"Uh, sorry, but, who's Frank Williams?"

Eh?

Elizabeth didn't know who he was.

"Frank Williams is a world-famous appraiser and is known to easily succumb to money."

Yama said, looking at me.

"H-hey, I didn't know, I've been gone for a while, I only woke up a week ago!"

I made an excuse. I could tell what his look was saying.

"Understandable."

Mr Kim answered.

So, he was testing us.

"Anyway, there is a possibility that it may not be real, but buy it either way."

I caught Elizabeth's gaze. She smirked at me, slyly.

It annoys me how I can't tell what she's thinking or what she could be thinking.

"After you buy the philosopher's stone and give it to me, I'll be your benefactor. For all of you."

He smiled.

Elizabeth and Myraliana seemed pleased, but I wasn't. What was stopping him from going to the auction?

Assassination attempts?

But he surely has a way around them. He's most likely using us as scapegoats. Just in case, if Mr Kim tries to be tricky then...

"Could we please make a Binding Pledge?"

I asked him.

Everyone in the room stared at me, shocked. Even the ones who had come in, Elizabeth and Myraliana.

"You've been pushing your luck—"

One of Mr Kim's men shouted but he began talking, shutting him up.

"I like you, Kazuya. You don't trust anybody."

"Not in the Underworld."

Agreeing to this, with a big shot, would be disastrous if you didn't make a Binding Pledge beforehand.

A Binding Pledge makes it so that, once the terms are confirmed, they have to complete the agreement without lying or dodging it.

"I'll do it."

He said.

"But, Mr Kim—!"

"Well, now, is there a problem, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth stopped her outburst, almost causing her lip to bleed from how hard she was biting it.

They were planning something. I'll have to be careful whenever I'm with them.

Mr Kim established a Binding Pledge with all of us. It was a pledge saying that he would become our benefactor once we gave him the philosopher's stone.

"Go over to the specified hotel in this letter. The auction starts tomorrow at noon. You'll get my card tomorrow. I'll send you some clothes for it too, in the morning. I hope you do well."

He said as we were shown outside.

His underlings slammed the door on us and now, we were on our own.

I saw Elizabeth and Myraliana staring at me, uncomfortable.

"Got a problem?"

I asked her.

"You're... Alpha?"

The blond-haired woman asked me.

"Is that not what I said?"

⟨The Singularity, 'Alter Ego,' is selected.⟩

⟨This Singularity can be used as long as the user has mana.⟩

I activated Alter Ego to make sure nobody else could identify me.

I opened the letter Mr Kim gave us. It had some things in it but I found the paper containing information on the hotel.

"Do you all know where the Hell's Lot Hotel is?"

"It's near Horn's Edge."

Horn's Edge. That was near the hotel I was staying at. I could have them lead the way, but not for now. I'm trying to ignore their bloodlust but...

I sighed, turning to the women.

"If you guys want to kill me, then go ahead."

I told them.

They looked troubled when I began speaking.

"But, don't think that I'll let you off if you do."

I don't need them. If they want to betray me, then they can, as long as I'm able to finish the job and get Mr Kim to be my benefactor.

Honestly, if they disappeared, my job would be easier.