Chapter 43

“Puzzlement. I explained our situation succinctly when we last talked, not a day ago. Has anything changed in the meantime to alter anything drastically?” He paused. “Except for the fact that you no longer have hair. Why do you not have hair anymore?”

Physically, little had changed in Cuilcis’ shop since the day before. He had a few additional goods displayed, including a rack of variably coloured glassware I assumed to hold potions. There also was a third bored guard stationed outside, now. Besides that, everything else was the same. Including his deadpan looks and desire to have me stop stinking up the place.

“Yes, something has changed.” I let my hand slide over my smooth pate. I’d finally given up and bought a razor to shave my head. It felt weird, but it was definitely better than the half-scorched mess making me look like a c-movie villain. I was going to miss having eyebrows, though. “My request is the same. But this time, I’ve done the leg work. Now, I know that the Tethered aren’t just knowledge vendors. They’re the knowledge vendors. And even if you’re low on the rungs in the organization, out to prove yourself and all that, now I know that you can actually deliver what we need.”

It hadn’t been the only thing I’d learned about Cuilcis. I’d paid a nice handful of our newly acquired mana coins to Kimzi, who was only more than happy to inform on her new boss – after all, it was all knowledge that was already out there. I’d also learned that – what with Last Chance being newly erected – he was the only proper knowledge salesman here.

“We?”

“Yep. Two things have changed – one is my request. I no longer only need information on skills and talents. I also need all the in-depth information you have on the Kadren, here in the Torn Divide and in general.”

“Mirth.” He didn’t elaborate.

“The second is that I am now with a team. A very heavy-hitting, capable team. This means that your potential repayment has improved, drastically. Not only will we be willing to handle specific tasks for you, slay beasts and, obviously pay you a good deal of coins to begin with. We will also be ready to owe you a future favour. The favour obviously can’t be suicidally difficult, and it can’t take forever. Apart from that, we’re open for business.”

“Intrigue. Define a good deal of coins.”

“This.” I upended our coins on the table. We’d already agreed we were all in, excluding what we’d need for food for the next few days.

“Hm. Levels and classes of your team?”

“Caster, 15, Combat Crafter, 17, Scout, 17 and me at 23.” I reeled them off at speed.

“Combat Crafter.” He mused. “Not a common choice. Even so, I must refuse.”

“What? Why?” I asked, exasperated.

“I have already given you the first reason. The Tethered do not believe in credit. You may promise what you will, but I have no true reason to believe in you – neither in your capability, nor in your desire to pay your theoretical debt. No offense.”

“Some taken.” I frowned. “And the second?”

“Price. You seem to not understand how expensive information on skills is. Basic information, yes, that is both affordable and doable. Yet, information on rarer skills? That is something that may impoverish affluent buyers, let alone somebody like you.” He paused for a moment to let the point sink in. “Third is time, and timing. I have just arrived in Last Chance. I am solidifying my position. My potential competitors are scrambling, realizing that they have overseen a market here. As such, even if I wanted to take your deal, I wouldn’t do it just yet. This time is crucial for me to ensure that I corner the market in Last Chance entirely.”

I gritted my teeth. “So, there’s no convincing you?”

“Certitude. No. Yet, I am not turning you away entirely. Since you are convinced that I hold information you crave, I will give you an option. With those others helping you, I will give you options, allowing you to accumulate the credit to pay me. Yet, I imagine it will take you about a month.”

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A month. A fucking month! A month spent by humanity taking it in the ass from their new bestial overlords. I gritted my teeth, and considered my alternatives.

Tell him about the portal and everything? He’d likely take the deal, if I put that on the table. But no. His organization was way too shady for something like that. Same went for feeding him snippets, like telling him about humans and our lovely little Starved Growth trait.

Beat him up? Heh. I definitely would feel better if I did that. But the odds were good he’d repay me by feeding me crap knowledge in return. Oh, and two of his guards didn’t show any details when I tried to use my Identify skill on them.

I decided to go with a classic instead. Passive aggressiveness. “You probably couldn’t even help me.” Adult and collected, that was me. Yup. “What’s with that stupid way you talk, anyway? Certitude!”

He waved me away. “You may leave now. Come back if you are interested in business. As to the verbal habits of the Tibidi, they are simplicity itself. We do not share a lot of mannerisms with other species and do not show emotions well. Hence, we verbally define our range of emotions instead.”