Chapter 44 - The City Lord

Even at this early hour, the streets of Velgrada were already alive and buzzing. It was looking to be a pleasant and warm day, one that further increased the number of people bustling on the streets and the amount of filled market stalls. It was the perfect cover, too, letting Markus blend into the flowing crowd and head toward his destination.

If someone was there, watching and trailing him, they couldn't actually tell that he walked with purpose, his face masking his honest thoughts. He knew he might be trailed, and he could do nothing about it... So, he has been on the prowl for an hour by now. He stopped at some of their own shops, taking inventory, examining his employees, and acting as a concerned owner with seemingly how all of the previous avenues were closing before him.

But that was just the front. The decision had been made, and this was the moment to act on it. There was no turning back now.

So, when the usual breakfast time finally arrived, hearing the city's clocktower sound the eight o'clock bells, he was already close to the bakery, the one he gifted to Shade. He timed it well, and it was the perfect cover for entering it while buying something to eat. Not even his possible watchers could fault the logic behind it.

The bakery's front was mostly unassuming, wedged between two taller buildings, both of which were homes for predominantly working-class citizens. Its sign was gently swinging in the breeze, 'Hearth & Crust' etched onto its surface. It was clearly newly painted and put up with great care. It was also then the scent of fresh bread hit him, drawing out a loud grumble from his stomach, reminding him that he was actually somewhat hungry. In the previous night's discussion and with the stressful recognition of their plight, he had to acknowledge he skipped more meals than he was proud of.

"Well," he chuckled, reaching for his coin purse. "Going by the smell alone, this will be good!"

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When Markus entered the shop, I was already inside, leaning against the counter with my arms crossed. The actual morning rush was over an hour ago, and at this moment, all the kids were out, doing their last round of deliveries and their usual information collection. A few loaves of bread and pastries sat beneath a cloth close by, remnants of the early morning batch, one that I was also munching on just a minute ago. The rest of the shop was empty, and Lira was in the middle of prepping the dough for the next rush around lunchtime, only glancing at the newcomer once.

"You're late," I said, offering a welcoming smile as I stood a bit straighter and unfurled my arms.

"There is a lot of work to do," He answered while he shut the door behind him, the bell above it jingling softly. "And I had to be sure I wasn't too obvious if I am being followed." He shrugged off his coat, revealing the dagger at his belt, clearly expecting trouble, but by the looks of it, he never had to use it. "You know why I'm here." He whispered as he got closer to the counter, "I'll take the deal."

"I see." I nodded, and my smile widened just a fraction. "Good. Let's sit down." I pointed towards one of the small tables in the corner, and when he pulled out the chair, I put a sweet strawberry-jam-filled doughnut before him. "Then let's be clear about our arrangement." I continued, sitting opposite of him, out of view as if someone was looking in from the outside. Until they pressed their face up to the windows, they wouldn't see me from where I was sitting. "Shade provides the information. You get what you need to make the City Lord listen. In return, Veren & Sons owes us."

"I understand; I just have one question." Markus took a bite, visibly surprised by the taste and enjoying it, but then his expression hardened once again. "How much?"

"Hm..." I tilted my head, studying him like someone who was still unsure of an answer. Truth is... I was. "That depends. Payment isn't just about coins, you see." I said, deciding to keep being indirect and somewhat vague, "Shade values influence. Leverage. A voice in the right places. And you're about to put yourself in a very interesting position. That has... long-term potential."

Yeah... Both of us understood it. I watched as Markus's grip tightened on the soft dough, squirting a bit of the jam out. It was simply logical. If my information was indeed this valuable, Veren & Sons would get close to the City Lord. It was an opportunity for me to have a new and really valuable source of information. Knowledge that can be actually worthwhile and sellable for a reasonable amount or for some equally valuable items.

"Damn clever way of binding me to your chariot," he muttered.

"It is what it is." I smiled and didn't deny it. "Clever? No. Logical? Yes. But also beneficial. For both of us. We don't deal in bad investments. Helping you helps us. Your success is our success. Isn't that why you offered Shade this place? We are simply repaying your hospitality by selling you this information on the cheap."

"Maybe..." Markus exhaled sharply through his nose. But I could see it in his eyes; he understood. Maybe he even realized that Shade valued connections. It wasn't a bad thought, and I would like it if that part would spread. I want my Shade-persona to be looked upon as someone trustworthy and someone who values honesty and loyalty the most. If I want to be a proper information broker, I have to make my clients believe in what I'm selling and not even question my methods or their validity.

"There was no way out now." He finished the rest of his doughnut in one swallow, reaching for a second one. "Fine. Give me what you have. We will be in your debt until you say so."

"Don't worry. We are not like the Ledger," I chuckled as I reached into my inner pocket and slid a sealed envelope across the table. "Inside of this is everything you need. Where the artifact was last seen, what its descriptions are, and who are the possible parties that know about it." I watched as he slowly fingered it, feeling the thickness of the multiple parchments folded up inside, surprised by the amount of possible information contained within. "Present it well, and the City Lord will listen. Present it poorly, and you'll wish the Crimson Ledger had gotten to you first."

"Don't worry," Markus took the envelope, tucking it into his inner coat pocket, wanting to go home and read it all. "I am a good merchant... Presentation is one thing I am confident in." As he stood up, dusting off his fingers, and turned to leave, I spoke again, my voice low, warningly so.

"Be careful, Markus. Both of us are stepping into deeper waters than we may realize."

"I was aware of it when I took that damned noble's request for potions," Markus answered and didn't look back, his back straight. "I always knew how to swim. Even if I was almost dragged down to the depths once, I won't just give up."

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Three days. It took Markus that much time to comb through everything in the letter, including the shocking news that implicated two gold-ranked adventurers, heads of a branch of the Adventurers Guild, nonetheless! If all that he had read was indeed facts, that now bandits had it... It was the best possible outcome because any other lord could send in covert agents to find and get the artifact. This... this was more than news about an elven artifact. This was something that would spark a war between countries. The fact that Shade even included hand-drawn portraits of people who knew about the artifact and possibly even had it. He couldn't wait. He had to act.

Only an hour later, Markus stood before the iron gates of Coty Lord Edran Valcroft's estate, the morning mist clinging to the impeccably manicured hedges and marble statues lining the path he was being led through. The air here was different—or at least, he felt it like that, as if it was cleaner and colder, as if he was in a different world, sealed off from the bustling cityscape of Velgrada. Or it was the sensation of the two men escorting him in.

When he arrived and stated that he had important news for the City Lord, the guards weren't buying it at first. Standing at the gate, they wore polished breastplates, their expressions unreadable beneath their helms. One stepped forward, his voice clipped, about to shoo him away, probably hearing it multiple times... but he wasn't budging.

"My name is Markus Veren," he said, forcing his voice steady. "I say it once again: I am requesting an audience with the City Lord regarding a matter of significance. If you fail to show me in... It will be your heads that will roll on the floor."

It was a bold statement, but he decided to risk it. Even they were surprised by the callout, and he felt how the guards' eyes flicked over him, lingering on his fine, most expensive coat, and well-kept clothes below it.

"Follow us. Do not think about deviating from our route, or we will cut you down there and then."

Markus didn't have to wait long after being escorted into the City Lord's home.

The corridors of the estate were a far cry from the cramped alleys of the merchant districts and the few lower-ranking nobles he buttered up to until he got his breakthrough. This place was grandiose—high ceilings, tapestries depicting Velgrada's rise to power and becoming one of the Seven Cities, and giant windows that let in sunlight, basking everything in a golden glow.

When he was finally ushered into the main greeting chamber, Lord Valcroft, who he only saw in public speeches, sat behind a massive oak desk, his fingers steepled over a half-written letter. He didn't look up immediately, letting the silence stretch until it frayed at Markus' nerves, standing between the two guards who waited just the same. Unmoving. Silent.

It allowed him to examine the Lord of Velgrada for the first time, actually watching and not just listening to a faraway figure.

Markus's first impression was that Edran Valcroft was a man who commanded without speaking. His dark hair was streaked with some silver at its sides, and his face was lined with a few deeper lines as he was about to enter his fifties—as far as he knew. When his sharp blue eyes finally lifted, Markus felt like a tiny little bunny pinned beneath a fox's paw.

"I did not expect visitors." He spoke calmly but without anger or surprise. When the guards said nothing, Markus decided to risk it.

"Esteemed City Lord," He bowed respectfully, "My name is Mark Veren."

"Markus Veren," Valcroft repeated, his voice smooth, and to his surprise, it sounded as if he finally put a face to a name. "Your name came across my desk once. The last target of the Crimson Ledger." He said, making Markus's body stiffen, "But that alone does not earn an audience with me." He set his quill aside. "To be let inside, to come to me to beg for my assistance... You had to claim to have something of significance. I suggest you make it actually worth my time." He waved a hand, and the guards left, leaving only the two of them there.

"Y-y-yes..." Markus resisted the urge to swallow, his teeth chattering a little. "I bring information. It's a very... valuable one. Information that could shift the balance of power in Velgrada. Or in the Seven Cities."

"That is indeed a bold statement." Valcroft's fingers drummed once on the desk in response, "Many men have made such claims. Most were wrong."

"I am confident." Markus reached into his coat and placed the sealed envelope on the desk, stamped with his group's emblem. "It is an Elven artifact. It's within reach. Probably..."

"Interesting." Valcroft's expression didn't change as he opened the envelope and pulled out the papers to read. He was clearly skeptical. For the next long minutes, the only sound was the faint crackle of parchment. Then, slowly, he set the papers down, his eyes finally showing actual surprise and excitement.

"And how did you come by this?"

"I..." Markus started, licking his lips as he chose his words carefully, like a man picking through broken glass. "Through trusted sources."

"..." Valcroft leaned back in his chair, examining his expression and how sweat ran down from his forehead. He was looking for clues... telling signs. And Markus knew it. "The kind that doesn't deal in charity, I assume."

"No," Markus admitted. "But the City Lord is a man of honor. And I suspect he knows the value of a favor repaid."

"I like the honesty of your words." For the first time, Valcroft smiled—just a flicker, there and gone. "Clever. You come here not just with knowledge but with an understanding of how this game is played. I can see why the Ledger targets you. My guess is this comes from the same man who saved you?"

"I..."

"No need to explain." He waved his following words away, "I knew about the thievery; it is the usual method of the Ledger; I just can't prove it. Anyway, whoever gave you this... You are lucky to be picked by them. Not that I am against it! This city's brokers were all bought and paid for by the Ledger... I was in dire need of a new source..." He scowled, blinking his eyes burning in hatred.

"That is why... I am here." Markus held his ground despite his intense glare. "I come here as a man who knows that Velgrada thrives when the right people remain in power."

"..." Valcroft studied him for a long, silent moment. Then, with a gesture, he tapped at the bundle, "I will have to verify this on my own. If it proves true, you will have earned my attention. And perhaps more." He stood, and Markus felt the weight of the man's presence like a physical boulder. "But understand this, Markus Veren—when you seek an alliance with me, you do not do so lightly. My favor is not freely given, nor is it easily discarded. If you are right, you will be under my protection. Don't ever go against me... I don't hate ambitious people... but I hate traitors."

"I understand, City Lord." Markus met his gaze with all of the effort he could muster. "I do."

"Good." Valcroft nodded once. "Then let us see if you are worth the favor you seek."