224 DOWNED BY GREED
[At the Temple of Assassin]
Deacon of Death leaned back in his chair, a smirk curling his lips as he addressed Leo. "You've done it again. You took over the entire business empire of the Cergontyn family without spending a single silver coin. Remarkable."
It has always been the Assassin Workshop's aim of reducing the influence of the Cergontyn family in the city. Deacon of Death mentioned it to Leo once and finally he had a plan to achieve that.
Leo shrugged with feigned modesty. "All I did was set the bait. The Cergontyns let their greed do the rest. Their downfall was inevitable once they bit."
"But how did you know they'd take the bait? Buying all those Spike Cactus farms from you at such an exorbitant price was a bold move," Death asked.
Leo chuckled softly. "I didn't know. I gambled. Worst case, owning a few farms isn't a big loss—it's always good to secure our own supply of ingredients. But the Cergontyns? Their arrogance made them predictable."
The plan had been daring. Leo secretly acquired every Spike Cactus farm in and around Sodom City. Then, through a network of agents posing as farm owners, he sold those properties to the Cergontyn family for exorbitant sums.
When Leo finally revealed that the highly anticipated Magic Gathering Potion didn't use Spike Cactus at all, the lands the Cergontyns had acquired became worthless.
Deacon of Death leaned forward, a note of awe in his voice. "But how did you convince the Cergontyns of the use of Spiked Cactus in the formula? They're seasoned pharmacists—they should've spotted the deception."
Leo's grin widened.
"Ah, that's where Megane came in. During her demonstration at the Pharmaceutical Association, she used the correct ingredient—Golden Rat Tail Cactus. Its appearance is almost identical to the Spike Cactus. Without thorough analysis, no one would notice the difference. The Cergontyns saw her process, assumed they had it figured out, and rushed to corner the supply of Spike Cactus to monopolize the market first."
Understanding dawned on the deacon mingling with admiration for Leo's cunning.
"Master Lilleo, you've made yourself hundreds of millions in silver from this deal making you now the richest man in Sodom city", Deacon of Death praised Leo.
"And the Assassin Workshop now owns most of the pharmacies of the Cergontyn family. Their value is something money cannot buy", Leo added.
The Deacon of Death paused, his sharp gaze fixed on Leo. "Lilleo, you're aware that running pharmacies isn't exactly our line of business. Will you take charge of the ones we seized from the Cergontyn family?"
Leo hesitated, his instincts kicking in. A subtle alert appeared in his mind's eye:
"Trust Rating: 40%"
The Deacon's trust had dropped by 10%—a result of Leo merely considering the offer.
It all made sense now. The Assassin Workshop's grudge against the Cergontyn family stemmed from their monopolization of the city's medicine trade. If Leo were to accept control of the pharmacies, he'd inherit that monopoly—and the Workshop's suspicion would inevitably shift to him.
Keeping his tone measured, Leo responded, "Pharmacies were never our primary focus. Our real expertise lies in entertainment—Court La Mood is already more than enough for us to handle. The only reason we even started dabbling in medicine was because the Cergontyns refused to sell to us."
The Deacon's expression softened into a grin.
"Trust Rating: 50%"
A slight relief swept over Leo. He was steering the conversation in the right direction.
"But what about the pharmacies we took from them?" the Deacon asked, leaning forward with interest.
Leo's solution was ready. "There are smaller families loyal to the Assassin Workshop, ones with experience in running pharmacies. Let them take over the operations on your behalf. That way, you maintain influence without holding the reins directly."
The Deacon's grin widened. "That's a smart approach. I like it."
A moment of silence passed before he added, his tone darkening, "But this isn't the end of it. The Cergontyns won't just roll over and accept their loss. A cornered beast is the most dangerous kind. What's your plan for that?"
Leo met the Deacon's gaze, his mind already turning over the possibilities.
Leo's eyes darkened, the sharp edge of his voice cutting through the air. "Exactly. They're wounded tigers now, and wounded tigers don't retreat—they attack. We'll need to prepare for their retaliation. This isn't over yet."
Deacon of Death remained silent contemplating.
Leo leaned back, his confidence unwavering. "Let them come. They'll find we're ready."
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[The House of Cergontyn- temporary Headquarters]
The Assassin Workshop swiftly repossessed most of the Cergontyn family's pharmacies, handing control over to several minor families loyal to them. Many of the pharmacists and staff who once worked for the Cergontyns defected to the new owners without hesitation.
In a dimly lit study, Liama addressed Selassie, his tone filled with desperation. "Uncle Selassie, what do we do now? We've lost everything—our pharmacies, most of our properties—and funds are running dangerously low. We can't sustain operations like this."
Selassie's face darkened, and with a sharp motion, he slammed his fist onto the table, making the oil lamp flicker. "What do you expect me to do? We're ruined!"
A tense silence followed, broken only when Easiese spoke cautiously. "Chief, there's... one option. Remember the secret organization that showed interest in our pharmacies before? Perhaps now is the time to reach out."
Selassie frowned. "You mean the Temple of Hera?" he whispered, almost as though the name itself were forbidden.
Liama's eyes widened in alarm. "What? The Temple of Hera? But they're based in Debauchery City! Are they planning to expand into Sodom City? The Assassin Workshop won't take kindly to us aligning with them."
Easiese shrugged, his tone bitter. "Why should we care what the Assassin Workshop thinks? They've taken everything from us. If we partner with the Temple of Hera, it's their fault for forcing us into this corner."
Selassie hesitated. "But we've rejected the Temple of Hera's offers in the past, time and time again. Why would they want to work with us now?"
Before anyone could respond, the door creaked open. A cloaked figure stepped into the room, her presence commanding and serene.