"You know, if we didn't have a death contract for secrecy, I would have had to kill you for that deduction." I spoke after a long beat of silence.
"Would you now?" She leaned over my shoulder from behind, her face beside mine, her hair tickling my ears. I blushed furiously, my heart beating a mile a minute as her arms wrapping around my neck and whispered mischievously, "I really, really doubt that~"
"Using my crush on you like that, it's unfair…" I looked away as I spoke, my ears hotter than lava, "It's also the easiest way to make me lose it…" I realized then, "Which is probably what you were trying to do." I turned to her, still blushing, but now tinged with a little shame, "I'm sorry, it must be so uncomfortable for you, to have a 10 year old boy crushing on you."
"Of course…not!" She giggled, her voice ringing like soft, chimes in my burning ears as she hugged me tighter, rubbing her face against mine, "It's positively adorable! Uuun~"
I almost had a heart attack from that- she smelled so good. No. That's inappropriate- But her face, her lips-
"But I didn't expect you to admit it so straightforwardly~" She teased and I broke away from my racing thoughts to reply.
"You knew, I knew, you knew that I knew that you knew. What would be the point of hiding it?" I sighed.
"Surprisingly mature of you." She smiled and separated from me, but not before pinching my cheek affectionately.
"Can we get back to the point?" I asked, frowning, "How often do I have to worry about people just Sherlock Holmes-ing my entire deal?"
"Worried?" She laughed softly, "Don't. There are maybe five people in the underworld who can figure it out, and even then, only if you reveal to them as much as you did to me. Keep a low profile and your secret is safe."
I let out a sigh of relief. Wait-
"Five people?" I raised a curious eyebrow.
"Including me, that's Lord Mammon, Zekram Bael, Mephistopheles, and of course, Ajuka Beelzebub. In ascending order of how little input they'd need to lay you out in public. Ajuka especially. You better prepare a fake persona if you want to deal with him."
"Won't he figure that out too?" I asked.
"Of course he will, but that's better than him figuring out your true intentions." She pointed out with a tricksy smile.
"Because he can't call me out due to social convention?" I realized.
"See, you're a clever boy. Don't lose faith in your abilities. Your biggest advantage is that you know you're not clever enough to match any of us intellectually. That's why you insisted on secrecy, using my curiosity against me, didn't you?"
I nodded, shyly.
"Arrogance has been the downfall of better men. I'm glad you don't share that flaw." She said, leaning forward, her face leaning on her palm, as she booped my nose cutely.
"That said, since when is Lord Mammon one of the intellectual heavy hitters of the underworld? Mr. Moo Moo Land doesn't exactly strike me as particularly… bright. He's not stupid sure, but I haven't seen him make any particularly intelligent moves." I asked, concerned.
"He isn't. It's his clan trait that's broken." She replied, a little annoyed, "Why else would that guy place above me?"
"Care to elaborate?" I pushed her a little more. I had to deal with him at least once in the course of my plans. If he's really up there with the big boys, I'd like to know exactly how.
"You look concerned? What do you need from him?" She clocked my intentions immediately, and not a second later it struck her.
"Rudiger Rosenkreutz?"
"Rudiger Rosenkreutz." I nodded.
"You want a Zhuge Liang to your Liu Bei? Not a bad choice. Just one problem. He is intensely loyal to Lord Mammon. He was nothing when Lord Mammon found him. Everything he is, he owes to the guy. There is no way he'll leave Lord Mammon's peerage."
"I have my ways." I assured her before she could pry, "But let's leave that for later. Your turn. What's this special trait Lord Mammon has?"
"You know the Mammon clan's trait?" She asked.
I nodded.
"Treasure Hunter's Intuition. Helps them determine the relative value of goods and services on instinct. Data intensive, but great for business or auctions."
"Yes. But much like Ajuka, Lord Mammon has a mutated version of the family trait. He can't just see the relative present value of something. He can see the potential value something can hold, be it a good or service, a person or an idea." She explained.
"That is so broken!" I couldn't help but exclaim, "How is he still a minor extra demon?"
"There's the catch." She gestured with her hands, "It just sees the potential something can have, not the direction you need to develop to actualize that potential."
"Ah, I see. No wonder he fumbles so much." I had read about his many failed business ventures. Ideas that could have given him a monopoly, squandered on useless tangents. Now in hindsight, that makes a lot of sense, why he would spread himself thin to that extent. He was palming blindly, hoping to land on the right direction to develop what he knew for certain could become a profitable enterprise. He was basically the Underworld equivalent of Donald Trump.
"With businesses, that's difficult to do unless they are hyper specialized. But with people? It's much easier. A musician that triggers his trait will likely grow to be an international superstar. A politician, president. A no-name magician like Rudiger? A great arch-mage who dropped a fully formed magician's association in his lap." She giggled, "It makes me glad you came to me and not him."
"Why is that?" I was confused. I wasn't some idiot that would fall for sweet words and a shitty shoulder rub.
"Do you know what I see when I look at you?" She asked, rhetorically, "You are the most interesting thing that has ever walked into my life." She loomed over me, cupping my face in her hands, an intense look in her eyes as she gazed into mine, "I don't know if your life will be a tragedy or a ballad, Riser Phenex, but I'll be damned if I miss my chance to get a front row seat to it. Just for that privilege, I wouldn't have needed a contract to keep your secrets. I would have done it for free."
She chuckled sweetly.
"On the other hand, if you had approached Lord Mammon the way you did me, he'd have tried to wring you dry, and brew what was left for tea. Consequences be damned." She said, with a shrug, "Which of course he would fail. And then he'd simply reveal your true ability and whatever secrets he could dig up with his trait to the public out of spite. Because there is no way he's signing a secrecy contract."
"That is scary."
"The Underworld isn't a nice place, and I know I don't have to remind you of this. But please, be careful." My expression softened, only for her to shatter all that goodwill with her next words, "I can't have my entertainment be ruined because you made a stupid mistake out of inexperience."
She cackled with glee as she saw my sour expression.
"Don't bully me please." I pouted.
"Fine, fine. But only because you're so cute~" She squished my face affectionately, and sat back down in her chair.
"Say, if you're so smart, why don't you use your talents more? You could be so much more powerful! Just as an advisor-"
She raised her hand and stopped me.
"Did you know the Belial clan used to be one of the Great King clans, our name spoken with the same reverence as the Baels?" She chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Of course, I never saw those days.
All I had by the time I was born were stories- of our glory days, of our power and wealth. A past long gone as we lived in a crumbling, rented farmhouse on another clan's territory. All of us who were left after the many wars and internal skirmishes. We barely scraped together enough to put food on the table and a roof over our heads."
She spoke softly, eyes wet with nostalgia.
"My parents died early, left behind nothing more than the bowls and spoons we shared. I don't even have pictures of them and now, 48 years later, I can hardly remember their faces their voices. I lived with my uncle and aunt, one more mouth to feed on them who were already burdened with poverty. Then my brother Diehauser- cousin brother I should say but he has never treated me any different for it- he went and joined the rating games, climbing up the ladder, earning more, spending more on us at times than on himself in those early days.
I still remember them, those days when I got my first ball gown, my first birthday party, our first refrigerator and television. All I wanted then, and now, was just that. A good life. Not glory, not a return to our title as Great Kings. Just those simple luxuries and small happinesses. Now I have it all.
An awkward but loving husband, a cushy job, exciting, entertaining hobbies. You've read my blog. I am not a brave woman, Riser. Too curious at times to forget caution perhaps, but never in search of greatness. No, that I much prefer being a spectator to. My peerage is made up not of warriors or magicians, but of youkai with no home, artists who needed a patron, one librarian I was particularly fond of who didn't have health insurance, a friend who needed a job, my pet hellhound. I have found my peace, carved out my own little slice of paradise." She smiled with grace befitting a goddess. "Now I'm just a mystery gal. Give me a conspiracy to unfold or a case to crack and I'm on the job. But beyond that, if its not interesting, I'm not interested."
"A simple, but not unworthy aspiration." I praised.
She looked at me fondly.
"I don't know what drives you Riser, but I hope you too find your peace someday."
I looked back at her and smiled.
"I already have."
"Oh my~" She teased and I gave her a deadpan look, "My family, dumbass. I just met you. I'm not sappy enough to pull that move!"
That only made her snicker harder. I just ignored her. But then an idea struck. If she's not keen on power… maybe she can help me with something else.
"Lastly, Lady Cleria-"
"Just Cleria is fine, Riser. We'll be meeting often. I'd rather not dwell on the formalities."
"I would like to purchase a manor, as a base of operations in Kuoh. Would you happen to know such a property, fitting for a Phenex?"
"Oh yes, there is one right in my neighborhood. We can stay close together~" She smiled teasingly, "Though it's infested with all sorts of evil spirits and youkai. You might have to clean them out.
If possible, I would like to ask that you don't harm them. Relocate them if possible. They are not malicious by nature- even the evil spirits. I will help if you need someone to talk to them."
"Don't worry, Lady Cleria. I'm not heartless. I will employ them as servants if they are willing and if not, arrange for a relocation to Urakyoto."
"That is very kind of you Riser." She praised me with a gentle smile and my heart skipped a beat.
"Thank you, thank you~" I bowed dramatically and she clapped, before I saw the time.
"It's getting late. I need to be back at Ryokan in half an hour and I have to get pizzas for everybody. Let us discuss this some other day."
"Do come back soon. I have a lot more I want to discuss." She said, and pulled out a folder from her drawer, "I will get the mansion cleaned up for you. Here's the price and features pamphlet they gave me when I toured it. My husband refused to budge on the issue though, so we eventually chose another house in the neighborhood."
She pouted cutely.
I smiled.
"I will be back, sometimes next month. Till then please see if you can get my first request done?"
"I will try, but it won't be quick."
"Try. That will be enough. If not, we can find another way."
There must be quite a few properties around here or in the Norse realm where a shelter can be made. I was going to make a trip to the Norse pantheon anyway. Might as well kill two birds with one stone.
She nodded and waved goodbye as I teleported away.