Chapter 17 - Deal with The Ripper

"House Moon-Born has declared you dead."

Physician Thalos, now the Ripper, looked down past his crooked nose at the child before him, curiosity flickering at how Orochi had managed to remain alive. "My connections spoke of how the Crowmen executed a warrant for your death. Yet here you are. Very much not dead."

"Astute observation," Orochi replied with a diplomatic smirk. The expression felt unnatural on his young face, but appearances in business negotiations had to be maintained.

"So how is it that a disavowed noble child has managed to stay hidden thus far?"

"One might ask you the same," Orochi answered curtly, taking a seat in the Ripper's office and getting comfortable in the cushioned chair as if he had been here many times before.

The Ripper watched him for a moment, assessing, before his shoulders dropped slightly. A sign that more conversation could be had. "You are not wrong there, young master. We all have our secrets, I suppose."

"Oro, if you please. I have forsaken my titles, as you can tell." Orochi gestured briefly to his far less luxurious garb.

"Oro. Very well. Pray tell, what is it that both of you are doing here?"

"Well, leaving alive does not seem to be one of the options in your mind, does it?" Orochi replied casually, beginning to inspect his nails, appearing wholly unbothered by the implications of his words.

Althea remained standing. She did not sit. The exchange unsettled her. She did not like how the physician carried himself, as though their lives rested entirely in his hands. The room felt like a trap, one that could close at any moment should the Ripper wish it.

Feigning innocence, the balding old man played coy. A unnaturally long smile crept across his face, his head tilting slightly in amusement. "Oh? You are guests. There is no reason for me to harm a guest."

"I beg to differ." Orochi leaned forward, equally calm, clearly enjoying the verbal exchange. "The moment we stepped into this room, our death warrant was signed. The moment you revealed yourself so easily, it became clear we were already dead. A man who has hidden himself for decades would not expose his identity so readily unless he was certain it no longer mattered."

The crooked smile widened as the Ripper leaned forward over his desk. "Oh?" It was an invitation to continue.

"Of course, there is only one reason we are still speaking," Orochi said evenly. "It is because you are the Ripper. Your psychotic habit of entertaining yourself by learning about your victims. Speaking with them before you kill them. Before you remove their organs."

"It seems you have read up on me, young master." A flicker of surprise crossed the man's face, wrinkles forming at his temples. He had not expected such thorough research from a boy barely into his teens, let alone one known as the failure of House Moon-Born. "Yet knowing all of that, here you are. Like cattle walking willingly to the guillotine. How foolish."

The final words were spoken with disappointment as the Ripper leaned back in his chair, exhaling as though saddened that his little game was ending so soon.

"Yes. Well, killing us would make sense, would it not?" Orochi nodded, eyes lowering to a spot on the floor as if lost in thought.

Althea bit her lip, tension coiling through her body as she scanned the room for anything that could be used as a weapon.

"After all," Orochi continued calmly, "the Crowmen themselves must know that I am not dead. A failed assassination would be a stain on their honour. There is likely a reward on my head. A substantial one. And you, the Ripper, with your black market connections, would surely have heard of it."

He lifted his gaze slightly.

"Not only that, you could harvest our organs and sell them for a tidy sum. It may not compare to your heyday, but for a moment you could relive the golden age of the Ripper and pretend," Orochi waved his hand lazily, "that you are not who you are now."

The smile vanished.

Offence flashed across the old man's face.

Seeing he had his full attention, Orochi leaned forward once more, his eyes narrowing. "Of course, there is an alternative. A far better alternative."

"Alternative?" One bushy eyebrow rose, granting Orochi the confidence to continue.

Their deaths, it seemed, would be postponed.

"A proposal to restore the former glory of the Ripper. And even surpass it."

A smile crept back onto the Ripper's face, only to falter when he realised Orochi was not joking.

The audacity of the statement clashed violently with the image of the one delivering it.

"Any last words before you die?" The guttural words slithered out, not fitting the thin physician's frail frame. The voice did not come from his throat alone. It came from something deeper. Something older. Two beings sharing one body.

Orochi could not help but notice the similarity.

Two people pretending within a single shell.

The difference, he told himself, was that he was not insane. At least, he hoped he was not.

"Organ harvesting is more popular than ever," Orochi continued calmly. "Demand from Astlan and Thardosia has increased tenfold. There is a gap in the market for reliable suppliers. Organ harvesting is illegal in Nagalon, and after the royal crackdown on your underground networks, I am sure you have felt the tightening grip of the Crown."

"Are you trying to mock me, boy?" The Ripper snarled.

A dark purple aura bled from his body, coiling around him like smoke.

Insight.

[𝙸𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝙰𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍]

𝚃𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚝: 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚕𝚘𝚜𝙰𝚕𝚒𝚊𝚜: 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚁𝚒𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚁𝚊𝚌𝚎: 𝙷𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗𝙰𝚐𝚎: 𝟼𝟹

𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚜: 𝙳𝚒𝚜𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚍 𝙿𝚑𝚢𝚜𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚗

𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚝 𝙾𝚛𝚋: 𝙲𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚅𝚒𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚝

𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚝 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝: 𝚅𝚞𝚕𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝙶𝚘𝚍

𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚝 𝙿𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛: 𝚂

𝙴𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚎: 𝙰𝚕𝚎𝚛𝚝. 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚒𝚍. 𝙴𝚡𝚌𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚍. 𝙻𝚘𝚠 𝙴𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚝𝚑. 𝙷𝚒𝚐𝚑 𝙲𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚢.

𝚂𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚢: 𝙰 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚊𝚗 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚟𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛.𝙷𝚒𝚐𝚑 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚞𝚕𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚕𝚎𝚍𝚐𝚎.𝙳𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚍𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍.𝙵𝚒𝚡𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚗 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑, 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚕, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚏𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚑.

𝙰𝚍𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝙳𝚊𝚝𝚊 𝙻𝚘𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚍. 𝙷𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝙸𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝙻𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚕 𝚁𝚎𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚍.

Ignoring the threat, Orochi pressed on, voice steady.

"Why were you caught?" he asked. "The answer is obvious. Your methods drew attention. Grave robbing. Kidnapping. Missing people invite public outrage. The Kingdom had no choice but to intervene."

The purple glow around Thalos flickered.

"That mistake," Orochi continued, "can be avoided. If you work with me."

The Ripper's eyes narrowed.

"I will supply you with live specimens," Orochi said. "Fresh. Hearts. Lungs. Kidneys. Whatever you desire. No missing persons. No investigations. No scrutiny. The profits will be split. Seventy percent to me. Thirty to you."

Silence flooded the room.

Then laughter erupted.

Low. Broken. Disbelieving.

"You?" Thalos scoffed. "You are a child. A wanted corpse. You expect me to believe you can supply such things without bringing the Crown down on both of us?"

Althea stood motionless near the door, eyes sharp, body coiled. She watched every movement, every twitch of the man's hands, prepared to act the instant danger surfaced.

"I expect nothing," Orochi replied. "Which is why you will demand proof."

The Ripper stopped laughing.

"You will provide a shipment," Thalos said slowly. "One. Prove that this fantasy of yours is even possible."

"Very well," Orochi answered without hesitation. "I will."

The Ripper studied him, then glanced toward Althea. His gaze lingered there longer than necessary. Calculating.

"And if you fail?" he asked. "What happens to you then?"

Orochi smiled faintly. "You already know the answer. We cannot report you. We are wanted. You, however, may dispose of us at any time."

That smile sharpened.

"As collateral," Orochi continued, "you may have our organs. Mine and hers. Pristine condition."

Althea did not flinch.

Thalos turned to her slowly. "Would you agree to that?"

"I accept anything my master wishes of me," she replied immediately, voice unwavering.

"Slaves," the Ripper muttered.

His gaze returned to Orochi, holding it for a long time. Measuring. Weighing. Deciding whether the boy before him was delusional or dangerous.

Then suddenly he slammed his hand down on the table.

The sound cracked through the office.

Althea tensed. Orochi blinked once.

"Very well," Thalos growled. "You have a deal. Ten days. I will give you ten days."

He leaned back, eyes gleaming. "Fail, and I will enjoy collecting my payment."

As Orochi rose to leave, Thalos spoke again.

"Tell me something, boy."

Orochi turned.

"Who are you supposed to be?" the Ripper asked. "You are nothing like the child I once knew. I tended to you when you were weak. Broken. Silent."

Orochi considered him for a moment, then smiled.

"I suppose," he said softly, "I grew up."

Thalos grunted, clearly unsatisfied.

The door closed behind them.