Sparks seemed to fly between them as they stared at each other. Severin's eyes were like blue ice, while Mourne's seemed like a blade sharpened again and again through the years.
The tension that exploded between them was so much that Derrick shifted uncomfortably.
Finally, it was Mourne who looked away first, and his hand made a small gesture, making the man with the mask withdraw without a sound.
"Now then," Severin nodded firmly. "We can talk like the gentlemen that we are."
Mourne narrowed his eyes. "Who are you? No, who are you working for?"
Because that question is more important in most cases than who the person was.
Severin spread his hand. "Who do I work for? That's an important question indeed. And I'll answer you. I work for no one. Who would a king work for?"
Mourne's face tightened. "Enough! I will not ask any more questions. You are here, what do you want?"
"I want information about someone, detailed information about their activities in the black market here," Severin said.
Mourne sat up. The process of asking for information about someone is also the chance to learn much about the person that's asking. "We will do our best to listen."
"I want all the information you have on Ethan Aldrich. Everything."
Mourne smiled. "Oh? A king can't take care of one such as Ethan Aldrich? That's a pitiful king indeed. From the information we received, you are an F rank, something rarely seen because it's so, sorry for the word, useless. Which only brings us back around. Who are you? What exactly have you been hiding?"
"...Nice one, Mourne... nice one..." Internally, Severin winced, but his expression outside was just as smooth as always. His blue eyes gained a dangerous edge. "I'll advise you not to dig where you shouldn't, Mourne."
Mourne gritted his teeth. "About the information you wanted, it will be expensive. So expensive that you can't afford it. We checked. You have no money, and you only have one credit that was given to every student when they entered the academy.
"You can't afford what we sell."
Severin didn't say anything because he knew the man wasn't done.
Mourne leaned closer and smiled. His voice had changed to that of a man ready to do business. "But if you can tell us who you are working for, then we will sell you part of the information."
Severin pretended to think about it. Everything was going exactly as he needed it to be, so he took the time to check the remainder of his plans before he nodded firmly. "I refuse. But I have something else to pay with."
Mourne sneered before he controlled himself. "A family heirloom? You were picked off the street by the academy. Do you think you can scam me by..."
"I will sell information for the information," Severin said.
Mourne's mouth snapped shut. He stared at Severin as if he had run mad and even looked at the masked man now beside him as if to check if he was hearing the same thing he heard.
"You want to sell me information," he repeated flatly.
Severin nodded. "Yes. For the full information on Ethan Aldrich, I will sell you information that you will find particularly interesting."
Mourne sneered and tensed, his eyes narrowed.
Severin felt a perception cover him, and he smiled. He understood what was going on. They thought he was there to mess with them, stall for time, and cause a distraction of sorts. They were checking if he carried any artifacts on him or explosives.
Mourne only became even more confused when he found nothing. "You do realize where you are? We sell information. That's why you asked us about Ethan Aldrich in the first place. Are you joking with me? Such things won't end well."
"Keep your sword, Mourne. We are negotiating, are we not? Can you in all confidence say I do not have the currency of information to buy Ethan Aldrich's information from you?"
Mourne opened his mouth and closed it with a click. His eyes narrowed to slits. He couldn't say anything with confidence. "You..."
Severin cut him off once more. "I was right, eh? Wasn't I, pretending WireRats gang leader?"
"What?"
The reaction was instant. Mourne turned rigid, and the masked man beside him was already at Severin's side, his sword pressed tightly around his neck.
At the same time, more of the masked guards appeared, and Derrick shouted as a dagger was rested against his.
Mourne's expression had changed. He'd shed the illusion of a businessman completely, and his face was twisted in a bitter sneer. "Young student. I give you one minute to speak now, or your blood will paint my table."
Severin's heart spiked, but he forced himself to relax. "...You must be chill, Severin! Those bastards can hear your heartbeat... they are strong Etherion users..."
He relaxed and even pressed his neck to the blade, but just enough that it wouldn't cut his skin. He looked at Mourne. "Oh? Then go ahead and cut my neck. We can count the seconds together, 'gang leader.'"
Mourne fell into anger. His eyes twitched, and veins pressed on his forehead, throbbing. "You little shit! You think I won't kill you?"
Severin blinked and said what he said earlier. "You won't. Not until you know what I know."
His response only made Mourne angrier, and he turned to Derrick. "And what about your friend? I will kill him."
Derrick's eyes went wide, and he would have struggled if not for the blade on his throat. He began to sweat, and his fear-filled eyes turned to Severin.
Severin tensed, but it wasn't even up to one second, and he leaned back in his seat. "You want to kill Derrick? That's a shame. He'll be greatly missed, more so by me. Go ahead. Make sure it's a clean cut.
"But listen well, WireRats. And you, Zhara of WireRats. Touching something I've laid claim over is a sure way to get destroyed. It's no warning. I speak only the truth."