Chapter 158
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 158
The Tajirun placed an ice pack on his head. As a cold-blooded creature, much like a snake, regulating his body temperature seemed to be a struggle.
"Since there seems to be a misunderstanding between us, let's introduce ourselves properly. My name is Japa. It's not my true name, but I've adopted one that's easier for you to pronounce."
"Luka. Lucaus Custoria."
"First of all, I have no intention of harming you. In fact, I've been protecting you."
"Hmm. I'll have to search my memory, but I don't recall ever asking for protection. It's not exactly intact, you see."
Japa, the Tajirun, let out a soft hiss, his forked tongue flicking in and out.
"...You don't believe me, Mr. Luka. You can dispense with the aggressive posturing meant to gain the upper hand. I'm an expert in this field myself, and frankly, I'm starting to feel inclined to treat you as an adversary."
"Is that so?"
I crossed my arms and tilted my head.
"Three Equesian mercenaries are standing guard. I know you are an excellent soldier, but in your current state, you are helpless. The upper hand in this negotiation is mine. Remember that I am accommodating you out of pure goodwill."
He was a tough negotiator. The rumor that Tajiruns were born merchants was no exaggeration. He truly had the insight to read the flow of the room.
"You're right. I just woke up after twelve years and know nothing. I've even lost the ability to protect myself. So, naturally, I can't trust anyone—least of all you."
"So, you're asking me to excuse your hostility because you're a wounded beast?"
"I'm saying you'd better be prepared to get bitten. That is, if your goodwill is genuine."
"Hoyot..."
Japa flicked his tongue, lost in thought. A moment later, he pointed toward the door with one of his long, sharp claws.
"Equesians. I don't require protection for the time being. Please wait outside. I will call when my conversation with Mr. Luka is finished."
The Equesians didn't question the order. They simply brushed past me and exited the room.
Scrape, scrape.
Japa dragged a chair over and sat directly in front of me, far too close for comfort. If I took a single step, I could have my hands around his throat.
Taller than me even while seated, Japa hunched over to meet my gaze. The vertical slits of his bright yellow pupils dilated. Staring into those serpentine eyes, it truly hit home that he belonged to an entirely different species.
"Mr. Luka, with your abilities, you could kill or capture me at any moment from this distance. Now, we are on equal footing."
Bold and impressive.
"I thought a merchant would never put his own life on the bargaining table."
"Soldiers and warriors often suffer from that kind of arrogance. They mistakenly believe that merchants are unwilling to risk their lives. Risking one's life is not a privilege exclusive to your kind, hoyot."
Now, we were ready to talk.
We stood on equal ground. I could kill Japa at any moment. In turn, Japa could summon the Equesians to kill me.
A position of mutually assured destruction.
Nothing could be fairer.
I bared my teeth in a grin.
"I want an explanation. Tell me how I ended up waking up in Lazarus."
"Even if you hadn't asked, I was planning to explain it thoroughly. I want to earn your trust, after all."
Japa said, clicking his long claws together. I assumed it was his version of a smile. On a reptilian face, it was hard to be sure.
Japa continued his explanation, starting not from the Storm Era of Akbaran, but from a much more recent point in time.
"I discovered you three years ago. You were in cryosleep at Lazarus, your medical bills having gone unpaid. Normally, when payments cease, patients are disposed of as test subjects. However, your guardian had paid a significant sum up to that point, so the facility assumed you belonged to someone powerful or wealthy. They put you on hold. Had you remained there, you likely would have stayed in that freezer until Lazarus itself went bankrupt."
I struggled to maintain a neutral expression. The guardian who admitted me to Lazarus was listed as "unknown," but I was certain it was Giselle.
Something must have happened to her.
Giselle had admitted me to Lazarus three years after the Storm Era ended. She must have learned that I could be treated here. And given that I'd now recovered, her judgment was correct.
But two years after my arrival, her support stopped. That must be when the incident occurred. I spent the next five years in cryosleep.
Then, three years ago, Japa found me and paid off the outstanding medical bills. And just like that, I was back in the land of the living.
"How did you find out I was here?"
"I paid a sum just as massive as your medical bills. The Tajirun information market is larger than you imagine. We possess intelligence that even the leaders of the Three Kingdoms lack. That, after all, is our weapon."
I was skeptical.
No matter how secretive the Tajirun were, they were a nomadic people without a nation to call their own. It seemed unlikely they could possess information that eluded the leaders of the Three Kingdoms.
Tajiruns weren't human. Their tells—the subconscious reactions that betray a lie—would be completely different.
I still don't know enough about them.
Lacking experience, I couldn't hope to read a Tajirun's thoughts through intuition alone.
The Tajirun's pupils dilated and contracted repeatedly. His tongue flicked even faster than before.
Just as I'm trying to read him, he's trying to read me.
It felt as if he were observing me with Akies Victima.
"Tajiruns typically operate in family units. Each family has its own specialty and principles. In commerce, trust is paramount. No one trusts a merchant who violates his own principles. We may deceive, but we do not lie."
"Haha, that's a clever way of putting it, but I agree. Deceiving without lying is the most advanced method of all."
"You may not care, but among the Tajirun, there is an information broker family known as 'Larasha.' They deal exclusively in secrets. The Larasha have one principle: they never sell the same piece of information twice. This guarantees the buyer a monopoly. Furthermore, if they discover the information has been leaked through any means, they immediately inform the original buyer. Think of it as after-sales support for their product."
They treated information as a tangible commodity. I had to admit, it was surprising.
The fact that he's explaining this means... Japa is reading my thoughts and emotions. He's reading me right now. But how?
I was controlling my emotional signals as best I could. My skills might be rusty after so long, but I shouldn't be this easy to read.
"We Tajiruns can perceive emotions through the scents in the air. To be more precise, we taste them on our tongues."
"You've been feeding me information nonstop since this conversation began."
"It's a sign of my goodwill. I have dealt with countless humans, but this is your first time dealing with a Tajirun. I figured this was the least I could do to earn your trust."
I found myself actually starting to trust him. When someone goes to such lengths to win you over, even a stone would be moved.
"...You said you were looking for Kinuan?" I asked, giving him permission to proceed.
"Hoyooooot! That is precisely why I sought you out. I am told Kinuan uses a special ability called Akies Victima—a method of cognitive expansion and multi-angle reasoning based on high-speed thought. According to our information, you are the finest practitioner of Akies Victima on Planet Novas, second only to Kinuan himself."
He either didn't know that I was Kinuan's disciple and watcher, or he was pretending not to.
"I learned Akies Victima from Kinuan," I said casually.
"I expected as much. However, it seems that you, his disciple, do not like Kinuan."
"Why do you think so?"
"As I said, I can read emotions. When Kinuan's name was first mentioned, your emotions had an astonishingly bitter and cold taste. A very rare flavor, indeed."
"I don't enjoy having my emotions read."
So this was how people felt when facing an Akies Victima user.
"I will be honest. If you had shown positive emotions upon hearing Kinuan's name... I would have resorted to more... unsavory methods to put a leash on you. Then I would have used you as a hound to hunt down Kinuan, hoyoot."
His honesty, ironically, made him seem more trustworthy. I didn't know if all Tajiruns were like this, but Japa was certainly a smooth talker.
"You spent a fortune finding and treating me. Do you have a grudge against Kinuan? Do you want me to hunt him down and kill him?"
"Capture is what I want. The reason is my own. I am a successful merchant, and with my wealth, I can provide you with any support you require. It's not a bad deal, is it? You, of all people, need reliable support. The fact that one of the heroes of the Storm Era is here, without a shred of support from the Empire, can't be for any good reason. We are well aware of how deep the Empire's darkness runs."
I didn't bother hiding my frown. He could read my emotions anyway.
"...If I so much as twitch a finger right now, you die."
"Hoyot. The thought is frightening enough to make my blood run cold. But then, I am a cold-blooded animal. Human idioms are so difficult."
I stared at Japa for a long moment before standing up.
"I'll write down a list of what I need. For now, just give me some time to rest."
"I have already prepared everything. You will only feel at ease once you have the power to protect yourself, after all. Follow En."
"En?"
"The Equesian mercenary who guided you here. He will be your partner. He is the finest warrior under my command."
"You mean my watcher, not my partner," I grumbled.
"Hoyot, hoyot..."
Japa saw me off with a sound that could have been a laugh or a sigh.
Creak, thud.
Leaving Japa behind, I stepped out into the hall. The three Equesian mercenaries were waiting. En, the one I recognized, gestured with his chin.
– Follow me.
His attitude was as imperious as ever. I bit back a sarcastic remark and followed.
Trying to pry information from someone who can read emotions is a fool's errand. I'd only end up revealing my own thoughts.
That was why I'd cut the conversation short, even though I had a thousand more questions. I especially couldn't let him sense my feelings about Giselle. There was no need to expose that weakness.
I'm still psychologically unstable. Stripped bare like this, I'm vulnerable. Just maintaining my composure is a struggle.
Once I can pull myself together and regain control of my mind, Japa won't be able to read me so easily.
I followed En downstairs, observing my surroundings.
The entire building seemed to belong to Japa. Equesian guards patrolled every floor. Those coming and going included humans as well as several other non-human species.
I stopped dead in the middle of the hallway.
Armory.
The sign on the door was simple and direct. A familiar scent wafted from within—the smell of gun oil, cordite, and the sharp, ozone tang of energy weapons. God, how I'd missed it.
My heart began to race. No, it was more than that—I was genuinely thrilled. I could almost feel the smooth grips of Ruina and Crucis in my hands, a phantom sensation of weapons long lost.
Adrenaline flooded my brain, turning me into an aggressive psycho. It felt like my mind was melting. If I could just touch Ruina and Crucis again, right now, I felt like I could easily kill three—no, four or five—innocent people. Okay, it's just a temporary impulse. I have absolutely no intention of actually doing that. Really.
– It's too early for you to go in there. A warrior to the bone, I see.
En remarked, glancing back. Behind his inorganic, mechanical voice, I could sense a hint of amusement.