Uncovering the Truth (4)
One minute. Or perhaps a little less.
Spinel, who had quietly sunk into a world of her own, opened her eyes again and spoke to me.
"Let's make a deal, Dark Merchant."
"A deal?"
"I'll tell you how to keep your memories of that place. In exchange, you hand over the information I want."
The proposal Spinel put forward was a considerable shock.
A method to preserve memories.
I still didn't know whether her words were true, but if such a thing existed, I could certainly form a strategy for the trial—so long as there was no problem with the information I'd have to give her.
"What kind of information do you want?"
She clearly wasn't going to ask me for just anything. Even if it was something I didn't know, most information could be obtained easily enough through other brokers. There was no reason for her to hand over something important to me just to hear it. What she would genuinely want was information that most people in this world didn't know.
"I'm not asking for the information now."
"So you're planning to put me in your debt?"
"Yeah. Something like that. When I decide I need it, you just tell me in whatever way you think is fair. That'll be enough."
"You called me a suspicious person, and yet you're fine trusting me?"
I'd made that remark only moments ago. When I tossed a light joke Spinel's way, she set down her empty cola can and answered.
"When it comes to information, I can trust you. You know full well what happens if you stiff someone, right?"
"Understood. I'll put it on the tab."
I didn't know what information Spinel would demand. But if what she'd said was true, it was clearly information of considerable value. From my perspective, there was no reason to refuse.
I nodded and pushed aside the coffee that had been sitting in front of me.
"Alright. I'll tell you the method."
A simple verbal contract was struck.
Spinel rose from her seat and floated up into the air, drifting toward me. It wasn't the first time I'd seen her fly, but the sight of a person soaring through the sky wasn't something you adapted to easily. Because her gaze, floating above me as I sat, was higher than mine, I naturally found myself tilting my head back to look up at her.
"Before that, one question. What does it mean to maintain your memories?"
"The Agent of Mystery erases your memories of that place once the trial ends. So I'm saying I'll teach you a loophole that lets you bring out the information you need."
"I'm listening."
"There's an easy way and a hard way. Which do you prefer?"
A difficult choice right from the start. Easy and hard. I figured the hard method would be more reliable, but if I lacked the talent for it, I might have to go with the easy one.
"Can I hear both?"
"I don't mind either way."
"What's the first?"
"The easy method is using magic to record the information."
"Using magic?"
"Even while you're asleep, mana still moves. You use that to physically record the contents."
Continuously sending telepathy outward to store the contents of the trial. It was a simple and easy method—though it did require Sinel to stay awake all night.
I nodded and asked her about the next method.
"And the second?"
"The second method is…"
Spinel whispered the second method into my ear. And right after that, I found myself staring at her in a daze.
The day after taking the second trial.
To put last night's events simply: I failed to pass the trial. But what I'd managed to learn about the trial itself was a solid gain. After facing the Agent of Mystery in the dream, my memories right up until the trial ended remained fully intact in my head. It seemed the second method Spinel had told me about was working to some degree.
"Blackie. You have to be good, okay?"
"Myaang—."
The morning scene that greeted me was a little noisier now, with one cat added to the mix. I didn't know much about cats, but the one named Blackie was living more quietly than I'd expected.
I watched Sinel, who was trying to communicate with the cat amid the lively atmosphere, and pondered. How could I bring back meaningful results from the next trial? The best approach would be filtering out the miscellaneous thoughts flooding into my head, but I didn't think that would be easy. There had to be a better way. For now, I needed to do some calculations toward that end.
Tap, tap.
As I sat fretting with a pen in hand, Blackie, who'd been beside Sinel, flew over and climbed onto my lap.
"……"
"Myaa."
I stroked the head of the creature looking up at me and meowing. The soft, fluffy sensation of fur under my hand felt pleasant. Apparently finding my petting more satisfying than expected, Blackie closed its eyes with a contented face.
Sinel followed over in front of me and looked at Blackie sitting on my lap.
"Looks like Blackie likes you, boss."
"I wouldn't know."
"…When I try to pet it, it runs away right away."
This was the same Blackie that had gotten into an accident while running from Sinel. Even if it was scared of her, I didn't think that was particularly strange. In fact, ever since coming into the office, it had never once allowed Sinel to pet it. But why it was so docile only with me remained a mystery.
I tossed Sinel a half-baked piece of advice that sounded plausible enough.
"Just practice approaching it little by little."
"Is that so?"
"Who's good at everything from the start? Even I got turned down by the employee sitting right in front of me any number of times."
"Back then, I really needed the money."
"Isn't that still the case?"
"You're right. Things are still pretty hard."
I reached out and stroked Sinel's drooping head. The feel of her ash-gray hair under my hand was more pleasant than I'd expected. Watching her stare blankly up at the hand stroking her hair, it felt like I had two cats in front of me.
Standing quietly before me and receiving the petting, Sinel only spoke once I'd lowered my palm.
"Come to think of it, you haven't gone out for days since the department store incident."
"I've got problems to solve, and things I'm waiting on."
"Things you're waiting on?"
"Speak of the devil—there's the call now."
Bzzzt. Bzz.
The phone in my pocket vibrated violently. I pulled it out and answered, and a familiar man's voice came through the speaker.
"It's me, Brian."
The caller was Brian Layle—one of the information brokers I'd met before, and a key figure behind the Dark Merchant legend. He'd worked as an assistant under Leman for a long time. And now he'd left Leman's office and set up a place of his own in a remote alley.
When I'd heard he was leaving Leman's side, I'd told him to contact me once he opened his office. Judging by the fact that the call was only coming now, it seemed setting up the place had taken quite a while.
"Looks like you've finally finished setting up the office."
"Preparing a shop all by yourself isn't exactly easy. Sometimes I almost miss the old boss."
"Did things work out alright with Leman?"
"He looked a little disappointed at first, but it's not like I was the only one there."
"True enough—Leman does have quite a few subordinates."
Brian had only been one of Leman's assistants. Leman was still an information broker with countless assistants and employees under him. The difference was that, unlike Leman, Brian was hard up for money right now.
Even though he'd left Leman's office, most of the information networks he'd used to gather intel on Leman's behalf would still be intact. As long as it matched the fields Brian dealt in, there was the advantage of being able to trade all kinds of information without complicated procedures. The prices would also come cheaper than buying from Leman.
"So, I kept my promise to call once I moved. Is there some information you're looking to get?"
"Sounds like you're desperate to sell."
"The shop just opened, so there's not a single customer—just flies buzzing around. I've got to snag at least one, even if it's a stretch."
"Then I suppose I should help boost your sales a bit."
I happened to be thinking of heading out on a bounty hunt soon anyway. I'd caught Class 1 wanted criminals with Usher, but that had been Usher's doing—not Sinel's or my achievement. We still needed enough combat experience.
If I asked Brian for information on bounty targets, there was a good chance he'd find opponents that fit the criteria. Of course, I'd need to make at least minimal preparations first.
"But before I buy any information, I've got a favor to ask."
"A favor?"
"There'll be times when I need information urgently while I'm out. In those cases, put the fee on my tab and I'll pay separately later."
"You're asking for information on credit right now?"
"Yeah. If you're worried, set a spending limit. And in emergencies, I don't mind if you pull the info through other brokers."
"I'm not in a position to be picky about customers right now. Fine. You're the Dark Merchant—you won't stiff me."
With that, I now had a means of rapidly sourcing information while out in the field. The connection with Brian would be a considerable help whenever I urgently needed intel on an opponent.
Having readily accepted the deferred payment request, Brian pressed me right after.
"Credit's sorted. So what information are you looking to buy?"
"I want information on Class 2 or higher wanted criminals who specialize in close combat."