Mythshaper

Chapter 152 B2 40: Budding Gamblers III

A silence fell into the chamber until finally Eran asked the burning question on everyone's mind, "Why are they allowing someone from Endirya to participate in the prefecture competition in Klearon?""It is just as you think it is," Leaf said. "Every year, there's one or two noble lordlings from other prefectures who join the competition and hog whatever prize and honour they can land. After all, in greater prefectures or states like Endirya, or Rayas, the competition is much higher." Leaf paused to spare me a glance. "By any chance, are you the same?"

I did not bother answering, deep in thought.

"We all lived in a southern mountain valley of the Candor Mountains," Aleya snorted, coming to my defence.

As if that did not narrow it down, Priam added, "My father is the Magistratus of the valley, and he has to report to the Prefectus of Klearon."

"Well, that clears things up," Leaf said, giving a meaningful glance in my direction.

I guessed my enchanted attire gave the wrong impression. While it was not the most eye-catching, anyone with an eye could see it was a lavish set piece.

"To answer your question," Leaf said, "it's not against the law for someone from another prefecture joining the competition here. The law is simple. Someone has to be affiliated with Klearon for at least two years to make the cut."

"Still," Eran said, making a fist, "this is so infuriating."

"Good for you that they don't care much about the Common category."

I noticed Diana's sombre look and could not help but joke, "Already worried about your coins?"

She shot a miffed look. "Are you not worried at all?"

"I am..." I said, "intrigued."

"That's the spirit," Leaf said, wiggling his spindly arm around my shoulder. "I know a good sport when I see one."

Batting his arm away, I shot a warning glare. "If by intelligence this is all you can offer, I think you should procure my gazette now before we went our way."

"Why leave so early?" Leaf whined. "I believe your generous and heroic heart can bestow a few more coins, common gold be they may. If not on the valiant efforts of your companions, believe in thyself, and wager, as you finally have a worthy foe to trample. Vae victis!"

Black lines appeared on my forehead as I shook my head. "Which theatre do you act in?"

"Solien Play House," Leaf actually answered. "But I left a couple of years ago."

"Over actor much?"

"Nah, I left myself. The wages they offered are worse than a bucket of horse manure could sell for."

I sniffed, "Out of everything you said today, that is the only believable sentence if I heard any."

"Ah, you wound me, big brother." Leaf rubbed the right side of his torso, bending over.

Heart is on the left, numbskull.

"Sod off, I'm at least a year younger than you." I groaned in exasperation.

"Of course, of course, age is but a number. It is thy heart that you're bigger, and I cannot help but"

"Enough already," I cut in before his rant could go further. "Bring me the information you offered, or we are leaving."

Perhaps he had had enough, or perhaps he noted the seriousness in my eyes and finally relented. "Give me just a moment, perhaps wager a few more coins to entertain, I'll go and return in an instance with the most trustworthy intelligence."

With that, he dashed off, leaving a burst of wind in his wake.

"He's something alright," Aleya said in exasperation.

That I had to admit. With sudden curiosity, I searched his name on the list of Noble Class Agility category, and my eyes widened.

Leaf Orden's odds were 1 to 8, far higher than Priam and any other contestant in the category. My lips could not help but curl up, sniffing at the conspiracy.

Without much consideration, I brought out another crown Leaf and crept to the counter.

"Arilyn, are you not..." Aleya reminded and then faltered when she heard the name I called.

"One crown Leaf on Leaf Orden winning the whole Agility category."

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

The booker in charge lifted his head to scan my face, a strange look appearing on his face. "Young master, you're wasting your coin. That boy isn't even worth a copper chip to bet on. Why waste your gold when you can bet on yourself?"

Now you're simply confirming my suspicion.

I repeated my earlier phrase. The booker was still reluctant to take it.

"How about this? You take this bet, and I'll bet more on myself."

I could see the cogs moving in the man's head immediately.

"No less than two crown Leafs," he called, "and you have a deal."

"You can have four," I snorted.

"Ari, are you certain?" Eran asked.

"It is a considerate sum of money," Aleya added, "even for you."

Perhaps a couple of months ago. Now, it was merely one long evening's work. The Ward Formation I made in the opening round of the crafting competition could net me fifty gold Leafs of profit after a little tweaking.

"Don't worry," I assured them, "I know what I'm doing."

After setting the bet, I inspected the two new tickets, storing them away, my lips curling up involuntarily.

Leaf, you little swindler, you called me big brother with a big heart, how can I not show a little bit of generosity to my little brother?

Thinking of the devil, the scrawny youth dashed in with a gust of wind right at that moment.

"The gazette is free of cost, as I promised." He handed me a rolled-up paper, though my eyes were on the number of stapled pages. It was sufficiently thick to be a notebook. "I first thought about only taking information on the competitions you are partaking, but knowing big brother's big heart, I took it upon myself to bring in intelligence on categories your friends are participating in as well."

He sure is as shrewd as anyone I have met.

"Let me have a look first," I said, almost taking it off his hand. But of course, Leaf was swifter, moving away.

"Brother, payment up first," Leaf asked, holding up a palm. "What if you have a look first and find the information not to your liking? Who's going to pay the informant then?"

"What if the information is untrustworthy, or commonplace?"

The speedster met my gaze, measuring up. "Looks like we are at an impasse."

"Offer me a single page of some notable character's information. Hmm, actually show me my own or Paximus's information, that way I can verify its authenticity."

"That'll certainly solve it," Leaf said jovially. "With Big Brother's big heart, I won't have to worry about him taking advantage of poor Leaf."

"Just quit it already. We're losing daylight."

Leaf perused through the dozens of pages at a thunderous pace before frowning at one. He moved on to another page. Satisfied with it, he unclipped it and handed it to me.

It held all the information on Paximus.

"Shrewd as ever," I snorted, my eyes leafing through the information offered on the page. It was quite thorough, denoting not only Paximus's Dawn and Enhancement essence, but a speculation on his gift, his strength, weakness, as well as the lightning spear he procured recently, the spear I reforged for him. "If the information on other candidates is thorough, we have a deal."

"I won't lie, there are a couple of odd ones with little information, someone with contrasting information, but the rest are all thorough."

I believed one of the odd ones there was myself.

"The informant set the price at 20 Gold Leafs, but considering our relation, and the dealings ahead of us, I manage bring it down to sixteen. Just toss up two of those dark gold chips, and it's all yours."

"You think I'm a big sucker?"

I'd believe it from anyone's mouth but yours. I had already set aside the leftover of the pouch Aleya gave me earlier for it, not knowing how much information costs. But once the buck asked for two Crown Leafs, I knew he was pulling the number from his arse.

Although we were barely acquaintances, I could already judge his character. A free-spirited fellow like him was either generous with a heart of gold or as mean as a miser. Even a kid could tell he was not the former.

"Twelve gold Leafs," Leaf said, smiling embrassedly. "Final price."

I peered at him, trying to read his aura without it being too invasive. I was not particularly good at it. Father lacked the talent as well, whereas even though Mum's aura was weaker compared to his, she was astonishingly good at it. She could not read my mind, but she could tell when I was hiding something because I had given up on lying to her from an early age, learning the futility of it.

Leaf had much better control of his aura than Priam, who had already moved through the Noble Class at a startling pace, yet had little control of his aura. I blamed the essence tonic he drank to even the gap. It did not give him time or the systematic progression to be used to his aura.

Gaining nothing useful, I chanced on halving his initial number, "1 crown Leaf and you'll let me skim through the papers."

"But"

"You have my word. If the information is as thorough as you make it out to be, and you're not withholding anything for another quick buck, I'll give you the coin immediately."

The speedster heaved a breath. "You're really not as gullible as those young nobles," he said before giving the notes to me. "This is all I got."

Without commenting on that, I perused through the intelligence, my higher mental faculty allowing me to take in the information quickly. I only faltered a little on my own information, scrunching my nose. They really did not know I'm a shaper, it seems.

That also meant the informant's connection was not as deep as Leaf let on. Then again, they had to have men at either Karmel or Elinum to have more information on me. Other than that, however, the intelligence was as good as I could get without having any connection to the information brokers.

Since I gave my word, I fished out another dark gold coin and tossed it to him. "A pleasure doing business with you."

With that, we turned to leave.

"Oh, you might want to fix your odds at the Agility category. It's too high."

****

"I have returned!" I announced as soon as I got back, triumphantly showing off the goods. "Not only have I acquired the gazette you mentioned, but also vital information on my competitors."

Mum was perched on the couch, sifting through some notes. She spared me a glance and then looked at the papers in my hand.

"You make your mother proud," Father said, sniffing on tea.

"How astute!" Mum exclaimed.

Blighted ashes, the theatrical air is too contagious.

Mum took the notes from my hand, skimming through them with an odd smile on her lips. "So much knowledge, it must have cost a ton."

"Only a crown."

"Only a crown he says," she said, turning to Father. Then she tossed the papers she was holding. "Here, I got you the same information with a quarter of that crown."

I caught the notes and did a double-take. "Mine held information on Eran and Priam's competition, too, so it came with a premium."

And I did not believe that fellow would even give me the gazette free of cost.

"So you think if your father and I went buy intelligence on the competition, he'll forget about his little apprentice?"

I met their gaze, then looked at the papers in my hand, my expression souring. "That scrawny little--"

"Language!"

===========