Episode 35
Zeke looked puzzled as he asked, “Visitors? I can’t imagine anyone coming to see me in Atlas.”
Curious, he left his room and headed to the parlor where the guests were waiting.
“Master? And Instructor Andrei?”
To his surprise, Duke Draker and Andrei Draker were there.
Duke waved at Zeke with a grin. “You really are something else, my student. I’ve never heard of anyone skipping out on their entrance exam to Valhalla. Didn’t that old stickler Flaubert give you an earful?”
Zeke sank into a chair, looking weary. “I just finished taking a special exam, actually.”
“Ah, so no big deal then,” Duke replied, not too worried, knowing Zeke’s capabilities better than anyone.
Zeke glanced between the two of them. “But what brings you both here? What about the academy?”
Duke shrugged nonchalantly. “Where the student goes, the master follows. As for the academy, Howard can handle things.”
Duke had never been one to do much beyond consuming potions anyway.
“But why is Instructor Andrei here…?” Zeke asked, puzzled.
Andrei looked a bit sheepish, prompting Duke to chime in with a sigh. “This clingy guy just won’t leave me alone, even when I’ve got nothing left to teach him.”
Despite his words, it seemed Duke had grown fond of Andrei’s company.
“So, you’re both staying in Atlas?” Zeke asked.
“That’s right. You’ve got a big house now, so we’ll just crash with you for a while.”
Zeke had no reason to refuse, and thus, Duke and Andrei became part of the household.
Zeke turned to Andrei. “So, are you heading back to the Four Seasons Castle?”
Andrei shook his head. “No, I’ve been appointed as an assistant professor at Valhalla.”
Considering Andrei’s relatively young age, his appointment was a testament to his rapidly growing skills.
Duke, delighted to see Zeke again, started drinking heavily even though the sun hadn’t set yet. Zeke kept him company for a while before passing the task to Andrei and retreating to his room to prepare for a night outing.
Once the household was asleep, Zeke slipped out using a stealth technique that left no trace.
He was well-acquainted with the dark underbelly of the bustling city of Atlas.
Zeke made his way to a secluded alley on the outskirts of the city, a place where ordinary people rarely ventured. He entered a rundown bar with a faded sign.
Inside, the air was thick with danger as unsavory characters nursed their drinks. Zeke scanned the room before settling at the bar.
“One dark beer, please. And,” he said, placing a gold coin on the counter, “tell Kay I’d like to meet.”
His words drew the attention of the bartender and the dangerous-looking men nearby. Zeke flashed a confident smile.
“Let’s not make this difficult. Just pass on the message that Zeke Draker wants to do business with the Syndicate.”
At the mention of the Draker name, the bartender exchanged a glance with a man nearby, who then disappeared into the back. Shortly after, he returned and gestured for Zeke to follow.
Zeke was led through a series of security doors and winding passages, eventually emerging into a large warehouse-like space.
“Wait here,” the man instructed before disappearing inside.
Moments later, he returned and beckoned Zeke to enter.
Inside, the room was filled with various goods and crates. At a table sat Kay, a striking woman with wavy red hair and a low-cut dress.
‘Her taste in clothes hasn’t changed,’ Zeke thought.
Kay eyed Zeke’s gloves intently before gesturing to the seat opposite her. “Have a seat.”
As Zeke sat down, Kay lit a cigarette, exhaling a plume of smoke before speaking again. “So, what brings the rising star of the Draker family to see me?”
In the continent, two intelligence organizations stood out: the Draker family’s Black Stage and the Rom Empire’s Intelligence Bureau. The Syndicate, though lesser-known, was a growing force, having started as a smuggling ring and rapidly expanding as a key player in the southern continent’s drug trade.
In his past life, Zeke had crossed paths with Kay, then a Syndicate executive. She had once sought his help, which led to securing a crucial smuggling route and bolstering her career within the Syndicate. This connection had granted Zeke access to vital information across the continent.
‘Without Kay, I wouldn’t have found the Elder Dragon’s relic before I died.’
Though not yet an executive, Kay’s potential was undeniable. Establishing a rapport now would undoubtedly prove beneficial.
Zeke removed his gloves, activating a magic reflection skill.
Crackle!
The magical lights flickered violently within the skill’s range. Zeke re-donned his gloves, halting the effect, and the lights returned to normal.
“I showed you that to save us both time. Let’s skip the power games.”
Kay realized the young Draker before her was no ordinary individual.
Zeke met her gaze and got straight to the point. “I want to do business.”
Kay frowned. “The Draker family wants to trade with us? That’s as believable as the Rom Emperor donating to the Holy Kingdom.”
“Money’s money, whether it’s from selling soma or other means. It’s all the same.”
At the mention of soma, Kay’s expression hardened. The Syndicate’s involvement in smuggling soma from the southern continent to the central continent was a closely guarded secret.
Tension filled the room as the men around them bristled.
“Planning to bury me here?” Zeke asked, unfazed.
Suddenly, an overwhelming aura emanated from him, paralyzing the Syndicate members hidden throughout the warehouse.
Kay cursed inwardly, realizing this young Draker was even more dangerous than rumors suggested.
‘Damn Drakers.’
Zeke tossed something onto the table, catching Kay’s attention.
“An artifact?”
Even in her youth, Kay’s keen eye was as sharp as ever.
Zeke grinned. “A popular ancient item at auctions. You’ll be even more impressed when you see the enchantments.”
Skeptical, Kay tried on the earrings and channeled her magic to assess their capabilities.
“Magic recovery?”
Zeke’s grin widened. Modern magic couldn’t replicate such efficiency, making the artifact incredibly valuable.
Kay set the earrings down, her expression thoughtful. “Is this what you meant by doing business?”
“This is just the beginning. I have more valuable items. We’ll release them gradually at the Dortha auction house to convert them into cash.”
“Why would a Draker pureblood need money like this?”
“I don’t see why I need to explain that.”
Zeke handed Kay a document detailing his alias, Zeke Murray.
“Open a clean account with this. The money goes there. There’s a contract at the back. The items are in a northern bank, so handle the transfer. The commission is 10% per item, with additional incentives for amounts over ten thousand gold.”
Kay reviewed the contract, noting its thoroughness and clarity, suggesting this wasn’t Zeke’s first transaction of this kind.
She looked at him, intrigued. “Who are you, really?”
“You know I’m Zeke Draker, yet you ask. I revealed my identity to build trust. I trust you’ll keep your subordinates in line.”
Kay pondered over the documents and contract before nodding.
She stood up. “Follow me.”
Kay led Zeke deeper into the warehouse, to her office. It was a secure space, equipped with soundproofing and security spells, reserved for important dealings.
Once seated, Kay retrieved something. “A vow of oath. Very wizard-like.”
Kay wasn’t surprised Zeke knew she was a mage. She suspected he had come knowing her identity from the start.
She opened the contract, a vow of oath, and picked up a pen.
“Consider this my first acknowledgment of a true partnership. I hope you don’t mind.”
Having made a vow of oath with Kay in his past life, Zeke found it familiar.
Kay pricked her finger with the pen’s needle.
With blood trickling down to the nib, they signed their names.
Following her lead, Zeke signed in the same manner.
As soon as they did, each of their signatures appeared on the inside of the other’s wrist.
“Huh?”
Zeke noticed something odd about the signature on his wrist. It looked as if two signatures were layered on top of each other.
“Could it be that the vow from a past life is overlapping with this one?”
If the blood-bound vow was broken, the signature would vanish from their wrist. This was how they could tell if the other had betrayed the contract.
Zeke flinched at the sight of the overlapping signatures, but Kay didn’t seem to pay it much mind.
Having confirmed the signatures on each other’s wrists, they agreed to become partners.
“Now that we’re partners, you can tell me, can’t you? Why is a pureblood Draker trying to sell stolen goods?” Zeke asked Kay.
“First of all, it’s not stolen goods. It’s an ancient artifact I discovered. Don’t ask where I found it, because I won’t tell you. Secondly, just because I’m a pureblood doesn’t mean I’m swimming in money. You need a wealthy patron family for that.”
Kay listened to Zeke’s words with a look of curiosity, as the inner workings of the Draker family were not widely known.
Then Zeke asked, “Is the syndicate currently dealing with the McCain cartel?”
Kay’s expression hardened at his question.
“How do you know about something so confidential? I only found out recently myself,” she said, realizing there was no point in hiding it.
“You’re right. We’re dealing with McCain. But recently, the Pavela cartel has been pressuring us to cut ties with McCain and transport their goods instead.”
The southern continent was embroiled in a three-way battle between the massive cartels: Pavela, McCain, and Tahuan. In this lawless region, the kingdom’s authority was practically nonexistent, as the cartels’ military power far surpassed that of the royal knights.
Using their might, they produced the drug Soma in the jungles and smuggled it into the central continent. The Rom Empire was the largest consumer of Soma, making its transportation crucial.
The usual border route was blocked when the Ishtar family, one of the transcendent families, issued an expulsion order. Even the reckless cartels didn’t want to clash with Ishtar, so they had to find another way.
This led them to partner with the smuggling syndicate. They transported Soma across the southern sea, distributing it through the desert to the Rom Empire, the central kingdom, and the northern continent.
Soma was popular among mages for its hallucinogenic effects and its ability to enhance magical power, ensuring constant demand. The syndicate, monopolizing the cartels’ transportation, built distribution and sales networks across the continent, amassing a fortune.
Having experienced this situation in a past life, Zeke was well-versed in the southern cartels’ affairs. As he sorted through his memories, he turned to Kay.
“Hey, Kay. I’ve got a proposal for you.”
“What kind of proposal?”
Zeke smiled calmly. “I want you to set up a meeting with Don Juan.”
Kay was taken aback, raising her voice without realizing it. “You want to meet the boss of the McCain cartel?”
Zeke nodded. “Yes. If you do that, I’ll make you the boss of the syndicate.”