Chapter 24: Black Market (4)

Authors Note: Here's the chapter. As always, let me know if you find a mistake, and please follow, rate, and favorite since it really helps bring more visibility ^^

As the two fighters were removed from the pit, Caellum watched the spectator area grow even rowdier as people began shoving their way to the top.

By the looks of it, most people had expected Kanaan, the house champion, to win, so they hadn't bet on the fight. But the few people who had tried their luck by betting on Kanaan losing, like Caellum, scored big this time.

The winners who were trying to collect their money would probably be jumped or killed before the night was over, and Caellum had no plans to take part in that mess.

It would be better for the crowd to disperse first so he could discreetly collect his money and leave.

But was that really possible?

His excitement at winning an impossible bet had cooled, and reality had begun to set in.

Firstly, he had stood beside Red for a good number of the fights. Even if his own outfit wasn't ostentatious, Red's outfit was literally a blindingly bright red, and he was one of the organizers who was probably well known.

Caellum was sure his movements were being monitored by others, and even now, he could see a couple of people looking this way.

Secondly, judging by the bookie table that was purposefully set up in the open, he had no faith that the winnings would be transferred discreetly. Safety and security weren't guaranteed, and given how people were fighting above, the black market organizers wouldn't interfere if someone got robbed.

Additionally, who knew if he would actually get his money without a fuss?

Red hadn't seemed too keen to pay up, and even if Caellum had a weapon, what was he supposed to do against someone who melted metal with their bare hands when they were angry?

Should he leave and try to come back tomorrow with a different outfit?

No.

There was a good chance that if he left like this, he wouldn't be able to collect his money, and the bet wouldn't be honored.

But he didn't plan on leaving money behind either.

1:100 odds didn't happen very often, and the fact that it had happened to him? He planned to collect every bit of money he was owed tonight.

But how?

He couldn't steal it and run. This body was trash; he had no special abilities or magical items, and he wasn't confident he could outrun anyone.

Right now, what he needed was…

"Tsk, if only Yaga were here. A lot of things would be really convenient." Caellum muttered quietly.

Muscle. He really needed some muscle around him, but unfortunately, they hadn't cemented the details of their deal yet.

"Missing me so soon?" Hearing the familiar voice come from the side, Caellum glanced over and nearly screamed from fear.

A figure dressed in all black, with no skin visible, wearing a full-face mask carved with lifelike snakes that seemed about to come to life at any moment and strike, was standing there as if they had always been there.

'Who the he-?'

'When had they come?'

'How come he hadn't noticed?'

'And that voice-'

"Ya-Yaga?"

"Didn't you call for me, knowing that I've been following you all night?" Yaga asked in a voice full of amusement as she stared at the prince, who seemed poised to dash away at any second.

Although she couldn't see the prince's face, based on their past interactions, she could imagine his purple eyes widening slightly before he regained his usual stoic composure while warily watching her.

Tsk. What a shame that his face was covered up right now. Otherwise, she would threaten him a bit.

Hearing Yaga click her tongue, Caellum stiffened up even more.

'Where had she come from, or rather, where had she been hiding?'

'He suspected that there was a chance that she would follow him, but she really did it?'

'He'd clearly heard her say that she was busy and had other plans! Wasn't she supposed to be rat hunting? Was he the rat after all?'

Caellum looked around the open observation area and, not seeing any places to hide, swallowed his questions.

An expert was an expert, an expert assassin was an expert assassin, and the less he questioned, the better.

"So? Why were you wishing for my presence, your highness? I distinctly remember you saying that we should stay out of each other's business until we've finalized our deal. Your business seems to be quite successful, I might add. Speak freely, we're not being listened to." Yaga asked as she stepped closer.

'Touché.'

'But that was then, and this is now.'

"And yet you followed me, so let's put that aside and make another deal, separate from our previous discussions. I need your highest level of protection from this moment on until I reach my bedroom. I'll offer 10% of my winnings tonight. You've clearly been watching, so you know how much it is and what the situation is like here. Can you keep me alive and uninjured, help me collect my money, and get me back alive and uninjured? Even if there's trouble," Caellum listed the terms specifically while trying to read Yaga's body language.

"Alive, yes. Uninjured? Relatively, considering how weak your body is. I can guarantee no poisoning, maiming, or any major injuries. But my rate is 30% and not a smidge less." Yaga shot back with no hesitation.

"Very well. I accept the terms of the deal. Shall we shake?" Caellum quickly accepted, extending his hand to her for a handshake.

The moment she took it-

Click.

A familiar locking sensation flashed through Caellum's body once again, and then his nose began to bleed again while Yaga wrenched her hand away as if she had been burned.

"What was that?" Yaga asked as she examined her hand.

It seemed normal, but she swore she felt something just now.

"Cough what??" Caellum asked innocently before pinching his nose through his mask.

His nose ached as if it were broken, the mask was hard to breathe through due to becoming soaked with blood, and his head began pounding even worse than before, leaving him a bit dizzy.

As he staggered, Yaga quickly stabilized him with a disdainful click of her tongue before scolding him.

"Considering the way you were haggling with me earlier, I thought you were an expert. Why would you accept this deal on the first go? Are you stupid? And what's wrong with you? Why do you smell of blood? I hope you know that this doesn't count as an injury."

"Why would I haggle right now? Nothing is more important than my life, and I trust your skills. Please keep me unharmed and alive. Especially from Red and his goons. Ugh. This trashy body is really something."

Unable to continue swallowing the blood that just kept pouring out of his nose with no sign of stopping, Caellum lifted the bottom of the full face mask to spit on the floor before tilting his head back to at least slow the bleeding.

"Daring to question an angry mage with this body, and you're telling me that nothing is more important than your life? Lean forward unless you want to choke and die." Yaga asked incredulously, quickly putting aside the strange sensation that she had felt when she shook the 13th prince's arm.

"Let me rephrase that, nothing is more important than my life and what's mine. I plan on collecting what I'm owed, no matter what, and no matter how long it takes." Caellum spat out as he obeyed Yaga's words and tilted his head forward.

'Ugh, disgusting.'

At the sheer amount of blood pouring out of the 13th prince's nose, while being very concerned, Yaga began mixing up a concoction from various hidden glass bottles before pouring the black liquid all over the ground where Caellum's blood had splashed.

The moment the two liquids met, the blood began fizzing, white smoke rose, and once the smoke dissipated, the blood was gone.

'What the-?'

As Caellum lifted his head to speak, Yaga shoved it downward again before explaining.

"Never leave blood behind unless you want to get tracked, cursed, or worse. Consider it part of our deal. Now stay still and quiet so the blood lands in one place, unless you want to pay for the cost of my supplies. Or shall we try pouring it down your nose to see what happens? I assure you, it's relatively non-toxic, and it might stop the bleeding at the source."

'Relatively non-toxic?'

"…no thank you." Caellum immediately got still and let his nose run until the blood eventually trickled to a stop.

Sniff sniff.

Satisfied that this was as clear as his nose was going to get, Caellum pulled the mask down, vowing to take a bath as soon as he got back.

"Feeling better?"

"I've never once felt good in this body, but who cares. Let's go get my money."

Glancing upward at the bookie table that looked empty, at least from here, Caellum walked up slowly.

When he saw the bookie, he noted that 2 of the guards who had previously surrounded the table were missing, while the remaining 2 stood directly behind the table, while the bookie, the plain-faced man wearing silver-rimmed glasses, scribbled in the book in front of him.

Walking up directly in front of the table, Caellum waved his ticket sheet in greeting while Yaga followed right beside him.

"I'm here to collect my winnings."

The bookie glanced up, his eyes hidden by silver-rimmed glasses, taking in Caellum's unassuming appearance that he recalled from earlier before flashing toward the paper as he spoke out bluntly.

"There's going to be a payment delay due to unexpected circumstances. Come back another day."

"I beg your pardon? What did you say? I don't think I heard you correctly." Caellum replied calmly while restraining his anger.

"I said that there's a delay with your payment. Come back another day. And if you keep bothering me, you won't get your payment." The bookie repeated, before going back to scribbling in his booklet.

It was a clear sign of dismissal that left Caellum temporarily speechless.

'What kind of nonsense was this?'

'There wasn't a delay when you took my money, but all of a sudden, there's a delay in paying me what I'm owed?'

'It seems like no matter the world you're in, businesses always try to scam their customers, huh?'

'You must think that you can chase me away like the others, right? Normally, I'd have to leave because I'm weak, but after giving away 30% of my hard-earned profits, you think I'm going to just walk away?'

'Dream on!'

'Someone is going to earn her money even if she has to melt every single person here into goo, and I'm going to get my money.'

"Madame, can you take them down?"

"Permanently?"

'Of course not, you damn assassin, I still want to do business here if I can!'

Biting back the words he really wanted to say, Caellum corrected her, "Temporarily."

"Easily. Tsk."

'Did you just click your tongue?'

"What did you say? I assure you, you don't know who you're messing with. Guards get rid of him." The bookie threatened while the guards glared at Caellum as they prepared to handle him.

"Hahahaha, actually, you don't know who you're messing with."

BANG

Since he had Yaga's reassurance, after laughing like a crazy person, Caellum slammed his foot on the bookie's table, right on top of the book he was scribbling to get the man's attention.

As the guards tried to grab him-

Yaga quickly struck them faster than Caellum could see, causing the arms of the two guards to hang limply by their sides while their eyes rolled into the back of their heads as they began drooling.

"Wha- wha-?"

As the bookie flinched in shock, Caellum pretended not to see the comatose guards behind him and grabbed the man by the shirt and dragged him forward until their faces almost touched.

"Let me make this clear, I'm not one of these poor plebeians that you can mess with or send away with a trash excuse. I paid and bet fairly and will be getting what I'm owed. Not another day. Not tomorrow. Right now. So, while I'm still in a good mood, I'm letting you know that you have three options. You'd better bring me my money, every single cent that I won right this instant, and I'll forget how rude you were just now. You can take me to Red, my new friend, whom I'm sure you know well. Trust me, he looks just like his name sounds, or you can give me a refund of all my bets, plus a 20% inconvenience fee, so I can leave." Caellum told him in a very calm voice.

'And if I leave, I'm shutting this entire place down.'

'You want to short me of my money? Fine. Then enjoy getting prosecuted for illegal activities by the royal family because I'll go sell this place out to the goody two-shoes 9th prince and get some money that way.'

'Because one way or another, I'm leaving here with something.'

"What will it be, my good man? Am I getting my money?"