Despite the oaths and reassurances, I was on guard. Trying to position myself so that everyone in the room was inside my field of view at all times, I came nearer the chair and sat on the very edge of it.
“I propose we forget that incident and the vexing misunderstanding and start again with a blank slate,” said the old man, trying to muster an open smile. “What do you say?”
Sure, just put it out of my mind... But out loud I muttered:
“Let’s give it a try.”
“Excellent,” Gino said, not hiding his relief.
Hm... I was forming the firm impression that he needed me no less than I needed him.
Then Gino authoritatively waved a hand and Midori and the ogre behind her obediently left the room.
“So then,” he continued once we were all alone (not counting Mee, of course). “In civilized society, people generally introduce themselves when they meet...”
“Eric,” I said shortly.
“Eric...” Gino repeated after me and, slightly squinting, asked: “Eric what?”
“My family name will mean nothing to you.”
“Understood, understood!” he hurriedly waved his arms. “You need not continue, Master Eric! Secret affairs of the order...”
I just shrugged my shoulders in silence as if to say, think what you like.
“My name is Gino Leroy,” the old man introduced himself and, motioning to the side with his chin, added mockingly: “Although, that blue loudmouth probably already told you my sobriquet.”
Despite the attempt to joke and speak casually, Gino was suffering in pain. The pale skin on his face, dark circles under his eyes. Seemingly, he hadn’t gotten decent sleep in a long while. And based on his sunken cheeks and gaunt figure, he also had appetite problems. The strange ailment was sucking all the lifeforce out of him.
It’s hard to imagine that the man sitting before me owns a gladiator school. I’ve always thought that lanistae are all hardboiled types. After all, keeping gladiators in check is not exactly work for the frail. Although the night is young. Gino’s apparent weakness might turn out to be an act.
“Well then,” Gino said, gingerly bending a knee. “Our brief acquaintance has been established. I suggest we get straight to business. Tusk said you wanted to meet me? How can I be of use?”
Tenting his dry hands, Gino got ready to listen.
I think he already knows the reason for my visit. So I’ll be brief, but first...
“Before I get to business, I have to make sure...”
Without finishing, I nodded pointedly at his leg.
Gino understood mid-word and without further ado or argument, said:
“This ailment has been with me a long time. It follows me everywhere like a shadow. I don’t know how, but you were able to recognize its nature. I must note, very few of your colleagues are able to sense Darkness.”
“Do you mean to say the authorities are unaware?”
“No, come now! Because of this befoulment his Majesty’s secret chancery has me on a special list.”
My brows shot up. My surprise did not go unnoticed by the old man.
“Such are the laws of Fradia,” he shrugged. “Is it different where you are from?”
“Where I’m from?”
“Yes,” he nodded. “If I’m not mistaken, you’re a Tarian?”
“Is it that obvious?” I asked in surprise.
“Your accent gives you away,” Gino smiled significantly. “Yes, and my Observation never sleeps. By the way, you’re far from home.”
“Well, you said it yourself: secret affairs of the order,” I calmly parried hint for hint.
Gino stopped smiling. He thought he could spook me by mentioning the royal chancery. Didn’t work. The order of mages had greater effect. I should try to mention it less often. Today it did the trick, but tomorrow it could end up getting me in trouble.
“It happened when I was twenty,” seemingly Gino had decided not to draw his explanation out. “I was an assistant of Arno Giudice – an Ironville lanista, the owner of a school in the capital. I must note that in those days the royal decree ‘On Dark Beasts’ wasn’t yet so much as a twinkle in somebody’s eye. Anyone and anything could be loosed in the arena. And so the lanistae, in an effort to entertain their sophisticated audience, would often procure beasts from beyond the Dead Ocean. Arno was no exception. He purchased a night ghoul from some recently arrived explorers. A ghastly necrophage. A strong and dangerous beast.”
When mentioning the dark beast, Gino’s face balled up into an angry grimace.
“For a few days, Arno kept the necrophage starving, as the explorers counselled. All that time, we could hear vile howling and jabbering from the beast’s cage. And on the night before the battle, the ghoul came for Arno... Afterward we were told that necrophages have a very devious ability. Hunger makes them stronger. It bent the thick steel bars of the cage as if they were made of unfired clay.”
The old man sighed sadly.
“Many died that night. The ghoul had a true blood feast. I took a hit as well, as you can see... Its clawed paw sideswiped me. But that turned out to be enough for its poison to infect me for many years to come.”
“What about healers?”
Gino chuckled bitterly.
“Healer’s assistance is not a privilege many can afford. Beyond that, their schedules are booked many days in advance. It is somehow linked with mana supplies and spell usage times. But you already know that.”
I pretended to know what he was talking about and nodded comprehendingly.
“But I got lucky,” Gino continued. “On the night of the tragedy, when the forces of the city guard finished the beast off, a mage guard came into the school.”
I raised a brow in surprise. “Mages serve alongside the city guard?” When he noticed my reaction, the old man chuckled:
“Yes, young man. Back then the Order still did its part to help common folk. Apprentice mages patrolled the streets at night. Heh... Tell that to someone now, they’d never believe you... I’m not surprised you never heard of it. So then, one of those apprentices came into Arno’s school that night. I got lucky. He had several healing potions with him. And he also explained to me that only a very powerful healer would be able to extract the dark poison from my body. For example, one like Tzerius Moro, the chief royal healer.”
Unable to hold back, I snickered. It goes without saying that I’d never heard of anyone by the name of Tzerius. I simply was imagining the astronomical level such a mage’s spells must have been.
“Quite right,” Gino supported me. “I’m here, and the chief royal healer is there.”
“And how have you preserved yourself all these years?” I inquired sincerely.
“Healing potions, high-level Regeneration. But alas, all that is just half-measures. The ailment has to be exterminated in one fell swoop. Pulled up by the root. Now it nourishes itself on my supplies like a parasite. All this time, I have been able to balance between life and death, but I have nowhere to refill my magic potion reserves in this backwater. And my Regeneration cannot cope on its own.”
Now I understand why he lit up when he heard about a mage. And his patience inspired true envy. He’s hoping to finagle some healing potions off me.
“I trust I’ve satisfied your curiosity?” Gino asked.
“Fully,” I nodded, sitting back in my chair.
“So then...” Gino let me know that it was my turn to speak.
“I trust your familiar has already informed you that I have a nonhuman travelling with me?” I asked.
“Yes,” Gino didn’t wheedle. “He told me about the gremlin. If I’m not mistaken, he did not violate the oath he swore to you.”
“The Great System would have punished him otherwise.”
“Also true... Continue.”
“I’ll be frank with you. I’ve been wracking my brains for the last few days over how to obtain my companion legal status in the world of humans without drawing unwanted
attention.”
Lowering my voice, I leaned forward slightly and said:
“The particulars of my... mission are such that no one can be aware I am anything more than a common boy.”
The old man gave a comprehending nod and, smiling, said:
“And when you saw an ogre walking freely through a village of humans, then treated him to a drink, you realized what was going on...”
“I thought a kid with a gremlin would be sure to draw unwanted attention. But if that kid and gremlin are travelling as servants of a lanista from the capital...”
“Then it would look quite natural,” Gino finished for me. He stroked his chin, looked me dead in the eyes and said:
“All that remains is to find out what’s in it for the lanista.”
Bearing his gaze calmly, I answered:
“I’m sure you’ve had enough time to figure something out. And given I did get your invitation in the end; I assume we’re going to be able to come to an agreement.”
I could tell by Gino’s eyes that I’d hit the spot. But his answer left me discouraged.
“Alas, I cannot help you,” Gino shook his head with his teeth slightly clenched.
My brows crept up. To be frank, I was absolutely not expecting to hear that. Seeing my reaction, the old man raised his right hand in a reassuring gesture.
“I cannot. That doesn’t mean I do not want to. It’s just that for a number of good reasons I have no way of joining the caravan.”
After he said that, Gino shot a challenging look at me.
“Let’s be specific,” I started slowly. “Am I understanding correctly that you are not opposed to travelling together?”
“Exactly right,” Gino nodded.
“Then if it isn’t too much trouble, could you perhaps tell me those reasons?”
“As you already know from my assistant,” Gino started eagerly. “I lost out on a very important investment.”
“Are you talking about the executed orcs?”
“Oh!”
Gino’s calm showed a crack.
“I wouldn’t ever call that grisly spectacle an execution. My slaves were literally torn to shreds to cheery hooting and joyous hollers!”
It was hard for me to understand the man’s feelings. I do not approve of the cruelty the orcs were slain with, but I understand the reasons for it perfectly well. And I doubly cannot understand how a man who wanted to send those same orcs to the arena where they risked the same kind of death, could be talking about cruelty.
“Beyond that,” the old man wouldn’t let up, growing even more excited. “Under Fradian law, an illegal act was committed against me and my property! The Hornet, ringleader of the local criminal gang, robbed me in broad daylight! And beyond a doubt I am going to get that information where it needs to go!”
He wanted to say something else, but I had to interrupt him:
“Would you allow me to know just how that affected your position?”
“Directly and plainly!” Gino exclaimed indignantly. “Those barbarians forced me to stay here longer than I was planning when they killed my slaves. I couldn’t go home empty-handed. The Great Games are coming up! And I need fighters!”
“I understand,” I nodded. “You were hoping you’d be able to get more.”
“Exactly,” he answered. “But alas, we ended up waiting longer than we wanted and money, as you understand, has a nasty habit of running out quickly. Who could have thought the prices would be higher in this one-horse town than capital-city markets.”
“In other words, your funds have run out?” I asked. “And you have no money to pay for a place in the caravan?”
Gino rubbed his eyes wearily.
“It’s much worse than all that,” he said. “I’ve had to sell all our horses and one of my covered wagons to pay for food. And now, as you can see, horse prices are through the roof. Even still I’m not certain anyone would be willing to sell us their oldest and sickest nag. Meanwhile, my wagon will need two such nags.”
I rubbed the back of my head, perplexed. So I’ve been wasting my time here.
“And even if I can solve the horse issue and get us a spot in this caravan, we have one final problem.”
I glanced at the old man interestedly.
Gino took a heavy sigh and started to quietly explain:
“The thing is the ailment is defeating me. The simple potions Midori brews are not strong enough. I’m dying. I can say for certain that I have just a few days left at most. Now do you understand what I was talking about?”
Staring at a fixed point, I spent a bit of time in thought. Okay, let’s say I pay for all of our places in the caravan, buy horses and Mee takes care of the old man. Would that really be worth our time?
As if guessing what I was thinking, Gino chuckled and said:
“I have to admit, you had the right idea to try and travel with me. Here, in the borderlands, there is no law. But as soon as you get somewhere under control of the royal retinue, you and your gremlin are sure to get some questions. Tusk assured me you are no spy. But in order to stay incognito, travelling with a lanista and his nonhumans, in your case, is an ideal solution.”
I understood what the clever old man was hinting at. I decided to play along.
“Let’s pretend for a second,” I said. “That I do have certain funds. And that I can acquire places for all of us in the caravan to pay for the aforementioned services. Would it even be possible to buy horses now? I’m sure you’ve asked around.”
I saw a smile on the old man’s face.
“Yes, Master Eric. There still is a way to do that. Honestly, the horses will run us a whole fortune. But as I already said, my health...”
I interrupted him:
“I think we can help.”
“We?” the old man’s right brow crept upward.
It just so happened that Mee’s Dome of Invisibility ran out just then and, instead of renewing the spell, he dramatically appeared out of nowhere one step away from my chair. And strange as it may sound, that dramatic flair produced an effect. Gino’s lower jaw crept downward.
“Mister Leroy,” I said as I stood up from the chair. “Allow me to introduce my travelling companion, Master Mee.”
“Do you mean to say...” Gino sputtered out, stunned.
“Exactly,” I nodded. “Master Mee is a healing mage.”
Chapter 9
I WANTED TO KEEP up the conversation, but I was interrupted. The door leading to the front porch creaked and the ogre’s head appeared in the gap.
“Master,” he muttered. “There’s some... Some woman here for you. She says her name is Maya and that she has important tidings...”
Tusk quickly cast a gaze over us and stopped in surprise on Mee.
I noticed Gino’s face start to fill with red and hurried to intervene.
“The woman is with me. Just a minute.”
“Wait,” Gino stopped me and turned to the ogre: “Call her in!”
A few seconds later, Maya walked in panting and looked at me in alarm.
“Speak,” I nodded.
“A panic is taking hold in the village,” she shot out rapid-fire.
I felt a chill run down my spine.
“They say the Hornet’s scouts have returned from a long-distance expedition they embarked upon two weeks ago. Things are bad... The Hornet and his men are leaving this very instant!”
“Out of the question!” Gino interrupted her confidently. “That must be just some manner of foolishness! They won’t be able to pack up the caravan that quickly! The people aren’t ready yet!”
Maya shook her head.
“There won’t be any caravan. The Hornet is not planning to wait.”
Gino’s face turned pale and stretched out.
“That’s impossible!” he wouldn’t back down. But I could see that the obvious had started to reach him as well.
“It has begun,” I muttered, exchanging a comprehending glance with Mee, then turning to the ol
d man. “Mister Leroy, the time for coolheaded conversation is over. We need to decide fast. Are we together, or shall we part ways?”
Gino gave a loud gulp and, without thinking, answered:
“Together!”
The Dark Continent (Underdog Book #3): LitRPG Series Page 8