ROTLE- Chapter 203- The Arrogance of the Powerful (Patreon)

All things considered this was not a bad thing. It was not how he would’ve liked it or how he had hoped for it to go, but it was not a bad thing. Had he intended on meeting the master of the Order now? No. But he had intended on meeting the man eventually. Had there been intentions of a negotiation? Yes. But he had not been sure of what he wanted yet, even though he did in fact have what he wanted to bargain with.

But here they were.

They sat at the only table in the room. The master sat on the side backing the window, while Aiden sat on the side backing the door. In this manner, they watched each other’s back, even if unintentionally. Though, Aiden knew there was scarcely anything unintentional about anything the master did, even in his jovial childishness.

The master leaned forward on the table, arms gently rested atop it. “Aiden Lacheart has come to bargain,” he said with a wry smile. “And with words I have not heard in forever. Perhaps you are a nightmare come to life.”

“Perhaps,” Aiden said. To deal with someone so far above him, he had to show as little of his cards as possible. And the master was certainly far above him.

“Alright, then,” the master said. “What have I come to bargain for?”

“You have come to bargain for what is so important about the giants in the frost mountain.” Aiden met his gaze. “Remember, I gave you the frost mountain not to entice you but out of goodwill.”

“Why would you show me goodwill?” the master mused.

Aiden leaned forward, emulating the master. “Because Torat has made me see the Order in good light. He was… fun.”

“Fun?”

“Yes,” Aiden nodded. “Fun.”

“How so? He is the most stuck up man I know.” The master paused, looked around as if someone might be spying on them. “Don’t tell him I said that.”

Torat already knew that the master liked to refer to him as the most stuck up person he knew. In the Order, Torat had a specific nickname that was rarely uttered in front of him. Caretaker to the master.

“He’s fun,” Aiden answered. “Because rarely have I seen a person with so much power not abuse it.”

The master blinked. “That’s all?”

“That’s all,” Aiden confirmed.

The master looked at Valdan, Ted and Melvet currently seated quietly on the bed with an accusatory look. “You allow him to walk around with all this naivety? You sicken me.”

Ted blinked in relative confusion. Valdan seemed to squirm where he was sitting. Melvet’s never leaving frown deepened.

With a sigh, the master returned his attention to Aiden. He opened his mouth to say more but Aiden beat him to it.

“Why are they here?” Aiden asked. “You sent the others away but not them.”

“Would you believe me if I said I don’t like crowds?”

“Yes, but that is not the answer.”

A touch of seriousness showed in the master’s eyes, it was buttered in interest. “You are an amusing child, Aiden Lacheart. Sometimes you speak as though you know me.”

“My question remains unanswered.” When dealing with the master as an antagonist, Aiden had since learnt to be firm and swift. It was not his duty to give way to the man, which was funny since he had never been any of this in his past life. He only knew this from watching others like Torat associate with the master.

The master rolled his eyes. “You’re no fun. I can see why you thought Torat was fun. You’re both stuck up. Anyhoo, I sent them away because they do not know where you come from, and the [Thirteenth] is quite important to your knight.” He shrugged now. “If I had sent her off, your knight would be uncomfortable which will make you uncomfortable. Does that answer satisfy you?”

“It does. Now, for the bargain. What do you have to bargain with?”

Most people did not know but the Order was an establishment that could be bargained with. With spies all over the place, if you found the right Order member, you could strike a bargain. However, what most people did not understand was that there was a way to which the Order bargained. They did not waste their time, and they did not draw negotiations out for so long. It was the reason a lot of people failed at negotiating with them. Also, if it was something you knew, there was a significantly high chance that the Order already knew it or would soon know it.

“What would you like for this piece of information?” the master asked casually, as if there was no weight to the negotiation.

“Two things,” Aiden answered.

“One,” the master corrected. “Torat already owes you, and I am beginning to consider if I should simply uphold his promise in his place. So, tell me, what would you like?”

Aiden frowned slightly. He would’ve liked two things from the master of the Order, but he would settle for one. The only problem now was that he knew a lot of things that he could get, but he did not know any that would truly be useful. A lot of things the Order had to offer at his level were things he could not really remember. His memory of things from the Order were useful only to level two hundred and above.

“I could buy the information,” the master offered. “They say you can never have enough money.”

“No,” Aiden shook his head. “I already have more than enough money. And,” he nodded to Melvet. “If she’s as important as her title seems to imply, then I should have more than enough money.”

Valdan smiled proudly and Melvet rolled her eyes at him.

“I guess that’s fair,” the master said. “But we cannot negotiate if you do not make a request of me.”

Here in was where the problem with bargaining with the Order lay. Unwilling to waste its time, the only way the members of the Order are allowed to bargain is simple. The parties in question will bring what they have to offer and the Order member will bring what they deem of equal value. Only two attempts are required and then members are commanded—not instructed—to terminate negotiations.

“How about we try something else?” Aiden suggested. Anything he requested of the Order would be useful to him now or in the future. He could not ask for things beyond level three or four hundred because there was a possibility that he could find his way back to Earth before he got to those levels, and then the bargain would be a waste.

[Hollow Greeves], he thought. They would be useful, but he wouldn’t need them for another few months when [Unwoven Fate]’s cool down ended. Within those months, he was fairly certain he could sneak into Nel Quan and steal the one they had. He doubted their [Sage] was interested in protecting them.

The master raised a brow. “I’m listening.”

Aiden was left with only one method he believed would work. The master’s sense of value. Ted, in his dying moments, had offered the information to the master, knowing that the man would understand what it meant. It had implied that the information carried much weight. The key was already being sought after. It was information given to the master yet kept away from the [Sage] of Bandiv.

The value of the strong was a significant thing. Yet most people only came for their mercy in a bid to outweigh their wrath.

Aiden looked at the master, looked deep into his eyes. He saw nothing there, but it was not as if he expected to.

“How about I give you the information you seek,” he began to the confusion of the others, “and you pay me what you think it’s worth?”

The master paused, seeming to mull the idea over. “Is this because you have no idea what you could potentially ask of me?”

An idea came to Aiden a little belatedly, but it was not for him, so he discarded it. Besides, it solved a problem that his very existence was a second-best solution to.

“I have a million things I could ask of you,” Aiden clarified. “I have heard the legends and myths of the Order, believe me, I know what you are capable of.”

“And that’s the problem, isn’t it?” the master smiled. “You have a million things you can ask of me, so you don’t know which one to pick.” He winked at Aiden. “Every decision you make will leave you in regret of the decision that you did not make. Alas, you leave it in the hand of one better versed in it.” the master’s smile turned feral as he bared teeth. “You count on the goodness of the powerful. You play with fate, child.”

“Goodness?” Aiden snorted in derision. “Oh, no, I’m counting on your arrogance.”

The master laughed. It was a belly laugh, the one a man only made when he was truly entertained. “Oh, child,” he chuckled now, wiping tears that did not exist from his eyes. “That one’s new.”

“Aida,” Ted said carefully. “Are you sure?”

Aiden watched the master’s eyes move to Ted. There was curiosity there, assessment. He was waiting to see what would happen.

“I’m sure,” Aiden answered to which Ted shrugged.

“Then I guess, I can’t argue,” Ted said unbothered.

The master looked at Valdan. “And you, knight?”

“What about me?” Valdan asked.

“Do you have no reason to question this decision?”

“Lord Lacheart will do what Lord Lacheart will do.”

“I see.” The master returned his attention to Aiden. “This is… interesting. Alright, I agree. Show me what you have, and I will give you something of equal value. Your choice to put your faith in my… arrogance, remains interesting.”

Melvet remained quiet.

Aiden leaned forward, held the master’s gaze. The man leaned slightly away, given him a confused look.

“Look to the frost mountains, master of the Order,” he said, delivering the message as cryptically as Ted had once given it to him. “The giants have the key.”

It was slow. It was visible. It was unmistakable. The master’s eyes widened in what looked like a mix of horror and disbelief. His hands balled into fists on top of the table

Melvet looked from Aiden to the master. Her jaw dropped in horror. “It can’t be. They can’t—”

“I have made a grave mistake,” the master said, frowning, his voice cutting her off. Then he turned to her and waved his hand.

“Don’t you dare—”

Melvet was gone before she could finish her statement.

Valdan lunged to his feet.

“She’s fine,” the master said. There was a weight to his word, it screamed truth as well as a warning. “I have simply sent her aware like I did the others.”

Even with his words, his expression was still grave.

Aiden couldn’t help but ask, “What mistake have you made? Why is it so grave?”

“Letting the [Thirteenth] know,” the master answered. “Because now the church will know. And the church should not know.”

There was something heavy about this part of the conversation. “And why shouldn’t the church know?”

“Because if they know, then the gods will know.” The master rose from the chair simply. “I have valued the information you have given me, Lord Lacheart.” He said his name with a weight of respect. “For one of your level, there is no one thing I can offer you that will be of equal value. For now, you may have these.”

Three items appeared on top of the table. Aiden was still reeling from what the master was saying. He understood that the key was important, but just how important was it that the gods would also need it and it would wipe away all joviality from the master.

Ontop of the table was a translucent cross that Aiden recognized. Upon the cross a casket was crucified. Then there was a grey sword, with what looked like mediocre craftmanship. The third was a ring.

“The cross,” the master said. “Is called the [Hollow Grave]. I cannot protect you, but I cannot afford to have you die so soon. It…”

“Activates when the user’s health is below ten percent,” Aiden said, worried. “And for a period of time, the user’s health will not fall below one percent.”

“I see, you know this item.

“I researched it,” Aiden continued to stare at the items. “I was going to steal it from Nel Quan.”

Valdan blinked. “That would start a war with Bandiv.”

“Only if they find out who stole it,” Aiden said absently.

“I see,” the master mused, on his feet. “The sword is a chimera of sort. Malleable, it switches to the weapon of your choice.”

“What of its enchantment capabilities?” he asked.

“Oh, yes.” The master pursed his lips in thought. “I am aware of the nature of your class. I guess I would not advise constant use of enchantments on it. Stick to maybe four every day, that’s the best I can give. There does not exist a weapon that does not suffer the weight of enough enchantments. As for the ring… well, it’s just an affinity boost. It gives you elemental damage on all attacks and gives you elemental resistance on all attacks.”

Aiden wanted to laugh. He had not even begun to understand what the true value of the key was. In fact, he would not have been able to bargain for even one of these. He had definitely considered the [Hollow Grave] but had deemed an artifact of that quality too great for the information he was offering.

Try your luck, he thought. After all, the master had said ‘for now.’

“You desire something else,” the master said. “Name it.”

The arrogance of the powerful, Aiden thought with a mental smile. Once upon a time he had told Torat that what was insignificant to the powerful was significant to the weak. And here the master was, his arrogance making sure that he offered something arguably of value to the weak Aiden yet fitting of his reputation. It was ludicrous.

“A teacher,” Aiden said.

The master paused. “For yourself?”

Aiden was already shaking his head. The next part was going to put him deeper into the master’s raider, but he did not care. He knew that he was safe. The master hadn’t pressed to ask how Aiden had the information he had just given. Why? Because the master was not the kind to kill for information. He was the kind to bargain for it.

“I desire a teacher for one of my teammates,” Aiden said. “I need him to be powerful and obedient. There are things I desire to do in the future that I do not want others to know about. And,” he added quickly, when the master began to think about it, “I know who exactly I want.”

That was the risk.

The master’s eyes narrowed. “You have a teacher that you want me to provide for you in mind already. Is this teacher a member of the Order?”

Aiden nodded. “He is?”

“Which implies that you know a lot about the Order.”

“I have seen him once or twice,” Aiden said casually.

“And has he seen you?”

Aiden nodded. “Although I highly doubt that he will remember.”

Silence settled upon the room for a moment. Valdan and Ted were tense, at attention. The master was contemplative.

In the end, he nodded. “You know too much, Aiden Lacheart. Who do you want?”

“Rometo,” Aiden said without missing a beat.

The master groaned. He ran a hand down his face. Aiden almost laughed. He was walking a very thin line. On one hand, he felt like he was paying the master back for all the time the master had frustrated him in his past life and it brought him a measure of peace he had not known that he needed. On the other hand, he was frustrating a very powerful man. The master could just as easily present Rometo as he could very easily kill everyone in the building. They were, after all, insignificant to him.

“Done,” the master said in the end. “Rometo, for however you know him, will be here shortly. But while we wait, how about I give you a better deal?”

Aiden smiled. “I’m listening.”

“First,” the master said, “you are enjoying this a little too much. Second, you say that you know a lot about the Order. Would you say that you know what we are?”

“I know that you are the greatest unknown military might on both sides of Nastild.”

“You are even aware of the other side. Most people think it a myth.” The master nodded to himself. “How about we do this? How about you and your team become members of the Order?”

Valdan’s gasp was visible, and it went through the entire room.

The master grinned at him. “I bet he didn’t see that coming,” he laughed.

“He did not,” Aiden agreed, shaking his head. “But no. I already have plans. Valdan has where he needs to be and I have things I need to do. Being a member of the Order hinders them significantly.”

Even as he spoke, Aiden was beginning to wonder if there was any reason for him to hand over the [Enemy of the Order] to the Order again. He’d had ideas in his head on how he was going to do it and how epic it would be. He was beginning to realize that for all the good the Order had done for him, he had an innate desire to one up the Order.

The master sighed. “First, he singlehandedly steals the [Crytal of Existence], then the [Heart of Nosrath], and kills the unkillable..” He looked at Aiden. “Considering you haven’t used them, I can only assume that there is a plan for them. Would you like to share?”

“Nope. It’s also why I want you to enact a binding vow on Rometo that he will obey me as long as my request does not harm the Order or endanger his life.”

The master’s eyes narrowed further. “What are you playing at, Aiden Lacheart?”

Just then, the door opened and someone walked in.

“Master, you called?” The voice was male, deep, careful. Aiden recognized Rometo’s voice anywhere.

“This,” the master gestured behind Aiden, “is Rometo, member of and instructor in the Order. He will be at your service for the duration of a year.”

Aiden didn’t think he would need him for that long, but a year was long enough. It was better to have too much time than not enough time. Still, he did not look back at Rometo as the man closed the door behind him and stepped to the side.

“Rometo,” the master said.

“Yes, master.”

“Lord Lacheart here has asked for you specifically. He seems to know you but claims that you will not be able to recognize him even though you have both met.”

“I do not believe we have.”

“And I believe you,” the master said. “The problem is that I also believe him, which is very uncanny.” There was a moment of silence where the master looked at Rometo and rolled his eyes. “Yes, I have given him the [Hollow Grave]. We struck a bargain and you are a part of said bargain. Do you have a problem with it?”

“No, master.”

“Good. Also know that you are to obey all his orders as long as they do not endanger you or the Order.” The master paused, looked at Aiden. “Please do not humiliate one of mine. It will be in poor taste.”

“The Order is the last place I would dare think about when considering humiliation,” Aiden said easily. “Rometo’s duty will be to teach and protect. That is generally all he will be doing.”

The master nodded. “Then I guess that will be all. I will need to do something with this information you have given me.”

With that, he turned and made his way for the window.

“Until next time, master of the Order,” Aiden said. In truth, he had almost stopped at just master.

The master paused and looked back at him. “Until next time?” he asked, intrigued.

“There will be a next time,” Aiden said. “I am fairly certain of it.”

The master’s brows furrowed, and he stalked his way up to Aiden. Both hands settling gently on the tabletop, he leaned in and looked at him.

“Just what are you, Aiden Lacheart?”

Aiden had an answer for that.  He stood up from his chair and met the master’s gaze, fixed it in place, or at least he liked to think so.

“I,” he said, “am merely a boy ripped from his world without his permission.”