Second Genesis

The situation immediately became tense.

Giyoto might have been much stronger than he was, but the only person in the room actually taller than Grey was Brad, and after the man’s blow was basically crushed by the Baron, he was looking a lot smaller.

By comparison, Grey’s temper seemed to have flared beyond the point he cared to hold his tongue anymore.

The territory was owned by Giyoto. This money, aside from what he might have paid on taxes, would go directly to him. If Giyoto didn’t want to give him the shop, Grey didn’t actually care anymore. He wasn’t in pressing need of it.

"This price was not set by me." Giyoto said calmly. Nothing about Grey’s answer seemed to faze him anymore, but it was also quite clear that the man’s previous mellow kindness wasn’t here right now. "The territory might be mine, but zones available to be sold or rented by non-humans are subject to Warden Laws.

"There are few Captains of the Holy Knights, and each one is assigned as warden of a given zone. The zone of Globb’s shop is under the jurisdiction of Captain Terran. This price is being influenced by him."

Grey’s gaze became gloomy.

These people really did treat him like an idiot.

"Is that the story we’re going with."

"Watch your tongue, Sir Temolt. We have tolerated you for long enough. The Baron does not lie, and I will not stand idly by as you pretend as such." Silva snapped.

There was a flicker in Baron Giyoto’s eyes that came with hints of confusion. He was very much familiar with his own butler. Silva wasn’t the sort to lose his temper like this. It was very odd.

Grey didn’t even look at Silva.

"This is the last chance I’m giving you." Grey said.

Giyoto didn’t say anything for a long while. He met Grey’s gaze as though the two stood at equal height. There wasn’t the slightest bit that was readable from his expression.

When he finally did speak, it was so slow it felt like it was being pulled out from his chest by a long chain.

"I’ve asked myself several times if it was a mistake to bring you on. Every time I lay eyes on you, you seem to grow more difficult to completely read.

"You are right, Sir Temolt. The penalties levied against the shop do not have to be passed along to the rental agreement. Captain Terran did add a great number of sanctions. But I believe such sanctions are due to your faults and actions. Why should I take on the burden to pay for your mistakes?"

Grey grinned. "Because you’re rich and I’m poor? Are we still not done with the bullshit? If you want someone’s help, then you show sincerity."

"Your help? I believe it was the other way around, no?"

"Emphasis on ’was’."

Silva was practically grinding his teeth. He didn’t know why the Baron had to be so accommodating. The ungratefulness of Grey was simply on another level.

This time, Grey did look at Silva.

"What are you gritting your teeth for? What exactly have you done for me? Please name a single thing. I’m waiting."

Silva’s breath hitched in his throat.

—

[EggyDominion: This is some elite ragebaiting]

[SpellSeeker: He’s lost his damn mind. Again.]

[EggyDominion: Last time you said that he drank that elixir like he was drinking water.]

—

"Baron, we do not need him." Stella said slowly. "There’s no need to go through all of this."

"And that’s the other thing." Grey said almost like he hadn’t heard her. "You want me to team up with a group of useless bitches who couldn’t even team up to kill me in a sneak attack. And you’re talking about me needing your help? Do I look that desperate to you?"

Giyoto didn’t respond, but Grey didn’t mind it. He reached forward, opened up the Baron’s robes, and tucked the rental agreement back inside.

He gave it a pat then turned to leave.

"The way I see things, you need me, probably because you’re well aware that Globb passed on his inheritance to me. Maybe you need me to build something. Maybe you need me to decipher something in the shop. Maybe you want to keep me forever in your debt and make me some bullshitting wage slave. Maybe it’s all three of those things.

"Either way, I don’t care. I’m leaving."

Grey’s steps didn’t show any hesitation. He wasn’t playing some 5D chess move to get Giyoto to bend.

He truly didn’t give a damn.

It was one thing for Giyoto to catch and successfully kill him in the sewers, it was another thing entirely to kill him out in the open like this.

Even though this was Baron Giyoto’s home, pretty soon, the commotion Grey had caused by breaking those windows was going to come calling soon enough.

BANG. BANG. BANG.

An echo of a booming knock came from the door.

You see, the problem with living in such a nice neighborhood of brownstones—ones with patrols hanging around to keep the "poors" away—was that your neighbors were very close by.

And they were very sensitive to noise that might decrease their property value.

Grey waved goodbye from over his shoulder.

The air in front of Grey blurred and he found Giyoto standing in front of him.

"Oh. You’re quite fast." Grey said, his expression growing cold. Despite the casualness of his words, his body was ready to explode any moment.

Giyoto pulled out the rental agreement from his robes and his fingers flickered at the air, pulling a pen from seemingly nothing. He opened up the pages, crossed out the amounts due until they read 100 Credits biweekly and zero on the amount due.

Then, he handed it to Grey who still didn’t take it immediately.

Seemingly having expected this, Giyoto was already speaking in a calm cadence.

"Your expertise is needed in completing an armor. The principles used are near identical to that which should be present in the Mechanical Jaw Lineage, and the materials are almost all within Globb’s shop. There is one more item that must be retrieved, but the Instance cannot be entered by one beyond the Proving Class, and as such Stella and her team are needed."

Grey looked down at the rental agreement and smiled.

"You want my help? Fine. One condition. Get rid of them. They’re eyesores."