Filed to story: A Bullied Boy Died: A Mafia King Woke Up In His Body
But Keith shook his head violently. “N-N-No, sir. It-It’s n-not the enforcers.” Keith barely stuttered the words out, his hands trembling and with fear.
“Is he alone?” Kyle squinted his eyes, tossing out his current thoughts.
“Yes.”
Kyle’s expression darkened. “Have him come in. Prepare the best tea we have.”
“Yes, sir.”
Soon, a well-dressed gentleman in an elegant outfit walked in, his hair slicked back in jet-black lines, and his face immaculate. The suit spoke volumes of care and attention to detail-the thread count was specifically selected and the gradient of the fabric was astounding. He did not bow nor show any signs of respect toward Kyle, treating him like a decoration while he simply walked around the office and looked at the bookshelves and furniture, his luxurious walking cane tapping the ground incessantly. “How quaint. I am a bit sad to see Ulon’s hallmark ornaments missing.”
“They were quite a distraction, so I had them auctioned off.”
“A pity. I would have hoped he kept some of my older gifts.” The man finally locked eyes with Kyle before sitting in a chair meant for guests, relaxing as though he had just arrived home.
“I’m sure he appreciated the gifts, nonetheless.”
“Oh, my gifts pale in comparison to the gift you gave him.” The man chuckled at his own joke. Keith soon entered the room with a teapot and cup on a delicate tray, placing it down and pouring a cup for the guest. However, his hands were shaking terribly, the tea violently vibrating as the glass clinked.
The man simply smiled at Keith and turned back to Kyle. “You’re doing much better than Ulon did. When I first met him, he could barely reply to me or look me in the eye. I recall him trembling continuously, unable to form a coherent sentence. Much like this poor young boy.” He motioned his hand to Keith, who quickly bowed and took a step back.
“I would not use Ulon as a measure for eloquence-or a measure for anything.”
“Indeed. Ulon was never able to make use of what he had on hand.” The man chuckled, closely examining Keith and sizing him up. “A gait of a scholar. Sharp eyes, though bravery has to be worked on a tad more. Your abilities seemed to be far wasted here. Perhaps I can offer you another form of employ-“
“Get to the point,” Kyle interjected in defiance. The man did not seem irked in the slightest, giving a mere gentle smile as he crossed his legs.
“I’m here to deliver a form of greeting from our leader, Ares UIras. He has only the best wishes for the future of the Seven Snakes and hopes to potentially forge relationships where possible. We are open to partnerships or collaborations in any future ventures.”
Kyle nodded. “You may give him my thanks, Sebastian. I will surely take him up on his offer in the near future.”
“Ah, a man who has done his research. Consider me surprised that even an amnesiac knows about me.”
“It’s hard not to know legends and myths about the vice-leader of the Ardent Cretins.”
“Oh, don’t flatter me. I’m simply doing my job. I’m sure that you will have your own myths in the future-if given enough time.”
“Only if I am allowed to.”
Sebastian’s smile grew. “I knew we would understand each other. A big improvement over Ulon, as repugnant of a standard he might be. It seems like being an amnesiac is a gift of sorts; perhaps I should try it one day.”
“I can have an alchemist prepare a memory-erasing potion if you so wish. Perhaps we could set an appointment?”
Sebastian laughed, while Kyle maintained a stoic expression. “Maybe when I’m retired. For now, I still have to manage a group of naughty children who only get rowdier as they age. Always aiming to become the parent, thinking they have what it takes to rule the world. Do you have any tips for handling them?”
“Some sweets or cake would make them easy to handle. A gift or a concession goes a long way to fostering trust.”
“Ah, but children are quick to forget, especially when another carrot is dangled in front of them. That reminds me.” He stood up, rummaging through his inner pocket.
“A token of goodwill from the Ardent Cretins.” Sebastian retrieved a transparent glass bottle holding a miniature galleon suspended by wood inside. “An exquisite gift, handcrafted by one of our patrons.”
He stood up and placed it on the table in front of Kyle. The boat was extremely intricate and fragile. Keith looked at it and could tell that even a slight, sudden jerk could cause the boat to collapse. For Sebastian to be able to carry it in his suit without breaking it was stupendous.
“Do be careful with it. It is extremely delicate. If one were to rock the boat too much, the pieces within would begin to crumble. Hopefully, it will still be intact the next time we meet.” Sebastian took his leave, with Keith escorting him out of the base.
When Keith returned, his leader was still staring at the ship.
“Wow, I didn’t know the vice leader of the Ardent Cretins was so nice! That boat looks really expensive!” Keith exclaimed.
“It wasn’t a pleasant conversation, far from it. It was a threat,” Kyle responded grimly. After all that he had done to make sure he remained off the radar, the big fish of the South Sector had still locked on to him. He expected someone of note from the Ardent Cretins to visit eventually, but he never expected the vice leader to come in person.
Don’t rock the South Sector, lest you want your gang to crumble into pieces. Kyle knew what the warning was, clear as day. He clenched his fists tightly.