Villainous - 61 Contrac

As the Interface – Lina – explained during their brief face-to-copied-face training session, Li Mei knew her displayed stats were ‘maximum possible’ rather than ‘universal constant’. A Nobel Prize-winner would have INT or WIS of 5, but that didn’t mean their brain was always working at 5 every waking moment. They would have moments of forgetfulness, sleepiness, and boredom just like other people.

Li Mei’s stats were all at 10 but that didn’t mean she would always display strength or speed or intelligence equal to 10. In fact, her inability to utilize her body and mind’s full potential was why her Rank was only 2! Otherwise the bare stats alone would qualify her for mid-Rank 4 at minimum.

Even with that in mind, it shouldn’t have been so effortless for Faust to pick her up and put her on Bao’s back – especially when she tried her best to struggle out of his grip. He was able to hold her aloft without displaying any discomfort and suppressed any signs of her struggling attempts.

‘Rank 7 is too damn strong!’ Li Mei grumbled, tapping her heels against Bao’s flanks in frustration. She felt like a little sparrow fluttering helplessly in the iron grasp of a particularly loathsome gorilla.

Bao felt the stares of people on the street and walked with his head held high in a proud yet alert stance, listening for potential threats to his injured little rider. Faust walked by his shoulder muttering soft instructions only Li Mei and the Fera could hear, mostly correcting the latter’s walking posture and pace.

Bao’s natural choppy strut turned into an elegant glide under Faust’s whispered coaching. Slow and measured, with dignity and confidence in every step as they traversed the confusing, winding city streets. Hana and Otto had no trouble keeping up with his pace, focusing instead on their own postures to look more like proper adjutants serving a noble young miss.

Li Mei practiced with her Mana Sight since she didn’t have to walk anywhere, eyes flicking over every stranger in the crowded streets, every open door and uncovered window.

People or creatures with Cores had auras, as did magitech or enchanted items. Stronger creatures, or more powerful enchantments, produced larger, brighter auras. With Mana Sight active, Li Mei’s view of Brittalund became quite colorful indeed! Lanterns fueled by mana, magitech cooking implements, enchanted rings or pendants or weapons.

Almost everyone carried a visible weapon of some sort. Daggers, swords, even the occasional spear! Even children playing in the streets usually had a sheathed knife strapped to their legs.

Li Mei clicked her tongue, feeling conflicted deep in her heart. On the one hand, it was good the children had ways to defend themselves from danger. But a world in which even kids must be armed at all times…

It really felt uncomfortable.

From the narrow crowded streets near the air docks to wider avenues lined with trees traversed by people in expensive finery, Faust led the group through what felt like the entire city of Ashwick. Li Mei kept silent, observing the surroundings and making mental notes within her Archive.

Her carmine red hair was exceptionally eye-catching among a sea of people with mostly black, brown, auburn or blond hair. It wasn’t entirely unique – there were occasional individuals with bright blue, green, purple, or even pink hair – but no one had hair quite as bright and red as her own.

Likewise, her eyes seemed to be an unusual color as well. Common eye colors in the crowd were black, brown, gold, blue, green. Some, like Hana with her scarlet gaze, had either bright unusual hair or bright unusual eyes, but very few people had both.

‘I’ll have to be careful with disguises,’ Li Mei thought to herself, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. ‘But that’s not a bad thing either. Standing out like this can be an alibi itself if I use it correctly. The real problem is…’

She glanced down at her legs, draped over Bao’s sturdy flanks, and heaved a sigh.

Her body was really too tiny! Li Mei was (physically) 14 years old but didn’t look a day over 10. She was just barely the perfect height to headbutt Faust right in his black belly if she was of a mind to. With her puny stature, what kind of adult would take her seriously, even with the supposed backing of some important foreign clan?

Li Mei imagined her current self swaggering into an old tavern, jumping up to take a seat on an old stool, ordering a pint of beer, and trying to talk business with shady men whose biceps were thicker than her torso… While her little feet dangled half a meter off the floor.

And promptly bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing out loud.

As with all things, size could be an advantage or disadvantage depending on how it was used. But being taken seriously when she looked like a child would definitely be an uphill battle.

The First Merchant’s Bank of Ashwick was an impressive stone building towering over a cultivated park plaza. On its peaked roof crouched a life-like bronze statue of a giant lizard with its open mouth spilling forth enormous shining gems that hovered in the air, catching rays of sunlight on their prismatic surfaces.

Was it eating them, or breathing them out?

Massive steps led up to the bank’s entrance, between enormous stone pillars that seemed to be supporting the roof. Curved around each pillar were bronze statues of lizards with strong limbs and long bodies. Their reptilian eyes were golden gems that seemed to watch passerby with cold calculated stares.

Faust led them all past rows of guards in shining silver plate armor standing at attention on the stairs, who didn’t so much as spare a glance for their odd little group. They didn’t say anything to stop Bao, which Li Mei found very interesting.

Imagine trying to ride a horse into a bank on Earth!

Though Fera were very different from horses – much more intelligent, and infinitely stronger, not even including the long list of physiological differences. But he was still serving as a mount at the moment, and no one said anything?

She opened Archive information on Fera while pretending to not be impressed by the imposing architecture – Hana and Otto were already being scolded by Professor Bishop for letting their mouths drop open in shock. Such a lavish building, how could bumpkins like them not be impressed? But even if they were impressed, they shouldn’t show it!

Li Mei chuckled inwardly and kept her face turned forward, eyes scanning through Interface Archive pages.

‘Of course… Fera aren’t just mounts. They’re excellent bodyguards as well, and thanks to their high intellect aren’t considered any different from private security.’ Satisfied with the answer she found, Li Mei closed the Archive.

She glanced up in time to see a young woman in very ordinary scruffy clothes scrambling up the stairs while holding a small pouch to her chest, giving their group a wide berth without so much as a curious glance in their direction. Instead, from her body language, she seemed fearful of attracting their notice.

The young woman avoided the enormous bronze doors standing open at the peak of the stairs, instead turning left to enter through a smaller door hidden in the shadows. That woman had no trace of aura on her body, but the pouch she held so tightly had a faint yellowish glow. Li Mei glanced at Faust, who beamed a smile at her.

“No need to concern yourself, Miss Mei! Peasants without Cores are tended to in a separate section, they will not be intruding upon your experience in the bank.”

Li Mei raised her brows and gave a slight nod, nudging Bao to continue his climb up the bank stairs.

A shimmering curtain of blue mana filled the open doorway, thin as a cicada’s wing. Passing through left Li Mei feeling as though a silk cloth was rubbed against every inch of her body until the little fine hairs were all standing straight up. The silver twin crescent badge pinned to her coat lapel flashed briefly with a golden light.

She shivered with discomfort, pinching her thigh to help maintain her composure. Keeping a calm and proper facade was tiresome, no matter how much practice she had with it in the past!

The bank’s main lobby was a large, open space with long stone counters attended by men and women in matching gray uniforms. White tiles underfoot reflected the room’s occupants with high clarity, making the entire floor seem as though it were a mirror rather than a walking surface.

Complicated yet beautiful crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, glowing gems dangling from arms of bronze wound into intricate patterns. Many cushioned benches faced tables laden with snacks and tea, tended carefully by more workers in the same gray uniforms. In one corner, a live band played soft orchestral music on highly polished string instruments.

The patrons here were obviously wealthy and important but not the level of nobility, as none of them wore anything resembling House crests. All of them were accompanied by several bodyguards and servants.

In Brittalund, nobility and their trusted servants were required by law to display their crests with pride, using a unique type of metal that could be easily verified as genuine. For Li Mei, as a foreign dignitary her supposed ‘clan’ was similar to a Brittalund noble House, so she and her ‘servants’ had to wear the twin crescents of Yueluo.

An idle bank attendant perked up when she saw a small group enter the bank lobby. The flash of gold from Li Mei’s badge caught her eye, and she hurried forward before the Fera had taken more than three steps inside.

“Welcome to the First Merchant’s Bank of Ashwick. This humble servant would be honored to escort such esteemed guests.” The attendant smiled warmly, addressing Faust while turning her body aside to gesture toward a distant hallway.

They were led to a private waiting room, with plush carpet on the floors and ornate furniture. Faust gestured for Hana and Otto to stand near the door, while Bao knelt next to a sofa so Li Mei could easily slide onto the cushions from his back.

Opening an account with the bank was a painless process. Within fifteen minutes Li Mei, Otto, and Hana were verified to have no previous accounts and all had brand-new shiny bank cards that glimmered bright red – an initial deposit paid by Faust. The attendant patiently listed the functions of the card, as well as what its different colors signified and a warning not to overfill it.

Though Otto didn’t have a Core of his own just yet, aura signatures were unique inborn traits that didn’t require a Core to possess. They were as intrinsic to one’s body as their fingerprints. Manipulating mana was only required if one wished to forcibly transfer mana into the bank card, even without that ability Otto could spend mana at shops using sale registers, or receive payments from others.

First Merchant’s handled the storing of treasures, magitech, and artifacts for their clients, according to the attendant who beamed with pride and eagerness. They kept valuables secure for a small fee calculated by the item’s worth as determined by their on-staff professional appraisers. For another fee, the bank could even transport items instantly between branches for clients who traveled frequently.

At any time clients could make a deposit at any First Merchant’s branch, or withdrawal as long as their account wasn’t empty… For yet another fee, of course. The account was considered separate from the card itself, and could only be accessed directly from a bank branch. The attendant droned on at least twenty minutes, explaining the benefits and interest rates in great detail until Faust shut her up by paying to open the highest Gold Tier account for Li Mei.

The attendant, who got paid on commission, was all too delighted to stamp a little gold star next to the logo on Li Mei’s bank card – but only after graciously accepting a box full of bank tokens.

They sold convenient bank tokens of varying values for a mere 5% markup, which allowed people to conduct large transactions without revealing their bank card. First Merchant’s would even be a guarantor of loans, provided one signed a magic contract regarding payments.

Each client was assigned one card, and if it was lost there’d be a heavy fine to pay. There was a reward for people who turned in lost cards, which made Li Mei’s ears perk with interest. The attendant explained how to transfer mana in and out of their cards manually, and brought out a shop register to show them how it worked.

Her job done, the excited attendant took her box of bank tokens and excused herself from the room.

Li Mei heaved a sigh and relaxed her stiff shoulders, glancing over at Faust with a cunning glint in her eyes. “Professor Bishop. That contract she mentioned… Are you familiar with contract magic?”

Without being in a secure area, and with Otto, Hana, and Bao still in the room, Faust couldn’t drop the Professor Bishop persona long enough to refuse her question. Professor Bishop was hired to teach at the Academy, who would believe him if he said contract magic was something unfamiliar? So, reluctantly, Faust nodded his head. “Yes, Miss Mei. Why do you ask?”

“Can you make a contract?”

Faust’s disguise wavered as he narrowed his eyes. “Why do you ask?”

Li Mei smiled, the expression not quite reaching her eyes. “I know my… Guardian introduced you to me, but to be honest… I’d feel more at ease if we established a few official boundaries before we continued working together.”

“Is my word not enough, Miss Mei?” Faust smiled as well, though he managed to make his expression warm rather than threatening.

“Not at all, Professor Bishop. You are, after all, a stranger to me. The words of a stranger are a feather in the wind. Wouldn’t it be odd if someone in my position gave you their trust so easily? If you wish to be of service to me, I’ll require a show of good faith on your part.”

By the door, Hana and Otto exchanged glances, raising their eyebrows. Why did it seem like… Li Mei hated Professor Bishop as much as she hated Faust?

Hana decided she wouldn’t like the Professor anymore, no matter how nice his smile was. Since Li Mei disliked him she must have a reason of her own, and that was enough of a reason in Hana’s mind.

Otto, meanwhile, began to wonder if his little Boss just didn’t care for adults in general… Was she in a rebellious phase?

“Good faith, is it…” Faust exhaled, removing the spectacles from his nose and wiping them with a clean white cloth until they squeaked. “Miss Mei, what would you count as a show of good faith?”

“Just a small contract. Nothing that should be uncomfortable to agree with, supposing your intentions are honorable.”

“For example?”

“For example… I would like to draw a line regarding possession. What is mine shall remain mine. Whether it is gifted to me by others, or it is something I obtain with my own hands. Treasures, cores, books, servants, properties, even ideas.” Li Mei glanced to the side, lowering her voice so only Faust, and Bao, could hear. “You will neither take them without permission, nor order me to hand them over.”

Faust was speechless. He stared at the child with his mouth open for a good five minutes before he fought to regain his composure. “You want me to sign a contract… Promising I won’t be a thief?!”

“As I said, Professor. A show of good faith. That’s all I ask.” Li Mei’s smile turned gentle as she glanced down at her lap, fidgeting with the edge of her coat as though afraid he would refuse her favorable terms.

Faust pondered for a moment, watching her fidget before closing his eyes and putting the spectacles back on. He cleared his throat and affected a very serious expression. “Very well, Miss Mei. If that’s what it takes to earn your trust.”

Li Mei scoffed in her heart as Faust held out his hand, materializing a sheet of glowing purple paper and matching quill pen.

Asking too much at once would make him push back, force a renegotiation. Rather than risk losing ground from the gate, Li Mei chose to take a slower incremental approach. First, she had to make sure Faust wouldn’t be able to lay hands on anything she obtained. It was the most important step.

Psychologically speaking, people were more likely to grant someone big favors if they had previously done them a few smaller ones. By asking for one reasonable thing with no immediate consequences or obvious losses, it laid the foundation for other ‘reasonable’ requests in the future.

For 44’s death, Faust owed her a life debt weighed against the poor girl’s stolen future. Everything Li Mei wanted from him, she would take.

Piece by piece.