Soulless Players

Chapter 16: Battle of words

Before Loen could respond, Steve quickly interjected, "But at the same time, it isn't ours."

Loen looked at Steve in confusion. His eyes were telling him, 'How can that be possible?'

Steve's eyes glimmered in delight as he recalled the time he suggested the family head on implementing this business plan.

He discussed about franchising and how it works.

"Instead of goods, what we sell is the brand's name and reputation. Our clients would then operate their business under our banner, with, of course, the products we supply."

This was one of the many ideas he contributed to the family. It was easy for Steve as he had lived in a more advanced civilization. Through it, he can just copy and implement them in this world.

And at a young age, after a couple of suggestions, he finally reached a level where he could voice his opinion in the family, irrespective of his young age.

Meaning, Steve had been deemed to be the next successor of the family's numerous business organizations.

Of course, his involvement was hidden from the masses. Only the family elders knew he was the source of their innovative business schemes. This was made to protect him from their competitors.

'I'm sure by now, father is looking for me…' Steve's lips raised slightly as he imagined the old man panicking.

Steve left the house secretly to find Philip's condition. He thought he would only be gone for a couple of days but never did he expect his travel to extend and later ended up returning utterly defeated.

"Your family is indeed great in trading, young master," Loen complimented. "If this will continue, I am sure your family will hold a title in the future."

"Now that the country is moving to industrialization, the king would surely honor not only those with military feats but also those with great contributions to the betterment of the country."

Steve nodded upon hearing Loen's speculations. The restriction regarding providing nobility titles only for militants was too backward. If the country continues this, it will surely be left behind by the rapid transitioning of the economy to capitalism.

This was Steve's first goal and priority: to be a noble and enter the high social world of the aristocrats. He believed that by doing this, the higher the chance he could discover magic through the old money's channels.

'It's impossible for the nobles to not know about the existence of magic..' Steve thought optimistically.

If perhaps this conjecture is true, that nobles did indeed know about it, he could finally make use of the stats points he put in mana.

Steve and Loen exchanged points about trading, with the latter more on asking. Their talk continued even after the train started moving.

When the train moved, Steve somehow felt Raven stiffen. But when he glanced at him and saw Raven didn't bat an eye, then he returned his focus to Loen.

Because they found a similar interest, Steve couldn't help but lower his guard against Loen. It was as if his head was filled only with their talk, forgetting the man across him was a powerhouse.

As time passed, Steve gradually felt comfortable and closer to Loen and started asking questions. Later, their conversation moved to the organization that Loen is part of.

"By the way Mr. Loen. You told me earlier that you are a colleague of Emile. I am curious which organization the two of you are part of." Steve asked in interest.

Feeling that his question was lacking, Steve continued blabbering his mouth, "Both of you are kind of a powerhouse you know. Hehe, it seems that your organization is quite powerful hehe..."

"…."

After voicing this, silence enveloped the partitioned room, with Loen's eyes sparked with interest and Steve giggling naively.

But when Steve felt that the silence was abnormally long and quiet, he realized that he made a slip of the tongue.

"Hmm from what I see, it seems the young master knows I'm quite a powerful individual…" Even though Loen's lips were raised while saying this, Steve strangely felt terrified by this smile.

"How do you know this young master? I haven't even shown you an ounce of what I'm capable of yet you already seemed to know something. And it seems you're particularly sure about it…"

Loen faced directly at Steve and said, "Do you have a way of knowing a person's strength, young master?"

He smiled and continued, "A superpower, perhaps?"

Upon hearing this, Steve felt like he was hit by a thunderbolt.

'Oh no!' Steve's head was in a mess. He was found out! Although Loen was wrong in his conjecture, he was still somehow right.

While his power only measures value, it still could be used to determine a person's strength as the more powerful the person is, the more valuable he is.

Overall, Loen's guess is not entirely wrong!

Steve tried to lie his way out, but when his eyes met Loen's glint, he trembled and stopped what he was about to say.

He felt an unimaginable force that kept his mind muddled in panic!

When Loen noticed Steve's state, he pushed his way onward to force Steve to tell him the truth,

"Is this related to why your eyes sometimes squint when you are looking at me? Tell me, young master…"

"Why do I feel like I am a sun in your eyes? Am I that bright in your vision? Hmmm?" Loen told Steve jokingly.

Loen then leaned forward, his arms propped on the table and his interlocked fingers supporting his chin up.

"Pray do tell me. What secrets are you hiding in those tiny eyeballs you have, young master?"

The surroundings became even more muted. But unlike the room's condition, Steve's head was loud and chaotic. There seemed to be a bell ringing continuously inside it.

But when Steve felt that he had no way out, a deep voice rescued him from his predicament.

"Intuition." said the voice.

The two then followed its source and saw the man they had almost forgotten sitting next to Steve.

"Perhaps the boss feels it through his intuition," Raven repeated what he said with conviction.

Loen's smile stiffened as he glanced at the outsider of his talk with Steve.

"The boss might be having a hard time explaining this phenomenon as he is only a child." Raven shifted his head to Loen and continued, "But for me, I can tell you."

He raised his gaze straight at Loen, his look was unwavering and strong, "Your intention is too obvious that it makes me sick."

"So, please. Shut those disgusting eyes of yours." Raven blurted, his voice filled with an order.

This time it was Loen turned to be speechless. Never did he expect someone to treat him like this.

But unlike Steve, he was only silenced for a while. He quickly recovered from the shock he felt earlier.

"What intention? I don't even know that word!" Loen answered jokingly, "I just want to know the young master better because I want to help him."

Loen then put his hands on his chest and said in an exaggerated tone, "I like the young master as he helped me in my predicament earlier! So stop making a feud against me and the young master!"

Raven sneered. The disgust on his face was so evident that even Steve, who seemed slow in the emotional department, noticed it.

"Do you expect me to believe it? With your eyes filled with greed and desire? Please be self-aware and see yourself in the mirror."

Raven then changed his voice into an inquisitive tone, "Okay. Then tell me, how about you? What are your secrets? Why are your nails so dirty? It's as if you crawled out yourself from the ground."

"And what happened to your skin? Why is it cracking like a land experiencing a long drought?"

"So tell me…" Raven then made his voice as deep as possible, "Are you a human or a… monster?"

Loen's eyes shook. He quickly stood up and interjected Raven. "What monster! I'm not a monster! Hah. You're too imaginative Raven huh."

While saying this, He kept his nails hidden by rolling a fist and tried to cover his dry arms behind his back.

Steve caught this small action of Loen. 'Why did I not notice it earlier!?' He thought.

Steve blamed himself for putting his life and secret in danger. If only he was careful enough, he wouldn't be placed in this kind of circumstance.

But at the same time, he was also thankful for Raven's timely interjection. Although it didn't indicate in their contract to protect his secret, Raven still did it anyway.

"Hmm. That's what you say." Raven smirked, his tone was teasing Loen. "So please stop digging into other secrets if you have no guts to tell yours."

Raven deliberately slowed down and continued, "This is already the third time I say 'Please'. So, start reflecting on your mistake, or else I will not be polite to you."

He shifted his head back to the window, unbothered by Loen's face increasingly turning red.

After a short while, Loen replied with a sinister tone, "You must be talented Raven huh?"

Raven wasn't the one who shrinks back when threatened. He mocked him, "Not as talented as your acting."

Loen trembled upon hearing this. He immediately opened the door and ran outside the partitioned room.

He never looked back, he just walked away with a heavy foot.

Seeing him leave, the tense atmosphere quickly dispersed. Steve slumped back in his chair, breathless.