"Ahem, how about this… You can stay in our hotel for the entire week, and get another fifty percent discount…"
Just as he was speaking, William's eyes shone in cold light, making this dude stop talking.
"This is a beggar's price for you, and I'm not a beggar," William's words added an icier layer to this entire situation.
"Then… Total discount perhaps? Stay here for free?" Mark was now feeling a real pressure. After what happened, and as Trevor came to him delivering the hidden threatening message, Mark's higher ups made him responsible for all this.
He was the one who was going to pay for anything William wanted, and that was why he tried to solve everything out using diplomacy, empty words and promises.
But it was clear to him now that William was after his head!
"It seems I have to speak to my friends and everyone I'll meet about what happened here," William didn't even stop there, but turned towards Trevor, who was looking awed with what his master was doing, "you got everything recorded on the crystal, right?"
Trevor was startled for a moment, but luckily, he reflexively nodded without saying anything.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"See? I got everything that happened by these thugs stored in a crystal. I'm sure such a crystal will be sold for a sky-high price at any auction, right?"
"This…" When Mark heard and saw this cheap performance happening in front of his eyes, he couldn't help but grit his teeth in silence.
He could tell William was making all this up just to make things worse for him. "What is the rightful price you want then?" But what was the point in knowing this? If William claimed such a thing, then just the rumours of these news were enough to drive this hotel down. Not to mention the rivals of the hotel would go crazy.
They'd agree on whatever price William would ask for, even if they knew for sure he was bluffing and didn't record anything. Just asking him to record his experience and narrate it was enough for them.
And Mark would never let the hotel's enemies sniff anything about this. Or else, he might pay the price with his life.
"I only accept gems," William's face changed. A sly expression appeared on his face, one that Mark was quite familiar with when dealing with any big name in the Big Seven merchant groups.
"Gems?" but what William said left him puzzled, "do you mean ores? High price ores? Rare ores?"
Just speaking about this made Mark inwardly heave a deep sigh of relief. But it seemed he was a bit rash in feeling so.
"No dude, I want gems. Just look at my Thomas here," William turned and pointed towards Thomas, making the latter feel his heart clench.
Just from the mere exchange that just happened between him and William, Thomas started to get restless and uneasy from this weird master.
"What about him?!" Mark was more puzzled right now, but something told him he'd not like what William was going to say next.
"He is a rare gem, a talent like no equal," William laughed, seemingly enjoying this situation to the fullest, "he is someone who has a very rare time spirit element. And that makes him a rare gem. Do you now get my meaning?"
William gave Thomas a warning silent glance, one that stopped the latter from correcting William's intentional mistake.
As Thomas was quite famous here, then everyone was aware of his time spirit element. And that was what William used to explain his meaning of gems.
"This…" and when Mark realised what William was after, he couldn't help but freeze right on the spot. His mind even lost its function to think, not knowing what to say or do, only feeling pure puzzlement over this weird kid.
Looking for rare talents? And who wasn't!
"Ahem, I can't say I know of any gems here…"
"Come on, stop lying," William interrupted his words with a loud laugh, "I didn't live here for more than one day and I just found lots of gems."
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"L… Like what?" Mark knew he'd never like what William was going to tell him next. Right now, he finally realised he got played, he and his superiors got all played by this kid in front of him.
How old was William? Mark couldn't help but question himself at this moment. And William didn't even show a speck of mercy over this poor manager, as he ruthlessly said his next piece:
"I want five hidden pocket world balls. Bring me these, and we'll be even."
"This… No way! No f*cking way!"
"Then this thing between the two of us won't be forgotten," William didn't even show any sign of rage or disappointment on his face, didn't even give a way out for Mark, despite he already had one.
But William was well aware that any of the two gems he sat his eyes upon were priceless and essential for this hotel. Even so, William already sat his eyes over one of the two big trophies, intending to leave here with one of them, if not both.
"Do you even know how much a single pocket world cost? Are you insane?!!"
"It won't be more important than the bright and glorious name of the hotel," William moved his eyes slowly around, taking a deep and long look at this place, as if he was seeing something that was about to get demolished or removed, "go and tell your leaders about this. If they didn't respond in one day, then I'll make sure everyone in the fort will see this recording."
William didn't even stand in his place for another second, closed the door of his room, while motioning with his eyes for Thomas and Trevor to follow him.
"Ah," and just as he walked with his two followers for a few metres, he stopped, turned around and gave Mark a deep look, "I'm already part of the Lockheart impact. And I got a deal with the Refos merchant group. Any funny move and I swear even if you offered this hotel over to me, I won't get satisfied."