Published at 16th of February 2024 2:25 pm

Chapter 2.60 The Mole

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Even though they executed the plan relatively smoothly and Nox presented a calm, collected front, he was a nervous wreck throughout the night. He woke up several times with his heart pounding in his chest. Nox worried that Louis might’ve been overconfident in his magic and someone detected their presence or activities. Despite Swati’s reassurances, he had concerns about her loyalty. She appeared to despise Harin and the men in the family but had a soft spot for the man’s mother. There was also a chance the Singh alchemists woke while Nox and Louis spoke to Swati and chanced upon their conversation.

Everything appeared to have gone his way, but there were one too many risk factors. However, Nox didn’t regret his actions. After decades of not getting retribution against those who wronged him, it felt good to be able to do something. Whatever consequences awaited Nox, he was ready for them. He only hoped his friends didn’t get into any trouble. Only Louis was at risk. However, as a prince of the Trade Empire, he enjoyed several political privileges and would probably receive minimal, if any, punishment.

Lillin came home around dawn and reported no suspicious individuals. Several pedestrians and guards had passed the shop during the night, but none paused outside Ratra’s Knightly Brews or spared it anything more than a cursory glance. Thanks to her mimic physiology, Lillin could go days without sleep if she desired—her body would need a brief period of hibernation afterward.

Instead of returning to bed, Nox and Lillin stayed up talking. He filled her in on the events and the Swati of Ruipur complication.

“Want me to hunt and consume her?” Lillin asked. “Her magic sounds mighty interesting. I’ll hunt and consume her if you’d like.”

“I don’t think that’ll be necessary.” Nox laughed. “I’ll admit that I have no clue about how her mana system works and am desperate to find out, but I like her. She’s trustworthy. I think.”

“You sound doubtful. Let me eat her.”

“No. She helped us, Lillin. I deceived Swati and lied to her, yet she helped because of how much she despises Harin and most of the family. Let her be.”

“Fine.”

Leanna Taylor entered the apartment at the seventh bell to prepare breakfast. Once she confirmed that the staff were up and almost done dining, he headed down to the shop. Everyone started early on Seventhday to prepare for the rush. Jenny, Leanna, and Jess prepared snacks and drinks. The rest readied the shop for the busy day. Nox doubted the cosmetics side of the shop would make many sales because of the previous evening’s events. Preparing for more social events would be the last thing on the affluents’ minds.

“In here, please!” He called when the apprentices walked by the treatment room’s door.

“Everything okay, Sir Ratra?” Kishan asked, entering the room. Aisha followed close behind him.

“Sit down.” Nox waved at the seats. “Leave the door open, Aisha. Just take a seat.” Both apprentices appeared surprised and nervous. “I wanted to discuss your future with Ratra’s Knightly Brews. I want to know where the two of you expect to be five-to-ten years from now.”

“I’d like to return home, Sir Ratra,” Aisha replied. “It’ll probably be closer to ten years than five before I head back. I send most of my pay to the farmstead but can do more if I’m close.”

“Will you give up alchemy?” Nox asked. More staff members walked by the treatment room door. Nox couldn’t tell if they were eavesdropping or just preparing for the upcoming day.

The young alchemist shook her head. “I want to set up a workshop in my village. There are a few towns nearby without decent alchemists or apothecaries. I’ll either sell my creations on market days or set up small stores and hire someone to run there for me.”

“What about you, Kishan?” Nox turned to the young Daksinsthani man. “What do you want from your future?”

“I’d like to be working for you, Sir Ratra,” Kishan answered. “Given how quickly the business is growing, it's likely you’ll expand and have more workshops and stores in five years. I’d very much like to lead or take care of one of them.”

“Do you have no interest in breaking out as an independent alchemist or running your own business?” Nox asked.

Kishan shook his head. “It's too much stress, and there are far too many risks. I want stability and security in my life. I don’t foresee having a happy family life if I need to live with your daily concerns. Sure, I’ll never make as much as an independent alchemist, but I hope for decent pay raises or a share in the profits of whatever store I run.”

“That’s fair.” Nox sighed. “It’s just unfortunate that the business has a mole, and I’ll have to let someone go.”

“What?!” Both apprentices exclaimed almost simultaneously.

“Hilda!” Nox called as the saleswoman walked by the room’s entrance. “Could you come in here, please? I’d like an additional witness for this conversation.”

“A witness, Sir Ratra?” Hilda asked, sticking her head in.

“Yes. A witness. When disciplinary actions are necessary, having a witness or two is vital. Doubly so, if the city guard or council needs to interrogate anyone.”

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“I'm not sure if I follow.” She hesitantly looked at the apprentices. They both appeared confused and borderline anxious.

“Neither do I,” Kishan stated. He fidgeted, eyes shifting between everyone in the room. “I'd never do anything to hurt the business.”

“I'm pretty sure you've All heard about what happened at the Singh estate by now,” Nox said. “Myconid flesh exploded from somewhere deep in the building. I'm sure they were experimenting on it. Imagine my surprise when the alchemical researcher in the family tried to quell it with flasks of fire slime.”

“Couldn’t they have stolen samples from the city?” Kishan asked. “We sent all our batches to the Edelweiss barony or the guard as requested by the city.”

“I thought so too at first. But the Singhs had a version of their own.” Nox leaned back in his seat as he studied his employees. Before the meeting, he took a sip of Sniper's Eye to study the minutest of muscle or eye movements closely. “That's only possible if someone sold them my patented processes. Not even Akash Das, the inventor of synapse-targeting slimes and one of the best alchemists on the continent, knows the full process of bonding slimes to essences.”

“I swear it wasn't me, Sir Ratra,” Aisha said, jumping out of her seat. “As much as I'm interested in your private projects, I don't have the faintest idea of how they work. I have never stepped inside your private office or workshop without you present. Please. You have to believe me. I wouldn't jeopardize my best opportunity in the city.”

“Not even for a sizable bribe or promise of a better-paying position afterward?” Nox asked, keeping his tone and gaze cold.

“No!” Aisha's voice grew shrill as she protested.

“What about you, Kishan?”

“I know I'm a likely suspect since I'm Daksinsthani, too. But I swear it wasn't me.” Kishan remained seated and, though fidgety, appeared considerably calmer than Aisha.

Nox diverted his attention to Hilda. “It's clear one of these two is lying. How do you think I should punish the guilty party? Fire them? Report them to the city? Maybe I should go all the way and file a grievance with the guild so they never get a job with an affiliated alchemist again.”

“A firing should suffice, Sir Ratra,” Hilda stated. “They made a mistake, and the city is in dire straits. Ruining their futures would be hasty and needlessly cruel.”

Nox smiled. “Don't you think that would be letting them off easy?”

“I suppose.” She kept her eyes on Nox, not sparing either apprentice a glance. Aisha appeared on the verge of tears. “But we've lived with these people, and despite their crimes, they helped the shop flourish. Don't you think you owe them some leniency for that?”

“Leniency.” Nox couldn't help but laugh at the word. “I don't know if any of you are aware, but there is a practice in the Trade Empire that I never understood. Until right now, that is. When there is a crime, or someone makes a mistake, we always ask suspects what the criminal's punishment should be. The one who suggests the most lenient punishment gets investigated first and more closely than the others. In the majority of instances, it turns out that they're the guilty properties.”

“What?” Hilda appeared confused. Nox saw a hint of concern in her eyes, too. Her fellow employees looked similarly befuddled. “I don't understand what you're implying, Sir Ratra.”

“I left fake research notes, formulae, and spellscripts around the shop within reach of all of you,” Nox answered. “The correct process and information were patented two days before the staff party and removed from the premises. The versions I had left in the building were almost correct. They didn't give the same results and offered bizarre and different reactions to consistent stimuli.” The color drained from Hilda’s face. “One reacted by releasing choking and irritant spore clouds. Another caused the fungus to stink so bad it would've made half of Market Ring nauseous. A third version would've caused uncontrollable growth. Would you care to guess which I left somewhere only you would look?”

“It wasn't me,” Hilda said, her voice barely audible. Her professional body language and demeanor had disappeared. “That's not adequate evidence. When I find documents lying around, I always hand them over to Kishan or Aisha. It has to be one of them. No amount of money can make me betray the business.”

“Did I fail to mention that Alexander's squirrels have been watching and following all the staff members for a little over a week now? Your movements and meetings on your days off gave you away. I was still willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, but last night confirmed my suspicions.”

“So you believe us?” Aisha asked, slumping in her seat. “Kishan and I are innocent.”

Nox nodded. “I apologize for the charade. I wanted the two of you to witness and study Hilda's reactions and behavior. Alex informed me that our competitor's agents approached both of you but turned them away. You're both exemplary employees. Thank you for your loyalty, and I apologize for concerning you. I merely wanted to see how our mole would react. Turns out she was ready to throw you under a cart to save her hide.”

“What do you plan to do to me?” Hilda sounded small and terrified as she spoke.

“Your contract with Ratra's Knightly Brews is terminated effectively immediately,” Nox replied. “Lillin is off fetching the guards, and I'll be pressing for the maximum punishment. I plan to report you to the guilds, too. You'll still receive the month's pay, though. So—”

“Please,” Hilda begged. “Not the guild. I'll serve whatever sentence the city gives me.” Nox estimated she'd serve a handful of years at most. Thieves and moles never received more. Her employers would get a harsher sentence. “Just don't get the guilds involved. Otherwise, I'll find work nowhere but the brothels once I'm out.”

“I'll show leniency if you testify against the Singhs,” Nox said. “Tell the guards and me everything they asked you to steal, how much they paid you, your contacts, meeting location, drop-offs, and everything else. I won't report you to the guilds if you comply.”

“They'll have me killed if I do that,” Hilda answered. “I'd rather end up in the brothels than dead.”

“What if I don't press any charges? I'll give you a half year's pay and arrange for you to leave with the Edelweiss vessel. You can take the money and disappear after the trial. We'll protect you until then.”

Hilda sat frozen and silent.

“Will you help ensure the Singhs get what's coming to them?” Nox pressed her. “If no. Imprisonment followed by a cruel life awaits you.”

“Sir Ratra—”

“Silence, Aisha,” Nox snapped at the apprentice. “I've set my terms, and the decision is Hilda’s alone.” He kept his eyes on the criminal. “The guards will be here any second now. Make your decision now or face the full consequences of your actions. Will you testify?”

The tears gathering in Hilda's eyes broke free as she nodded.

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