"Don’t tell me you guys started without me?"
Mille Miles exclaimed as she walked into the lounge, her expression making it clear the mess outside had taken its toll. Her eyes immediately landed on the Scotch in our hands.
Mabel, who was pouring two more glasses for herself and Lucas, quickly poured another and handed it to Mille.
Mille gave Mabel a grateful nod as she accepted the drink. Taking a sip, she looked toward Arnar. "So, where are we?"
"He knew who Julian was and still used a heavy hand," Arnar replied, amusement creeping into her voice.
Mille slowly turned her gaze toward me. Her expression said it all: ’What the hell were you thinking?’
I pretended not to notice.
"Yeah, yeah. Let’s not waste any more time on this. In a couple of days, he might not need a retainer," Lucas said, changing the subject with a darkly sarcastic remark. He looked around the room before continuing. "Mr. Chase, since everyone is here, please state your requirements. You can decide who you want to go with based on what we can offer."
I nodded before glancing toward Arnar, speaking my demands, "What is it going to cost me to get the Summoner class within the next hour?"
Listening to my demand, Lucas’s eyes twitched.
"Mr. Chase, do you have any idea what you’re asking for? Your Hunter registration process isn’t even complete yet. I don’t think that’s even possible."
He looked around the room, seemingly expecting Mille and Arnar to back him up.
Instead, Arnar disagreed with him, remarking, "It’s difficult, but possible."
Lucas’s expression stiffened while Arnar took a sip of her scotch, studying me with an amused glint in her eyes.
"But I don’t see any incentive to help you. There is, however, one glaringly obvious reason not to." She watched my expression carefully as she continued, while I did the same to hers. "I don’t think there’s anything you can offer me that would make me willingly put myself at odds with the Spawn Summoner Clan. They supply the entire country’s Beastmasters and Monster Tamers with their weaned monster cubs. Picking a fight with them isn’t exactly good business."
I listened quietly until she finished, draining the last of my Scotch. Without responding, I headed toward the bar.
Mabel immediately noticed me approaching and reached for the bottle. She poured me another glass, her eyes carrying a hint of concern as she slid it toward me.
I gave her a small shake of my head. Taking the glass, I moved to one of the bar stools and sat down.
Arnar watched me from across the lounge. My reaction seemed to surprise her. She had expected her words to at least make me reconsider my demand. Instead, I had simply poured myself another drink.
It wasn’t just Arnar who couldn’t understand my confidence. Mille and Lucas were watching me with the same confusion. None of them had any idea what was going through my head or where my confidence came from.
I took another sip before looking at Mille and Lucas.
"Well, what are you two waiting for?" I gestured toward them with my glass. "The floor is yours. Money is not an object."
Mille and Lucas stared back at me. Had Arnar’s words not been clear? No amount of money was going to convince her to willingly put herself at odds with the Reinfields.
"Mr. Chase, you’re asking for the impossible here," Lucas said, getting up from his chair. He didn’t even bother trying to persuade Arnar. It appeared like he’d already cashed in whatever goodwill he had with her by convincing her to come here on such short notice.
I ignored him and looked toward the private banker, asking, "Do you believe the same, Mille?"
"Mr. Chase, if you’re willing to wait, I can arrange for another guild or school to help you secure the Summoner class by this afternoon." She didn’t actually say no. But she might as well have.
I shook my head, a little disappointed, "No. That won’t work for me."
I needed the Summoner class within the next hour.
Once word of what happened to Julian reached the Reinfields family, I had no idea what they would do. For all I knew, they could have someone at my doorstep before I even left this club.
More importantly, I wasn’t nearly as confident in my ability to fight a properly prepared Hunter as I had been a few minutes ago.
I had only managed to knock Julian out because he was drunk, distracted, and completely caught off guard by my attack.
If he’d been sober and ready for a fight, I doubted I could have defeated a Hunter who already possessed a class, especially one as rare as the Spawn Summoner.
That was why I needed the Summoner class now, not this afternoon, not tomorrow, but right now.
Meanwhile, Lucas, who had been blaming himself for not anticipating Mille’s answer, let out a sigh of relief when I rejected her offer.
In turn, Arnar’s smile widened. She knew she was my only remaining option. With a teasing glint returning to her eyes, she leaned back in her chair and said, "Mr. Chase, it seems there really is nothing you can offer me. I might as well take my leave now."
I shook my head.
"Ma’am Arnar, I do have something to offer." I paused, looking directly at her. "But I worry whether you can afford it."
The teasing smile disappeared from Arnar’s face and the room went quiet. Mille, Mabel, and Lucas all looked at me as if I’d finally lost my mind from desperation.
Arnar’s eyes narrowed slightly as she studied me, trying to determine whether I was bluffing or had somehow lost all sense of self-preservation.
"Interesting," she said, forcing a hint of amusement back into her voice. "Mr. Chase, please enlighten me."