Chapter 39: The Bait.
Long after the bird had disappeared, Lawrence was still standing by the window, staring at the spot where it had vanished.
He was in awe.
It was the first time in his life he had ever witnessed something like that.
Then his mind jolted back to the letter.
He quickly bent down, picked it up, and opened it.
Friend or foe to Louis?
Report what happened in the palace today.
The content of the letter was straightforward and precise.
Lawrence had expected something like this to happen soon. Being contacted by people who are always looking for louis weakness and flaw.
Everyone know Louis is not someone who leaves who loose end, he's not someone who cares or affected by anything until the news of his sister, Roseline.
He is emotionless. He do things logically, cleanly and without giving his enemy a chance to retaliate. But will that emotionless continue now that he has a sister to look after or make him more brutal?
Its something that need to tested.
He has expected people to start digging, to contact him eventually, or perhaps ask him for something.
He just hadn't expected it to happen this soon.
And certainly not by people others called myths.
He dropped the paper onto his table and began pacing around the room, deep in thought.
Which side should he take?
But just as he was contemplating his options, something strange caught his attention.
The small piece of paper suddenly caught fire.
Lawrence stopped in his tracks.
He watched in astonishment as the flames consumed the paper until nothing remained but a thin trail of smoke.
His eyes widened.
"Is this how power works?" he whispered excitedly.
Greed slowly coated his expression.
He wanted more.
More power.
More influence.
Even as Prime Minister, a man powerful enough to gather forces and command respect, it still wasn't enough for him.
He wanted more.
"Well, Louis forced my hand. It's his fault I'm doing this," he grunted.
Finally, he had someone to blame.
Greedy people rarely accepted that they were greedy. They always found a way to shift the blame onto someone else.
And that was exactly what Lawrence was doing.
He had already forgotten Louis's warning to all his officials.
Never jeopardize the country safety because of greed or power.
He had forgotten the anger in Louis's eyes when he annihilated the last family that tried such.
Louis is not someone to provoke or go against.
Well he's greediness has no boundary or limit now since louis wont become his inlaw, he would search how to become more powerful elsewhere.
He didn't even intend to wait until the third day.
He lifted his head and shouted into the empty room as though his voice could reach whoever was watching him.
Nothing happened.
One minute passed.
Then two.
Lawrence was just about to shout again when he heard a chuckle.
"So impatient now, aren't we?"
The voice was filled with power and authority.
It sounded ancient and old.
The kind of voice that seemed to have existed long before Lawrence himself was born.
It came from everywhere...
And nowhere.
Lawrence turned around sharply, searching the room.
There was no one there.
Only the echo of the mysterious voice surrounded him, proving that he wasn't imagining it.
The speaker seemed to sense his confusion.
"Don't bother yourself. You can't see me."
A pause.
"I'm not there, but I'm with you."
"Who... who are you?" Lawrence stammered.
He was excited, but fear crawled beneath his excitement.
Being watched by someone he couldn't see placed him at a terrible disadvantage.
But Lawrence still didn't understand.
His opinion no longer mattered.
He was already a piece on their chessboard.
A little human with a short lifespan, someone they could move and manipulate however they pleased.
They had seen everything.
They had found exactly the kind of person their plan required.
Someone greedy.
Someone dissatisfied.
Someone who always wanted more.
The shadowy man chuckled again.
"Rest assured, Lawrence. Our words are safe. You are safe too. And don't worry. You will be rewarded handsomely."
His voice became slightly more serious.
"Now, tell me what happened in the palace today."
Lawrence was shocked.
The man knew his name.
How could they know so much about him while he knew absolutely nothing about them?
Wasn't that unfair?
But there was no one there to answer his question.
Then again, the man had asked him to report what had happened in the palace.
Exactly as Lawrence had suspected.
That was their target.
That was the reason they had come to him.
So he decided to bargain.
Lawrence straightened in his seat, his confidence slowly returning.
"What is my gain?"
His tone was firmer this time.
"I don't want mere words. I want action. You haven't even shown yourself to me. So how am I supposed to believe you?"
Another chuckle came from the shadows.
The man seemed amused.
Not that stupid after all.
Suddenly, an object appeared before Lawrence.
It had been sent through the dimension as casually as though distance meant nothing.
Lawrence stared at it.
What a display of power.
"Take it."
Lawrence hesitated.
"It's a youth-inducing elixir. It will help keep you young."
His eyes widened.
"So... can you speak now?"
Lawrence felt as though he were floating in the sky.
A youth-preserving elixir.
Something so precious, something people would kill to possess, had just been placed before him like a simple gift.
His fingers moved toward it.
Then another thought occurred to him.
If this is what he gives me for nothing... what else can I get from him?
Immediately, the man's voice sounded again.
"Don't push your luck."
Lawrence froze.
"It's good to be greedy, but even greed has its limits. You haven't given me what I want, and I've already given you something. Isn't it time for you to talk?"
The voice remained calm, but Lawrence could feel the pressure behind it.
And the warning.
He swallowed.
Well...
He might as well go with the flow.
If he could receive something this precious without even giving them much in return, who knew what he could gain after joining forces with these powerful people?
Across the unseen space, the shadow man observed Lawrence's calculating expression.
A satisfied smile appeared on his face.
He had taken the bait.
Throw a dog a bone, and it will wag its tail. Throw a fish to a cat, and it will become your best friend.
And Lawrence was proving to be exactly the kind of man they needed.