Roman kind of bailed right after I paid my Lien for his 'services'. The skeptical part of wants to say I was just tricked out of my money, but I also feel like he would be genuinely offended to be associated with such a low-brow sche.
What an interesting character he is.
He just left and gave an address to check out in a few hours while he deals with all the logistics. I downed my drink and was about to leave when a strong perfu hit my nostrils.
"Hey there cutie, haven't seen you here before."
"lanie, do you have to flirt with every new guy that cos in?" Another similar voice flanked .
I turned to see a set of twins take a seat on either side of , their dress a bit eye catching, but matching all the sa.
"Ladies." I greeted.
"Don't be like that, Miltia, he's your type." The one who spoke seed to be nad lanie.
"Doesn't an I'm going to just throw myself at him, you can be such a slut sotis." The one nad Militia rolled her eyes.
"Can I help either of you?" I asked, wondering what they wanted from .
"You can buy a drink." lanie winked.
"What're you doing here?" Miltia demanded.
I just blinked at the sudden comnts. "I was talking to Junior and Roman, but they had things to take care of so I was about to leave."
"Junior just left you alone at his bar?" Miltia seed surprised.
"I guess? I think I may have said sothing to offend him." I just shrugged.
"Junior doesn't get offended, he gets annoyed." lanie interjected. "What'd you say to get his panties in a twist?"
"I made a comnt about joining the Mistral tournant?"
"Brothers." lanie rolled her eyes. "He can be such a drama queen about that." She got up and walked around to the bar, pulling out a bottle and started pouring herself a drink. "Boohoo daddy wouldn't let be a huntsman."
"lanie." Miltia growled.
"What? He's not the only one who got fucked over, but he mopes around every year when the tournant cos around." She scowled unrepentantly. "Not like it's a big fucking secret."
"Really, are you gonna do this now?" Miltia sighed.
"What? No ones here yet, I'll get into character when more people start showing up." She downed her drink, turning around and disappearing into the back.
"Well....that was sothing." I comnted.
"My sister can be a bitch sotis." Miltia said with clear annoyance in her voice, she took off her heels, setting them on the counter before rubbing her feet. "Had to walk around Vale all damn morning passing out fliers, and that bitch probably dumped them in the trash sowhere to fuck off for the day."
"Work for Junior then?" I asked. "What's that like?" Well, I didn't have anything to do for the mont, wouldn't mind knowing a bit more about this whole thing.
"It's money." She shrugged. "We basically just play the club scene, get idiot boys to throw around Lien after flashing so leg and if anyone gets too rowdy, we put them down." She put her feet up on another stool. "What about you?"
"First ti in Vale, Junior and Roman have been helpful." I said idly, fingering my empty glass. "Not much of a story there, just got my Aura awakened, so that's sothing I guess."
"Roman and helpful in the sa sentence?" She snorted. "How many drinks you in?"
"What, is that unusual? I an....he can be a bit sarcastic and flippant, but otherwise he wasn't really...." I didn't know quite the right word --- an?
"I think I only know two people who can put up with Roman, Junior and that midget. He barely goes a single word without insulting soone enough that weapons start coming out."
"Huh..." I just scratched my cheek. "He said I reminded him of himself, maybe that's it." I shrugged.
"Yeah...I can see it." She gave a once over. "You have that sa 'I'm better than you' look, but less punchable."
"Only 'less'.?" I raised an eyebrow.
She shrugged, her lips curling up. "I call it like I see it."
I couldn't help but laugh, I liked her snark even if that's practically a complint compared to Scathach's sharp tongue. "Well, I like to think I pull of the 'punchable face' look pretty well." I adjusted my hat.
"Mmm, 6/10."
"Well, there goes my self-esteem."
"You hang around Roman, I doubt you had any to begin with."
"Ouch, you really just go for the jugular every ti." I clutched my heart dramatically. "By the way, I'm Wilhelm, don't think I introduced myself."
"It's part of my charm." She flashed a smile. "Miltia."
Well, she isn't wrong. "I should be heading out, need to find Roman to make my stay here legal."
"Whatever." She nonchalantly replied. "But if you co back later, maybe I'll have ti for a dance."
"Tempting, but I'm spoken for."
"Ugh, of course you are." She groaned.
"I wouldn't mind being a friend though." I offered. I did enjoy her personality.
"Brothers that's so corny." She rolled her eyes.
I just shrugged again; I'm not going to broken up that she didn't want to be friends. "Well see you around." I began to walk away.
"I didn't say no." She said just loud enough for to hear.
I couldn't help but smile slightly. I had a feeling I would get along with her like a house on fire.
***
I walked a fair distance away towards the 'industrial' district. It was nice to know that each district was so obviously segregated.
But the fact that I was only given an address and nothing else made realize, I had no idea where the fuck I was going.
Now that I think about it, he probably did that on purpose.
Roman seems like the kind of person who likes to fuck with people.
"Hands up!"
I blinked, hearing a shout from behind . I turned around to see a man holding a gun up towards . My eyes swept the surroundings and no one else was around. He was a bit scraggly, but his clothes weren't unkempt enough for to assu he's holess.
"Are you robbing ?" I couldn't help but ask.
"No, I want to know what shampoo you use." His sarcasm clear in his voice. "Of course I am, now, wallet and scroll."
Is this Karma? Is it because I robbed that guy the other day? "Don't wanna."
"What do you an 'don't wanna?'" He stared at incredulously, "Empty your pockets or I'll shoot!" He shook his gun for emphasis.
"Nice gun, what kind of bullets it got?"
"Why the hell should I tell you!?" He seed more and more confused with my manner of speech.
"So not dust bullets, and looks like a run of the mill small arm." I nodded. "Tell , why did you think it was a good idea to point a shitty gun like that at soone with Aura?"
He paused, realization dawning on him. "Oh."
"'Oh' indeed." I deadpanned.
"Well, this is awkward." He lowered his hand. "Can we pretend this didn't happen?"
You know, I appreciated the balls on this guy. "Tell you what, you help find this address and I'll walk away without you having to swallow each bullet one by one." I held out my piece of paper.
He took the piece of paper happily and stared at it. "Why do you need to go to Roman's hideout." He looked up at blinking. "I an....i've never heard of this place?"
"Wait....are you one of Roman's henchn?"
"...no."
"Sweet rciful gods." I sighed. "I...just take there, I have business with him."
"Yes sir!" He saluted, and I followed him down a few alleys.
It was surprisingly not very far, I probably could have found it if I searched around a little, but whatever. It was pretty nondescript, a warehouse in a sea of warehouses and similar looking buildings.
The idiot led inside and I was imdiately greeted to the familiar sight of a orange-haired thief. "Oh, kid, you made it." He was leaning on a table, smoking a cignar. "And you found one of my minions."
"More like he found ." I said dryly.
Roman sighed. "Red, what did you do?"
"N-nothing, sir. I was just –"
"He tried to rob at gunpoint." I deadpanned, interrupting the now nad 'Red'.
Roman face pald. "Just.....go back to work."
"Yes sir." Red happily took the chance to run away.
"I hope that isn't the bar for your employees."
Roman actually let out a laugh. "This is the –" He had the face of soone counting in their head. "12th ti, he's done sothing like this."
"Really? And you still keep him around." I was a bit flabbergasted.
"Nono, you don't understand." He chuckled before continuing. "I'm waiting until it blows up in his face, that guy is the luckiest son of a bitch I've ever t in my life. This wasn't even the dumbest stunt he's pulled and so far, there isn't even a whisper of his face being flashed around any police station."
"Seriously?"
"Let put it like this." He cleared his throat. "He tried to rob the Deputy Headmistress of Beacon." Roman could barely keep a straight face. "Never arrested, never even handcuffed before. The authorities don't even know his na."
"Have you tried—"
"Using his ridiculous luck to my advantage? Of course." He sighed. "Didn't seem to work. No, his luck only kicks in to save himself. Honestly, the only reason I've kept him on is because the betting pool we have going on. Got a lot of Lien riding on so turnouts and I want my money." He seed in a genuine good mood. "Anyways, I'm sure you didn't co here to talk about my little minions. You want your papers, right?"
"Well, my money certainly wasn't a donation."
Roman smirked, gesturing for to follow as he led furth in towards another room in the warehouse. We walked in and it was like a completely different building. Cubicles everywhere, printers, their version of computers, people walking around like it was an office. "This is where the magic happens. Where all our raiding the Vale Bureaucracy for our illicit gains occurs."
"Question." I raised my finger up. "Why are you showing this, seems a bit..."
"Stupid? Arrogant?" Roman finished my thought. "Kid, do you really think anything here can lead back to ?" He raised an eyebrow. "Worst case the police co here and shut everything down. Spend a MINIMUM of six months filing through everything to get a few simple charges on my minions who would be out on bail and disappearing under new nas before anything could happen."
"Huh, I guess I shouldn't have doubted you there.....but why are you showing this." I questioned him again. Seems like a hassle and trusting even if nothing could harm him. It would still cost so money and be a hit if his operation got taken down.
"Alright, alright." He held his hands up. "I was wanting to recruit you, thought maybe showing you the business would be enticing, but maybe I played this wrong."
"Recruit , really? You hardly know anything about ."
"Well, when I say recruit, I ant build you into soone I could use." He leaded against a nearby desk. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to find useful minions?"
"I have t Red." I deadpanned.
"That is true." He nodded. "But, you got a lot of Aura, and you seem like you got a good head on your shoulders. Honestly, that would take you pretty damn far in this city. But you also remind of a young , that's priceless right there."
"I think your priorities are a bit skewed." I sighed." So, what....you want soone else to watch your back? I heard you got a partner or sothing already."
"Watch my back?" He let out a chuckle. "That's a good one, kid. There's only one person I trust with my back, and he's standing right in front of you."
"What about your partner?"
"I trust the Lien I pay her with." He replied.
"So you have no one then?"
"I don't need anyone else, kid. You'll learn soday, the only person you need to care about is yourself." He shook his head like I was na?ve. "But I had another reason for wanting you here."
"Well, I'm all ears." I crossed my arms.
"Okay, so how serious were you about the Mistral Tournant?"
"Eh, about half serious. I wouldn't mind going for the prize money, why?"
"I'm glad you asked, my young protégé." He stood up, swinging his cane, hitting a blackboard that spun around showing lots of numbers and several pictures and dates.
"Not your protégé."
"Not with that attitude." He didn't seem phased by my denial. "You see, the Mistral Tournant uses a certain 'system' to randomize the fights –"
"You hacked the system and want to rig the fights, maybe set up in a position to take advantage of it for so reason?"
He paused, staring at . "You just have to steal my thunder, don't you?" He raised an eyebrow and a smirk rose up on your face. "Just what I would expect from my protégé." He nodded in approval. "Got it in one, kiddo! I just need a face to plaster everywhere, and yours is decent enough. It helps that I like your style too."
Because it's similar to his.
"I'm flattered." I drolled. "But isn't there the issue of 'winning' the fights?" I'm sure from his perspective I'm a village boy who just got Aura.
"I'm glad you asked." He waived his hand. "You see, there are always a set number of 'Byes' in the tournant every year, up until the top 18 that is."
"Isn't that going to draw a ridiculous amount of attention?"
"That is the plan." He said happily. "You see, I want you to grab all the attention for one mont." He took out a piece of paper, handing it to . "When all the caras are on you, I want you to say that then you can forfeit or whatever."
I unfolded the piece of paper. "Go fuck yourself, Lil'Miss Malachite. – Roman Torchwick."
A smile crept up on Roman's face, it was clear he was stopping himself from bursting out laughing.
"Let get this straight, you are hacking one of the most popular sporting events of the year, just so you can tell soone to go fuck off?" I asked incredulously.
"I know, I know." He raised his hands. "Not to ntion she's the cri boss of Mistral's largest gang. I know the concerns you have, like what happens if you—"
"I'm in."
Roman just looked at in confusion. "What?"
"I'm in." I pocketed the piece of paper.
"She's a very powerful person, soone who would be able to grab you way before you could get out of Mistral, and she isn't soone to be lightly crossed."
"You are going through so much effort just to tell soone to fuck off.....how could I not be a part of this?" I said in all honesty.
"Kid...you really are one of a kind." He let out a deep laugh, more genuine than I've heard before. "Seriously, I'll make you my protégé, you're perfect."
"I'd rather be paid."
"Brothers damn it, you're perfect!" He laughed even harder. "Alright, alright. I do have plans in place to get you out. I don't leave my people high and dry like so common vagrant."
"Wait, you only need to get to the top 16, right?"
"Yeah, literally no work on your part."
"What If I want to win?"
"Kid, I know you're feeling pumped up from getting your Aura – "
I rolled my eyes. "I'll agree to your terms if you don't interfere with my fighting after I say my part for you."
He paused, mulling over my words. "Whatever kid." He shook his head. "I'm not your babysitter, she won't be able to touch you during the tournant, too many caras, I guess I'll have my people ready for when you get your ass kicked."
"I feel like there are a ton more details to work out....but why are you going through all this trouble?"
"Because, fuck her." He replied.
"Fair." I nodded. "But what's the real reason?" I raised an eyebrow.
The corners of Roman's lips curled up. "Now, why would I go and spoil that?"
"So, I'm basically a distraction." I mused.
"If it makes you feel better, I will very much look forward to your role in this little job."
"That does make feel better."
"Really?"
"No, lets talk about how much I'm getting paid."
***
Oh boy, Roman pulled MC in for a job, this will end well. So, i forgot to say this last chapter regarding the 'saying Gods na' thing with him being devil. I totally thought it was a Taboo woven into the devil bloodline, not sothing the Heaven system in DxD just kind of bopped devils on the head for invoking God's na. Personally, I like the idea of a 'curse' better, and already planned so stuff out because of that so..... Hand waiving that little tidbit.
Anyways, If you want to read 5 chapters ahead or support , visit my /astoryforone.
Also, we have a discord if you want to co hang out or just ask questions about the story. sdiscord.gg/N8bDxwwapb
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