Chapter 239: An unusual interest

Blake watched Sylvan disappear back into the crowd.

He didn’t immediately follow, that would be too eager.

Ba-dump.

Ba-dump.

The music continued behind him as the next group of dancers began taking their places. So, he stepped away from the dance floor.

He needed to think.

Sylvan had spoken to him willingly.

He had even agreed to dance with him without much hesitation. That was already better than he had expected, but it wasn’t enough.

The mission wasn’t to make Sylvan like him, it wasn’t even to become particularly close to him.

He needed information.

Blake picked up another drink from a passing tray.

He didn’t drink it, but simply held it.

’Trade, travel, people...’

Myles and the others had told him exactly what to do.

Don’t ask about Alfred, don’t ask directly about AL-TECH. Instead, start with ordinary conversation, and let et Sylvan volunteer information.

Blake glanced toward the crowd.

’Since we didn’t know much of his personality, we developed multiple conversation patterns... it’s not like our assumption were wrong, considering he still paid attention to a young woman. But um, maybe I should mix what we prepared.’

Sylvan stood with another small group, speaking calmly.

He wasn’t surrounded by people trying to impress him, he wasn’t particularly loud and didn’t seem interested in dominating the conversation.

He simply listened.

’He’s definitely not someone who talks his mouth off.’

Blake sighed quietly.

Then he felt someone approach from behind.

"Miss."

Blake turned. In front of him was a woman wearing a golden mask smiled at him.

"Would you care to join us?"

Blake looked toward the group she had indicated. There were several people gathered around a table.

"Of course."

He followed her.

For the next several minutes, Blake continued doing exactly what he had been doing earlier.

He listened more than he spoke.

When someone mentioned a company, he asked what sort of work they did.

When another person talked about traveling, he asked which countries they preferred.

When someone complained about the difficulty of international trade, Blake gave a small, sympathetic laugh.

He kept himself just knowledgeable enough to avoid seeming ignorant. But not so knowledgeable that people started wondering who he really was.

It was a delicate balance.

Eventually, the conversation shifted toward shipping.

One of the men at the table was talking about how difficult it had become to move certain goods between countries.

"Border regulations have become ridiculous."

Another guest laughed.

"That’s because half the companies keep trying to find ways around them."

"Not all of us are criminals, for god’s sake."

"I didn’t say you were."

Blake smiled faintly.

He took a small sip of his drink.

’This one is sweeter.’

Despite everything, there was no mention of AL-TECH.

Eventually, the conversation moved elsewhere.

Blake excused himself.

He walked toward another part of the hall, his eyes searching again.

Sylvan was still there.

Blake considered approaching him again, then stopped.

’It might be too soon...’

He had already danced with him.

If he kept following him around, it might look deliberate.

He needed to create the impression that their interaction had simply been pleasant.

So Blake wandered toward one of the tall windows, looking outside.

The city lights stretched into the distance.

’This city certainly looks beautiful at night.’

Slowly, he frowned, lips pressing into a thin line.

’Most of the people here, if not all of them, used so many innocents for their wealth. This beautiful sky, only they can see it.’

Then a voice came from beside him.

"You seem rather interested in the view."

Blake turned. What were the odds, Sylvan approached him first.

’This man is too quiet.’

Blake smiled.

"I am Sir. It’s not everyday that I can get a glimpse of such a view."

He looked back toward the window.

"It’s my first time in Drindia, after all."

"Then I imagine there’s quite a lot you haven’t seen, Miss."

"That is the case."

Blake chuckled softly.

"Though I don’t think I could see much of the city from here."

"You’re right."

Sylvan stood beside him.

"From the highest floors, you truly can’t see much."

Blake glanced at him.

"Is that something you learned from experience?"

"Of course, Miss."

"You speak like someone who has traveled quite a bit."

"I have."

He covered his mouth, giving a more excited look.

"Oh my, is it work, or personal interest?"

"It is mostly work, but I don’t mind doing it for fun, either."

"Ah, of course. Earlier you mentioned... international business?"

The man gave him a sideways glance.

"Good memory."

"How could I forget an interesting conversation."

Sylvan looked back through the window.

"I suppose it is."

He stopped talking, waiting a little before immediately asking other questions.

Sylvan slightly looked around.

"Your family doesn’t seem to be here."

Blake’s expression remained gentle.

"They aren’t."

"May I ask why?"

"Oh, it is a complicated matter."

He lowered his gaze slightly, holding his cheek pitifully.

"My family isn’t exactly what it used to be. That’s why I came tonight."

Blake paused, then gave him a faint smile.

Sylvan’s eyebrow rose slightly.

The two remained beside the window.

Blake could feel his opportunity approaching.

Still, he needed to be careful.

"Sir, you must know a lot of places. Do you have any favorite?"

Sylvan thought for a moment.

"Not particularly."

"So, you only like the city you live in?"

"I have to move often, so I wouldn’t say that."

Blake looked down, stealing glances at him shyly. Sylvan smiled at him.

"You can speak freely, there’s no need to be so careful."

"It’s just that, it must be so tiring for your family."

"Oh, I don’t need to worry about that."

Blake nodded, sighing in relief.

’What the, so is Asher not your family or something? He does move a lot because of you!’

Blake tilted his head.

"Then... is the trade you do difficult?"

Sylvan remained quiet for a second.

"It is international logistics, so most of the time, it can be."

Blake’s eyes remained calm.

’Got you.’

That was closer. He didn’t react too strongly, instead, he gave a small, interested smile.

"That sounds like it requires a lot of coordination."

"It does."

"Between different companies?"

"Companies, governments, ports... depending on the shipment."

Blake nodded slowly.

"Then I imagine certain shipments are more difficult than others."

"They are, because of regulations. It also depends on the country."

Sylvan looked at him again. This time, his expression seemed slightly more curious.

"Do you want to get into this line of work, Miss? You seem old enough to be attending university, after all."

Blake’s face immediately dropped in shame.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound pushy, it’s just that..."

"You don’t have to apologize."

Blake looked down at his glass.

"I’m trying to understand the world I’m supposed to enter."

Sylvan’s expression changed subtly.

"If I want to restore anything, I need to understand the people around me."

"That makes sense."

Blake relaxed slightly.

He had almost overstepped, but Sylvan hadn’t become suspicious. Instead, the man seemed to consider him more seriously now.

"You’re looking for someone to marry, aren’t you?"

Blake’s eyes widened slightly. He had expected the subject to come up eventually.

"Yes."

Blake looked away.

"What sort of person are you looking for?"

Blake nearly froze.

’Oh.’

That wasn’t a question he had prepared for.

He quickly recovered.

"Someone reliable."

"That’s all?"

"Someone who doesn’t treat me like I’m worthless because my family lost everything."

"And someone who can tolerate your curiosity, I take?"

Blake chuckled.

"That too."

The man laughed quietly.

"I see."

The conversation became easier after that.

But as the minutes passed, he began noticing something.

Sylvan kept returning to the same subject. It wasn’t business or marriage, but his family circumstances.

Whenever Blake mentioned something unfortunate about Sage’s life, Sylvan listened more closely.

When Blake mentioned something ordinary, Sylvan seemed content to let the conversation move on.

But when Blake talked about losing money, losing family connections, being ignored by relatives, or having nowhere to turn...

Sylvan asked another question.

"How did you manage after that?"

"What did your family do?"

"Were you completely alone?"

"Did nobody offer you assistance?"

Blake answered carefully.

At first, he kept the answers vague.

"My family sold most of what they had."

"I had to move around quite a bit."

"Some relatives stopped speaking to us."

"Eventually, I learned not to expect much from people."

Each answer seemed to draw Sylvan further into the conversation.

Blake’s eyes narrowed slightly behind his mask.

’That’s interesting.’

He decided to test it.

"My situation was actually worse a few years ago."

"Worse?"

"Yes."

Blake lowered his gaze.

"I couldn’t even afford to choose where I lived."

Sylvan remained silent.

Blake continued.

"I stayed with relatives who made it very clear that I wasn’t welcome."

"Why?"

"Because I was a burden."

Sylvan’s expression softened.

"And you accepted that?"

"I didn’t have much choice."

There was a pause. Then Sylvan asked quietly:

"Did nobody help you?"

Blake shook his head.

"No."

Sylvan watched him for several seconds.

Blake almost felt uncomfortable under the attention. This man wasn’t threatening per se, but there was something strange about the way he listened.

He wasn’t merely sympathetic. He seemed interested in this girl’s misfortune, more than anything.

He let his shoulders sink slightly.

"To find somewhere I belong, I came here."

Sylvan looked at him.

"You don’t seem like someone who belongs nowhere."

Blake gave a small laugh.

"That’s kind of you."

"It’s not kindness."

"Oh?"

"You’re intelligent."

Blake’s finger twitched. That wasn’t what he expected.

"You ask too many questions, but you pay attention to the answers, most people don’t."

Sylvan looked toward the dance floor.

"Still, intelligence doesn’t always help, especially when circumstances are against you."

Blake’s expressions dropped slightly.

There was something almost pleased in Sylvan’s expression, and it was very subtle, but Blake noticed it.

’He really does like hearing this kind of thing.’

That hadn’t been entirely outside their expectations.

During preparation, they had considered that Sylvan might be more receptive to someone appearing vulnerable.

But Blake had imagined something far more obvious.

Instead, it was almost paternal and sympathetic.

Yet there was something beneath it that Blake couldn’t quite place.

The conversation continued with the same rhythm.

Blake gave him more, a little at a time.

"What would you do if someone offered you a way out?"

Blake’s expression softened.

"A way out?"

"Yes."

"I’d probably take it."

"Even if you didn’t know where it would lead?"

Blake hesitated. Then gave a small smile.

"If I had nothing left, I don’t think I’d have the luxury of being picky."

"That is a sensible answer."

Blake’s heartbeat increased slightly.

Ba-dump.

’What the hell does he mean by that?’

He needed to be careful.

"Do you know many people in that kind of situation?"

"More than you’d think, people lose everything all the time."

Blake remembered the files Estelle had shown them.

The strange shipments, the suspected movement of extraterrestrial beings, along with the people involved in handling them.

Sylvan was beginning to sound much more relevant than Blake had initially expected.

Still, he couldn’t jump ahead.

He smiled.

"You must know quite a few people, then."

"After enough years in this industry, you meet everyone."

"Even people outside your company?"

"Of course."

"I see. Then you must have your hands full."

"Yes, there is actually one shipment I have to oversee soon."

Blake kept his expression neutral.

"Really? So you’ll have another business trip, like today?"

"Something like that."

"East of here. There’s an old customs and freight facility near the Darsen border."

Blake’s heart skipped.

Darsen.

He remembered the map.

The location was close enough to the border that it could be useful for discreet transportation. Then Sylvan added, almost as an afterthought:

"An old friend of mine will be there as well."