"Let it be known, you were the one who sought us out," Blue Mask said in a distorted voice as they straightened their posture.
They leaned in, the single pink eye glowing through the hole in the mask. "State your request, and the Black Lotus will do their best to fulfill it."
Raelis nodded and cut straight to the point.
"I want a recommendation to the Divine Alchemist. There's a potion I intend to commission."
A moment of silence followed as Blue Mask leaned back.
"That is no simple favor," Blue Mask replied calmly. "The Divine Alchemist trades in debts, not coin. For us to offer you one of our few standing favors, you'd need to prove you're worth the price we'd pay."
Raelis tilted his head. "Am I not supposed to be entitled to a single request without question?"
"Normally, yes." Blue Mask nodded. "When it comes to requests that go beyond our scope of assassination, espionage, or material acquirement, we evaluate such requests through a far less forgiving lens."
Blue Mask turned their head, revealing their slender neck for a moment as they nodded at the Black Mask who had let Raelis inside.
Immediately, the Black Mask bowed and left the building, leaving only Raelis and Blue Mask.
Blue Mask turned back to Raelis and continued their explanation.
"By recommending you, we'd be taking the brunt of the responsibilities. If you offend the Divine Alchemist, our standing favors would be revoked. The cost of your misstep would fall on us."
Blue Mask tilted their head. "There's also the matter of the potion's legitimacy. What kind of potion are you trying to commission if you're going so far as to seek the Divine Alchemist?"
Raelis stared at the masked figure for a few moments, then let out a sigh.
In such situations, transparency was best. Especially since this organization was one he'd frequently visit in the future.
"I'm planning to make a Phoenix Tear potion," Raelis announced, causing Blue Mask's single pink eye to widen in surprise.
Yet they maintained their composure as they placed a single hand over their mask, falling into thought.
"A Grade 3 potion... I see..."
Blue Mask fell silent for a moment until eventually, their single eye locked onto Raelis, causing him to flinch.
"You've already obtained the tear of a true phoenix, then?"
Raelis slowly shook his head. "I don't have any materials just yet. But I do have the means to acquire them. Of course, first I'd need assurance that I would be meeting the person who can carefully handle those materials."
"Then we're at a stalemate," Blue Mask remarked with a chuckle. "The Black Lotus needs proof that your name is worth attaching to ours. Speaking of, what is your name?"
"Amon," Raelis replied flatly. "Is that enough?"
"A nickname is better than no name at all." Blue Mask shrugged and stood up. "Very well, Amon. What do you say we take a little stroll together?"
Raelis's brows furrowed. "Stroll?"
Blue Mask nodded. "It's not too far, come."
With that, Blue Mask walked away, and Raelis followed.
They left the building and silently walked along the narrow alley.
As Blue Mask had said, it didn't take long to reach the next location.
The doors of this building seemed more run-down, but Blue Mask simply pushed open the doors and walked inside, gesturing for Raelis to follow.
But the moment he stepped through the door, Blue Mask stopped him and handed him a mask.
"A black rose mask?"
"A Black Lotus mask," Blue Mask corrected. "It's best you wear the mask for what you'll be doing here."
Their gaze traveled to the ring on his finger. "Even if that is covering your true appearance, it can only take you so far, Amon."
Raelis put on the mask without hesitation, and right after, the two walked further inside the building.
At a glance, it seemed to be an abandoned hotel, and once they reached the stairs and climbed up, Raelis's suspicion was confirmed.
They stopped at the fifth floor and walked to the room numbered 519.
Blue Mask shot him one last glance and swung the door open, revealing a wounded, gagged man tied to a chair, his face frozen in fear.
There was a lot of blood on the ground, and to the side, Raelis could see the same figure that had let him inside the building earlier.
Blue Mask gestured for the Black Mask to leave, and after a brief moment of silence, they did.
"This man is claiming to have some sensitive information," Blue Mask said plainly. "I want you to extract it from him and find out who set him up to it."
Raelis's eyes narrowed.
So they're testing me... Is it a test of judgment? Or perception maybe...?
In the end, it didn't matter. If he could get the means to make that perfect potion, then he'd be able to significantly boost his Bloodline Purity growth.
Therefore, Raelis stepped up and ungagged the man, who immediately tried to lunge and bite Raelis.
But before he could, Raelis kneed the man's lower jaw, causing his teeth to shatter.
"Agh! You motherfucker! How dare you do this to me!?" the man yelled, furious. "I told you! I know who the White Mask is! You think you can kill me? I've got letters ready. If I don't walk out by tomorrow, half the capital will know your leader's name. You'll all be dead!"
Raelis let the man laugh until he eventually exhausted himself.
And that was when Raelis finally spoke up.
"You don't have any letters prepared. More importantly, you should likely know the consequences of your actions, shouldn't you?" Raelis asked, causing the man to flinch and look down silently.
Judging by the posture, the gear, and the reaction, this man was a Petal. It was a rank under the Black Masks and it belonged to those who had yet to be officially inducted into the Black Lotus organization.
It was basically a probationary period, and once the higher-ups deem the Petal competent enough, they bestow upon them a Black Mask.
But in this case... Raelis looked the man up and down.
The conclusion was obvious. The man was a traitor.
But for the sake of Blue Mask's test, he had to extract whatever information he could.
Therefore...
"If you wish to live a few minutes longer and die a painless death, I suggest you start talking."