Ball of Nothing

Amaraline didn't know how to bring up the topic bothering her. In fact, the guilt eating at her conscience bothered her so much that she didn't notice the bank manager's arrival.

"Greetings esteemed guests of Lord Baal," the manager greeted. He was a short demon who wore a neat business attire completed with a bow tie. Qin Yun smiled slyly at the goat demon and the manager shuddered. In the presence of the powerful fox demoness, the manager felt very nervous. However, he did not expect the succubus to speak on behalf of the group instead of the fox demoness.

"Please, let us leave the pleasantries and formalities for another day," Coux countered. Amaraline kept her expression straight when the talks began. She felt slightly bad for the goat demon manager when Coux went all out, hammering details of the agreement.

"M-Miss..." the manager stuttered in panic when Coux had a contract drafted. "We would require the approval of the directors for such a formal proposal. Of course, Souls & Sins United Bank wouldn't turn down such a rare deal. However, there is a limit to what I can do for you. Opening a new trade channel between Earth and the Abyss isn't something within my power to decide."

Coux stopped pushing and sighed regretfully. "I suppose you are right. There are proper channels with for these kinds of matters."

The goat demon relaxed a little but Coux spoke once more that made him tense up almost immediately.

"I suppose as the manager of this branch you manage the accounts registered with the bank?"

The manager wasn't a fool. Someone informed him earlier that these ladies who claim to be Baal's representatives demanded to have his dormant account reopened for some sort of business transaction and loan.

"Of course," he bowed.

Coux smiled. "I'm sure you've heard about the little commotion going on downstairs earlier. I'll come straight to the point. We are Lord Baal's representatives and would like you to help us reopen his account."

"We would be able to reopen the account if Lord Baal could come down to register and authorise you as his official proxy. I apologise but without the ability to verify his identification or the truth of your words, I am unable to take any action."

Coux clicked her tongue. "I understand your concerns. Normally I would praise the bank for being very thorough in their checks to prevent fraud. However, we are in a rush. There is an auction that is selling an item that Lord Baal wants and would need to take out a huge loan. This matter is of utmost importance. What can the bank do for us since we are unable to reopen Lord Baal's account?"

The manager looked at Qin Yun who lounged lazily without care and back to the mysterious lady who created the rare magic stone. As a banker, he smelled money. There was nothing more important to him than business. Although it was regrettable that he wasn't able to reopen Lord Baal's account for them, giving them a loan wasn't a problem.

"I apologise on behalf of the bank for not being able to reopen Lord Baal's requirements. However, I might be able to do something for your loan. The bank has the policy to loan to anyone who has some form of an equivalent collateral item should they be unable to repay the loan and its interest. I understand that this talented young lady is a mage with a very rare magic type. If we can get our hands on a few more of that magic stone, the bank would be able to process your loan immediately."

Qin Yun raised a brow. Coux didn't fall for it. Asking for more than one high-grade magic stone of a unique magic type for a loan? If that was how the goat demon wanted to play, Coux would indulge him.

"I understand. How many magic stones of that sort does the bank want for collateral?"

The manager faltered. Whatever it was, he wasn't expecting to be given a blank cheque. From his years of experience in the business, he knew that there was always a catch. Something that was too good to be true was usually too good to be true. If he bit off more than he could chew, he would only be making a loss. On the other hand, selling rich man bread that poor man ate would be a waste.

Logically speaking, that one stone would be enough to cover the administrative charges for managing Qin Yun's account and give them a decent loan with spare change. However, he was the manager who was trained by the best businessman in the abyss. There was no way a follower of Lord Mammon would be satisfied with that. No. He would try to squeeze them dry. Who cared if they were truly Lord Baal's representatives? Only fools would play by the book in the abyss.

"I believe five stones of that sort would cover the cost completely. I'll be able to give you a lucrative interest rate with the longest term for repayment."

Coux smiled charmingly. "Only five, Mr Goat? You could ask for more, you know?"

The manager faltered a little and his confidence faded a little. More? Could he really ask for more? None of the ladies gave away anything and the manager frowned. Was this a gimmick?

On the other hand, Amaraline was panicking internally. Qin Yun continued sipping tea leisurely and Coux looked as if she was enjoying toying with a mouse. The cockatrice descendant didn't really know what was going on but when she heard five stones, she thought it was a good deal. It didn't take much out of her to create a magic stone. In fact, if she wanted to, she could create about a hundred of them without a hitch. The Spring of Vitality's effect was still strong in her blood.

Coux was having fun. That goat was a wolf in sheep's skin. Whoever he learnt his business tricks and persuasion skills from was good. However, Coux wouldn't lose to some cheap talk. She was a hard-core businesswoman who'd dealt with worse. The name of the Van Doux family lied on her shoulders. One puny demon wouldn't even leave a scratch on that great name. Five stones? Did he really think they would give the bank a chance to research on these stones for them to replicate?

Clearing his throat, the manager smiled once more with the business mask firmly in place. "May I know how much are you intend to loan? Perhaps we can work towards something more concrete with actual numbers."

Coux giggled. "Why, I thought you'd never ask. Your interest in the magic stone we have must really be something."

The manager didn't answer. Coux had him where she wanted and for the first time in his life, the businessman felt threatened. The lady before him wasn't a simple watered down demon descendant. She was on par with the arch demons in terms of business sense. He cursed his foolishness in underestimating them.

"It's not really difficult. I intend to take out a loan enough to buy a small store deed. As for repayments, I'll have it in two hours."

Amaraline froze. Qin Yun grinned and the bank manager swallowed hard. Two hours? He thought that as representatives of Lord Baal, they would take out more loans. Asking for even one high-grade stone wasn't even ethical at this point. Nobody would agree to it, much less five.

"However," Coux added. "I would like the bank to do a little favour for us after we have the loan."

"If it is within my capabilities, I will try my best."

Coux smiled. "I'm sure you have contacts with many high profiled customers. Lord Baal has a message for them. We will be hosting a competition at our newly acquired shop in two days. The winner of the competition will receive twenty of those stones. No fees are required and any number of participants is allowed. They may send their servants or participate it themselves, there are no restrictions."

The goat demon looked slightly surprised. He couldn't read what was on the trader's mind. Nobody looked surprised when Coux mentioned twenty high-grade magic stones as the prize. It wasn't something that arch demons could manage. Who was this mysterious girl who could make twenty with the snap of her fingers?

Amaraline heaved a silent sigh of relief. Making twenty stones was something manageable. Whatever Coux was planning, Amaraline was just glad they didn't have to work for it. However, she had questions. How will they earn anything to pay back the loan within two hours? The competition was in two days, why were they not seizing the opportunity to make money from it? Still, she held her tongue and waited for Coux to finalise the terms of the loan with the goat manager. In the end, they didn't have to pay anything for the loan of Qin Yun's administrative charges. It went to the inactive Lord Baal's tab.

"Here is twenty thousand for the loan. As requested, these are the recommended areas to get a decent shop and the owner's contact details. Is there a way for the bank to contact you to inform you about the number of patrons interested in the competition?"

Qin Yun smiled. "You can send a message to Lord Baal's castle looking for Lady Van Doux. Also, while we are at it, I would like to open new accounts for two people. One of them is Coux Van Doux and the other is Truen Zheng who isn't here with us today."

The manager smiled. "We can do that if you have something of Truen Zheng to verify his identity."

"None whatsoever," Qin Yun said. "However, I have a set of security questions that only he can answer."

"Very well. May I have a look at those questions?"

The fox demoness handed it over and waited. The manager was stumped for a moment. Whatever was written on the paper had to be either an unknown language or a prank.

"Ms Qian Qiu..."

"It's Qin Yun now."

"Ms Qin Yun," the manager began. "This isn't something the bank can accept. For starters, it isn't in a registered language."

The fox demoness shrugged. "It's an ancient language only he and I would know apart from the Sage Gods. If you want to, I can record both the questions and answers for the bank's reference."

Numbly, the manager agreed and Amaraline was impressed. She'd never heard Qin Yun speak in a different language other than common back on Earth. Hearing demon tongue from the fox demoness was weird but hearing this ancient language made Amaraline think that Qin Yun should be speaking in this language more often. The words sounded beautiful and the lady sounded as if she was singing.

"Thank you," the manager bowed. "I will prepare the new bank accounts for Truen Zheng and Lady Van Doux here with Ms Qin Yun as the guarantor. The loans will be ready shortly after the contract has been signed. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Coux and Qin Yun exchanged a look before the trader raised a finger. "There is one last thing," she said.

"We would like to have the latest map of this town and a general map of the abyss drawn within the last ten years."

It was a rather strange request but the manager agreed to have someone give them the maps requested with the contract. Lord Baal's nap must have gone on for longer than anyone expected and honestly, nobody was surprised. Lord Baal was known to take naps for hundreds of years at a time. His castle was now nothing more than a wasteland and Lord Baal's wealth has been squandered away by his servants over the years. If not for the covenant mark on the back of their hands, he wouldn't be wasting his precious time by entertaining these nameless guests.

"If that is all, I shall take my leave for today" he bowed and the ladies waved at his on the way out.

The moment the door closed, Amaraline fell over, her closed off expression crumbling rapidly. Coux patted the girl on her head.

"You did well," she praised and Amaraline pouted.

"It was so complicated. I didn't understand anything! Also, how will we earn that money? There's no way to pay the loan back in two hours! Besides, why are we getting a shop? What's the competition all about? Why is the stone worth so much?"

Qin Yun crushed the girl in a hug and cooed at her innocence.

"Don't worry," the fox demoness grinned. "You should put more trust in her. She's not the heiress to the Van Doux name for nothing. Also, if there was something you wanted to blame, you should blame the wolf in goat's skin."

Amaraline didn't understand but couldn't ask further when there was a knock on the door. The maps and contract were brought up together with the application form for both Coux and Truen that Qin Yun looked over. Left with nothing to do, Amaraline sipped the now cold tea.