Chapter 114: Optional Mission Three
"Back to our original topic," Illyrio said, clearly unwilling to discuss 'Aegon' any further at this moment. "You wish to find something to occupy your time here, correct?"
"Yes. Is there anything I can help you with?" Ian nodded.
"It still concerns the matter of Talobane. He mentioned a slave ship, yet he owns no such vessel himself. This means there are other moles within my chamber of commerce."
"You want me to help you find the mole?"
"Yes. But rooting out spies is a task that easily offends. Several of my most trusted men are unsuitable for the job for that very reason." Illyrio's eyes met Ian's. "But you are different. You have no business interests in Pentos and you will not be staying here long. You have no need to consider the opinions of any merchant."
He gave a magnanimous shrug. "Of course, this is merely my suggestion. The choice is yours."
"You are too gracious, Lord Illyrio. Your troubles are my troubles," Ian assured him, patting his chest. "But I am not very familiar with Pentos, nor with your Chamber of Commerce. I wouldn't know where to begin."
"Hahaha, my butler will brief you on the particulars later. If you have any questions, you may ask him." Illyrio was obviously pleased with Ian's answer. "Furthermore, considering your lack of manpower, I will introduce two men to you. One is a mercenary captain who has served me for many years, and the other is the leader of my little mice."
He smiled. "And this task itself… perhaps you can regard it as the first lesson of your political career."
*By the gods,* Ian thought, genuinely shocked. *Illyrio not only sees me as a confidant, but he's also raising me as a son?*
Then again, he considered, any great lord who encountered a young man like 'Ian Hewen'—innocent, unattached, exceptionally talented, and so very righteous—would want to adopt him as a godson.
*I can profit greatly from this!* If he could borrow Illyrio's military strength and intelligence resources, the entire city of Pentos would become his home field.
As long as he found a way to bring in some of his own 'private goods' while investigating the mole, what chance would the other players hiding in Pentos have?
"I will not let you down," Ian replied immediately. *Wait a minute,* he thought. *Why hasn't the optional mission triggered?*
Then it hit him. *Of course, there's no 'reward'. The condition for an optional mission is that an indigenous person formally asks for help and clearly states the reward.*
"Your Excellency," Ian began after a moment of thought, "I have another, perhaps impudent, request… We came to Pentos as if we were fleeing for our lives, so I find myself a little short on funds at the moment."
"That is understandable. Many things are difficult to accomplish without coin," Illyrio agreed readily. "In that case, you may withdraw two hundred gold dragons from the butler for operational funds. If special circumstances arise during your investigation, you may apply for more from the steward. As long as your reasons can convince him, there is no upper limit."
*Operational funds are not a reward!* Ian roared in his mind, but a flattering smile spread across his face. "And after I find the mole, might the remaining funds belong to me?"
"Hahahaha!" Illyrio suddenly laughed, amused by the young man's forwardness. "Of course. The remainder, including any extra you applied for, will all be yours once you find the mole."
*Ding!*
The optional mission popped up the next moment.
[Trigger Mission Discovered: The Mole in the Illyrio Chamber of Commerce]
[Mission Description: Illyrio suspects there is a mole in his chamber of commerce involved in the slave trade, and he hopes you will help him find the culprit.]
[Mission Reward: All remaining operational funds after the mission's completion.]
[Additional Reward: Unknown]
[Accept (consumes 1 Point)] [Reject]
Ian's first instinct was to accept, but a thought suddenly flashed through his mind—*what if there is no mole?*
The mole and the slave ship had only ever been mentioned by Talobane. And Talobane's goal was simply to induce him to kill the Spearbreaker in order to frame Illyrio.
Whether the slave ship actually existed or not seemed to have no bearing on Talobane's plan!
Thinking of this, Ian moved the pointer of his mental power away from [Accept].
He had been fooled once before. If that previous mission he'd accepted had been worded [Find the Truth about the Blackfyre Treasure] or [Destroy the Ghosts of Whitewalls], he wouldn't have lost an entire mission's reward in vain.
"Your Excellency Illyrio," Ian said, voicing his new theory, "I just considered a possibility. Is it possible that this mole doesn't exist at all?"
"The mole doesn't exist?" Illyrio mused. "It seems possible, yes, but we cannot simply hope that is the case, can we?"
"Of course not. I only mean… if the mole doesn't exist, how am I to claim my reward?"
"I see." Illyrio considered this. "Very well. If your investigation concludes that the mole does not exist, you will have completed your mission as long as no slave ships belonging to my Chamber of Commerce appear before the Braavosi delegation concludes its business at the end of this month."
The task interface in the system immediately changed.
[Trigger Mission Discovered: The Mole in the Illyrio Chamber of Commerce]
[Mission Description: Illyrio suspects there is a mole in his chamber of commerce involved in the slave trade. He hopes you will either help him catch the culprit or ensure that no slave-trading ship from his chamber of commerce appears in the Port of Pentos before the end of the month.]
[Mission Reward: All remaining operational funds after the mission's completion.]
[Additional Reward: Unknown]
[Accept (consumes 1 Point)] [Reject]
This time, Ian clicked [Accept] without hesitation.
"Then I have no problem," Ian said with a smile.
"Go to the front hall and wait. My butler will be with you shortly," Illyrio nodded, and with that, their long-overdue breakfast came to an end.
After arriving in the front hall, Ian sat down and logged into the system again. He had intended to review the details of the mission he had just accepted, but he was greeted by an entirely unexpected message.
[Optional Mission Three 'The Mole in the Illyrio Chamber of Commerce' Complete]
[Mission Difficulty Rating: Moderate]
[Mission Reward: After Illyrio accepts the results, you will receive all remaining operational funds.]
[Additional Rewards: 3 Points, 3 Attribute Points]
His updated data card was displayed:
[Ian: Strength 32, Agility 27, Mental Strength 7]
[Skills: Basic Etiquette, Basic Literacy (Common Tongue), Advanced Swordsmanship, Advanced Horsemanship, Intermediate Lance, Basic Skinchanging]
[Attribute Points: 3]
[Skill Points: 6]
[Points: 33]
[Items: Basic Skill Scroll of Choice]
*Thank the gods I was careful!* Ian patted his chest, a wave of relief washing over him.
He hadn't expected the slave ship to truly be non-existent! That had to be why the system determined the task was complete the moment he accepted it.
Ian didn't dare to imagine how many dead ends he would have chased if not for that final flash of inspiration that made him ask Illyrio to change the mission's terms.
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