Becoming the King of Magic in my Brother's Novel-Chapter 121: Offer

"I can offer you information on most of the members in Iystar's Ring. I can guide you to the people who abducted little Red here. I can share my information and information network with you. As soon as I get my hands on a fitting manual, I'll reach the fourth circle. I am good with numbers and people." The Madam willingly offered up everything she had to offer. She was willing to do anything and everything, and in exchange, she asked for but one thing.

The only thing she wanted was an opportunity.

There were just a few problems.

"Why?" Alec began, continuing before Madam could ask 'Why what?'

"Why do you want to do all that? Why not just take this opportunity and run away? Why not start anew? Or better yet, why give up at all? Why don't you continue with what you were doing? I'm sure you can rebuild and get business back up and running in a couple of days with all your connections."

"It's not that easy, especially not with Niko dead. All these pirhanas will swarm me the moment I step out of the shadows. With no one to protect me, my business and I will be overtaken before I restore even one building.

"And you asked why I don't run? Why I don't leave this world behind? Where do I run to? What am I supposed to do with a fresh start when this life is all I know? Even if I do find a nice village to settle down in, how long will it last?

"My enemies and clients will know I'm not dead. They won't stop looking for me, not with all the dirt I have on them."

"So, you want my protection. That's why you're doing this," Alec stated. The Madam was still scared. She did not dare live with the consequences of her actions up to now.

It was no surprise. She had not lived a clean life.

"I won't deny it. But it is not merely because I am scared of death. Death has walked by my side for a long time, waiting patiently for me. I am accustomed to their presence. I just want to do something that doesn't cause others pain before I fall into their embrace."

Alec sighed.

"I won't lie. Your aid would be useful in rooting out Iystar's Ring and dealing with all those who bought children. However, I am not one of the many you have hurt. I do not have the right to decide."

"Then…?" Madam asked hopelessly. She could already guess her fate if it was left to the hands of her victims.

"I will ask the others on your behalf," Alec said tiredly. It would be so much easier if the Madam were evil. It would be so much easier if she were unrepentant. It would be so much easier if she carried a drop of bloodlust or a hint of a grudge toward him for killing Nikolai and ruining her business.

Instead, the Madam was a pitiful, deathly tired, physically and spiritually wounded lady who had suffered her entire life and made the wrong choices just to survive.

'Does that mean I didn't have to kill Nikolai…?' Alec asked himself with a sigh. He did not like killing people.

At the time, it had felt like he didn't have a choice. If he hadn't killed Nikolai, Nikolai would have killed him.

He wasn't wrong.

But maybe Alec could have done something different earlier during the fight.

If he had, maybe Nikolai and all the others caught up in the blast would have still been alive.

Alec sighed deeply again.

The Madam sat still as a statue with her hands on her knees and her gaze on the campfire. Ned and Red looked at her with sharp, wary gazes. They would not let even the slightest movement slip.

She had said it herself. She was one step away from becoming a fourth-circle mage. She was powerful enough to get rid of them and Alec, considering his current condition.

The two naturally didn't trust her, even if it was obvious that she wasn't planning that. If she were, she would have ambushed them when they had their guards down, instead of announcing her presence and sitting down to plead for mercy.

Eventually, however, Red realized something.

"How did you find us?" She asked harshly, pointing at the Madam with her dagger.

"I know a tracking spell. I put it on all of my—On all of you. It doesn't last long, but it was enough for me to make my way here before it ran out."

"Does that mean you know how far away the others are?" Ned asked.

"They should not be far away. But the tracking spell ran out before the one on little Red did, so it's been a while since I could tell where they were."

Right then, a loud cry and the sound of snapping branches rang out not too far away. Red and Ned stood up, while Alec and the Madam remained seated.

A few minutes later, Millie stepped into the light, carrying a boar with its head caved in. Behind her, dozens of shadows gradually closed in as well, suddenly making the tiny clearing with the campfire seem very cramped.

"Alec!" Millie cried out happily when she saw Alec sitting up. She tossed the boar aside and threw herself at him, hugging him while still remembering to control her strength in case he was more badly injured than she thought.

"Millie. You've worked hard. Well done," He praised her with a warm smile and returned the hug. He was happy that she had made it out in one piece and not only that but also saved everyone else.

However, while they were celebrating the other's survival, the survivors of the Lounge noticed the person sitting opposite the campfire to Alec.

Millie sensed the air drop a few degrees as killing intent filled the clearing.

She slowly stood up and turned around. She pointed at the Madam and looked at Alec.

"Who is that?"

"The Madam."

"The Mad—Oh. Oh! What is she doing here?"

"She's asking for a second chance at life."

"Well?"

"I told her it wasn't my choice," Alec said, still tired. But he stood up. He had promised that he would do the talking.