"You're insane," Mako replied.
"That's harsh coming from you!" Fox exclaimed, nearly leaping from his chair. "After all, you're the horse I'm putting all my money on. You can't be so defeatist!"
Mako furrowed his brow again. He didn't trust this conman one bit. After all, the last time he tried doing business with Fox, a dagger pierced his chest.
"I thought you wanted us to lose," Mako said, slowly taking the paper, making sure to read the numbers carefully.
There was no mistake.
Every underworld investor predicted Mako would lose his upcoming duel against the Lunar House.
Worse, 90% of Galandria's betting population in the underworld assumed the same.
Was there really no one rooting for Mako?
"No more of that, kid!" Fox said cheerfully.
Mako could only wonder if this criminal was truly his only ally. There wasn't a single person backing him that he actually liked.
"They don't know something I do," Fox said, rubbing his hands with a wicked grin as he stood from the chair. "And that's that you weren't lying at that trial."
"You saw it?" Mako asked.
"Of course!" Fox snatched the paper with the numbers from Mako's hand as he spoke. "A man like me has to keep tabs on everything. Besides, I don't know what ace you've got up your sleeve, but if a dagger in your chest can't stop you…"
Fox slowly folded the paper and slipped it into a pocket of his tattered black tuxedo.
"…nothing will. Nothing can stop you, kid," Fox finished, sitting back down.
The underworld magnate sat there, confident, legs crossed, fingers interlaced, waiting for Mako's response.
"Well?" Fox said impatiently. "What do you think?"
Mako paused before answering.
"I think… I don't follow what you're planning."
Mako, never lowering his guard, continued, "If you're really betting on me, I don't get why you need to come all the way here."
"See, you know nothing about betting, kid!" Fox exclaimed with a tone of disappointment. "Only a rookie bets without checking in with his runner first. I came for two reasons."
"I'm all ears," Mako said, eyeing him suspiciously.
"First, if you win—and I know you will. I mean, I'm betting big money on this, losing's not an option," Fox said, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. "I want to be an investor in the House of the Sun again."
"No way!" Mako said firmly.
"C-Come on! Didn't you say you were all ears?" Fox stammered. "Hear me out. If you win, I promise to give you a nice cut of my winnings. How's that sound?"
"Money's not an issue for me," Mako replied confidently.
"For now! Your House is living off family savings, Lord Mako. With me as an investor after you win that duel, the wheel of fortune will start turning your way. The cash will flow again, capisce?" Fox dropped his nervous act, slipping back into his confident magnate persona.
"Even if that's true… If I win, I'll be in the King's Court. What makes you think I'd associate with scum like you?" Mako said decisively.
"Pfft, so naive, so young. Who said anyone has to find out? Come on, Mako. Let's seal the deal. It's a golden opportunity, and you know it," Fox said, pulling a contract and a pen from his black tuxedo, all ready to be signed.
For a moment, Mako was tempted to agree. Not for the money, but for something that had been nagging at him for days.
'If I win…' Mako thought, 'I'll be alone up there. Starting with an ally would make things easier.'
"Fine, but before I sign, tell me your second request," Mako demanded without hesitation, taking the pen as Fox handed him a small ink bottle.
"Heh, heh," Fox laughed oddly. "Maybe it's a bit soon, but it's more of a future request. A little birdie told me about the bad moves Erick's been making lately… If you sign the contract, in exchange for information, I ask just one thing: grant me a position in the King's Court."
Mako's eyes widened.
"Impossible," he said sharply, nearly pushing the contract away after reading it thoroughly.
"Ah, I'm a reasonable man," Fox said, sighing in disappointment. "I'll let you think it over."
Fox placed both hands on his face and shouted, "Ox!"
At the call of that name, a small flame erupted from the floor, and from it emerged a tiny demon. It looked more like a goblin, with pointed ears, red skin, and a bloated belly.
"Ox, change the last part of the contract," Fox ordered the imp, who snapped its fingers, altering the words at the contract's end.
"Done. Now it's a maybe. If you want my spying services, well, you can always change your mind," Fox said.
Mako knew Fox wasn't trustworthy, but he was truly alone now.
Ana was injured, and putting more pressure on her was unnecessary. Polifemo… he didn't know when he'd return.
Mako knew it was time, as the head of his House, to make the big decisions.
It was a huge risk, but after carefully reading the contract, he found nothing suspicious.
"Once I sign, it can't be altered," Mako said to Fox, dipping the pen in ink.
"Indeed, I see you know your demon contracts well," Fox replied cheerfully.
"If you try anything…" Mako said, signing his full name on the paper.
Fox laughed—not in mockery. For some reason, it was a different laugh from all the others he'd let out so far.
Mako almost thought it was genuine.
"I've learned my lesson with you lot," Fox said, taking the contract and tucking it into his tuxedo. "A good conman knows he can only trick smaller prey."
Mako didn't take his eyes off him. Fox waved a cheerful goodbye, but at the open door, he turned back to Mako and said, "Oh, one more thing. A good conman recognizes his own kind. Since you didn't ask for my informant skills, I can't say much, but… I'd watch my back if I were you, Lord Mako."
Mako was about to stop him, but Fox was already heading out to the street.
…
Igor, who had stayed hidden in the shadows until then, felt a chill run through his body at Fox's words.
Terrified, Igor began to slip away after overhearing the entire conversation between Mako and Fox.
"I have to… warn… Lady Catherine…" Igor muttered, scurrying with his hunched figure through the desolate halls of the mansion.