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A few hours earlier.
"Ugh..."
Gaius groaned and slowly regained consciousness.
The haze in his mind faded bit by bit. The world sharpened. The pain at the back of his head reminded him that everything he remembered was real.
"You're awake?"
The sudden voice startled him.
Gaius sat up abruptly and instinctively covered his backside.
"I said, why are you covering that?" Morin said, glancing at himself in the mirror.
"Do you think I'm interested in your ass? Come on. Be a little sensible. Am I that kind of person?"
"I'm only interested in beautiful women."
"You... you..." Gaius backed away. "Who are you?"
"As you can see," Morin said, lowering the mirror and smiling at him, "right now, I can be you."
"Well?"
"How do I look?"
"Don't I look exactly like you?"
Morin was wearing Gaius's face.
Earlier, he had knocked Gaius out and used IRS equipment to copy his facial features. Only after finishing did he let Gaius wake up.
Only this way would the next part work.
Only this way would Gaius believe him.
"You..." Gaius's eyes widened.
It was like looking into a mirror.
Aside from the clothes and hands, just the head-
They were identical.
"Don't bother thinking too hard," Morin said lightly. "I just wanted to show you one thing."
"If I want to, I can perfectly impersonate you."
He chuckled.
"Imagine this. I disguise myself as you and kill the Adjudicator who's about to arrive."
"Wouldn't that be interesting?"
"What?" Gaius panicked and tried to find a flaw. "You can't hide me!"
"When they arrive, they'll search everything. Every inch. They'll definitely find something wrong!"
"Are you sure?"
Morin smiled, placed his hand on the nearby table-
And the table vanished.
Gaius: "!!!"
He reached out.
Nothing.
Only then did he realize the table was truly gone.
"Trust me," Morin said calmly. "Making a living person disappear isn't a problem either."
"...So," Gaius thought for a long time, failed to find a loophole, then slumped to the floor.
"What do you want?"
He couldn't think of a reason why Morin wouldn't just kill him.
"Just like I said," Morin replied. "I want you to work for me."
"Join the Templar Knights."
"And fight the High Table."
"That's impossible," Gaius shook his head without hesitation. "What's the difference between dying now and dying later?"
"The difference isn't big," Morin said evenly.
"But what if I can guarantee you survive after joining the Templar Knights?"
"You've heard about the lightning that wiped out five hundred High Table elites in New York, haven't you?"
"That was you?" Gaius blurted out.
Morin just smiled.
"...If that's the case," Gaius thought it over, "then I'll join."
Either way, he was going to die.
At least this way, there was a chance.
As for whether he would really keep his word later-
That was another matter.
Gaius still had his own calculations.
Morin had already seen through them.
He didn't want a half-hearted agreement.
He wanted loyalty.
"A verbal promise isn't very reliable, Mr. Gaius," Morin said, tearing off the mask.
It wasn't worthy of his face. Wearing it even briefly felt wrong.
"What... what are you planning?" Gaius tensed instantly.
"I know what you're thinking," Morin said casually.
"You plan to agree for now, then go back on it later."
"You just want to survive."
Morin chuckled.
"Nice idea."
"But I won't allow it."
"Tell me something," he continued. "Do you really want to sit in this position for the rest of your life?"
"Only to be replaced by someone the High Table sends when you're old and useless?"
"I don't think you do."
"So I'm offering you an opportunity."
"An opportunity to climb higher."
"To become an Elder of the Templar Knights."
It was the same position Morin had promised Winston.
He never said there was only one Elder.
And he never said the position was as supreme as it was in the High Table.
Pure misinformation.
"...Your conditions are very tempting," Gaius admitted. "So tempting that I almost don't believe them."
"Besides, I'm the owner of the Continental Hotel."
"What right does the High Table have to strip me of my position?"
"You already know the answer," Morin said flatly.
"Stubbornness won't help you, Mr. Gaius."
"Alright."
"Let's make a bet."
"A bet?" Gaius asked.
"I'll knock you out," Morin said. "I won't kill you."
"When you wake up, we'll see whether the High Table takes away your authority."
"I bet they will."
"You bet they won't."
"If I win, you join the Templar Knights."
"How about it?"
"And if you lose?"
"Then I'll kill you."
Gaius: "???"
"Would you believe me if I said I'd let you go?" Morin asked sincerely.
"If I lose, I'll definitely let you go."
"..."
Gaius's eyelid twitched. He shook his head.
"Exactly," Morin shrugged. "If you won't believe me anyway, why would I bother lying?"
As he finished speaking, Morin turned his head toward the door.
Footsteps were approaching.
"Our bet is about to begin, Mr. Gaius."
A wrench appeared in Morin's right hand.
"Quick or slow?"
"Is there a painless, non-damaging option?" Gaius asked carefully.
"Yes," Morin said brightly.
A sword crackling with electricity appeared in his left hand.
"This won't hurt. Just a little numb."
"...I'll take the wrench."
-
Back to the present.
After Gaius finished speaking, Morin appeared beside the bed in the empty ward.
"A pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Gaius."
Morin smiled and extended his hand.
Gaius slowly reached out.
"A pleasure doing business with you."
They shook hands.