A Tale of Forgotten Gods

Chapter 141: Trap Settled.

Inside the medical company, multiple workers who wore white clothes moved through the place.

A few people looked at the man wearing a dark green trench coat and the detective badge. One of them stopped and asked. ”Do you have the permission to enter?”

”Yes, of course.” He showed him the cheque that had the sign while hiding the other written things behind his fingers. His first plan had already worked fine, meaning he had no use anymore to get himself in a dangerous situation where he had to... Go inside the bank at night to change things.

Looking at the sign, the man interpreted him as a paid detective of Asterion, believing that he was sent by him. ”Sure, where will you go?”

”Who manages this company?”

”Mr. Elferd, you may find him in the nearest office.”

Murphy nodded and walked toward the cabin where Elfred was. He quietly entered the cabin and saw him sitting on a chair. ”Who are you?”

”That’s not relevant currently.” He paused before pulling a letter out. ”I was sent here by Mr. Asterion. For your sign.”

Elfred took the letter and read it through to the end; it was written in the same handwriting as Asterion, which said to audit all the accounts and send liquid cash to the man in front. ”That’s unusual... why?”

”He needs to buy something, since this company manages the liquid cash of the company, so I have been sent to take it.”

​Elfred stared at Murphy for a long moment as the silence in the office stretched. ”You know that’s a very major thing.” Elfred repeated, leaning back and lacing his fingers together. ”I’d need time to first talk to Mr. Asterion.”

”You don’t have time.” Murphy spoke in an extremely calm voice.

​Elfred’s brow furrowed. ”Excuse me?”

”I mean, if you send a messenger across town to Asterion’s manor right now, do you know why it’d be pointless?” Murphy stepped closer to the desk, resting his gloved hands flat on it. ”Unfortunately, you will only find a carriage surrounded by auditors from the Central Ministry and his clerks turning away every runner sent to the Pacian Bank.”

​Elfred stiffened. ”What are you talking about? Do you know how much liquid cash is here?”

​”Try it out then, the Pacian Bank has just frozen over his orders because Mr. Asterion’s master accounts suspected of high treason and anarchist.”

Murphy weaved the lie into the exact truth of what he had set in motion only a while ago. ”At this very second, every cheque bearing his signature is being rejected at the counters. That’s the reason he needs the cash.”

​Elfred’s face went pale as a sweat formed on his forehead. He knew the volatile nature of royal politics and how fast an empire of wealth could collapse under a government inquiry.

Murphy continued again. ​”Mr. Asterion knew that, which is why he froze it. That is why he sent a private courier—me—to retrieve the liquid reserves stored in your vault before the inspectors turned their eyes toward Herbius. He needs that cash to settle his private affairs in Latvensa before the news hits the evening papers.”

​Elfred hesitated, his eyes darting frantically between Murphy’s cold, unblinking expression and the forged letter bearing Asterion’s signature. ​”Okay... I can check the bank first to verify.”

Elfred stammered, reaching for his desk bell.

​”Go ahead,” Murphy sneered softly.

After a while, he sent a clerk to check the bank. After a few minutes, his clerk returned and explained how Mr. Asterion had ordered to freeze it, making him believe Murphy’s words.

​Elfred nodded and stood up, his knees visibly shaking, and walked over to the small iron safe set into the wall behind his desk.

​With trembling hands, he turned the dial, pulled out a thick leather-bound ledger, and pulled out a heavy four wooden box filled with banded stacks of paper currency and gold sovereigns.

​”This... this is all the 50% liquid case in this company, nearly 25000 pounds, others are needed to manage supplies.” Elfred whispered, placing the boxes on the desk alongside the ledger.

​”Smart choice.” Murphy pulled a canvas sack from beneath his trench coat, swept the currency and the ledgers inside, and tied the drawstring shut in one swift motion.

​He leaned down, his face inches from Elfred’s terrified gaze. ”Important message from Mr. Asterion, Elfred. If anyone asks, no courier was ever here. If you speak a word of this to the police, the Ministry will make sure you take the fall for every grain of poison gas stored in this warehouse.”

​Elfred nodded vigorously, completely paralyzed by fear. ”N-not a word. I understand.”

​Murphy pulled the brim of his fedora down over his eyes, adjusted his coat collar, and stepped out of the office into the bustling hallway of Herbius Company.

’Perfect, now we wait.’

​Outside, the cool autumn air hit his face, smelling of coal and damp river mist. He adjusted the heavy canvas bag slung over his shoulder and pulled a fresh cigarette from his silver case.

​Lighting it with a single match, he blew a plume of grey smoke into the afternoon air as he watched a hansom cab approach down the cobbled street.

With a quick motion, the sack disappeared into the spirit world.

​The net was closing. Asterion’s hitmen were furious because their cheques were bouncing; his bank accounts were frozen; his chemical company’s reserves were drained; and the local police were preparing for a ministerial audit that didn’t even exist. ’If it goes accordingly, then by tomorrow he is going to lose it, then I finally can hunt down him.’

Murphy thought with a dark, satisfied smirk as he stopped at the waiting room in the station. ’Tomorrow is also the mission... I have to end this case sooner.’

He looked back toward the direction where the bank was, soon the news would arrive. All he had to do was wait and go toward the town which he bought.