IC contact

[stabilimentum]

[A smooth, sedulous voice answers:]

You have reached Claude Faustus, butler to the Earl Alois Trancy. How may I be of service?

Comments

voicemail;

[cursestained.livejournal.com]

Claude Faustus. [The syllables are smooth over Naoya's tongue--and amusing. Faustus, Faustus. It makes him wonder what Mephistopheles is up to these days, but the less he knows the better. ]

You had asked for an estimate of my expenses. The living expenses come to...[Rent around 600 for a small place in sector 4. Easy to keep an eye out, didn't attract much attention. 400 for utilities. Food...

...Naoya was the sort of man who survived on cheap tastes.]

$1800 a month will cover all of my needs. The equipment will be 10,000--I will assemble it myself. [Naoya is quietly building you something powerful and something--modifiable for his own needs. He doesn't need expensive parts or high specs initially--what he needs are things that don't fail under what he does to them.

A true artist can create beauty with worthless tools. Naoya doesn't think of it quite that way, but he knows how to work with whatever he has.]

As for a time to teach you...please pick something that works for yourself.

return phonecall;

[stabilimentum.livejournal.com]

[Whether his return call is answered or forwarded to the inbox:]

Mr. Naoya, I thank you for being prompt in this matter.

[Claude has listened to Naoya's voicemail almost a hundred times over, picking out every single nuance in it to get a better feel for the sort of person Naoya is. A voice can only say so much about someone, of course, but Claude does know he needs to be cautious going forward. For example, the price tag on that system is definitely higher than he expected overall. Either Naoya is interested in plainly overpriced parts, or there's more going on than meets the eye, either good or bad. This wouldn't be the first time Claude has lost money on an investment due to pure human greed.

It's a good thing greed is one of his favorite sins. As long as he's amused, he is willing to deal with it.]

$1,800 per month is sustainable for the long-term. If you require advance payments, or additional allowances, please don't hesitate to request readjustment. [Claude seems more generous than not when it comes to money. While money is technically meaningless to him, he feels better when he has more and believes others tend to feel the same way.]

$10,000 for the equipment is also doable; however, I will require more time to amass that amount in hard currency. It would be in our best interests to minimize reliance on the city's banking systems.

[There are many reasons for his mistrust, but he moves on:]

My schedule varies from day to day due to the nature of my work, with more time afforded to me at night and in the early morning hours. If you have any nocturnal tendencies, that arrangement would be ideal for me.

voice; hey bb

[cursestained.livejournal.com]

[Naoya had answered, although his silence might have made it seem otherwise while he listened. He appreciates that Claude has clearly thought through what he's been asked, and Naoya appreciates that. Working with idiots, as easily manipulated as they are, is just more aggravating than he wants. The Shomonkai was bad enough.]

Understood--given the buyout, the reluctance is...understandable. If you wish to...observe what I am making, I wouldn't be offended by the caution. [His voice is smooth, and cool, but there's an undercurrent--one Claude is certainly observant enough to find--of amusement. It isn't a scam or a trick; simply two powerful systems, augmented with Naoya's own way of doing things.

Magically protecting hardware is a pain, and difficult, but well worth the money. He'll spell the hardware first, and if he's asked he'll explain plainly--but he doesn't intend to offer that piece of information.]

The nights are fine for me. Simply be sure to let me know before your arrival. [So he doesn't magic you in the face.]

voice; oh hey

[stabilimentum.livejournal.com]

[Claude isn't interested in being manipulated unless he'll gain something he otherwise wouldn't. Ever the equal opportunist, he has worked alongside the Father's seraphim whenever it's been beneficial to him. Currently, he feels somewhat directionless about what he can do with the knowledge he desires. If Naoya has any good ideas that aren't equivalent to suicide, Claude is prepared to listen.]

When I do have the time for it, I'll appreciate being able to indulge my curiosity. [His sense of caution will be covered by the one or two spiders he leaves behind to observe for him. They aren't going to understand magic, but he'll be able to know if his investment is being used against him. As long as Naoya doesn't fail to deliver, then Claude won't complain about anything extracurricular.]

Tomorrow, then, we are to meet someplace and exchange an introductory $1,800. The governor's funeral ought to be enough of a distraction for most everyone else.

[After consulting a map, Claude suggests some area near to the funeral procession route where crowd noise will prevent them from being overheard. If it's not already obvious, Claude is a very paranoid man when it comes to his personal affairs. He lives in a household full of people who'd love to ruin him, after all.]