Thomas Prest: A Simple Magician

Mark Jasin, a mean-looking dirty-blonde man, was currently loading his van with... goods.

Of course, a sensitive operation like this required a place without surveillance cameras and witnesses so he was in an empty dark alleyway.

Despite the Magician Families not putting much stock in the technology, they kept up with its advancements in the world, if only to know how to avoid being found out. Every year, more and more spells that obscured even the newest surveillance technology came out... but Mark was smart. He knew the best way to avoid these was to simply not be in their vicinity.

As he finished with his job, and his van was finally full, Mark stretched out, "Fucking finally." He grumbled and clicked his tongue.

But as he was about to turn around...

"Mark Jasin?"

An even female voice called him out from behind him, making him freeze for a second.

It didn't last long and Mark sighed, secretly preparing a body enhancement spell. But considering he was recognized, it was probably someone from another Magician Family, in which case there was no problem. The families had an unspoken rule to not meddle with each other's business as long as all regulations were upheld.

"Yeah?" He irritably said as he turned around to look at the nuisance who-

Only for his eyes to widen as he came face to face with the barrel of a gun.

His mind couldn't even process what was going on, barely registering a shine of crimson hair belonging to the woman as she pressed the trigger, and Mark's brain splattered on the backdoor of his van, his body flopping back, sliding down on the backdoor until his posterior hit the ground.

Not even his weak magical artifact that provided basic shielding capable of stopping ordinary bullets was any help against the enchanted bullet that tore through his head before disintegrating itself the second it stopped.

The woman glanced at the dead body leaning on the van with indifference and turned around, raising her hood over her head and walking away as if nothing happened.

...

"Would you like some wine?" Jacob Jasin, the second son of Jason Jasin, asked the woman sitting opposite him.

She was a great find! When he woke up today he would have never thought to catch himself a pretty and young redhead like this but here he was, in a fancy restaurant on a date.

He usually wouldn't bother and simply use some mind-altering spells or illusions... only basic ones, after all, it wouldn't be fun if the women didn't try to resist during the deed... but this chick was hot as hell and Jacob decided to humor his urge to take her on a date before he did his usual routine with her.

Well, the money would return to him when he sold her to one of his many clients who were always in need of some fresh sacrifices or obedient sluts so there was no harm done with buying her this one lunch.

"N-No. Thank you." The woman shyly said and looked down with her cheeks blushing deep red.

Jacob wanted to coo at how cute she was being.

He knew that, unlike his brothers, he was good-looking and charming. He wouldn't be able to do his human trafficking gig for his family if he couldn't charm his targets with just his incredible face.

Who needed spells if they were him?

Admittedly, the jealousy of his brothers at him always getting all the chicks was stroking his ego fiercely.

Sometimes he wondered how his third brother would react if he knew his wife was a constant in Jacob's bed.

But he had to calm down his excitement. He would mess up the cute bundle of red hair in front of him, making her whimper his name in despairing pain but first, he had to make her believe he was her prince charming. That would make it so much sweeter!

Jacob roguishly grinned at her and confidently snapped his fingers, "Waiter!"

It didn't take long for a brown-haired waitress in a classy white and black uniform to show up and smile at both Jacob and the fidgeting redhead, "Anything I can help with?"

Jacob gave her once over, 'Not bad.' He inwardly thought as he ordered the best wine they had and the waitress once again left, allowing his attention to go back to his date.

Chatting up a shy girl was occasionally annoying, but Jacob preserved in this charade for the sake of his nightly fun-time, and before he knew it, the waitress was back with the wine.

This time, he ignored her in favor of his date, subconsciously showing that the girl was important to him and if her small beaming at him was any indication, the redhead noticed and appreciated that his attention didn't wander and was fixated on her.

'How easy.' Jacob chuckled as he sent the waitress away with an offhanded wave, not bothering to even look at her, his eyes firmly staring into the eyes of his date. He could see it. Her impression of him was getting better and better, and the girl starting to fall for him.

'Something about not using magic to make women fall for me is really addicting.' He wistfully sighed and distractedly mirrored the cute creature opposite him, taking a sip from the glass of expensive wine.

He savored the sweet taste and basked in the atmosphere generated between them as they both stared into each other's eyes and sipped the wine... only for him to be irritated when he felt a really strong urge to couch.

Grimacing a bit, he put the glass of wine back on the table and took the napkin, putting it in front of his lips as he gently coughed into it before putting it back next to his platter as he smiled at the enamored girl.

But…

Suddenly the redhead in front of him showed a horrified expression and Jacob didn't understand why... until he felt something wet streaming down his lips and chin.

He looked down and blinked in confusion as he discovered the napkin into which he coughed just a moment ago was now full of blood… his blood!

He was bleeding from his nose, blood falling onto his expensive trousers, dirtying them!

He didn't even have enough time for the realization to seep in as the paralyzing pain suddenly came, making his eyes go wide in agony as he clutched at his neck and his body refused to move according to his will...

Despite everything, Jacob's brain still worked somewhat well and he instantly understood how he was poisoned. His head snapped after the waitress who poured him the wine...

But it was too late and his head uselessly flopped onto the table mid-motion, a furious glare etched into his expression as his lifeless eyes stared at the back of the brown-haired woman who was passing through the door leading to the kitchen, casually taking her bow tie off.

The last thing passing through Jacob's head before he passed away were her chillingly cold emerald eyes that looked at him in complete apathy and disinterest as she poured him the wine.

If only he didn't disregard it...

And then, the chaos erupted, as the cute but naive young redhead, who unknowingly escaped her cruel fate thanks to the timely intervention of an assassin, started to scream her throat out in horror and the people around noticed that someone had died.

Hard times were coming for this particular restaurant...

Alas, it was owned by the fourth Jasin brother so... all according to the plan?

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Author Note:

The second brother not seeing through Natasha's disguise is not a plot hole. It will be explained later so hold your horses.