“I-I don’t believe this. Please wake me up from this nightmare.”
“I’ve failed as a father.”
“Yes, you did! Why did you need a second loan anyway?! We had some time left to repay the first one which we got through the supposed means!” Read latest chapters on
“We wouldn’t have made it. We couldn’t default on the count’s loan, so I decided that we needed to invest in rebuilding the run-down roads that connect us with the nearby city so that merchants would be more inclined to make their way toward our town. It would’ve bolstered our commercial possibilities greatly…”
“So that’s where you got the money for that stupid project of yours.” Vernice’s tone turned from desperate to ice-cold as things finally began clicking into place. I had to wonder if she was about to kill her husband.
Through my shared senses with Iris I could feel her drastic confusion. She didn’t understand most of the words they were saying, though she did get the basic gist of it; her father made a mistake and it was Damian who was forced to pay the price for it.
“We have to go to the duke then even more. We made a big blunder and got involved with criminals, surely they can bail us out!”
“We can’t do that. They will take this opportunity to label us as supporters of the underground organizations and take our title and lands from us.”
“Then you better think of a solution right this instant, Gilbert!”
“I don’t like your tone, woman! I did everything that I did for our family!” For the first time, the husband also raised his voice. Upon hearing his menacing tone Iris gasped and took a step back while her tiny body shook with fear momentarily. She’d never heard him speak anything like this before. Gilbert was a model father if I may say so, though I only knew of what he allowed Iris to see.
“We’ll sell off our assets.” He revealed after calming down slightly.
“Like what?”
“My wine collection should cover at least a portion of the fee. Your numerous pieces of jewelry, our statues, paintings, and the family heirloom artifact will do the rest.”
Silence ensued in the room for a few seconds before Vernice spoke up again. She wasn’t happy with the proposal she was hearing. “This is all too slow. It will take days if not weeks for all the transactions to take place. They can do horrible things to our son in the meanwhile, and if they think we are not paying up then…”
“What do you want me to do then?!”
“To correct your mistake! Ask for a loan from our allies.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Gilbert…” The wife growled her husband’s name in an extremely spiteful tone. “If you can’t raise the funds within three days I will sell my body. A lot of wealthy commoners would pay incredible amounts to lay with a noblewoman.”
*Slap* *Slap* *Slap*
Three aggressive slaps were the response she got. “You will do no such things! I refuse to humiliate myself to this degree! Know your place, you wannabe whore! I will resolve everything. Stay put.”
Loud thuds could be heard as he approached the door. Iris panicked and knowing that she couldn’t rush back to her room in time, she did her best to hide in plain sight by hugging the wall where she stood. In the complete dark, such a small child was hard to spot, and she was right on the money. Gilbert stormed by Iris without giving her a single glance.
The next thing Iris heard was the sorrowful, desperate sobs of her mother. She was not crying due to the physical pain her husband inflicted on him with slapping him around forcefully around, but for the emotional trauma caused by getting her beloved son kidnapped and being helpless in getting him back.She didn’t have many means of her own to get such amounts of wealth, since all their properties were under her husband’s name.
Gilbert left the door wide open so Iris carefully peeked inside and saw Vernice kneeling on the ground and clutching at her face with both hands, into which she was sobbing fervently.
Seeing that the scene was clear she stepped inside. “Mommy…?”
The woman’s head instantly snapped in her direction and within a second Iris found herself enveloped in her mother’s arms. The pair stayed as such for a very long time, after which they moved together to the bed. “Everything will be fine, you have my word… Even if I have to do unspeakable things, I refuse to let Damian come into harm’s way.”
“Okay.” Iris nodded, and I could feel the pure trust she had for her mother and her promise. There was not even a shred of doubt in her little head now. Her brother would be fine and she could see him soon. After all, the kindest person she knew just promised so.
In the next few days, the Thornclaw household was as active as ever. Gilbert, fearing what his wife would do if he failed to deliver, ended up begging for funds from the nearby barons. He promised to pay them back by liquidating the aforementioned assets.
A chest filled with silver coins was soon collected from all the different venues. Iris glanced inside the box once, and I could estimate that It was two dozen or so gold coins worth, showcasing just how well-off I was in reality. They would need to collect twice this amount and they could still not afford Seraphiel, not even close. I now plainly understood that the means of an impoverished baron family was not very great. Strong adventurers for example like Broderick had much more financial freedom.
The following day, a messenger came from the syndicate to inquire if the funds were ready. After getting a positive reply he departed, and in the afternoon an entire battalion arrived at our doorsteps. Vernice and Gilbert stood at the entrance of the mansion and were flanked by the remaining guards, who amounted to exactly ten.
In front of them, over five hundred criminals stood. They were dressed for war. Iris managed to sneak out of the mansion despite being strictly instructed to remain inside, and he was watching the event unfold from the cover of a green bush. “Good day, Gilbert.” A man stepped forward. He looked like the stereotypical mafia boss with an elegant suit, a belly that spoke of a rather lavish lifestyle, and he even had a big cigar in his mouth.
“…” Gilbert didn’t reply, instead choosing to only nod as a form of curt greeting.
“Where’s my son?! Bring him to me or we won’t pay a single coin!” Vernice had more guts to her, or perhaps her motherly instincts took over and she momentarily forgot the concept of fear.
The ringleader puffed a gust of smoke as he grabbed the cigar in between his two fingers and took it out of his lips. “My lady, you have my most sincere condolences. It was an honest mistake on our end. My boys got a little tipsy one day and opened the door to his cell, where they had their way with your young son throughout the entire night. He didn’t survive.”