Tom and even Hank and Alex were listening to her very advertently. Though Alex had told Hannah telepathically to reject Tom without making him heartbroken, he had not written the script on how she would do that.
When they heard the last sentence, Hank was almost on the edge of his seat as if he wanted to know more. Alex was sure if he gave him popcorn, Hank would appreciate the drama going in front of him even more.
Tom looked dejected and when he heard that Hannah already had someone in his heart, he almost felt cheated. But when he thought about it again, Tom knew he was just being stupid.
"Your childhood friend... then why do you still work..." Tom did not understand so he asked.
"Sigh, telling you about my private life is against the rule but if... Lord Alex gives his permission then..."
Alex also wanted to know what his puppet had in mind so he readily gave his permission.
"This childhood friend of mine and also my future husband lost his left leg when he had gone out to hunt some months ago. Fortunately, he came back alive but after that, but he obviously could not be hunter anymore. That was when I started doing this work so that I can earn enough money to learn a good craft and then happily live all my life with him."
"And as I had said before, I'm lucky that the pleasure house which I choose to work at was run by men loyal to Lord Alex. Because of him, I only need to work in this field for a year at most before I have enough money to live the next ten years without any worries. Not to mention in my free time, girls like me are taught to do tailoring and cooking free of cost. Like you, he didn't want me to fall in this quagmire but now he is also at ease when he hears how well I'm treated... Fortunately, that he doesn't think I'm tainted or anything like that by working at this place. This is something common between you two."
Well, Alex did indeed tell his puppets to educate the real human girls so that when they leave that place they can easily find work outside.
Alex was sure that in the future even fewer girls would need to choose to work as a prostitute since he would make education and cultivation resources readily available to common people. There would be no need for women to sell their bodies out of the need to survive.
Alex had to say all his puppets can act like oscar level actors. The way Hannah had handled this situation was commendable.
She did not reject Tom outright as that would have hurt his ego nor did she act like a bitch telling Tom that it was her work to make him keep coming back and pay for her services and nothing more. She made sure that at the end of her speech Tom would not lose faith and his trust in women.
And the effect was really good. Tom did not feel heartbroken maybe he felt a little bit of jealousy for the imaginary childhood friend for having such a good girl who did not even leave him at his worst time.
After thinking about this whole ordeal once again Tom finally realized that he did not fall in love with Hannah. It was ... just that he always wanted to help someone come out of being a prostitute and not waste half of their life doing this work like his mother.
They talked a little more until Hannah excused herself before going back inside the pleasure house.
Tom looked at her back until she disappeared from his line of sight before turning back to look at Alex and Hank. He saw Alex looking weirdly towards Hank who was covering his face using his hands.
"What happened?" Tom asked bewildered. He thought he heard Hank crying.
*Sniff* *sniff*
"She is such a sweet woman...I.. think I'm... in love with her," Hank said teary-eyed. His views about prostitutes seem to have taken a complete turn after meeting her and knowing her story.
Listening to this, Alex and Tom couldn't stop themselves from laughing out loud until their stomach started to hurt.
"Hahaha, what did you say? Can you repeat?" Alex asked wanting to hear it one more time.
"Stop it both of you. How can I not fall for her? She had made such a sacrifice for her love that I cannot even begin to fathom. If I can find a girl like her, then I would feel blessed."
"Hahaha" Tom laughed again and so did Alex.
"Seriously Tom, I'm sorry for my behavior before. I shouldn't have behaved like that. Thinking low of someone just because of the work they do is wrong and now I understand that." Hank apologized.
"It's alright, brother. No need to apologize." Tom said without any hard feelings.
"Driver lets go back. It's almost noon." Alex ordered.
The guard that had witnessed all of this was now getting bugged by his comrades about whom did Hannah had gone to meet inside the carriage.
"No one important. get back to work."
The guard was intelligent enough not to speak about this matter with anyone as that would only attract displeasure from the new Lord later on if he comes to know about it.
...
Just when Alex and his two brothers came back to the mansion, Alex was contacted by Tagor telepathically.
"What is it, Tagor?" Alex asked.
"Master, the Lion shark pirate group had finished their meeting some time ago and now we have found out what they had talked about inside."
Tagor went on to reveal the specifics of the meeting to his master. Though they were not able to hear the conversation between Captain Torrento and Viper after the meeting had ended.
"Good, constantly keep an eye on their movement. Also, eliminate every pirate that tries to set foot on this land with bad intentions."
"As you command, My Lord."
"Blackbeard, take three ships with you and destroy lone ships affiliated with their pirate group. Just take them out one by one. Also, increase the patrolling frequency around the island."
Alex knew he couldn't contain the news of his ascension as the new Lord of the Seashell island. The merchants would spread it around sooner or later but it wouldn't bother him much.
News of the unification of Sea Shell island by a young man named Alex Mordrake started spreading quickly to every corner of the archipelago like wildfire because of the merchants.
The first reaction of the Lord's ruling islands of different sizes was of shock and unwillingness to believe the merchants that were spreading it. The thing that they couldn't stomach was the age of Alex Mordrake.
Those who knew the implication of this became worried. They also sent their spies to fish out more information about the New young Lord and to check whether or not they can benefit or form an alliance with that person.
But one thing that everyone thought in common was not to underestimate the new Lord or the force behind him, as someone who could defeat the Dorbanks, Frey's and the Merchant Union in such a short time is by no means weaker than them and could only be stronger.