Location- Sky Blossom City, Guild Association mall, Warehouse no.234
"..." Hearing Agatha's claim that I am in cahoots with Anna to double their ransome, I was speechless. But for Aba, it was the sound of reason which finally gave her some clarity on their situation, she glared at me along with a victorious smile, she pointed her finger at me and complimented Agatha, "Aha, I almost fell for his nefarious plan. Well done Agatha."
'As the escort of the Demigod Windsor's only daughter, I bet you must have various cards that can help you erase Anna's mark and escape out of the southern region border yet you choose to lay low and watch your master be humiliated, either you are a traitor or Demigod Windsor asked to you to let his daughter experience some hardship, is Anna in on it?' I sent this to Agatha's grimoire.
"..." Agatha glared at me, clearly she had received a message.
"Susan, I have sent you a message you should read it, it might be important," I said aloud hinting Agatha to stop trying pocking holes into me using her glare and read the message I sent to her.
"..." Hearing my words, Susan turned to look at me and noticed my signals, and understood what I was hinting at.
'Are you nuts? Why would Demigod Windsor order me to do that? You should be a bard, you will make tonnes with your storytelling skills.' Agatha sent a reply to my message, denying my claims about Demigod Windsor trusting his Daughter to Anna.
'So, it was indeed Demigod Windsor who asked you to stand down and let Aba experience hardship.' As an honorable retainer, if Agatha were not guilty of what I accused her of, she would have come for neck, because I enunciated that she was a traitor in the message I sent to her grimoire earlier. Yet she ignored that and argued that I was out of my mind to suggest that Demigod Windsor had asked her to let Aba suffer some hardship. This show that she was more protective of me suggesting that Demigod Windsor had asked her to let Aba suffer some hardship than me enunciating that she was a traitor.
Showing Agatha's priority, that declining the suggestion that Demigod Windsor had asked her to let Aba suffer some hardship took priority over lashing out for being called a traitor. Agatha chose to deny a hypothetical claim over defending her honor, this could only mean that the hypothetical claim was not without merit and not so hypothetical after all. Hence, I concluded that Agatha was against escaping with Aba because demigod Windsor asked her to let Aba undergo some hardship.
Now the question was whether Anna was in on it or not? Considering that impatient Anna didn't demand demigod Windsor to hurry up the payment of the ransom for his daughter and his retainer, I think both of them have come to an understanding.
'Keep your mouth shut, her highness cannot know about this, and how did you know? Did the Southern emperor tell you?' Agatha replied threatening me from telling about Demigod Windsor's arrangements for his daughter to his daughter.
'No, Anna didn't tell me anything. It was quite obvious, that a loving father like Demigod Windsor would not let his daughter be a hostage for so long, if possible he would have tried to rescue her if not he would have already paid her ransom. It's been almost a day and demigod Windsor showed no sign of paying Aba's ransom and it is impossible for Demigod Windsor to violate the millennium-old rule and invade the southern region to rescue his daughter. So this could only mean that either the demigod had given up on his daughter to give birth to a better one or he was up to something like letting his ignorant daughter experience the hardship of life. As for the rest you know, you helped me determine that my hunch was correct.' I sent a detailed explanation to Agatha's grimoire, regarding how I was able to conclude that Demigod Windsor asked Agatha to stand down and let Aba experience hardship.
'What will it take for you to keep your mouth shut? Princess cannot find out about this, she would be very angry with his highness and it will be my fault' Agatha offered me to name my price to keep my mouth shut about Demigod Windsor to Aba Windsor.
"..." keeping the chat aside, I looked at Agatha with a smug expression. Price? I don't lack soul jades or broken runes or grimoires I had Anna and the southern royal family for that. What do I want? I want Ronnie's origin card, but asking Agatha to keep out of Ronnie's business was too risky. If Agatha were to get wind of Ronnie losing his origin card, that would open a whole new can of worms. Blood Fate Plunder takes a huge toll on its victims and it was too attention-grabbing due to its uniqueness. Until Agatha and Aba leave town I should halt my plans for Ronnie.
'Master Wyatt, do behave. Southern emperor is not here to protect you.' Agatha warned me after being provoked by my smug expression.
'Do you really think threats will help your case?' I asked Agatha, warning her not to provoke me or I will not hesitate to tell Aba about her little secret.
'Let's see if your tongue is faster than my hands.' Agatha did not back down after hearing my warning instead she doubled down on her threat.
'You never planned to negotiate did you.' I asked glaring at Agatha. It has been a while since I was threatened.
'I do plan to negotiate with you, since killing you is not an option. After all, you are the Southern Emperor's pet, which she currently favors the most. Still don't take this as a show of my weakness, I can't kill you but I can hurt you.'