Aaron looked at Edrin and asked,
"Is there any difference?"
Edrin smiled knowingly.
"Let’s go in the evening. I’m sure you’ll learn something. For now, how about we continue fishing?"
Torvald had just left the Open Restaurant when he was surrounded by masked men in a narrow alley.
The leader stepped forward, voice low and sharp.
"Torvald, when are you selling the shop?"
Torvald’s irritation flared.
"Didn’t I tell you, I need two weeks."
The masked man laughed hoarsely, his tone laced with menace.
"Fine. Two weeks. That’s all you get. Any later... and we’ll pay Lily a visit at her tailor shop."
Torvald’s eyes turned red with fury.
His voice dropped to a chilling whisper.
"Don’t disturb me for the next two weeks."
The masked men vanished into the shadows, leaving Torvald alone.
He clenched his fists, trembling, not from fear, but from helpless rage.
They were Lord Alaric’s guards.
..... Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on n0velfire.net
Torvald took several deep breaths, forcing himself to calm the storm inside.
One truth gnawed at him, no matter where he went, his talent would always be exploited.
Aaron’s words echoed in his mind. Green Fort... maybe that cursed land is the only place left where I can start anew.
Still, before deciding, he turned his steps toward the tailor shop.
A few minutes later, he stood before the familiar door. He hesitated only briefly before pushing it open.
That was strange, Lily rarely left her workspace unattended.
Then, faint voices drifted from behind the back door.
Torvald froze, listening.
A man’s voice, mocking and playful,
“Did you get the book from Torvald?”
Lily’s voice followed, low and hesitant,
“I... I found it. But it’s locked. I’ll need a few more days.”
Torvald’s chest tightened. The book... so that’s what they’re after.
The man’s tone hardened,
“And how do you plan to get it?”
Lily’s voice was cold, calculated.
"Torvald is already in love with me. Tomorrow, I’ll ask him out and drug him. Once he’s unconscious, I’ll search for the key. Then you can take action."
She paused, then added with a twisted sweetness,
"And Master... don’t forget about me."
The man laughed, his voice hoarse and cruel.
"Here, ten gold coins. Once you hand over the book, you’ll get another hundred."
But Torvald had already left the tailor shop.
He couldn’t bear to hear more.
Outside, the morning air felt heavy.
His chest tightened, his thoughts spiraling.
He felt sick, not just from betrayal, but from the realization that he had been nothing more than a tool.
He had never sought love.
It was Lily who had approached him, who had smiled, lingered, and made him believe in something gentle.
And now, if he hadn’t come to the shop today...
He would’ve never known the truth.
Torvald clenched his fists.
The pain was sharp, but beneath it, something else stirred, resolve.
Torvald had no friends.
Despite being a genius craftsman, he had never found peers who could truly understand or share in his vision.
Every conversation he had was transactional, business, deals, negotiations.
Even among those who worked under him, whispers circulated behind his back.
Admiration in public, suspicion in private.
Whenever he tried to speak freely, to share his ideas or dreams, people looked at him as if he were mad.
His innovations were dismissed. His thoughts, too advanced.
So he stopped trying.
And in that solitude, he became successful.
But success didn’t fill the silence.
It didn’t erase the loneliness.
And now, after Lily’s betrayal, that silence felt heavier than ever.
Unknowingly, Torvald had wandered toward the dockyard.
It was the only place in Starfall City where he ever felt a sliver of peace.
The gentle lapping of water, the distant calls of gulls, it calmed the storm inside him.
Just then, he spotted two familiar figures, Aaron and Edrin, each carrying fishing rods.
Despite the weather, they were heading out to fish.
Torvald paused, unsure of what to say.
Before he could turn away, Aaron noticed him and called out,
"Mr. Torvald, would you like to join us?"
He didn’t know why, but the invitation stirred something inside him.
Maybe fishing would help clear his mind... even if just for a while.
"Aaron, wait here. I’ll grab an extra rod and some bait."
"Don’t forget the water."
"Don’t worry," Edrin replied, already walking off.
Aaron turned to Torvald with a warm smile.
"Mr. Torvald, have you ever fished before?"
Torvald responded without hesitation,
"Of course. In fact, most people in Starfall City fish when they’ve got nothing else to do."
He paused, then added quietly,
"It’s been a long time, though."
Aaron nodded, sensing the weight behind those words.
Torvald suddenly asked,
"Sir Aaron, if I go to your territory... what benefits would I get?"
Aaron thought for a moment before replying,
"You’ll be granted land of your own. You can build a shop, a house, even a farm, and sell your goods freely."
"Of course, there’s a tax. But it won’t exceed thirty percent."
Torvald blinked, stunned.
His voice rose with disbelief,
"Are you kidding me? Only thirty percent?"
Aaron rubbed the back of his head, confused.
Torvald sighed, his tone darkening.
"In most places, the minimum tax is fifty percent of total profit. For farmers, it’s even worse. They barely survive."
Aaron’s eyes widened.
"Then how do ordinary people live?"
Torvald gave a bitter smile, his voice laced with sarcasm.
"Ordinary people? They’re disposable. Their lives and deaths are decided with a single thought."
He looked away, the mockery fading into helplessness.
Years of watching injustice had carved deep lines into his soul.
Just then, Edrin returned, carrying an extra fishing rod and a small pouch of bait.
"Aaron, Mr. Torvald, let’s go," he said cheerfully.
Aaron turned to Torvald with a steady gaze.
"Mr. Torvald, you’re welcome in my territory. And what I’ve promised... won’t change, even after we arrive."
Torvald looked at him for a long moment.
There was no arrogance in Aaron’s voice, no hidden agenda, just quiet conviction.
Something inside Torvald shifted.
He didn’t speak, but he nodded.