The final attack was enough to enrage the city, even the home of the beloved Partheni household became the target of the murderer. The City Lord, who had taken the major hit because of the deaths, was about to go crazy with the people in this state.
‘What is the latest situation? By how much has our presence in the city decreased?”
Astute had arranged an emergency meeting with the Black Harbor Association administrators in the secret room in his castle’s basement.
“Sir, our loss of life corresponds to ten percent of our total strength, but there is a much more serious point.”
“Don’t slur; sputter!”
The City Lord’s temper was pretty bad right now; the number of his impulsive outbursts had become more frequent.
“Sir, even though the deceased were our members who kept a low social profile, these people were managing most of our financial resources. The public only knows that they are dead; they do not know that the killer stole our assets.”
The Black Harbor League was the cornerstone of the city lord’s plans to capture Parthenia. He put himself in a bohemian mood by carrying out dirty work such as murder, racketeering, and usury through this organization.
“In the attacks of the last three days, we have lost fifty percent of our total assets. What is even more interesting is that the gold we carry with dozens of people is lost in an instant!”
That last sentence would cause the city lord to flash in his mind.
“In the light of this information, the result is as follows; our enemy consists of more than one person with inter-domain transport rings!”
The same thoughts were crossing their minds as the people sitting on either side of the long table nodded in agreement with the statement.
“Sir, I think the murderers are people who came from outside the continent and are enemies of our clan. I say, let’s call back the powers that we have distributed to the noble families and protect our remaining material assets!”
The idea struck the city lord’s mind. Although they lost a small number of human resources, their financial losses were enormous. More than that, it meant the destruction of the union he had been working on for many years.
“Send a messenger to the noble families, informing them that all security forces will be gathered under the city army to find the murderer. Let them ensure their safety. We have to do this even if it means losing our spies among them!”
As the City Lord rose from his seat, saying that he had decided to end the emergency meeting, a slender, pointed-nosed elder coughed.
“Sir, I have an important matter to ask you!”
The City Lord stared in amazement at the person speaking. He had forgotten when the last time he heard the older man’s voice was?
“Speak, sewer rat. I wondered what was the matter that even you couldn’t find a solution for yourself.”
The Sewer Rat was the older man’s nickname. He had been in charge of the city’s sewers for a long time, no one knew, but that was only the visible part of his job.
The man, whose main occupation was to manage the usury division of the union, got his nickname because he fed those who did not pay their debts to the sewer rats he kept in special cages.
“Sir, the young lord of the House of Augustus, Epiphanes, has lost a large amount of gold as a result of his bets in the arena. I want to get your opinions on the path I should follow in case he cannot pay the debts he has taken from us!”
The City Lord was a little surprised by what he heard. It was exciting to see the son of the arena’s owner fall into such a situation.
“Old man, as you heard, we are in financial trouble, and the opportunity seems to be upon us. Kidnap the boy, demand ten million gold coins from his father for his debts!”
As the Sewer Rat brought the matter to the meeting, he had only one question in mind, could his lord’s thoughts change because of Quintus, who was loyal as a dog to him?
“As you order, we will detain Epiphanes for a while when the guards have withdrawn from their house!”
When the meeting ended with the matter settled, no one could have guessed that it was the beginning of the end for the Black Harbor Association. While Nafız was brutally cutting his members, she had already planned the place where things would go.
The next day, all the noble families, including the three noble families of the city, were informed, and the bodyguards assigned to them from the city guards returned to the army. While the Black Harbor League turned its attention to protecting its existence, there were joyful moments at the city gate that Marcos was holding.
“The boss wants to use our door to deliver the slaves he brought to the merchant Partheni household!”
The young man hesitated a little after the words of his employee. His dominion was very close to the properties of his own house and the Parthenian house, favored only by merchants carrying private goods. Slave traders used to stay away from this gate, but today someone was asking for the pass with their wagons full of slaves.
“Let’s wait a while; I want to ask Uncle Niko the truth of the matter!”
As Marcos hurriedly sprang from his seat, the words of a familiar voice reached his ears.
“Don’t panic, Little Tiger! Let them pass; it’s okay!”
When the young man turned around, his eyes were burning brightly. It was the first time his father had visited since he had received the door as a present for his fourteenth birthday.
“Old man, this is not your domain. You can’t give orders like that!”
Thinking that father and son fighting was starting, the customs officers startled Fernandez’s cold voice.
“All of you get out!”
While everyone was freezing, including Marcos, the face of the middle-aged man who had let his long hair flow into the wind was uncompromising. It was the first time people who left father and son alone by respectful greetings saw their boss in this state.
“Marcos, your Uncle Niko invited us to dinner and requested that these slaves be sent directly to his property without anyone knowing. After a while, another merchant will bring two wagons of slaves to protect our house, and you will send them to the mansion as soon as possible!”
Although the young man wanted to respond to his father, who was speaking to him, the words would not come out of his mouth. What had happened to make this man’s demeanor change like that?
As the convoy of slaves passed through the gate, the wagons were covered with leather covers, and no one could know the contents of the incoming cargo.
In the mansion of the Partheni family, only three people lived at this time. Niko, the beautiful Eftelya, and Nafız. When the other guards retreated to the center after the massacre, Niko removed the servants from his property in line with Nafız’s request.
It was twilight, the caravan entering through the slowly opening door, lowering its load of orcs, and heading towards the city’s exit. In the high-walled garden of the Partheni house, two hundred orcs stood in orderly rows.
When the father and daughter came to the front of the group with Nafız beside them, the orcs bowed on their knees. The scene went to Eftelya’s strangeness. When she wanted to say a few humble words, her heart was in his mouth with the cries she heard.
“Blood God Nafız! Greetings to you!”
When the father and daughter gazed at the female orc next to them, they caught fire in their eyes that they had never seen before.
“The quartermaster orcs will take care of the mansion. Warriors, you are responsible for the safety of the land. The penalty for trespassing is death!”
”Yes, sir!”
As the warriors, taking orders, dispersed, accompanied by their team captains, an orc with its massive shield began to march towards Nafız. Father and daughter’s hearts felt like they would burst with every step of the person who came. It was the first time they had come face-to-face with a fully equipped and well-trained orc warrior.
“Commander, at your command, an elite company for the protection of house Cervantes, led by Kuyag, has arrived at their destination!”
As the Brutal Wall made its way towards the others after presenting its brief report, Nafız called out to the girl she had been with for a while.
“Little lady, there is something significant that I need to talk to you about. Let’s meet with your guests at the stone house in the south garden after your dinner, please!”
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Where there is no change, there is no life. If only thoughts could multiply as much as people.
Cemil Meric
