Chapter 59: 59: Chain of Debt
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Robi listened without interrupting. His face became heavier with every sentence.
Celia then told him about the argument. She told him how she warned Dorian that fighting her would mean conflict between House Velkhur and House Marovain. She told him that Dorian hesitated.
Then she reached the part that mattered most.
"While Dorian was focused on me, Lucard moved. He had been gathering mana in his hand. He pierced Dorian’s chest and pulled out his heart."
Robi’s eyes sharpened.
"He pulled out his heart?"
"Yes."
"With his hand?"
"Yes."
"Then what?"
Celia’s voice became slightly lower. "He absorbed something from the heart. The heart dried in his hand and turned into dust."
Robi’s expression changed for the first time. It was not fear exactly. It was a shock mixed with deep interest and caution.
"He absorbed it," Robi muttered.
Celia nodded. "After that, Adrian ordered his guards to run. Tina fainted. The Velkhur guards lost control. Lucard told Peter to take Jenny and Jake back to the inn. He ordered our two guards to follow him, and they did."
Robi looked at her carefully.
"And you let him leave?"
Celia’s face tightened. "The square was full of witnesses. Dorian was dead. I had to secure the scene."
Robi did not scold her.
Instead, he turned and walked toward the window. From the third floor, he could see part of the merchant square. Workers were moving below under Marovain orders. Guards were starting to push people back. Dorian’s body was still covered by a cloth near the broken stone. Even through the window, the air outside looked tense.
Robi spoke slowly.
"That guy is very cunning."
Celia frowned. "Why?"
Robi turned his head and looked at her.
"He killed someone while we tried to protect them. What do you think that means?"
Celia answered quickly. "It means House Velkhur will fight House Vardros."
Robi shook his head.
"No."
Celia paused.
Robi’s voice became colder. "They will think House Marovain planned it."
Celia’s eyes widened slightly.
Robi continued, "Think clearly. How could a fallen baron family kill someone from a duke family so boldly in front of our branch shop? Why would Lucard dare to attack Dorian after you declared Marovain protection? Why were two Marovain guards standing near his family? Why did you personally block Dorian’s attack before that? To outsiders, this will not look like a desperate young man taking a chance. It will look like House Marovain used House Vardros as a blade."
Celia’s face slowly changed.
She understood now.
Robi’s eyes darkened. "Velkhur will not believe a simple fallen baron house dared to do this alone. They will ask who gave Lucard courage. They will ask what House Marovain promised him. They will ask why we protected him before the attack and let him leave after it. Even if the truth is that Lucard moved by himself, the story will not travel that way."
Celia clenched her hand.
"That bastard."
Robi looked at her. "Yes. That bastard."
Celia walked closer to the table. "Uncle, what should we do? Should we send people and capture them? If we hand Lucard over, maybe House Velkhur will not blame us as much."
"No," Robi said immediately.
Celia looked at him.
Robi tapped the table once with his metal hand. The sound was sharp.
"We cannot capture them now."
"Because of the witnesses?"
"That is one reason," Robi said. "But the larger reason is the debt. We bought the spell. We paid one million gold coins and still owe nine million. I said House Marovain is in their debt until the payment is complete. I also ordered guards to protect them. If we capture Lucard right after he leaves our shop, every merchant and noble in Valoria will hear about it."
Celia said nothing.
Robi continued, "What will people think? They will think House Marovain took a valuable spell from a fallen baron family, paid only part of the price, then arrested the seller to avoid paying the rest. Our family reputation will be damaged. Our contracts will be questioned. People sell treasures to us because they believe Marovain pays. If they fear we will steal when the item is too valuable, our trade network will suffer."
Celia understood that better than anyone.
For House Marovain, gold was important, but reputation was the road gold traveled on. If that road cracked, everything became expensive.
"So we protect him?" Celia asked.
"For now, yes."
"He killed Dorian Velkhur."
"I know."
"House Velkhur will demand blood."
"Then we must control the story before they control it," Robi said. "Dorian attacked first. He damaged our shop entrance. He used fire magic in the merchant square. You stopped him. Lucard acted while fighting for his life. That will be our first line."
Celia frowned. "Will anyone believe that?"
"Some will. Some will not. But truth is not a stone. It is clay in the hands of whoever shapes it first."
Celia looked at Robi for a moment.
Then she said, "Lucard planned this after hearing my warning, didn’t he?"
Robi’s eyes showed approval and frustration at the same time.
"Yes. He heard you explain that a fight between you and Dorian could become a conflict between two duke families. Then he killed Dorian in front of you. He made sure the matter could not remain small."
Celia felt cold.
Robi looked back at the spell pages.
"That guy Lucard is the most dangerous person I have seen so far."
Celia looked surprised.
"Uncle, you have seen kings, dukes, war mages, and monsters."
Robi gave a small, humorless laugh.
"Strength is simple to understand. Greed is also simple. Pride is even simpler. But Lucard turns other people’s strength, greed, pride, and fear into tools while standing in front of them like he is doing nothing. He just started a war path between two duke families, and he did it while wounded, without soldiers, without land, and without even owning a proper horse."
Celia’s expression became complicated.
(Note: Support the book with golden tickets and power stones.)
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