The priest of Knowledge nodded almost instantly although the priest of Justice seemed to baulk then felt caught in a bind when Kukurnal instantly accepted. Joe thought he understood and replied quickly, “Of course, you will be paid.”

The priest of Justice accepted but with some embarrassment since he felt a bit awkward seeing as he demanded payment while another priest offered without promise of payment. The priest of Justice stepped back and Joe nodded to the lizard kin, “Go ahead. Tell your story.”

Zilnek then stepped forward and took point to explain the story, although Kilniara offered some soft interjections that Zilnek would stop and listen to before reporting it loudly for the priests and crowd. The story proved quite entertaining to the crowd and they responded with shock, surprise, and anger for what had happened, and the usurer soon found himself in a position that grew more untenable as the story went along.

At first, the usurer had tried to deny some of the claims that the kids told. But several were denied as lies by the priest and towards the end of the story, the angry crowd shouted down anything the usurer tried to shout. The monologue went by for several minutes and Joe simply stood back, watching what was happening, a subtle smile on his face. Mob justice… heh…

By the end of the story, the usurer was quite angry but subdued in fear of the cries of the angry crowd. Joe waited for kids to finish their story, then waited for the heckling crowd to calm down a bit before raising his arms, “Right! We’ve heard the story of the children of the dead tailors. Maybe even murdered! Now let’s hear the tale of the usurer. Priests, please call out any lies you hear.”

This time, both priests both nodded quickly at Joe’s statement and Joe turned to look at the usurer. The usurer stared with some shock at Joe, blinking in surprise. Joe nodded to him, encouraging him to speak, “Go ahead. Speak! This is your chance to defend or explain yourself. All people deserve the right to defend themselves and explain their actions!”

The usurer opened his mouth, paused, took a deep breath, and then breathed out slowly as he visibly took a step back, his mind pulling back from a meaningless unthoughtful rejoinder. He carefully considered his words before he began speaking. Joe watched the man carefully, and noticed a bit of pale worry and the hint of nervous sweat across his brow. Joe grimaced a bit and glanced towards the two priests. It seems he’s gotta be careful of lying. Joe then readied himself to listen very carefully to the usurer’s words. The usurer would likely be trying to slip in generalizations, double meanings, and misunderstandings to deceive the priests from recognizing a lie, if his assumptions were correct. Time to pretend I’m listening to presidential candidates!

The usurer began, “The death of Kilniara’s parents was a tragedy. And when I heard that Zilnek and Kilniara were alive, their parent’s death leaving them alone, I was deeply disturbed. I immediately sought out anything I could of them. Their plight was something that greatly interested me. A life without any parents is incredibly difficult, especially for young women such as Kilniara, and I hoped I could truly be there for her. Granted, their debt was something that would be incredibly difficult for them, but I immediately offered a way to easily and painlessly solve their debt. I will immediately admit that it was of slavery, but I had intended to keep Kilniara only for several years as she could easily pay off such a debt. I would never sell her or use her in any despicable means in trade to others. I had every intention and desire to keep her safe and protected while she completed the cost of her debt. Zilnek, too, I would have claimed for myself. Even for the girl, five, maybe ten years, and then life would have been free and I would have even given a gift and thanks for the hard work. After, I would have helped in seeking an apprenticeship or preparation for a trade! A trade that would have been completely one’s own to do as wished! I sought protection and safety from any who might wish harm! I can control and protect my slaves from any seeking them out!”

As Joe watched the man present his claim, he felt his anger surge when he admitted trying to enslave them. He quickly turned to the crowd and the priests, triumphant that such a claim would prove his undoing, but as the man continued endorsing his activities, he saw many in the crowd nodding in agreement, even the priests. Hmm… time to ask about slavery, then, its function or purpose in society? He glanced towards Zilnek and Kilniara, noticing Zilnek’s anger and Kilniara’s fear. He flicked his eyes around the crowd while trying to continue hearing the claims, and realized that there was a huge discrepancy between what he was saying and how he was being received. The people actually approved his actions. When Joe looked at the priests, they were also seeming to smile in approval, neither seeming to show any hint of lying occurring. It took Joe a second, but realization hit him. He’s politicking!

Joe quickly focused back on the story, having missed a sentence in the middle while he focused on the crowd. As he followed the story, he quickly noticed the subtle misdirects and comments that hinted at one thing but claimed the opposite. The man knew how to speak truthfully while still lying. He was a natural politician! Was he disturbed that Zilnek and Kilniara lost their parents, or that his plan to leave only Kilniara alive failed? He was disturbed, but why? When he sought them out, why did he do it, for their own good or his own scheme? After, he quickly switched to speaking of Kilniara, focusing on her. He wasn’t promising to be there for Zilnek, only Kilniara. And the promise to keep the kids for a few years was a promise only for Kilniara, although he said it in such a way for it to seem to be both. There was no promise the man would care for Zilnek! The promise was only for Kilniara. And what trade was he promising Kilniara! Prostitution was a trade! Joe listened quietly and sighed. The man knew how to weave a story.

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By the time he’d finished, Joe was almost ready to clap for him as he looked around at the crowd, commiserate approval in their eyes as they heard the tale of a considerate and caring man. Joe was quite disgusted, uncertain what to do, then decided clapping likely would be the perfect reaction, so that was exactly what he did. The slow clap exuding sarcasm echoed through the silent square but Joe realized the crowd wasn’t understanding the subtext at all. Guess sarcasm is… unknown here?

“Wow… an amazing tale. You are an incredible story teller! I assume everything he said was true? No lies?” Joe turned to the two priests and saw the two of them nod quickly.

“No lies that I have seen, Sir Joe. I’m sorry. This man is an honest and good hearted man!” Kukurnal replied quickly with the priest of Baldur bobbing his head in agreement.

“And yet every word from his mouth was a lie! Amazing!”

The usurer quickly became indignant, “How dare you impugn my good name! You have heard even the priest of Baldur claiming my words as truth!”

“Then you have no fear to answer my questions!”

“Of course, adventurer! But do NOT mock me!”

“Then we will make it simple. Were you happy that Zilnek survived?”

“Truly, adventurer! You impugn my good name. How could a man of my stature seek the harm of children! Children should be cherished and protected. I am disturbed by the question! Please, good priests. People! Can you not see that this man is seeking only to belittle me! How can …”

Joe quickly cut him off. Allowing him to appeal to the crowd and turn this into an ugly shouting match would drown the truth and destroy what they needed to do. He needed to control the narrative. He broke in with a loud cry before dropping to a normal albeit carrying conversation, “That is so incredible. How could any seek to harm children? You are exactly correct, but you did not answer my question! Did any notice this? He did not answer my question at all! Once again, usurer, were you happy that Zilnek survived?”

“Again!? You ask me again? Did you not hear what I just spoke? How can you question what I am…”

“And again… you answer my question with question! Answer. My. Question! Were you happy that Zilnek survived?”

“Sir! I have asked you several times not to impugn my na…”

“And again, you do not answer the question! It is a very easy question, truly! It requires only a single word as response! You only need to say yes or no! One word. Please. One word. Were you happy that Zilnek survived?”

“Sir! I told you…”

“I told you, usurer! One word! One word! Were you happy that Zilnek survived?”

“How can you impugn…”

“If I am truly impugning your good name, clearing you name will require you to speak ONLY ONE WORD: YES! Were. You. Happy. That Zilnek. Survived!?”

“Adventur…”

“Answer the question! Were you happy that Zilnek survived!?”

“I will not have you coerced into …”

“Coerced? Coerced? You only need to answer a single question truthfully!”

“I refuse! This is bullying of the highest order! How can you…”

“So you refuse to answer the question. Why? How can you refuse the question when, as you claim, you are truly seeking these children’s benefit. If you truly are a good man, then admitting happiness at his survival should be easy! A good man who truly cared for children, as you claim, would be happy for his survival!”

“You are speaking only to make me look bad!”

“Then clear your name! Were you happy that Zilnek survived!?”

“You bully me with the same question! You continue your…”

“Then clear your name! Were you happy that Zilnek survived!?”

By this time, the crowd was easily able to see the usurer’s attempts at dissembling and quickly grew ugly, the priests also joining in the anger. The usurer glanced around at the crowd and his face flashed through anger and fear before quickly clearing to neutral. He seethed, but hid his anger well, launching into another dissembling tirade, “You come here, a man unknown, and claim to…”

“So you refuse to answer the question. Fine. I believe we all know what you truly sought from this, and it was not the good of these children, but a beautiful Kilniara in your bed and unable to resist you!”

“How dare you! How dare you claim…”

“So you do not seek Kilniara for your bed.”

“I said you must not…

“Did you seek Kilniara for your bed!?”

“How could you…”

“Answer the question. Did you seek Kilniara for your bed?’

“I will not answer such a question so…”

“So. Another question you refuse to answer! And proof that you fear to answer it!”

“How dare you! How dare you impugn…”

Joe cut him off again, “I dare much and have little fear in daring before a rat of a man like you. You would do such evil, killing to gain a girl for your bed! Disgusting! So, they owe you ten cores?” Time for a whiplash change in topic.

“I… you…. YES! They owe me ten cores!”

“That is a lie,” both Kukurnal and the priest of Baldur interrupted almost immediately.

This time, the usurer’s quick thinking derailed. He had been caught out in a lie, “I… uh.. they originally owed me ten cores. They now owe me four!”

“Truth.”

“And this original ten core debt was their parents?”

“Yes!”

“Truth.”

“Then why did you tell me they owed you ten cores last night?”

“I… uh… I must… I maybe forgot… I made a mistake…”

“Lie.”

“Hmm… so you deliberately tried to lie to me about the cost of their debt?”

This time, the usurer kept his mouth shut, his right eye flickering as his lips twitched at hints of a snarl. Joe looked at the man, waiting for the usurer to answer but realized that he finally learned to keep his mouth shut. “So they paid you six cores. I gave you a single core last night, yes?”

“That wasn’t for the debt! You said that was to come to the temple square!”

“Truth.”

“Ah! I never said that was to pay you to come to the temple square! I only said that I hoped you would come quickly. The core was not to pay you to come.”

“Truth.”

The usurer ground his teeth, anger flooding him as he realized he’d been played, “And what of your promise of a payment if I came today?”

“You are owed another three cores. Here they are!” Joe handed the man his three cores.

“You bastard!”

“I am no bastard. I am the child of my mother and father, married.”

“Truth,” Kukurnal added with a smirk of humor.

The usurer clenched his hands around the three cores in anger then cursed even louder in shock as he opened his hand to find one of the cores crushed to powder in his hands. Joe’s eye’s flickered in a bit of surprise. Really? Crushed to powder? I guess question number four I need to look at…

The usurer whirled away in anger and stalked off, leaving everyone behind. The children came forward with relieved happiness and Joe turned to the priests, “Priest of Baldur, is the debt paid?”