Chapter 62 – Aftermath (II)

Lia and Aiden were walking through the corridors of the city lord’s mansion in route to the office. According to Lia, the city lord was already waiting for Aiden there.

It had been two hours from the moment when Aiden recovered his consciousness. During this time, he used every minute to prepare himself and appear before the city lord in his best possible form. Lia said that it wasn’t necessary, but he didn’t want to leave it to fate. After all, even if the city lord had a good impression of him, he could not be sure about his stance in the future. If for some reason, he ends displeasing the city lord, it will be too late for regrets then.

Because of it, after Lia brought him enough food to satiate his voracious appetite, he decided to take a bath and put clean clothes before going to see the city lord.

Strangely, Aiden noticed that his wounds were all completely healed, and only a few small scars about disappear remained in some places. He wasn’t sure about the medicine used to treat his wounds, but he knew that it surely was expensive.

Aiden could not understand why the city lord treated him with such care.

Walking for another few minutes, Lia and Aiden finally arrived at the place where the office was located. Lia proceeded to knock the door without hesitation, and an instant later, an old and worn out voice came from inside.

“Come in.”

Hearing the voice, Lia opened the door to the office with a happy smile in her face. Aiden, for his part, stood stunned in the spot.

“Hi grandpa. I brought the young master like you asked.” Spoke Lia with a giggle.

“I can see it, little girl.” Answered the old man.

Seeing the old man seated in a reclining chair inside the office with a small smile, Aiden found it impossible to hide the surprise in his face. For a moment, he doubted if his eyes were damaged during the fight.

“Y-You, you…”

“What? Is it truly surprising that I am the city lord?”

“N-No… W-Wait, I mean, y-yes. H-How can you to be the city lord!? I only had seen you sleeping from the day when I met you!”

“Hey! Be more respectful with your teacher!”

“Ufufu…” Seeing the interaction between the pair of young and old, Lia could not help but laugh happily with a hand in her mouth. Then, noticing the two men looking towards her after hearing her giggles, she smiled softly to them.

“I’m sorry, it’s only that I found the two of you very funny! It wasn’t my intention laugh to you.”

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Seeing the awkward expressions of the pair, Lia could not help but continue laughing happily. Then, after a few seconds, she finally spoke.

“Don’t worry young master. I was also very surprised when I learned about it. Who would expected that grandpa Brake was Cali’s city lord?”

“Yeah. It’s impossible for me to imagine such a lazy old man like the city lord…”

“Hey!” The city lord, Brake Hillheart, frowned after hearing Aiden’s comments.

Aiden smiled slightly seeing the reactions of the old man. But after a few seconds, he put a serious expression.

“But old man, if you are the city lord, how is it possible for you to sleep in the smithy all day long? Also, I heard that the city lord is someone very strong… Is it possible that you…?”

Hearing Aiden’s words, the old man kept silent for a second, but after a moment, he finally sighed.

“You see, though I’m the city lord, rather than to govern, the reason because I came to this town was as retirement. You can say that I only agreed to the work as city lord because it was convenient.

“Because of it, I normally didn’t interfere with the management of the town. Only when something truly important happen I act. Actually, I had not done much for the town in the last few years.”

Aiden noticed the old man shaking his head slightly after saying it. Apparently, he also found it a bit ridiculous how he was able to remain as the city lord without doing anything.

“But you see.” Continued the old man. “This time’s circumstances are a bit troublesome. The commotion caused by the apparition of the supreme emptiness flame this time is very great. Because of it, I was forced to interfere and act like a deterrent to the different forces coming to the town

“However, it’s difficult for to act against a clan without any convincing reason. Due it, the most I was able to do was warn the different parties to act with moderation while inside the town.”

After the old man finished his words, nobody spoke for a moment.

Though Lia was also in the office, it was apparent that she wasn’t going to intervene in the conversation. Aiden however, had an expression of doubt in his face. As if he wanted to ask something but was unable to muster his courage.

But after a few seconds, he finally decided to speak.

“Old man, about the attack that night… you knew about it, right?”

“… Yes.” Answered the old man after keeping silent for a second.

“Then… were you unable to interfere?”

After Aiden spoke about it, the atmosphere in the place became very heavy.

The old man, as if understating the meaning of Aiden question, was unable to answer immediately.

But after a few seconds, he looked towards Aiden’s face and sighed.

“It’s like you suspect, I certainly could have interfered.”

“… Then, the reason because the reason because the city guards didn’t appear…”

“… Yes, I ordered them to not interfere.”

For a moment, Aiden didn’t know what to say.

But finally, he was able to squeeze the most important question.

“… Why?”

Seeing Aiden’s expression, the old man seemed to know what he was thinking. So, he simply shook his head and spoke in a calm tone.

“You are a smart youth, Aiden. I’m sure you are able to understand the reason.”

Aiden didn’t answer the man words.

However, it wasn’t difficult to find an answer.

The old man, as the city lord, needed an excuse to put an example to the parties currently in the town.

… And Aiden and Lia were the perfect baits.

For a moment, nobody spoke inside the office.

Neither Aiden nor Lia knew how react to the old man words. And the city lord felt too awkward to continue speaking.

But at the end, it was impossible to continue maintaining the silent.

A minute later, the old man finally decided to break the silence with a sigh.

“Let’s leave that issue aside. There are more important things that I need speak with you two.”

After pausing for a second so the words could register in their minds, the old man continue.

“I think it’s better if you learn about a few things.”