“Tell me more.” Asked the child. Still trying to make sense of all the things he was told. Trying to analyse it with his small but developed mind for his age. He wanted to hear more of the story despite his brain having some brain fog.

* * *

"Hey look, it's Nicodemus the wise!" Shouted somebody in the desert bar mockingly. People often called him that because of his age. He does have some wisdom, not a lot, he barely had any, but he didn't think he had any. He always underestimated himself.

"Don't call me that!" Retaliated Nicodemus.

Nicodemus didn't really like going to any type of bar, he was just here for business and will take his time doing so. For he is an old man.

"I'm here to talk to the father." Nicodemus said to the barman. He had some empathy in the way he was saying it.

Nicodemus then went through the door behind the counter.

He talked to the father of Vicko. "Sir, his lordship apologizes for the death of your son," Vicko's father suddenly had a burst of sombreness on his face. "Hmm." He replied with sadness. 

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

"Vicko." Nicodemus finished. 

Vicko's father wanted to change the subject fast so he said: "I heard that Gilbert has a fascination with the Daughter Empress-" then quickly he wanted to change the subject again. "I heard that people under her domain like their beer warm." Nicodemus was having a hard time keeping up with him changing the subject. His mind was too old to keep up. He didn't catch upon the cues that he didn't want to talk about his dead son.

Nicodemus proceeded to latch onto the last thing that Vicko's father said so he could try to keep up. "Yes, they do like their beer warm." He said it with transparency. No judging in his tone.

"I am also sorry for your loss," Nicodemus said. "Do you need a hug?" He said with arms spread open.

"Sir, no thanks." Vicko's father felt rather uncomfortable. It was a bit odd for one of Joffrey's workers to offer any kind of compassion or physicality of any sort. Normally they acted prim and proper with a sense of fear out of fear.

The truth was that the Emperor sent Nicodemus to say he is sorry so he could make himself look good. In his mind the killing of Vicko was still justified. Though he'd still rather not kill in future. This was all damage control for when he showed his vulnerability at the attempt on his life.

Vicko's father didn't feel that this was damage control. But that this was an attempt to reconcile. Nicodemus on the other hand didn't know whether it was or not, but he is not one to overthink so he just gave compassion towards the one who was lost.

Vicko's father continued to keep the subject off of his dead son. And talked more about the people under the Daughter Empress’s domain;

“If they leave a beer out, it would be warm in five minutes.” Joked Vicko’s father. Nicodemus didn't find it funny. He had made this joke because it was very hot under her domain. It was like a less hot version of hell.

* * *

As Nicodemus was walking towards the bar's exit one of the bar people complained about how they served him old fish (it was five days old.)

“You call this hake!? This is more like hate!” 

Vicko's father was at the back now thinking while washing the dishes, trying to block his mind. He didn't want an apology, he just didn't want to think about it.