Jonathan Frost was a short man with short blond hair and blue eyes. Theirs eyes were looked the moment he enter his office. He stopped in front of the desk, his eyes studying Gordon. Then he bow and take a seat in front of the desk.

“I must say that you are quit young Mr. Dust, how old are you?”

“Ehem..I am about seventeen years old.”

“My gods, you are even younger than my youngest son.” Mr. Frost looked surprised, he shook his head.

Gorgon only smiled hearing what Mr. Frost said. He doesn’t know who this man was and feeling a little intimidated with his confident posture and sharp gaze. It would be better if Mr. Sully was here for he may screw whatever this guy wants to talk about.

“Yeah…I am young, so what i can help you Mr. Frost?”

Mr. Frost looked hesitant, he clear his throat.

“I am is a jewelry merchant, I take my product from several mining around the kingdom, and you see…I take but a little profit from each my sales, just enough for me to live and keep my business, I always paid my taxes to the kingdom, and what left is just a very small profit for me, barely enough to float my business.”

Gordon was surprised to see Mr. Frost's personality change. He was suddenly become like someone else. He looked weak, desperate and filled with tears. Gordon wondered where his confident demeanor had gone. You would think that someone with such a sharp gaze was someone who was strong and doesn't cry.

“And imagine my reaction when I heard that suddenly a new territory has appeared within my route and the secretary from Viscount Brook told me that I had to pay more taxes because my route is getting through the new baronies, I can’t do this anymore Sir. Dust, if not because a lot of people hang their live hood on my business I would already fold with these a lot of pressure.”

Mr. Frost cups his own face between his hands and shook his head, his head down and sobbing. Gordon looked at him with sympathy.

Wow, this guy is look so pitiful.

“So what do you want me to do Mr. Frost? The truth is I don’t know anything about what you saying.”

Mr. Frost straight back his head and sighed. “This is really a big problem, did no one teach you about tax.”

Gordon snorted. “No one teach me about anything, do you believe me if I said that I just a farm boy yesterday, and look at me right now, huh, govern a baronies, what a fate.” He looked down at his desk and smirked.

Mr. Frost keep quiet, there was no trace of his early sobbing on his face, his eyes was calculated and when Gordon looked back at him, his sad expression was already back there.

“That…is horrible, if you had no capabilities to govern how you could become a baron? What would they thinking.”

Gordon grinning at him. “Do you not hear? About The news.”

“What news?”

“Do you know anything about an Archmage named Tal Itan Yurik?”

“Yeah..i heard of him, he is famous.”

“Well yeah..but he was dead now.”

Mr. Frost looked surprised; his eyes focus on Gordon face. “How so?”

“I killed him.”

“What? Really? Are you an Archmage too?” Mr. Frost eyes widened, he looked at him in disbelief. “You must be truly a gifted one, to be able to became one when you still so young.”

“Nah, I am an ability user”

“Wow, when you awakening?”

Flash back

Gordon sat slumped on his chair, he scowled.

“What you are sad for? You are basically just run on the forest and get a fortune falling right on your head.” The Old John said, he looked at Gordon then snorted.

“And became a baron so I don’t know why you are slumped there mopping.” He added.

“What do you mean a fortune; you are well aware that I had to pay a great prize every times I use this power, this was nothing but a curse.”

“Bah….you and your ideal, tell me do you want to go back to became a farm boy? Milk the goats every day.”

Gordon looked away; he did not answer the question.

“I guest not.”

The Old John stood up and went into the kitchen, he returned moments later with a bottle of his special. He sat back then looked at Gordon, frowned.

“You still mopping.”

“I am not mopping, okay….” Gordon said. He felt exasperated.

“Whatever….”

Gordon looked at old John drinking his horrible bottle like he hadn’t drink for days. He wondered why Old John changed his own name, maybe he had done terrible thing with his old name so he changed it to have a new life. Well, whatever it was wasn’t his business. Besides he still had a big problem that he needed to handle.

“Still mopping eh?”

Gordon glared at Old John who only chuckle at him.

“I told you I am not mopping, just thinking.” Gordon said with far away looks.

“About what?”

“What? What do you mean?” Gordon looked at Old John, he looked confused.

Old John pursed his lips and giving Gordon an annoyed looks which made Gordon glared back at him.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“Why do you look at me like that?”

“Nothing.” Old John turned to the side

Gordon Sighed. “Come on, what do you want to say?”

Old John turned to Gordon; he brought his face closer to Gordon’s face. “I said nothing.” then he sat back down as before.

Gordon looked at Old John with an odd looked; he was confused with this old man attitude.

“Okay…..” he said slowly, he wasn’t sure why Old John did what he did.

The two of them were equally silent for a few moments.

“I know that I should be grateful to have this kind of power, but I couldn't get rid of the feeling of disappointment in my heart after I found out that this power is not really mine.” Gordon sighed.

“I will always have to lie when people ask me about when I was awakening my power, because I never awaken.”

Back to Present

“When I got lost in the forest and a bear chased me.”

Mr. Frost nods his head.

“So you became a baron because you killed Archmage Yurik.”

“That what I said.”

“Yes, but to be honest it's hard to believe” Mr. Frost touch his chin with his left hand, he seemed to be thinking about something.

Gordon gritted his teeth. He was irritated by what Mr. Frost said.

Asshole.

Mr. Frost chuckled when he saw the expression on Gordon's face that made Gordon want to punch his face. How dare this guy come here and laugh at him, maybe he should just tell him to go home.

No.

Gordon took a deep breath to calm his heart he tried to remind himself that he should not decide things hastily, especially matters of the interest of many people. He thought Mr. Frost was a good person; He even cries thinking about the fate of his employees if his business goes bankrupt. So Gordon didn't want to send him home just because he had offended him.

“What makes you say that?”

Mr. Frost smiled when he heard Gordon's question.

"As far as I know, Archmage Yurik was a war hero who has ended a war that has been going on for years. He fought one on one against Estrada Palm, a dragon knight from Varkim."

"Yeah, I've heard about it, so what?"

Mr. Frost raised both eyebrows; he looked at Gordon in disbelief. "Do you know what the name dragon knight means?”

Gordon shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah, I thought so."

"Dragon knight is the name given to a person who has been able to kill a dragon, not slaying a dragon using chains or tools but slaying a dragon by fighting one on one, do you understand how difficult it is to do that?"

"Maybe."

"Whatever, but I tell you that it is impossible, there is no way a knight can kill a dragon by fighting one on one. In the history of mankind, we have managed to kill many creatures that are much stronger than us. We succeeded because we gang up on the creatures, using both magical and ordinary tools. We would never succeed in defeating those powerful creatures in a one-on-one fight. That's why the dragon knight is a very strong person; not only physical strength but also extraordinary mental strength. One dragon knight could kill a hundred ordinary knights with one hit of his sword.”

"Okay, so what you mean is that there is no way I, who is still very young, to beat Yurik?”

"Well ..... That’s not what I meant.”

“So what do you mean?” Gordon glared at Mr. Frost.

“I just say it's hard to believe, it doesn't mean I don't believe it.” Mr. Frost forced a smile.

Gordon snorted. He understands that as a leader he must make decisions wisely because his decisions will affect a person's life. But oh man.... this guy really pissed him off. How hard it was for him to say that he believes that Gordon has defeated the Archmage Yurik. Gordon has deigned to meet him and may even grant his request related to taxes, the least he could do was believe his story.

Gordon felt that this person lacked respect for him, came here, begged while crying for him to grant his request but he implied that Gordon was lying, that his position as a baron was invalid or that he did not deserve to be a baron because he had not actually defeated Archmage Yurik. This man and the others out there who do not believe in his accomplishments should be taught a lesson. He had to make sure that they witnessed his strength. Maybe he could go find a pack of goblins, arrange for the green monster to attack several villages, and then wait.

Goblins were notorious for being vicious and murderous; all he needed to do was direct them. When they start murdering and raping Gordon will come and finish them off, making him like a hero. No one will doubt his abilities anymore.

Wait a minute, why am I thinking of killing people?

Gordon tilts his head, frowning.

Look at this person, he is behaving like a desperate person but I don't smell despair in him at all.

Hmmm….

Gordon licked his lips.

“I don't care whether you believe it or not, I am your Lord now, deal with it.”

“Sure…sure sir, it is like what you said.”

Gordon watched Mr. Frost's movements and realized that this man was very good at pretending. If only He hadn't smelled the excitement on him he would have believed all the plays. His gestures, the expression on his face and even his eyes, all expressed worry, sadness and doubt. He really does a very convincing acting. Yet somehow he even felt happy after seeing this guy's trickery, As if he liked things like this, pretense. But he could not lie to himself that he was feeling happy after concluding that these kinds of people were the opponents he had to face in the nobility because he will devour all their tricks and teach them a lesson they will never forget. This man had really done a big mistake, come here and try to trick him.

Trickery is my hobby.

Muahahahaha ......

Wait a minute, since when do I like trickery?

“As you know I am just a trader with a small profit, the additional tax will destroy my business as well as the lives of my employees and their families. So I'm begging you to give me some tax breaks.” Mr. Frost said to Gordon and he had to admit that the man’s face and eyes was very convincing.

Gordon pretended to be deep in thought after hearing the request from Mr. Frost, the skin of his forehead creased and he bit his lip. He kept stroking his chin to make his acting even more convincing while looking for a way to teach this person a lesson.

Gordon took a deep breath and then he smiled at Mr. Frost.

“I have the most respect for people like you, who do business not only for their own interests but also for the benefit of others.”

Gordon smiled in his heart at the look on Mr. Frost’s face that looked happy and full of hope.

“I'm eager to make a decision on tax breaks for you, but as you know I'm still new here. I don't even know where I'll sleep tonight, because I don't know where my bedroom is. So I have to coordinate with my assistant first about those tax breaks and inform you immediately when everything is ready.”

With a happy expression mixed with worry, Mr. Frost nodded his head.

"I hope it is true, sir, because I do not know what else I can do."

Gordon applauds this guy's consistency to keep pretending to the end. He would love to see his expression once he realized it all.

“You don't need to worry Mr. Frost, everything will be fine.” Gordon said in a tone as if he was speaking to a child.

Gordon smelled a burning scent and a pungent stench on Mr. Frost. It seems his tone has offended Mr. Frost yet his expression didn't change at all. He was a person experienced with this game.

Mr. Frost nodded once more then stood up and bowed.

“I thank you very much for your willingness to meet me and your generosity to grant my request.”

I bet you do.

Gordon straightened his back and nodded his head. He looked at Mr. Frost’s back who was walking towards the door.

A few moments after his office door closed, he called Talia.

“Tell me about this Jonathan! Is he a weak person?”

“I didn't know much about him, all I knew was that he liked to hunt and buy slave girls.”

“Why he likes to buy slave girls?”

Talia rolled her eyes after she heard his question. "To fuck them of course, what else?"

"Well, you don't know that. Maybe he bought them to free them from bondage."

Gordon flinches at Talia’s glare.

"I once heard my uncle talk to his son about this Jonathan. He is a bastard, besides doing jewelry business, she also does slave business, especially young girls. But his slave business is very secret, not many people know.”

“So he is a bad guy.”

“Maybe.”

“What do you mean maybe?”

“Well, he is a bastard but aren't all nobility a bastard, not all of them but a lot of them are bastards.”

“You are a noble, are you a bastard too?”

Gordon flinches at Talia’s glare, again.

“I know what you mean asking about Jonathan. I don't hate him because things like this are common among noble house and you also have to remember that now you are part of us. Your house is Howling Dust right? Hmmm ... that sounds kind of weird, Howling Dust. Why did you choose a name like that?”

Gordon smiled broadly at Talia.

"I will be very happy to share my experience with you over a dinner, how about tonight?”

She snorted after she heard his proposal. Shook her head then sighed.

“Well, I think I will accept your proposal, seems more interesting that sleeping on my bed.”

“Great.”