The tension in the room was palpable as Malcolm Godberd flinched upon hearing his name. Despite not being able to see his facial expression, the slight tremble of his hand and the way he turned his body gave away his realization. I had indeed found the man I was looking for, if the dog’s presence didn’t confirm it already.

As the murmurs of his name circulated through the room, Malcolm slowly lowered his blade and scanned his surroundings. No one met his gaze except for me and Finnan. Focusing on us, he questioned, "Who is Malcolm Godberd?" His voice projected loud enough for everyone to recognize the misunderstanding I was trying to create.

"A very good friend of mine," I responded, gesturing with the knife, and offering a faint smile. "Whom I've been waiting for so long. By any chance, have you seen him?"

"No." He denied, and with a flick of his wrist, the blade he held vanished from sight.

"Too bad," I sighed, letting the tableware drop onto the plate with a clang. "I had plans to free him. He's been on the run for long enough, don’t you think?"

"No idea what you're talking about, pal," he retorted, glancing briefly at the unlocked door behind him. "But... that's a good proposition." He voiced his opinion before pulling the growling dog closer and facing us once more.

"Either way, won't you take a seat and wait with me?" I leaned forward, my smile widening. "You came down here for a nice meal, didn't you? Both for yourself and for that animal." I deliberately emphasized the last part, and the man's brows twitched in response.

"He's a friend," Malcolm stated firmly, irritation evident in his gaze. "And I don't like dining with those who lack respect for others."

"Oh, I apologize for my rudeness, Sir!" I lowered my head in a mock show of remorse. "Please, take a seat with your friend. The food and drinks are on me today. Enjoy whatever you like, as much as you like."

Malcolm clicked his tongue in response. "I'm not hungry, nor in the mood for drinks." With that, he turned on his heel.

“But I insist, Sir Malcolm.” I raised my voice, signaling through a glance for Finnan to intervene.

“I am not Malcolm. And do I look like I give a fuck about your food and drinks!” he shouted, attempting to reach for the door handle. However, his steps halted as Finnan grasped his shoulder. Instead of attacking, the dog resumed barking, but Finnan paid it no mind.

“My lord insists that you dine with him, sir,” Finnan requested in a polite yet firm tone, loud enough for me to hear. His grip on the man’s shoulder tightened, judging by Malcolm's pained expression. “And I advise you to comply. Otherwise, it won't end well for you or your dear Spike.”

“You dare?” Malcolm glared at Finnan, pushing his hand away.

“Yes, I do.” Finnan smiled, his hands now resting behind his back.

“Come on, man. Don’t ruin the mood,” I waved my hand, capturing both of their attention. “I just want a little chat while we wait. Can’t you entertain me for a while?”

“I suppose n…” The man began to respond sharply, but Finnan leaned forward and whispered something in his ear, the words inaudible to me. Malcolm's expression changed in an instant; his brows shot up as he glanced at me and then back at Finnan. “I suppose I could,” he corrected himself, his voice now composed.

What did he say? I wondered, observing Finnan tailing our guest. Once they reached the table, he swiftly arranged the seating before returning to his original position, standing barely a foot behind me.

“Bring him the same, please,” I ordered the girl. With a nod, she hurried off behind the counter and into the kitchen, I assumed.

To divert any lingering attention, I scanned the room, and my gaze locked onto a few randos who had been observing us while enjoying their meals. As soon as they realized I had noticed them, they hurriedly averted their eyes and went back to their conversations. With the minor issue settled, I refocused on the man seated before me.

"So, what shall we discuss until your food arrives?" I inquired.

"Anything you want, lord," Malcolm replied. He undid the hood over his head, revealing a moderately handsome face that appeared stressed enough to make him look ten years older than he really was. His head was bald, devoid of any hair. A deep scar ran along the left side of his face, taking his left eye with it, leaving only a white orb in place of the left eye and a brown one on the right. He smiled, meeting my gaze, though it seemed almost fake. Regardless, I decided to roll with it.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"How has life been treating you?" I initiated our fruitful conversation.

Malcolm paused, assessing my expression. “Chasing me to nowhere,” he replied with a sigh. “And what about you?”

“Suffering!” I scoffed.

“My condolences.” He responded dryly.

I gave a shallow nod, taking the lemon and squeezing it over the fish once more. I needed to come up with a way to introduce him to my plans while also testing his willingness. Plus, exploit his weakness, which was currently sitting on the floor beside him, glaring at me for some reason.

The food, in the same configuration as mine but on less fancy plates, arrived. This time, I gestured for the girl to leave and focused solely on the man who was about to dig into his meal.

"Don't you think now is a good time to put ourselves out of this misery?" I asked, taking the first step. “And reclaim the life that once belonged to us?”

"Yeah," Malcolm replied absentmindedly, cutting the head off the fish, and feeding it to his dog. "What misery are you in? You have everything this world could provide."

"This, the world can't provide," I raised my lifeless hand for him to see. "...not anymore."

"You will get used to it," he sneered, now munching his unearned food. "We all get used to it."

"Yeah…" his nonchalant behavior got me thinking just what he had been through to become like this, as Finnan's documents rarely mentioned his deceased past. Well, I could figure it out gradually. First, this partnership had to get off the ground.

“I want your expertise, Malcolm,” I said at last, no beating around the bush anymore. “I want the One-eyed Devil back.”

His mouth and hands paused for a second, seemingly comprehending my proposal, but only a moment later, he continued chewing and cutting without bothering to respond. Perplexed by his lack of reaction, I chose to elaborate.

“It’s a proposal to work with me,” I explained. “A mutual relationship, where in exchange for your expertise, your name will be cleared and you'll be given the life you rightfully deserve.”

“…”

“A life away from all the worries of the past, the blood of your son, your wife, everything cleansed off your hands forever... And the people who made you do it… All dead.” I tapped on his nerves. “In return, accept this offer I give you. No oversight. Complete autonomy. You kill them all, and I will protect you. The only requirement - when I call - you drop your business and do my job.”

Those were the main points of my proposal. Although I was yet to come up with a way to provide him with those perks, I had hoped that it would work out, somehow. First and foremost, I needed the man under me, and then we could discuss the benefits, even cut some if he acted out of line. After all, I was one of the lords. I had the influence to do a few things if needed.

As the silence lingered, and despite my repeated attempts, no answer was forthcoming. My patience began to wear thin.

“What do you say?” I finally asked, my voice tinged with annoyance.

Malcolm slowly raised his head, still chewing his food. After gulping it down, he spoke, his voice heavy. “The One-Eyed Devil is nothing but a lie,” he declared. “And Malcolm Godberd is nothing but an incompetent asshole who flew too high and fell too hard.”

I listened silently as he continued.

“Think about it, lord. I am a man so incompetent that even after running for so many years, I couldn’t even keep track of faces that could get me in trouble.” He sighed. “If it wasn’t for your generosity, I would have been caught here and probably killed. My senses have grown dull and useless. Expecting me to work for you is all but a call for even bigger trouble, because I will ruin it. I have always ruined it”

His words were filled with a mix of self-loathing and resignation. It was clear that he had very little confidence left in his own abilities at this point.

“So, you would rather live out your days running away, than have a proper life?” I was honestly baffled. This guy was nothing like the stories depicted him to be. Where did the smartest and fearless devil go, whose name alone was enough to strike fear in the bravest of hearts? All I could see was a weak, good for nothing, pathetic man before me. The kind I hated the most.

“If you would be kind enough to let me go… Spike and I will live out our days while running.” Malcolm chuckled at himself, ruffling the dog’s head.

Malcolm had truly fallen from grace, and it seemed that he had no intention of trying to climb back up.

“So, you would never join me?” I made a final attempt.

“Forgive me, lord. But I cannot,” he looked the other way, exhaling deeply.

“Even at the cost of the lives you cared for the most?”

Malcolm fell silent, his head swaying from side to side, confirming my answer without words.

“… Then we have nothing more to discuss,” I sighed, leaning back into the chair. “You may leave.” I shouted, once again capturing the attention of the entire crowd. “Leave Seiren immediately. Because, starting now, you will be hunted down. The reward is double what it is in any other region. Dead or alive, it is guaranteed.”

The man's eyes widened at my ultimatum. He tried to speak, but no words escaped his lips, and after a moment of contemplation he simply nodded. Dragging the dog along, he left without a bow, and as the door was shut with a loud creak, Finnan stated his thoughts.

“That was a giant waste of time,” he remarked.

“I want his dog,” I replied with a request.

“Didn’t you hate animals?”

“Not anymore.”