Chapter 8 — The [Official]

“Make sure you deactivate your [Berserking] Ability before we reach the [Official],” the [Knight] quietly warned.

Toren took a ragged breath and eased off his mana spend. At level 1, he couldn’t have maintained it much longer anyway. “It’s done. Thank you, Sir [Knight].”

His whispered response was acknowledged with an approving nod from the [Knight]. The armored man led him past the line, directly toward the table where the [Official] was pressing a magic seal into the underside of a man’s wrist.

The limping shuffle caused by Toren’s injuries had eased noticeably, and his head was clearing. Normally, such injuries would cause days of swelling and stiffness. Viridium-rarity healing really was impressive.

Less muddled thinking caused a moment of panic to flash through Toren’s mind when he realized that the [Knight] hadn’t given him a chance to stow his weapons before approaching the lord’s son… but his hands were empty. Of course the [Knight] wouldn’t let him approach with weapons brandished. That meant he had lost them to Surlin and his goons.

He couldn’t look back to confirm, not wanting to give the [Debt Collector] who was following them the satisfaction.

Having received his seal and a wooden token, the man ahead of them was directed up onto the auction platform by the [Guards].

The [Official] looked at him with disinterested eyes that briefly flickered with mana as the [Knight] brought him forward. “This [Berserker] was the cause of the commotion?”

Toren was surprised that both the [Knight] and [Official] knew his Profession—or at least the base type. He could only guess that it was an Ability or Skill common to nobility.

“He was, Officer Emeril. Says the [Debt Collector] here was preventing him from enlisting,” the [Knight] reported, gauntlet still clasping Toren’s upper arm.

Officer Emeril frowned. “What do you have to say in your defense [Debt Collector]?”

“Honored Officer of the Crown, this man is in contractual default of a substantial sum of silver to [Money Lender] Gazam and has illegally sold property under claim to the debt. We were attempting to apprehend him to bring before the [Magistrate]. This pathetically low-level orphan’s claim to have the qualifications to enlist is absurd. If he had such a Trait, he would have noted it in his loan negotiations to get better terms.”

The lord’s son looked to Toren. “Is this true?”

“[Debt Collector] Surlin is lying,” Toren scoffed, removing his glove and presenting the debt brand on his wrist showing [Money Lender] Gazam’s seal and the remaining amount owed. “As you can see the brand is still black. I was attacked without cause; my tendays’ obligation has already been paid.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Officer Emeril’s frown deepened, and his eyes narrowed at Surlin. “Lying to an officer of the crown is a serious offense, [Debt Collector].”

“This is another attempted deception by this thieving cretin, Honored Officer!” Surlin snarled. “He knows full well that not only has his collateral become worthless, but he no longer has the means by which he agreed to pay the contract. The evidence is irrefutable, and the matter will be easily proven before the [Magistrate].”

The officer rubbed the bridge of his nose and leaned back in his chair. “That is quite the debt for one such as yourself, young [Berserker]. I find myself wondering how a [Money Lender] would agree without underhanded purpose or involvement in illegal activities. Do you have the collateral with you?”

“I do. It is in my travel pack.” Putting his glove back on, Toren glanced meaningfully at the gauntlet gripping his arm and the [Knight].

Officer Emeril waved for him to proceed. “Present it.”

The [Knight] signaled something to the two [Guards] flanking them, and with a look at the two looming unnamed goons Surlin had brought with him, he withdrew his mailed grip from Toren’s arm. Surprisingly, one of the [Guards] was holding Toren’s metal club that he thought was a lost cause.

Something for later. Don’t get distracted.

Grimacing at the throbbing soreness, Toren untied the securing strap of his pack, and squatting down, he slid the harness off his shoulders. A gasp slipped out between clenched teeth when he tried to undo the ties to open the pack. Even with the leather brigandine armor and archery bracer he was wearing, he was pretty sure one of the bones in his forearm was at least cracked.

Being more careful he managed to get the pack open and used the other arm to dig through the clothing to pull out the scroll case containing the debt contract and the harvesting license. The [Knight] received the scroll case from him, extracting the scrolls and handing them to the lord’s son.

Officer Emeril grimaced as he read over the harvesting license, seeming to immediately come to an understanding of the reasons for the dispute. “Do you have enough to make the next contracted payment?”

It was Toren’s turn to grimace. “I do not.”

Surlin’s gloating humph of victory was silenced by a warning look from the lord’s son.

“And you are joining the colony effort because your prospects of acquiring sufficient silver to make the next payment are unlikely at best?”

Toren shook his head to deny. “The bonus for enlistment is sufficient to make the next payment, honored officer. I intend to earn the subsequent payments through meritorious contribution to the colonization effort.”

“Laudable,” Officer Emeril said and, with a brief glance over the debt contract, placed both scrolls on the table already arranged with piles of unrolled and weighted scrolls. “Then as I understand it, the only matter still in dispute is whether the debtor qualifies to enlist?”

Surlin suddenly seemed less sure of himself, and the man’s thick brows furrowed as he glanced in Toren’s direction. “Honored officer, while I’m grateful that the merit of the debt claim has been acknowledged… with that, Toren’s pending status as a debt-slave would entitle [Money Lender] Gazam to discretion over his actions and compensation for his enlistment.”

He was so close to getting out of Gazam’s grasp, and now Surlin was trying this!

Toren’s heart and stomach clenched with a mixture of rage and fear, his muscles again began to fill with burning strength. A sharp look from the [Knight] was enough for Toren to reign in his emotions to bring the passive effect of [Burning Blood] back to a simmer that would hopefully still speed his healing.

Officer Emeril didn’t look particularly pleased at Surlin’s attempt and motioned to an almost fist-sized crystal ball device at Toren’s side of the table. “Enough delaying. Let us first determine if this is a matter for the crown or the [Magistrate]. Toren, was it? Touch the crystal.”

This was the moment. Toren took a deep breath and time seemed to slow as he reached out to touch the crystal.

He watched for a glow—anything—as he prayed to his sponsor.

Nothing happened.