It took some time but eventually, the pain abated. Instead, there was only a deep-seated rage.

"I just wanted to tell you. Don't try and play this game, John. You're an amateur."

It was a threat. It had always been a threat.

How could I not have known?

It had been planned out since the beginning. Nathanial had poisoned the one thing John couldn't resist.

Food.

And John hadn't even realized it until it was too late.

John rolled out of bed. He didn't even notice bandaids absence as he stormed through the house.

"NATHANIAL! NATHANIAL! NATHANIAL!" John bellowed repeatedly.

John's voice was overflowing with rage.

"Yes?"

Nathanial was nonchalantly leaning against the hallway across from John's room. he had a small smile on his face.

"WHY THE FUCK DID YOU POSION ME!"

John stomped forward and shoved Jean into the wall. Jean just smiled.

"What do you mean? I did nothing of the sort."

"YES YOU DID YOU BITCH!" Screamed John with as much intensity as possible.

"But you look fine. In fact, you look a bit better than you did this evening." Said Nathanial

John simply scowled.

"STOP LYING!"

John thrust his fist into Nathanial's chest.

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John's fist sunk through his chest and into the wall. But even with that gaping hole in him. Nathanial just remained there with his back against the wall and a small smile on his face.

"I'm sorry John. But I didn't poison you. And to be honest. You really don't look all that posioned too."

John pulled his other fist back. This time it was aimed at Nathanial's skull.

"John…. Why are you doing this."

John's head swivelled to that sound. Standing across from John in the hallway was Cassandra, Charles And maybe Rob.

With a wet pop, John pulled his fist out from Nathanial's chest.

John didn't say a word. Because right now he couldn't think of a word.

There was only anger. Nathanial had posioned him. And knowing that he would be angry if he survived. He stood outside John's room and waited. Why? So that Charles, Cassandra and Maybe Rob could see it. Because if they saw John acting violently towards Nathanial. Then that would destroy his reputation. It would give Charles social power.

John took in a deep breath.

Doing anything to defuse the situation would make him look worse. Walking away would also make him look bad. The best course of action was to sit on the ground and do nothing. So that's what John did.

He fell on his ass and looked at the floor.

"John? Why did you attack Nathanial" Asked Cassandra

They didn't seem to question how Nathanial survived such an earth-shattering blow.

"He says I poisoned him." Said Nathanial

"No. I didn't say that. Stop lying. You insulted my mother. Who I happen to miss very dearly. So I got mad." Said John

There we go bitch. Learn your lesson. Hang yourself!

"I've only met you a few times. I don't know you well enough to know who your mother is. So your point is moot." Said Nathanial.

Shit.

Cassandra looked at Nathanial and John while massaging her brow.

"Please just shut up both of you! For both of our sanity. Please just shut up and let the point die."

John simply glared at Nathanial. Nathanial smiled back.

"Okay. I'll ignore the false accusations for now." Nathanial said.

John glared.

I'll kill you for this. Bitch.

John didn't know it. And nothing outside would show it. But…..

The envelope swelled.

"Okay. Let's get going downstair. Jean said he had something to talk about with us." Said Cassandra

.

…

...

...…

Jean sat at the head of his dining table. He had his feet up on the table and a cigar in his mouth. The cigar looked unnatural in the hands of someone as small and childlike as Jean.

"So….. Your paychecks have just come in. So I'd like you to look at those first." Said Jean

He gave a stack of paper to the maid next to him. She then went and handed them out to the troop. John looked down at his check.

16,666$

He would be making 200k a year based on that check.

That was the lowest of the hunter salaries.

Ugh.

"Wow. That's a lot." Murrmered Cassandra.

"Mine's not that big." Said Nathanial.

"Mine's massive!" Yelled Jean

"I know. A warrior's pay is very nice. But I'll triple it. If you quit your jobs as warriors and come work for me." Said Jean bluntly