Franny appeared distraught, his eyes darting around as if he were ready to flee. The mere thought of facing his uncle filled the young noble with dread, it was clearly written on his face. Yet, what had happened should not go unanswered. The man Franny called family had tried to kill him or, at the very least, used him as a human shield, in order to defend himself. In either case, the attack could have claimed Franny's life.
n that moment, looking at Franny’s frantic eyes, he knew that if he didn’t intervene then Franny would let the actions go unpunished, as if nothing had ever happened. It was a moment he had anticipated ever since acquiring his persuasion skill, he was about to use it on his friend...
"Franny, look at me," he urged the fidgeting noble. "I understand it's difficult to reconcile the image you had of your chivalrous uncle with the man we've been traveling with." His voice took on a soft and coaxing tone that held Franny's attention. "There are two types of men, those who value their family above all else, and those who would sell their own mother for a copper. I'm glad you belong to the first group, but for now, I need you to act like the latter. That man cannot be trusted. You have to step up and take control of the situation. If he's allowed to do as he pleases, we won't last long in this world. You've experienced it firsthand! If it weren't for Qalo, you'd be floating in the muddy waters with lifeless eyes among the dead bodies. You have to demand an explanation."
Franny's face remained frozen as Talax spoke, though he occasionally glanced over Talax's shoulder to watch his approaching uncle. Finally, in a small voice, like that of a frightened child, he confessed, "I can't confront him. I'm scared. He'll kill me."
Talax maintained eye contact with his friend, trying to convey reassurance and support. "I'm not asking you to fight him. He will eat you up and shit you the next moment." Franny winced, as if he had something unpleasant under his nose, and Talax grinned, knowing that a few crude words were a successful way to snap Franny out of his peculiar mood. "I'm asking you to act like the insufferable noble I know you can be."
Franny eventually nodded and whispered, "I can do that." Talax clapped him on the back and laughed. "Oh, I know you can. Just remind him that the lord in this group is you, and if anything happens to you, he'll have to answer to your father."
Franny's eyes widened as if a revelation had struck him. "Of course! Don't worry. My father will hear about this, no matter what! The sole purpose of my uncle’s presence was to protect me! He's nothing more than a glorified squire." Talax felt a surge of mana and momentarily glanced inside his core.
Persuasion skill, level 2
2% to influencing other people, 2% of using lies or deceit undetected
"Well, that was quick," Talax thought, doing his best to conceal the smug smile that tugged at his lips. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Qalo giving him a questioning look, but he feigned indifference. His influence on Franny had produced clear results. The young noble's face had reddened with a mix of indignation and anger. The few whispered words Talax had shared with him had been enough to ignite Franny's fury and his well-deserved disdain for his uncle. Franny practically brimmed with anger, his posture erect, and his foot tapping impatiently.
Talax wanted to pat himself on the back for transforming the frightened and uncertain young man into the obnoxious and demanding lord who now stood before them. However, just before the approaching group reached them, Talax whispered one last piece of advice into Franny's ear.
"Remind him of his place as your subordinate and demand an apology for his actions, but don't let your anger take control. If you push him too far, we don't know how he'll react, and the harsh truth is that we still need him." Franny nodded in a distracted manner, as if barely registering Talax's words.
Stepping back, Talax took his place behind Franny. On the other side of the young noble stood the imposing figure of Qalo, appearing as his bodyguard, his face marked with seriousness and his arms crossed. As Talax observed Franny's expression, doubts began to creep in. Had he pushed too hard? The young man's face displayed unbridled anger and indignation, looking like he was ready to attack his uncle at the first opportunity.
While waiting for Edward to arrive, tension was building. The recent confrontation had left a lingering sense of unease in the air. Franny fiddled with his new armor, while looking pale from the biting pain from his still-healing wounds. Talax stared into the distance, lost in thought, while Qalo shifted uncomfortably, clearly anxious about the upcoming meeting with Edward.
Suddenly, an unmistakable noise broke the silence, a rather loud, flatulent sound that echoed through the swamp. Franny and Talax exchanged bewildered glances, their tension momentarily interrupted by this unexpected interruption. Qalo, on the other hand, turned a shade of green, as if he had just realized he'd made a terrible mistake.
"Qalo!" Talax exclaimed with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "Was that you?"
Qalo's cheeks flushed, and he seemed to shrink slightly. "Um, yeah. Sorry about that. I was just...nervous."
Franny put two delicate fingers on his nose trying to stave off the stench, but ultimately burst into laughter, unable to contain himself. "Nervous? That’s what you do when you are nervous?”
Qalo shrugged his shoulders helplessly with a guilty expression and Talax joined in the laughter, and the tension seemed to dissipate for a moment. Franny and Talax exchanged grins, the sound of Qalo's untimely fart momentarily distracting them from the impending confrontation with Edward.
The chuckles died off when they saw Edward approaching. The trio stood waiting as Edward's group made their way across the swamp. When they finally reached them, Edward stepped onto the island, unwilling to address his nephew from a lower position. The pompous man came to a halt with his hand resting on the pommel of his sword. The rest of the group, however, remained in the swamp, the water reaching up to their knees.
Tension hung in the air between the two groups, though the older warriors were better at concealing it. Talax noticed a few telltale signs, such as Walter's hand that occasionally drifted toward his scabbard and Callum's fidgeting, which made the water beneath his feet ripple. Vesperine, on the other hand, appeared unconcerned by the meeting. However, Talax couldn’t be sure about her true feelings, since her mask concealed any expression, she might have.
"Well?" Franny demanded with a chilly voice he rarely used. His uncle seemed unfazed by the cold reception and responded with his customary authoritative tone. "We should keep moving. The fight may attract more monsters."
Franny's face flushed with indignation. "Is that all you have to say for yourself, Lord De Luval? Are you not going to address your actions during the battle?" The older man scoffed, dismissing the inquiry. "I don't have time for your childish games. We need to press on."
Franny turned red, resembling a volcano on the verge of erupting. Talax silently urged him not to fall into his uncle's trap. "He wants you to behave like a spoiled brat," he thought. He wished he could take Franny aside and explain that his uncle was attempting to discredit him by portraying him as a clueless noble. However, doing so would likely make the situation worse. He hoped Franny's usual level-headedness would ultimately prevail.
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He watched as Franny took a deep breath, trying to control himself and continued, "I do not consider such a request to be childish or unnecessary. When my father appointed you as a companion for this expedition, it was with the understanding that you would be here to protect and advise me. However, Lord De Luval, you seem to have forgotten your place. I regretfully remind you that, despite your seniority, you hold a lower station. Do not exploit my generosity and leniency, for I can withdraw them at any moment. I allowed you to take the lead on this expedition out of respect for your years of experience and my misguided devotion to family."
Franny's lengthy speech was met with complete silence, apart from the constant grinding noise of Edward's teeth. Surprisingly, the older noble seemed to be handling Franny's words better than Talax had anticipated. There was even a noticeable absence of the menacing vein that usually throbbed on his forehead. Edward exhaled and offered a fake smile in response.
"You are absolutely correct, my lord. My deepest regrets for my hasty actions. I assure you, there was no ill intent. In the heat of battle, I made a rushed decision that I deeply regret."
Talax felt an unsettling sensation at the back of his mind. He had nearly forgotten about the peculiar occurrence that had haunted him since... His eyes widened in realization. He quickly delved into his core and began searching for that particular skill he had completely ignored and forgotten.
Interrogation skill, level 4
4% to assessing information, 4% to detecting deception
Could it be that what he was feeling was a warning that he was being lied to? It made so much sense! The skill had never manifested before they joined Edward's group, even though he had acquired it so long ago, ever since the battle with the gnolls. Since then, he had experienced that unsettling sensation, like worms crawling through his brain, every time he suspected someone was lying.
He vividly remembered the first time it had happened, when he had first met Vesperine and she had recounted the events of Franny's disappearance. His eyes opened suddenly, and he unintentionally gazed at the masked woman. She returned his stare, but her expression remained inscrutable behind the tangling gemstones covering her eyes.
While the two nobles continued to talk, his mind wandered, desperately trying to recall every instance when he had felt that warning signal. Every time he had been lied to. He recalled both Edward and Vesperine describing the events after Franny's disappearance, and both times, he had felt that sensation. At one point, it had been so overwhelming that he had struggled to remain conscious, indicating that Edward had been feeding Franny false information.
He also recollected a couple of instances when he had felt the warning signal while conversing with Walter. However, these occasions had been less intense and related to some of the small warrior's past exploits. Unfortunately, the conclusion was clear, they had been lied to from the very beginning. But were the lies merely intended to cover up Edward's mistakes, or was there something more sinister at play? Given that the man had used his own nephew as a shield, Talax would wager it was the latter.
Pushing aside this unsettling revelation for the moment, he refocused his attention on the conversation between the two nobles. Their voices had begun to rise while he was preoccupied, and he felt guilty for not paying closer attention.
"I don't care, uncle! As you've mentioned a thousand times since my friends joined our expedition, everyone should remember their place! You can't make decisions without consulting me first. Your priority should be my safety. My father made it clear that if something happened to me, you would be punished accordingly!" Franny exclaimed, his anger unabated.
Talax scrutinized Edward's face carefully, hoping to pick up some genuine sign of his true intentions. When Franny mentioned his father, Talax expected to see panic or unease. What he witnessed, however, gave him pause. It was there for a fleeting moment, but Talax was certain he saw it, mockery and scorn.
Why did the mention of Franny's father elicit such a reaction from the noble? Could it all be an elaborate scheme orchestrated by Franny's father to teach his son a lesson or test his mettle? It was a perplexing puzzle, and the lack of information was driving Talax to frustration.
"As you wish, Ferdinand. Do you wish to lead our little expedition? Then you are free to do so! I'm sure your tutors have thoroughly prepared you for such an event," Edward scoffed derisively, further angering Franny, whose hand clenched and unclenched reflexively.
"I had always heard tales of your great feats of bravery, but never once was it mentioned that you would go to any lengths to achieve your goals, even if it meant sacrificing your own flesh and blood. Then again, maybe you're acting this way with just me, since my brother never complained about you when you accompanied him on his own missions, he only had only good things to say about you, praising your prowess in battle and your quick thinking," Franny retorted with a hint of bitterness.
Edward sighed, appearing tired of the conversation. "I took a calculated risk. I knew that the only chance of us defeating the monster was by using my Sword of Divinity ability, but that comes at a steep price. I had to sacrifice a significant portion of my health pool, and I knew that if I got hit, we would have no chance of winning. I also knew that using you was a risk, but I had faith in your skills and abilities, and I was confident you would survive."
Edward's voice conveyed sincerity, and his explanation appeared to soothe Franny's anger. However, Talax knew better, as the warning bells in his mind chimed once again, signaling that Edward was once more spouting lies. Talax couldn't control himself and let out a scoff, prompting everyone to turn their attention toward him.
Franny gazed at Talax with a questioning look, but it was Edward who decided to speak. "Do you have something to add? Do you think I don't see you whispering into Ferdinand's ear? You are the one filling his head with nonsense! You are unworthy of being near the lord's vicinity, let alone consulting him. You, common scum!" Edward's words dripped with venom as he unleashed his pent-up anger.
Franny immediately tried to come to Talax's defense, yelling in protest, but Talax raised a reassuring hand to stop him.
"Then don't give me a reason to whisper to him," Talax retorted calmly. "As far as I know, you were appointed as his protector, but you fail at your job at every turn. Ferdinand has been left alone to fend for himself time and again. And for that matter, where have you been since we entered the swamp? We've been fighting wave after wave of toads, with you nowhere to be found. It's rather odd that once again, you've lost the nephew you were sworn to protect."
Edward took a menacing step forward, but Talax was unafraid. He reveled in aggravating the insufferable man. "Talax is right, uncle. How did you lose us again? I'm beginning to question your abilities after your continuous failures," Franny taunted with a smug tone. Edward turned to glare at his nephew, but Talax wanted to shift the focus back to him and added with a mild smile, "You should probably also start questioning his motives, Ferdinand."
Edward's head turned sharply, his gaze locking onto Talax. Talax met his stare, trying to convey that he was onto the man. He wasn't sure if it was wise to reveal that he knew something was amiss, but the nobleman's actions had pushed him to a point where he wanted to unsettle and threaten him. Wisdom be damned, all he wanted was to inflict harm upon the man in any way possible.
Edward finally broke the tense silence with a dismissive statement. "This conversation is of no use. What needed to be said has been said. Now, let us move on." His gaze remained fixed on Talax throughout, and no one else dared to speak up.
Talax was content to stay silent. He had said what he wanted and had sown the seeds of discord between the two family members. Franny had finally begun to see his uncle for who he really was, and that was all Talax wanted.
He debated for a moment whether he should inform Franny about his interrogation skill and his discovery. But he quickly decided that the young noble needed to know. All the strange incidents could be harmless, without any ill intent, but they could also hide something more dangerous. Besides, Franny might have some answers that could help them piece together what was really happening.
"Let us go then," Edward announced. "Of course, if Lord Ferdinand is in agreement," he added mockingly. Franny waved his hand dismissively and replied magnanimously, "Let us go."
Edward inquired about the time it would take to cross the path again, and Callum, the ranger, provided an estimate. "Less than a day, my lord, unless some beast attacks us before we reach the path, of course." Edward nodded, and the group prepared to move.
Talax took the opportunity to grab Franny's hand, prompting the noble to look at him with a questioning gaze. He whispered urgently, "We need to talk!" Franny seemed confused but didn't protest. He simply nodded and followed behind his uncle.
From then on, they traveled as two distinct groups. Edward and his followers in one, and Talax, Franny, and Qalo in the other.