Free Web NovelChapter 135: Performance Evaluation
Garret Darksoul was a very influential figure not only in the underworld of Klento but also on the islands of Naeross, Edolens, and Klathe, the three largest islands in the north.
His name was respected by all and feared by those who knew what he actually worked with, which was ironic since with his short stature and, shall we say, large body volume, all he had left was his gaze, and he did indeed have a keen eye like few others. fгeewebnovёl.com
Garret was a well-known merchant, very wealthy and politically influential, not by chance. He always had powerful friends, such as nobles and knights. He exuded the classic aura of power mixed with a natural charisma that made it difficult for people to tell if they were being manipulated or commanded.
His family name, Darksoul, was just a coincidence, something passed down from generation to generation, but it also reflected a bit of his dark personality and reputation.
In a certain place in Klento, a meeting with Garret Darksoul took place. The atmosphere of the place was gloomy and very poorly lit, but that was the intention.
A long oak table occupied the center of the room, surrounded by chairs. Garret sat at the head of the table, his presence dominating the room, and around him were the ’partners’ of his organization, each representing a type of service. There were men and women, and they all shared the silence.
Garret looked at each of them with his keen eyes but remained silent. They seemed to be waiting for someone.
Just then, the door opened to reveal Wendell and Walrick, the twins, who had long been part of Garret’s network.
"You’ve finally arrived. Now stand in the corner and I’ll call you in shortly." Garret looked at the twins impatiently and said.
With Wendell and Walrick, the meeting finally began. After a few minutes, Garret looked at the twins and asked:
"So, you two, I hope you have some good news for me this time. Did you finally manage to do what I asked you to do?" Garret asked as he looked at the twins with a penetrating gaze.
Wendell and Walrick exchanged nervous glances, aware that they hadn’t quite lived up to their boss’s expectations lately. They knew their collection record wasn’t exactly stellar, having failed several times in the past, but this time they believed they had something special to show for it, something that could help them be forgiven for old mistakes and maybe even earn them a big bonus.
Wendell spoke first. "We did what was asked of us, sir. We’ve collected all the outstanding debts from the list you gave us last month, leaving nothing out."
Garret raised an eyebrow, a hint of suspicion in his expression. "Without leaving any out? That’s news to both of you."
The others at the table began to laugh softly, the dark humor permeating the tense air of the room.
Wendell and Walrick were known for their repeated failures, even for simple tasks like debt collection.
But before the situation could get any more awkward, Walrick interrupted the laughter.
"Yes, boss. And this time we got something very valuable."
Garret turned serious, as did the others.
"Valuable?" Garret asked curiously. "Show me."
Then, to everyone’s surprise, Wendell approached and placed a black sword on the table. The silent impact of the blade caught the attention of everyone in the room, and Garret leaned forward a little to get a closer look.
Garret was a man who valued power and rarity above almost anything else, for the combination of the two was worth many, many gold coins. And this sword radiated an aura of immense power and rarity.
"What is this?" Garret asked, his eyes fixed on the sword. "Come, take it in your hands. Let me have a closer look."
The twins obeyed promptly. When they stopped beside Garret, Wendell and Walrick raised their chins as if proud of their achievement.
"It’s beautiful." Garret admitted.
He turned to his assessor, Elendithas, a hunchbacked man with white hair and a magical metal monocle over his right eye that enhanced his ability to examine objects with extreme precision.
Elendithas picked up the sword carefully, his experienced fingers exploring the details of the blade and hilt. His monocle glowed as he examined the structure of the sword, his face showing surprise as he made his analysis.
"This is an exceptional piece," Elendithas said in a deep tone that echoed through the room. "The details of the forging and engraving suggest that..."
"What? Speak up, Elendithas." Garret ordered.
"It was forged by Rosalyne."
That name filled the entire dark room and sent shivers down everyone’s spine, including Garret Darksoul. No one needed any further explanation, everyone knew who Rosalyne was, the incredible heroine Rosalyne and pontiff of the Church of the Dawn, the one they believed to be the human in this world with the most divine contact, as she served and listened directly to Aela, the Guardian Goddess.
Garret laughed, very pleased with his expert’s assessment.
The other ’partners’ at the table remained silent, watching Garret’s reaction. They hadn’t expected the twins to bring anything, let alone something so important.
"What about its value?" Garret asked.
"Absolutely priceless, sir," Elendithas replied. "A more than legendary item. If the Church of the Dawn learns of this sword’s whereabouts, they will surely try to recover it. If it were in another kingdom, a war could break out over this sword alone."
Garret was absurdly impressed by what Wendell and Walrick had suddenly accomplished. A broad smile spread across his face as he imagined all the possibilities.
Elendithas, on the other hand, wasn’t as greedy and had a very rational view of things.
"Where did this come from, boys?" Elendithas asked, looking at the twins.
Wendell and Walrick exchanged a quick look, also very shocked because they didn’t know that the sword they had stolen was so valuable.
"It’s a long story," Wendell replied.
"Stories are made to be told. Tell us how you came to have such a rare sword."
Walrick sighed and agreed to tell it. "All right. It all started when we went to collect from the old tailor on Fifth Street who makes formal wear. There was a man there, a hunter with a beard and white hair. If I’m not mistaken, his name was Victor Shieldman or something like that. We tied him up and beat this hunter until he almost passed out, then we took everything he had, and in a magic pouch he kept this sword. It was quick and easy to steal it from him. Nobody saw us, don’t worry."
Contrary to the proud look on Walrick’s face, Elendithas and Garret Darksoul looked at the twins with as much surprise as if they had seen a ghost.
"Did you say... Victor Shieldman?" Elendithas asked.
"Yes, sir. Why, sir? Is there a problem?"
"YOU SONS OF BITCHES, DON’T YOU READ THE PAPERS?" Garret shouted, slamming his hand down on the table and standing up.
The twins immediately took several steps back, completely startled and confused by their boss’s unexpected reaction.
Garret took a deep breath to calm himself and returned to his seat, leaving Elendithas to patiently explain to the twins and the others the reason for such a reaction:
"Gentlemen, Victor Shieldman is the name of the man who killed the Devourer of Ships about three weeks ago. And what’s worse, he’s directly related to the Selvarum family."
"No, the worst thing was that those little shits beat up the tailor of the most dangerous person in this town... Shit, shit, shit! SHIT! GET OUT OF HERE NOW! SOMEBODY, PUT THESE BASTARDS IN THE DEEPEST ROOM YOU CAN FIND! THEN, MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, VICTOR WON’T KILL THEM!"
