BXBX NOVEL Chapter 347
“I haven’t seen any slaves Vincent owns, but I don’t think Baron Leonis Lionheart would allow his daughter Lady Lilith to marry Vincent if he did. ” Vopor replied.
Nikolai looked at Vincent again. “Are the slaves you own happy? Do you force them to do things they don’t want?” He asked again.
[What is with the sudden interrogation? This kid makes me think he wants us to respect and take good care of slaves bound to you. Is he a good or bad guy?]
[This is confusing...]
*Sigh* “They are happy. You can see them later at the wedding.” Vincent crossed his arms. “Are you happy? This is getting uncomfortable.”
Nikolai smiled and extended his hand for another handshake. “If that’s the truth, then it would be an honor to make you my second true friend. ” Nikolai spoke excitedly when he somewhat confirmed Vincent wasn’t mistreating his slaves.
[Is Nikolai pro antislavery? Well, we can’t judge a book by its cover or a person by their rumors. However, we still need to keep an eye on him just in case.]
-Yeah. I would think Nikolai is a person with an aggressively forward yet kind personality if it wasn’t for the rumors making us doubt his intentions.-
.....
Vincent felt like he was unjustly interrogated, so he decided to return the favor. He shook his hand and bluntly said, “Tell me the truth if you want us to be friends. Did you hurt or rape women?”
[...] Kazumi didn’t think Vincent would suddenly ask such a question.
“...” Similarly, Vopor froze like a statue from such a shocking question.
*Cough* Nikolai opened his eyes wide from the sudden blunt question.
Nikolai couldn’t go outside whenever he wanted and where ever he wanted. The next time he could see his friend Vopor was in the Academy.
Nikolai planned to tell his friend the truth face to face, but Vincent suddenly appeared and provided the opportunity for the two friends to meet much sooner. He was prepared to reveal the truth when the time was right, but Vincent once again changed his plans.
Nikolai looked at Vopor and then Vincent. “Hurt, yes. Rape, no.” He answered.
[Why did you ask such a delicate question so easily?]
-I wanted to be safe around him.-
“Vopor, I was planning to tell you this today, but I was asked before I found the right moment to tell you. ” Nikolai explained.
Nikolai took a deep breath and later exhaled to calm his nerves. He mustered his resolve, and a frown appeared on his face. His next words surprised Vincent, Kazumi, and Vopor.
“Every bitch that wanted me for my family fortune were all horrible women. They used their authority to mistreat their slaves. The first bitch for a fiancee met beat up her slave in front of me just because her slave tripped with a cup of tea and one drop of tea fell on her dress.” Nikolai smirked with satisfaction and continued, “I became angry and slapped her face on each side. The rumors started from there.”
“My parents didn’t condemn me for what I did, but they told me a perfect young noble lady doesn’t exist.” Nikolai smiled and warmly continued, “But what about my kind mother? I pondered. From there on, I hoped to find the one for me. A partner who isn’t abusive... but if there was one” *sigh* “they were too afraid to send their engagement application after the rumors surrounding me.”
“We, the Graymoon family, treat the slaves well, give them a better life, respect their living rights, remove their collar, and try to have a working relationship instead of a master and slave relationship. Those that accept our way will not be auctioned and remain working under us, while those that try to take advantage of us are auctioned as there were going to be. But they are mostly debt-ridden adventurers or fallen nobles.”
Nikolai turned his head to look at the maid and butler slaves carrying the last of the crates.
“I grew up surrounded by slaves that treated me kindly. Now I detest anyone who mistreats their slaves. They are like us, but bound by the eternal slave curse until a dragon god descends and cleanses high-ranked curses.”
Vopor placed his hand on Nikolai’s shoulder. “So you humiliated your fiancees the way they humiliated their slaves, right?” He asked.
*cough* “Yeah... umm, something like that.” Nikolai scratched his cheek. “One of the bitches fainted when I tore her sleave, haha... but she called me a rapist afterward... but it was only a momentary satisfaction of justice.”
“At least some of the salves I took justice in their stead ended up being auctioned in our Auction House. They are working with us now, and they look happy every day. ” Nikolai had a better expression on his face now after he said what was on his chest for a very long time. He looked at the maid and butler slaves again and smiled warmly.
[So, no matter if they were women, Nikolai beat their asses and ripped a little of their clothes to make them understand that slaves are living beings with feelings.]
-Yeah. It appears Nikolai is a kind-hearted and short-fused person.-
Vopor stared at his friend. He never knew such rumors would stem from doing acts that are humiliating by noble standards.
“I don’t care what others say. You became infamous because you stood to someone like you stood up for me when I was bullied.” Vopor smiled and continued, “You are still my friend.”
A tear crept on Nikolai’s face, and he wiped it swiftly.
Nikolai was happy to hear words he had hoped to hear for months. The fear of losing his only friend simply because he stood to what he believed was right and delivered justice was eating him alive.
Nikolai looked at Vincent and said, “Can you call me Nick if you decide to be my friend? I know I am infamous...”
“Nice to meet you, Nick.” Vincent interrupted, showing how he accepts a person that respects others, and he tries to help in his own shortsighted way.
*Clop, clop, clop* A new carriage arrived. It had the insignia of the Reddawn family.
“Announcing! Members of the Reddawn family, Lord Revos Reddawn, Lady Caramel Reddawn, and Lady Clair Reddawn have arrived.” The old butler announced loudly. Vincent, Vopor, and Nick felt their ears ring.
The third noble family had arrived. Lord Revos Reddawn and Lady Caramel Reddawn exited the carriage.
Next, a female teenager wearing a lovely red dress climbed down the steps. She had black hair and gray eyes. She was five and a half feet tall and had a curvy body.
She stopped, looked back inside, and extended her hands. A cat girl maid was helped to descend the steps. The maid looked drowsy as if she was suffering from motion sickness.
Nick gazed at the young beauty as if she was a goddess. She was helping a maid with a slave curse tattoo around her neck. The partner for life he was waiting for might be in front of his eyes.
Kazumi noticed the talkative Nick suddenly stare in one specific direction.
[Love at first sight from what I am seeing. Just look at his red cheeks and ears, hehe. Cupid Kazumi’s guesses are always correct.]
Leonis arrived, and he was breathing quickly. It appeared he ran to greet the next guests. Vopor and Nick went inside to let Vincent and Leonis greet the guests.
As the family of three climbed the small stairs to the entrance, Vincent and Kazumi questioned if Caramel Reddawn was the wife or the grandmother. Caramel Reddawn was an old woman with gray hair.
.
[Name] Caramel Reddawn
[Race] Human
[Age] 86
[Condition] Healthy
[Traits] Blood Tempered Body Stage Two
[Class] Berserker
[Stats] Strength 55 || Agility 13 || Perception 16 || Mana 0
.
[Class Berserker]
*Wild Blow
*Strong Body +15
*Nimble Body +1
*Zerk Flow
.
Vincent and Kazumi understood the possible reason as to why she was and looked much older than her husband and like a grandmother to her daughter. Caramel must have used her ability for a long duration. However, Vincent was curious, so he quickly used Inspection on both the husband and the daughter.
.
[Name] Revos Reddawn
[Race] Human
[Age] 54
[Condition] Healthy
[Traits] Mana Tempered Body Stage Four
[Class] Wizard
[Stats] Strength 24 || Agility 19 || Perception 29 || Mana 4527
.
[Class Wizard]
*Earth Wall
*Earth Dome
*Earth Spike
*Earth Shard
*Earth Manipulation
.
[Name] Clair Reddawn
[Race] Human
[Age] 18
.....
[Condition] Healthy
[Traits] None
[Class] Cook
[Stats] Strength 8 || Agility 8 || Perception 9 || Mana 127
.
[Class Cook]
*Chef’s focus
*Fowl Preparation
.
Leonis greeted the Reddawn family and presented Vincent as his soon-to-be son-in-law.
“So he is the one who saved you and helped us clear some filth from our kingdom.” Caramel Reddawn spoke, and unlike her weak body, her voice had the strength of a young, strong woman full of vitality. She p[ened a fan with an elegant flower design and smiled.
Revos Reddawn extended his hand for a handshake and congratulated Vincent. “Congratulations. Our information services are one of the best in this kingdom. Ask, and we may be able to find the person you are looking for.”
Vincent was about to shake his hand when he heard about finding a person. He didn’t tell many people about this. How did they find out? Was the question in his and Kazumi’s train of thoughts.