Chương 157: The Trap Is Set

In the days that followed, a persistent rumor began spreading throughout Aqareth. Ravetrisk's slaves were sick. Weak. Reduced to skin and bones. To spread it, Felicity and the others pretended to discuss it among themselves, keeping their voices just loud enough for the other tables to hear. They chose the evening, when the inn was packed. Those who overheard them told their acquaintances, and before long, the rumors multiplied.

The story changed with every retelling, but the message remained the same: Ravetrisk's slaves were of poor quality. At the inn, some spoke about it in hushed voices, their expressions filled with concern.

"They say some kind of disease has spread throughout the entire underground…now his slaves are nothing but skin and bones. Even the elves".

"Apparently, some people caught the same disease after buying them".

"Should we find another seller?" At a table farther back, two men stared at their untouched drinks.

"I bought a slave girl from Ravetrisk a few months ago…" one of them said, swallowing nervously.

"What if she passed something on to me?"

"I bought two. Two girls I used as personal servants. They washed our clothes…shit, they even cooked for my children…" A shadow fell over them. A towering man, nearly two meters tall, with dark skin and a body sculpted like stone. Two short swords hung from his waist. Without saying a word, he grabbed one of the men by the throat and lifted him off the ground.

"Who put these ideas into your heads?" he growled.

"W-what…?" The man gasped for air. The grip tightened.

"The rumors about the slaves. Who did you hear them from?"

"F-from other men…at an inn…nearby…"

"They're false. If I hear you spreading rumors like this again, I'll kill you. Both of you. Am I clear?" The two men nodded in terror. The man dropped his victim to the ground like a rag and turned toward the exit. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Someone whispered, pale with fear.

"That's Abrafo…Ravetrisk's right-hand man".

"They say he can tear your head off with his bare hands…"

"Once, he stopped a man's heart with a single punch…his strength is monstrous". Abrafo walked away with heavy footsteps, determined to find whoever had started spreading the rumors. In the underground, one of Ravetrisk's subordinates approached him, then stopped. Ravetrisk was hunched over a corpse. The slave's face was completely mangled. He looked as though he had been repeatedly struck with incredibly powerful punches. Ravetrisk's knuckles were still bleeding.

"Don't be afraid…I killed him because he had back pain. I did it to keep those rumors from spreading". The subordinate knew that wasn't the real reason. Ravetrisk had been enraged by the rumors about his slaves and had probably taken out all his anger on a random slave he considered insignificant enough to sacrifice. Of course, he didn't dare contradict him.

"I-I understand, boss…" the man stammered.

"I came to tell you that the blond slave…bit his tongue. We believe he's dead". Ravetrisk narrowed his eyes.

"He really cared that much about that little girl…damn it. I should have had him watched more closely. Take me to him. I want to make sure he's dead myself". They walked to the cell.

"He's dead…because of you!" Shigeru shouted.

"Shut up", the subordinate growled. Ravetrisk opened the cell and crouched beside Ethan. He forced his mouth open to check his tongue. At that instant, Ethan's eyes flew open. With a savage bite, he tore off two of his fingers. He spat them onto the ground, then pulled on his chains with all the strength he had. For days, he had done nothing but strain against them whenever he had the chance, slowly loosening the screws. Now, one final pull fueled by all the rage inside him was enough to break them.

In a flash, Ethan seized Ravetrisk's subordinate's sword and decapitated him with a precise, clean slash. The man's head fell at his feet. Ravetrisk staggered backward, blood dripping from his mutilated hand.

"You son of a bitch…" Ethan stared at him, his eyes filled with pure hatred.

"Don't run…you're next", he said in a calm, unsettling voice. He took a step forward, tightening his grip on the sword.

"But I think I'll make you suffer first…I won't just kill you". He took a deep breath.

"I'll gut you alive!" Ravetrisk clenched his teeth and assumed his stance.

"You pathetic slave…how dare you speak to me like that?!" The two stared each other down, ready to clash. Yet it was obvious which of them had more to fight for. Back at the inn, Felicity and the others sat in silence.

"The rumors spread like a disease", Makena said.

"Yes. They must have noticed by now", Elion added. At that moment, the door burst open. Abrafo entered. Silence fell. The man looked around, then drew his two short swords.

"I'll make this clear", he said in a low voice.

"Several witnesses told me the rumors started here. Who was spreading those false rumors?" No one answered.

"Do I have to start killing people at random until someone talks? Anyone who knows me knows I have no problem doing that". The patrons exchanged frightened glances. Abrafo's terrifying reputation made the threat sound completely genuine. Eventually, one man—the first to have heard the rumors—pointed at Felicity's group.

"I heard them from them…" At that point, the others joined in as well, even though they had never seen Felicity or the others before.

"Yeah, me too".

"That's right. They were the ones who started spreading them". Abrafo turned toward the group.

"Good. Everyone, get out. This inn is about to become a bloodbath". They didn't need to be told twice. One by one, everyone left the inn until only Abrafo and the group remained. Felicity looked at him.

"Looks like the plan worked".