Tynesday, 21st of Augustus, 470th Year of the Fifth Era

The thug-looking man got up from his seat as he started walking towards Horace in stride. The other thugs were also starting to do more menacing things. One of them even pulled out a dagger as he started playing with it, tossing and twirling it on the table.

Josias frowned at the scene. The wolfish grins on their faces reminded him too much of those bastard pagan kings. Demons in the clothing of men, out only for their own self interest.

As he was about to stand up, Josias felt someone holding his arm. His wife had stopped him. Captain Farnaby also shook his head towards him. In a low voice, he whispered, "Don't get involved, lad."

"Master Brendan, please I ask for patience." Horace said as he bowed his head "I've already informed you that father will be returning shortly soon."

"How much longer are we supposed to wait, boy? The debt was due days ago and with each passing day…" The thug was now finally in front of Horace, standing a full head above him "The interest isn't getting any smaller."

"We understand that, sir, and as I've said…-!!"

The thug took out a dagger from his belt and threw it viciously into one of the beer kegs on the bar stand. The musicians had long stopped playing their music and the other patrons were no longer making any merry. A few of the other patrons even left the premises as soon as the tension in the air rose. Josias wondered if they all had paid before leaving.

The thug looked back to Horace as he placed both his hands on the young man's shoulders. He was smiling but anyone with functional eyes could see there was only malice hidden behind his eyes.

"You're a young lad, and I'd hate to see you get hurt over such matters." The thug said "So, I'll say this again. Get me the money that is owed – and it's interest – and me and my friends will leave you in peace. We're being very generous here, boy… Don't take my words for idle banter."

"Please, master Brendan, I'm begging you…"

"Okay, it seems you're not picking up what I'm putting down here, boy." The thug rolled his eyes before he pulled out another dagger from his belt. "Maybe roughing you up a bit would get you back to your senses."

Josias was almost at the limit of his patience. If it weren't for his wife and the captain stopping him, he would've intervened long before. He also saw that the rest of his companions didn't have the most pleased expression.

Thug raised his hand and looked to strike Horace with the pommel of his dagger. The strike was about to land when someone came rushing in from the outside.

"Don't touch my boy, damn you!" A bald, middle-aged, tan-skinned man had come in and swatted away the thug's hand. "The debt is mine and mine alone!"

"Don't you dare touch me, filth." The thug shoved the man back but it didn't move him much. "Where's the money, savage filth?!"

"Father…" Horace said as the man had put himself between Horace and the thug.

"I have the money, so you can stop accosting my business!" The Halak man was taller than Horace though he still stood an inch shorter than the thug. Regardless, he pushed the thug away from him, causing the thug to stumble a bit.

The thug looked back in anger but the bald man took out a coin purse and threw it at the thug's face. It was an amusing scene all things considered.

"Take your money and never return to my establishment again!"

"You arrogant savage!" The thug had an enraged gaze as he held the pouch before throwing it to one of his subordinates. "Barry, count the coins in that fockin' bag!"

Immediately, another thug started counting the coins.

"Seven gold crowns here, boss." The other thug said.

"Hooh, you actually got the money, eh?" The thug Brendan gave a sneer but his eyes were still locked onto the Halak man, filled with hate.

"Yes. Now that you have it, you can kindly fuck off." Horace's father crossed his arms.

Josias fully expected the situation to end then and there but the thug wasn't moving an inch. Instead he had held out his hand again. Horace's father raised an eyebrow with a frown.

"What else do you want? I already paid you what I owed!" The tavern owner's tone was getting more impatient with the thug.

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk." The thug Brendan shook his head as he waggled a finger in front of the tavern owner's face. "Unfortunately, Peter, your debt was due quite a few days ago. This sum of money is worth only a little more than the initial loan you took. The full interest in being late has yet to be accounted for, hahahahahah!"

Horace's father grit his teeth as his hands shook. However, it looked like he was still able to swallow his rage.

"How much more, then?"

"Oh, don't look at me with that face." For a split second, the thug shot a nasty grimace. However, he was quick to put a fake smile back on while holding up two fingers. "Two more gold crowns and we'll be out of your hair."

Josias saw Horace and his father's face agape with shock. He didn't know how much that cost but it must've been a lot judging from their faces.

"Are you insane?! That's almost a third of the initial!"

"Well that just goes to show you how kind I am, savage." All pretenses of civility were gone from the thug's faces "If I were to truly be ruthless, I would've asked for three."

"It already took so much to get that pouch worth of coins, and now you do this?! How do you expect me to pay for that?!"

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The thug shrugged his shoulders. "Well, you could always sell this place to us… at a discount of course… Or…"

The thug's eyes wandered past the tavern owner. They then locked on to a young woman standing behind the tavern owner. The devilish grin on his face caused the hairs on Josias' neck to stand.

"Our master's brothels have been in need of some new girls… ain't that right, boys?" The other thugs laughed and chuckled as their leader said that "But, again my kindness knows no bounds. If you agree to just give your oldest there, we might even leave two crowns for you."

"You bastard!!" The tavern owner's face was flushed red as he rushed at the thug.

"Father, don't!"

"Papa!"

Horace and his sisters moved to hold their father back, but they were too late. The other thugs had already moved in to intercept the tavern owner.

Josias widened his eyes as he noticed the aura appearing from Horace's father. Judging from the uncoloured yet violent force, he was a third star aura warrior.

It didn't look like any of the thugs were capable of wielding aura. Well, except for their leader, Brendan. He looked like he was at least a two-star warrior. Theoretically, even with some difficulty, a third-star warrior should be able to mop the floor with thugs like that.

Horace's father was pinning Brendan down on the ground, but soon he was tackled back by the other thugs. Some of them even stabbed their daggers into him. Horace didn't look like he was thinking things through any more as he moved to help his father. His sisters, on the other hand, were screeching with terror at the violence.

Josias was confused as to why there weren't any guards there. Were they blind and deaf or did they just not care?

"Ingkon taurupi amang I dohot si Horace. (We have to help them.)" Josias spoke out firmly to which his companions all nodded."

By this point, most of the other patrons had exited the premises and made their escape. Josias and the rest of his companions immediately stood up as they brandished their sabers. They had entrusted the women and children to move a bit further back. Josias motioned for Timotheus and Reverend Nalom to protect them.

Horace had been thrown back by one of the thugs and was writhing on the ground. Josias was mistaken. Some of the other thugs were at least on the first star of aura.

The tavern owner was now the one being tackled to the ground by the thugs. His face was being pommeled over and over by Brendan. The thug had an obscene smile as he continued landing blows on the man's face.

"You damned savage! You dare try to attack me?!" The thug jeered between punches "Don't you realise…? Harming me is the same thing as spitting on Captain Henry Devin!"

Just as another punch was about to land on the tavern owner's face, Josias had appeared and grabbed a hold of Brendan's wrist.

"That's enough." Josias said while his companion stood around him. They were all brandishing their sabres towards the thugs' necks.

They had used their aura to quickly move in. None of the thugs appeared to have seen them coming. One of the thugs yelped out in fear as he stumbled backwards. Josias and his companions were careful to not let out too much of their aura. However, Josias leaked just enough for the thugs to sense that they meant business.

"W-w-what is the meaning of this…?!! Wh-who are you?!" The tip of Josias' sabre was now less than a hairbreadth away from the thug's throat.

"Stand back, cretin." Josias said in an icy tone "Assaulting a man in his own home is an insult."

"...Hmph! You're going to butt into a matter that has nothing to do with you? Away with you, savage outlander."

"Or what?"

"Eh?"

"You must forgive us, kind sir. As you rightly notice, me and my outsiders are strangers to these lands. We're not quite used to how you operate around here. What will you do if we don't move out of your way? You'll call the guards? Maybe you can, but I'd wager you won't keep your life by the time that happens."

Josias spoke in a calm voice yet his eyes remained trained on the thug. His hands were steady. Steady as his sabre inched ever closer to the thug's neck. He could see the thug's eyes darting around, catching a glimpse of the other thugs in a similar situation. The thug wisely didn't say anything more.

"Hasian, see if you can't do something about the tavern owner's injuries." Josias sighed before he motioned for Serena and Ruth to take a look at Horace's father. They quickly moved the man to a safer area and opened his clothes, revealing the stab wounds. The two of them immediately got to work on tending the man's injuries.

"...Who are you?" The thug Brendan asked Josias. "Are you that savage's ally?"

"I've only just met him today." Josias shrugged "But I'm not too keen on just sitting back as I watch an injustice."

"We didn't force him to take a loan from us…! He knew the consequences!"

Josias fell silent for a little. He couldn't push his luck too much. With all the people running from the tavern, some guards might very well come in to see what was going on. He didn't want to leverage Serena's status as a Count's niece too much. Not especially since they haven't even met the man yet.

Thinking about what best to do, Josias was reminded of something.

"Captain Farnaby." Josias called out "Can you specify to me how much our share was on the kraken hunt?"

"I can't say for sure as we haven't sold everything yet, but at least four gold crowns, lad." The old captain answered.

"Ah, perfect. That means we'd still have money to spare after helping the tavern owner. If you would be so kind and give these gentlemen two of those crowns."

Captain Farnaby shrugged but had a faint smile on his face at Josias' request. He took two gold coins and threw them at one of the thugs. The thug examined the coins and nodded at the leader.

"Well, then that means your business here is concluded, no?" Josias said as his eyes didn't waver from the thug's even a little.

The thug Brendan breathed out a sigh but still had a frown on his face.

"...It's concluded." The thug said as he motioned his head towards the door to the other thugs. Josias nodded to his companions as they all sheathed their weapons.

Not a second after, two armed guards had entered the tavern.

"What's going on here? We heard there was some sort of commotion, here!" One of the guards said.

The thug Brendan merely shook his head at the guard as he spoke. "Nah. Nothing to see here. Our business is concluded."

With that, the thugs left the scene of the tavern. The guards – despite clearly seeing the tavern owner injured on the ground – chose to accept Brendan's explanation and left the premises as well. Josias clicked his tongue as he saw that.

Regardless, the situation was averted for now.

Horace immediately came rushing towards Josias and knelt to the ground, bowing. Horace's sisters also knelt beside him towards Josias and his companions.

"...Thank you so much, milord!" Horace said as Josias could hear the shake in his voice.

Josias smiled as he helped the young man up.

"It's nothing to worry about. I can only hope your father's alright." Josias said as he then looked back to his table which was covered in spilled bowls of porridge. He and his companions had knocked it over when they rushed to subdue the thugs.

Josias smiled as he pointed towards the table and joked "Ah, but if you don't mind, can we trouble you to get us new bowls of porridge? We're still quite famished."

Horace looked at Josias blankly for a while. Josias could only laugh at his expression.

"Not a problem! We'll get right onto it!" It was Horace's elder sister who replied instead. She and the rest of her sisters immediately got up and went back to the kitchen.

"...Ah! Wait for me! We can't keep the noble guests waiting!" Horace snapped out of his slump as he called out and followed after his siblings.

Josias chuckled at the sight of Horace and his siblings full of energy. A weight seemed to be lifted off of their shoulders and that was good. After all, Josias couldn't dream of letting a fellow son of the Halak suffer like that.

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