Chapter 54 You see, this is why you’re a
"Don't look so concerned." Tommy said with a smile. "I simply want you to pass on a message for me to whoever comes to question you about what happened here."
"Very… very well." Buthed stammered.
"Inform whoever questions you regarding this matter that I will be paying Erden Cohod a visit in the castle in the future to claim his life." Tommy replied, surprising all the guards.
"Sir?" Buthed asked again.
"You heard me, as the best blacksmith in Oakforest City as well as being one of the best in the Etria empire he will most likely flee to the castle for safety. Kindly have someone pass on the message that this won't save him and I will be coming for his head soon enough."
Buthed nodded in shock at the audacity of the young man in front of him.
He had just announced that in the future he would be going to the king's castle to kill one of the most famous and best blacksmiths in the Etria Empire, he surely had to know that the king would not let this slide.
"Good, you can all leave now." Tommy said with a dismissing motion.
The guards started to slowly back away, they didn't even consider collecting the bodies of their dead comrades before they turned and fled.
The citizens who were watching from inside their houses all quickly closed their curtains and tried to pretend that they didn't see anything, except for a certain female alchemist who watched the young man who had visited her shop the other day with new found interest.
Tommy sighed before first picking up the two new shells that lay near his feet, he then walked up to the corpse of the guard captain and relieved it of anything that looked valuable before he turned and headed for Erden's forge.
Tommy was fairly certain that Erden had already fled because he was no doubt watching the show just like his neighbors. Although this meant that Tommy would have to wait to get pay back, he didn't mind since this meant he could collect something from the forge without interference.
As he stepped inside he found that the forge was indeed empty with a door at the back left open.
Tommy took a quick glance at the door before changing the magazine in his Walther PDP and placing it back in his item box before heading for the forge itself. "Since you backed out on our deal and also betrayed me by trying to have me arrested or killed I think I am due some compensation, so I will be taking your forge along with all your equipment and anything else of value here."
Tommy reached out and touched the forge hearth before willing it to enter his item box. The forge along with the bellows connected to it vanished and only a large empty space was left behind.
Tommy then went on to collect the water trough, shovels, tongs, rake, poker, a water container, anvil, sledges, tongs, swages, cutters, chisels, and hammers.
He then went over to where Erden kept his ores and collected all the copper, tin, gold, silver, iron, lead, steel and a few gem looking items.
After that Tommy went towards the sales counter and collected all the completed weapons and armor that Erden had on display.
Looking around he found a few more interesting items that caught his attention before he nodded in satisfaction and left the forge.
***
"What do you mean Bokoz's relaxation ring collapsed?" King Glador asked in shock.
He had been relaxing with his new concubine when a loud boom was heard from the north of the city.
Glador had quickly pushed the naked women off of him before dashing towards his balcony naked where he saw dust and smoke rising into the sky.
He quickly threw on some clothes before leaving the room and heading to his office while calling for his assistant.
"It didn't take the assistant long to arrive and inform Glador that he had already dispatched some guards to investigate the matter and one of those guards was now standing before him.
"It's as I said sire." The guard said. "When we arrived we found that Bokoz's relaxation ring's building had collapsed entirely and that it even seemed to have sunk into the ground."
"If I had to guess I would say that one or more of the supports for their illegal underground arena gave way causing the ceiling and building to collapse."
As Glador was about to ask a question the door was rudely pushed open with asking for permission as Tinen and Chelna walked in before Tinen asked. "What happened you shrivel dick? How could part of the city just collapse?"
Glador ground his teeth in anger before forcing himself to calm down and say, "We don't know, it's still being investigated, though the current theory is one or more of the support structures for the illegal underground fighting arena gave way causing the collapse."
"Idiot," Tinen cursed before saying. "I advised you after we first got married to shut that illegal arena down but did you listen to any of my advice?"
"Do we know how many people were caught in the incident father?" Chelna asked with concern.
While Chelna did not like her father and had been taught by her mother to be disrespectful towards him, she was at least sensible enough to show a modicum of respect when in the presence of outsiders such as the guard.
Gladorr looked at his assistant and the guard since he had not bothered to ask for this information.
"You didn't even bother to ask about the well-being of your own citizens, you useless shrivel dick?" Tinen said. "That's the first thing a ruler should inquire about you useless idiot."
Unlike her daughter, she had no problem addressing him as such in front of the guard. The only time she would show respect towards Glador was when it suited her.
The assistant quickly answered to try and change the subject. "As of yet we don't have a figure princess as we have just started the search for survivors. However, from the level of destruction left by Bokoz's relaxation ring's collapse, it does not look good."
"Bokoz's relaxation ring!" Chelna said with surprise before she and Tinen shared a look.
A moment later hurried footsteps were heard from the still open door as another guard rushed in before saying.
"Sire Erden Cohod is here to see you, he claims to have news regarding the deaths of Yua Huang as well as six city guards who have just been killed."
"What!" Everyone in the room said in surprise.
"What city guards?" Glador asked.
He claims that the same man who killed Yua Huang just killed six city guards outside his forge while trying to apprehend the perpetrator." The guard replied.
"Why am I only hearing about the guards going to arrest this person now?" Glador asked angrily before ordering, "bring him here at once."
"Yes sire." The guard replied with a salute before leaving.
"You see, this is why you're a crap ruler shrivel dick." Tinen began. "Even your own guards don't report things to you, probably because they were doing something corrupt that would get them benefits like their king."
"You and your ancestors have let this city become a cesspit for corruption and all of you have refused to do anything about it."
"Silence you bitch." Glador snapped. "You know very well the agreement my ancestor, the kingdom of Rosk's founder, agreed with the warlord, we have only been abiding by that agreement."
"Bullshit." Tinen scoffed. "How many years has it been since the kingdoms founder and the warlord kicked the bucket?"
"The reason you and your ancestors have all refused to do anything is because of the bribes you have all been receiving from each of the leaders' criminal activities."
"How do you know that you scheming whore?" Glador asked angrily.
"I'm a whore? Tinen laughed." Oh please, you're the one who gets a new concubine every few months before getting rid of them and replacing them."
"I on the other hand haven't slept with another man since I got pregnant with our children."
Chelna sighed while shaking her head at her parents' argument while Gladors assistant and the guard had sweat running down their forehead.
Glador's face was red with anger and he balled his fists angrily while forcing himself to calm down.
If it was anyone else who spoke to him like that he would have claimed their head, however Tinen just happened to be the one person he feared touching, not only was she more powerful than him but her older brother was the Emperor.
When the previous Emperor agreed to marry Tinen to Glador he thought this was his opportunity to rise since he was marrying into the imperial family. However he knew that Tinen resented him for forcing her to marry him and because of this she never once supported him in his rise in the imperial family.
As Glador was about to respond everyone once again heard the sound of hurried footsteps before Erden Cohod entered, escorted by the guard.