Chapter 316- The cousins meet

The cousins meet

The noble quarters of the city offered large stone mansions set on spacious grounds. Though not as lavish as the Ancient Houses located higher up on the hill, they offered a lifestyle that differed like heaven and earth in the eyes of the common folk. Under normal circumstances, no amount of wealth could purchase one of these abodes in Frost City. One required not only vast sums of gold but a lifetime of luck and over a generation of connections.

The last time an estate changed hands occurred over fifty years ago when more than half the males of that household perished during a demon beast expedition. Thus it was no wonder the gossip never dwindled over the counters and dining tables about the sale and resale of what was now called the Quin's Luck Estate.

Within a large upper room of the mansion of the said estate, a mismatched group of individuals bickered around two large oaken tables pushed together. The morning sun streamed inside from the wide-open windows leading out to an upper veranda.

"Tell them, Pails! Didn't you see me risking my life last night? How is asking for a thousand gold coins unreasonable, huh?"

"Elder Brother Ming surpassed all my expectations. Not only did he survive the previous battles by using his fighting skills but he defeated a Sersen by sheer luck! When that news begins to spread, he will become famous in Frost City. To defeat a Sersen by tripping and falling...I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it with my own two eyes!"

"That's right Pails. Wait, what do you mean by surpassed all your expectations? Forget it, this Elder Brother is all too forgiving. Now stop clutching those signed agreements and hand it over for me to browse. Don't you feel tired after wrapping your arms around them for an entire night?"

A snort sounded from the chair opposite the stout man whose hands had tightened around the stack of parchments.

"What luck? Stop trying to paint a heroic figure for Pails. Do you think anyone here is crazy to drop a thousand gold coins into your sieve-like hands? For someone who bartered his way down to an Indigo Mellon on the way to Frost City, you really possess a sky-high level of shamelessness."

"Why can't you leave the past buried, Miki? Chu said I am a natural actor so obviously only I could have played that part last night. I have figured out that you and Dyna always try to belittle me because you're jealous of my talents. Where is that little busybody anyway?"

"She and Chong departed yesterday out of the city to scout and prepare for the gathering next month. Most likely, they will rest at one of our farmhouses until we arrive."

Sakura joined and answered while pulling an oversized ledger book on the table nearer. With a low thump, the book opened as she slowly flipped the thick pages. Her ink-stained right hand reached for a quill.

"Pails, pass me those agreements."

The burly man immediately entrusted to her the stack of parchments he guarded without sleep since last night. With deft hands, the brunette flipped and counted the number of agreements before adding them to her records.

"Hey, hey, Pails. Just like that? You move tighter than a beggar holding onto a gold coin with this elder brother but one word from her and you come running?"

"No offense, brother Ming but even old Russ sitting over there knows she controls the money of the Behemoth Gang. Do you want me to lose the little position I worked so hard to obtain?"

"Ah, Big Brother Ming, what was that about Indigo Mellons that Sister Miki mentioned?"

Ming shot a look to answer Young Master Willow sitting next to him. He then sighed to himself.

This boy really had the makings of an alchemist since his brain apparently grasped at points way away from the main discussion. Since Chu informed them of the plan, Ming kept reminding this guy to support him in asking for a bonus. A night of constant reminders on the journey home seemed to have flown out his ears just because of some interesting statement voiced by Miki.

In the middle of spinning a tale to impress young master Willow, a melodious voice arrived from the door.

"Younger cousin, you should always take whatever story that guy tells you with a grain of salt. If you ever decide to let him control your finances, I guarantee you that you will both find yourselves begging on the streets."

Young Master Willow naturally raised his head towards the entrance. Chu stood near the entrance with his hair and some of his features still in disguise. Next to him, Grandmaster Sue stepped inside with a smile on her freckled face. Young Master Willow, however, had his eyes fixated to the young lady standing in front of them.

The pair of jade-like hands reached up to remove the hood covering her head. A lush treasure of golden waves tumbled down over her lithe shoulders. The pearl white smile on that unblemished face turned into a gentle laugh like tinkling bells. In the depths of those mesmerizing blue eyes, he observed countless emotions flash and circulate.

Young Master Willow tore away at his paralysis on viewing the fairy locking eyes with him. The golden hair and azure eyes failed to incite his desire but generated a familiar feel. Ever since his fateful encounter with grandmaster Sue at the Alchemist Guild, he suspected or rather hoped it to be more than coincidence or fate. These strange young people who gushed into his life treated him like a long lost family member.

Rising to his feet, young master Willow heart thumped wildly in anticipation.

Chu stepped forward while smiling with his still blackened teeth to create an awkward atmosphere.

"Young Master Willow, I introduce to you, Lady Amanda Thomas. If you can please follow us into the adjacent room..."

***

Chu closed the door as the three of them entered.

"As you probably suspected, master Willow. Meeting and being befriended by us was never destined by fate alone. When I or Ming or Sue requested you speak with the familiarity as family members it was not far from the truth..."

Young Master Willow raised his hand as his lips trembled to interrupt.

"Thomas...?"

Chu nodded as Amanda smiled and stepped forward.

"We have finally met, little cousin. My name is Amanda Thomas, the daughter of your aunt, Beth Willow. For too long have we fled Frost City and now we have returned home..."

Young Master Willow inhaled deeply to control the emotions threatening to totter him. For an instant, his mind warned him this may yet be some scam or despicable method to sink his family into poverty. One glance, however, at those glazed blue eyes disarmed him.

Raised to shoulder the burden of his declining family, his elders never hid the truth as to the treatment from a few noble houses. His mother always mentioned how his unknown aunt possessed a beauty and character that shamed even the best ladies in the city. In the end, she chose to marry an up and coming Sersen captain in the Military. Her marriage, however, proved futile in stemming from the lust and cravings of certain suitors.

His grandfather, the patriarch of Clan Willow stood firm like the snow-capped mountains in refusing to deny his daughter her rights to chose. For all these years, his grandfather and clan members weathered across the constant chipping of these underhanded thugs. The reach of these houses even extended to the Military as his father had been dispatched to the defense of the north pass for over ten years.

Though he tried to emulate the honor of his aged grandfather, his poor constitution impeded his progress as a warrior. Using the last of the Clan's wealth and favors, he succeeded in entering the Alchemist Guild. No matter how he struggled, his talent placed him among the averages. At the end of his rope, with no means to prevent his family from losing their title as an Ancient House, his mind nearly broke. The only thought that kept him moving forward was how he would face his father on his return.

His mother, grandfather, and elders never placed this burden on him because of his age but how could he not choose to ignore it?

The words of the young lady coupled with the experience at the guild and at the stables last night crumbled the mountain of worry. Despite the resolve to remain firm, tears trickled from his blue eyes.

"Cousin..."

***

Chu left the reunited family members and joined the others at the table.

"How come I didn't see Hope around?"

"Boss, the young lady and most of the orphanage children off duty are currently frolicking and exploring the mansion and the grounds."

"Do we have someone supervising them nearby?"

"Yes, Boss. A couple of our members are also lazying around while Doug sent a few over to also serve as guards. My wife and a few other women folk of married members are managing the kitchen and keeping an eye on the children downstairs. I've left instructions to big and small, so as to even though they are free to loaf and play, they yet need to keep a watchful eye out. I daresay even a bird would be hard-pressed to enter the estate unnoticed."

Old Russ reported with a face beaming with pride. The little accountant of the Behemoth Gang sitting and crunching numbers nearby had just mentioned about dispersing a winter bonus. The sum she quoted for the various members had caused Pails and him to splutter.

Unaware as to the cause of the beaming face on the old man, Chu turned his eyes to the scribbling brunette.

"How goes our tally so far?"

"Strangely, it is somehow more than expected. By chance, did you check them all last night?"

Sakura looked up and replied while scrunching her forehead.

"To be honest, I really browsed through them quickly since we had to begin the match. Because I announced I would accept the wagers, a lot of nobles were yelling their bets as those servants had to run around with the agreements."

"Given the play you and Ming enacted, I can only imagine the rush for easy money."

She laughed and then continued.

"But from what I asked Pails, he said he distinctly remembered the sum of those wagers yelled out by a few young masters. Take this one, for instance. Pails said this Roogar fellow was one of the first to yell out a bet of a thousand gold coins. But look here. In the agreement, he wrote two thousand gold coins and then signed and stamped over it."

Frowning, Chu scanned the agreement she handed over. He then turned to Pails.

"It's true Boss. I might forget a few things but I won't ever forget last night. Those shouts to place large wagers for the last battle remain fresh in my mind."

Chu stroked his chin while recalling the memory of last night. A short time later he broke out into a peal of uncontrollable laughter and thumped his palm on the table. Wiping away the tears, he surveyed the occupants around the table.

"I never would have thought these young masters possessed the cunning to seek their own benefits. Ming, I think you and them might mingle well together."

"What are you going on about, Chu? Come out and share it."

Ming said.

Chu pointed to the agreement he placed on the table.

"The large bets were all placed from those young masters hanging around Young Master Cleft. Most likely, he instigated them into shouting out those thousand coin bets so as to split the winnings with them. Who knew these young masters acted shrewd enough to double down on the wagers on paper in secret. For that last match, I don't think anyone thought about the consequences of Ming winning that fight."

Ming thumped the table while standing.

"Chu, this actor brother of yours is too skilled to work for a copper coin allowance. I demand a raise..."