abcnovels
Chapter 192
Chapter 192: The Challenge of the Lord
Elliot slammed his hand on the table. "Why in the hell would a father would do that?"
"Elliot, just listen to me first," Florencia said. "It wasn't even long since I knew that Christina had a title before."
"A title?" Elliot quirked his brow up. "You mean like an Adventurer title?"
Florencia shook her head, "No. Royals and Nobles give titles to their daughters or to themselves. This was like a status symbol for them. The Son of This, the Master of That, those kinds of titles. And Christina's title was The Rain that was Never Loved."
"So, her father has never had any intentions of keeping her?" Elliot scoffed. "That's preposterous. I know not all nobles are like this, but the amount of them who do so… it's ridiculous."
"And we can't do anything about her abduction," Florencia said. "Their city isn't as small as she told us. It wasn't even the real name of the city. Her father is Lord Salvador of Stalliosa, the third largest city after Solaguer and Alorde."
Stalliosa, the Spice City of the South is known for their rich spices and the large variety of it. The spices was known all throughout the kingdom, this earning them the title. It was also as old as Alorde, being established just four decades after the former royal capital.
Salliosa had a different ways in terms of its power under the Kingdom of Avancia. Salliosa was not fully under the kingdom and they could make, abolish, and alter laws in their city.
This was because Salliosa monopolized the spices of the kingdom. Their trade was one of the most valuable and they somehow made the other cities not produce their own spices with the law they made when there were only a few cities.
It had been a common knowledge that the lords of Salliosa, even at the beginning of the kingdom, were all ruthless. The lords were greedy, they wanted things to go their way and they do not want to be held down by a greater power.
Their spices are also in demand for the neighboring kingdoms. When they see that the Royal Family would do something that would not go in their favor, Salliosa would threaten to lock its borders, making conflicts with Avancia and the other kingdoms.
"So, basically they're the black sheep among the cities," Ed sighed.
"Very good analogy, but yes," Florencia sighed. "Even my father has had a hard time negotiating with them. Spices are demand in a lot of things and brewing and magic are extensions of that demand. It's so hard."
"But that lord needs to be put to place," Elliot said. "We need to go there and–"
"No," Lance cut Elliot off. "You're going to do something again and I do not agree with it completely. The thin string that holds our kingdom with Salliosa, we cannot risk it."
"But they'll kill her," Elliot said, standing and tried to become intimidating even when he was only in shoulder's length compared to Lance. "Can we just let her die for the sake of this petty relationship?"josei
"You don't understand politics, Elliot," Lance said with a stoic expression. "The Royal Family can't even hold them even when they have the supreme authority in this kingdom. What can you do?"
Elliot was silent for a moment. He sighed and shrugged, "Whatever reckless thing I did before for a goal, they all worked."
"But at an expense," Lance said. "Just calm down first, okay? Lord Salvador isn't the previous lords we encountered. He's not a pervert, or money hungry. He's just ruthless."
"Okay, so what do we do?" Elliot asked, the thick sarcasm was in his voice that made Lance groan.
"Just calm down first. I'll try to negotiate," Lance said. He sighed and was about to walk away when Elliot grabbed his wrist.
"No," Elliot said. "You can't be involved in this. If that man knows you're involved in this, he'll use you."
"Now you're thinking," Lance found himself chuckling. He ruffled Elliot's hair and patted the boy's head. "Good dog."
"Screw off," Elliot deadpanned. "But do you have any other plans for this? I don't think I have one."
Lance thought for a moment. They were silent for a few seconds before Florencia raised her hand. "I think I have an idea."
"Spill," Connor said.
"Lord Salvador likes challenges more than anything," Florencia started. "If we somehow get him to challenge us, in exchange, he has to free Christina, then we'll win."
"Yeah," Ed nodded, narrowing his eyes. "I bet there's no challenge that we can't do. We already did a lot of stunts before. Something like fighting a bull or a gorilla wouldn't hurt."
"That's not the challenges he's going to give, I bet," Florencia sighed. "I will send him an anonymous letter. If we're lucky, he'll respond."
"And if we're not?" Elliot asked worriedly. "What's going to happen then?"
Florencia shrugged, "You better prepare another plan."
–
Elliot was back at the rooftop the next day, draped in the yellow blanket and a coffee in his hand. The city was starting to light up as the sun was slowly sinking by the horizon. The orange skies was now covered by darkness, stars waking up from their sleep and was now littering the skies once again.
"Elliot!" He heard Florencia's voice downstairs. He got excited and stood, waiting for Florencia to come up with his friends.
There was an excitement in her voice and he knew they got Lord Salvador's response. Whatever it may be, he will do it. He was confident enough that he could do it.
This was for one of his students now. Even when Christina was only been with them for a short while, they had bonded and it was something that he didn't want to lose.
Because her father had plans on killing her.
The rooftop door opened and Florencia ran outside, an envelope in her hand. "I have his response!"
Without hesitating, Elliot ripped the envelope open, taking out the letter inside, reading it out loud.
"To you, I know Christina was affiliated with a guild when she was lost, but I do not know which guild. Perhaps you're one of the strongest guilds that's on the Top 10, or the ones who couldn't even make it to the first Elimination Round, but know this, if you manage to win the Championship of the Greats, Christina will be set free."
"I am so humble that I'll even let her have her title as the Heiress of Salliosa. I will not marry her to a man she does not wish to marry and I will leave my seat once you win. I'll even let the commoners out of the Royal Dungeons myself."
Elliot stuttered as he read the last line. "B-But if you lose, then you will also… everyone. Sincerely, Lord Salvador."