"A pleasure to meet you, Lord Count Brandon of Blair. Allow me to introduce myself: my name is André Solomon, Viscount of Solomon."
In a dark room of some random mansion of Black City the Count of Blair was confined. Security and lack of concern could be noticed on his face, despite the situation in which he found himself.
"Oh, boy, at last you have come to see me. Hurry up and let us negotiate the conditions of my liberation. I am eager to return to my mansion." The count smiled happily upon seeing André's arrival. It seemed he had found his exit ticket from that dark place.
"Hehehe, I see you have a great deal of confidence, Lord Count. What makes you think you will leave all this alive?" André smiled mockingly while interrogating him.
"Hahaha, do not try to scare me, boy. You would not dare to kill me; you only want to raise the price in the negotiations. Very well, I have lost the game, so you can request anything as long as it is within my capacities." The count cursed in his heart the greedy boy, but he knew that his priority was to leave there. He did not try to negotiate conditions, swearing in his mind that he would obtain revenge in the future.
"It seems, Lord Count, that you have misunderstood something. Right now you are alive simply because I need to know something from you. Otherwise, you would have been executed on the battlefield." André's cold words, for the first time, caused fluctuations on the count's calm face.
"I tell you, boy, the consequences of ending my life will be unimaginable for you. The best for you is to negotiate a liberation price and I assure you that I will not cause you more problems. Likewise, you will make yourself a favorable image before the entire world for your magnanimity." With a frightened face, the count tried to convince André to liberate him.
"That is not under discussion. Your life ended from the moment you were greedy for what belongs to me and tried to attack me in my territory. Only answer me a few questions and I will give you a quick and painless end." André lost all courtesy, speaking to him harshly.
"I see that you seriously want my life. Then do not think that anything will come out of my mouth. Whatever it is that you want to ask me, if you want an answer you will have to guarantee me that I will leave here alive." The count's face was pale. Upon seeing that he still had something that interested André, he tried to grasp that small lifesaving straw.
"I see that the Lord Count does not seem to understand his own situation. There will not be an end in which he leaves here alive. So it is better to cooperate with me and avoid suffering terribly before dying. Do not believe that the fact that I want to know something from you makes you indispensable. It is only the fastest path to know what I want. I equally have the form of finding it out; it will only take me more time.
Now tell me: who is the sponsor behind you? Who in Green City instructed you to invade my territory?"
These words sounded like thunder in the count's mind. He had not expected that the boy knew of this matter.
"Hahaha, do not believe that I do not know it. You began calculating me early; otherwise you would not have a spy so close to me. I did not expect that the stupid maid even knew of this. Since I will die anyway, then do not dream that I will tell it to you. I am certain that that person will come after you in the future. Then live with the uncertainty, hahaha." Having certainty that he would die, the count entered a state of madness.
"Since you do not worry about what happens to you, then you should worry about your family. I heard that you have a beautiful granddaughter. I wonder what would happen to her if she remained at the mercy of the group of barbarian soldiers. Frankly, I do not want to witness a scene like that. Be certain that I will not look if that comes to pass." André spoke very seriously, causing the count's body to become rigid. His throat was dry and his face pale; it seemed that at any moment he would explode in rage.
"Puff, puff, puff… please, forgive my family. I will tell you everything you want to know; I only need you to promise me that you will protect their security. I assure you that they will not take actions against you in the future. I am willing to write a testament recognizing you as sole lord of my territory. Please, I beg you." The count suddenly knelt, then strongly struck his head against the wooden floor, imploring for the security of his family before André.
"If you tell me everything you know, I assure you that I will personally make certain of the security of your entire family, with the premise that none of them is against me." André did not hesitate and promised this simple condition.
"Can I trust in your words?"
"Right now you have no other option. So begin speaking before I think that you are trying to deceive me." André's words did not manage to completely alleviate the count's concerns, but this was the best he could obtain.
"Very well, I will tell you everything I know. Everything began three months ago, when I suddenly received an envoy from Green City. This one brought me a letter without any seal. After opening the letter, it was seen that it concerned Duke Bloom. In it he urged me to conquer your territory and completely eradicate your Solomon family. He assured me that there would be no consequences of my acts and that afterward we would divide the profit equally.
Although I knew that, once he realized the value of the things in your viscounty, Duke Bloom would never divide the profits equally with me, even so my benefits would be enormous and I would have a friendship with him. He is a ruthless man, so you will already know what awaits you in the future. I only hope that you fulfill your promise. The rest will no longer matter to me. You can write the testament and then I will sign it." After saying these words, the count seemed to age a great deal.
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