You Can't Hide Rage

Nobody had slept and they were all exhausted except Lorenzo who had won thousands and thousands of petals. The rest of them did okay, but Naoki had lost way more than he had thought. Even if he gathered the petals from all of them, he still lost a huge amount that would take months to get back. He was lucky to even have the money from selling the chaplets that they found, but he didn’t have time to go look around and gather a bunch of common chaplets that didn’t sell for much.

Lorenzo: “Oh what fun this has been! I do have duties to attend to though. After all, I have a big place that I rule over. Come see me tonight with any questions you have. I am an honest man and I promised you that I would hear you out, so meet me in exactly 9 hours in this exact spot. That goes for all of you as well, but rest assured, we have eyes all over the place.”

He walked out and his guards escorted them outside the facility allowing them to go anywhere they wanted to. Souta’s stomach raged with a burning fire on the inside, but learned how to calm himself down somewhat around Naoki. He knew what they were looking for was more important than his temper, although it did still tend to slip now and then.

Welpen, Ryoko, and Saikou followed them around, talking for hours about what they had been up to. Of course, Naoki lied to them, but did tell the truth about the chaplet hunt and what it was. Welpen was extremely disappointed, not knowing about it. He would’ve gladly headed over there and tried his best to look for some. It certainly would’ve helped his money situation, but Naoki allowed them to keep the money they earned from earlier.

Welpen was very grateful, and in his mind, they had so much money, but of course he was only interested in spending it on food. Naoki ushered them away from the streets, which wasn’t dangerous, but neither of them had weapons and they weren’t strong enough to use mana and their swords on their own if something happened. They had to rely on physical fights, which they were not favored in besides Souta.

There was an interesting area that they wanted to walk around in. The ground as well as the buildings were all made out of pure grass. They wondered how these buildings were still standing. They weren’t big, but they weren’t small either. This was another area where people sold food also along with books and other accessories.

Welpen and Ryoko’s clothes weren’t as filthy as before having been helped by that weird man, so he didn’t really need anything. They entered inside a facility where some people were spectating. They watched through the glass on the walls inside where people were watching others melting down tons of Petals into its raw material.

Welpen asked a nearby observer, “Excuse me, but what are they doing?” The man answered simply, “They do almost everyday. They melt down the material from Petals and make other items. Sometimes they make weapons, but most of the time, they make furniture that the wealthier people can afford. Imagine having that in your house. A table made of money would be awesome to have.”

Souta: “What’s the big deal? They are just turning money into something that costs more money. Who the hell would buy that?”

Naoki: “I know a lot of people that would unfortunately. People are ridiculous and get so bored that they buy petty things to make them happy. Come on, let’s go eat. I think the boys are hungry and I need to shut my eyes for an hour. Can I trust you to keep watch on them?”

Souta: “What kind of question is that? Of course not. Screw these kids.”

Naoki: “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Fine, my eyes will just suffer until tonight. Hopefully that man doesn’t kill us with what I’m going to say.”

Souta: “Yeah, this is gonna be fun. I can’t wait for tonight. He thinks you’re gonna ask him a legitimate question, but little does he know. I’m gonna be laughing so hard on the inside that it might spurt out by accident.”

Naoki: “Don’t ruin this Souta. We have to make him think we are on his side. Play your role and we can get out of this place in a couple weeks. Don’t get these boys killed either or I won’t forgive you.”

Souta: “Such a softy! God, loosen up. I’m not gonna ruin anything. All I’m gonna do is laugh a little.”

Welpen: “Man, the food here is so good! Saikou, I wish you would eat, but I understand. You probably aren’t that hungry.”

Ryoko: “Been days Welpen. He no eat.”

Welpen: “Oh, that’s right. Well maybe he only eats once a week. We just have to respect his wishes.”

The 5 of them awaited the rest of the day not knowing what to do, but when the night approached, they headed back to stir potential chaos. They met Lorenzo in the same room from before, but this time, he was dressed in pajamas made out of petals. Souta laughed and even Naoki couldn’t help but think of what he had just said hours ago. Welpen complimented Lorenzo’s outfit, who continued to boast about how expensive it was, which was a complete shot at Naoki on purpose.

Lorenzo: “Now, I don’t have as much time as I had said, but I can hear you all for about 10 minutes. I will allow one question each for your cooperation. Welpen, you may start. After all, don’t tell everyone this, but you are my favorite.”

Welpen: B-But, they just heard you all say that.”

Lorenzo: “Oh my heavens, they did, didn’t they! My apologies to all. We shall move on from that. What is your question, Welpen?”

Welpen: “I haven’t really thought of a question, but I guess I would ask…Are you married? Because I know this woman that would really like you and she is sort of like my mother in a sense. Her name is Clara.”

Lorenzo: “What a great question! I must say though that I am married. My wife is off elsewhere. She doesn't feel the best though, so I regret to say that she cannot come out and meet you all. Maybe one day if you choose to stay here as my apprentices, then you could meet her, but we will discuss that at a different time. Next question! Ryoko, please ask away.”

Ryoko: “Umm, processing…Borrow bow and arrow?”

Lorenzo: “A bow and arrow? You would like one? I can do that! I see the one you have is starting to break. Guards, go fetch me the silver bow and arrow that I’ve had in my room for the past year! Now, it may not be the best because it was a first generation prototype, but I haven’t even used it once. It should be similar to the Links we use, and it has that same design. My apologies though because I only have about 10 arrows for you and they are all laced with extracted mana dealing with agility. They will fly faster and even dash mid air, but the only colors I put on the actual bow was one red and one green lining, so it simply has strength and agility. Hopefully it will do you some good though. Oh, as for the two of you over there, your weapons are waiting by the front door for when you leave. Now, Saikou, my boy, what would you like to ask? Oh my, I forgot you cannot speak. I will try to decipher the best I can.”

Saikou pointed at Welpen and Ryoko and then tried making a hugging motion and a heart.

Lorenzo: “Ah, I think I know! You want friends! Well, they are already great friends, so I cannot give you much more than you have, but let’s all hug, shall we?”

Souta and Naoki were really questioning if this was the same man throughout the years that had been rumored to be a fearless leader and gambler. He was somewhat known through the Lands of Toff, at least by the bigger figures, but he was supposed to be someone who did not care and had no intention of helping anyone but his people, and even that was in question. This was not who they had thought he was at all.

Souta was up next and he asked for a Yellow Egress Chaplet so that he didn’t have to walk all the way back home. Lorenzo did have chaplets, but he didn’t like the idea of them, so he declined that. Souta was mad because he had granted the kids wishes, but not his, but he restrained himself.

Naoki, who was last, then said something so obscene that it caused disturbance in the air. He did not ask a question, but instead stated a fact.

Naoki: I do not wish to say this, but I admire you and wish for shelter from the Lands of Toff. They have punished us for years and it is unbearable. So, I say this with great sorrow, but…One of the Great Swordsmen of the land has…Killed your only two sons.”

Lorenzo: “What did you just say to me?”

Naoki got on one knee and bowed down to him and repeated what had happened. He said this in the most polite and heartfelt way he could manage, but deep down he truly did not care. This was all for his future goals.

Lorenzo’s eyes turned cold.

Tears flurried in his eyes, but they did not fall to his skin. Becoming a leader had made him more fearless than ever, although that did not mean that he shut out everything in life.

He had these boys at an extremely young age, and years prior to this, he kicked them out because he could not manage between raising them and controlling The Land without being criticized.

Against his own heart, he followed what his mind told him and banished them. They had been living over there for more than 6 years and were fairly young. They weren’t the strongest, but they indulged in photography and pursued a dream that they both loved together.

After hearing this, Lorenzo dismissed them to leave his place. He told Welpen, Ryoko, and Saikou to stay as he had made them a room upstairs for them to sleep. Although they didn’t want to, Welpen felt horrible for what had just been said considering Lorenzo had been so good to them, so he decided on behalf of everyone that they would stay for a couple nights, while Naoki tried to convince him that he was on his side.

Lorenzo: “Shut your mouth before I get really mad. I thank you for telling me this, but you will speak no more. You may stay and do what you need to do, but do not come in my sight.”

Naoki did not say a word and exited with Souta.

Souta busted out laughing and said, “Man, I couldn’t hold that in any longer. You’re lucky I went that long! That was hilarious! His expression was priceless!”

Naoki: “He freaking gets mad at me for telling him. What an idiot. I needed him to let me stay there. We are going to have to contact the boys to get to where they are storing the chaplets, but I really don’t think they have anything of worth. I would like that Yellow Egress Chaplet though. That would certainly help. Anyways, we have a couple weeks here to search for it. We’ll dig through the ground if we need to, but I’m going to find this.”

Souta: “Yeah, Yeah. I’m here to help too, but that was so funny! I feel like a million bucks right now. I feel like the sun could come down and put me to eternal rest and I’d be okay. Man, what fun that was!”

Lorenzo walked down a long flight of stairs to a torture room. A woman with brown hair hanging down to her shoulders was wearing dirty clothes of a peasant. A blindfold was wrapped around her eyes and cloth was wrapped over her mouth.

???: Boss, can we have our way with her first? I mean, she is completely defenseless. It would be a shame n–”

Lorenzo thrusted a Link through the man’s heart so quick and so hard that he instantly perished. The other guard stood there with no emotion, stone faced and watched on.

Lorenzo: “Now, you were supposed to be my priority tonight, but now I’ve got something bigger going on. I want to make this as quick as possible, so you’re going to tell me…Why is a low level witch like you coming all the way out here?”

The girl’s name was Momomi. She was 15 years old and had somehow entered through the walls without anyone noticing until eventually one of the few people that can sense mana found her when she ran out of mana and couldn’t conceal herself any longer.

Lorenzo: “Now, I may be wrong in this assumption, but to me, it seems like you wanted to be caught, although I don’t sense a lot of mana from you, so maybe you really did just run out. I’m really not in the mood tonight. Speak up or this isn’t going to be good for you.”

Momomi did not say a word and just looked down with disdain as if she had made a grave mistake. She was upset about being captured, or at least that is how it looked, but Lorenzo did not know for sure. His mind was clouded as well at the moment.

Momomi: “I won’t talk. I know you won’t hurt m–”

Lorenzo picked up a knife and cut her fingers completely off of her right hand. She screamed out in pain, wincing, crying, and grimacing as her body shook naturally from the torture.

Lorenzo: “Three, two, one…Okay, let’s do the other hand.”

The girl again screamed out in agony.

Her vision blurred for a few seconds before coming back to normal, but the pain did not subside. She finally began to speak in an innocent voice, claiming that she was just visiting.

Lorenzo: “Nope, you would’ve said that to begin with. Whoever taught you didn’t know what they were doing. If I hadn’t received such bad news prior to this, I would’ve kept you as a bargaining chip, but look me in my eyes…They're empty, aren’t they? Soulless to the bone? I’m not playing around. I know you know this. Here we go. The teeth are coming out next.”

Lorenzo pulled the two front teeth from her mouth, which caused her to pant even more. The pain was more than she could ever imagine, but she would not speak a word, not because she didn’t want to, but because it hurt so bad to speak. Blood stained her whole body. Her head hung down as if she was falling asleep. She was not warned of the cruelty of Lorenzo Cain prior to this, but it seems like the witches did this on purpose for some reason.

Lorenzo: “You need to have a more compelling lie in your next life. Don’t ever come back into my life.”

Lorenzo pierced her heart with the knife and then cut off her head without hesitation. He was beyond sanity at this point. Not only did he not receive any information from the girl, but he was so distraught over what was said to him that he no longer cared right now about his land.

“Clean up the mess,” he said to the guard as he exited the room. He set off in a blazing rage unaware of his own thoughts and called to his troops in an attempt to start a war that would lead only to despair and death, potentially even of his own land. Even though he had cast aside many emotions for his sons, still somewhere inside of him his pride was insulted as a father, but also his ego as a leader. The air was beginning to smell amok of war.