The Chandelier

"Master, Winfrey's mansion and everything else under his name are already confiscated," Karl gave his report to Huvel.

"Good." Huvel nodded at him. "Has the merchant group responded to my offer?"

"Yes, master." It was Chance who answered him. "They swore to never talk about their slave trading in return for you turning a blind eye to it. They guaranteed that only the higher-ups and a few personnels knew about it so no one will know about it as long as those few people keep their mouths shut. But master, why do you ask them to continue their trading here for a year? Is it not better if they go back to their country. Then, the nobles in the capital would never know about the slaves."

Huvel leaned his back on the chair. "If a big merchant group like Four Brown Horses were to leave suddenly, it would create various rumours. The success of the expedition this time will surely attracts most nobles' attention. It would not be good if they got wind of something. There might even be people who would send people to Blue Hippogriff Kingdom to investigate this matter. For now, it is better to play safe so that they cannot find fault with me."

"I understand now," replied Chance. "I will tell Grüne Glocke Merchant Group to not talk about it as well."

"Yes, do tell them. Oh, and release the two knights of the wall. They should have learned their lesson now. And announce that the second expedition will start after two months. Take a record of the information of the mercenaries that want to participate."

"Yes, master."

After all the issues relating to Winfrey's incident settled down, Huvel spent his days making potions and enjoying his hobbies.

-----

"Hmm… What should I do?" Chance murmured as he walked in circles.

He received a letter for his lord quite late in the night. If it was a letter from nobles or merchants, he would just open the seal, read it, and report to his lord later. But since it was from Prince Leonard, he did not dare to do it. He thought he should give the letter to his lord immediately but hesitated at the same time.

"Should I just it to him tomorrow? But if it has an urgent matter… Well, I will just give it to him now. I don't think he's summoned any servants into his room tonight."

He made up his mind and knocked on the door of Huvel's room.

"Master, I am Chance."

"What's the matter? Haven't I already done the paper works for today?"

"A letter from His Highness Prince Leonard just arrived. I wonder if you want to read it now."

"… …"

"… Okay, come in."

Chance felt as if there was a whisper before his lord replied him. He regretted coming to his lord's room at that time. The thought of seeing something unsightly bothered him a lot.

He was relieved after opening the door. The room was quite bright with candle light despite that it was late night. There was nothing unusual in the room and he saw no one except his master.

"I thought I heard someone else whispered," he muttered unnecessarily after handing the letter to his lord. "I was afraid I might be disturbing your 'play time'."

Huvel looked up at him from where he was sitting and chuckled lightly. "You are not disturbing 'me', of course."

"It is a relief. Then, have a goodnight, master." Chance replied and headed to the door.

"Chance," Huvel called him when he was about to close the door. "What do you think of my new chandelier?"

"Chandelier? I did not hear there is a new... gasp!"

Chance was shocked after looking up at where the candle light came from. At the place where he expected a chandelier was a human figure! Looking at carefully, it was actually a naked man, tied with rope, suspended from the ceiling. There were several candles on his back. The man had teary eyes or maybe, actually crying.

"… It is a… nice chandelier. Well then, master…" Chance shut the door and ran away without waiting for his lord's reply.

"MY… MY REPUTATION IS ALL RUINED!" The chandelier-man cried.

"What ruined?" Huvel scolded him. "Did you not hear that he praised you? Tsk, tsk!"

"…"

"Be quiet for now."

Huvel read the letter under the light of the chandelier. In the first part of the letter, the prince complaint about the old nobles. He said they were trying to claim Boswel for themselves after hearing the news of the success of the expedition.

"Those fogies!" Huvel cussed inwardly. "Well, I'd already expected. Since this town was the prince's property in the first place, they won't be able to take it easily."

Huvel continued to read the letter. The content of the second part surprised him.

"Hmm… I was worried about how to deal with that matter but you help me solve the problem? Leonard, are you my lucky star?"

"… es… Lord Senebres!"

The noises from above interrupted Huvel's thoughts.

"Didn't I tell you to be quiet?!"

"HOW CAN I BE QUIET! The candles are melting! It's too hot! My buttocks are going to be burnt! Quickly remove them, please!"

"Oh, right! I am thinking of replacing the candles with new ones. I'll call the servants to do it."

"New… new candles?! Please, don't! And don't call the servants either, please. Please, Lord Senebres."

"What? Don't you say you want to become my consort? Why are you even afraid of the servants?"

"How can I not be afraid of the servants! First time, you embarrassed me by putting me under a servant's… servant's… thing. Now, do you want me to be seen like this by everyone?!"

"To be seen by everyone? That's a good idea."

"What?!"

"Say, do you want to stay like that until morning when the servants come in? You do, right?"