Convincing Berdly

"Are you talking about Mr. Berdly?"

This is going to be an issue.

Elena looked at Jon and Olen, who were looking at each other.

'Do I have to?'

'You gotta do what you gotta do, kid. There's no way out.'

Olen and Jon had a little conversation among themselves through eye contact.

"That's great. You two can go bring him here together then." –Elena couldn't be bothered to care about their issues.

"All right. Let's go, kid. Your burial is waiting." –Jon grabbed Olen to get Berdly.

"No, you guys can go tomorrow morning. Olen still has things to do here." –Elena stopped Jon.

Jon totally forgot why Olen mainly came here.

"Oh, yes, sure. Please forgive me, Miss. I'll take my leave first." –Jon bowed and left quickly.

After Jon left, Elena got up from her couch.

"Let's go. You know the drill." –Elena.

"All right." –Olen followed her inside.

Cultivation is a boring, and tedious job that takes up a lot of time. Today was the same. Nothing happened. The only progress is that Olen could make six circulations in the time he used to do five circulations.

.

The next morning.

Like usual, Berdly got up and freshened up.

Today is another sunny day. He got ready to go to the dining hall.

As he would be going to his shop right after, he prepared and dressed accordingly.

But just when he opened the door, the sunny sky suddenly seemed to have darkened.

Berdly had a chicken heart.

Seeing a six-foot-tall muscular man standing on his doorstep blocking it fully the first thing in the morning gave him a fright.

'Please, spare my life. I didn't do anything. I promise.' –he shouted in his mind.

As asked of him by Elena, Jon came to look for Berdly. He was about to knock on the door when Berdly opened the door.

"Oh, Jon, it's you. How are you doing?" –Berdly said after getting through his initial shock.

Jon is an orphan just like him. They were both washed up by the turbulent outside world and ended up in the same place. They are both broken in one way or another.

So, Berdly could sympathize with Jon. Though Jon is younger, they know each other well.

"I'm fine. How are you doing, brother Berdly?" –Jon liked this chubby guy with those shady eyes.

Even if he looks like this, Jon trusted him. When he arrived at Alden's mansion, Berdly took care of him. He was like an older brother to him.

"Yeah, I'm fine too. Do you need something? As you can see, I'm going out." –Berdly said smilingly. His smile was that of a merchant that didn't fall from his face just because of a shift in emotions.

Jon was used to it.

"You are going out… that's fine too. We can talk while walking." –Jon said.

Berdly locked the door and started walking toward the dining hall.

"So, what is it? You don't have to be shy to me." –Berdly encouraged.

"The thing is... You know that new teacher that Madam Bianca hired for his son, right?" –Jon asked.

"Oh, she is a famous one. No one knows much about her. I heard she is very pretty. Though I haven't seen her, I hear that she is a top-notch beauty from those who have seen her." –Berdly confirmed and looked at Jon weirdly. "Don't tell me you too, have fallen for her charms after she bit your ass."

"You heard that too?" –Jon asked.

"Everyone knows. After all, she wiped the floor with you in broad daylight. And even if it wasn't as public as it was then, do you think I'm an incapable merchant? Things reach my ears faster than yours." –Berdly scoffed at Jon.

"But I have to admit it, a strong and pretty woman that doesn't show her face outside, I'm curious to see her too." –Berdly.

"Oh, that's fantastic. I can get you to meet her too. Actually, I came today exactly for that reason." –Jon felt elated.

"Hold your horse there, mate. That's not going to happen." –Berdly said.

They arrived at the dining hall.

As everyone (apart from the people of the main family) in the mansion ate here, it was specious.

"What?" –Jon was stunned. "Didn't you just say you want to meet her?"

"Don't shout in the dining hall, Jon. You're going to make a scene." –Berdly said calmly as he took his meal. "Have you eaten?" –he asked.

"Yes." –Jon replied. "But why?" –he again asked.

"Why? I was just being polite to see if my junior had eaten or not?" –Berdly said.

"I'm not talking about that. I'm asking, why? Didn't you just say that you want to meet her?" –Jon said.

"I didn't say that. I said I wanted to see her face once." –Berdly started eating. "I just wanted to see what type of beauty could make all those meatheads fall for her at first sight."

Then Berdly smirked at Jon.

"I see, You too have fallen, huh? Running to do errands for her just because she told you to. What? You are her errand boy now?" –Berdly shook his head. This Jon is also a lost cause.

Hearing that, Jon's face darkened.

"I'm not the same as those bozos. It's just I know her better that I came to you for help." –Jon said.

"If helping you means I have to meet her personally, then sorry, I'm not helping." –Berdly refused.

"Can you give me a reason?" –Jon asked.

Berdly was stuffing his face without saying anything.

"Oh, come on. Don't ignore me like that." –Jon.

He must deliver his older brother in the hands of Elena. Otherwise, he wouldn't be on her good side anymore. How this good big brother of his, abandon him right now? Shouldn't he be willing to spill his blood for the 'greater' good?

Jon was getting impatient.

But Berdly didn't look at him and left his seat.

"Mr. Berdly? Big brother? Are you leaving without giving me an answer?" –Jon said from behind.

Then he ran after him. He must persuade him today.

Berdly opened his shop but still refused to open his mouth.

His shop is situated across the street from Alden's house.

It's a two-story shop. The ground floor sells the paintings and utensils. The second floor has a sitting area where people can sit and drink tea while reading works of literature.

The market area starts from here. So if you walk down the road a bit more, it would be too crowded.

For shops where people come to relax and take the view of people walking in the streets, this is a very good place.

And the business here is good too.

People who come to visit this city often come here to relax.

"Brother, are you angry with me or something? If you are, please tell me. Why are you making things difficult for me?" –Jon came all the way here to get Berdly's consent.

It has to be said that the Alden mansion takes up a huge area.

The main building is on the northmost side.

In between, there are maid quarters, guard quarters, practice field stables, and gardens of different sizes.

Berdly looked back at Jon and said quit it. I have work to do.

"Don't you have anything else to do this early in the morning?" –Berdly wanted to get rid of Jon.

"Then tell me the reason." –Jon was persistent.

"The thing is... I don't want to. That Olen, she is teaching doesn't have a manner at all." –Berdly said. "You know how much I suffered by him, don't you?"

"I had to suffer pain and humiliation for that. The place you are standing right now... That place was filled with rats. I had to clean it all up. Madam Bianca just gave me Five hundred Gold and be done with it. But, what about the reputation of my store? On the other hand, that brat one day came to me, said sorry, and left. You could see him playing the same as before a week later. And this all happened because of a misunderstanding originated from her." –Berdly said all of it in one breath.

Jon could only shake his head. He knew something like this would have happened.

"But you can't blame her for it, can you?" –Jon said.

Berdly shook his head before saying, "Jon, that is why I didn't want to talk about it."

"I know it's childish, and I have grown up from that age, but grudge is an intangible thing that you can't reason with. It's just useless to find meaning behind it. So please spare me the trouble and leave." –Berdly was exhausted from talking with Jon.

"All right, I understand." –Jon said before he left.

After seeing Jon walk out of his store, Berdly started doing his daily ritual.

The two shop girl hasn't come yet.

After the rat incident, Berdly stopped giving the store key to others. Only after he arrives, the shop is opened.

So, the shop girls come later than him.

Berdly made a quick check.

He made sure the tea leaves were fresh.

Made a list of what there was and what he would have to get.

After the shop girls came, all three started cleaning.

At that moment, someone came. There were two people. One older and one younger.

"Why are you here again, Jon?" –Berdly asked, looking at the younger person instead. Of course, the younger one is Olen.

"You see, Berdly, I thought about your words. And my conclusion is your grudge is not against Miss Aniston but this brat here. And I too, think his punishment is not enough to make him really sorry. So I brought him to you. I'm handing him over to you. But you must come with me today. Okay?" –Jon directly throws Olen under the bus.

"What…." -Olen looked at Jon with big round eyes.

Jon just told him to follow his lead. But what is this? Jon is sacrificing him so casually.

Horror came down on him. Jon just sold him out for his own benefit.