Ch 06: Tyrant

Alice didn't know herself. But now, it felt as if she had just woken up from a dream. "It was just a dream," she said. "And I can't actually be scared."

"Sometimes it happens," Grace replied.

"It never happened before," Alice remarked.

"Lie down. The night isn't over yet," Grace suggested.

Alice pulled the blanket over herself and said, "Grace."

"Yes, Miss Alice?" Grace responded immediately.

"Close the door and go to your room. I'll be fine."

"I'll lie down on the floor here."

"No, I'm fine now. You can go," Alice insisted.

Grace closed the door as she left. Alice closed her eyes to sleep. As soon as Grace stepped out of the room, a mysterious smile appeared on her lips as she walked towards her room. The door to her room was shut. She continued walking and, without stopping to open the door, walked straight through it, disappearing inside.

---

Ethan's father, Walter, looked at his son and asked, "Ethan, what's the matter? You've been quiet for days now."

Walter's words startled Ethan. They had just finished dinner, and only his parents were still at the table with him; his brothers had already left after eating.

Walter, who had come late to dinner, hadn't finished yet.

"It's nothing, Dad," Ethan replied.

"There must be something. Are you worried about something?" Walter asked, his deep gaze scrutinizing Ethan.

"You just think so," Ethan deflected.

"You're not focusing on your work either. Yesterday, you almost sent the wrong shipment to a different client. If it hadn't been caught in time, it could have been a huge loss," Walter said.

"Sorry, I must have made a mistake," Ethan admitted, feeling embarrassed.

"That kind of mistake could cost us millions," Walter reminded him.

"I've noticed it too. Ethan has been so quiet lately," his mother added. "Tell us what's going on. You used to talk all the time, and now your silence is worrying us."

"There's nothing to worry about. It's just that a friend's mother is in the hospital," Ethan quickly made up an excuse.

"Is that why you've been disappearing from work?" Walter's question took Ethan by surprise. He didn't realize his father knew about his absences. "Yes," Ethan replied.

"Why didn't you tell us?" his mother asked.

"I just had to visit, so I had to leave the factory at odd times," Ethan said.

Walter stood up and said, "If there's anything else on your mind, let me know. Talk to your mother about it. I don't like seeing you like this, so downcast." With that, he walked towards his room.

Ethan finished his meal and went out for a walk. His thoughts were consumed by Alice, the girl whose name he still didn't know but to whom he had boldly confessed his feelings. He was anxiously waiting for her response.

He walked slowly until he reached the same spot in the market where he had first seen her. He stopped and looked in the direction from which Alice's car usually arrived. His gaze drifted back, and he angrily crushed an empty soda can on the ground with his left foot, as if venting his frustration or expressing his helplessness.

Several days had passed since he had spoken to Alice. He hadn't stood in her way again, and she hadn't responded either.

Suddenly, it occurred to him that he hadn't given Alice his phone number, and he had stopped waiting for her in that spot. How could she contact him now?

The thought hadn't crossed his mind before. This realization filled him with anxiety. He thought that maybe she saw him every day as she passed by. Ethan ran his fingers through his hair and looked around, feeling troubled by his mistake. He had agreed to her request not to stand there anymore, but he hadn't thought about how she would contact him.

Did this mean she just wanted to get rid of him? The thought made Ethan even more anxious.

Then he wondered, does she want to avoid me? If that's the case, I'll make sure she remembers me even after death.

---

Everyone who knew Roy was aware that his heart was devoid of any emotion. His eyes were blind to the light of friend or foe, his ears only heard what he wanted to hear; otherwise, he was deaf. He was a man driven by obsession, willing to chase any desire to the point of madness.

What his mind contemplated, what poison lay in his smile, or what daggers were hidden in his words—no one, not even his shadow, could tell.

The entire village of Wilfsburg belonged to him. It was a beautiful village, bordered by a highway on one side and train tracks on the other, with trains passing by day and night.

In Wilfsburg, Roy owned vast stretches of land, rows of orchards, a massive mansion, five poultry farms, a large livestock farm, an army of servants, new cars, and a gang of criminals who guarded him. He was the undisputed ruler of Wilfsburg. The villagers respected him out of fear, not out of admiration. He was too arrogant to realize that people feared him because of the harm he could cause, not because of any genuine respect. Lost in his own world, he failed to see the truth.

His father, Wilfred, was a tyrant, much like the ancient conqueror Genghis Khan, with only the passage of time distinguishing them. In his lifetime, Wilfred didn't just dominate Wilfsburg but also the surrounding villages, ensuring that no other landowner lived to challenge him. He either bought their land at dirt-cheap prices through threats, or he simply had them killed.

Those who bowed to him were spared, while those who didn't found their lives turned into nightmares. Wilfred amassed vast tracts of land and wealth. Despite his riches, he could barely manage to eat one meal a day. His diet consisted only of a cup of milk, as anything else caused him such severe stomach pain that he felt close to death. It was likely divine punishment for his deeds, a condition that not even the best doctors could cure.

Even witnessing his father's suffering didn't serve as a lesson for Roy, who surpassed his father in cruelty and madness.

Roy was a physically strong, handsome man. Despite his wealth and property, he was never satisfied, always thirsting for more. His greedy eyes were always set on someone or something. His three close friends—Jimmy Trout, Raid, and Zohran—were his partners in crime. They were as unscrupulous as Roy, willing to slit throats for money and wealth.

Each of them lived in a different village nearby, all landowners, and none had any qualms about committing heinous acts for gain. Together, they had committed many crimes.

Their hands were stained with blood from numerous deeds, yet none of them felt any remorse or regret.

They lived in their respective villages, but no one was happy with them. The people feared and loathed them.

Roy had another trait—he never left a grudge unsettled. He was quick to exact revenge.

Once, his car got a flat tire on the GT Road. While the driver was changing the tire, Roy stepped out and walked to the side, talking to someone on his mobile phone. Suddenly, a snake emerged from the bushes and bit him on the calf. Roy cried out in pain. The guard, standing nearby, immediately rushed to his side. Seeing the snake, he aimed his gun.

Despite the pain, Roy looked at the snake, signaled to the guard, and, ignoring the agony, walked towards the snake. As he reached it, he lifted his other foot and stomped on the snake's head with such force that it was crushed in a single blow. The snake was dead.

Roy didn't waste any time in taking his revenge.