Old Grudges and Easy Money

Darius began to reflect on whether he had somehow offended the king.

Was it when they first met as children, and he punched the then-crown prince?

That really shouldn't count—he got beaten up in return anyway.

Or was it when he broke a vase in his teenage years and framed the crown prince for it?

No, that couldn't be it.

His wages had been docked to pay for the vase.

Could it be from when he was seventeen or eighteen, secretly exposing the king's terrible personality behind his back, only to be caught and noted down in a little grudge book?

That didn't seem likely either.

He knew all too well that despite his outwardly generous appearance, the king was actually incredibly petty.

He firmly believed in immediate retaliation—delaying payback for even a second was a loss.

Maybe it was from when they traveled together at twenty?