Lord of Rot

Qiao nodded happily. ”Yes, Lord!”

Bommer’s conduct was fine. He’d worked for Sir Sour Apple before, so his background was clean enough. As long as his brewing skills were up to par, he was a very suitable candidate.

’High-proof spirits, medical-grade alcohol.’ Leech leaned against a tree, a book open in his lap. A gust of wind blew past, FLUTTERING the pages.

The air was fresh, the temperature pleasant, and with no mosquitoes to bite him, Leech slowly drifted off to sleep.

Two maids walked out of the castle, one carrying a wooden bucket while the other held a basin of dirty water. They saw the Lord sleeping under the tree.

They both slowed their steps.

Then, as if struck by the same thought, they glanced at each other and smiled before quickening their pace and departing cheerfully.

’Seeing the Lord’s handsome face every day really brightens one’s mood.’

Leech let out a yawn. He’d slept very comfortably.

「It was nearly dusk.」

’I can’t hear the whistle. Training must be over.’

He got up and rubbed his shoulders.

Since everyone knew the Lord was fast asleep under the courtyard tree, no one dared to come near and make a disturbance. They all deliberately avoided the area.

Leech didn’t call for anyone. He slowly walked back into the castle.

”Hm?”

’Someone’s talking. Sounds like they’re arguing.’

His sharp hearing picked up the exchange.

Leech quietly climbed to the second floor, where he heard two voices coming from the room nearest the window.

The door was ajar, likely left that way so the occupants could remain alert. But with Leech’s physical control, he was able to approach without making a sound.

”What do you want!” It was Gelan’s voice.

”But I helped your former lover, Gelan,” came a somewhat unfamiliar voice. ’The only one moving about the castle freely should be that new brewmaster.’

’He and Gelan know each other?’

Listening to their tone, Leech suddenly understood why Gelan had claimed the new brewmaster’s skills were subpar the other night. The man must have some dirt on Gelan, who wanted Leech to reject the brewmaster, Bommer, but didn’t dare say so himself.

He continued to listen. Gelan spoke next, ”So, you want money?”

”I wanted money before,” said the brewmaster, Bommer. ”But the Lord has promised me my own distillery. You know my brewing skills aren’t bad. And, well, I also know of some excellent raw materials. I’m sure the Lord will agree to buy them.”

’I haven’t even hired him, and he’s already scheming to get kickbacks?’

’Excellent!’

”You’ll help me, won’t you?” Bommer asked, his tone certain.

”I can give you money.”

Gelan took a deep breath as he spoke, trying to calm himself. ”Take the money and get out.”

”Your paltry sum of Silver Moons? No,” Bommer said. ”I did plan on hitting you up for a loan before I came, but I’ve changed my mind. Why would I leave when I can brew for a great territory of several thousand people and have my own distillery?”

”Name a price,” Gelan said through gritted teeth.

”10 Jinri.”

”Are you crazy! How could I possibly have that much money!” Gelan’s voice was a harsh whisper, but it was clear he wanted to shout.

But Bommer said, ”Aren’t you the grand steward of Porcupine Territory? I made sure to do my homework. You’re in charge of all construction in the territory. A few Jinri should be nothing.”

”That’s enough money to choke you to death!” Gelan said. ”Impossible!”

”Then I’ll just have to talk to the Lord about your past, and your... daughter.”

”You!” Gelan’s voice softened. ”I’ll do my best to borrow the money.”

The sound of a shoulder being patted came from the room. Bommer’s voice was falsely comforting. ”Come on, old friend. Think of the days we struggled together. You don’t have to give me money. I just want to be like you, pledging my loyalty to a lord.”

”I’ll raise the money!” Gelan said firmly.

”Alright then. 10 Jinri. You give it to me, and I’ll leave immediately.”

Before the conversation ended, Leech turned and left.

He needed to know what was going on with his chief steward. From their conversation, he could gather that Gelan had unwittingly brought this trouble—Bommer—upon himself. Still, Gelan’s loyalty seemed intact.

’To get the full story, I should start with Qiao.’

Leech summoned Qiao, who still didn’t know what had happened.

”Mr. Bommer?” Qiao said. ”Oh, Lord, I met him when I went to buy beer. What’s wrong with him?”

Leech asked, ”Does he know Gelan?”

”Yes,” Qiao said. ”The second time I went to buy alcohol, he brought up Mr. Gelan. We only chatted for a bit before he revealed his hope to come brew in Porcupine Territory. He said he was a friend of Mr. Gelan’s and even asked me to deliver a letter to him. Mr. Gelan told me at the time that he would inform you about it.”

’So that’s it. The letter must have been blackmail.’

’I’m also quite curious about Gelan’s daughter. With a nickname like ’Gelan the Widow,’ doesn’t he supposedly like women of the ’grandmother’ generation? A woman that old probably can’t have children.’

”I can ask Sir Sour Apple. He should know what kind of person Bommer is.” Qiao guessed there must be something wrong with the brewmaster.

He had known the Lord wanted a brewmaster, and since this man was supposedly a friend of Gelan’s, he’d thought he must be reliable.

But things were the exact opposite of what Qiao had thought.

”No need,” Leech said. ”Go and fetch Mr. Bommer.”

”Yes!”

Qiao nodded and left, returning a short while later with Bommer.

”Lord!” Bommer’s etiquette was perfect.

Leech pointed to a deerskin pouch on the table. ”This is 10 Jinri. I don’t know what you have on Gelan, but you can take the money and go.”

The mention of 10 Jinri made Bommer’s eyes light up. Even if he stayed in Porcupine Territory and earned money through kickbacks, it would likely take him years to make 10 Jinri. And yet, here it was, right in front of him.

”Your generosity and benevolence! I heard about them even back in Sour Apple Village!” He immediately grabbed the deerskin pouch from the table.

The Jinri were so heavy he had to hold the pouch with both hands.

”Alright, you can leave now,” Leech said. ”Leave Porcupine Territory.”

”Lord, it’s already dark. Can I spend the night here?”

Leech shook his head. ”You are not welcome in Porcupine Territory, and I am its lord. If you insist on staying, I will consider it a violation of a lord’s domain. Do you intend to provoke a lord?”

’Challenge a lord?’

Faced with such an accusation, Bommer flinched and gave an obsequious laugh. ”My Lord, you jest. I’ll leave right now! Right now!”

Clutching the Jinri, Bommer quickly left Porcupine Territory.

It was already dark outside. Bommer had barely left the bounds of Porcupine Territory when two knight squires on horseback, acting on Leech’s orders, brandished their swords and drove him away, ensuring he didn’t dare to linger.

But Bommer wasn’t angry. As long as there was money involved, they could have told him to roll away, and he would have done it gladly.

’First, I’ll head to Iron Stone City and live it up for a while. Once the money’s gone, I’ll come looking for Gelan again. HA HA HA! My dear old friend, you’re a real blessing to me!’

He looked up at the moon, wanting only to walk a few more steps. He remembered a small rest stop from his journey here, where he could rest his feet and manage to spend the night.

But he hadn’t gone far when a figure blocked his path.

A figure wrapped in a black robe.

”Who’s there!”

Bommer jumped, startled by the sudden appearance of a black-robed person in the dead of Night.

”You took a sum of money,” the black-robed person said. Their voice was wooden and emotionless, sounding especially eerie in the night.

”Did Lord Leech send you? We already made an agreement!” Bommer said nervously. ”He’s a nobleman! He can’t go back on his contract and his oath!”

But the black-robed person said slowly, ”That was the price for your life.”

A part of its black robe dispersed, forming a giant black claw.

Bommer had never seen such a terrifying sight. His legs went weak with fear. ”I don’t want the money! I’ll never come back! Please, spare me!”

”You’ve already taken the money,” the black-robed person said as they walked over. A wisp of black smoke snaked into Bommer’s mouth and nose. Bommer’s body twitched twice, and he fell to the ground.

”Your very being belongs to him now, and that includes your money.” The black-robed figure bent down, hoisted up the corpse, snatched the deerskin pouch, and sprinted away, vanishing into the Night.