Vivian arrived at the Capital Branch after 2 days of continuous travel.
[This lady is one tough cookie] Dan thought as he held himself from puking due to the non-stop journey from Maine to the Capital, the motion sickness was killing him, but to his surprise, Vivian was fine!
...Well, she wasn't fine actually, but because of time constraints, she forced herself to weather on the journey.
The moment they arrived near the Capital, Vivian ordered the cart to stop for a minute or two as she breathed in and out to remove the motion sickness she was feeling.
After the short rest, Vivian along with Benjamin immediately went to the Bank's Main Branch.
[I must procure this loan] Vivian swore to herself as she remembered Duke's idiotic smile... She didn't want to be the person to tell him they became bankrupt.
As Vivian and Benjamin entered the Bank they were met with line after line of bureaucratic redtape and Kafkaesque requirements.
"Please talk with the 3rd Secretary of Finance first"
"Go to the second floor, that's where they handle the requests"
"Ah! Bob handles those, go talk to Bob"
[BOB?! BOBB?!! Who is the seven fucking hells is BOB?!] Vivian angrily shouted, tired from the nonsensical lines and processes they had to go through.
"Let's rest for now" Benjamin advised when he saw the tired and disgruntled Vivian. And also since he himself was also tired of the Bank's useless antics.
[They're probably stalling us on purpose...] Benjamin calmly realized. Even the physically fit Knight Dan was also feeling weary as he removed some of his metal armor.
Vivian and Benjamin sat on a bench, Vivian asked Benjamin a question: "Is this the normal process everyone has to go through?" Vivian tiredly asked.
"Hmm, no... This is a weird situation, even for me" Benjamin admitted. Every station they went through, Benjamin always had a private talk with the person that was entertaining their request, and each time his questions were put down by the employees.
"Are you sure you can't skip this step? I am quite sure the Bank doesn't really need these files" Benjamin argued with his decades-long experience with the Bank, sadly he was always answered with a: "This is not the Southern Branch sir, now please leave" as if the employees were hiding something.
"Huh, it can't be helped, my position here is useless as this isn't my Branch..." Benjamin sighed as he admitted to his helplessness in this situation.
As Vivian was stressing over the situation they were in a familiar yet unwelcomed voice called out to her.
"Vivian?... Is that you?" A woman, who was slightly older than Vivian that looked like her and had the same eyes as her but had blonde hair instead called out.
"Janine?" Vivian, like the woman, was surprised to see each other. But Vivian didn't want anything to do with the woman in front of her as she was one of the half-sisters that bullied Vivian, although not to the same extent as the other girls.
"What are 'You' doing here?" Janine asked as her surprised voice changed to that of a slightly unwelcoming one.
"I, I came here to ask for a loan... for my family" Vivian wanted to lie, but realizing pride was the last thing she needed right now, Vivian decided to just flatly tell the truth.
[If she knows I'm broke maybe she'll go away faster] Vivian thought as she knew her of her sisters' pretentiousness and snobbish attitudes.
"A loan? *Pfftt* Weren't you taken in by that fat Count? I thought you were drowning in money by now with how fat he was. And I thought I was the only unlucky one... Well, I'm sorry I can't help you out or anything... I'm not exactly in a positive situation myself. I do hope you get out of your financial situation" Janine's voice at first sounded cynical and happy as if she was glad that she wasn't the only one suffering, but as she remembered her own situation she felt sympathetic pity for Vivian and bid her well as she left.
Although Vivian was irked at how she insulted Duke, she thought it was strange for Janine to not ridicule or laugh at her more before leaving, but then she noticed the sad tone Janine had, then she noticed the slight bruises and scars only a noblewoman like Vivian would see as Janine turned around to leave.
Vivian realized Janine had purposely hid the injuries.
[She must've been taken in by an abusive husband...] Vivian thought, thankful it was Duke and not some closet pervert who got her dowry. There was no compassion nor sisterly love from Vivian for her sister Janine, only slight pity for the bully she once had now reduced to this state. Maybe this was the reason Janine had suddenly turned docile, but still, as Janine was still her sister she wanted to help her somehow... sadly she wasn't exactly in the position to help.
Realizing how cruel the world was towards people with no money or power, conviction riled up inside Vivian from the fear of losing her current situation with Duke.
"Let's go sir Benjamin" Vivian was determined to trudge on inside the confusing maze that was the Bank, unfazed by the sheer amount of paperwork and requirements as she tirelessly complied with what the Bank wanted.
In the end, they got the chance to meet the Bank's Regional Manager for the Central/Capital Region of the Empire.
"Ah let's begin" A plump man with a kind looking and innocent face sat in front of them as he began the meeting for the loan reconsideration.
"So, I plan to start several businesses that could help the region with crop distribution and such" Vivian explained, but as she talked she couldn't help but feel irked from the man's lecherous gaze. At first, Vivian thought the man was innocent as his face looked like the kind type but as the meeting continued, the plump man slowly began to reveal his slimy intentions. He was the total opposite of Duke, Vivian thought, as she wondered [Why is Duke the only one called the Fat Count?]
The man in front of Vivian introduced himself as Count Sevilius, he was as obese if not more obese than Duke, but the answer to Vivian's question was simple. Sevilius was rich and Duke was not. Duke was weak, and Sevilius had power. People in the courts could bully Duke with nicknames and insult, but they couldn't do that for Sevilius who was a member of the rich and powerful Lateri-Medici family. Plus with the money his family had, Sevilius was able to buy his position as the Regional Director of the Central Main Branch through money, corruption, and nepotism.
And so, in order not to get on the Lateri family's bad side, the cowardly Nobles of the courts showered Sevilius with praises and camaraderie while they insulted and made fun of the weak Duke. This was how the toxic upper-class society of Brune operated, stepping on the weak while kissing the bums of the strong.
"I am sorry... I don't think it is within the Bank's interests to provide the loan" Sevilius insincerely said.
[And besides, even if I wanted to the Emperor himself halted the request] Sevilius thought, but he couldn't say it out loud as he was instructed not to by the people up top.
"What?" Vivian was angry. After making her go through all that they still denied the request...
Sadly Vivian could do nothing with her current powerlessness but nod and agree to their refusal.
"I see" Vivian sadly stated.
Seeing the helpless woman in front of him a depraved thought welled up inside Sivilius.
"Well... maybe there is something I could do" The slimy fat man said.
"Really?" Vivian thought there was still some hope left.
"Yes, but you must do me a favor..." Sivilius said with a hushed yet slimy voice.
"What favor?" Vivian became even more suspicious of the fat man in front of her.
"Well, it is a private matter. If maybe your butler could leave the room" Sivilius asked with a lecherous face as he thought: [With how desperate she looks, she might just agree kukuku... Although I don't really have the power to hold my end of the bargain]
Vivian's eyes turned cold and angry at the depraved official in front of her. But before her anger could retort back at Sivilius, Benjamin suddenly burst out in righteous fury:
"YOU DARE USE YOUR POSITION TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OTHERS?!!!" His anger resounded after holding in his silence this whole time and being mistaken for a butler...
Meanwhile in the Imperial Palace, inside the Emperor's study, Varhys was currently unaware of the commotion that was happening in the Bank as he "skilfully" played his violin...
*Claps and Applauses* The men in front of Varhys clapped as they shouted:
"Well done you highness!" A Nobleman shouted.
"Truly marvelous! Your talent exceeds the heavens!" Another Nobleman grandly gestured.
From their reactions, one would think Varhys was an incredibly skilled Violinist.
Sadly it was not so as deep inside, the ears of the men listening were bleeding from Varhys' tone-deaf playing of the Violin.
[This is a crime to humanity!] Was what the first Nobleman really thought.
[This is torture! Just end me now, please!] Was the second Nobleman's true opinion.
The daft Noblemen forced themselves to applaud for the Emperor to get on his good side... Sadly for them though, Varhys was mischievously laughing at them in his mind.
[PuHAHAHAHA! What idiots! Really! I knew being Emperor means no one contradicts you, but this is just stupid!] Varhys thought as he forced himself not to laugh.
Right now Varhys was having a Violin Recital as he pretended to be a new player despite mastering the Violin at the tender age of 10. He just wanted to torture these particular officials emotionally as they idiotically cheered for him like sheep even though Varhys himself was badly playing on purpose.
These were the same officials who talked behind his back during his youth and also insulted his mother repeatedly behind them while they weren't listening.
Varhys always hated the toxic society forming the court, especially how they mindlessly kissed the bums of those higher than them while kicking him and his sister down into the dirty muck. But now that he had power, they were suddenly kissing his bum?
[Bah! Their dirty lips have no right anywhere near this divine bum!] Varhys thought as his slow and gratifying psychological torture of them began in earnest.
Sadly his leisure time was interrupted by his beautiful secretary Helen whose eyes genuinely sparkled as she watched him play the Violin.
"Sir I have a report on the... Pendragons" Helen whispered.
"What?" Varhys asked with a serious voice.
"It seems one of your half-sisters came to the Bank to get a loan on the Pendragon's behalf" Helen reported while she stared at Varhys who currently looked incredibly wise as he thought of the situation while reading the report handed to him by Helen.
But right now it wasn't the Pendragons nor matters of the Empire Varhys was thinking of...
No, it was:
[I don't know what is scarier... the Pendragons or Helen's taste of music]
Varhys shuddered at the thought that someone actually liked the piece he had just played awfully.
Varhys currently worried for Helen's state of mind.