„Dear, do you think Rosy will like a man, that already has over 50 wives?"
A middle-aged woman, that lost unfortunately her prime and has wrinkles on her face.
She was in the office of the count Jodin Kotok, located on the second floor in the mansion and a worried expression was visible.
„Hannah, don't worry, I won't allow my disgusting brother abuse my innocent niece!"
The man sitting next to her, was Jodin Kotok and his length was about 6,08 feet. The muscular body had scars of hard training and he had jet-black hair.
He wanted to conform her and try to let her understand, that even if his brother is stronger than him, he will find a way out, but his wife doubted him.
„..sigh..I just hope you have a plan then. I never liked how our family cooperated. We only give to take and if we take, we never give something in return. Our family are only greedily butchers existing for the purposes to grow and be like wolfs..haha.."
Jodin was startled, after hearing his wife's laughter and wondered what she found funny.
„Why are you laughing?"
Hannah stopped laughing and her mood was a little bit lifted.
„Do you remember our country's sigil?"
Jodin arched his eyebrow and thought for a second.
„It's one of the Deadly Cursed Creatures..."
His face turned into a serious expression and glimmer of fear was seeable in his eyes. Hannah was surprised by his sudden switch and wanted to ask.
„What do you mean..?"
„...it was Wrath, the Infernal Wolf!"
He muttered, causing Hannah more confused and she pinched his cheeks to get him back to reality. She was used to her absent minded husband blanking out sometimes, if he thought of something serious and scary.
„Oh, I'm sorry.."
„Don't be, but seriously, I thought it would only be a red wolf?"
It piqued her interest immediately the moment she heard of something dangerous, because she loved literature and history. She always studied histories and anatomies, since she was a child, but never heard of such kind of creatures before.
„It's banned knowledge, that was expelled by the Monarch. He reasoned it with sinful theories and offense against religious beliefs."
He kept his serious expression and spoke in a deep tone.
„The book with the collection and theories was leaked anonymously one year ago and not many could snatch a copy. It was only released for a day, until the Monarch got the news of it and started to rampage. He furiously slaughtered anyone containing a copy."
She understood the importance of this knowledge and knew, if someone would know of this dialogue, she and her husband would see their heads rolling. Cold shivers ran down her spine and she had one question left.
„What happened to the leaker then? Did he die?"
That was a reasonable assumption, because the solution to the most problems by the higher-ups get fast solved with quick judgement and at the end, only stains of blood would be left behind.
„There is no truthful report yet, but the monarch keeps claiming it has been solved. I highly doubt it and a powerful being must be behind it."
He held on with talking and tried to reassemble himself. Shivers of fright showered on Jodin and Hannah got even more scared by his frightful view.
„The Monarch has reached the highest Cultivation stage and his palace is highly defended. To get in and go out, even after releasing copies, he is still unharmed or at least still alive. This person must be truly strong, because identity counterfeit is simply useless and intentions are open to his powerful eye.."
He felt knives going trough his whole body and the tension intensified. He looked in her eyes and stutteringly spoke.
„I-if..that person w-would find us or the m-monarch, we w-will be..."
*click*
„UNCLE!!!"
„AAHHHH, IT WAS HIM!"
*bang*
The right fist of Hannah smashed Jodin's stomach and he flew against the plaster of the wooden wall.
He saw stars flying around him and strong impression of betrayal stung him hard. His wife would sell him so easily, huh..
„Ah, Rosy, you scared me!"
She pouted her mouth and crossed her arms under her chest, looking angrily at her.
„I'm sorry, aunty. My parents are being mean to me again and I couldn't hold it on any longer."
Jodin regained his senses and stood finally back again. He was startled to hear those words and walked to her closer, while asking.
„Rosy, what happened?"
She looked to the left to hear the source of the voice, she found calming and secure.
„Uncle!"
She ran to him and embraced her uncle, like a little kitty.
„Calm down now and tell me, did my brother do something stupid again?"
She avoided his gaze and her mood was destroyed by reminding her of the previous arguing.
„My stupid father..he plans to marry me to a man.."
*drip* *drop* *drip*
Her eyes were like fountains of overflowing water and any human seeing this, would visibly see the humiliation she suffered.
„...they will do it..sob..without my consent.."
She desperately looked at her uncle and questioned in a sad voice.
„..Am I..sob..only a object to the family?"
Jodin knew the humiliation she suffered under, because of his stupid brother and he felt weak. Yes, very weak.
He doesn't have the might or political power to do anything. If one is stronger, you are doomed to oblige in this forsaken country and left with no choice.
He hated how everyone had to suffer, from his childhood friends of commoner families to strong-willed friends hoping for a better future and wandering in hope for a better home.
Over his many years, he continuously lost friends and people meaning a lot to him. He felt alone, until he saw her wife in a slave market on a marketplace on a smaller village.
Initially, he never planned to tag along with his brother, but was happy that he done that, because back then, he found her the most beautiful woman he ever saw.
The most women he encountered were all rich men hunters or forced women to marry him. They all looked undoubtedly beautiful, but she had a charm, they never could have.
Since then, he lives with her and she, Hannah, is now his wife. The darkness, that once consumed him, was now nothing more than dust trying to dirty him.
He wanted Rosy not to experience, that he did and wanted to help her out with the current conflict.
He always hated his brother, but wondered, if curses also bring fortunes with them..