Scotch : " That still doesn't explain How jack turned out the way he did "
As scotch spoke, old man Hughes took another deep breath and then he spoke.
Old man Hughes : " After I took him in, I taught jack many things. Like how to read and write, even how to properly defend himself. At first he was very skeptical and wary of me almost like a stray cat when you first meet. However overtime he began to open himself up to me and that once gloomy and rugged expression that plagued his face soon disappeared… and for a while at least he was a bright and happy kid. But around 8 years ago that all changed, honestly it's my fault I should've known better than to let jack work for that scumbag…Tezca Benedetti "
As that name left his lips the expression on old man Hughes's face changed from regret to anger. As the grip on his drink tightened.
Scotch : " Tezca huh ? I've heard that name before, when one of those guys from earlier mentioned him. They called him boss if I'm not mistaken… who exactly is he "
Old man Hughes : " He's the god damn scourge of this town that's who he is "
Julie : " just thinking about him sours the mood "
Scotch : " Seems like you know him too "
Julie : " There's isn't a single person in this town who doesn't know that name. From the slums to the more affluent areas he basically owns it all "
Scotch : " I'm guessing from the looks of things, he contributes large sums of money to the town, in return the town guards look the other way "
Old man Hughes : " that isn't even the worst of it, the bastard has deep rooted connections with this town's holy knights captain, to where the town guardsmen would back him up if he so wished it "
Although the atmosphere within the Smiling Jester was somewhat grey from from the conversation at hand, there was one person who seemed profoundly unbothered by it all as he stuffed his face in the corner.
Alesul : " Man I'm stuffed. Hey gramps you got anything else i still got room for more "
Old man Hughes : Just eat the damn fridge while you're at it "
Scotch : " never mind him old man , tell us the rest of the story I'm intrigued to know the reason as to how things ended up they way they did "
Old man Hughes: " very well… after raising jack for the last 8 years most of the funds I had saved up being a soldier where starting to run dry. That's when I met tezca, he was shady from the start but he had a certain charisma about him that made it hard to turn him away, I was also desperate, so I took his offer. He said that if i bought this place with the remaining funds I had left that he would cover the rest. On the condition that I payed him back later on. At first things where going smoothly till they weren't and I couldn't pay, that's when he proposed the idea of letting jack work for him. In return he would count the work that jack did for him as payment for the money I hadn't paid back. At first I hesitated but he kept coming back again and again. As well as the fact that jack himself wanted to help I reluctantly accepted the offer. I didn't know what kind of work he was talking about, I just assumed it was a regular honest job so I didn't pry too much into it. After a while slowly but surely I noticed jack started to change while working under that man. His demeanor changed he became more and more aggressive. He started coming home later and later sometimes he wouldn't show up for days…eventually he stopped coming back here altogether. That was until he started showing back up here around a year ago, and I wasn't gonna turn him away you know… he's my son "
as he finished his last words old man Hughes removed his glasses as he wiped a tear from his eye.
Old man Hughes : " in the end there was nothing I could do to stop it, instead I just stopped paying back the money I owed and chased away anyone who came to collect it. Though now I'm getting to old to even do that properly "
Alesul : " Hey gramps I'm not to good with all the details but after I beat jack I'll kick that tezca guys ass for ya "
Surprised by Alesul's response old man Hughes couldn't help but laugh at the thought.
Old man Hughes : " HAHAHA ! , you'd really do that for this sad excuse of an old man "
Alesul : " Yeah, why not; You've done so much for me when you barely even know me, if I were to just up and leave now when I know there was something I could do to help how could I call my self a seeker "
As Alesul spoke he gave the old man a huge smile. Hughes noticed it in awe, it was as if the smile itself said with confidence just leave it to me. Then the idea dawned on him of the possibility of what could be and he asked.
Old man Hughes : " W-what about the guards aren't you worried about what they would do "
Julie internally : " D-did he just say what I think he did…this guys a seeker ? "
Alesul : " What about them ? , I'm sure me and scotch can handle them if they show up "
Scotch : " I'm not sure when I agreed to help you out kid… but sure "
Alesul : " Besides me and jack have unfinished business ! "
Said Alesul in an annoyed tone as he cracked his knuckles.