The next day, after our arrival in the capital city early in the morning, Father woke me up.
"Will, we need to go now." Father whispered, maybe so Chris wouldn't wake up.
"Where?" I asked.
"To the House Quarter," he answered.
Oh, that's right. I completely forgot about it.
"Okay," I said, then started to carefully get off the bed so I wouldn't wake Chris up.
Before we leave the room, I take another careful look at Chris and see her sleeping peacefully. After that, we continue to head downstairs. When Father saw the innkeeper, he talked to him for a moment, then tossed something that looked like a silver coin, and after that, we finally left the inn.
We walked in the opposite direction of where Chris and I walked yesterday. After almost fifteen minutes, we finally reach our destination, which is located near the walls. The house was like Carson's house, but this house was more extravagant than his, and the whole yard was surrounded by iron fences. When the guards saw Father, Father twitch a little, he looked like he was so nervous.
When we reached the gate, Father talked to the guard, and then he showed the card that proved that he's a subordinate of the House Quarter. After that, the guard finally let us in, and he ordered the other guard to stand on his post so he could lead us to the house.
When we reach the front door, the guard opens it, and we are greeted by a beastkin woman who has red hair and is wearing a butler's uniform. She has the features of a cat in her; she has cat ears. When she saw Father, her face changed from a happy one to an annoyed one.
"It's just you; what do you want?" She asked Father
"I have something to talk to Lord Alaric about," Father answered.
"You caused another trouble?" She asked
"No, that's not it," Father answered.
"Follow me," the lady beastkin said, then walked upstairs while Father and I were following her.
We stopped in the room at the end of the corridor, and it has a huge door.
"Lord Alaric, William is here," the lady beastkin said after she knocked at the door.
"Come in," a voice from inside the room said after she heard that the lady beastkin had opened the door.
Father and I came in, and we saw a huge room with a desk across the window and someone sitting over there.
When Father saw him, he got to his knees immediately. When I saw Father getting on his knees, I followed suit and did the same.
The man who was sitting over the window stood up and walked towards us.
"Lord Alaric, it's nice to see you in good shape." Father said
"Quit the flowery words; it doesn't suit you, so this boy is your son?" Lord Alaric asked:
"Yes, he is," Father said.
"Stand up, boy," Lord Alaric ordered me, and I did what he said and stood up.
After I stood up, Lord Alaric just stared at me in the eyes, and I also stared at him. After a few minutes of staring, he finally said something.
"This boy has guts!" "Normally, when I stare at someone, they would avoid their eyes because of the pressure I emit, but this boy didn't even blink and just stared back," Lord Alaric said with a happy face.
"William, your son would be a subordinate of House Quarter too," he added.
Father made a face that looked like he was in despair, and after that, with his knees still on the floor, he lowered his head until it touched the floor and begged
"Lord Alaric, that's what we came for. I plead to you, please don't involve my son here." Father plead
"Huh? Why?" Lord Alaric asked with a confused face.
"I can't take it to see him doing that kind of work," the father said.
Lord Alaric makes a face as if he can't understand what Father is saying.
"William, I already heard about what happened in the Craud," Lord Alaric said.
"You used my name to escape the crime you committed," he added.
"I'll overlook it if you let your son work for me." Lord Alaric added
"T-that's—" Father was about to say something, but he got interrupted.
"If you still don't want it, then right here, right now, I'll arrest you for the crime you committed," Lord Alaric said.
Father didn't know what to do; he had a face as if he were in the depths of despair. I don't want to see my father like that. I need to do something.
"Please let me do it! I'll be one of your subordinates." I said, then bow at Lord Alaric.
"Will?" Father said, looking at me with a confused face.
"That's what I want to hear! You really have guts. I'll contact you when I have something I need you to do, and of course I'll compensate you well." Lord Alaric said this with a happy face.
"Now, get out of here; I have something I need to do," he added.
After that, Father and I left the room, and what greeted us outside was the lady beastkin.
She looked at Father, then next to me, and after that, she made a "tsk!" sound before saying something.
"Are you done?" She said it in an annoyed tone.
"Yes," Father said, still looking sad.
"Ah, can I use the toilet first?" I asked the lady beastkin
She stared at me as if saying, "Know your place!" But she didn't say it out loud instead.
"The toilet was at the end of the left corridor," she said.
After that, I leave Father and the lady beastkin alone and head towards the toilet.
After I finished my business, I started to walk towards where I left Father and the lady beastkin. While walking, I suddenly noticed a blonde-haired girl on the balcony looking at a flower that was placed in front of her.
She looks about the same age as me. Is she Lord Alaric's daughter? I didn't pay any more attention and continued walking because she didn't even notice that I was there.
After I came back, Father and I left the house. While walking, Father asked me.
"Why did you volunteer to be his subordinate?" He asked
"It's because I don't want you to get arrested," I answered.
"And you also said that they're good nobles, right?" I asked
"Yes, they're a good noble house, but even good people need to dirty their hands sometimes to do what is right," the father said.
"And the one responsible for those dirty works was me," the father added.
"Did that mean you already killed many people?" I asked
"Yeah, many criminals," he answered.
So that's why he was so afraid when he killed Conrad in front of us. He's afraid that we will hate him and that we will find out his secret work.
"So why did you tell me your secret work now?" I asked
"Lord Alaric might order you to do something like that too; I want you to be aware of things that he might order you to do," he answered.
"Don't worry, Father, I promise you I won't kill anyone," I said.
"Thank you, Will," Father said.
After that, we continued to walk towards the inn, where Chris is still sleeping.