The buxom woman lifted her tear-streaked face and shook her head, "We could kill him, but we lack the strength to endure the revenge that would surely come from his powerful family. Most of us have children, and some even have aging parents.
Once Iron Fury is dead, his clan will seek vengeance. They would discover our involvement and subject us to public humiliation and a torturous death.
Our families would also pay the price. We dare not act ourselves; our only hope is a hero unafraid to stand against such tyranny."
"If you're not powerful enough to withstand the retaliation from Iron Fury's family and the city lord, then please leave. I'll go back, untie him, and continue to serve his depraved needs. He'll never suspect a thing," she implored with a resigned sorrow.
"How long have you sought vengeance through the assassin's guild?" Eddie asked, his final query.
"Three years, without cease," the woman replied with unwavering determination. "Though we have little money, we would rather starve than forsake our quest for vengeance."
Eddie nodded slightly, impressed by their unyielding spirit. Despite the degradation and abuse they suffered, these women had not forgotten their desire for revenge.
They handed over all their earnings to their manipulators, saving tiny amounts secretly, and yet managed to muster enough to maintain their pursuit of vengeance every six months. Their resolve was indeed admirable.
As for the potential retaliation from Iron Fury's family, Eddie was unconcerned. He knew how to exploit certain loopholes thanks to the knowledge transmitted from the Bronze Codex. Firstly, unless recorded by a vengeance scroll, his name wouldn't appear on the assassin guild's vengeance list. Even if it did, the name listed would be 'Titan,' not his real one.
And even if Iron Fury's family sought retribution, they'd be hard-pressed to find him.
Eddie's loophole was that he wasn't the direct murderer but merely an accomplice.
This technicality provided him a thin veil of protection, but enough for someone as clever and resourceful as him.
With a plan in mind and a heart steeled for what was to come, he reassured the woman, "Your wait ends tonight. Iron Fury will trouble you no longer."
And with that, he moved stealthily into the night, determined to end one more tyrant's reign.
Eddie utilized the loopholes to his advantage, fully aware that the vengeance list would most likely feature the mysterious entity that devoured Iron Fury - his unregistered Thorn Flower.
In his careful planning, no trace of his involvement would appear on the Bronze Codex or any vengeance map until he chose to summon the Thorn Flower again.
Before entering the building, he turned back and gave the buxom woman a reassuring smile. "From now on, save your money; don't bother with the assassin's guild. Not every assassin works for money. If you need someone eliminated, come find me.
I'm the mercenary who kills for the right price, regardless of the target, as long as you can afford it."
The woman, overcome with emotion, sobbed silently with shaking shoulders. In less than ten minutes, Eddie emerged, carrying a large sack. He tossed it at the woman's feet. "The copper coins inside are yours.
I need you to pawn the rest of the jewelry for gold coins. If anyone tries to swindle you, take note, and they'll be my next target. And tell me, do you have any other vengeance targets?"
The woman, trembling and stuttering with gratitude, listed two more names: 'Long Knife' and 'Evil Fire,' both feared and respected even by Iron Fury.
With the information provided, Eddie promised action once she completed her task, leaving a hint of a threat and promise in his departing words, "Pawn those items well, and when I see them next, they'll be dead."
As the woman bowed deeply in thanks, tears streaming down her face, she looked up to find Eddie already gone, vanished like a gust of wind, leaving her alone with a newfound sense of hope and a daunting task ahead.
As dawn broke, Eddie reverted from a merciless nocturnal hunter to the cherished youngest child in his mother's eyes.
Oblivious to her son's nightly escapades and the monstrous transformations of his Thorn Flower, she sat contentedly in the morning light, her face brightened by a letter from her daughter, Sophia.
"Eddie, look, Sophia has mentioned you in her letter!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with pride. There was a new warmth in the relationship between her children, a change reflected in the increasing mentions of Eddie in Sophia's correspondence, which had previously been dominated by academic achievements and personal anecdotes.
"How's Sophia doing with her exams?" Eddie asked, discreetly retracting the Blood Tongue Slobbering Thorn Flower into its abode.
The plant had recently evolved into a formidable bronze-grade entity named 'Blood Tongue Slobbering Thorn Flower.' Towering at two meters, armored with a thicket of thorns, and brandishing a long, serpentine tongue, it was a sight of pure terror and power.
Unseen by his mother, Eddie's eyes shone with a mix of pride and anticipation. The Thorn Flower's evolution marked the successful commencement of a long and arduous journey towards becoming a Gold Crown Thorn Flower Queen.
This legendary creature, requiring three metamorphoses, would ultimately combine immense power with an almost humanlike intelligence.
For now, the morning in their home remained peaceful and unassuming. His mother, filled with joy from the letter, continued to discuss Sophia's well-being and future prospects, completely unaware of the secret, perilous, yet potentially glorious path Eddie was paving with his sinister botanical companion.
But Eddie was ready for the long haul, driven by ambition and the thrill of the unknown. The journey to raise a Gold Crown Thorn Flower Queen was underway, and nothing could deter his resolve.
Eddie had indeed taken the correct first step. As long as he continued feeding his Thorn Flower with living beings, its growth would accelerate beyond any beast or bird feasting on magic crystals.
The day wasn't far when it would become a Gold Crown Thorn Flower Queen, a nightmarish entity for all creatures on the battlefield.
The legends of such a being from three millennia past were not just going to remain tales, but become a stark reality under Eddie's meticulous care.
"Sophia's exams went well. She'll be advancing to the advanced class for fifth graders next year. And she's also enrolled you in second grade. The academy's rules don't allow enrollment directly into the third grade or higher, so you'll start from there. But Sophia mentioned that if your grades are impressive, you could skip to the third grade," his mother relayed, her eyes brimming with pride. As she spoke, the youngest of the family wriggled out of her embrace and darted towards Eddie, seeking his attention with her playful antics.
Absorbed in the letter, his mother's expression turned slightly apprehensive as she continued, "Sophia won't be coming home for the next three months. She's heading to the Heaven-Reaching Tower for a trial."
"The Heaven-Reaching Tower? A trial?" Eddie's brow furrowed at the mention. The path to excellence was never without its perils, and the Heaven-Reaching Tower was known for its grueling challenges.
Sophia's determination to undertake such a trial spoke volumes of her character and ambition, mirroring the relentless drive of her brother. As Eddie watched his little sister frolic in his arms, he knew the journey ahead for both of them would be fraught with trials and tribulations.
Yet, there was a part of him that thrived on the challenge, a part that was already planning the next step for both his beloved Thorn Flower and his daring sister, Sophia.