At the crack of dawn, Henry Vander turned over and got up from his bed. Last night's anger and unease still lingered in his mind.
Despite his efforts to calm himself, the anxiety deep within wouldn't go away. As soon as he finished dressing, one of his servants hurriedly walked into the room, looking grave.
"Master, it's bad, it's really bad! There are two pieces of bad news!" the servant said, his voice filled with obvious worry.
"Speak," Henry Vander waved impatiently, sighing inwardly.
"The first thing is that the spring well in town suddenly stopped producing water," the servant reported.
This spring well was originally built by Magnus Valorion using the legendary "Springstone."
Henry Vander frowned but didn't pay much attention. He waved his hand, indicating the servant to continue, "
The well stopped producing water? Just send someone to repair it. If that doesn't work, dig another well. It's no big deal."
The servant nodded and continued, "Master, the second thing is much more serious. The town's granary was emptied last night; not a single grain is left."
These words were like a bolt from the blue. Henry Vander's face instantly turned pale. He stood up abruptly, his voice trembling, "What? The granary is empty? How is that possible!"
The servant also looked very nervous and quickly explained, "We just discovered it. All the grain has disappeared without a trace; not a single grain is left in the warehouse."
Henry Vander's mind was in chaos, unable to believe it was true. Last night, he was still feeling resentful about Alice Parker's matter, and now he had to face such a major issue.
He had planned to secretly move the grain from the granary bit by bit and then resell it to other towns. Unexpectedly, someone beat him to it before he could act.
"Quick, take me to the granary!" Henry Vander urgently ordered, rushing to the granary with his servant.
Upon reaching the granary, Henry Vander saw the empty warehouse and fell into utter despair. All the grain had vanished without a trace.
"What on earth is going on? Who did this?" Henry Vander questioned loudly, his voice filled with helplessness and anger.
"Where did the grain go?" No one answered Henry Vander. His servants were also at a loss, having no idea how the grain had disappeared.
The more Henry Vander thought about it, the more anxious he became, sensing a conspiracy. Suddenly, he thought of one possibility—last night's Duncan Thorngate.
"Duncan Thorngate! It must be him!" Henry Vander gritted his teeth, his eyes flashing with a fierce light. In this town, the only one capable of such an act was Duncan Thorngate.
"Let's go to the barracks. This is outrageous! As the town mayor, how can such a thing happen right under my nose!" Henry Vander angrily led his followers to the barracks.
Inside the barracks, Duncan Thorngate was training with the soldiers. Seeing Henry Vander and his entourage approaching aggressively, he frowned slightly, stopped the training, and walked up.
"Mayor, what brings you here so early? Is there something you need?" Duncan Thorngate asked calmly, though his eyes showed a hint of vigilance.
Henry Vander's face was livid with anger, "Duncan Thorngate, did you hide the grain last night?!"
Hearing this, Duncan Thorngate frowned deeply, a trace of anger flashing in his eyes, "Mayor, what do you mean by this? I have no knowledge of the granary. Why do you suspect me?"
Henry Vander snorted coldly, refusing to back down, "Why? Because of what you did to me last night! As the commander of the town guard, aren't you the most likely person to have tampered with it?"
Duncan Thorngate's expression grew even darker. He stared directly at Henry Vander, his voice icy, "Mayor, are you admitting that the intruder last night was you?"
"Duncan Thorngate, don't change the subject. We're talking about the grain. Without it, the whole town will starve this winter!"
"Mayor, please don't slander me. I, Duncan Thorngate, have always acted righteously and never stooped to such theft. But you, why do you immediately suspect me? Are you feeling guilty and trying to frame me?"
The tension between the two men instantly escalated. The surrounding soldiers and Henry Vander's followers also gathered, facing off with heightened hostility.
Henry Vander, enraged, gritted his teeth, "How dare you slander me? I am the mayor! I have the right to question you!"
Duncan Thorngate, unyielding, replied coldly, "Mayor, even if you are the mayor, you cannot falsely accuse the innocent. I, Duncan Thorngate, have been diligent in ensuring the town's safety. The granary issue has nothing to do with me. Please choose your words carefully."
Henry Vander, furious, pointed at Duncan Thorngate, "Don't be smug. I will find out the truth, and then we'll see how you explain yourself!"
Duncan Thorngate coldly smiled, his gaze firm, "Investigate all you want. I have a clear conscience. But I warn you, if I find out that you hid the grain, I, Duncan Thorngate, will not go easy on you for the sake of the town's people!"
Henry Vander, his face flushed with anger, gritted his teeth, "Duncan Thorngate, mark my words! I won't let you get away with this!" With that, Henry Vander, with his followers in tow, left the barracks in a huff, returning to the town hall.
Back at the town hall, Henry Vander was still fuming. He paced back and forth, unable to vent his anger, cursing under his breath, "Damn Duncan Thorngate, how dare he threaten me! Who does he think he is?"
He kicked a chair with such force that it broke into pieces. Henry Vander grumbled, "And this damn town hall, Magnus Valorion, why can't anything be done properly? It's all junk, infuriating!"
At that moment, his strategist, Thomas Blackwood, walked in. He had been Henry Vander's close advisor for years.
Seeing Henry Vander so angry, Thomas Blackwood hurriedly stepped forward to calm him down, "Mayor, please calm down. Now is not the time to lose your temper."
Henry Vander glared at Thomas Blackwood, shouting angrily, "Calm down? How can I calm down? The grain is gone, and that scoundrel Duncan Thorngate dares to threaten me!"
Thomas Blackwood approached Henry Vander, speaking in a low voice, "Mayor, I understand your anger. But I once heard a great man say: 'Never lose your temper, never threaten, always reason.'"
"What we need now is calm and strategy. A strong dragon cannot suppress a local snake. Duncan Thorngate controls the town guard, while we only control the town patrol. Confronting him directly is unwise."
Henry Vander took a deep breath, trying to calm down but still feeling indignant, "So what do you suggest we do?"
Thomas Blackwood spoke gravely, "Duncan Thorngate did this for personal gain, taking advantage of the situation for embezzlement. We can negotiate with him, tell him we know he hid the grain, but we're willing to give him twenty percent of the profits in exchange for the grain."
Henry Vander frowned, "You mean negotiate with him?"
Thomas Blackwood nodded, "Yes, Mayor. The grain is crucial now. If we can temporarily placate Duncan Thorngate and resolve the grain issue, we'll have a chance to deal with him later. Otherwise, if the townspeople find out the grain is gone, there will be riots, and we won't be able to control it."
Henry Vander was silent for a moment, knowing Thomas Blackwood's words made sense. Despite his reluctance, he understood now was not the time to be headstrong. He nodded coldly, "Alright, we'll do as you say."
That evening, in a small tavern in town, the atmosphere was dim and oppressive. Duncan Thorngate was already seated at a table in the corner. Seeing Henry Vander and his group enter, he smiled coldly, "Mayor, you're here."
Forcing a smile, Henry Vander sat across from Duncan Thorngate and got straight to the point, "Duncan Thorngate, we all know that the grain is the town's lifeline. If you really hid the grain, I'm willing to give you twenty percent of the profits, just hand over the grain."
Hearing this, Duncan Thorngate raised an eyebrow, a trace of doubt flashing in his eyes but quickly regaining his composure. He replied coldly, "Mayor, it seems you misunderstand. I didn't hide the grain. Instead, shouldn't you hand over the eighty percent of the grain you hid? I'll allow you to keep the remaining twenty percent."
Henry Vander's face turned livid with anger, "Duncan Thorngate, what do you mean? You're greedy, wanting eighty percent!"
Duncan Thorngate remained unmoved, "Mayor, I'm just stating the facts. You accuse me of hiding the grain without any evidence. Why not investigate yourself first?"
Henry Vander slammed the table in fury, "Duncan Thorngate, don't push your luck! You're slandering me!"
Duncan Thorngate stood up, staring directly at Henry Vander, his voice icy, "Mayor, since you're so determined, there's nothing more to discuss. The grain issue needs resolving, but not through baseless accusations and deals."
Henry Vander, seething with rage, pointed at Duncan Thorngate, "Just wait. When I find out the truth, don't beg for mercy!"
The negotiation broke down completely. Henry Vander left the tavern in a huff, his followers in tow.
The next day, as Henry Vander pondered the question "where did the grain go," a royal decree arrived at Green River Town.