Trust is something that makes us feel less alone. It's like when we go to sleep, believing that the sun will rise again and bring light. We also think that there might be others out there beyond our solar system
"Hey... Ben, come here," Katz called out loudly.
Ben, who looked about 50 years old with white hair and a thin frame, had a confident smile on his face. He was with Adam, Jack, and Stephen.
When Ben heard someone calling him, he turned and saw Katz in a red uniform. He walked over slowly and said, "You called for me, sir?"
"Yes, I called for you, and no one else. Is there another Ben here?" Katz asked.
"Sorry, sir," Ben replied, realizing what Katz meant and apologizing.
"Alright, follow me. I have some tasks for you," Katz said and turned to leave.
"One minute, sir. I'll just inform my colleagues," Ben said, turning back to Adam, Jack, and Stephen. He quickly returned and said, "Let's go, sir." Without further conversation, he followed Katz.
After a while, they arrived at a place with four unfamiliar men. Ben thought, "Maybe these are the people here to check on things."
Katz spoke with them and then stood beside them.
"Just tell me the factory's schedule," asked one of the men dressed like a leader.
Ben wondered, "Why are they asking about the timing? Perhaps they already know and just want to confirm. Should I tell them or not?" After confirming, he answered calmly, "The factory is open two hours longer, and starting tomorrow, it will be one hour more, as decided by the factory owner."
Seeing their shocked expressions, Ben realized they didn't know the factory's schedule. After a while, one of the leader-like men reached into his pocket, threw 5 copper Sols on the ground, and said, "Take these 5 copper Sols, and when I come inside, just give me a slight push, alright?"
Ben was irritated by the leader's attitude. He thought, "If you're going to give it, at least hand it properly. And why is this man offering 5 copper Sols for a mere push? This doesn't feel right for a Patrician."
At that moment, Katz shouted at Ben, "Hey... old Dreg, do you understand what Lord Max said now?"
"Yes, Lord, but..." Ben began to say something, but Katz interrupted, "What are you waiting for? Pick up those 5 copper Sols and get out of here."
"O...k... Lord," Ben said, a bit frightened, and picked up the 5 copper Sols, hurrying away.
Ben headed back toward the factory, where he had been working with his team.
"Uncle Ben, why did that guard call you?" Adam, who was working, asked as he saw Ben approaching.
"Oh, it was nothing. It seems that an inspection officer arrived and asked about the factory, and I provided the information," Ben explained.
"So what did they ask you?" Stephen inquired after hearing Ben's explanation.
"They asked about the factory's timing, and I told them," Ben replied casually.
"Uncle Ben, you're holding something back. What else did they ask after hearing the factory's timing?" Stephen asked, stepping closer to Ben.
"You have a keen eye, Stephen," Ben complimented, noting that Stephen had quickly picked up on the situation.
"Tell us, then," Stephen pressed.
"Alright, fine. When I told them about the timing, they were shocked. After a while, their leader gave me 5 copper Sols and said to give him a little push when he came inside," Ben explained in detail.
Adam, feeling uneasy, said, "Uncle Ben, this sounds like some kind of evil plan. Trust me, don't push him."
"Don't worry, Adam. I felt they seemed like decent people," uncle Ben reassured Adam, looking at him with a calm demeanor.
Hearing uncle Ben's words, Adam calmed down. Just then, the factory bell rang, and all the workers stopped their tasks and gathered in one place.
Soon after, four officers entered the factory, and Dante Ward welcomed them with a smile.
"Is this them, Officer?" Stephen asked Ben softly, standing beside him.
"Yes, these are the ones I met outside," uncle Ben confirmed.
"Uncle Ben, are you sure these officers are trustworthy?" Stephen asked seriously. He had been taught from childhood not to trust Patricians, believing that doing so would lead to dire consequences, so he was wary of uncle Ben's assurance.
"Stephen, not all Patricians are bad. You'll understand in a little while. Just wait," Ben replied, looking toward the officers.
Stephen, after hearing Ben's response, said nothing further and continued to watch as the officers inspected the factory. They checked whether the machines were functioning properly, if there was excessive waste of fabric, and reviewed the daily production amounts. The officers were meticulous, paying attention to even the smallest details.
The workers observed in silence, feeling hopeful that the officers might find faults and punish Dante Ward.
Then, the officers gathered in one place and the leader began questioning Dante Ward. Dante Ward responded, "I've reduced the factory hours by two hours to allow for better rest for the workers."
The sky is visible to everyone and cannot be hidden; similarly, the blatant lie Dante Ward told was obvious to all.
"That old bastard is so shameless, lying so openly. He doesn't even have the decency to feel ashamed," Uncle Ben thought angrily, cursing Dante Ward in his mind.
" Dante, you bastard, how dare you lie like that right in front of us? You won't die a peaceful death; you'll suffer, you motherfucker! " Adam, upon hearing Dante Ward's blatant lie, turned red with anger. He clenched his fists tightly and gritted his teeth, barely containing his rage.
"Stop it, old man. This won't end well for you. Lying in front of all these workers, your factory is bound to be shut down because of this behavior," the manager muttered to himself, frustration and anger evident in his tone.
It wasn't just these few. All the workers silently cursed Dante Ward in their minds, furious at his lies. They all had the urge to lash out, but fear held them back. Not a single voice was raised outwardly; they just stood there, listening to every word, their anger boiling beneath the surface.
At that moment, the lead officer started walking toward the workers, followed closely by a lady officer and two male officers. Behind them, Dante Ward trailed with a faint smirk on his face.
As the lead officer approached, he subtly signaled to Uncle Ben, indicating for him to push. Uncle Ben, who was standing off to the side with Stephen, Jack, and Adam nearby, noticed the gesture. He quietly whispered to the others, "When I push the leader, if any of them start pretending to attack me, don't interfere. Just watch. If this is all part of a plan to trap that scumbag Dante, then let it play out. The officers probably want to scare me into telling the truth, so don't step in, okay?"
Uncle Ben had already made up his mind. He realized that Dante Ward wasn't going to speak the truth, and these officers might be using this tactic to expose him in front of the workers. Uncle Ben began to trust the officers more, believing that once the truth came out, Dante would be punished and replaced with a better factory owner. With this thought, he slowly moved forward and gave the lead officer a light push.
" How dare you, you filthy Dreg bastard! " shouted one of the male officers walking behind the leader. He immediately rushed forward and, seeing the push, kicked Uncle Ben hard, shouting angrily, "You've got some nerve pushing our leader!"
"Sorry... Lord... I'm not feeling well. I got dizzy and accidentally bumped into you. Please don't hit me," Uncle Ben cried out, pretending to be scared.
"Why are they hitting me so hard? They were just supposed to pretend to hit me, but it actually hurts," Uncle Ben thought to himself, as his old body couldn't take the pain and began to ache from the blows.
"Adam, Uncle Ben said he's just acting so that Dante Ward's truth comes out. The officers must have planned this to scare him into confessing, so don't get emotional and interfere," Stephen explained, forcefully holding Adam back as they walked.
"But Uncle Ben is really getting hurt, and his old body can't take much more," Adam replied, worried. Just then, the leader officer's voice could be heard, and Adam calmed down, turning his attention towards them.
"Your boss is so kind that he reduced the factory hours so you could rest, yet you're still working without taking a break?" the leader officer asked Uncle Ben, pausing the beating.
"Rest, my foot! This man has been making us work day and night, and now he's lying in front of the officers. This is my chance to speak up," Uncle Ben thought. Gathering his courage, he looked at the leader officer and said in a low voice, "Lord, this man is lying to you. He's actually increased the factory hours by two, and starting tomorrow, he's adding another hour," Uncle Ben said bravely and loudly.
When Uncle Ben spoke the truth in front of everyone, the other workers began to respect him more and looked towards the leader officer, silently praying that Dante Ward would be punished.
"Oh... then I want to hear more details," the leader officer said, ignoring Dante Ward's words and listening to Uncle Ben.
Uncle Ben explained everything clearly, and he was now confident that Dante Ward would be punished when the leader officer and his companions heard the truth.
"You won't escape this time. These officers will surely throw you in jail," Uncle Ben thought, breathing a sigh of relief and feeling a little happier, as if he had achieved something after enduring so much hardship.
But little did he know that this was just a dream, and his trust was about to be shattered.
A little while later, Dante Ward requested a private conversation in his office, and the leader officer immediately stood up from the table and headed to the office.
When Uncle Ben saw the leader officer leaving, he was shocked.
"Where are you going, Lord? You heard my words. Punish him now, instead of talking in private," he thought, confused. He just stood there in shock, watching them head to the office. After a short while, both men returned, smiling.
Realizing what had happened, Uncle Ben shouted in anger at the leader officer, whom he had trusted.
"You bastard! You've joined forces with this monster too!"
Ignoring Uncle Ben's outburst, the leader officer called out to one of his men.
"Luke, silence him."
Following his leader's command, Luke drew his sword and advanced towards Uncle Ben, raising it high.
Seeing the sword approaching, Uncle Ben felt like a living corpse, silently cursing himself.
"Ahh... I was just a pawn to be used..."
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So, what have you thought, guys? Tell me..
See... Yaa... Next Chapter [ The Patricians ]