Chapter 72: Little Time, So Much Regret

He opened his eyes to see the day was well past mid morning. Through Lucy he found out that two days has passed since he lost consciousness. He can only do nothing at this moment but sigh, more time has been spent.

Hearing a sign Vivi woke up and looked at Ben. Seeing him awake made her stand up from her seat. "Ben, you're awake!" her voice was loud enough to awaken two other people beside her. Stephan was there and surprisingly, Elsa too.

They came closer to Ben as they rose. "Ben, how do you feel?" Stephan asked pushing his glasses back up his nose.

"Oh wow, I feel terrific." Ben answered sarcastically.

"For your condition, you are quite a funny young man." another voice came in from the left side of the room where the entrance is, all four of them turned to see who it was.

"Father!" Elsa said running to him with a bow. The man, Elsa's father, looked at his daughter with warmth and care, put his hand over her shoulder and brought her back to stand beside the bed.

The man had a well trimmed short brown hair with a very handsome mustache. His clothes were so luxurious that Ben knew that he wasn't an ordinary noble.

"Are you the king?" Ben suddenly asks. Stumbling over his own foot, the man manages to continue walking with a rather stiff smile. "Wow, if you were the king, you have a rather fake smile that can be used to woo and fool people." Ben shrugged while watching the man approach him with the girl he saved.

"Unless you want this old man to be hanged for blasphemy never say that again," the man frowns. "No, I am not the king, however, I am the City lord of Nalazi and I am here to thank you for saving my lovely daughter. Please if there is anything I can do for you, you can tell me and I will, with the best of my ability help."

"Oh, I thought you were the king for a moment," Ben's words made the man's lips twitch. "but yes actually we would need your help. Before we bumped into your daughter in the woods we were heading towards Nalazi to buy a house and a shop to start up a business while my brother here, since he didn't take the path of a swordsman but chose the office, wishes to find a job as an accountant, financial secretary, or economist or any other field under the financial and economical sector. All we ask is for a place suitable for us to purchase for settlement and the starting of our business and for you to recommend my brother to any of your political friends. If you can help us with these we will be glad you could help." Ben said while sitting on his bed.

The Lord of the city was shocked and surprised by the young man's request, he never thought Ben would ask such a thing, it wasn't hard to accomplish though, but with the right words no one would ask.

On the other hand unlike Ben who was unfazed about the man's identity, Vivi and Stephan were quite happy with themselves since this would mean they saved an aristocrat's daughter, but then Ben's words made all colour drain from their face.

This was a noble we speak of, even though they saved his daughter any wrong word can determine whether they live or die. The two believed that to nobles you weren't worth much in their eyes.

The Lord of Nalazi was a bit unperturbed by Ben's request but his request to help Stephan caused him to frown, this was because he would have to speak to his political friends about this.

When Vivi saw that frown it nearly made her to swallow her heart out of fear.

"Hahaha, I like your type young man. Everything can be arranged, in fact I have a few places that you will certainly like. I'll gift them to you for saving my precious daughter, but as for your brother, I'd have to talk to a few of my friends about it." the lord of Nalazi laughed while saying.

"I appreciate your kind gesture of help City Lord," hearing the Lord's laughter and what he said afterwards made the siblings to release a sigh of relief. But Ben's next statement made cold water fall on them. "but like I said I would like place for our private settlement and business that I will buy myself." Ben said stressing the last four words.

Because of the joy of not angering a noble they nearly forgot who Ben was for a second... nearly. Ben may not be overly powerful, his profession however, was enough to go against worldly status, as long as those nobles don't have a wizard to do their bidding, Ben was above them.

Then again, he didn't know Ben was a wizard, all his thoughts was based on what his daughter told him. That the young man, Ben, was a late stage Second-level elemental swordsman.

Because of thinking Ben as an elemental swordsman he felt he could suppress the young man. This was to show that an elemental swordsmen didn't have the power to go against a noble. Why is that? one may ask. It was simply because even a noble can become an elemental swordsman in one or two tries of receiving an elemental seed. Being a wizard cannot happen if one doesn't have a Spellcaster's quality. That was how special wizards were to the world.

The Lord of Nalazi thought since Ben was strong enough to fend off two Second-level and three First-level elemental swordsmen all by himself, it only says he is incredibly talented, then when you add Stephan, the educated one, to the picture, he would work for him once Ben works for him. As for Vivi it doesn't need an explanation. At the end of the day they will ask be under his thumb if they work under him.

And why would that be so? All because Ben, Stephan, and Vivi will be staying in a free house and getting a free job so once the Lord of Nalazi calls for them they wouldn't refuse. You can refuse the call of someone who 'helped' you, would you? The answer, no.

Ben, himself was a noble and knew what diplomacy could do to desperate people. Although the siblings didn't know the power of diplomacy, they could only have to follow Ben's decision. But will they?

"Ben, I hope you don't get..." Vivi's words were stopped when Ben spoke over her voice.

"City Lord of Nalazi, I wish to speak to my younger ones for a second. I hope you can grant me this wish." Ben said with a slight smile on his face.

"What do you mean by that?" the Lord of Nalazi was about to show his true self but restrained from it... for now at least. "I believe if there's anything you want to tell your younger ones can be said in front of me." this time the middle aged man gave a smile that looked a bit more genuine.

"I'm sorry it wouldn't work that way. However, since you don't want to help us like I requested, I can only thank you for the hospitality you've shown to us for the past two days while we will take our leave." Ben tried to stand from his bed until he felt a large pressure coming from the City lord of Nalazi.

"Listen young man, you should be grateful I am willing to lend you a hand... but... but... " The City Lord of Nalazi stammered when he saw a long twisted wood suddenly materialize in Ben's hands out of nowhere.

The piece of long old staff was four or five feet long, it looks like it might break if a breeze blew passed it, yet, Ben used this seemingly weak, old and worn out staff to stand against the pressure he emits with the help of his level, a Fourth-level elemental swordsman and added with the air of a noble, the pressure should be large.

"You were saying..." Ben stood with a plane face. Neither smiling nor frowning.

"...Ah no, no. What I was saying was I am grateful to be lending you, sir, a hand in taking your request."

"No need to fret City Lord. I only wanted you to not threaten me or them before you regret it. There is a saying in a far away land that says 'There is no medicine for regret'."

Ben himself was a noble and knew about such petty things. Elsa for some seconds became scared but also angry at her father for trying to force Ben, the person who saved her life at the risk of his own into working for him.

The City lord of Nalazi sighed to calm his nerves. His plan didn't work, but what could he do? For someone who fought five elemental swordsmen with only one escape. Then again, should he get angry for his miserably failed attempt of intimidation? The answer is, no. In fact, he was the one who ended up being intimidated.

In his mind at least the young man, Ben, wasn't a naïve person that could be toyed with... not like anyone can toy with a wizard after all. To him this was the perfect match for his daughter. Unconsciously, he looked at his daughter then smiled.

"Don't worry, about your request my Butler will handle the matter as soon as possible. Meanwhile, before things are arranged, why don't I invite you all to my manor? At least as a sign of gratitude for saving my girl." the City lord of Nalazi said partly in defeat and regret. He knew he had messed up big time. But just like the young man has said, there's no medicine for regret.

"I will be honoured." says Ben.

At that moment Elsa, who had been quiet all along stepped forward. She wore Red dress with her hair braided in French braids. "Mister, I would like to say thank you for risking your life to save mine, even when you weren't obliged to neither did you know me, I am really grateful for what you have done for me." Elsa bowed.

"No need to thank me, I only did it because I saw a very striking, beautiful damsel in distress." Ben's heart warming smile and words made the young girl blush.

'Is he flirting with my daughter right in front of me?' the City Lord of Nalazi thought to himself, his eyelids twitched. Ben of course saw this and chuckled.

Ben was already back in his sitting position when the father and daughter duo left after a short while, leaving the siblings behind. And for a long time silence ensued in the infirmary between the three individuals.