Chương 17: Debt

The warm crimson glow of lanterns flickered in Rani's tavern, casting cozy shadows across the walls. The clink of mugs and soft chatter filled the air as patrons nursed their drinks, trying to unwind from the harshness of life in the town of Greystone.

Rani, a petite woman with strong arms and a tired smile, bustled behind the counter. Though her business wasn't thriving, she took pride in her little tavern. Tonight, however, the air grew heavy as the door slammed open.

A group of rough-looking men and dwarves swaggered in, their boots stomping against the wooden floor. They carried an aura of menace, their scarred faces twisted in sneers, their tattoos glinting under the lantern light. The chatter in the tavern died instantly, replaced by a tense silence.

One of the dwarves, a broad man with a thick beard and a scar slicing across his nose, spat on the floor. "Oi, where's the wench runnin' this dump?" he growled, his accent thick and guttural.

Rani stiffened but quickly composed herself, forcing a smile as she approached their table. "Welcome, gentlemen. What can I get for you?"

The tallest of the men, his face gaunt but his eyes sharp, leaned forward, his voice dripping with mockery. "Oh, we ain't here for your shitty ale or that sad excuse for food you call a menu, lass."

A ripple of uneasy laughter ran through the group.

Rani's smile faltered. "Then… what brings you here?"

The scarred dwarf slammed his fist on the table, causing several patrons to flinch. "Where's the money, huh? The coin your good-for-nothin' husband took from us?"

Rani's heart sank, but she tried to keep her voice steady. "I-I'm working on it. The tavern's not doing as well as I'd hoped, but I'm saving every coin I can. Please, just give me more time."

The gaunt man leaned back, letting out a low chuckle. "More time? We've heard that before, haven't we, boys?"

"Aye, that we have," said another dwarf, twirling a dagger in his calloused fingers.

"We don't care about your excuses, girl," the scarred dwarf snarled. "You think the Black Blood Syndicate's runnin' a charity? Either you pay up, or we'll take what's owed in other ways."

The gaunt man's eyes raked over her, his lips curling into a lecherous grin. He licked his lips, making her stomach churn. "And I reckon there's plenty of other ways you could pay us back, eh?"

Rani's breath caught in her throat. Fear tightened around her chest like a vice. "No! Please, I—I'll pay! I swear! Just a little more time, that's all I need!"

The man's grin widened as he leaned closer. "You better be quick about it, lass. We don't like waitin'."

With that, the group rose, the sound of their boots echoing ominously as they made their way to the door. The scarred dwarf turned back one last time, pointing a thick finger at her. "You've got a week. No more excuses, no more stalling. Or else."

As they left, the tension in the tavern didn't dissipate. A few patrons exchanged worried glances before quietly slipping out. Rani bit her lip, watching her livelihood crumble before her eyes. The association with the Black Blood Syndicate was like a death sentence for her business, and she knew it.

By the time the last customer left, the tavern was eerily quiet. Rani stood behind the counter, gripping it tightly as tears threatened to spill. She blinked rapidly, refusing to cry where anyone might see.

But as soon as she was alone, she let the mask fall. Leaning against the wall in the kitchen, she covered her face with her hands, her shoulders shaking.

"What am I going to do?" she whispered to herself, her voice cracking. "The tavern's failing, and I don't have the money... I can't...and Cali's academy fees."

Her thoughts were interrupted by the faint creak of the back door. Her head snapped up, her heart pounding. Quickly wiping her tears, she straightened herself.

The door opened slowly, and a familiar figure stepped inside. Rani knew exactly who it was before she even saw them. It was none other than Cali entering, her familiar cloak trailing behind her.

But what caught Rani off guard was the figure walking closely behind Cali—Dilhan Ven Londor. He seemed as casual as ever, his hands stuffed in his pockets, his tousled hair giving him an air of indifference.

"Mother!" Cali called out cheerfully, though her voice wavered as she caught sight of the redness in Rani's eyes. She stopped abruptly, her smile fading. "Have you been crying? What's wrong?"

Rani's heart sank. She hadn't expected visitors, let alone someone who could see right through her. She hurriedly wiped her hands on her apron and waved them off, her smile faltering but still present. "Nothing, dear. Just... smoke from the kitchen."

Dilhan raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Smoke, huh? Pretty potent stuff if it's got your eyes looking like that."

Rani's laugh came out forced. "Don't tease, boy. The tavern's busy. Why don't you two wait in the house? I'll join you shortly after serving my customers."

Cali hesitated, clearly unconvinced, but she nodded. "Alright... if you're sure." Her voice was soft, laced with worry.

Rani nodded quickly, gesturing toward the door to the house attached to the tavern. "Go on. I'll be there soon."

As they left, Rani turned back to the counter. Her hands trembled as she picked up an empty glass. The sight of Cali and Dilhan brought some comfort, but the weight of her situation remained unbearable.

Inside the small, cozy house connected to the tavern, Cali sat on the edge of a worn sofa, her usual cheerfulness replaced by a somber expression. Dilhan leaned casually against the wall, observing her.

"You're awfully quiet," Dilhan remarked, his tone light but curious.

Cali sighed, rubbing her temples. "I can't shake the feeling that something's wrong. She was definitely crying earlier."

"Yeah, no kidding," Dilhan said. "Any idea what's going on?"

Cali hesitated, glancing at the floor. Her hands fidgeted with the edge of her cloak. "It might be about... the debt."

Dilhan's brow furrowed. "Debt? What debt?"

Cali looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of guilt and sorrow. "It's... complicated. It all started with my father."

"Go on, if you want to share this story with me I'm all ears." Dilhan prompted, his voice softening.

Cali took a deep breath. "Our father was a mage. Not a particularly good one, but good enough to get involved with... dangerous people. He worked for the Black Blood Syndicate."

Dilhan's eyes widened. "The Black Blood Syndicate? That sounds like a group we don't want to get involved."

"It is," Cali confirmed, her voice trembling. "At first, he was just another mage for hire, doing their dirty work. But then... he got greedy. He stole something from them. I don't know what it was, but it was valuable enough to make them furious. They've been punishing us ever since."

"Let me guess," Dilhan said, crossing his arms. "Your old man's not around to face the consequences."

Cali's lips tightened into a bitter line. "He's gone. Disappeared years ago, leaving us with nothing but his debts. Mother's been trying to keep this tavern afloat, but the Syndicate… they've made sure we can't succeed. They scare off customers, spread rumors, and now they're demanding money we don't have."

Her voice cracked, and tears began to spill down her cheeks. "Rani's trying so hard, but it's like we're trapped. No matter what we do, they'll never leave us alone."

Dilhan sighed and stepped closer. Without hesitation, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a gentle hug.

"Hey, hey," he murmured, patting her back. "It's going to be okay. We'll figure something out."

Cali clung to him, her tears soaking into his shirt. "But how? We don't have the money, and they're not going to stop until they've destroyed everything."

Dilhan smirked faintly, his usual laid-back demeanor returning. "You're forgetting something important."

Cali sniffled and pulled back slightly, looking up at him with puffy eyes. "What's that?"

"You've got me," Dilhan said with a wink. "And if there's one thing I'm good at, it's... well, something. I'll think of it."

Cali let out a small, watery laugh despite herself. "You're impossible."

She knew he might be trying to just console her and that was enough for her.

"And yet, here we are," Dilhan replied, his grin widening. "Now, dry those tears. We can't let Aunty see you like this. She's got enough on her plate without worrying about you."

Cali nodded, wiping her face with her sleeve. "Thanks, Dilhan."

"Anytime," he said, leaning back against the wall.

But as Cali composed herself, Dilhan's mind raced. The Black Blood Syndicate wasn't just a gang—they were a force to be reckoned with. And if they were targeting Cali and Rani, he knew they wouldn't stop until they'd squeezed every last bit of value from them.

"Looks like ZeroVeil might need to make an appearance and talk about this on stream," he muttered under his breath, a glint of determination in his eyes.

Would it be foolish for him to do that? He didn't know but he had to do something for his only friend, otherwise Dilhan knew he would feel like an asshole.

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