Reincarnated

Chapter 23 - First Trouble (2)

"What are you doing? Eat up." Cain spoke after swallowing the meat he had just been chewing.

"Y-Yes…!" Telph tried to tighten his grip on the knife and fork in his hands but he seemed to not have the strength to do so.

Well, who would have such strength while having to tolerate a threatening aura and suspicion directed at them without even bothering to hide it?

Who would do such a thing to such a frail man? It is no other than Filzer.

Filzer was staring intently at Telph while breathing in the food Cain and Telph bought for take out. It was such a curious thing how he could multitask something like that.

'It sure is fascinating but…' Cain thought to himself as he stabbed a piece of steak with his fork and put it in his mouth while switching his gaze between Filzer and Telph, which represented a cat watching its mice' prey eat before it devours it.

Yeah, that depicted the picture perfectly.

'At this rate, Telph won't be able to eat anything.' Cain sighed and pushed every food in front of Filzer all to Telph.

Telph stared at the plates of food with wide eyes while Filzer flinched.

"What do you think you're doing?!" He asked, annoyed.

"I bought all this for both of us. I may have also bought some for you but you already devoured all of your share. I know you're greedy but have mercy on the kid." Cain shrugged his shoulders as he popped another piece of meat.

Filzer frowned deeply while staring at the food that he was about to eat earlier before turning his head and grabbing his glass of wine and downing it.

"Hmph! You ungrateful brat! Well, talk about this twig later!" Filzer said before standing up from his seat. But before he walked away he made a quick glance at the food before turning to the door.

"Did that old mann't eat all day?" Cain thought loudly, but soon shook the thought away.

"Umm. It's fine, young master. I can only eat so much food." Telph, who had been panicking earlier now, looked down as he looked at all the food in front of him with sadness in his face.

Telph himself didn't know that he had that kind of expression in his face at the moment which made Cain get a full view of his emotions.

'I guess his family really treated him like shit.' Cain felt pity for Telph deep inside him as he grew closer to him for an inch.

"Just eat everything that you can. Make sure to fill every part of your stomach." Cain casually commented and continued eating as he decided to do the thinking at a later time.

A few minutes later, unlike what Telph said, he sure ate well and managed to eat all the dishes Cain pushed for him earlier.

The time continued to tick and the night became late. Filzer, who was standing outside his room, on his balcony to be exact, was watching as the lights of the city turned off one by one and the knights on night patrol did their job.

"So, what's the deal with that child?" He spoke. He had felt a presence in the shadow behind him.

"He's my investment."

The owner of the presence was no other than Cain.

"I met him at the place where merchant guilds trade. He seemed to be a bastard son of one of the declining merchant guilds. I sensed a talent in him. That's why I decided to make an investment." Cain explained as he stepped out of the shadow.

"I guess you're right with your perception. It's been a while since I saw those kinds of eyes. If you raise him well, he could be one of the best merchants in this kingdom. Of course, that will benefit us well in the future, too." Filzer sat down on the outdoor chair and poured wine into the glass before taking a sip into it.

"Would it hurt you to compliment me?" Cain followed his lead and sat down, too.

"I don't mind, but your head will sure grow big. And aren't you too old for compliments?" Filzer raised an eyebrow.

"Speak for yourself, gramps." Cain smirked and poured himself some wine, too.

Filzer almost spewed the wine he was drinking because of what Cain called him. He might not admit it, but it sure sounded like music to his draconic ears.

Inside the city of Heloin, on Marquis Heloin's estate, the Marquis himself was seething in anger. Everything has been pissing him off lately. And it was all because of the sudden revival of the Stan family.

"Are you saying that that haunted place transformed into a grand place befitting the King's summer house?" Marquis Heloin's voice was low and his pace of speaking was slow.

It was rather calm but cold and the knight who had just reported could feel chills running from the back of his neck down his spine.

"Y-Yes, master." The atmosphere felt cold but he was sweating profusely. He was scared that he stammered.

'I've been remembering what the King had told me about the Stans and have been having dreams about them. It's annoying how they keep pestering me day and night.' The Marquis gritted his teeth as he crumpled the report paper he had in his hands.

"... tomorrow." The Marquis whispered.

"M-master?"

"I will be giving Count Stan a visit tomorrow. I'll make sure to let him know who's the ruler in this land." The Marquis declared with a devious look in his face.

The glass Filzer was holding slipped out of his hands. Cain watched it as it fell in reaction to gravity with indifferent eyes.

Before the glass could hit the floor and shatter. It stopped mid air as well as the wine which fell with it. Filzer just watched the glass and the wine float before putting it back in its place.

"Haaa. I can't be bothered with such boring cases." He sighed and stood up.

Dragons have good hearing. As Cain had thought, the Dragons really are great.