Gato picked the bottle again. And then he took big gulps from it.
Looking at him, one might think he was drinking water and not alcohol.
’Doesn’t his throat burn? Such tolerance.’ Xander thought to himself.
"It was many years ago." Gato recounted his tale. "You see my daughter, Wena, had been widowed by war. She would sit by the window, staring blankly at the moon for nights unending.
It was clear that something inside her had broken.
Back then I had work come in from different lords, and would spend lots of time away from home.
In all honesty, I was running... from the guilt."
Xander listened like a priest accepting confession.
Gato took another gulp, and then continued, "When the war started, Wena had begged me to use my influence with the lords to change her husband’s position to the rear.
Somewhere safer.
But you see, even though I had the power to do it, I didn’t. I never liked him. Not because he did anything wrong, but because his profession was footsoldier.
Back then, I thought it beneath the daughter of a runemaster to marry a mere foot soldier. After all, I could have gotten her to marry the son of a lord, or a lord himself.
But she married for love.
And so I didn’t care for her husband. It was a mistake I’ll forever regret.
If only I had known. If only I had swallowed my pride and been a father instead of letting my ego take root."
Gato looked at Xander. He thought he would see a disgustful look.
But instead, he saw pity. It baffled him. But ever since these events happened, Xander was the very first person he had opened up to.
This encouraged him to pour more.
A little too much.
"After her husband’s death, Wena stopped talking to me.
And for a time, her daughter... my granddaughter, Claudia was also mad at me.
Regardless, I was stubborn. I did not apologize."
By now, more tears fell. Hot. Heavy
"I wasn’t there for my babygirl," Gato continued, "And in her grief, she sort comfort in another’s embrace.
Oh, I forgot to tell" he chuckled mockingly at himself. "Her Orb given Profession was Prostitution."
Xander’s eyes widened at those words.
"Hmmm. It had shocked me too. But my Wena was a good girl, and the first I ever witnessed to reject her Profession and live a life without the system. She struggled, but endured, and lived a life of honesty, and loyalty to her husband.
But after his death, her anchor dissolved. She needed to feed and survive with Claudia. And she sort comfort in the embrace of another.
Baron Bones."
[Ding]
[Emotional Connection Depth: ▓▓▓░░░░░░░ 34/100]
"... That Sick useless bastard." Gato cursed.
"They met at a party. From what I know, she had served as an entertainer there. By the time I learnt that she was pregnant, it was already too late. Regardless, I hurried back to be with her.
Unknown to the fact that our lives were in danger.
I still remember the day he sent them.
Assassins.
As Baron, it would be a stain on his honor to sire a child born from a prostitute.
That was the day I lost both my Profession and my greatest pride."
Gato closed his eyes bitterly, memories of his daughter glided through his mind. Her bloody hand reaching to cup his face one more time.
"I was filled with so much pain, so much hatred.
And so I reached out to the lords I had worked for, searching through the lands to collect favors.
But I had underestimated the mindset of those in power. Or maybe it was the damn system in way. Regardless, I had become a broken runemaster, whose prominent hand was gone.
To them, I was useless. No one wanted to take justice for me. Furthermore, I heard rumors of the Baron’s connection to the Royal family." Gato took another swing of the bottle.
Xander still stood and listened to the man. When Gato said connections to the royal family, Xander knew he meant connections to Princess Linda, his half sister.
However, at such a time, an uncomfortable thought came to his head, and he could not help but ask.
"Why...Old Man Gato?
Why tell me this?
Why now?"
Gato nodded but did not answer straight away. "Those guards, they came wanting me to come work in the factories. A mentor, they said. For the young ones.
A request for the war effort. But I won’t. I can’t work for that... MURDERER." Gato gritted his teeth.
And then he raised his head to Xander. He took a step forward.
Staggard, but manage to get his footing. And then another.
And another.
Now, he stood before Xander. The smell of alcohol, rushing into Xander’s nose was stronger than ever.
Gato suddenly fell on his knees.
THUD
"Please... You can do it, can’t you? You are a negative profession. You can help me KILL Baron Bones."
[Ding]
[Mission Request Received]
[Mission Commissioned by: Gato The Fallen Runemaster]
[Mission Statement: Murder Of The Baron.]
[Mission Rewards:???]
Xander stared at the mission statement. Shock first. Then something colder underneath it — not anger exactly.
Recognition.
Was the system finding another use for him?
But immediately, he got control over his emotions.
"Is this why you saved me?" Xander asked. His face morphed into a deep frown.
"Not because you had pity on me. Nor because fate dealt me a hand I did not ask for. But for your own selfishness."
Silence.
It filled the space between them.
And for a while, it stretched.
"Does he know?" Xander asked. "Does Levi know that you want me to kill his father?"
CLANG
Both Xander and Gato turned in the direction of the sound.
Their eyes widened at the same time.
It was Levi.
He was frozen in shock. Then his eyes got misty.
The boy turned and ran out of the room.
"Levi!" Both Xander and Gato called for him.
But he was gone.