Laura could never have imagined that one day she would be locking the door to her room for someone other than her husband.
And of all people, it had to be the dimwit who had accomplished nothing with his life, survived this long by clinging to his mother, and had recently been cheated on by his own wife.
A complete loser with nothing left to lose.
And that was precisely what frightened her.
When she turned around, she found him sitting proudly on the bed, lounging as though the room belonged to him.
She barely managed to suppress the scowl threatening to form on her face.
"Just get on with it already. George could return at any time."
It was a lie.
She knew perfectly well that George would not be returning tonight. She simply wanted Bran out of her sight as quickly as possible. More importantly, she knew his fear of his brother had always been enough to keep him in check.
Or at least, it used to be.
"I don’t give a fuck," Bran cursed. "If he came back right now, you’d just lie to him to keep him away. Or better yet, you know what the first thing I’d tell him would be?"
Laura clicked her tongue.
"You know, you’re pathetic at this, right? I can’t feel even the slightest hint of a threat in your words."
Bran’s lips curled into a grin.
"Oh, yeah?" He rose from the bed and slowly stepped toward her. "Want me to edge you a little? Maybe that’ll make me more intimidating."
They were nearly the same height, close enough that she could see the gleam in his eyes.
It was still difficult to believe those eyes belonged to the same pathetic wet dog who had spent his entire life trembling at the slightest disturbance, frightened even by a raised voice.
"You know, dear sister-in-law, I really don’t have any compassion left for you or my brother. The two of you have tormented me my entire life. So even if I get you caught and ruin my brother’s life in the process, I don’t think I’d feel even a flicker of sympathy."
Laura’s breath caught.
For a moment, her mind raced toward the one possibility she had spent years refusing to face.
What would happen if her secret came to light?
She knew George loved her. She had seen it in his eyes and felt it in the countless little things he did for her. Bringing her flowers for no reason. Staying awake until late at night whenever she was sick. Remembering the smallest things about her.
Time and time again, he had proven how deeply he cared for her.
And if he ever discovered that she had been lying to him all along...
The thought alone made her shudder.
"Now, do I sound like a threat to you?" Bran asked.
Laura clenched her teeth.
She didn’t need to answer.
The silence said everything.
Bran’s grin widened before he finally backed away.
He returned to the bed and sat down.
"Now, first things first. Do tell me what exactly happened that got my brother so excited this evening?"
Laura took a deep breath, keeping her eyes fixed on the floor as she muttered, "For some time now, the sewers haven’t been working properly. Water has been backing up, and the drainage system has been failing. George was given the duty of investigating the situation."
"Pfft. Isn’t my brother a designated knight? And that old man gave him a job like that?"
Laura narrowed her eyes.
"Because of that meager assignment, George found a gold mine. A Hobogoblin was discovered dead inside the sewer."
Bran’s expression shifted with surprise.
"Aren’t they rare?"
There were primarily three known types of goblins.
The common goblins were little more than mindless beasts, capable of doing little beyond swinging their crude clubs. Then came the Highborn Goblins, far rarer and possessing enough intelligence to reason and communicate.
And above them all stood the rarest and most valuable kind.
Hobogoblins.
[Host, in this world, Hobogoblins are known as the Golden Pigs because of the sheer amount of gold they swallow throughout their lives. Their unique bodies allow them to store the precious metal within their enormous bellies. When they die, their kin, or whoever discovers their corpse, can extract the gold.]
Bran’s eyes widened slightly.
Now he understood why George had seemed so excited earlier.
A dead Hobogoblin wasn’t merely a corpse.
It was a fortune waiting to be opened.
"I understand."
Bran rose from the bed and, this time, did not stop. He walked straight toward the door.
"Wait."
Laura’s voice stopped him just as his hand reached for the handle.
"I gave you the information. Promise me you won’t threaten me or my life anymore."
Bran chuckled.
"You really are a fool if you think this ends here. After everything you’ve caused, this is nothing more than the beginning of what’s coming for you."
Thud.
The door slammed shut behind him.
Laura stood frozen for a moment, her body trembling slightly.
Then, slowly, the corners of her lips curled into a cruel smile.
"You’ll regret this."
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"You have no idea who you’ve awakened, Bran. You should have given the priest the evidence when you had the chance."
Laura had no intention of sitting around and trembling in fear while Bran threatened to destroy her life.
If he wanted a war, then she would give him one.
And she would deal with the swine in a way he could never see coming.
~~~~
A/N:- Thanks for reading.