"Oh, but the rumors will spread," the youngest noble added with a smirk, "A baron who brags but can't back it up? With the contract in hands and our actions to take his estate, the story will fly through the court like wildfire."
"And when it does," said the wiry one, leaning back smugly, "you will lose more than just your estate. You will lose your name. The one you are trying to save so badly."
They mocked him to see him breaking. It felt so infuriating that the man did not feel regret and fear at all. Even now, Elias did not respond. He simply poured himself a cup of lukewarm tea, ignoring the fact that the cup didn't match the saucer. His fingers curled around it as he sipped in silence.
That calm, that irritating calm! It irked them, they could not continue jabs if he did not react to them they all silently turned to look at lord Velmore who had been silent all this time.
"We will wait!" he said as if he could hear the silent question. Before they could question the decision, they heard footsteps.
The maid returned, moving slower than before. But she wasn't alone. Two men followed her, dressed in simple clothes, each carrying one handle of a heavy, iron-bound chest. They set it down in the center of the room with a metallic thud that echoed like thunder.
Elias rose, walked over to the chest, and unlatched the locks. They clicked open like the ticking of a clock nearing its final second.
With deliberate care, Elias lifted the lid and soon gold gleamed within, there were coins upon coins. Real, bright gold, glinting under the morning light that streamed through the dusty window panes.
The nobles froze at their places instantly. The crooked-nosed merchant's mouth parted slightly. The man with golden rings blinked rapidly as if seeing a mirage. Velmore took half a step forward before he stopped himself, stunned.
Elias let the silence stretch with a cold gleam in his eyes, Then he spoke.
"I told you," he said quietly, "I have the money. Enough to pay twice the value, and more."
"But how and where?" the trader with golden rings stammered. His hands twitched at his side.
"You asked for proof," Elias continued, reveling in their shocks. His voice was quiet but deadly. "Since I have filled my side of the deal, I expect every word of that agreement to be honored."
Velmore's throat tightened. That smirk on his face vanished instantly.
"You can count all of it if you need to." Elias offered when they did not move. They all looked horrified as if there was not gold but dead bodies inside the chest. Their eyes grow wider and wider.
Elias softly moved, picked up the contracted papers from the table and then flipped them slowly. Every action hammering on their heart.
"We will start inspecting the land tomorrow at dawn. I want all boundaries marked and verified. I look forward to your presence."
The youngest noble's lips parted as if to object, but one look at the chest silenced him.They couldn't argue. Not with that much gold staring them in the face. They had written the terms; they had signed them eagerly, expecting him to fail. The others exchanged glances. though their pride wounded and their options vanished, they still had the greed of this gold. If invested well, the land would be developed much better than before.
So what if Elias had the management rights, he had offered them double the benefits there too. And this time, they did not doubt him. And Elias was easy to bully. They have insulted him so many times yet he never complained. Sorting their thoughts, they did not feel they were at loss. Everyone, Excel lord Velmore. He stared at their changing faces and knew he had suffered a great loss.
He could not depend on these so-called allies anymore. Forget it! I would handle this myself.
One by one, the nobles nodded. Though their actions were short, stiff motions full of resentment. They turned to leave like soldiers retreating after a lost battle. But Velmore lingered. Unlike the others, he didn't hide the hatred simmering in his eyes.
He stepped forward with a sudden smile and extended his hand toward Elias's hands like a kind elder. But Elias did not take them. He only stared at them as if they were filthy. The man's chest tightened.
This is a sizable amount, Baron Elias," he said, as if tasting the words with distaste. "A dangerous amount, if I may add. We did not come with knights today. Surely you don't expect us to take that chest back with us without proper witnesses."
Elias said nothing but he watched everyone looking at Velmore with suspicion..
"What if," Velmore continued smoothly, "there's an argument later? A claim that the payment was never made or not made in full? I am sure you would not want that risk. right?"
Elias's jaw tightened slightly. He knew where this was going.
Velmore's smile sharpened. "I suggest we present the payment in front of the royal court. Let the crown witness your success. That way, no party can claim deceit later. And at the same time you would clear all the rumors around your name. You need to do it young boy to settle well in our society. And next time, do improve the sitting arrangements too. My back is still stiff from sitting on that hard sofa." he sighed, patting his shoulders with his gloved hands.
The actions were so kind that even Elias could feel them. What a bastard! For a heartbeat, the room went still. Then Elias laughed in a low, rich sound that sent shivers down their spines.
"Of course," he said. "Why not make it a spectacle?"
He stepped closer, eyes narrowing as he studied Velmore's face.
"Tomorrow morning. I'll bring the gold to the royal court. And we will go to inspect the land from there."
Velmore's smile twitched and faltered just slightly but he nodded, hiding the tension behind formality.
"Of course, this is a good opportunity. Why waste the time.."
The moment Velmore turned to leave, the false confidence drained from his shoulders. This wasn't over. Not yet. Elias might have won today but tomorrow he would make sure that Elias would never reach the royal court!
But Elias watched them go with the calm of a man who already knew their next move and how to beat it.