Avi2112
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Chapter 78
🕑 Added 2024-07-24 05:46:08 +0000 UTCLeaving Aunt May and your staff to their work, you take your car towards a small village outside of Hassenstadt.
Your people here have already gathered quite a bit of information for you, the location of this village was one of them.
You park your car outside the small shabby community and look around at the numerous cloth tents planted in front of you. There are quite a lot of people here, and you can see that most people are going to or coming from the western part of this caravan, which, if your information is correct, is their market.
Your car and luxurious attire have already garnered everyone's attention, but they are staying away, apparently afraid.
Soon, an elderly person comes and introduces himself as the chief of this Zefiro tribe. The chief doesn't speak English; none of the common people here do. They speak a form of Slavic language local to these parts, which they call Latverian. Your team had quite a bit of trouble at the start because of this and had to hire many translators to start their work.
You yourself have learned their language and were fluent in it with just a few hours of practice. You placate the chief's concern by informing him that you are here for relief work, help, and aid, that your company was authorized by the king, and you even show him the document.
He fearfully checks the document; you can see that he trembles at even the mention of the king's name.
The family ruling Latveria is the Fortunav Family. They have ruled these lands for more than six centuries, and their current ruler, King Sabbat, is just as tyrannical as their previous rulers, so you can definitely understand his fears.
After reading the document, he happily welcomes you inside their tribe and offers to give you a tour. You decline, explaining that you want to observe the tribe on your own. You also tell him that the people from your company will be here in some hours, so he could make preparations.
He does not question your decision, just bows after thanking you, and goes away. You then head towards the market; people look at your foreign appearance and clothes and give you way automatically, seemingly very afraid of you.
You also notice a handful of soldiers present here who are not dressed and equipped as well as the royal guards, so they must be some local noble's soldiers.
You search around, scanning the market, and soon find who you were searching for.
There are two soldiers in front of a carpet where many sundries are displayed.
"Instead of staying in this garbage heap, why don't you accept our lord's offer and follow us back to his mansion?" one of the soldiers demands in Latverian.
"Please, if you are not here to buy something, then please leave," you hear a soft voice replying.
A pretty woman sits behind the carpet, and the soldiers are talking to her. She is just the person you were searching for.
"If you don't want to come back with us, how about I give you ten coins, and you show me some fun time?" another soldier leers, taking out a coin purse and eyeing her cleavage with an obscene smile.
The people around are just minding their business, ignoring and avoiding this place.
"Please leave," the woman insists, looking away from them.
"We will leave when we choose to," the second guard sneers. "You have such a pretty face," he remarks, reaching forward to touch her while she tries to back away.
"Leave her alone," you command in Latverian, stepping forward and releasing a small invisible Forcefield blast in their direction, knocking both soldiers to the ground.
The woman and the people around look at you in astonishment.
"Why you!" the second soldier exclaims, trying to get up, but the first soldier stops him. "Hey, look at his clothes. He must be with the royal guest that just arrived," he whispers to the second soldier.
The second soldier widens his eyes in alarm. They both stand up and scamper away.
"Are you alright?" you ask with a smile as you stand in front of the woman, who is still looking at the retreating soldiers in a daze.
"Yes, thank you," she replies cautiously, "You're a foreigner. Why would you help me?"
"How could I let them harass a beautiful woman such as you?" you remark with a charming smile.
"Uhm, thank you," she blushes slightly, looking away from you.
"I am Lucas Watson. May I know your name?" you ask with a smile, squatting to meet her eye level.
"I am Valeria," she responds with a small smile.
Valeria—you are here for her. She is the childhood sweetheart of Victor von Doom.
You engage in conversation with her. After learning about your purpose here, that you are here for relief work, she offers to show you around their community as repayment for your earlier help.
"Your Latverian is very good. I have never met a foreigner speaking it so fluently," Valeria notes as you both walk around the village.
"I've always been good at learning things," you say modestly.
You also discover that Valeria can speak English, though with a noticeable accent. People occasionally exchange greetings with Valeria as you move about the place, with Valeria pointing out those in need.
"Everyone knows you," you comment curiously.
"It is because of my grandpa. He was the previous chief of the tribe, but he passed away recently," Valeria speaks with a sad face.
"I'm sorry," you apologize.
She just shakes her head, telling you it's fine, and continues to show you around the community.
There isn't much to see, as most people are malnourished and poor. You assure her that your people will help them as much as they can.
Your focus is more on her than the village, and she definitely notices that. In the end, she takes you to a nearby hill overlooking the village. From there, you could see the small river flowing by.
"This is the spot I come to in the mornings sometimes. The view here is quite nice," she mentions with a smile, gazing at the village.
"Those soldiers—was it their first time harassing you?" you inquire, narrowing your eyes.
"No, they come by once or twice a week," Valeria responds, looking away. "They are the local lord's soldiers. He wants to marry me as his concubine," she continues, a look of disgust crossing her face.
"Well, I can definitely see why. Any man would be lucky to have such a sweet and beautiful woman as you," you comment, gently tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.
Her cheeks blushes at your touch as she straightened her clothes.
"If the local lord is harassing you, why don't you leave the village?" you ask curiously.
"I have spent my whole life in this Zefiro tribe. Where would I even go?" Valeria replies with a wry smile. "When my grandfather was alive, he shielded me from most of the harassment. He was my only relative, as my father and mother both died when I was young. But now, after his death, no one wants to confront the soldiers for a lone woman's sake," she adds with a sigh.
"What about the new village chief?" you ask.
"He thinks I should accept the offer, that it is a good offer for a 30-year-old unmarried woman like me," Valeria says with resignation. "But I can't. I am still waiting for him," she murmurs softly.
"Waiting for who?" you ask, focusing intently.
"Victor," Valeria replies with a sweet smile.
