Chapter 2568: Demigod Sean Brothwork
Date: Unspecified
Time: Unspecified
Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Central Region, Central Academic City, Morningstar University District, Jilliansā Pub
"He didnāt help meāwe went into business together. Uncle Sean, you know that better than anyone. You and your family are twisting the story," Jill shot back at demigod Sean Brothwork. "If anything, I helped him and his family make a fortune. He should be thanking me. Instead, heās harassing me. I donāt know why I expected anything different from a Brothworkāan ungrateful bunch."
"Your Highness, please mind your words," Demigod Sean cautioned before continuing, "The Brothwork family is one of the longstanding wealthiest families in the five regions. They didnāt need the small profit your... profane venture generated. Young Master Brothwork only agreed to you to help out of respect for our Master. Donāt forgetāhe was the only one who stepped forward when everyone else refused."
"Oh, really? Then tell him to return every dividend I paid his family. Then Iāll believe he didnāt need the ālittleā money from my āprofaneā venture," Jill said, her tone dripping with mockery as she pressed Sean to support his claimāor step aside.
"Your Highness... you can tell that to Young Master Brothwork yourself tonight, at the dinner party heās hosting to celebrate the success of your venture," Demigod Sean replied in a neutral voice, though his eyes betrayed him, revealing that his intentions were not as neutral.
"Iām not going, and you know exactly why. Thereās nothing left to discussāIāve already made my decision. Now leave before I report you to father." Jill no longer wished to argue with Sean, fully aware he would keep repeating himself like a parrot. It was clear he wasnāt listening at all; he simply wanted to force her to comply with his demands.
"Please, go ahead. Iāll wait," Sean replied, openly daring her to call her father and report him. He knew perfectly well that Demigod Norley was preoccupied with developing better pleasure cards than my slime fairy cards and remained blissfully unaware that Jill had used his discarded pleasure card recipes to launch a new venture in the service industry.
Norley might forgive her for selling his substandard cards without permission. But if he ever found out she had partnered with the Brothwork family to fast-track the entire operationāafter heād repeatedly warned her not to get involved with the likes of the Brothworks or any of the other major familiesāshe would never hear the end of it.
That wasnāt it, what Sean was truly after was more nefarious.
"Do you think I donāt dare?" Jill exploded, outraged that Sean had the nerve to challenge her. She didnāt expect much from him, but he had never once dared to cross herāout of fear of her father. Yet by going behind her fatherās back and doing exactly what he had forbidden, she had unintentionally handed Sean the courage to push her now.
"Yes. I donāt think you will," Sean replied smugly. He wanted Demigod Norley involved. Knowing how fiercely Norley adored Jill, Sean was certain he would clash with the Brothwork family to avenge even the slightest grievance against his daughter.
Jill knew that as wellāthat was the very reason she hesitated. She didnāt want her father drawn into a conflict with the Brothworks. She didnāt doubt his strength, but in the end, he was still just one card apprentice, while the Brothwork family was one of the oldest and most powerful households in all five regions.
"Youā!" Jill glared daggers at Sean, wanting nothing more than to get rid of this snake once and for all, to end her fatherās greatest source of trouble. But she was trapped. If she didnāt follow through on her threat, this infuriating uncle of hers would only grow bolder. If she did, she would be pushing her father straight into someone elseās scheme.
Sean wasnāt in any rush. He looked at Jill with a broad, satisfied grin. No matter what she chose, he would get the result he wanted. If she called her father, his task would be completed all the sooner. If she refused, then sheād have no choice but to attend Young Master Brothworkās dinner partyāand knowing the manās habits and reputation, Jill would almost certainly end up calling her father anyway.
Caught in a tight corner, Jill summoned her grimoire in a bluff. But when Sean didnāt so much as flinch, her heart sank. His total lack of reaction confirmed what she already suspected: there was a scheme in motion.
She was still scrambling for a way out when she felt a familiar hand curl softly around her neck and settle on her shoulder in a reassuring hold. She opened her mouth, ready to tell me not to involve myself, but I leaned in before she could speak. My lips hovered beside her ear as I murmured, "Jill, Iām feeling parched. Go fix me a drink."
My voice carried across the room as though I had whispered into each personās ear individually. Every pair of eyes snapped toward us, stunned that I would speak to Jill like thatāorder her, even. After all, in their minds she was the very picture of independence, a woman with both ambition and the backing to enforce it.
Yet to everyoneās surprise, Jill simply nodded. She summoned a bottomless spirit-scotch glass and brought it to my lips, feeding me like a personal attendant. She was only buying time to think, so she didnāt mind playing along for now. Under any other circumstance, she would never serve me so openlyāespecially not in front of her new friends.
"Kid, get your damn drink yourself," Sean snapped in rage. When I continued ignoring him, he added, "Kid, this is the Central Region. Here, frauds and tricksters are punished with the death penalty."
"Oh? Was that supposed to be a insult or maybe a threat?" I replied, bored. "Canāt you come up with something better? At least give me a reason worth killing you overāsomething impressive enough for your family to carve on your tombstone, something your descendants can proudly pass down."
He wasnāt wrong, though. I was far from the Southern Region now. In a foreign land, I no longer represented just myself but the entire South. I had to keep that in mind.
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