Chapter 15: A Heartfelt Speech (1/2)
Pinesun City, Elliot Estate.
Gavin swaggered into his home. After passing the gate, he was greeted by his family guards.
”Take them to the guest house. I need to talk to my father.” Pointing at Jake and co, he instructed the guards.
”Yes, young master.” They replied. It was their honor to see the brilliant young master. In the manor, the young master was a celebrity due to his cultivation achievements. Blessed by his presence, the guards swiftly brought the group to their destination.
After they left, Gavin, with Frank behind him proceeded to their own destination.
The Elliot manor was huge, the land was about three acres wide and long, composed of several buildings belonging to various family members. Everyone that bore the Elliot name lived here.
Gavin's destination was at the center of the manor. Standing tall and majestic, was a huge manor made with beautiful materials. Staring at it, one would feel like they were in the presence of a king.
Gavin nodded at all the servants as he walked in. He was always humble to the servants. Most of them had known him since he was young. They were loyal to his family and he respected them.
Walking down the manor hall, Gavin arrived at the doorstep of a large room. He knocked on it.
”Who is it?” an aged voice shouted from the other side of the door.
”It is me, Albert. Is my father in there?”
”Yes, but he is busy.”
With no time to waste, Gavin said, ”Tell him I have urgent news. It concerns the zombie mine.”
After a few murmurs, the door opened. It revealed a simple workspace. Sitting beside a desk was an old man with thick beards. He had a scar on his forehead.
”Come in, son,” the man said with a deep tone to Gavin.
His voice sent shudders to Gavin. While he was always confident and calm, in front of his father, he would be intimidated.
Gavin walked into the room, while his attendant, Frank, stayed behind.
Gavin knelt down with one knee, greeting his father, ”Father, I have completed your task and I must say the results are not good.”
With a grim expression, his father asked, ”What do you mean?”
”It is like this, father...”Gavin quickly explained every event that occurred in the forest.
Having heard the full story, his father took a deep breath, ”That is quite serious. We haven't had a tear in six years. We should still have four years before the next tear. So what did this happen? It is most likely the barrier is getting old. I will report this to the capital.”
The barrier was created a long time ago to sharpen the younger generation, to remind them of the terrors of the previous eras. It had existed before the Elliot family was founded. Every ten years, it would undergo maintenance. The capital would send delegates for maintenance. If they should skip maintenance, the zombie would leak out of the mine.
He asked Gavin, ”and the teenage group you met?”
Gavin replied, ”They are at the guest house. I wasn't sure if I should let them go. They were too suspicious.”
His father said, ”If they are as weak as you say, then they are not related to the tear.” he thought and instructed, ”Detain them in the guest house for a day. That will be the punishment for their crimes.”
He glanced beside the door, at Albert, his bodyguard, ”Albert, send someone to watch them, just in case. Also, send a letter to the Capital. They need to know about this.”
”Yes.”
He said to Gavin, ”You have done well. Take a rest. Tomorrow, I will train you personally.”
”Yes, father”
...
The next day.
Jake was in a big room in the guest house. It had been a day since he had arrived at the estate. He had slept in the bed in the room. The others were in the other rooms. The guest house had enough rooms for all of them.
He looked out of the window and saw guards positioned at every corner.
”It seems like we are still suspected.”
Having taken a shower previously, Jake opened his door and went to the dining room. It was a huge space with nothing but a table and chair. Jake had seen the room yesterday, so he knew the direction.
”When is he going to come out?”
”I don't know. He is strange.”
”Don't talk bad about him. He is just not used to people.”
Getting to the dining room, Jake heard Nico and Lola bickering.
”You finally came. We were waiting for you,” Nico welcomed him.
Sitting at the table were Nico, Lola, Jaya, and Gavin.
Jake was surprised by Gavins's appearance. He wondered what the young master was here for.
Noticing his stares, Gavin told him, ”Don't be surprised. I am here to release you.”
”What!” exclaimed Nico. After everything that happened yesterday, he didn't expect the young master to just let them go like that.
Gavin's word gained the focus of Lola and Jaya.
Jaya asked, ”Young ma--Gavin, what of the crime we committed? Are we also free of that?”
”You have paid for your crimes-” replied Gavin, smiling.
”We have!” interrupted the loud Nico.