Chapter 35: Eternal Friends
“You’re saying you want to consider working with that fraudster Terry?” Piero laughed aloud.
“Aren’t you afraid she’ll tear up the alliance?”
“Of course I’m afraid. I don’t trust her word, which is why I’ll find a middleman to act as a witness,” Yara said.
“Oh, come on. Who in the entire York Territory would dare be a witness for her now?” The smile on Piero’s face vanished.
“Who knows.” Yara didn’t explain further.
“No, you wouldn’t do something so uncertain. Let me guess.” Piero stood up and began pacing back and forth.
“The lord’s affairs are so mysterious that even we government officials can’t get close. From yesterday till now, we only know that three people entered the lord’s fortress, let alone you.”
“Those families about to be knighted have more or less offended that woman. Even those who haven’t don’t want to provoke her.”
“Other families? No, no, no. Right now, they’re all too busy worrying about their own troubles to get involved in your affairs.”
“Oh, I almost forgot. You don’t seem worried about what happens after swearing loyalty to the new lord.”
“Then, it must be that priest.”
“He floats on the edge of power, yet has some connection to the lord.”
“If you two break the alliance, the cost will be heavy, but it won’t fundamentally damage your family.”
“He is a benevolent priest, but he needs gold to maintain his charity. He might really not refuse your request.”
Piero sat back in his chair and asked curiously.
“But what if he refuses to act as your guarantor?”
Benevolence doesn’t mean stupidity.
Piero had realized from the moment the priest took the risk to shelter those refugees that, to people like them, he was a bit too “benevolent.”
This excessive “benevolence” made them willing to maintain goodwill with Corleon, but not get too close.
“Some things don’t need to be clearly stated.” Yara showed a faint smile. “As long as she knows the price of breaking the agreement is more than she can bear, the alliance will be more solid than any formal proof.”
“Oh? Looks like something I don’t know has happened.” Piero squinted his eyes.
“Lord Piero has so much work every day, how could he notice the minor happenings outside town?”
“It’s our duty as government officials to help the lord understand everything in his territory, and that includes the minor matters you mentioned.”
“Then your information should be even more accurate than mine.”
“……”
The tavern fell silent.
The bartender’s hands trembled as he wiped the glass.
“Haha, I think you’d make a great government official,” Piero laughed.
“If a new position opens up, shall I recommend you?”
“Thank you for your regard, Lord Piero. Unfortunately, my family still needs me to manage things.”
“You’ve already become the family matriarch?” Piero asked.
Family matriarchs weren’t allowed to marry, only to bring in husbands.
For the Daniels Family, even for someone like Yara, being able to recruit a wandering warrior would be considered fortunate.
Powerful families would never let their direct descendants marry into another family.
Every outstanding talent was a treasured asset of their own, and they longed to attract the talents of other families into theirs.
This was also part of why Yara was so popular in the social circle—some people wanted to make her part of their family. Her beauty and intelligence made other families envious, so they didn’t mind giving her a way in.
But if she became the family’s matriarch, her value in the social circle would drop significantly.
Yara could hear the probing in Piero’s words and let out a soft laugh. “No, Weilin is still at home. He’s not buried in the ground like Knight Zorn.”
After speaking, she took a sip of honey wine to cover her complex emotions.
This honey wine had a sweet flavor.
Drinking a little only gave you a taste, but drinking more would lead to a slight buzz.
Compared to the lowest-grade rye beer with its strong taste and ease of getting drunk, people of their status and wealth drank honey wine.
“Oh, we should praise Knight Zorn indeed. He was York Territory’s final pride,” Piero laughed.
“Yes, of course I will praise him for dying bravely as a knight, but he was also that bitch’s son,” Yara snorted, taking the chance to vent.
“Hahahaha. Since you still hold a grudge against Terry, why not consider working with me?” Piero suddenly said.
“… Work with you? Or with your family?” Yara straightened a bit and reined in her emotions.
“What’s the difference?”
Yara smiled. “If it’s working with Lord Piero the government official, then of course the Daniels Family would be happy to.”
“But if it’s with the Miles Family, then I must decline.”
“Is there a conflict between the Miles Family and the Daniels Family?”
“Of course not.” Yara’s smile widened, her body leaned slightly forward. “How could a tiny Daniels Family dare to offend the mighty Miles Family?”
“All it would take is a flick of a finger from the Miles Family, and Weilin would have to kneel before Lord Bork and beg for mercy.”
Bork Miles, Piero’s father, was also the current head of the Miles Family.
Although Yara was now managing the Daniels Family’s affairs, Weilin was still the family head.
In a family, only the head represented the family.
“Should I take that as you underestimating me?” Piero also smiled.
“How could I? I have great respect for Lord Piero,” Yara said, locking eyes with him.
“Hah, then in return for your respect, I’ll take care of what you asked me to do.” Piero’s tone slowed as he pulled out a thick piece of beast hide.
“This Broken Jug Tavern is yours now,” he said.
“Thank you for your generosity, Lord Piero. I’ll present the gold to purchase this tavern. The Daniels Family won’t make it difficult for you as a government official.” As she spoke, Yara slowly reached out her hand.
With a smack, Piero’s hand pressed down on the beast hide.
“… Looks like Miss Yara doesn’t want to be my friend,” Piero narrowed his eyes.
“How could that be? We’ve always been friends,” Yara withdrew her hand and smiled.
“From three years ago, when Lord Piero was appointed government official by Sir Helvin, we’ve been friends ever since.”
“……”
Piero’s breathing grew heavier, and the bartender silently shrank back.
“Heh, hehe.” Piero suddenly laughed, removing his hand from the beast hide.
Piero stood up and said, “I believe we’ll be friends forever.”
“Of course, I believe so too.” Yara’s smile was enchanting.
But Piero had no mood to admire it now. He turned and left.
Only after the tavern door closed did Yara’s forced composure collapse, and she looked at the beast hide on the table.