Chapter 349 - Soft Heart

Sylvia looked at the prisoners. "Guys, it's not your call... you can't say no to my demands! You can only say yes! I won't tolerate disobedience in my place. I don't like keeping people by my side who will oppose me in every turn. Since you don't like obeying my orders, there is no use keeping you here at my manor..." she said and paused for a few minutes, allowing her words to sink in.

She observed their expressions. Unyielding and stubborn, that's what she saw on their faces.

"Alright, since I can't make you obey my order then I might as well dispose you all!" Sylvia said and conveyed her order to her men waiting outside the room.. "Men, create a big bonfire and let's burn these two prisoners to ashes tonight!"

"Aye, Madam!" the men replied.

Sylvia looked at the prisoners, wearing a wicked smile on her face.

The captives looked at each other in horror.

Nathan was observing what's going on inside the room. He had his eyes on Veronica for a while.

Sylvia looked at her son in the corner who is silent the whole time. He was looking intensely at the girl. She went to his side. "Son... what do you think of my punishment for the two stubborn prisoner?" she asked for his opinion.

Nathan looked at her mother. "I would like to have the girl as my bride, Mother!" he blurted.

Everyone in the room was stunned by Nathan's declaration.

Frowning, Sylvia looked at her son. "Nathan, you already save the old man to be your personal butler. Now you want to save the girl and wants her to become your bride? Interesting!" she commented with a raised brow.

Nathan smiled and looked at his mother. "I like the girl, Mother. Just give her to me as a gift, since you're going to burn her anyway, she can be useful to me. Actually you don't have to kill the prisoners right away, they can be handy in the future," he said trying to intervene on behalf of the prisoners.

Sylvia smiled in amusement. "Son, you are being too soft hearted... let's go!" she said and left the room.

Nathan followed his mother outside.

The moment the door was closed.

The three prisoners breathed in relief.

"That was a close call," Terros said. "Let's talk in low voice. We don't want the men to overhear our conversation," he reminded them.

They nodded their heads.

Horace looked at Grandpa. "W-who is that bold guy?" he asked curiously.

"That's Nathan, Madam's youngest son. He saved me and made me his personal butler after Madam decided to throw me into the lake infested with hungry crocodiles," Terros replied.

"Oh..." Horace muttered to himself. "He seemed to be a nice guy... but I don't trust him at all," he said.

"I don't want to become his bride!" Veronica spoke in a horrified voice.

Horace glanced at Veronica. "Who says that you will marry that guy?" he asked angrily as jealousy kicked in his system.

Sighing, Terros knows that they were saved temporarily, but for how long? The Madam was still the one calling the shots in this place, everyone obeyed her. "Guys, we can't reveal Laura's location to that vampire woman. Once they will get hold of Laura, they will have a way to resurrect the curse King. Until now there's no guarantee that he's already killed during the fire in the castle. His spirit might still be lingering in the air waiting for a body or a host to take over," he told them.

Horace remembered Lord Graven's body in the other room. "If the curse King is still alive, why he hasn't entered the lord's body yet and rise from his slumber?" he asked.

"That's right! Which only means two things, it's either the curse King was already dead or his spirit is alive. But if he is still alive... where he is right now? We haven't found his remains among the ruins of the castle and no one can prove to us that he's still alive or dead..." Veronica said.

"Guys, we are now at a crossroad. Danger is waiting on us at every turn. Only Calder and the deity can save us this time," Terros spoke in a tense voice.

Veronica looked at Terros. "Grandpa... what did that madam have done to us? Why we lose our powers?" she asked.

Terros shook his head. "We don't lose our power yet, I think it was being suppressed for the time being, so that we can't fight back. The problem is... I don't know what that crazy Madam has done to us. How I wish I know. The moment I opened my eyes after I was caught and transported to this place, I can no longer wield my power. I guess, this Madam that caught us is expert in making elixirs or pills that can suppressed anyone's power," he explained.

Horace and Veronica were shocked.

They continue discussing their awful condition in a low voice fearing that the men guarding the room will hear the topic of their conversation.

Meanwhile...

Outside the manor.

The mother and son were relaxing on the porch.

Sylvia observed Nathan's face and asked, "Son, tell me honestly, are you really interested with that woman? You can have any woman you like, all you need to do is tell me. I can organize a party here in our place and invite the beautiful daughters of our clan members and you can pick any of them to be your bride. But why chose that girl to be your bride all of a sudden after seeing her face for a few minutes? Don't tell me you fell in love with her at first sight? Do you really want her to be your bride?"

Nathan nodded his head. "Yes, Mother... I want her to be my bride," he replied, a glimmer flashed in his eyes for a few seconds.

Sylvia shook her head, not convinced of her son's decision. "Why do I have a feeling that you're not really smitten with that woman. You just want to save her and that old man," she said, trying to gauge her son's reaction to her provoking words.

Nathan sighed and avoided his mother's penetrating gaze.

Silence engulfed them for a few minutes.

Sylvia analyzed her son's actions and behaviors. "Son, I noticed that you have a soft heart. You shouldn't be like this to our enemies. You must establish fear in their heart, that is the only way to make them obey your every command," she told him.

Nathan sighed and nodded his head. "Alright, Mother. I'll try to be cold next time in dealing with other people," he said. "By the way, do you still want to burn those two captives?" he asked.

"Yeah... if they won't cooperate with me. I don't understand why they're fiercely protecting the family and wife of their lord even at the expense of their own lives. This made me more eager to know the guy's family!" Sylvia said as her curiosity was heightened to a fever pitch. "What are they trying to hide from me?" she murmured.

"Maybe they just don't want the lord's family to suffer in your hands, Mother," Nathan commented.

Frowning, Sylvia looked at her son. "I never said that I will kill the lord's family. I just want to gather them all here. I am making a generous offer when it comes to my decision. I won't kill anyone unless they angered me so!" she declared.

"That's right, Mother! You don't need to kill anyone. I have a good suggestion for you regarding on how to deal with them efficiently. There's actually a better way how to make them obey your order all the time without complaints on their part. The will obey you without resorting to killing them..." Nathan said.

Sylvia's brows furrowed and said, "Oh, really? Let me hear it then..."

Nathan whispered something in her mother's ears. After he was done talking about his suggestion, he stared at his mother's face, observing her reaction.

Sylvia smiled and began shaking her head in amusement. "I see you're still a softie at heart, son. Alright, I'll think about your suggestion if it will align with my plans," she said. Then she stood up. "I'm going to my room to rest for a while. If something urgent come up, let me know right away!" she said.

"Okay, Mother," Nathan replied.

Sylvia left the porch and entered the house.

Nathan stayed where he was, staring at the blooming sunflower plants in the garden.

He was thinking about the prisoners, particularly the unconscious guy.

One hour later.

Nathan had enough of the garden view. He rose to his feet and left the porch. He entered the house and went down to the basement.

He entered the unconscious guy's room and went to the bed, staring at his face in deep concentration.

He lowered his face down and whispered on the unconscious guy's ears. "Grandpa, when are you going to wake up? When it's already too late to save your friends?" he said.

He looked at the guy's body parts, no movement at all... his feet and hands were still motionless.

Shaking his head several times, Nathan finally left the room.

He entered the room where the three prisoners were detained. He looked at their faces.

Terros looked at the young man. "My lord, we're very hungry and thirsty. Please have mercy on us," he begged.

"Ah, you want to eat? No problem. I'll inform the maid to bring food and water here. Just wait for a few minutes," Nathan said and left the room.

The three prisoners looked at each other.

"That fellow has a different attitude than his mother," Terros observed.

"I will only agree if the food and water will finally arrive here," Veronica stated.

"Let see... " Horace said as he was trying to prevent his hungry stomach from growling loud.

A few minutes later, the door opened.

Nathan entered the room and ordered one of the men guarding the door. "Untie their hands so that they can eat properly," he ordered.

"Aye, my lord!" the men replied and went to the prisoner's side and untie the ropes that bind their hands.

Done with the task, the man returned to his post outside the door.

Nathan spoke, "Bring the food inside the room and give them to the prisoners!" he ordered.

Three maids entered the room and put the platter filled with rice and dishes into the prisoner's hands, they left the room afterward.

"Enjoy your meal!" Nathan said and left the room as well.

The three prisoners glanced at each other and without further ado, they began eating their food with gusto.