When the arena's darling Antuan died in a horrible way, the City Lord, losing his interest in the fights, started walking down the stairs. The three noble families were saluting him with their heads bowed, but Astute's eye had momentarily slipped onto a person.
Although he thought no one noticed the glance he immediately took back, someone who saw everything was fully aware of what was happening. After the city lord, those in the Agustus house, despite being the hosts, left the arena. The reason for their haste was the large amount of gold and prestige they lost.
"Daddy, I feel a bit tired. Can we also return home before the fights are completed?"
"Of course, my daughter, we can leave whenever you want!"
Her father, who never refused any request of the young girl calling out to him with her enchanting voice, would not act differently this time either. Members of the Partheni house, standing up with the wave of his hand, headed towards the exit with quick steps.
"Uncle Niko, I had ordered a few medicinal herbs for my cousin from traveling merchants. They reached us yesterday; I'm sending them to your mansion with my assistant!"
While Eftelya was leaving the arena, Marcos, staying behind, was speaking quietly with the young girl's father.
"Thank you, Marcos. Even though you don't show it to people, your heart is made of gold like your mother's!"
When the young man, blushing at the praise he heard, bowed his head slightly, he was stunned by a hard blow he took to his head.
"I hope your mother doesn't know we came here. Unless we want to get scolded by the golden-hearted one all night, keep your mouth shut!"
After hitting his son's head, Fernandez bid farewell to his old friend Niko by winking.
The city of Parthenia, with the setting of the sun surrendering to the day's fatigue, was embracing the night ruled by silence. The weather had turned fierce contrary to the morning; severe rain was accompanied by lightning striking occasionally.
As time progressed and lights started to go out one by one, the number of houses with life inside dropped to a count fewer than the fingers on one hand. In one of these houses, Niko was working until late hours to examine the daily accounts of the port, as he always did.
A flash of lightning illuminated the dim darkness of the room. When the subsequent thunder shook the windows, Niko jumped to his feet in panic. Such rains inevitably came with fierce winds, and consequently, ships anchored in the port could not escape taking damage.
Although he knew he couldn't do anything, after observing his business and relieving himself, Niko returned to his work, only to jump with fear at a strange voice.
"Contrary to how we look, I guess we aren't very brave!"
The gray-haired man, getting flustered by the call of someone hiding in the shadows, answered stammering.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
Niko, whose words practically got stuck in his throat from fear, knocked over whatever was on the desk while taking steps backward.
"I will ask only a single question. Depending on your answer, your whole life could change!"
When the eyes of Niko, dragging himself to the edge of the window in panic, could distinguish the figure coming from the shadows, the expected question came.
"Head of the Partheni family, the former owner of the city, how far can you go for your daughter?"
Although Niko was shocked seeing the female orc his daughter brought to the mansion a short while ago, he was only thinking about the question asked to him.
"I wouldn't hesitate to take on the world for her well-being!"
The blue-eyed man, who was on the verge of wetting himself from fear a few ten-breath periods ago, turned into a lion when his daughter's name was put forth and answered in a single breath.
"As I guessed, you are a good father, and good fathers never leave their daughters alone!"
Her father occupied a large place in her master's memories. Niko was also a brave man enough to risk many things for his daughter.
"You are the orc who is my daughter's servant. After what happened, I felt you were different, but what do you really want from me?"
Seeing that the man in front of her started to calm down, Nafız sat in one of the armchairs in front of the desk and signaled Niko to take his own seat.
"Your wife died while giving birth, and your daughter has been struggling with an illness since that day. It is impossible for me to bring your wife back, but would you believe me if I told you I could cure your daughter?"
Driven mad by what he heard, Niko shouted without being able to control his voice.
"Do you know what you are saying? If you can do this, I would even give my life in return!"
"Very good. I will ask for many lives from you, but none of these will be from your family or loved ones. By the way, Niko, have you ever thought your wife might have been killed?"
As soon as Nafız finished her words, she disappeared as if she never existed, and the mansion's guards entered breathlessly.
"Sir, are you alright?"
While the guards filling the room examined the surroundings in curiosity, Niko, slumped over his desk, lifted his head slightly and said, "No problem, boys. I yelled because I got angry at a mistake in an account; you can return to your posts!"
Who were his friend creating miracles in the arena in the morning and the orc visiting him emerging from nothingness at night? Can my daughter, growing up in pain since the day she was born and incapable of walking, recover? Have you ever thought your wife might have been killed?
Niko, barely making it to the morning with three questions echoing in his brain, would rush to his daughter's side as soon as she woke up.
"Good morning, daddy, what's wrong with you? Did you not sleep at all last night?"
Seeing her father like this for the first time with his face white as a sheet, sunken eye bags, and messy appearance, the young girl asked, straightening up from where she lay with a huff.
"Good morning, little lady. Your breakfast is being prepared; I will serve it in a short while!"
After bowing quite respectfully in front of Eftelya, Nafız spoke avoiding Niko's gaze.
"Nafız, open a service for my father too. I hadn't been catching the opportunity to have breakfast with him for a long time."
"Of course, little lady; I am conveying your request to the kitchen immediately!"
Turning her back smiling to Eftelya, Nafız again hadn't looked at Niko at all and left the room quietly. Despite what he experienced at night, when the subject was his daughter, the gray-haired charismatic man forgot everything and set about having breakfast with all his joy.
"My beautiful daughter, I have to return to my work now. Marcos brought some food for you; I hope you like it!"
When Niko left his daughter's room and came to the end of the corridor, a voice reached his ear.
"I am waiting for you at the abandoned stone house in the south garden; make sure you are not followed! You will receive the answer to all questions troubling your mind!"
The guards waiting at the door and the work at the port were erased from Niko's mind from this moment on. He had to be at the place mentioned as soon as possible. Without being seen by anyone, he set off towards the house the female orc described.
"This is the house where my wife and I lived our happiest moments. Why do you defile a place sacred to us with your presence?"
"Your wife really had great taste. Unlike that huge cold mansion, the warmth this place emits warms one's heart!"
When the man, whose eyes filled with tears in a short time, knelt in pain, even Nafız would have mercy and soften her tone.
"Your daughter was born in this house, wasn't she? Take me to that room, and let me give you the answer to the question!"