CHAPTER 38: MUSCLES AND MISUNDERSTANDING

"Hello, Pest..."

The voice cut through from the end of the room— a voice too familiar.

Why is this bastard here? He clenched his fist, slowly turning his face.

"Hello, Tyson"

"Oh? The pest seems to have gained some balls" Tyson stepped forward,

"That’s enough, Tyson" Anton ordered,

"Yes, yes, Chief... Can’t rough up your Golden boy" he raised his hand, laughing.

"Why is he here?" Trent asked Anton.

"To clean up the mess you’ve made, of course" Tyson replied, chuckling.

"Where’s Marie?"

"She seemed to be busy" Anton responded, turning to Tyson, "You’re not here to clean up any mess. You’re here to work"

"Same thing" he scoffed, glancing at Diana.

"Failed to protect the Princess, so they called the big boys"

"How’s life treating you, Tyson?" Trent snapped,

"What’s that supposed to mean" he growled, walking forward.

"I mean, muscles with brains... Wrong statement. How’s living with those muscles?"

Why was he getting easily riled up by such an insignificant person?

His jaws tightened as memories flooded in.

"You’re getting on my nerves, Pest. You seem to forget the taste of my fists"

"I said, that’s enough" Anton snapped at them, hitting the table.

They huffed, turning to him.

Trent glanced at Diana— she seemed to be enjoying this.

She turned her face away as their eyes met, blocking her mouth with a hand.

"Tyson was close— called him to bring some food for Diana and he’ll be the one to take her back to Kraven’s envoys"

"Envoys?"

"They arrive the country tomorrow— they’ve demanded that she returns"

"As long as I get paid..." Tyson interrupted.

"Paid?"

"Compensation for the trouble he’ll go through being the Princess’ savior"

"Isn’t that already a nice title?" Trent scoffed,

"Doesn’t put food on the table" Tyson huffed, "You wouldn’t know that since you probably have caviar all day" he muttered.

"Why can’t you people just work it out?" Anton ran his hand through his hair.

"I don’t like him" Tyson huffed,

"Acting all know-it-all"

"At least we agree on this. It’s not my fault all you’ve got is muscles"

They growled at each other,

Diana burst into laughter, watching them,

"S–Sorry" she apologized, as they turned to her,

"It’s just too funny..."

"They’re being childish and stupid" Anton shook his head,

"Why not settle it with a game?" She turned to Trent.

What?

"What bullshit..." Tyson muttered, raising a brow.

"Arm wrestling"

"Oh?" His eyes widened, turning to Trent. This seemed fun.

"I don’t—"

"Scared?" She interrupted Trent, teasing.

This little...

"Of course he’s scared— nothing beats big Ty" Tyson laughed, flexing his muscles.

He glanced at him in disgust. He thinks he’s all that because of things that happened so many years ago?

"I’m not the same—"

"Prove it" Tyson interrupted, laughed,

"You look like the same scared pest to me"

Anton turned his face away, whistling as their eyes met.

This old fart.

"Alright. Let’s set the stakes high though"

She blinked. Did he fall for that provocation? Did she overestimate him?

"You can set the stakes"

"Right?" She glanced at Tyson, who stared at Trent.

"Of course" he chuckled.

What’s making him so confident?

"The loser basically becomes the slave of the winner"

"What?" Anton turned immediately.

"What kind of crazy—"

"Deal" Tyson replied immediately,

"A multimillionaire slave? Sounds good to me"

"You—"

"Alright" he chuckled, ignoring Anton.

________

"I’ll bear witness to this deal—" she looked at both of them, hand raised.

"... with the stars and the blood of it’s royal Sun, Kravenberch... Start" she added, dropping her hand.

They locked eyes, arms together in a fierce wrestle.

"Don’t break your hand, Pest"

"I should be saying that" he mused, winking.

Wait— Tyson tightened his grip and push. Why wasn’t he moving?

"Wow... did you take boosters, Twerp?" Anton asked, surprised.

"Don’t put ideas into his head when he loses"

Why was this easier than he’d thought? Was the increase in strength this massive?

"Did you skip breakfast?" he chuckled,

"You—" Tyson pushed harder, jaws tightening.

"Ackerman Group"

"What?"

"That’s the name of your Master’s company" he replied, pushing his hand down smoothly.

"Woah..." Diana looked at Tyson as he fell down,

"The stars and the Sun, huh? I guess I should pay tithes soon"

W–What... How?

Tyson looked up. How is it possible to lose against such a pest?

"T–Tha

"That was very much real" Trent interrupted, laughing.

"Very real to me too, Tyson" Anton chuckled, tapping his shoulder, "What about you, Princess?"

"I swear on the Star Force" she chuckled, sitting down.

T–These... Did they plot against me?

He looked at them— cold beads of sweat gathering on his forehead.

"I look forward to working with you, Man" Trent stretched his hand, "I’m a good employer"

"You’re pushing it, Twerp. Have some sportsmanship"

Diana choked on laughter. Sportsmanship?

How ridiculous?

Tyson stood up, dust himself and sat far away from them, placing his head on the table.

"We need to talk, Twerp" Anton’s eyes shifted from him to Trent.

"... Alright"

They stepped out, leaving Diana to her meal and Tyson to his thoughts.

"You shouldn’t be too harsh on him"

"What?"

Anton was serious— he glanced back towards the room.

"He asks about you, you know?— among all the agents"

"That’s called hating, Man" Trent scoffed, "Real sportsmanship in that"

"You—" Anton exhaled,

"When he heard you got $5000, he offered $5000 more from his share"

"What?" He turned sharply,

That bastard did?

"You’re... not joking" he scanned Anton’s face.

"W–Why would be?"

There’s no way that Bastard would volunteer to help. His jaws tightened.

"He wasn’t part of your set until the 8th year, yeah?"

Wait— that’s...

"Yeah— just like Marie"

"And do you remember when he stopped bullying you?"

W–Wait. Now that I think about it. That event...

"You seem to—" Anton turned,

"Why do you think the other kids stopped?"

Huh?

He’d been carrying so much hatred for Tyson that he’d forgotten about almost everything that started it.

"Why does he hate me, then?"

"He doesn’t— he just doesn’t know how to get closer. You dumbasses" he huffed, walking away.

"There’s a lot to think about. See you inside"

W–What sort of...

That bastard really did?

Trent ran his hand through his hair

So everything... was meaningless?

No way. He laughed— low and mockingly.

He turned his face away as his eyes met Tyson’s when he walked in.

Fuck...

"We’ll wait here for a bit and announce that we’ve rescued the Princess"

"What about the Kidnapper? My family is going to ask" Diana turned,

"Why?" Tyson glanced at her,

"For punishment"

"Well, they can’t punish a dead guy— this is our country so we can do whatever we like— how do we package him?" Trent asked, pointing at Tyson.

"Tyson— Child of the Ferret family"

"I’ll like to not be known as that" Tyson interrupted, with a glare.

"What would you like to be known as then?"

"Tyson Werner... That’s what I’ve been going as"

"That won’t make the headlines though" Trent turned to him,

"You—" he growled, "want to go?"

"That’s enough... I’ll do it as you wish. I’m sure the Ferret family will come for you though"

"For me?" He scoffed,

"For the reputation, you mean?"

"Money moves the world" Trent muttered,

"So much, coming from a rich bastard like you"

"Wait—" Diana froze, turning to Trent, "I knew I’d seen you somewhere"

"Really?"

"Ackerman... You’re Trent Ackerman, right?"

"Took you long enough" Tyson huffed,

"This bastard has been stirring a load of crap"

"Now, that’s a secret we should keep to ourselves" Anton walked towards her.

"O–Of course"

"It’s an honor that the Princess knows about me" he chuckled,

"Such awful things you keep saying to your Master, Ty"

"Ty? You—"

"You people should be friends" she said, laughing.

"You—"

He turned his face away as Anton glared at him.

Definitely not giving this up.

No amount of sorry would make me.

"I’m going home" he turned away,

"Finally..."

"Take care of yourself, Princess. I hope we meet again. Rotschen Manor, Ty— The Chief has my number"

Ugh— This bastard. Tyson clenched his fist watching him leave.

________

"Hello, Sir" Xander spoke as it connected

"Hello. I need a favor— A background check— Tyson Werner. Deep dive"

Xander paused for a while,

"Alright, Sir"

"Oh... The Ferret Family too"

"Yes, Sir"

Anton wouldn’t lie but it was not so easy to accept someone he’d hated for years.

He glanced at his phone as it rang— Scarlet.

"Hello, my dearest Boss"

This—

"Hello, Scarlet. Here to rip me off again?"

"No... But I’ve found a perfect place"

"Get to the point"

"Ugh... Morlov just left a virtual meeting and is planning to call you"

Did he find out about something?

"Why?"

"I don’t know— seems to involve Kraven. The Madam says to accept whatever he throws?"

What? Like a dog.

"I’ll accept it if it’s in my best interest" he muttered,

"Do you... Gotta go. The house—"

He cut the call before she could continue. Immediately, Morlov’s call came in.

Ugh.

"Hello, Son-in-law"