CHAPTER 110: A LITTLE MADNESS IS ALL IT TAKES

"Father, you betrayed me!" Gerald whined. "How could you agree to something so humiliating?"

Nikolai, who had been whistling a melody since he left Rhane’s estate, didn’t stop to reassure his son. Instead, his smile grew even wider.

"You said everything will be alright! I’ll have Jenna again and Rhane punished!" Gerald fumed. He turned to hit the door in anger but had his wound torn open.

"Arghhh!!" His screeching wail followed, but Nikolai remained unmoved.

"And Kali! That whore! I want them dead! All of them! I want them dead!" Gerald’s eyes reddened. From pain and anger, or even neglect. He had a lot of hate in him.

"I can’t believe Master Brown took the side of those idiots! What?" Gerald slapped his chest, puffing it forward in pride. "I should fight for a woman? And with who...? Rhane? Ha! The world is coming to its end."

Nikolai relaxed in the carriage. With one leg crossed, he used his hand to hold up his chin. No longer whistling, he stared out through the window, but his smile remained.

He didn’t see it as possible, wealth to come on a platter. When Brown stopped him from killing Rhane, Nikolai thought his opportunity had slipped, but no. It came dressed in gold and Rhane had willed to it.

A tournament.

"Ha!" Nikolai scoffed, almost at the same time as his son.

Gerald raised his eyes and nodded. "Exactly, Father! You understand me now, don’t you? Rhane is nothing! You told me that people like him belong beneath us...."

"Mm," was Nikolai’s only reply. He stared back at his son, but could barely hear what he said. His voice muffled out like the wind that swooshed past the carriage.

Rhane agreeing to a tournament was like a king sharing a roof with an enemy kingdom during battle. All his guards would have to be down since it was just a tournament to win a woman. It would have been very simple if it was another. Rhane wasn’t the stupid, and Nikolai knew.

Nikolai always wondered how he could have two sons so opposite. In looks and in brain. Gerald did nothing but squander his entire wealth, almost wrecking the family poor— if they were an average noble family.

And yet still, he couldn’t hold on to something as simple as marriage. The only way he could help the family. Having Brown as an in-law had its perks, from enjoying trade secrets to gaining even more connection. Gerald, in his own silk-cloaked foolishness, tried to ruin it.

Rhane, on the other hand, a boy born with nothing. He began to fend for himself the day he learnt to make sounds, and ever since then not a day had passed with life being roses. Nikolai would have left the boy to rot in the pit where he fought for money, but something about Rhane stopped him.

As young as he was, he was feared by others not because he was strong. It was his tenacious spirit. One time, Nikolai saw Rhane fighting a man twice his size. The fight had ended with the obvious winner, but Rhane wouldn’t let the man go.

Like a wild animal, he dug his teeth into the man’s ankle and refused to let go. Nikolai watched the boy get hit, kicked, but not once did he budge until the man accepted defeat. And even yet, Rhane had left with a piece of the man’s flesh stuck in between his teeth.

From that day, nobody else agreed to fight with Rhane. Hence he was moved to fight dogs.

Nikolai took him back, a wild human dog. He did train him as he wanted. And in result, he got a worker worth more than ten servants. Nikolai used Rhane for his works and paid him nothing.

Rhane causing trouble wasn’t part of his plan, but it also worked. Sending him to the sea, every valuable that belonged to kings Nikolai did get them. It was easy to deny if it were ever linked to him. Rhane had a past already. Yet in the deep cold oceans, Rhane survived and made it back.

What baffled Nikolai the most was how Rhane never said a word of complaint for the life he found himself in. He grew healthier, stronger, and even better.

What was it about Rhane? Nikolai shifted in his position. And now, after all he’d lost... with no name. The young man built a mansion that could be compared to kings. Gold in his—

"I know why Jenna won’t go with me!" Gerald’s voice interrupted.

Yes, because of your brain, Nikolai wanted to reply, but he had no reason to waste his breath on his son. Especially this particular son.

Nikolai had something greater ahead, something bigger than a whining brainless buck. He had more riches waiting for him to own, and for him to do that, he needed a plan.

And not just a plan, he needed an army. Whatever it may be in order to watch Rhane fall. Clashing of blades was out of the question. Rhane didn’t fight to win, he fought to have comrades in hell.

Nikolai pressed his thumb to his forehead, with his eyes closed. He shouldn’t let the opportunity of the tournament slip past him, there will never be another one. Except he sneaks into Rhane’s room while he sleeps and sta—

"I wish their drinks will be poisoned!" Gerald pressed on, grabbing his hair. "Or Rhane gets accused of murder! I want them all dead!!!"

The grease of worry on Nikolai’s forehead disappeared. He opened his eyes. "What did you say?"

Gerald gulped softly. "It’s not... I wouldn’t poison anyone. I just... I’m sorry, Father, I must have lost my mind." He stuttered, holding his wounded arm.

Nikolai snapped his fingers. "Sometimes a little madness is all it takes to rule the world, son." He spread his hand to make his point.

"You... think?" Gerald asked, still not sure.

Nikolai nodded. "And guess what? Heaven isn’t deaf. They hear your wishes and thoughts. All you need is a little patience, and it’ll be granted."

"My wishes?" Gerald repeated. "You mean you’ll give Jenna to me and punish Rhane."

Nikolai grinned. "I mean I’ll do even better beyond your imaginations."

"Thank you, Father!" Gerald clapped his hands. "I knew you wouldn’t be deaf to my tears. I mean... Mother won’t be happy with that." He bragged, crossing his leg.

Nikolai smirked. "Of course, I am your father after all," he muttered, returning his eyes outside the window.

Two of his sons were opposite, alright. One born with a wooden spoon, but creates an empire with it. Another born with a silver spoon but drags his to ruins.

All in all, there was hope. Gerald wasn’t all that useless.