Card Apprentice Daily Log

Date- 12 Oct 22XX

Time- 18:56

Location- Central Region, Capital city, Duskborn Mansion

The Duskborn family’s reputation preceded them. Almost all of the families, organizations, and cults in the central region, especially its capital were aware of or had experienced the greed of the Duskborn family. Just like the snakes known for their poison, Duskborn were known for their greed. Despite their reputation, many fell prey to them, as like all predators they had a unique charm to them that would draw their prey toward them.

So it was not a surprise that Sansa’s father refused to take money that had anything to do with the Duskborn family, even through indirect means. Sansa’s father was not overreacting, he would be a fool if he were not this cautious towards the Duskborn family. Having seen the Duskborn family not hesitate to use their own flesh and blood as slaves and expendable for decades, he would be stupid to expect better treatment as an outsider with no blood ties to them. Knowing that Duskborns family was a greedy cackle of hyenas who would not even leave his bones behind after they were done with him, Sansa’s father was adamant that he would not let these desperadoes anywhere near things he holds dear.

“You are making no sense, how is the Duskborn family a problem here? They are not involved in this in any way possible,” Ellen’s mother said hearing Sansa’s father say that he had called off the verbal agreement they had between them because he only wanted to do business with her husband  not his family.

“Woman, you are smarter than that or do you think that I am not smart enough to recall one the most basic rule of doing business in the capital, don’t take any investments from the Duskborn family,” Sansa’s father coldly glared at Ellen’s parent. He understands that the buy-in money to become a partner in his firm was not small and was very hard for a person to gather within 2 years but he never expected Ellen’s parents to make deal with their slave owners to get the money.

“Commander, it is not like what you think,” Ellen’s father came forward to explain to his commander that his family did not mean anything nor were they hatching a nefarious plan by lending him the buy-in money.

“It’s not like what I think, then tell me what happens, in case you are unable to repay the money lent to you by your family. Will they ask for ownership of the partnership you bought using their money?” Sansa’s father did not give Ellen’s father a moment to explain for himself. As he did not want to be dragged into the quagmire named Duskborn family along with the comrade he was trying to save.

Sansa’s father saw a way to make a profit while being a good commander, by having Ellen’s father work with him not only was it good for his firm but also for Ellen’s father being used by his family, which was enjoying the fruits of his hard work and getting rich from it while he, his wife and daughter did not see a dime of it. But Sansa’s father never imagined that trying to help his friend, instead of dragging him out of the quagmire he may also be pulled in. Hence he was enraged at his friend.

“The Duskborn family did not lend that money to my husband, it is their compensation for my husband’s years of selfless service to their family. So please be assured about the money, it will not come back to bite you,” Ellen’s mother suddenly spoke realizing that the origins of the money were the culprit of the current conflict.

“Yes, commander she is right but I did promise to return to them when I can,” Ellen’s father added to his wife’s explanation as his pride did not allow him to take money from his family.

“…” Hearing her husband Ellen’s mother frowned. Not because her husband continued to claim that he will pay back the Duskborn family the money they gave instead because she believe this was not what her husband’s commander wanted to hear. And here thoughts were right.

“Well, which is it? Did the Duskborn family lend it to you or was it compensation for his service to their family?” Sansa’s father asked even though he had an understanding of what was happening. He asked so because he wanted to establish a clear origin of the money such that later on, nobody, even the Duskborn family would not be able to dispute the origins of the money.

“Commander, they gave me the money as compensation but I have promised to return every penny I took from them with interest,” Ellen’s father once again replied, trying to assert that the money was the generosity of his family for his decades of selfless service to them but as the proud son of the Duskborn he would repay their generosity toward him with interest.

“For god sake, will you shut up for a second?” Ellen’s mother yelled at her husband in a hushed voice and add, “Nobody cares about your promise, will you just shut up about it.”

Hearing his wife’s harsh words Ellen’s father felt wronged, he wanted to complain but being in the presence of his commander he decided to stay quiet rather than show his commander the ugly side of his marriage.

Seeing that her husband choose to step down, with a warm smile Ellen’s mother looked at Sansa’s father and said, “The money is the Duskborn family’s compensation for my husband’s decades of selfless service to them, the Duskborn family has no claim over it. So please be rest assured when say that this money is clean.”

Having lived in the capital for his whole life, Sansa’s father grew up hearing the Duskborn family’s atrocities. They had done a lot worse with much else to justify their actions so Sansa’s dad was still skeptical that the origins of the money could not come back to bite him despite the explanation and assurance of Ellen’s parents.

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