Chapter 8 Put Him to Work

• "Not yours? Do you think it's our task?"
• The short, chubby man squinted and commanded, "Stop asking so many questions and get to work. These warhorses are our Shadow King's treasures. He would inspect them daily. If you don't clean up the stables properly and make them uncomfortable, you'll be executed, and we won't cover for you!"
• Arya responded, "Got it." Then, she grabbed a broom and a dustpan and dashed towards the stables.
• By the end of the day, Arya was utterly exhausted.
• The Shadow King didn't come. Her hard work seemed wasted.
• The evening drew near, signaling the end of her shift. She remembered she had to go to the Three Cats Tavern to meet Hades and get some money from him. Excited, she hurried back to town, not caring about the dirt and straw clinging to her.
• When she arrived at the tavern, the innkeeper mistook her for a beggar and blocked the entrance.
• Wiping the sweat and grime from her face, Arya informed the innkeeper that an important guest was expecting her.
• Recognizing her as the worker from yesterday, the innkeeper finally let her in.
• Arya made her way to the largest private room on the third floor and peered inside.
• A deep, stern voice called out, "Why are you sneaking around? Come in."
• Hades was already there.
• Straightening up, Arya walked in confidently and projected the demeanor of a creditor. She justified, "I don't know who you are, so it's better to be cautious."
• "Haha! So, you're afraid of me." Titus smirked from beneath his cold mask. His tall figure was seated at the table, and he drank in solitude.
• "If you're a bandit, I'll be in trouble," Arya said, rubbing her hands. "The authorities will think I'm in cahoots with you."
• "But you still come here, don't you?" Titus scoffed, "Greed will be your death."
• "I'm desperate." Arya puffed her cheeks helplessly and said, "Enough talking; pay your debt."
• She extended her delicate hand towards him.
• "It's quite a romantic entanglement," Titus sneered. His eyes darkened as he glanced at the blisters on her hand.
• Arya blushed, never imagining she would have to demand money from a stranger due to a romantic entanglement. Thankfully, her face was so dirty that it concealed her embarrassment.
• Titus threw a pouch onto the table.
• Arya listened closely, but the pouch's light sound disappointed her.
• Grabbing it, she found it surprisingly light. Opening it quickly, she saw less than ten silver coins.
• "You ... you ... " Arya stammered and asked bitterly, "Why is so little money here? Are these all you robbed today?"
• "What?" Titus looked up at her and asked, "Robbed?"
• Arya forgot her decorum. She pulled a chair, sat close to him, and said, "Aren't you a bandit? Isn't robbery what you do? But you should have robbed more. I really need the money!"
• "Why do you need so much money?" Titus frowned and asked, "These are enough for a month."
• "But ... " Arya thought of her children needing to start school and said desperately, "It's not enough, just not enough!"
• Titus narrowed his eyes and said, "I guess ... today isn't my day, so I only ... robbed this much."
• Arya refused to back down. She argued, "Yesterday, I heard you were targeting someone named Harlow and Grayson, even sending people to follow them outside the town."
• At these words, Titus suddenly grabbed her by the neck and growled, "D*mn it, what exactly did you hear?"