A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor

"Gods! Is that gold? How much is there?" Nila shouted in surprise.

"10 golds. Not enough, but it's a start," Beam said. Nila widened her eyes in surprise, her expression finally unfreezing. But then, some thought of others must have passed through her head for her eyebrows sank and she crouched to her knees, cradling her head in her hand as she fought to hide the tears.

"Again… Again you're trying to help me… Just when I thought I would finally be able to help you, this happens," she cried. A few passersby shot Beam judgemental glances as they passed, seeming to assume that it was he that made her cry. She shot her head up suddenly. "Beam. I can't accept, no matter what."

"Eh? Why?" Beam asked in surprise. "It's not even like I have enough money yet. I'm just saying it's there as reassurance in case you need it."

But Nila shook her head. "I can't drag you into my problems. It's unfair, and it hurts after I came so close to finally making a big change for my family… But this is our problem. You have bigger things to worry about."

"Nila…" Beam murmured, his eyes wide.

"Please Beam, don't interfere," Nila said, forcing him a smile. "I'll be alright. I've got two weeks, remember? I'm going to try my best to raise it up myself… And if not, I'm prepared to do what I have to."

Beam shook his head. "Naw, I'm sorry Nila, I can't let you do that."

It was Nila's turn to be surprised. "…What? I'm saying you can't! I don't want your help! You can't force it on me."

Beam just shrugged. "Even if you hate me forever for it, I won't let you fall into slavery. It's bad enough for a man. I doubt that Elder would treat you well. I can't let your family fall like that, after you've been so kind to me."

"Beam…" Nila said, more tears flowing as she desperately tried to wipe them. "I don't want it! I don't want to keep being so much weaker than you. I don't want to keep having to ask you for your help… It's not fair, it hurts too much."

"C'mon, you're getting into business aren't you?" Beam teased with a gentle smile. "You've surely heard of a loan before, haven't you? That's how Greeves gets most of his money, y'know? You lend it out, then you get it repaid back with interest. I'm not helping you, I'm just giving a loan to a new business that's opening. There's no need to cry over that, is there?"

"Ah…" a soft murmur escaped Nila's lips as she understood. "Is that really okay..? I'll pay you back double!"

"Sure," Beam nodded in agreement, just happy to see that she'd stopped crying. "Obviously I don't have the money yet though, but I have a feeling Greeves will cough it up if I push the right buttons."

"That'll put you in a tough spot again though," Nila said with a frown. "I'll be loaning from you and you'll be loaning from Greeves… It's definitely you that's going to have the harder time."

Beam shrugged. "I'm sure it'll be fine. I understand the merchant a little more lately, and if he stays true to his word, a little work for him here and there won't hurt me."

"What can hurt you at this point?" Nila said with a giggle, finally breaking into a smile. "But this is just the last resort, okay? I'm really going to try and make it all myself first," she declared.

"Sure," Beam agreed, "that works for me."

"Alright!" Nila pumped her fist. "Now I feel a little better. Thanks, Beam," she said.

"C'mon, wipe your face and I'll walk you home," Beam said.

A few days passed since Nila and Beam's encounter with the village Elder and since Dominus had officially made Beam his apprentice.

"C'mon, you're weak still," Dominus complained as Beam fought with a pack of goblins. "If you keep this strength, I'm going to be embarrassed to tell everyone that you're my apprentice."

Beam freed himself from the goblin that had jumped on his back and he flung it hard enough against the ground that it bounced. He drove his sword through its stomach a moment later, before flashing to behead another one of its brethren that ran at him.

"There you go, that's more like it," Dominus said cheerfully. "See, you can do it when you try."

Beam heaved his breath, sighing in annoyance. There were still two goblins remaining, squealing as he faced off against them. Their eyes were filled with fear at seeing their brethren get dismantled so easily.

"Oh! That's the fear condition, isn't it?" Dominus shouted jovially. "Go on then, test that skill of yours!"

Beam was having a hard time concentrating with his master's excited murmurings, but even that could not stop the flood of rage that built up within him as he saw the goblins dare to show their fear, as though they were begging for mercy. Mere seconds before a group of ten of them had dared to try and tear him to pieces – and now here they were, acting like frightened rabbits.

They turned on their heels to run.

"Wait!" Beam bellowed. And just for an instant, their legs froze up, so suddenly that it caused the two of them to go skidding to the floor in a heap of leaves. That was all the opportunity Beam needed. He was on them a moment later as his sword flashed and he severed their heads.

"Hoh…" Dominus suddenly became serious, his smile fading from his face. "Now that's… I don't know what that is."

"Hm?" Beam looked up from his kills as he eyed the green blood on his sword distastefully.

"That was your skill, was it not? They yielded to your words, if only for a moment," Dominus said.

"Oh? Did they really? I thought they just tripped." Beam had been so focused on the fight that he had not paused to think why his adversaries had fallen so suddenly, but now that he thought about it, he certainly recognized that the two of them falling together was indeed strange.

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