Chapter 7: The Brewing Storm
"What did you say?!!"
The men snapped, stepping forward, their auras bursting out in one go, forcing everyone back, including Asher and Juliana. The sheer pressure of their higher-rank energy felt like a physical wall slamming into Asher’s E-Rank body, suffocating him, but he firmly planted his feet into the dirt, refusing to yield an inch.
"Don’t think you can be arrogant because the Madam agreed to your useless challenge!! If we wanted, we can kill you right here and now!" The Leader yelled, pointing a finger at Asher, his face filled with genuine killing intent. The threat was raw and real; out here, might made right, and these thugs were entirely willing to shed blood over a bruised ego.
’If I go forward, I will make them my enemy. Fuck it, we are already enemies.’
Asher exhaled, a heavy breath that released whatever lingering hesitation he had left, and looked up; staring straight at the man’s eyes with an unflinching gaze. He didn’t have the brawn to beat a C-Rank Awakener, but he had something much more powerful in this moment: public opinion.
"Everyone!! They are now using force to escape the bet!! Are we going to just stand still and watch this happen?" He yelled, his voice echoing across the silent square, igniting the dormant spark of justice in the crowd.
"No!!"
"Yes!! You guys already lost the bet!!"
"Don’t you dare go back on your words!!"
"Yes!! Have some dignity!!!"
The onlookers yelled, throwing their hands into the air, their faces filled with disdain. The fear that had kept them silent earlier completely shattered, replaced by a united front against the local tyrants.
"This?" The man was stunned, moving his gaze on the people. Some hours ago, they couldn’t even say a word, cowering in fear of his guild, and now, they are ganging up against them like a pack of wolves.
"Kneel down and apologize!!"
"Yes!! Kneel down!!"
The people screamed at the top of their lungs, their collective voices drowning out the thugs’ pressure.
Juliana held Asher’s arm, trembling. The overwhelming killing intent directed at them had finally cracked her, revealing the frightened eighteen-year-girl.
"Don’t be scared." Asher muttered in a low voice, tapping her hand lightly, offering her a steady anchor in the storm.
’Is she truly trembling?! Is this still my cold wife, who placed a knife on my neck?! Oh well, my luck.’ He thought. It was a bizarre realization; she was fierce when cornered by her own despair, but fragile when facing true external malice. And the next moment, the sound of knees touching ground rang up, silencing the square.
Asher and Juliana turned to the fat pig, who knelt before them in the dust, her pride completely shattered by the sheer weight of the crowd’s anger.
"I am sorry for insulting you." She said with gritted teeth, her eyes burning with utter humiliation.
"Um... It’s alright." Juliana muttered under her breath, her grip on Asher’s arm loosening. She didn’t want to prolong the conflict; she just wanted to be safe.
Asher stared at her, still a bit confused by her sudden meekness, but if she said it’s alright, he will respect her decision. He wasn’t going to push for more blood when she was ready to let it go.
"Alright, you can get lost now." He said, waving dismissively at them, treating the supposed elites like mere pests.
The men gritted their teeth in suppressed rage, stepped forward, and helped the fat pig back on her feet. With one last glance, filled with unadulterated killing intent, they walked away, disappearing into the dispersing crowd.
’Seems I need to be careful in the future... Such a pig won’t let this slide.’ Asher thought, staring at the group until they vanished. He had won the battle, but he knew he had just ignited a war.
"Mr. Asher, you need to be very careful in the future, those guys will surely hold a grudge." Sofia said worriedly, stepping up to them as the crowd thinned out.
"Oh, Mrs. Sofia... I want to thank you for what you did today." Asher said with a warm, genuine smile, grateful for her initial attempt to protect Juliana. He brought out his phone:
"Please, I should send you the money for the knitting tools we used."
"No. No. No... There is no need for that. Actually, your wife came today to sell the clothes in those bags. She refused that lady’s offer, which led to all this... Anyway, I want to buy these bags from her. Name your price." Sofia explained, a small smile forming on her face as she looked at the high-quality craftsmanship.
’Sell these things?’ Asher turned to his third wife, deeply touched. She hadn’t been knitting just to pass the time; she had thrown herself into a market just to keep them afloat. But instead of answering Sofia and taking charge, he gestured to Juliana, deliberately giving her the agency she deserved.
"I can’t give you a price, my wife made it, so ask her instead."
"Oh right, my apologies." Sofia turned to Juliana, treating her as a respected artisan.
"The market price is okay," Juliana replied softly, still recovering from the adrenaline crash.
Sofia held her jaw, and after calculating everything in her head, she nodded: "The total price then should be around 3,550 dollars... Umm... Can you give me a discount, I will take it for 3,500."
’Is that considered a discount? This lady is simply too kind.’ Asher thought to himself.
Juliana quickly nodded her head, a glimmer of relief flashing in her green eyes: "Yes, I will take it."
"Alright! Your account number, so I can transfer the money to you." Sofia brought out her phone, staring at Juliana, who stood still, not moving.
’Oh, I forgot none of my wives have a phone, I only dropped my phone number in the house so they could use the landline to call. Seems I should get them a phone, maybe starting with Juliana, she’s the only one who could use it to call.’ He noted mentally, a new priority forming in his mind for the family’s safety.
He brought out his phone, and gave Sofia his account. She nodded, and sent the money to him.
With all that settled, the audience got on their way, while Juliana walked towards the white scarf she made, picked it up, and walked back to Asher.
"....?!"
He watched, stunned, as she reached up and gently wrapped the soft, meticulously knitted scarf around his neck. The physical warmth of the wool instantly seeped into his skin, but it was nothing compared to the warmth of her next words, which froze him in place:
"I made this for you... Thank you for everything you have been doing for the past two weeks. We all appreciate it."
This was the very first time Asher had ever gotten a thank you from any of his wives. He had expected to live in this house as a despised outsider forever. At the moment, he doesn’t know what to feel. His heart swelled, pushing away the exhaustion of his rejections from the morning. He just smiled, and instinctively pulled her into a brief, warm hug:
"Thank you, we need to get back now, it’s dark." He said, his voice softer than it had been all day, and added:
"Let’s go buy some food first."
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On the other side of the district, the shadows grew longer. The vice Leader smashed his fist on a thick tree, splintering the bark in frustration, and turned around to the Fat Pig:
"Madam!! Are we going to stay quiet, and do nothing?!!" He asked, his pride wounded and bleeding.
"Stay quiet?!! That Bastard made me kneel and also have my money!! There is no way I am letting him spend that money!!" Her eyes were completely bloodshot with malice. She brought out her phone, and dialed a number; instantly, the other side answered:
"Honey!! Someone bullied me in the community market!! He even made me kneel down, apologized, and stole my one hundred thousand dollars!" She said with a pitiful, weeping voice, perfectly playing the victim. And after getting a deep, rumbling reply from the other end, she disconnected the call, her fake tears instantly vanishing.
"My husband is on the way." She said with a vicious, triumphant smile.
"Hahahaha!! That’s good! The Guild Leader is a C-Rank Awakener! And also a warrior type! That boy is dead for sure!!" He yelled to the darkening sky, anticipating the brutal vengeance that was about to fall upon the Starfire outcast.