Sometime later, there was a knock on my door. I was receiving a massage from Lydia and Terra both. Terra was starting to press for something more, and if things kept going this way, I was going to enjoy both women at once. That was when Faeyna knocked on my door.

“Master, there is someone at the door.”

I sighed and stood up, putting a shirt back on and walking barefoot to the front entrance. There, standing in the foyer, were the three men from earlier. I frowned as I walked up to them.

“I found a place for Carmine after the agreed-upon price. What do you want now?”

“You tricked me!” The small man yelled.

“Eh? Didn’t we reach an agreement? I’d take care of Carmine, and you’d pay a hundred gold. I thought we’re all good now?”

As for taking care of Carmine, I handed her to her sister and ordered her to sleep in her sister’s bed as punishment. For the rest of it, I performed a few Slave Orders to make sure Carmine didn’t fall for this again. She could no longer make purchases by herself. If she needed anything, it’d have to come through me or Faeyna.

“You bastard! That gold wasn’t even mine!” He cursed. “If I can’t pay it back, they’ll break my legs.”

“Hmm… shouldn’t agree to debts you can’t pay, huh?”

“You…” He clenched his fist, but he knew he couldn’t yell at me anymore even if he was angry.

After all, he came here for a way out, and the worst thing I could do is shut a door on his face. He may be part of the 5th strongest organization in Aberis, but I was a noble. That meant I was a part of the first strongest organization in Aberis. At this moment, as he stood in my foyer and I was wearing a silk robe, that couldn’t be more apparent.

After swallowing his anger, he continued. “What can I do to get that 100 gold back? I need it by the end of the month or I’m a dead man!”

“What’s your name?” I asked, crossing my arms and looking at him consideringly.

“Drake.” He responded. “I’m Drake and these are my friends, Danny and Brick.”

The two men on either side nodded as they were introduced.

“Why should I help you? You tried to scam me.” I stated blatantly.

He bit his lip. “I and these two grew up on the streets. They looked after me when we were young. They were bigger, but I was the brains. That’s how it always worked. I grew up though and realized I wasn’t as smart as I thought. I was smart compared to them, but I still let people run around me. I tried to do the loaning business, but it was too cutthroat. You were… you were our big score. I thought some new lord who rose from nowhere must be gullible. However, then you didn’t take that woman, and I knew if I returned back with her, I’d definitely be punished. I screwed up. I’m not the boss my guys need. However, you’re a lord, right? You have money and a need for tough guys. Even if you won’t accept me who has no skills, please accept my brothers!”

With that, he gave a low bow.

“As it turned out, you’re not as dumb as you think,” I responded.

A dumb guy would have stuck to the scam, kept escalating things, and perhaps even eventually cost him his life. This guy had something a lot of people in this world didn’t. He knew when to quit, when to run, and when to double down.

“Sir?”

“As a matter of fact, I do have a use for you. Actually, I think you’d be perfect.”