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Chapter 115: Paying the Fine
At the same time, several more adventurers clad in Ganesha Familia uniforms rushed into the tavern. Upon seeing the utter devastation—the splintered furniture, the shattered plates, and the beast person physically wedged into the stone wall—looks of pure shock washed over their faces. While minor scuffles between adventurers were common, a bloodbath of this magnitude that practically leveled half the establishment was exceptionally rare.
"Ankusha... always meddling where you don't belong." Seeing that the intruder was one of Orario's very few First-Class adventurers, a flicker of deep apprehension crossed Hyakinthos's handsome face. He scoffed indignantly and reluctantly pulled his fist back.
Aiden smoothly withdrew his hand as well, his expression as serene as if he hadn't just been preparing to go toe-to-toe with a Level 3.
Shakti ignored Hyakinthos's insolence. Her sharp eyes locked onto Aiden. "Speak. What happened here?"
Aiden saw no reason to hide anything. He gave a concise, factual summary of the events, heavily emphasizing that the Apollo Familia had deliberately staged the collision, hurled insults, and initiated the aggression, leaving him with no choice but to defend himself.
"He's lying!" Luan, the Prum off to the side, immediately shrieked. Pointing a trembling finger at Aiden, he plastered a mask of terrified victimization onto his face. "He clearly rammed into us! We just wanted an explanation and some compensation for our ruined clothes, but before we knew it, he just snapped and brutally assaulted my friends!"
Naturally, Shakti didn't buy his act for a second. As the head of the city's police force, there was no one more intimately familiar with the Apollo Familia's despicable operating methods and abysmal reputation than her.
Quickly, a human male member of the Ganesha Familia finished questioning the surrounding spectators and hurried over to Shakti. Lowering his voice, he reported, "Boss, we got the story. The Apollo Familia definitely provoked him and insulted his Familia first... but the kid was the one who threw the first punch."
Having said that, he couldn't help but look at Aiden with a mix of awe and deep respect. Throwing the first punch against the universally despised Apollo Familia without hesitation—and successfully wiping the floor with all of them single-handedly—was not something an ordinary person had the guts to do. Knowing the Apollo Familia's typical bullshit, he subtly gave Aiden a thumbs-up from an angle Shakti couldn't see.
"I have the full picture now." Shakti furrowed her brows and turned to Hyakinthos's group, her voice brokering no argument. "Apollo Familia, collect your people and get out. Ensure you go to the Guild to pay your fines and compensate the tavern for the damages."
"You got lucky this time," Hyakinthos sneered, shooting Aiden a venomous glare that clearly communicated 'This isn't over.' He scoffed coldly, gathered Luan and the others who could still walk, and helped carry the unconscious and severely wounded out of the tavern in utter disgrace.
Once they were gone, Shakti shifted her focus back to Aiden. "Aiden of the Focalors Familia, correct? While there were extenuating circumstances, you did strike the first blow and caused extensive structural damage to the establishment. You must also face the penalty. Go to the Guild, pay your fine, and settle the compensation fees. Momoka, escort him."
"You got it, Boss. Also... my name is Modaka," Modaka muttered, his face scrunching up bitterly as he corrected her for what was clearly not the first time. "Come on, man, follow me," he said, turning to Aiden.
"Alright," Aiden nodded. He had indeed smashed up the tavern, so paying for the damages was fair. As for the fine... he would be sure to carve that debt deeply into the flesh of the Apollo Familia.
Watching Aiden leave with Modaka, Shakti slowly lifted the hand that had caught his punch. Her brow knit together unconsciously. The residual sting of the impact still throbbed in her palm. She knew perfectly well that even if she hadn't intervened, Aiden likely wouldn't have been at a disadvantage.
Yet, if she recalled correctly, the Focalors Familia had arrived in Orario less than two months ago. She remembered glancing at their registration papers; the new Familia had only two members, and both were registered as Level 1. But... the sheer kinetic force behind that punch, and his ability to instantly cripple several Apollo Familia members, was absolutely not the strength of a Level 1.
"Ah, what a pity." Over in the corner, Hermes released a sigh heavy with profound disappointment. He took off his traveler's hat and shook his head mournfully. "I really wanted to see how our hero candidate would perform against an adventurer a whole level higher than him. Honestly, the Ganesha Familia always has to show up and ruin the fun at the climax."
Asfi rolled her eyes in silent resignation. She had completely run out of energy to criticize her chaos-craving god.
.....
On the way to the Guild.
"Man, you are a total badass!" Modaka laughed heartily, slapping Aiden on the shoulder. "Those Apollo bastards are the classic textbook definition of bullies who prey on the weak. They really kicked a steel plate this time! Still, you'd better watch your back. Knowing how they operate, they won't let this go."
"Yeah, thanks for the heads-up," Aiden replied calmly.
Soon, the two arrived at Guild Headquarters. Modaka, thoroughly familiar with the process, guided Aiden through the paperwork and helped him hand over the fines and compensation fees for the public brawl and property damage. Just as Aiden finished up and was about to leave, a familiar voice called out to him.
"Mr. Aiden?"
He turned his head and saw Eina, who seemed to still be on the clock. The half-elf advisor looked at him, then at the Ganesha Familia uniform on Modaka, her face painting a picture of total confusion. When she learned from Modaka's brief explanation that Aiden was here to pay a fine because of a street fight with the Apollo Familia, the blood drained entirely from her face. Her anxiety was palpable. She opened her mouth, seemingly desperate to say something, but cast a wary glance at Modaka.
Modaka was a man who knew how to read the room. Catching her drift instantly, he scratched the back of his head and laughed. "Well, the fines are paid, so my job here is done. I gotta get back and report to the Boss."
"See you, Mendaka. I'll buy you a drink next time," Aiden called out, waving a hand over his shoulder as Eina practically dragged him away by the arm.
"See ya! And for the record, it's Modaka... though you were super close," Modaka muttered under his breath, watching them go before turning to leave.
Eina dragged Aiden all the way to a secluded, quiet corner of the Guild lobby.
"Mr. Aiden, something is very wrong!" she whispered, her voice trembling slightly, her beautiful face etched with dread. "I know about the Apollo Familia. Even though their reputation is terrible, they don't usually target a rookie out of nowhere. Based on their past behavior... it is highly likely that the God Apollo has set his sights on one of the members of your Familia." She took a deep breath, delivering a grim warning. "You have to be extremely careful from now on. The Apollo Familia will definitely make another move, and their methods are utterly vile."
"Yeah, I know. Thank you, Eina."
Contrary to Eina's expectations, there was not a trace of panic on Aiden's face. He simply nodded calmly. He was, of course, fully aware of exactly what kind of scum the Apollo Familia were. In fact, he had intentionally handed them the perfect excuse on a silver platter.
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