Chapter 340: Very Useful
"Heila, my child. I have only one question for you..."
Ashlynn’s calm, clear voice swept over the crowd like a soothing balm, easing troubled hearts who were afraid they were about to witness the merciless killing of a rising champion. Clearly, the Mother of Trees was about to ask if her Willow Witch wanted her to intercede. With a request from on high, it would give Yotsun a dignified means of backing down and everything would end well.
Truly, this Mother of Trees was both powerful and kind! It was no wonder that she had easily captured the hearts and minds of so many common folk in High Fen City.
"But first, I have a question for friend Yotsun about these warriors you’ve hired," Ashlynn said, shifting her gaze to the far end of the arena. "Tell me, master Yotsun, since these Tuscan Hunters aren’t gladiators of High Fen City, have they accepted the terms of your wager? When my Willow Witch defeats them, they will serve in the army of the Vale of Mists for two years?"
At the end, it had been this concession that tipped Heila over the edge. She refused to fight a ’meaningless battle’ in the arena. Lady Nyrielle had fought to bring champions home to reclaim the Vale of Mists from the Lothians. High Lady Erna had been the one to suggest that Yotsun could just hire Heila’s defeated foes for a few years if that was what it took to draw the young witch into the arena, but no one had thought for an instant that Yotsun would leap at the offer.
"Of course they will!" The voice of the short, pudgy merchant from the Horned Clan didn’t carry nearly as well as Ashlynn’s magically augmented voice did and the gray-haired merchant managed to sound both shrill and hoarse when he tried to make himself heard across the arena but he stood up tall and proud despite the indignity of the situation.
"If your Willow Witch defeats ten men a day for ten days, then of course I will contract all hundred men to her! Why? You aren’t thinking of withdrawing her from this battle after seeing my newest champions, are you?"
Yotsun couldn’t hold himself back from throwing out a barb of his own. This whole thing had gone badly out of control, but now that it had started, there was no way out but to see it through to the end. Since that was the case, he refused to be belittled in this arena by an outsider, even if she was a powerful witch.
"Remember," Yotsun added. "If she fails to obtain her victories, she must serve my household for two years! If you do not wish to see her harmed today, I might be persuaded to reduce that to twenty-two months. It’s a good deal, Your Dominion," he said, giving an almost polite bow. "You should consider it."