I Became the Master of the Villain - Chapter 16

That night, Kian, who returned to the villa in Trillian, lay in bed, tossing and turning.

It was late at night, so the villa was still. Only the sound of the waves rushing in and out of the water was heard regularly.

He got up and walked to the window.

The sea seen through the open window was calm as if nothing had happened.

I still couldn’t believe it.

I thought I’d never see her again…

He recalled the moment Olivia had broken through the door.

I never thought she’d come to find me.

Even going so far as to jump directly into a pirate-infested ship…?

Isn’t it crazy? A master who takes risks to save a slave.

It’s unimaginable, but she’s been surprising since we first met.

She was fundamentally different from my other owners.

Maybe that’s why…?

Until now, I was indifferent if my owner changed, but when I thought I was breaking up with her, I couldn’t stand it.

Without realizing it, her presence was too large within him.

She looked at him as if she were looking at the most precious thing.

Besides, she often seemed blind to others or to conventions as if she could do anything for him.

At one time, Kian had tried to find out the reason for Olivia’s kindness.

And I wondered why she bought me. But now, the reason why I came here was irrelevant; I like being with her.

I had gotten used to her kindness and couldn’t imagine living the way I used to.

Once I had tasted her sweetness—like an exquisite candy—I could not forget it.

Knowing that taste, it was impossible to return to the same painful life I had led before.

Once breathing, you don’t want to go back to a dead life.

And she colored this gray life.

It was at that moment, Kian had a clear and stunning realization.

***

The sound of the machine running, rattled, constantly rang in the factory.

All of the workers with exhausted expressions stood in front of the spinning machine and were pulling white and fine threads.

“Little” Tom, a child who worked at the Ashford spinning factory, had a bad fever the day before yesterday.

However, there was no way he could pay for a hospital bill, so he had beared the pain and had come to work.

Even today, his fever showed no sign of abating, so Tom’s hand on the spinning machine slowed down.

“Why is this guy so sluggish?”

It was James Ashford, the factory’s boss. He slapped Tom.

“Sorr— I’m sorry………”

Terrified, Tom’s shoulders trembled as he asked for forgiveness.

But James was not amused or appeased. He said, pulling the tip of his lips straight.

“I get angry when I see guys who are lazy like you and trying to make money easily.”

“Ahh!”

The child screamed in pain.

James struck the child with the stick, hitting Tom’s skinny body.

His slender limbs were quickly bruised.

“Stop it!”

When no one could stop James, someone bravely stepped up.

It was a young woman named Anna, a female employee at the Ashford spinning mill.

“Get out of here!”

Anna looked at Tom, who had fallen, not worrying about James’ rampage.

She was startled by the hotness of the child’s body like an iron kettle on the fire.

She said urgently:

“His fever is severe. If he doesn’t see the doctor right away, the child will be in danger.”

But James wasn’t interested in the child’s critical condition.

He was only interested in workers working without wasting a second and earning him more money.

“There are plenty of people who need work and can take his job. It’s none of my business whatever happens to him.”

Even though people’s lives are unpredictable and need flexibility and compassion, James’ attitude was relentlessly cold and unfeeling.

Anna couldn’t understand how a person could say such a thing.

She clasped Tom’s little hand.

The child’s finger, which should be soft, was so overworked that instead they were covered with calluses.

An eight-year old child working 15 hours a day for ridiculously low pay—he was virtually a slave.

“Who said it was okay to rest? Your superior never said you could!”

James started to scold the workers who had paused and watched the spectacle.

“You are machines, not humans! Remember that as you work!”

“……!”

Anna clenched her fist, trembling with anger.

Yes, there was little difference between their lives and the life of a slave, but they were still human!

Being poor wasn’t enough of a reason to be treated as subhuman.

They were not beings that can be used and discarded like consumables!

I’ll let the trash scumbag boss have a piece of my mind!

Anna pulled out the hammer she had hidden under the workbench, avoiding the supervisor’s eyes.

She hit the machine as hard as she could with the hammer. (*fangirls*)

-Kung!

“W—what are you doing!”

James shouted.

But Anna, ignoring James’ scream, continued to break the machine.

***

“Everyone, take out your tools!”

Hearing those words–it was their signal–other workers also took out hidden tools.

Hundreds of angry workers began to smash the machines, and the factory quickly became a mess. (Organized labor and direct action? Be still my beating heart)

The workers at Ashford’s factory were full of grievances about their slave-lake job-conditions.

The plan to destroy the machines and proceed with the factory strike was scheduled for tonight, but Anna advanced the plan by a few hours.

But no one was dissatisfied with it.

Everyone was furious, watching James beat little Tom.

“Stop those madmen!”

James ordered the guards.

The knights immediately pulled out their swords, but there were too many workers armed with tools.

There were only two knights, so it didn’t take a genius to do the math.

Workers holding hammers quickly surrounded James.

“Don’t come near me!”

He pulled out the sword he was carrying for self-defense and swung it in vain.

The workers hesitated for a brief moment

Then, Anna wielding a hammer, walked forward.

“Get rid of your blade, or I’ll split your head with this.”

When he heard the violent warning, James froze.

His voice broke, and he spoke in an unsightly trembling voice:

“If you hurt me, you won’t be safe!”

He threatened them with the future.

However, Anna was not intimidated by blackmail.

She said, swinging her hammer:

“You’re only a chain that the workers will lose then.”

James stumbled as he stepped back.

He looked into Anna’s eyes and thought: That’s the look of a madman who is about to kill. I’m gonna die.

“We have little to lose, but what about you?”

As she said, James had too much to lose.

He hadn’t even fulfilled his ambition to push out his niece Olivia out of the head seat and take over as Duke… he couldn’t stand the thought of dying in such a place.

James looked around with despair.

The guards and factory supervisors have long been overpowered by workers.

No one was left on his side.

The sword slipped from James’ hand.

“Yes, good idea.”

Anna ordered men to tie James tightly with rope.

Then she had ordered the children to be chaperoned to a safe location and instructed that the sick Tom be taken to the doctor.

“It’s good to take the boss hostage as planned……, but what should we do now?”

Fellow workers came and asked Anna for guidance.

Anna said, thumping her hammer on the floor.

“What should we do? Of course, we have to bring in the big boss and negotiate.”

“But, will the nobles listen to people like us?”

“They will have to.”

Anna asserted, looking at her colleagues with determined eyes.

“Olivia Ashford, we might be able to talk to her and come to an understanding.”

***

The gray smoke emitted by the steam locomotive left a long trail in the clear sky.

The train had left the capital and was heading for Lancaster.

My sudden departure for Lancaster was because of a telegram that arrived a few hours ago.

A telegram sent by Uncle James’ secretary.

The contents of the telegram were as follows:

-Factory workers caused violence. They took Lord James hostage and want to negotiate with the lady. Please come to Lancaster as soon as possible.

When I heard the news that my uncle was taken hostage, the first thought was, “I’m only benefiting from this situation.”

I knew that he was exploiting the workers and only filling his stomach (aka he was being corrupt and stealing money).

I constantly said that workers’ wages should be raised, but my uncle completely ignored my argument.

The management of the Ashford spinning plant was my uncle’s domain.

Because of that, there was a limit in exercising my opinion.

As a result, things have already reached this point—a strike on top of it.

Even if I had faced my uncle’s opposition, I should have pushed it somehow…. I got off the train feeling responsible for this situation.

My uncle’s secretary met me at the train station.

As if he couldn’t delay for a moment, he took me straight to the negotiating table to bargain with the workers.

To be honest, I didn’t want to save my uncle quickly.

I wanted to use this opportunity to wake him up and have him come to his senses.

In order to hide my inner feelings, I deliberately played the role of the good niece who was worried about her uncle.

“What were the knights of the Dukedom doing? Why didn’t they rescue uncle?”

When I complained, the secretary hurriedly made excuses.

“If we acted stubbornly… Sir James’ life was being jeopardized, and those cunning workers threatened me… so I couldn’t move the knights.”

“Excuses. Come on, guide me to where my uncle is.”

“Ah, yes, I understand.”

The place for negotiations set by the workers was an old, closed warehouse in the factory’s backyard.

Inquired the big men who stood guard at the warehouse door:

“Are you acting Duke of Ashford?”

When I affirmed, the men stepped aside.

However, they stopped my escorting knights from trying to follow me.

“From here, you have to go in alone.”

“What…! Lady going alone is dangerous!”

Sir Hans, my guard, protested as he reached for his sword.

I calmed him down.

I told him it was okay, ordering my guards to wait for me outside, and stepped forward into the warehouse.