Stuck in Hard Place-1

Adui was surprised to know that the giant had such a normal name, Andreas, he thought he would have a name suiting his size, like Goliath or something. The thing that confused him, even more, is that even if that brown monstrosity did beat Rodiger, then what does have to do with him?

They should talk to Gizelle about it, why did they bring him here? Also, how did they even make a connection between him with the brown knight, they were never seen in public before, nor he had shown any signs that they were friends, so what gave these guys the idea that they were friends?

He thought he should voice out his thoughts about this matter. "First of all, I am surprised that you guys even know what that thing is called. I wasn't able to get a simple grunt out of that Brobdingnagian monstrosity. Secondly, how the hell did you guys have the impression that I know that guy?"

Jojo leaned forward. "You are telling me that you didn't even know his name until now, that is hard to believe."

Adui shrugged. "I don't care if you believe me or not, I don't know him."

It is then that Rodiger, stood up and started yelling while pointing at him, he figured he must be cursing him or something, so he waited patiently for Jojo to translate, but instead, "Commander Rodiger, why don't we take it from here? You can wait for us outside and don't worry I am here, I will not let anything happen to Rupert." He turned towards the bearded man again, he could tell he was a mana wielder, but he couldn't see the depths of his strength, he wondered why Rupert needed protection, was he someone important?

Rodiger was reluctant to go, but in the end, Jojo's stare convinced him. After he left Rupert turned towards him. "How come you didn't know him? He works for Gizelle Salvatore, and so did you not too long ago. Then how the hell did you not know that guy?"

"Because he didn't use to work for her when I was an employee at her shop. He came after I left her shop."

Jojo also leaned forward. "From where exactly?"

"I don't know. I was just a normal employee at her shop, she didn't share her secrets with me."

Jojo sat back, with a small snicker. "Oh really? From what we have heard you were her apprentice, not just any employee."

"My apprenticeship with Gizelle was like a slave contract. In my initial years, she showed me the ropes of brewing potions and gave me some advice on cultivation. After that, she treated me like a low-key slave. My work was to look after the shop, take the delivery of the ingredients, brew potions and that is it."

Rupert then added."That is was apprenticeship is like. First, you learn the ropes, and then get your hands dirty,"

"I won't argue with you. I have spent 10 years in that shop, and I know what I have experienced. That was not an apprenticeship, that was a slave contract, which I regret signing to this day."

Jojo saw them getting off-tracked and decided to intervene. "Very well, let's move on. Our focus is the giant that guards her gate. What can you tell me about him?"

"Well, I have met the thing 2 times exactly. He didn't utter a single word both times. He is kind of scary and he has these weird brown eyes, which kind of remind me of the glass eyes of a puppet. And that is it."

"Well, I think you are lying," Jojo said.

"Me too." Rupert also added. Adui just sighed, but it was then he glanced at the empty chair beside Jojo, he remembered the state in Rodiger. He felt sorry for the man, he had done nothing to deserve that, but it was then, that a particular thought was born in his mind. He could not just wrap his head around the fact that Rodiger was able to summon two knights from the Royal Order, considering Jojo is also from the order.

Are these guys even of the Royal Order? Impersonating a member of the Royal Order is punishable by death, and is a sin that only a few dare to commit. I don't think anyone would be a fool to commit such a crime for that idiot.

Rodiger, on the other hand, was also a coward, he didn't even have the balls to think of something like this. This meant that these guys are the real deal, but why are they here?

Upon thinking more about it, Adui started questioning more about his involvement in this case in the first place. Why have they brought him here, surely the knights of Royal Order have the power to apprehend or at least try to apprehend that giant, but they never even tried, if they would have, he would have heard about it.

Instead, these guys came to him, trying to scoop out any information about that giant, but why? It didn't make sense to him, that these guys would come to him.

These men want something else from him. The question is, what?

"Adui… ADUI!" hearing Jojo yell, he came out of his stupor. "Yeah! I am sorry. I was thinking about something."

Rupert added. "It's alright, let's continue. As we were speaking, either you tell us the truth, or you will be locked up in a cell in this tower."

So that's their play, these fuckers are thinking that they would be able to scare me into giving more information about Gizelle, that must be it. 

He smiled at their naive attempt to fool him. "No, you won't"

Hearing his confident tone Jojo was surprised. "You sound confident. Any particular reason why?"

"Well, I know for a fact that I am not here to discuss with you about that monster. You want something else from me. And it is pretty important considering there are two knights of the Royal Order sitting in front of me." Rupert and Jojo exchanged glances.

He then continued " I am not in jail, no one is torturing me, and the guys that you sent to fetch were very rude considering who they were speaking to. Seeing all this, I figured you wanted me to do something to those guys. You wanted to rile me up so that I would make a move, and you could swoop in wearing your justice armor, and arrest me. Am I wrong?"

Rupert and Jojo both chuckled. Jojo then added. "That is a far fetch story."

"No, it is not."

"Seems like it to me," Rupert added.

"So you are telling me, that I was called because you want information about the knight who beat the shit out of the dumbass standing outside the door," he said while gesturing towards the door, then he continued. "Since when did the Royal Order start caring about small people"

"Alright then," Rupert then continued. "What can you tell us about Gizelle and her new family?"

Adui was alarmed, he expected that they wanted information about Gizelle, but these guys knew about her family, which was alarming.