The Owner's Daughter

"Why am I in this situation? I just wanted to go to sleep !" 

Thap thought to himself, looking at the situation.

"Wait, I remember you ! You're Roland, why are you here ?"

Rue exclaimed, pointing his finger to Roland. 

"Woah, look! I'm here just to collect the debt, that's all !"

Roland replied, folding his arms and looking annoyed. 

"Debt ! What debt ? I thought we had already settled this."

Rue asked, confusion in his voice as he waited for an explanation from Roland. 

"Wait, so your girl didn't tell you —"

"Father, mother please .. wait inside. I will handle this,"

Isabelle interrupted Roland's explanation, begging her foster parent to return inside. 

"No, Isa, you need to tell us what's going on. And you are?" 

Rue confronted Isa, demanding an explanation while noticing Thap standing awkwardly in the middle of this event.

"He is the boy that stays at our inn. We met him this morning"

Fre told her husband. 

"Umm .. sorry —"

Thap tried to explain but got halt by Rue. 

"Are you also one of Roland's companion?"

Rue confronted him loudly.

"Ehh .. me .. noo NO, you got the wrong idea, I —"

"ENOUGH, please"

As Thap tried to clarify, Isabelle interrupted them with a loud shout, cutting him off mid-sentence. 

Everyone was stunned, when Isabelle shouted. She then gathered her courage and began to explain everything to her foster parents. Although Thap had no interest in their personal issues, he just wanted to go to his room but he found himself stuck in this spot, not wanting to interrupt their intense conversation. 

It appeared that, Isabelle lied to her foster parents about the debt, she told them that last year was the final one, even though more was still owed. She explained that she didn't want her foster parents to worry about a debt that wasn't theirs, especially since they earned so little from the inn. Moreover, considering their old age, she felt it was too much for them to handle, especially after they had been covering the debt for the last four years since she was thirteen. 

"Blah .. blah .. I don't have time to listen to your stories, just give me the rest of the money right now !"

Roland demanded impatiently.

"... how much is left ?"

Rue asked.

"30 Silver coins !"

Roland replied, looking at Rue with frustration.

"We only have 25 silver coins right now .. we just pay our property tax .. that's all we have"

Rue replied, handing the money over to Roland. 

"Come on !! Are you guys for real ??"

Roland exclaimed angrily. 

".. please, I promised I will give you the rest by tomorrow!"

Rue pleaded, bowing his head.

".. Father !"

Isabelle muttered, holding back her tears. 

"Sorry, but the boss said if this continues, I'll have to bring Isabelle back to him. Look at her now, she's grown so much since then." 

Roland replied, walking slowly to Isabelle.

"Please, have mercy, Roland !"

Fre and Rue begged together, their voices filled with sadness.

Isabelle seemed soulless as she gave up herself to her fate, no longer wanting to burden her foster parents. She looked down miserably. When she finally looked up, she was surprised to see that the person that standing before her was not Roland, but Thap instead. 

"HERE are 5 silver coins !"

Thap shouted at Roland, handing over the remaining money that he had. 

".. woah, who are you ? why are —"

Roland began, but Thap interrupted.

"Enough, you've got the full amount now, leave !"

Thap demand firmly. 

" …Tsk .. You cocky kid ! .."

Roland clicked his tongue, slowly walking away from them. 

"Isa !! Why don't you tell us about this ?"

Rue and Fre asked urgently, comforting Isabelle as they escorted her back to the inn, her tears beginning to flow. Thap was left standing outside, feeling proud of his action.

"Eh .. no "thank you"? Did they just go inside ?"

Thap muttered to himself, confused and a bit hurt that the family hadn't expressed their gratitude after he had helped pay the rest to the debt collector. 

"They're probably just worried about their daughter. [Yawned] I better go to sleep."

Despite the lack of thanks, the usually kind-hearted Thap wasn't bothered. Instead, he was more concerned about their feelings after the stressful event a while ago.