Hillman immediately recollected himself. He hurriedly said, “Lord Hogg, no. How can you hand such a vast sum of money to me? Why don’t you take care of it?”
“Hillman, don’t call me Lord Hogg. You can just address me as big brother Hogg again.” Hogg laughed in a very kind way.
Suddenly, Hogg stood up, facing the east. “Me, take care of it? Haha…Hillman, perhaps there is nobody besides you who knows more about the affairs of the Baruch clan…and about me.”
Hillman started. He didn’t know why Hogg had suddenly said this.
“That affair has been buried in the deepest reaches of my heart for eleven years now. For eleven years, I’ve felt as though my heart has been chewed on by ants. I’ve been suppressing it all this time. Suppressing it, one day after another, one year after another…and in the blink of an eye, eleven years went by.”
Hogg’s entire body began to tremble.
Hillman’s face changed. He suddenly stood up, saying in astonishment, “Lord Hogg, are you going to…?!”
“Right. I am going to investigate what happened that year. I must get vengeance for Lina [Lin’na].” Hogg’s face was fierce and violent, filled with baleful aura.
“Lord Hogg.” Hillman hurriedly said. “Didn’t we investigate it back in the day? The opponent has tremendous power. Just the small part of it that we encountered was already terrifying. If you keep investigating, it’ll mean the death of you.”
Hogg let out a low growl. “Death? You think I fear death? Hillman, you have no idea how much pain I’ve been in these past eleven years, the sort of mental torment I’ve been under. I’ve had enough. The value of the magicite cores should be worth around 80,000 gold coins or so. This will totally be enough to pay for Wharton’s tuition. With this sum of money, I have no worries or cares at all now.”
“All these years, I’ve been suppressing myself, why? Because of my two sons. Now that Linley has grown up, and Wharton has reached the O’Brien Empire, I have nothing to worry about anymore.”
Hogg tightly clenched Hillman’s shoulders with his hands, staring into Hillman’s eyes. “Hillman, although you have always addressed me as Lord Hogg, after all these years, the two of us have developed genuine brotherly affection towards each other. For the sake of that brotherly love, I hope you can help me.”
“Hogg, you…” Hillman was frantic.
Hillman knew very well that once Hogg really went to investigate that affair, he would very likely lose his life.
“My mind is set. Hillman, you must understand, this life I have been living is worse than death.” Hogg’s eyes were turning red. Seeing Hogg like this, Hillman felt helpless. He could understand how Hogg felt.
Why was it that over these years, Hogg had become so solemn, so cold?
Others might not know, but Hillman knew very well. Before the birth mother of Linley and Wharton, Lina, had died, Hogg was a very easy-going, open-minded person. But after Lina’s death, Hogg’s character and disposition had changed.
Although Hogg had told others that Lina had died in childbirth, Hillman and Housekeeper Hiri knew the truth.
“Hillman, don’t try to persuade me. I just want to ask you – will you help me, or won’t you?” Hogg fixed his gaze upon Hillman.
Staring at Hogg, in the end, Hillman let out a long sigh. “Fine. I’ll help.” A hint of a smile blossomed on Hogg’s face. The smile of relief and liberation.