System in Assassin's Creed

Chapter 49: Chapter 48: Thulani + Aveline

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---

Aveline was at the Scott Estate in Bedminster, England.

With her father dead two nights ago, she had assumed control of the family’s tea business. The weight of that responsibility pressed heavily on her shoulders.

Aveline felt unprepared, uncertain if she could manage what her father once dominated with ease.

Condolences poured in from acquaintances and merchants alike, yet Aveline barely acknowledged them.

She didn’t care.

Not about her father’s death.

She felt sadness for her mother, but in truth, her father’s absence was a relief. The tyrant was gone, and she and Caroline were finally free of him.

Yet now she faced a new problem.

The tea business was slower than usual.

As Aveline sorted through the mess of papers on her desk, she noticed more cancellations than orders.

She grimaced, recognizing the names of several merchants pulling out of their contracts.

Some cited concerns about supply, others claimed uncertainty in Bristol’s future trade.

Aveline knew the truth. Her father’s death and the collapse of the local slave trade had sent the city into disarray.

The news had spread quickly: Emmet Scott, Edward Colston, and others had died two nights ago.

With key figures of Bristol’s slave trade gone, the city had been thrown into chaos.

That disruption was now affecting the tea business.

Merchants panicked, unsure how trade routes would function without their usual exploitative networks.

’How do I deal with this mess...’ she wondered, massaging her neck and gazing out the window.

It was still afternoon as the sun was scorching hot.

*Knock. Knock.*

”Milady, Caroline and a... distinguished guest by the name of Thulani have come for a visit,” her butler announced.

”Let them in!” Aveline exclaimed, eyes widening.

The thought of her sister visiting and someone she liked, made her heart pound.

”Brew our most expensive tea!”

”As you wish, Milady...”

---

Minutes later, Caroline entered the office with Thulani by her side.

Aveline greeted her sister with a warm embrace, but her smile faltered slightly as her gaze fell on Thulani.

He shifted awkwardly, his hands clasped behind his back.

Aveline’s face flushed, and Caroline’s amused smirk didn’t go unnoticed.

”Oh?” Caroline teased. ”Didn’t know you’d be so excited to see Thulani too.”

”That’s not it,” Aveline muttered, flustered. ”Anyway, what brings you here?”

Caroline chuckled and retrieved a small box from her satchel.

”The Kenway family has created a new tea... it’s called Celestial Tea.”

She placed the elegant box on Aveline’s desk. Its design was simple yet unfamiliar.

”I thought you’d be interested.”

”Celestial Tea?” Aveline asked, intrigued.

Before Caroline could reply, the butler returned with a silver tray carrying three cups of tea.

The warm, rich aroma filled the room, causing Caroline to sigh contentedly.

”This scent... I can’t get enough of it,” Caroline murmured, smiling.

”Oh? This isn’t one of our flavors,” Aveline lifted her cup and inhaled deeply.

”It’s alluring, it makes me want to close my eyes...”

”Yes, I’ve instructed Jeffrey to brew the Celestial Tea,” Caroline replied. Jeffrey was the butler of the Scott Estate.

The three sipped their tea.

Caroline savored hers with a satisfied smile, while Thulani simply enjoyed the warmth.

Aveline’s eyes widened. The taste was beyond anything she’d known... delicate yet potent, floral yet rich.

It was... perfect.

”This is incredible,” Aveline said softly. ”Leagues better than the blends Father favored.”

Caroline grinned. ”That’s why I’m here. I’m offering you a deal... £5 per box.”

Aveline’s hand froze just above her teacup. ”Five pounds?” she repeated, stunned. ”That’s expensive...”

”I’ll give you this box for now.” Caroline tapped the small box filled with tea bags.

”You’ll understand the price when you see how fast it sells.”

”Oh, okay... are you... coming back to the Scott household?” Aveline asked hopefully. ”You could help me manage all this stress...”

Caroline shook her head.

”I’ve found my happiness with the Kenways.”

Her smile softened.

”But this tea will help you. Consider it my way of looking out for you.”

”I see...” Aveline muttered.

”I need to get going,” Caroline announced, rising from her seat. ”I’m meeting with some merchants.”

Thulani stood as well, but Caroline stopped him with a playful grin.

”Stay here for a moment,” she said.

”You two talk. I’ll manage by myself.”

Thulani blinked, baffled. ”...Excuse me?”

”You’ll understand,” Caroline said with a knowing smile as she left the room.

As the door closed behind her, Thulani realized what had happened.

’It seems I’ve been had by both Alaric and Caroline,’ he thought with a sigh.

”...”

The room fell into an awkward silence.

Neither Thulani nor Aveline spoke, both glancing at their teacups as if hoping the other would do the talking.

The faint crackling of the fireplace seemed deafening in the quiet room.

Finally, Aveline broke the ice.

”Hey... Thulani...”

”Yeah?” Thulani looked up from his cup.

Aveline hesitated.

”I... I know we’ve never really talked before... but I wanted to say... I appreciate you being here.”

Thulani blinked, his expression softening.

”I’m glad I am.”

Her lips twitched into a small smile.

”Would you... like to stay for dinner?”

”If you don’t mind,” Thulani said, relaxing at last.

”So... do you...”

”Yeah... there were...”

And that was the start of their love story.

---

It was nearing night as Alaric led the Kenway Family inside the underground basement. Reuben came along as he had nothing to do at the moment.

After passing a well-lighted hallway near the vault, everyone couldn’t help but widen their eyes in amazement as they could see a HUGE space filled with crates and enough room for many people to move around.

”Heavens, ’Laric!”

”Son... when did you build this!?”

”This is humongous!”

Several voices could be heard, filled with surprises.

All of them went inside as Linette went towards the crates that were filled with products.

”’Laric, how in heavens were you able to transport this many items here in the mansion without us knowing?” She asked, gasping at the sight of the Celestial Salves. ”Are these items real?”

Alaric smiled as he walked beside his aunt while the others were wandering everywhere. ”Secret... and yes, these items are real.”

”Damn... everyone, look at the amount of Ramen!” Leonard, who was always calm and composed, shouted as everyone aside from Alaric ran towards his area. ”Hahaha! I’m going to eat all of these!”

”Father... calm down,” Alaric chuckled as he saw how uncharacteristic his father looked. ”These are products we need to sell... don’t worry, I’ll provide this house with separate quantity. Enough to make you sick of it.”

”Beauty Mask as well?” Came from Eleanor.

”How ’bout the Hot Sauce?”

”And the Celestial Salves?”

”The teas?”

”Hahaha... yes-yes!” Alaric laughed as he nodded towards all of them. ”Don’t worry, everyone hahaha...”

”W-What? Really, ’Laric!?” Linette gasped. ”Ain’t that Penn’s product!?”

”Yeah... I’m his student, aren’t I?” Alaric grinned. ”He promised to give me some soon, I’ll give you guys many.”

”Damn! Thanks ’Laric!” Bernard laughed as he hugged Alaric. ”You should be proud of your son, twig! Eleanor! We’re going to be rich!”

Tick marks formed on Leonard forehead but sighed as Eleanor laughed softly.

Alaric could only smile as they were celebrating.

---

After a few seconds, Alaric cleared his throat. Glancing at Reuben, then to everyone.

”Everyone, I have something to say...”

”...”

”William Penn, Reuben, and I, will be leaving for London in three weeks’ time,” Alaric began explaining. ”We are going with him to meet the Queen...”

”...”

”I will be gone for some time as Reuben and I will journey outside England after London.”

”What!?”

”’Laric, stop... wait...”

Seeing the concerns on their faces, Alaric paused for a second, feeling a pang of guilt.

He knew they worried for his safety, and while he was confident in his strength, their unease stayed with him, nagging at the back of his mind.

After a moment’s thought, he gave them a small reassuring smile and continued. ”We won’t take long.”

”Besides... the items here will last you awhile...”

”...”

”...”

Eleanor was having mixed reactions. She was happy that her son was meeting the Queen of the country and was going on an adventure, but she was also sad that her son was leaving her.

It was Leonard, who was able to calmly respond to Alaric. ”Where will you go?”

Eleanor looked at Leonard, who seemed to support the idea of their son leaving. Bernard and Linette also looked at him.

”After London? Maybe Rome, Italy. Then south of the Ottoman Empire,” Alaric replied. ”I’ll probably visit Solomon in Egypt as well. As long as my total travel doesn’t take two to three years.”

Alaric explained, and the room fell into an uneasy silence.

Eleanor’s fingers tightened slightly around the delicate fabric of her finely embroidered sleeve, her gaze drifting downward.

Bernard’s jaw tightened, his usual cheerful attitude giving way to a rare, serious expression.

Linette sighed quietly, her hand resting on a crate as if grounding herself.

Even Leonard, who was usually composed, seemed lost in thought, his brow furrowed deeply.

It was understandable. Edward became a privateer, and Alaric had already decided to venture. Edward and Alaric were the only children of the Kenway family, and they were deeply adored.

With Edward gone, his absence had already been hard enough, and now seeing Alaric leave as well felt like losing the heart of the family once more.

”It’ll be dangerous, lad,” Bernard furrowed his eyes, taking this seriously. ”I know you’re strong, however, we can’t help but worry.”

”There’s no one in this planet that can kill me, Unc,” Alaric said with confidence. ”Even if thousands of men line up to slay me, I’ll still come out untouched.”

”...Okay, kid, whatever you say,” Bernard chuckled. ”Thousands of men, my arse.”

’You haven’t seen what we saw, Bernard,’ Reuben, who was only spectating, internally disagreed with Bernard. ’You didn’t witness the number of bodies that were scattered on the ground, blood painted on the walls of Colston’s mansion, and Alaric... who didn’t even have a single stain on his clothes...’

Eleanor was first to leave as her heart was heavy, while Leonard comforted her, trying to explain that it was all alright.

Bernard and Linette were more accepting as their son Edward had already started his life as a privateer. Edward may have anger towards the family, but as parents, they loved and supported their son wholeheartedly.

Having already experienced of Edward cutting ties from the family a year ago and his recent departure for privateering just days earlier, they found it easier than Eleanor to see Alaric go.

Everyone got out of the underground warehouse as Linette remained, listing down the number of Celestial Salves in a crate and how many were crates were present in the warehouse.

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