"Good. Once everything was out in the open, things became much simpler."
Behind the desk, Tales gave a light round of applause:
"Ladies Karabian, let's discuss a deal."
Kasha and Qina exchanged a glance, then sneered disdainfully behind their black folding fans:
"You want us to stop here?"
"Give up resisting and help you tame Emerald City?"
"So you can depose Lord Jann?"
"Stage a respectable coup and seize power?"
The Demon Twins waved their folding fans back and forth, their expressions cruel and solemn:
"Then tear the Iris Family limb from limb."
"Flatten Empty Palace and knead it into whatever shape you like."
"Send Southbank's wealth into the royal treasury."
"Let Emerald's prosperity vanish like smoke?"
"You said everything I was about to say," Tales spread his arms and smiled gently. "That's what I like about you."
The sisters snorted in unison. Their hands twitched, and the black fans flipped open again!
The fan faces were covered in even more obscure and indecipherable vulgar dialect:
[Leaning against backs, leaning against wood, sleeping in.]
[Driving into collapse, driving into a fortress, driving into chicken wheat.]
Placed together, the two fans formed a short phrase where their edges met:
[What a cursed brat.]
Tales stared at it for quite a while, but still failed to understand.
"What does this mean?"
Kasha smiled brightly:
"Dialect. It means, 'Your Highness, that was very well said.'"
Qina's eyes sparkled:
"It has truly left us overwhelmed by your favor."
"Oh, thank you." Tales could not help frowning, though he did not want to investigate further. "Then what is your answer?"
"Impossible," Kasha refused.
"Unrealistic," Qina sneered.
Tales raised his brows.
"You should know how much effort and pocket money we put into this..." Kasha narrowed her eyes.
"Just to dismantle this pile of building blocks