Everything Is False, Everything Is Permitted

Hearing Baron Raven's deliberately gentlemanly question, Denise let out a laugh, then immediately straightened her face. "If you dare do anything improper, I'll throw you out!"

The door closed, and Denise walked to the window and stood there, gazing at the bright full moon overhead.

Raven sat at the table, pouring wine while admiring the beautiful scene before him.

Two months had passed, yet her figure remained just as alluring. Under the moonlight, her thin nightgown seemed to turn into a translucent veil, outlining her full and voluptuous curves.

Her slender neck resembled that of a swan, and her collarbones formed an elegant hollow. Her two jade-white arms rested casually on the windowsill, creating a captivating picture together with the darkness outside.

Apparently sensing Raven's gaze, Denise turned around. Her round, lovely face was half-hidden in shadow, and a hint of seductive lace peeked out from her neckline. "Did you come looking for me just to say nothing?"

"Of course not. But the view before me is too beautiful. It would be a shame to ruin it." Raven picked up two wine glasses and walked over to Denise, handing one to her.

She accepted it lightly and took a sip, her tongue passing over her lips. "I suppose the land deed in your hand isn't the only one, is it?"

"What, you no longer think I'm a faithless bastard?" Raven leaned against her, his gaze sweeping up and down her body.

"Hmph, that's because you didn't discuss it with me beforehand." Denise lowered her eyelids and turned her head away. "I thought you were going to take back my exclusive sales rights."

"How could I?" Raven chuckled. "I did promise to sell Angel's Tear in Shining Gold Town, but I never said I would hand it over to them."

As he spoke, his arm reached toward Denise's slender waist.

With a slap, Denise knocked his hand away. "I figured it out the moment I saw the land deed, but this can't really count as compensation."

Her fiery gaze locked onto Raven's eyes as she complained, "You actually handed the position of president of the Shining Gold Town Chamber of Commerce to an outsider. I know that Fili too—a petty merchant who only cares about immediate profits. How am I inferior to him?"

"Could it be that he flattered you and sent a few beauties to your bed, and that was enough to make you agree?"

"He didn't send beauties. He sent his wife and daughter." Raven smiled and took a drink. "But I didn't accept them. And making him president of the chamber had nothing to do with that."

Denise swept him with a suspicious look. "Really?"

"Why would I lie to you?" Raven shrugged. "Do you think I'm some indiscriminate lecher?"

"That remains to be seen..." Denise rolled her eyes, but accepted his explanation. After all, as Raven had said, he had no reason to lie to her. "But you still haven't explained why you handed the Shining Gold Town Chamber of Commerce to him."

"Look at how stingy you are." Raven smiled and took her hand. This time, Denise did not struggle. "Things happened suddenly, and there was no better choice. Besides, afterward I realized that although Fili is timid and calculating, he does have ability, and he's easy to control. So I never considered replacing him."

Denise sighed. "But the Shining Gold Town Chamber of Commerce isn't small..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Denise, stop worrying about the Shining Gold Town Chamber of Commerce." Raven rubbed the delicate hand in his grasp and teased, "Why are your horizons so narrow? Has the mere position of president of a small chamber in Shining Gold Town already captivated you? If you ask me, the position of president of the Monen City Chamber of Commerce suits you better."

"Heh, Angel's Tear really is strong. You've gotten this drunk after only a few sips!" Denise sneered.

"What, you refuse to believe me again? Someone's promise still hasn't been fulfilled, has it?" Raven asked leisurely.

Remembering that she had promised to wash Raven's feet last time, Denise coughed awkwardly, then emphasized, "This time is different. That's Monen City!"

"It has a permanent population of 520,000, and the transient population is no lower than that. What's more, there are countless unregistered residents. Conservatively speaking, Monen City has at least 1.2 million people."

"The Monen City Chamber of Commerce controls seventy percent of all transactions in Monen City. Last year alone, it provided 147,662 Gold Coins in taxes! The entirety of Fedro Commerce provided only 337."

"Every influential merchant in the Monen City Chamber of Commerce has a powerful noble backing them. Some are even royal merchants. Each one of them is far larger than all the merchants in Shining Gold Town put together."

Raven nodded slowly. "I know all that. After all, I grew up in Monen City too."

"Since you know that, you shouldn't make such an outrageous promise." Denise said, "The odds of you becoming a viscount in this lifetime—no, a count—are greater than the odds of me becoming president of the Monen City Chamber of Commerce."

"Precisely because of that, this matter is meaningful, isn't it?" Raven looked into her eyes, his voice low and seductive. "Imagine this: with my support, Fedro Commerce becomes the richest merchant in Monen City, while you become the queen who controls the Monen City Chamber of Commerce. By then, every merchant in Monen City will prostrate themselves at your feet!"

Looking at Raven's handsome face and listening to his devilishly alluring voice, Denise's heart began to pound. Yet reason still prevailed. "On what grounds? A mere Eagle Territory? Or is it because of Angel's Tear?"

"Angel's Tear is only the beginning." Raven smiled calmly. "There will be more unprecedented products to come. Every one of them will be no inferior to it."

Denise had been about to retort, but when she thought of Angel's Tear, she could no longer voice her doubts. Since Raven could produce Angel's Tear, who knew what other ingenious ideas he had in his head?

She could not help asking, "So you built the workshop for new products. What exactly are you trying to do?"

"That is a trade secret. I can't tell you yet." Raven smiled mysteriously. "However, I have some new ideas about Angel's Tear."

He raised the wine bottle before Denise. "What do you see?"

Denise thought for a moment. "Crude, common, and lacking uniqueness."

"Exactly!" A hint of delight appeared in Raven's eyes. "You really do have a talent for business."

"Did you need to say that?" Denise laughed brightly. "You want to improve Angel's Tear's packaging. What are you planning to switch to, more expensive porcelain?"

Raven shook his head. "No. Porcelain is beautiful, but it would conceal Angel's Tear's own color. I want a different kind of change."

"For example, change the shape of the bottle, using the form of a porcelain bottle to mold a glass one, then print Angel's Tear's unique label and slogan on it."

"Use the form of a porcelain bottle to mold a glass one?" Denise's eyes lit up. A new bottle immediately took shape in her mind—round bottom, broad body, narrow neck.

It would possess the aesthetic appeal of porcelain while standing out clearly from other wines.

She nodded. "That really is a good idea. As for the label, it could be an eagle representing Eagle Territory, or a flying angel."

"Mm-hmm, those are both good." Raven nodded. "You can have the label maker produce samples, then see which one is better."

"What about the slogan?" Denise's thoughts became increasingly animated. She waved her hands about, even more excited than Raven. "How about... Angel's Tear, Once Tasted, Never Forgotten? Or... Angel's Tear, the Choice of Nobility?"

She suggested several more, but was not satisfied with any of them. Growing anxious, Denise turned to Raven. "Don't make me do all the work. Think of something yourself."

Raven reached out and pulled her soft, full body into his arms. He breathed in the unique fragrance of a mature woman and whispered into her ear, "Everything is false, everything is permitted."

"Everything is false, everything is permitted? That's simply..." Denise had initially wanted to say, "That's simply nonsense," but she immediately sensed the weight behind those words.

Everything is false, everything is permitted.

The eight words echoed repeatedly in her mind. The more she pondered them, the deeper and more unfathomable their meaning seemed.

The first thing she thought of was the hazy state after becoming drunk. Many shackles were cast off, and many taboos ceased to be taboos. These eight words were the perfect description of drunkenness.

As she continued savoring them, an indescribable feeling rose in her heart. The brief phrase seemed to contain some mysterious and profound truth.

Just then, she felt a warm current against her earlobe, followed by an electric sensation spreading through her entire body.

Raven smiled languidly and said indistinctly, "Do you still think the prospects are so bleak now, President Denise?"

His face moved downward slowly but determinedly as he savored the enchanting taste, while clearly feeling the delicate body in his arms gradually go limp.

Their bodies pressed together. Denise felt something hot and solid against her. Raven's breath drew closer and closer to her shoulder, and her own breathing grew heavier in response.

"You..."

Before she could finish, she was interrupted. Raven had already kissed her deeply on the neck.

A heated hormonal atmosphere spread through the room.

Raven's hand slipped around her slender waist and was just about to pry open her nightdress when a soft hand settled on his wrist.

But the obstruction was as thin as window paper.

Knock, knock, knock. A knock sounded at the door, followed by Angie's voice. "My lady, the midnight snack you requested is ready."

At those words, Denise instantly regained her senses. She broke free of Raven's arms and sat on the edge of the bed, her face flushed and her chest still rising and falling.

Although he was somewhat disappointed, Raven did not pursue her. He leaned against the window and quietly admired the beautiful figure before him.

After struggling to steady her breathing, Denise said as calmly as possible, "All right, I know."

She walked to the door, opened it, and accepted the tray. "You may leave. There's nothing for you to do tonight."

"Yes, my lady..." Angie bowed, but inadvertently caught sight of Raven by the window. When she saw him raise his glass with a smile, then noticed Denise's slightly flushed cheeks, astonishment surged through her heart.

"Is there anything else?" Denise deliberately blocked her view, her tone cold.

"No, my lady. Good night." Angie swallowed and turned to leave, but her heart continued pounding.

She could hardly believe her eyes. Baron Raven had actually appeared in Lady Denise's room.

In the eight years she had served Denise, Angie had never seen a single man enter her mistress's room!

Denise gently closed the door and returned to sit at the table as though nothing had happened. She spooned a small piece of set cheese into her mouth, suppressing the heat in her heart. "Don't worry. I raised Angie myself. She's absolutely reliable."

"Mm, I understand," Raven said.

As a woman who had run a chamber of commerce alone for more than a decade, Denise would have long since lost everything if she did not understand how to choose and use people.

"Everything is false, everything is permitted." Denise deliberately avoided looking at Raven and said calmly, "I'll order a batch of sample bottles and labels first. But don't put this phrase on the labels yet. Once your workshop is established, we can modify the labels ourselves and print it on them."

"Mm, that works." Raven nodded.

This era had no such things as copyright or patents. If they failed to keep the matter confidential, the phrase might spread throughout Nord Province before the next batch of Angel's Tear even went on sale.

"Also, I want to commission a batch of smaller glass bottles. They should be rounded and luxurious, with the smallest capacity possible—no more than a teaspoon at most. Order fifty to start."

Denise frowned. "What can these tiny bottles do? Are they related to your new invention?"

Raven walked over to her and bent down, his eyes meeting Denise's in the mirror. "You'll know when the time comes."

Denise avoided his gaze. "Fine, but I won't pay for this part of the cost."

"Ha, what a shrewd woman." Raven smiled and stroked her smooth hair. "Didn't you also forget to give me some money?"

"Did I?" A trace of panic flashed through Denise's eyes. "Why don't I remember anything like that?"

"700 Gold Coins. I don't believe you could forget." Raven said, "I didn't want to rush you, but I've had too many expenses lately..."

"All right..." Denise pointed awkwardly toward the cabinet in the corner. "It's all in there. Go get it yourself."

Raven walked over and opened the cabinet. The delighted expression on his face immediately collapsed. He lifted the money pouch and shook it. "This... doesn't seem like 700 Gold Coins."

"There are fifty-three in total." Denise looked away. "That's all that's left."

"What do you mean, 'that's all that's left'?" Raven asked.

"Of course it's the money for the Temperature Control Array." Denise said matter-of-factly, "As the lord of the castle, you don't expect me to pay for the Temperature Control Array, do you?"

She had not initially intended to buy a Temperature Control Array. But when she heard in Monen City that Raven planned to sell Angel's Tear in Shining Gold Town, anger surged through her.

Everyone knew that one of the best ways to vent anger was to shop. Thus, she had spent the 700 Gold Coins that she had originally intended to give Raven as the final payment on this device, which would make her life more comfortable.

"That shouldn't have cost so much, though. 647 Gold Coins?" Raven was persuaded by Denise's logic.

Denise explained the breakdown. "How could it not? The array itself cost 550 Gold Coins, and that was after they gave me a discount. In addition, there were eight magic crystals. Each magic crystal cost 9.7 Gold Coins and could power the array for about fifteen days. Eight of them would last a year."

"Then... shouldn't there still be 19.4 Gold Coins?" Raven completed the calculation mentally.

"The transportation and installation costs." Denise explained, "The array itself is very fragile and requires specialized transportation. And only employees of the 'Deep Blue Chamber of Commerce' know how to install it. The former cost 9.4 Gold Coins, and the latter cost 10."

"All right..." Raven accepted the reality with a helpless, bitter smile.

He had thought Denise had finally developed a conscience and claimed publicly that he had purchased the Temperature Control Array. Who would have thought she had actually spent his money!

His heart was bleeding.

Seeing Raven's devastated expression, Denise was secretly amused. She asked tentatively, "...Otherwise, should I contact them and return it?"

"No need. As a noble, I would have had to buy one sooner or later." Raven sighed. "It's just that my upcoming plans are probably going to take a little more effort."

"Plans?" Denise asked. "What are you trying to do? Is it another secret?"

"Yes, to everyone else. But not to you." Raven stepped forward and placed both hands on her delicate shoulders. "I need your help with this matter."

Denise thought Raven was trying to take advantage of her again, but as he explained his plan, her brows knitted in shock. "Are you insane?"

"No, I'm not." Raven said, "If you don't believe me, look into my eyes."

Denise was still too shaken to joke with him. "Are you really sure? You want me to contact Anger's son, that Judra who failed to honor his promise?"

Raven confirmed, "That's right. That Judra—Judra Walton."

"But... what are you trying to do? Kidnap him?" Denise still did not understand.

"After becoming a noble, I won't resort to such lowly methods." Raven revealed a mysterious smile.

"Nobles have a noble way of playing, don't they?"

Several hours later, Angie's figure left Eagle Fortress with a letter clutched in her hand. She climbed into a carriage, which quietly set off toward Iron Furnace Ridge.