All is Void, All is Permitted

Listening to Raven's feigned gentlemanly inquiry, Denise chuckled, then immediately put on a stern face. "If you dare do anything out of line, I'll throw you out!"

The door closed, and Denise walked to the window and stood still, gazing at the bright moon in the sky.

Raven, meanwhile, sat by the table, pouring wine while admiring the beautiful scenery before him.

After two months apart, her figure was still as captivating as ever. Bathed in moonlight, her thin nightgown seemed to transform into a semi-transparent veil, outlining her full and ample silhouette.

Her slender neck was like a swan's, her collarbones beautifully defined, and her arms, like white jade, rested casually on the windowsill, forming a moving picture with the night outside.

As if sensing Raven's gaze, Denise turned around. Her face, hidden in the shadows, was round and lovely, and a hint of sexy lace peeked out from her neckline. "You came to see me, just to say nothing?"

"Of course not, but the view is too beautiful to ruin," Raven said, picking up two wine glasses and walking over to Denise, offering her one.

She gently took it and took a sip, her tongue sweeping across her lips. "I assume you have more than just that one land deed in your hand?"

"What, you don't think I'm a treacherous guy anymore?" Raven leaned beside her, his gaze Roving up and down.

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

"How could that be?" Raven chuckled. "I did promise to sell Angel's Tear in Shining Gold Town, but I never said I'd give it to them."

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

With a snap, Denise slapped his hand away. "I thought of it when I saw the land deed, but this hardly counts as compensation."

Her burning gaze fixed on Raven's eyes, and she said indignantly, "The president of the Shining Gold Town Chamber of Commerce, you actually gave it to an outsider? I know that Fili too; he's just a small businessman only concerned with immediate profits. How am I inferior to him?"

"Could it be that he flattered you, sent some beautiful women to your bed, and that's why you agreed?"

"He didn't send beautiful women, but his wife and daughter," Raven said with a smile, taking a sip of wine. "But I didn't accept them. The reason I let him be the president of the Chamber of Commerce wasn't for that."

Denise swept him a suspicious glance. "Really?"

"Why would I lie to you?" Raven shrugged and asked, "In your eyes, am I just a lecherous ghost who isn't picky?"

"That's hard to say..." Denise rolled her eyes, but she still accepted his explanation, as Raven said, he had no reason to lie to her. "But you still haven't explained why you handed over the Shining Gold Town Chamber of Commerce to him."

"Look at how petty you are." Raven chuckled and took her hand. This time, Denise didn't struggle. "It was sudden at the time, and there was no better choice. Besides, I later found out that although Fili is timid and overthinks things, he does have some ability, and it's convenient to control him, so I didn't bother to change."

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

"Oh, oh, oh, Denise, don't worry about the Shining Gold Town Chamber of Commerce." Raven rubbed her soft hand in his, playfully saying, "Why is your vision so narrow? Are you captivated by just the president of the Shining Gold Town Chamber of Commerce? If you ask me, the president of the Monen City Chamber of Commerce is a better fit for you."

"Heh, it seems Angel's Tear is really good wine. You're already drunk after just a few sips!" Denise sneered.

"What, you don't believe me this time? Someone's promise hasn't been fulfilled yet, has it?" Raven asked slowly.

Remembering her promise to wash Raven's feet last time, Denise coughed awkwardly and then emphasized, "This time it's different, that's Monen City!"

"With a permanent population of 520,000, and a floating population no less than that, not to mention the numerous unregistered residents, the entire Monen City conservatively estimates to have 1.2 million people."

"And the Monen City Chamber of Commerce accounts for seventy percent of the entire city's transactions. Last year alone, it provided 147,662 gold coins in taxes! Fedro Commerce only provided 337."

"The influential merchants in the Monen City Chamber of Commerce are all backed by major nobles, and there are even royal merchants. Each of them is far larger than all the merchants in Shining Gold Town combined."

Raven nodded slowly. "I know all of this, after all, I grew up in Monen City."

"Since you know, you shouldn't boast like this," Denise said. "Your probability of becoming a Viscount in this life, no, a Count, is much greater than my probability of becoming the president of the Monen City Chamber of Commerce."

"Precisely because of this, this matter has meaning, doesn't it?" Raven looked into her eyes, his voice low and provocative. "Imagine, with my support, Fedro Commerce becomes the largest wealthy merchant in Monen City, and you will become the queen controlling the Monen City Chamber of Commerce. At that time, all the merchants in Monen City will prostrate themselves at your feet!"

Looking at Raven's handsome face and listening to his devilishly charming voice, Denise's heart pounded, but reason prevailed. "On what grounds, just because of a mere Eagle Territory? Or is it because of Angel's Tear?"

"Angel's Tear is just the beginning," Raven said with a faint smile. "Next, there will be more unprecedented products, each no less than it."

Denise wanted to retort, but thinking of Angel's Tear, the questioning words wouldn't come out. Since Raven could produce Angel's Tear, who knew what other brilliant ideas he had in mind?

She couldn't help but ask, "So, your construction workshop is for new products. What exactly are you trying to do?"

"That's a business secret, I can't tell you yet," Raven said with a faint smile, keeping her in suspense. "However, regarding Angel's Tear, I have a new idea."

He held the wine bottle up to Denise's eyes. "What do you see?"

Denise pondered for a moment. "Crude, common, lacking uniqueness."

"Exactly!" A hint of surprise flashed in Raven's eyes. "You truly have a talent for business."

"Do I need to say that?" Denise smiled gleefully. "You want to focus on the packaging of Angel's Tear, are you going to switch to something more expensive, like porcelain?"

Raven shook his head. "No, although porcelain is beautiful, it will cover up the original color of Angel's Tear. What I want is a different kind of change."

"For example, changing the shape of the bottle, shaping the glass bottle in the style of a porcelain one, and printing Angel's Tear's unique label and slogan on it."

"Shaping the glass bottle in the style of a porcelain one?" Denise's eyes lit up, and her mind immediately conjured the shape of a new wine bottle – a round bottom, a full body, and a narrow neck.

It had the aesthetic beauty of porcelain and could be clearly distinguished from other wines.

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

"Mhmm, that's good." Raven nodded. "You can have the label manufacturer make samples first, and then we'll see which one is better."

"What about the slogan?" Denise's thoughts became more active, and she gesticulated, becoming even more excited than Raven. "Let's call it... Angel's Tear, Unforgettable Taste? Or... Angel's Tear, The Noble Choice?"

She listed several more, but wasn't satisfied with any of them. Denise became a little anxious, and she turned to Raven. "Don't just make me think, you should think too."

Raven reached out and gently pulled her soft, full body into his arms, breathing in her mature feminine scent, and whispered in her ear, "All is void, all is permitted."

"All is void, all is permitted? That's simply..." Denise was about to say "that's simply nonsense," but she immediately felt the weight of the phrase.

"All is void, all is permitted."

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

The first thing that came to mind was the hazy state after getting drunk. Many shackles were broken, and many taboos ceased to be taboos. These eight words were the best description of a drunken state.

As she continued to savor them, an indescribable feeling welled up in her heart. These short eight words seemed to contain some profound and mysterious truth.

Just then, she felt a stream of warmth on her earlobe, followed by an electric sensation that spread throughout her body.

Raven chuckled leisurely and said indistinctly, "Now, do you still think the prospects are so bleak, President Denise?"

His face moved downward, slowly and steadily, savoring the intoxicating taste. At the same time, he could clearly feel the delicate body in his arms slowly going limp.

As their bodies pressed together, Denise felt a fiery solidity. Raven's breath grew closer and closer to her shoulder, and her own breathing became heavy.

"You..."

Her words were interrupted before she could finish, as Raven had already kissed her neck deeply.

In the room, a hot, hormonal atmosphere filled the air.

Raven's hand slid past her slender waist and was about to unfasten her nightgown when a soft hand landed on his wrist.

But this resistance was as thin as paper.

Knock, knock, knock. A knock on the door, and Angie's voice came through, "Madam, the supper you requested is ready."

Hearing this, Denise instantly regained her composure. She broke free from Raven's embrace, sat on the edge of the bed, her face flushed, her chest still heaving.

Although disappointed, Raven did not pursue her. He leaned against the window, quietly admiring the captivating figure before him.

Forcing herself to calm her breathing, Denise said in as steady a tone as possible, "Okay, I understand."

She walked to the door, opened it, and took the plate, "You may go. You're not needed tonight."

"Yes, Madam..." Angie bowed respectfully, but her eyes inadvertently fell upon Raven by the window. Seeing him raise his glass and smile at her, and then thinking of Denise's slightly flushed cheeks, her heart was filled with astonishment.

"Is there anything else?" Denise intentionally or unintentionally blocked Angie's view, her tone icy.

"No, goodnight, Madam." Angie swallowed hard and turned to leave, her heart still pounding.

She could hardly believe her eyes. Baron Raven was actually in Madam Denise's room.

Having followed Denise for eight years, Angie had never seen any man enter her mistress's room!

Denise gently closed the door and walked back to the table as if nothing had happened. She picked up a small piece of solidified cheese and put it in her mouth, suppressing the fire in her heart. "Don't worry, Angie was raised by me. She's absolutely reliable."

"Mm, I understand," Raven said.

As a woman who had managed a business alone for over a decade, if Denise couldn't even manage her staff properly, her business would have long since been completely swallowed up.

"All is void, all is permitted," Denise said faintly, deliberately avoiding Raven's gaze. "I'll order samples of wine bottles and labels first, but don't add this phrase to the labels yet. Once your workshop is established, we can modify the labels ourselves and print this phrase on them."

"Mm, alright," Raven nodded.

In this era, there was no such thing as copyright or patents. If the confidentiality measures weren't good enough, the phrase might spread throughout Nord Province before the next batch of Angel's Tear was even on the market.

"Then, I also want to order a batch of smaller glass bottles. They should be round and luxurious in design, with the smallest capacity possible, no more than a teaspoon at most. Order fifty sets first."

Denise frowned and asked, "What are these small bottles for? Are they related to your new invention?"

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

Denise avoided Raven's gaze. "No problem, but I won't pay the cost for this part."

"Ha, a shrewd one," Raven said with a smile, stroking her soft hair. "Then, do you also have some money you've forgotten to give me?"

"Do I?" A hint of panic flashed in Denise's eyes. "I don't remember anything like that."

"It's 700 gold coins. I don't believe you'd forget," Raven said. "I didn't want to rush you, but I have too many expenses recently..."

"Alright..." Denise said, somewhat awkwardly pointing to the cabinet in the corner. "It's all there. You can get it yourself."

Raven walked over, opened the cabinet, and his joyful expression immediately fell. He picked up the money bag and shook it. "This... doesn't seem to hold 700 gold coins, does it?"

"There are 53 coins in total," Denise said, looking away. "That's all that's left."

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

"It's the money for the Temperature Control Array, of course," Denise said as a matter of course. "As the lord of the castle, you're not going to pay for the Temperature Control Array, are you expecting me to?"

She hadn't intended to purchase the Temperature Control Array, but when she heard news in Monen City that Raven was going to sell Angel's Tear in Shining Gold Town, she became furious.

As everyone knows, one of the best ways to relieve anger is to shop. So, she spent the remaining 700 gold coins that she was supposed to give to Raven to purchase this item that would make her life more comfortable.

"But it shouldn't cost that much, should it? 647 gold coins?" Raven was persuaded by Denise's logic.

Denise detailed the costs. "How could it not? The array itself costs 550 gold coins, and that's with a discount. Besides that, there are eight magic crystals, each costing 9.7 gold coins, which can power the array for about fifteen days. Eight of them will last for a year."

"Then... aren't there still 19.4 gold coins left?" Raven calculated in his head.

"That's for transportation and installation," Denise said. "The array itself is very fragile and requires special transportation methods, and only the staff of 'Deep Blue Commerce' know how to install it. The former is 9.4 coins, and the latter is 10 coins."

"Alright..." Raven accepted the reality with a wry smile.

He had thought that Denise had a change of heart and had told everyone that she bought the Temperature Control Array herself, but he didn't expect that she had actually used his money!

His heart ached.

Seeing Raven in so much pain, Denise found it amusing and tentatively asked, "...Or should I have someone cancel it?"

"No need. As a noble, I'll have to buy it sooner or later," Raven sighed. "It's just that my upcoming plan might require some effort."

"Plan?" Denise asked. "What are you planning to do? Is it another secret?"

"It is to others, but not to you," Raven stepped forward, placing his hands on her delicate shoulders. "I need your help with this."

Denise initially thought Raven was trying to take advantage of her again, but as he slowly explained his plan, she frowned in shock and exclaimed, "Are you crazy?"

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

Still reeling from the shock, Denise wasn't in the mood to joke with Raven. "Are you absolutely sure? You want me to contact the son of the guy who broke his promise, Judra?"

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

"But... what are you trying to do? Kidnap him?" Denise still didn't understand.

"Once I become a noble, I won't be doing such low-class things anymore," Raven flashed a mysterious smile.

"Nobles have their own ways of playing, don't they?"

A few hours later, Angie's figure departed Eagle Fortress, a letter clutched in her hand. She got into a carriage and quietly headed in the direction of Iron Furnace Ridge.