A Deal Made in Candor!

What sort of person was Malinda Julius Caesar?

First, she was beautiful.

Second, she liked women.

Then there was her ambition!

And she had the ability to match it!

This lady possessed ambition and ability far beyond those of the average gentleman. Otherwise, she could never have organized South Los's foremost salon and held auctions.

Of course, most importantly, she was extremely vindictive-the way she had so decisively killed Dokule at their first meeting because her romance had been exposed had left a deep impression on Arthur.

But clearly, even though she had taken revenge on Dokule and done her best to minimize the fallout, she had still suffered unnecessary losses.

After all, South Los's traditions meant that a romance between this lady and that lady named Anna would never be accepted.

That was already South Los being "tolerant" as a port city. In a more insular place like North County, people would probably already have been clamoring to burn them at the stake.

Thus, Malinda Julius Caesar urgently needed something to divert attention from the matter.

How did one divert attention from a romance that had captured public interest?

Answer: start a new romance that conformed to public expectations!

And he, Arthur Credos, fit the required role.

Whether in looks, age, or outlook, he fit perfectly.

Especially the last point. Arthur believed that amid all the condemnation, his straightforward acceptance of her sexual orientation must have earned her goodwill.

In fact, that might well have been why she had chosen him.

Of course, these were only Arthur's guesses.

What was the truth?

Arthur did not know either.

But he believed he would soon find out whether his guesses were right.

And indeed, that was the case-

"Mr. Credos, please follow me!"

Having parked the carriage, Edwin returned.

Arthur nodded and followed the coachman into the hall of 6 Whitebird Street.

There were attendants and guests in the hall as well.

Unlike a stiff aristocratic banquet, a salon allowed far more freedom.

People with shared interests sat in groups of three or five, chatting about anything and everything, or simply headed into the garden with wineglasses in hand. No one considered it rude.

As South County recovered from the Seven-Year War, new customs were quietly emerging and spreading rapidly.

Edwin, walking ahead, was greeted from time to time.

He nodded politely.

But the guests' gazes kept sweeping over Arthur.

Their eyes were filled with curiosity, scrutiny, and a trace of...

Hostility!

These hostile looks were more direct than those in the courtyard.

Naturally, they all came from young men.

Arthur did not care.

He had long understood the principle that like repelled like.

He was more interested in the bar and buffet table.

Glass after glass of fruity wine, plate after plate of pastries fragrant with cream, interspersed with the rich aroma unique to meat-the spread made Arthur pause.

Low-alcohol wine paired with a cold buffet. That must have a charm all its own.

So Arthur thought.

As for the band behind the bar?

Arthur gave them a quick glance and paid them no further attention. The musicians were putting their hearts into their performance, but he lacked the musical appreciation to match.

Picking up his pace, he went upstairs and entered the first room along the corridor on the left, where he once again met Malinda Julius Caesar.

Unlike the simple hunting outfit she had worn at their first meeting, this time she wore a long dress with puffed shoulders and leg-of-mutton sleeves, the latest fashion in the Inner Bay that year.

Rather than elaborate lace trim, the blue-and-white dress was adorned with sparkling crystals, freeing her from the constraints of necklaces, rings, and other jewelry.

With her long-stemmed billiard pipe between her lips, the lady immediately uncrossed her left leg when she saw Arthur enter and slipped her left shoe back on.

Edwin did not come inside. He stood at the doorway, closed the door as soon as Arthur entered, and remained outside like a guard.

"Good evening, Mr. Credos."

"Please forgive my rashness. Because of the situation with Anna and me, I had no choice but to resort to this discourtesy. I meant no harm, but I didn't want the people watching me to notice you because of any unusual behavior on my part. That was why I didn't notify you beforehand."

"I'm terribly sorry!"

Malinda apologized again as soon as they met.

Unlike the apology previously conveyed through someone else, this one was delivered in person, and she bowed immediately after speaking.

It was not a lady's curtsy, but the knightly salute commonly used by gentlemen.

Setting her pipe aside, she placed her left hand over her chest and bowed slightly to Arthur.

At the sight, Arthur felt reassured.

What worried him most was not knowing what she wanted, leaving him unable to decide how to proceed. Once he knew what she wanted, he could begin planning what he might gain from it.

Or, more precisely, more XP, secret swordsmanship teachings, and knowledge of the Mystical Side.

Arthur believed the Lady of the Long Night could provide all of those.

Perhaps even... a quest!

His talent [Omniscient Cuisine] explicitly mentioned [Quests], but not a single one had triggered yet!

As Arthur understood it, there were only three possible reasons.

1. There was no clearly defined client.

2. The matter was not significant enough to constitute a quest.

3. It depended on change: a quest would only form when it was possible to alter an outcome awaiting the client, and a reward would be granted once that outcome changed.

And the Lady of the Long Night before him seemed to fulfill all those conditions.

So he remained silent, holding out for the right offer.

Watching Arthur's expression, Malinda felt a little relieved.

She understood that Arthur had already guessed something, and she would not need to explain further.

Even when his ensuing silence made it clear that he would not, like other gentlemen, let a few words from her stir his blood until he promised her everything, her expression did not change.

On the contrary, she greatly appreciated his willingness to hold out for the right offer.

After all, she did not want a fool as a partner. That would cause unnecessary trouble. But she disliked overly clever people who named their price the moment they opened their mouths, too.

She appreciated people who knew how to assess a situation.

People like Arthur.

Only with such a partner could she truly feel at ease.

Of course, that was also because she was confident she could provide anything Arthur wanted.

So she spoke plainly-

"Baron Kemail passed away a week ago. The baron was a reclusive old man with neither a wife nor children, which leaves room for maneuver."

"I want to obtain his title, so I need to make myself appear a little more conventional."

"This is extremely important to me."

"So you may name a high price."

At that, the lady smiled at Arthur.

Her blue eyes came alive with that smile, like an ocean swelling with the tide, making people involuntarily linger over them.

Arthur was an exception.

At that moment, he was inwardly frowning.

The text before his eyes had not flashed, and the [Quest] he had anticipated had not appeared.

Where did things go wrong?

Arthur pondered, instinctively studying the lady's expression.

He wanted to confirm whether she was telling the truth.

"Rest assured, it's true."

"It won't be difficult for you to verify Baron Kemail's death. You should also be able to uncover the underhanded methods used by those trying to prevent me from obtaining his title. Dokule was their pawn, and the people watching me lately are theirs, too."

"Of course, there are also a few flies that keep pestering me. You'll have to deal with them as well."

Under Arthur's scrutiny, Malinda Julius Caesar spoke candidly.

Though she had not explicitly said that she had eliminated Dokule, it was enough.

Arthur certainly would not be foolish enough to ask why she trusted him so much.

Since she dared to speak, she must have prepared thoroughly.

Arthur did not want to know what those preparations were.

He only wanted what he was owed.

After a moment's consideration, he said-

"I want the complete Swiftbird Swordsmanship, or mystical knowledge of an equivalent level."

"The complete Swiftbird Swordsmanship?"

Malinda Julius Caesar's brow furrowed slightly.

She had not expected Arthur to ask for that.

Although Swiftbird Swordsmanship was no longer a secret teaching because of the Seven-Year War, finding a complete copy would not be easy.

The nobles had restricted access to it!

By comparison, mystical knowledge of the same level would actually be easier to obtain.

After a quick mental assessment, the lady nodded.

"Very well. I accept your terms."

"Within a month, I'll find mystical knowledge of an equivalent level!"

"In return, during that month, you'll need to act more intimate with me."

After giving her promise, the lady's words became somewhat stiff.

Not from anger, but embarrassment.

The flashes of his skills [Keen Eyes] and [Reading People] confirmed that for Arthur.

At the same time, Arthur, who already knew the origins of [Swiftbird Swordsmanship], confirmed something else: access to higher-level swordsmanship was probably restricted by the nobles.

Restricting knowledge was hardly uncommon, but in a world with mystical powers, it clearly carried a different significance. Especially since Arthur had just experienced that bizarre incident after his [Spirituality] increased-there had to be some little-known connection hidden within it all!

Arthur pondered, but did not neglect the lady beside him.

Now that they had made a deal, he naturally had to uphold his end.

"Shall we begin?"

Arthur asked.

"Yes. May I call you Arthur?"

Malinda Julius Caesar nodded, then asked.

"Of course, Malinda!"

Arthur quickly slipped into his role and raised his right hand. It was a fresh greeting, and something their coming performance would require. He could hardly introduce her as his lover while standing two meters away, could he?

Malinda stared at Arthur's right hand for a full three or four seconds before gritting her teeth and raising her left.

But the moment Malinda's fingers touched Arthur's hand, her entire body tensed and her hairs stood on end. When her fingertips reached his palm, it took every ounce of her strength to keep herself from vomiting.

Only after taking three deep breaths and completely suppressing her body's violent reaction did the lady continue.

"Let's go!"

Then the two walked side by side, opened the door, and stepped out.