After that, I ate a quick dinner prepared by Daisy, bade farewell to the girls living in my mansion, and left.
My destination? The place where Hope took the empress last time.
Just like last time, this place had a peaceful atmosphere. Dim lights, soft music, and a calm appearance that showed how high-class this place was.
Several people were already inside the establishment, chatting and laughing softly with each other, while some couples danced lovingly at the rhythm of the music.
Once more, Marana was the one behind the counter, standing there with an indifferent face.
As soon as she saw me appear, she bowed slightly.
"Boss, you are here."
I nodded. "How are the preparations."
"Everything is perfect. Don't worry, I won't make any mistakes."
I nodded in agreement. Certainly, Marana is a very able aide. She is not the kind to commit mistakes.
In just one day, she had managed to recreate the atmosphere of this place completely. Moreover, I could see that each one of the 'customers' were actually people of the Red Skull Gang.
Despite that, though, they seemed completely like normal customers. Their act was so realistic that only a very powerful powerhouse had a chance to see through them.
And Empress Lilia was not at that level yet.
"Good job. As expected, it was a good idea to leave it to you."
Marana rolled her eyes. "Do you know? Sometimes I think you are the laziest boss in the world. I'm literally doing all the work of the gang for you." She said with a bit of dissatisfaction.
I smirked softly.
"I thought you like it, though."
Marana snorted. "Are you not afraid of me overthrowing you?"
"Well, you have to be stronger than me first. Plus, you are my woman now. Everything mine is yours. I don't mind being the boss just in name."
Marana blushed slightly and looked away.
With an embarrassed expression, she held a strand of her red hair and put it behind her ear.
"… Hey, you know, I wanted to thank you."
"Hmm?"
"… Although I admit I didn't like you at the start, the truth is that you saved my little brother, Cline, and also saved Raven's life. Plus, we are now the biggest gang in the capital… Sometimes, I think I'm dreaming."
I could not help but curve my lips up in a smile.
"… You are so beautiful when you are embarrassed."
Marana glared at me angrily.
"Be serious!"
"But it's the truth… And don't worry about it. I'm planning to give you and your sisters much more yet."
"Huh?"
"One day, I will bring the three of you to see the world beyond the empire, the world beyond the sky. To see things beyond your knowledge."
Marana was stunned. For a brief instant, she did not know what I was talking about.
"... I did not know you were so romantic."
But soon, she noticed something strange.
"… The three of us? What about Cline? He is my sibling."
"Why should I bring an unrelated man to my honeymoon?"
"Honeymoon?" Marana was startled. "Wait a moment. I understand about Raven and me, but Akilah too? Are you planning to make her your woman as well? That is... Ambitious... To think you are aiming for the three of us. Well, you already have two in the bag, so I think I understand where that is coming from."
You are right, I'm aiming for the three of you.
Three sisters are better than two, after all.
Furthermore, I already have the three of you in my bag, not just two. It's just that you still don't know about Akilah.
"You don't like it?" I asked with a smile.
Marana looked at me strangely.
"… I wish you luck. That girl, Akilah, she seems like she hates men a lot. And she seems to hate you more than most men."
"Is it so?" I chuckled amusedly.
I managed to get her rather easily, though.
I only had to use your body as the bait.
I wonder how you are going to react when you learn of that.
Seeing my strange expression, Marana narrowed her eyes.
"… It can't be you already succeeded, right?"
I just smiled without answering.
Marana's eyes opened wide.
"Impossible!"
But before she could ask me for details, someone knocked on the door twice.
Marana's expression instantly turned serious.
Walking towards the door, she opened it and saw an unknown woman outside.
"… Who are you?"
The woman said nothing. Instead, she just took out a card and showed it to her.
It was the same card I gave to the empress back then.
Marana's expression changed briefly before returning immediately to normal.
"That card..."
"I think I can go inside with this, right?" The woman said.
Marana fell silent. She looked at the woman again and furrowed her brows.
"… You don't look like the person we were waiting for."
She was right. The woman in front of her seemed nothing like the empress.
Lilia had wavy blond hair with beautiful green eyes, plus a stunning face and body that would leave gods and mortals in awe.
This woman, though, had black hair and black eyes. Her face was average, and her body seemed even a little plump.
Only her height was the same as the empress.
However, I knew she was actually the empress.
According to my observations, she used the abilities of an artifact to disguise herself with her current appearance.
I must admit that this artifact is pretty impressive. It is not something an average person can see through.
Even a fourteenth or fifteenth-layer powerhouse will have trouble seeing through this disguise.
Since when does the empress have something like this? Is it a kind of secret weapon she kept hidden?
While I was lost in my thoughts, the empress looked at Marana and bowed slightly.
"… That person can't come here tonight. She sent me here to bring a message."
Marana furrowed her brows. She then looked at me as though asking me what to do.
I nodded softly, indicating her to let her in.
"… Come in." Marana said after several seconds of silence. "The boss is waiting for you."
The empress nodded. She then followed Marana and sat down in the seat beside me.
"… You must be Mr. Clark, right? Nice to meet you, my name is Ana, a servant of the person you are waiting for." The empress said, still feigning she was another person.
I looked at her with an amused expression. With a chuckle, I grabbed a cup of wine Marana had put in front of me and took a small sip.
"Your problem must be truly big if you are feigning to be another person like that."
The empress stiffened. Quickly, though, she managed to return her expression to normal.
"… I don't understand what you mean."
"Is it so? I'll feign I was fooled then." I smiled playfully and took another sip of wine. "Let's go. This is not the place to talk about this."