Evening, the time Brey Foster loved the most.
At this time, the sky was dim, lacking the blinding sunshine of the day, yet not so dark that one couldn’t see their fingers in front of them.
The hazy night was most comfortable.
Women wrapped up tightly would be disappointing, while those without any coverings were too direct and lacked a certain allure.
Only those clad in gauzy fabrics were just right.
「Second floor of the tavern.」
Several dancers, dressed in thin veils, gracefully danced, their lithe figures and fair, delicate skin faintly visible, making onlookers unable to avert their eyes.
Brey turned to look at the young man sitting not far away and laughed. "The veils worn by these dancers are products from the Lapu Textile Factory. The quality may not compare to those crafted by skilled weavers, but they are cheap and produced in large quantities. I believe they will do well in the Sake Kingdom too."
Denis was a noble from the Sake Kingdom; this time, he accompanied Princess Du Na to the Gando Kingdom. He showed great interest in the emerging textile factory.
"I’ve heard..." Denis pursed his lips, a tinge of red gracing his face. "Many of these clothing designs came from Lady Annie, and she had even personally tried them on."
"Haha..." Brey laughed heartily upon hearing this. "Excellent! It’s because of Lady Annie’s promotion that the garments from the textile factory have been so quickly accepted by the nobility. Of course, Denis, what you’re truly interested in isn’t the textile factory but Lady Annie herself, right?"
Denis, somewhat flustered, picked up his drink. "No, no."
"What’s there to be shy about!" Brey shook his head. "My friend, what’s wrong with liking a beautiful woman? The union of a man and a woman is something even the gods can’t stop."
"But..." He frowned slightly. "Lady Annie is different from other women; she will only choose to meet the men she takes a fancy to, without much regard for status or position. Otherwise, Denis, with your status, what woman would be beyond your reach?"
"Is that so." Denis looked stunned. It was apparent that the young man hadn’t experienced much in the way of male-female relations, clueless about how to get acquainted with women.
"Don’t worry." Brey leaned forward. "No one would dare question your handsomeness; perhaps Lady Annie is already speaking of you with others. Moreover..." He paused. "Women all share a common weakness: a lack of resistance to shiny things."
He waved someone over. Gerry promptly approached, placing several pieces of jewelry he had recently obtained on the table.
Brey picked up a string of pearls, placing them in a box. "Take this. There’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to meet her. Consider it a gift from me, as this is our first encounter."
Denis took the box. Upon seeing the pearl necklace inside, he paused, his expression hesitant. "This... seems too precious."
As someone able to accompany the princess of his country on a visit abroad, Denis was naturally among the upper echelons of the Sake Kingdom. He immediately recognized the value of the pearl necklace. Money was of no concern to him, but to rashly accept someone’s gift didn’t align with noble etiquette.
"It’s no matter." Brey waved his hand. "Take it. The friendship between us surely isn’t something that can be measured by such a trifle, is it?"
Denis considered for a moment. Deciding not to press his refusal, he placed the box before him. "Then thank you."
This indicated his willingness to consider Brey a friend. Brey laughed heartily and called for more drinks.
Just then, someone charged towards the second floor, yelling, "Where have you hidden my Maggi?"
The newcomer was aggressive but was stopped by a guard on the second floor and firmly pinned to the ground.
"Who is this person?" Brey’s brows furrowed, his face showing displeasure. "What are the people below doing?!"
His previously good mood was completely ruined by the arrival of this person, and Denis also cast an unreadable glance.
"Young Master." Gerry leaned in and whispered, "It seems to be Carey from the security department, a Baron’s unfavored son. As for the Maggi he mentioned... she must be the woman Kun sent over a few days ago."
"Oh!" Brey realized. He certainly knew where that woman was now. He then waved his hand. "Get rid of him! If he continues to make a fuss, drag him to the alley behind and deal with him. I have important matters to attend to here."
"Yes." Gerry complied. "Rest assured, he won’t disturb you."
The words had barely left his mouth when someone suddenly shouted.
A figure burst through the back window with incredible speed, heading straight for Brey. A flash of a blade preceded the figure.
The guard, who had been standing silently behind Brey the entire time, suddenly drew his sword to block the incoming person.
A Knight! His expression grew solemn. "Be careful, Young Master!"
With those words, he stepped forward, his sword flashing with a cold light as a cross-shaped sword light manifested.
This swordsmanship originated from the Gando Kingdom’s Royal Guard, was later refined by the Church Knights, and eventually took its current form. It was a knight-level swordsmanship skill that was both offensive and defensive.
Daigo met the attack with his taro sword. The two exchanged blows at high speed in the confined space. Flashes of their blades shimmered, and the floorboards splintered.
With a low shout, Daigo’s eyes suddenly flew wide open, and a fierce Battle Aura surged forth from him.
Several guards surrounded Brey. He remained indifferent to the fight happening right before his eyes, instead remarking with curiosity, "Interesting. How can an unfavored good-for-nothing command such an expert?"
A petite woman stepped out from the crowd. The woman had plain features and looked like an underdeveloped young girl. Dressed as a servant, she blended in with the crowd.