CH660 Afternoon Parley I
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The next day, Alex quietly left the Fortuna mansion through the hidden tunnels.
He surfaced within a tailor’s shop located on the outer rim of the city, where he changed into sothing far more formal—a far cry from his usual style of dress.
His familiar roguish noble appearance was gone, replaced by a far more prim, polished, and proper Verdantian noble style—much to his visible displeasure.
’Ah... the sacrifices we make for secrecy and discretion,’ Alex sighed dramatically to himself.
When he stepped out of the tailor’s shop, he found a carriage already waiting for him, and he entered without drawing attention.
The carriage moved quietly through BloodIron’s streets, attracting little notice... at least until it arrived at the Banshee Estate, located within the city’s core district, where he was personally received by the estate’s butler.
The butler led Alex through the estate and into a warm, cosy eting room.
"The Lady will be with you shortly," the butler said.
He bowed respectfully before quietly leaving the room.
Alex glanced around at the carefully designed space.
The décor created the atmosphere of a private sitting room ant more for close friends and family, rather than the venue for a high-value business negotiation.
’Is the intention to make the other party lower their guard?’ Alex wondered.
’Well, they are a rchant house, so it is hardly surprising. In truth, this is rather ta compared to the other thods they could have used.’
That said, it still gave him a subtle hint about the kind of person he was about to et.
Alex did not sit. Instead, he walked towards the window and stood there, gazing out over the city below.
Had anyone familiar with both him and Earl Drake Fury been present, they might have mistaken him for his father in that mont.
Alex had unconsciously adopted the exact sa posture the Earl often used when standing by the window of his office, overlooking the City of Ashes.
His thoughts were occupied with reviewing the chain of consequences and follow-up moves stemming from the actions he had already set into motion, and so he noticed nothing else around him.
A few minutes later, the door quietly opened.
Through the reflection in the window glass, Alex saw a woman enter the room.
"Greetings, Lady Winterre," he said as he turned around, his posture perfectly composed.
"And to you, Captain—or perhaps I should say, Young Master Fury," the woman replied, returning the greeting with equal grace.
"Young Master? You jest, my lady. I am rely the leader of a small rcenary company," Alex replied with an easy smile.
"There is no need for the façade, Young Master Fury. I have t many nobles in my life. The poise you carry is not sothing an impostor can imitate so easily," Lady Winterre said calmly.
Alex rely maintained his smile, neither confirming nor denying her words.
"Very well, then. I will not pry. I understand you have your reasons, and I do not believe they have anything to do with why we are eting today," Lady Winterre continued.
She gestured gracefully towards the two sofas positioned opposite one another across a glass table—a subtle but unmistakable display of wealth.
"Please, let us sit."
Alex nodded, and the two of them took their seats opposite each other.
Almost as though it had been rehearsed, the mont they sat, the door opened and the butler returned, ushering in a maid pushing a cart of refreshnts.
Neither Alex nor Lady Winterre paid them much attention. Instead, both quietly observed and asured one another while the maid arranged the table.
Lady Winterre appeared to be a woman in her forties—middle-aged, yet carrying herself with effortless elegance. She seed to wear little to no makeup at all, yet remained strikingly beautiful.
The smoothness and glow of her skin, as well as the refinent of her appearance, made it obvious that she took exceptional—perhaps even strict—care of herself.
Her posture and composure reflected soone raised within noble society.
’No... more accurately, soone who has received top-tier etiquette training for so long that she could pass as nobility without question,’ Alex mused.
The maid finished preparing the table, placing an empty cup before each of them.
"Thank you," Alex said with a polite smile.
The maid blushed faintly and quickly excused herself in silence. The butler also gave a bow before stepping out and closing the door behind him.
Lady Winterre reached for the pitcher and poured a drink for both of them.
To Alex’s mild surprise, it was milk.
Without a word, she gently pushed a second small jar towards him—a jar of honey.
Alex’s eyes flickered briefly.
Lady Winterre reclined back into her seat and calmly began drinking her milk plain, without adding anything.
Alex studied her for a quiet mont before adding a few spoonfuls of honey into his own cup. Only then did he lean back and take a sip.
Both of them drank in silence for a while, openly sizing each other up, neither side seeming particularly eager to speak first.
Finally, after nearly three minutes of mutual assessnt, Lady Winterre took the last sip of milk from her cup. She placed it neatly onto the saucer in her hand before setting both down upon the table.
Only then did she break the silence.
"You are quite the enigma, Young Master Fury," she said. "Not only did you co alone into the ho of a enemy, but you also drank from my hospitality without even the slightest hesitation.
"I can tell that you are neither foolish nor naïve. So what exactly am I ant to make of this? Is it confidence in your ability to leave here unscathed?"
"You could say that."
For the briefest mont, Alex’s eyes flashed crimson.
A flicker of surprise—and sothing closer to unease—passed through Lady Winterre’s heart during that instant.
Then Alex suddenly laughed.
"You are thinking far too deeply into this, Lady Winterre. What enemies? We cannot be described as enemies." He waved his hand dismissively at the very idea.
"At worst, we are competitors. And there is nothing stopping competitors from sharing a drink together."
"From where I sit, competitors can be little different from enemies," Lady Winterre replied calmly.
"I disagree." Alex shook his head. "For people to beco enemies, there must be hatred involved—or so other emotion that makes it personal.
"Business, however, is simply competition. Competition is the natural order of things. We all compete over sothing. If one loses a competition, then one simply fights better the next ti."
He leaned back slightly.
"Treating competition as hostility is a poor way to approach business. After all, just as rivals push professionals and empires to grow stronger, business itself thrives in the presence of a healthy competition."
Alex took the final elegant sip from his own cup before placing it and the saucer back onto the table.
"Competitors are not enemies to be eliminated, but rivals that force growth and prevent stagnation. So in that sense, while we may not be friends... surely we are sothing closer to unacknowledged allies."
Lady Winterre remained quiet for a mont, digesting his perspective.
She studied the younger man sitting across from her, then slowly smiled.
"You have a very interesting view on the matter, Young Master Fury. Consider enlightened," she said.
"So, to what do I owe this visit?" she asked. "Surely, you did not purchase that many expensive ingots and request a private eting with simply to drink milk and exchange philosophical opinions."
"You are right, Lady Winterre. While I have no doubt you would make for an interesting drinking partner, my reason for coming today is of a far more pragmatic nature," Alex said.
He leaned forward slightly.
"I wish to turn our current relationship as competitors into sothing... friendlier. I wish to propose an alliance—one I believe would be mutually beneficial for both of us."
Lady Winterre’s expression did not change.
"If I were to make a guess, would I be correct in assuming this alliance cos with the condition that I sever my connection with Brock Peyton?" she asked.
"Indeed." Alex nodded.
"In that case, I am afraid that would be difficult for to do. It would be unbecoming of a rchant such as myself to casually discard an existing agreent," Lady Winterre replied.
"It is the opposite, Lady Winterre," Alex said calmly. "It is precisely because you are a rchant that you must sever your relationship with Brock Peyton."
That caused her brow to rise slightly.
"And what exactly do you an by that?" she asked.
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