Chapter 10: Chapter 10: A Deal in Private

In a room of the Dazzling Luxury, most expensive inn in Narla's Capital city, lie a man and a woman on the bed together with their clothes left sitting on the carpeted floor.

They are neither married to each other nor to anyone else. They are not lovers but close to that on the friend spectrum. However, while the man holds little to no romantic feelings for the woman, the woman on the other hand most certainly does for the man as she, who lies next to the one she loves, embraces the man all so passionately in her arms.

"You were wonderful today, my Prince. My insides are filled to the brim with your grace." said Lady Mera, or should I say, Lisa, as she pants exhausted from our intimate time alone in the room.

"As were you, milady. I really love the new scent you got going for me." I said, sniffing Lisa's sweaty neck where her new perfume's scent still lingers. "You called it, Jasmine, I believe? Was it the same as the oriental tea leaves you brought for my tea party the other day? They smell quite similar as I recall."

"Yes, my Prince. They were indeed jasmine tea leaves I sent you. Because you seemed to like the tea's natural scent so much, I thought about buying a perfume that has the same scent as well. Since both, my rose-scented perfume and this one, have a form of aphrodisiac effect anyways, I thought you may like it too."

"And you were right. Because I do. This new refreshing scent of yours has gotten me riled up all right." I said, feeling aroused once again where Lisa felt it with her body.

"Prince Sol, you perv~" she remarked.

"As if you aren't one yourself, Lisa~" I retorted, sharing an intimate kiss with the lady after that.

But before we proceed any further, I have a favour to ask of her.

"By the way, earlier today at the Perfume Fiora, I had the pleasure of meeting Minerva Gold there." I mentioned, surprising Lisa with the sudden bringing out of her name.

"Is that so...? But why do you say that now?" she asked, as any woman would when a man she is in bed with, suddenly mentions another woman's name. Especially when the said woman is a married one.

"That's because she mentioned about how close the two of you are." I answered. "Which is why I want to ask: Could you help me set up a private meeting with her? I wish to get to know more about her." I said, making Lisa reasonably concerned.

"Does Your Highness plan on making Mrs Minerva another one of your woman?"

"Oh? Is someone jealous?"

"No, my Prince... I do not mind if you have other women as your 'friend'." Lisa stated honestly. "After all, you also have Lady Urain, Lady Seyla and Lady Vayne besides me. It's just that... well..." Lisa then looked away for a moment, hesitant to speak.

"It's just that... what, milady?" I pushed her speak her mind, teasing her body with my gentle caress.

"I-It's just that... I'm afraid Prince Sol will forget about me if you have too many women as your companion." Lisa said, in the most adorable looking face she could ever make, causing whatever self-restraints I have to be broken freely. 

"Oh, Lisa Mera... You are just too precious!"

"Aah~ Prince Sol! You're being too wild!"

Our pillow talk was over by then as I spent another hour or so, eating Lady Mera out like a beast in heat. Afterwards, however, it was nearing dusk already. Which marked the end of our time together as we left the high end inn together and parted ways some distances away from the venue, where I had to regretably say goodbye to Lady Mera while she rode off in her carriage back to her home.

"Master, is something the matter?" Rosalina asked after Lady Mera's carriage was no longer in sight.

"Nothing much really." I replied. "Maybe it's Lady Mera's perfume still affecting me, but I'm still feeling kind of randy..." I said, feeling no shame in that statement whatsoever.

Then, I turned to Rosalina. "How much time is left before dusk?" I asked, prompting Rosalina to take her pocket watch out and reply.

"You got an hour and twenty minutes before dusk, Master."

"I see. In that case... let us return to the mansion immediately. I will be requiring both of your services until dusk."

"Understood, Master." said Rosalina.

"Yes, sir..." Vivian vocally acknowledged as well, surprisingly.

"And Vivian, whatever info you found in the Perfume Fiora earlier, you can tell me about the details while in bed. You remember what they were, don't you?"

Vivian nodded.

"Good. Then let us return already."

***********

A few days later, back at the Dazzling Luxury. Rosalina, Vivian and I head on up to a room where Minerva Gold is waiting for us.

Thanks to Lady Mera, our private meeting was able to take place earlier than it would've been.

So, as Rosalina knocked on the door, a maid from the inside opened it. "Mrs Minerva has been expecting you. Please, come inside." she said, standing out of the way for us to enter.

As soon as I stepped into the room, I see Minerva and another maid standing next to her.

"Hello there, Minerva. I hope I didn't keep you waiting." I waved to her in a casual manner.

"Greeting, Your Highness. Thank you for coming all this way." said Minerva in the most formal tone ever, bowing as graciously as she did when I first met her a few days before. "Please, have a seat. My maids will have the tea and snacks prepared shortly." she added.

Both of us then took our seats. In every room of the most expensive inn in the city, the size can be compared to the every bedroom there is in the palace. Only that the former is significantly a bit smaller than the latter. What's more, the walls in each room are thick and the employees working here are trained to keep anything they see or hear strictly to themselves. Making the Dazzling Luxury a popular location for secret meetings among the rich and privileged.

"I must say though... I am surprised." said Minerva. "I would have never imagine that the famous Playboy Fifth Prince would want to meet me in private. Have this old lady garnered your interest, I wonder?" she smirked and narrowed her eyes onto me, like a predator eyeing its prey.

"Fufufu~" I chuckled at her comment. "My oh my~ Whatever could you mean?" I said, leaning back on my seat in a relaxed pose. "You are still very young in my eyes, milady." I then complimented her, taking in a full view of her figure, acting like a predator instead of a prey.

Minerva Gold. Age: 39. The wife of Gulliver Gold. Originally from a nation further up east. She was former prostitute who seduced Gulliver with her technique when they were younger and married him for his money rather than for love.

In short, she is a woman of greed, much like her husband.

A "Gold" digger, one would say. Pun intended...

Our tea and snacks were then served. After taking our time to relish their taste, I set my cup down first.

"I'll be up front with what I want, Minerva." I said, cutting to the chase. "Do you know what sort of shady business your husband is doing?" I asked.

"Shady... business? What ever could you mean?" Minerva smiled innocently, feigning ignorance.

"There is no need to hide, milady. I already know that your husband is dealing with something illegal. And that you know more about it. So tell me, if you would so kindly, what is 'that' you mentioned to your husband the other day?" I inquired.

Knowing which moment I was referring to, Minerva dropped her mask. "How did you know...?" she asked. But before she could finish her question, I interjected.

"My ears are sensitive, you see. They can pick up whispers from distances away. They can also pick up the accelerated pounding of your heart right now as you ponder on how you're going to hide your husband's secrets." I said, causing Minerva to realise that lying to me would not work.

"I see... So any resistance I make will be futile, huh." she said, cackling after that as she understands her situation. Dropping all forms of deceitful ideas she could think of from her mind and simply faced me with only a proud and cunning look on her face.

"In that case, shall we make a deal, Your Highness?" she said, going for a negotiation with me instead of telling what I want to know out right.

As I've thought, this woman is a snake for sure. And a venomous one at that.

"Oh? And what kind of deal are we making?" I asked.

"My my~ What a nasty looking face you got." Minerva remarked, expressing a similar look herself as she leaned forward and answered. "I wish to form a mutual partnership between us, Your Highness. The type where both sides will benefit each other."

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"And...? What do you propose, Minerva?"

"Simple. I will tell you what you want to know and in return, you help me get rid of that foolish husband of mine. You wish to arrest him anyways, don't you? Then I believe this deal will benefit us both." she said, snickering with much confidence in the offer she's made.

However, it would seems that she isn't skilled in negotiations, seeing that she had said a bit too much in her moment of excitement.

"I see. That sounds like a good deal." I said, observing her reaction as her face lit up. "But... as intriguing as that may be, I will have to refuse on your offer." I added, causing a shift in Minerva's expression as it turned sour.

"Fufufu~ Minerva, you may reveal yourself as a snake but you were too hasty in showing your fangs." I begin lecturing her. "If I were you, I would have asked more details on what my opponent is looking for specifically. Instead, you revealed what it is that you want unintentionally."

"And you know what I want, Your Highness?" Minerva asked.

"Gold Enterprise. Or to be exact, all of which that your husband owns. Is that not what you want when you asked me to get rid of him, hm?"

A nervous smile began to form on Minerva's face, knowing now where exactly she had screwed up.

She mentioned how her deal would benefit us both. And it most certainly will. Just not equally, however.

In return for gaining a bit of info, I'm helping her with acquiring her husband's entire assets by making him gone. Obviously, there was no way I would accept that. Thus, my refusal.

As for why making her husband gone would grant her his properties, the answer is simple: Gulliver Gold has no relatives. Not even distant ones he rarely meets. Which is why should something ever happens to him and should he have no will written, all of which that belongs to the man would naturally fall onto his wife, Minerva. Which was probably the main reason why she even married the guy in the first place.

Like peas in a pod, those two are. The pursuit for power and wealth are probably the only things on their minds.

Realising her defeat, Minerva sighed. "Looks like I have underestimated you, Your Highness. I guess this is what happens what I try to negotiate." she remarked.

"Indeed. You aren't that skilled in negotiating, Minerva." I commented, rubbing more salt on the wound. However, my business ain't done just yet.

"Which is why, it is my turn to make you a deal." I said, wearing my nasty face again. As now that I have ensnared my opponent with that initial victory, the conversation from here on out is sure to be tipped in my favour.

Minerva was surprised to hear those words from me now. But seeing as she is smart enough to understand the situation, she asked, "What do you propose, Your Highness?"

"Simple. You tell me what I want to know and in return, I'll help you get rid of that foolish husband of yours. I believe this deal will benefit us both, no?"

"Huh?" Minerva became appalled. "Wasn't that what I proposed earlier, Your Highness?" she asked, blatantly confused as shown clearly on her face.

"Yes, it is." I replied calmly. "Of course, if that's the only thing I were to say, then you wouldn't know my intention is, do you?"

"...You... do not want to arrest my husband?"

"No. I plan on incriminating your husband, all right. As well as any of his collaborators. However, if I'm going to do that for you, I'm going to ask for more than just some information from you."

Minerva frowned. Her distressed is shown. Still clueless as to what my objective is, she asked: "What do you want?"

"A shared ownership of Gold Enterprise." I answered with a devious smile. "Once your husband is out of the picture, you can have everything that he owns as you wish. Even the money his company makes will be yours to take as you please, being that you will be its new owner after him. All that I ask is for me to be written as another of its owner once that happens." I elaborate.

"Why...? What is that you want from my husband's company?" Minerva is becoming even more perplexed, still unable to figure out my goal.

"That... is a secret, milady." I responded with a cheerful wink. "Although, it's not like you need to know anyways." I added on. "What you want in the end is the wealth from the self-proclaimed richest man in the world, which I will gladly let you have. In return, I will manage the Gold Enterprise for you. After all, you don't have any experience in managing a company now, do you? And once your husband is gone, that will be difficult for you alone to handle. Sure, you may hire someone to do the job for you. But are you able to fully trust that person with such an important task would be another question you will have to ask. Which is why I offer you this deal. As it will not only be greatly beneficial for the both of us, but also saves you the hassle of such worries in the future."

This was something that I had initially thought to be impossible. But to think that an opportunity would arise like that.

A chance to obtain the largest company in the continent of Libera. Something which I will not let it slip out of my grasps.

With Gold Enterprise's continental-wide influence, I can extend my search for Divine Artifacts without ever needing to expand my Info Guild at all. And if possible, I may be able to find an Apostle somewhere else in the continent.

Even if Minerva doesn't have the information I seek, this will still be an important side mission I cannot let go of.

Is this luck on my side? Or is something bad bound to happen once I take this chance? To be honest, I am unsure of what might happen in the future. But for now, I'll focus on the present.

It's not like I have much of a future anyways...

"So what do you say, Minerva...? Do we have a deal?"

"Pfft." Minerva smirked for a second, before erupting into laughter all of a sudden. Even her maids were shocked by the unexpected outburst she's having. As if the woman whom they serve have finally lost her mind.

But, that is not the case at all. In fact, Minerva Gold was perfectly sane in that moment.

"Hahahahahaha! Ha... Haa..."

...

"I see..." Minerva caught her breath for a moment before continuing to speak. "It would seem that I have not met with the Fifth Prince, but the devil instead."

"Fufufu~ Thank you for the compliment." I replied delightfully.

She then proceeded to laugh again, extending her hand out to me after that. "Very well. I accept your offer, Your Highness." she said with a sincere smile, defeated yet looking proud despite that. To which I happily extended my hand and shook hers.

"Then we shall be partners-in-crime from now on. How shall we make this deal official, milady?" I asked, hoping to see how this older woman before me will respond.

"Well, I do have an idea for a contract. One that is much better than a written piece of paper at least."

"Oh? And what, pray tell, would that be, milady~?"

"Kukuku~ Come closer and I will tell you... my Prince~"

As per Minerva's request, I approached her without hesitation. Brought her body closer to me and lifted her chin up for those glossy lips of her to make contact with mine for a good minute or two.

She smells like Jasmine. Same as the one Lady Mera wore the other day.

"My my~ You sure don't mind being with an old woman like me, huh?" said Minerva, clinging onto me so affectionately, with eyes passionately gazing into my own.

"I've already said it before, didn't I? You are still very young in my eyes, milady."

The age gap is quite big though, I must say. But it's not like I'm dealing with an old man in his late 40s when I was a woman. So, double standards, I guess.

I then made a small glance at Rosalina, Vivian and the other two maids of Minerva's, as they understood my silent message and left the room. Leaving the two of us alone with a luxurious bed for us to rest on.

"Now then... shall we~?" I asked, reaching my hand to Minerva's back and loosening the knot on her dress where it easily dropped to the ground then.

"Kukuku~ You dirty rascal~"

Afterwards, getting into her underwear was but an easy task to accomplish.

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