Chapter 16: Chapter 15 Stirring Trouble

The activity inside the House of Worldly Delight stopped as people began to notice Dink standing in the middle of the room. He could feel all eyes on him as they processed the fact a goblin was inside the building. One of the courtesans hurried through the gambling area to go through a staff doorway into the main side of the building where the nobility and influential members were entertained.

Dink grinned at the attention as he leisurely crossed his arms. He could feel anxiety from the cloaked figures of Lady Estra and Murkuk through their bond. He wasn’t concerned even when he felt the familiar tingle of mana being channeled. He trusted in Lady Estra’s ability to defuse it. Dink thought about other things while he patiently waited.

My sixth sense for mana only awakened after becoming a goblin. I’ve heard that mages can feel mana move in the air. Judging from Lady Estra and Murkuk’s reactions, they vaguely know that someone is casting a spell. But this is different, it's a physical discomfort for me. I can even feel the direction of who’s channeling mana.

Dink looked casually at the man who had been dejectedly slumped at the gambling table. There was also a wood-elven man with an unbuttoned shirt, his exposed neck covered in love-bites. He yawned, showing off his savage fangs as he continued to wait. Lady Estra watched him with concern at his disregard of the crowd’s hostility transmitted through their bond.

A short time later, a high-elven woman emerged from the staff door on the other side of the gambling area. She was followed by the topless courtesan who had gone to alert her. The courtesan approached the table with the mage, reaching up on tippee-toes to whisper into the air of the lion beastfolk male who leaned down to listen. He nodded in understanding, revealing beads braided into his dark mane.

The lion beastfolk man walked around the gambling table to place a hand on the mage’s shoulder, saying something that Dink couldn’t hear. The mage reluctantly nodded. Dink’s tingling sensation lessened as the mage stopped channeling mana.

The high-elven woman hurriedly spoke to the concerned looking wood-elf man, causing the itching sensation at the nape of Dink’s neck to disappear. He could feel relief from Lady Estra as Murkuk remained vigilant. Dink could see four bronze earrings in the high-elf woman’s left ear, symbolizing that she belongs to a tier four commoner high-elf House. That’s when he realized that she was the model for the enticing illusion in the street. The madame of this establishment had come to greet them personally.

Dink gave an elaborate bow, flaring his cloak-turned-vest with a flourish. He gave the madame a wry smile as she was taken aback by his courtly manners. She was momentarily speechless while trying to process the best way to handle the situation.

“There seems to be some kind of misunderstanding here. I am not a goblin as some seem to believe. I am merely a very dark-skinned halfling. When have you ever seen a goblin with my coloring?” Dink easily lied with a grin.

“Haha, a halfling? Here of all places? Are you trying to get yourself lynched by your wives?” A drunk dwarf called out with a chuckle of amusement, sloshing ale from his tankard.

Dink grinned at the unexpected response. He didn’t expect anyone to fall for his deception. He was very clearly a goblin. He wanted to take the initiative and catch the spectators off-guard. The madame’s stuttered response was drowned out by the crowd’s murmuring. It was convenient that most people were too inebriated to see the difference between a halfling and goblin. The mage and wood-elf weren’t fooled, but they resisted the urge to channel mana as they frowned.

A halfling inside the House of Worldly Delight would be a larger scandal than a goblin. If their wives had to march down here and create a scene by dragging them out by the ear, they would never be able to raise their head in public again. Let’s see how they handle this situation.

The House of Worldly Delight was taboo for a halfling. They wouldn’t even dare to walk down the same street. Halflings, due to their childlike appearance, are only considered an adult once they secure a potential spouse. That’s not all, the first wife must find a suitable second wife for their betrothed. The marriage ceremony also includes the rite of passage ceremony into adulthood. Each spouse has a role to play in halfling society.

The first wife is the leader of the household, representing them in public and managing outside affairs. The husband provides for the family. While the second wife maintains the home and raises the children. For a Halfling man to be seen inside the House of Worldly Delight would be inviting disaster.

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“If that is the case, I will have to kindly ask you to leave,” the madame said in feigned regret.

“Ah, I will have to decline. I am escorting this young lady, here, to visit her mentor,” Dink said while dramatically gesturing to Lady Estra. He could feel her anxiousness through their bond, making him grin wider.

“Is that so? I would request that you wait outside. Because of many incidents in the past, the House of Worldly Delight of Chiset has struck an agreement with the Women’s Council. We have agreed to restrict access, barring Halfling men from entering,” the madame requested.

“I do not answer to the Women’s Council of Chiset,” Dink countered with a smirk.

“That may be so, I still need to insist that you leave this establishment. Your charge may continue to meet with their mentor. I guarantee their safety. Who is it that they are here to see?” the madame stubbornly insisted.

The madame was completely aware that Dink was a goblin, but chose to play along with his ruse. He could smell her nervousness as she looked at the hilt of the bastard sword strapped to his back.

“Madame Celeste,” the lion beastfolk male loudly interrupted from the gambling table. It appeared that he recognized the cloaked figure of Lady Estra.

There was a loud scraping sound across the floor as the lion man pulled a chair out to sit down at the gambling table. He didn’t add anything else as the madame stiffened in surprise. She trusted the lion man’s word without a hint of doubt.

“Lady Estra! Excuse my rudeness, please be welcome. Madame Celeste has been expecting you. I’m sure that we can accommodate your escort while they wait. Or would you prefer that they accompany you?” the madame asked Lady Estra politely, while lowering her eyes and making an elven curtsy.

“They shall accompany me. Madame Celeste will be most interested in making their acquaintance,” Lady Estra replied haughtily.

“Of course, right this way. We will have to transfer to the main building to reach Madame Celeste’s suite,” the madame said.

The madame hurried to Lady Estra’s side and gently placed a hand on her hand, gesturing toward the staff entrance she had arrived from. She was close enough to see Murkuk’s savage appearance under his hood, watching her. The madame stepped backward, quickly regaining her composure under the goblin mage’s cold gaze.

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