Chapter 39: Arc 4: The Burning Port’s Reaper (6)

Yes, that was the main obstacle working against the Reaper’s eventual recruitment.

Before becoming the Unity Lord’s enforcer, the Reaper was a bait the Lord of Commerce dangled before the Unity Lord — a honey trap.

But to be fair, the Reaper wasn’t exactly happy with this arrangement. Still, as a professional, she gave it her best shot. But the most terrifying thing wasn’t her awkward seduction scheme, it was the fact she nearly won.

That was right. The Reaper nearly got one over the Unity Lord with a trap he knew was coming.

…

Ciel opted to play the game, “Your place? Let me guess, Borbonsi ordered you to keep me close?” He went on the attack against Hikari. “I’m not sure about that. After investigating how my potential partner ran his joint, I have to say, what I saw didn’t shore up my confidence.”

“My apologies,” Hikari answered. The girl internally decided to wade into the task she was here to do. “I know you are disappointed—”

“I’m more than disappointed,” Ciel inspected the pills he collected from the petty thugs. He had a bad feeling, and he believed the feeling would transform into a stomachache soon. “I’m genuinely afraid that you are trying to win against those monsters with this foundation.”

“I’m aware of the current inequality in Eleanor,” Hikari said, “And I’m trying my best to build a better social safety net.”

Upon seeing Hikari taking a defensive stance, Nuan Yulong finally gathered her rattled marble. “Hikari-chan did nothing wrong!” The girl's energy returned. “She is just saddled with an impossible situation! I’ve a plan! Hikari—”

“I will not be accepting a missionary from Yulong,” Hikari glared at Nuan. “I already told you that thrice.” She then turned her attention back to Ciel. “I’ve heard that you’re spending time in one of Eleanor's hotels. However, I believe such accommodation is unfit for the guests of your station. Instead, I’m recommending you to stay at my place free-of-charge.”

Ciel whistled. That would be very helpful for their wallet. While they accrued sizable wealth after Unity’s cookie's explosive popularity in Curtis, being rich was about protecting wealth and making it. Tax deduction and investment loopholes existed to serve that purpose. Ciel understood the point of taxes and believed it was stupid. Redistribution of wealth Robinhood-style only encouraged people to be less ambitious, if it remained pure. Mostly, taxation got corrupted into downright a sinister program of controlling dissent long-term (exhibit A: the IRS).

Beneficial welfare was a joke. Social security was a myth fated to crumble the moment someone knocked the brick. It was one of the few things Ciel and Borbonsi actually agreed upon. But if Ciel was honest, he would say Borbonsi took it too far. Ciel wanted people to be independent, not living beneath his heel.

Borbonsi believed commerce and capitalism were about having pygmies lift him on the golden throne and parade him around the street like a god. Ciel argued capitalism was about pushing people to help themselves and accepting the reality that you are the best person to trust with your best interest. Ciel knew those folk might fail, but the world didn’t exist in the cardboard box. Fear was the most powerful, when it loomed over courage.

Ciel aside, it was Nuan who couldn’t hide her excitement.

“Oh, you have a hotel, Hikari-chan?” Nuan clung to Hikari. “Can I stay there?” The Dragon Maiden batted her eyes. “Pretty please.”

“No,” Hikari pried Nuan from her and drop-kicked the girl down the street.

“Interesting offer,” Ciel said. “But I still need to talk to you about the current state of Eleanor. Borbonsi offered me quite a deal, and I don’t want it to blow up prematurely. Is this an attempt to seduce me? I know the honey-trap wasn’t below him.”

Hikari stayed silent for a while and realized she was out of her wheelhouse. Borbonsi had sent her on the mission doom to fail in a raging fire. She knew any kind of lie or excuse she made to handle the Unity Lord would be seen through in an instant. Her target simply knew her master too well, and he was more than aware of her mission. Instead, Hikari did the only thing she can — played on her strength.

“Yes, Lord Borbonsi instructed me to seduce you and, if possible, received your blessing,” Hikari spoke with honesty and integrity. “I'll admit this mission is beyond me.” Hikari tried to avoid Ciel’s glare. “Romance,” she hesitated, “stealing a man's heart, is a subject I am never good at.”

Hikari’s face was redder than a tomato after such a declaration. She squeezed her eyes tight like it helped lower her spiking body temperature and slowed the rapid beat of her heart.

“So cute!” Nuan was salivating at the sight of the shy Hikari, and rushed in for a mega-hug. “Hikari-chan! You’re the—”

The spectating Xia moved her elbow without turning and perfectly struck the creeping Nuan Yulong right in the face. The Dragon Maiden of the Southern Continent took the elbow strike, drunkenly swayed back, and fell flat on her noggin.

“And what did you accomplish by telling me this?” Ciel said.

“It’s a measure of my faith in you,” Hikari’s eyes met Ciel’s. “I’ll be honest, Master Ciel. I can’t afford to fail this mission!” Hikari gathered her courage, bowed her head, and begged for a favor. “I have too many tasks to complete here, and I need to keep my station as Onren’s head of management at all costs. Lives are depending on me, Master Ciel, so please, I beg you. You don’t have to accept right away, but at least play along with me to buy time.”

Ciel looked at the girl. He knew she succeeded. Hikari unconsciously used the same method Amy did to beat him at this game. It was possibly the emotion Ciel was weakest too.

Earnestness.

Ciel sighed, “Xia, I think we will be moving.”

“You are a softy,” Xia grunted, but she wasn’t angry. “Very well, I believe we will be entertaining this girl.” Xia then paid undivided attention to Hikari. “Hikari, right?”

“Y-yes,” Hikari stuttered, barely believing her earnest plea did the trick.

“We’ll be entertaining your request,” Xia said. “Although Ciel might be sappy, the rest of us will be watching you, so I hope you don’t pull any funny business in your place.”

“Yes, I am aware,” Hikari put her professional mask back on. “Thank you very much!”

From her prone position on the ground, Nuan Yulong flipped up like an acrobat and moved to congratulate Hikari.

“Congratulations, Hikari-chan,” Nuan cheered. “You did—”

“Quiet,” Hikari greeted the annoying ball of endless energy with a kick in the face.

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Nuan tanked the sole of Hikari's shoes, landing on her nose. She stood motionless and complained from the awkward position.

“Hikari-chan,” Nuan said. “Is kicking a guest’s face something a servant should do?”

“My apologies,” Hikari’s voice was as neutral as still water. “I mistook you for a cockroach for a second.”

“Hikari-chan, that’s mean,” Nuan muttered. “I don’t even know you own a private place. You keep ignoring me. Why can’t you treat me with the same respect you give to Apolline and Betty?”

“Because, frankly, Lady Yulong, You’re annoying,” Hikari launched the verbal punch.

“Whoa, such mercilessness!” Nuan cried.

“Are you sure you are Mandrake's daughter?” Ciel said.

At the mere mention of her father, Nuan deflated. She turned to face Ciel with a stern face.

“Lord Ciel,” Nuan said. “Your answer?”

“I’m waiting to see Borbonsi's opinion before I decide on Mandrake’s plan for the Eastern Continent,” Ciel said mercilessly to the Dragon Maiden. “You will hear my decision the same day Borbonsi arrives at one.”

“You know he wouldn’t even hear me out,” Nuan said, knowing Ceil’s game. “You’re simply kicking the ball down the road.”

“I might be,” Ciel said to Nuan. “But I’m curious. I know Mandrake are expansionist, but what about you? Are you simply here as an extension of his will? Or are you afraid of the pressure from your sister? Do you have any personal stake in Eleanor? Or is it all the above?” Ciel shrugged. “But if you have problems, just tell your father that the internal conflict in Eleanor is preventing a decision from being made, and the Unity Lord is complicating the event.”

“You know he will send my sister to help,” Nuan said, fearing the help more than anything else.

“Go ahead,” Ciel said. “Mandrake isn’t the type who underestimate a weaker opponent. He is also a pretty sore loser, so he won’t try to kill me until he actually beats me at least once in Risk World.”

Ciel’s statement knocked Nuan Yulong into the mental equivalent of planet Mars. As someone who spent her life afraid of her father’s very shadow, the prospect of the Emperor of the Yulong Empire acting like a child was incomprehensible to her.

Ciel didn’t hesitate to press on her a bit more, “So what do you really want from this place, Nuan Yulong?”

It was then Nuan shrugged, “Okay, I give. I don’t have any personal stake in Eleanor, but my faction might look awful for failing to conquer this place, so…”

“Just tell them the Unity Lord is seriously considering aiding Yulong against the Lord of Mechanical Magic,” Ciel replied. “Mandrake will be happy enough with that. If they want the detail, just told them we are negotiating”

“Fine,” Nuan huffed. “You drive a hard bargain, Lord Ciel.”

In all honesty, Nuan Yulong wasn’t totally honest. She had a stake in Eleanor that she couldn’t afford to tell anyone. There was a single truth behind the actor who coated herself in the aura of lies.

….

“A hot-spring?” Ciel was surprised at the eastern-style mansion with steam rising from the back. This wooden manor nestled away at the edge of Eleanor, far from traffics, markets, and slums.

“Yes,” Hikari confessed with a minor case of shyness. “I commissioned this place to be built as a place for relaxation. It is also one of my safe houses.” Hikari opened the door for them. “Welcome to the Harriet House.”

…

The Harriet House was a small mansion, featuring many guest rooms, a religiously maintained stone garden, a recreation room stacked with board games, and an open-air hot spring. Sweet incense hung in the air, granting the manor the aromatic scent of flowers. For Ciel, this manor was as hospitable as their host.

Hikari was dressed in a kimono as she prepared the tea for Ciel and Xia. The air was quiet, as untouchable as the manor’s serenity. 

Ciel turned toward the head wife, “You want to be here too.”

“I’m here as your bodyguard,” Xia said, hiding the fact she was truly here to stop Hikari from getting too close. “But color me surprised,” Xia said, watching Hikari dressed in a kimono of black and gold leaves. “I heard this is a tea ceremony from the Southern Continent.”

“Yes, my mother and I came from the Southern Continent,” Hikari said, stirring the cup of green tea. “We are refugees prosecuted by the Yulong Empire.” Hikari oversaw the ceremony with nostalgia. “I believe this ceremony had all but died out after the Empire tightened its grip.”

“Is that why you dislike Nuan?” Ciel asked.

Hikari didn’t reply instantly, instead staring at her reflection on the green tea.

“Lord Ciel,” Hikari met Ciel’s eyes with determination. “I believe I owe you an explanation about why I need to maintain this position at all costs.” Hikari bored into Ciel with the eyes of adorable puppies. “Please, come with me tomorrow, I want to show you something.” She briefly turned toward Xia. “And I would prefer if it is just to us,” her voice quaked, “please.”

Xia and Ciel glanced at each other.

They must admit Hikari’s personality was one hell of Ciel’s hard-counter.

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