Kian Sterling didn't respond right away. He sipped his tea, unhurried, as a faint pressure spread through the silent room. Adeline Lowell had a nagging suspicion about his intentions, and her heart grew heavier with each passing thought.
"Does The Ninth Master have his eye on… Port Sovereign's market? The Lowell Family's equity? Or the centuries-old foundation of my family's perfumery business?"
"I'm not that crude." Kian Sterling finally spoke. "I only want copies of the manuscripts from the Lowell Family's Chief Perfumers throughout the years, and two days of instruction from your esteemed elders."
Adeline Lowell was stunned.
'The manuscripts of the Chief Perfumers were certainly precious, but in the world of perfumery, it was impossible to soar to greatness just by reading a few notes. Someone with little aptitude could memorize the manuscripts of all the world's top Perfumers and still not even grasp the basics of the craft. And he only wanted copies.'
