Be a lady… don't channel your inner chaos gremlin in public.
Li Fei quietly reminded herself of this, and with some reluctance, reined in her gaze from the table.
Faced with her completely undisguised provocation, Kenneth rose slowly to his feet, his expression one of weary resignation.
"I thought… our misunderstanding had already been resolved."
The implication was crystal clear: he was mocking the top courtesan for pocketing the settlement money and then breaking the agreement anyway.
Hah. Weren't you the one who planted a spy on me first?
It's such a shame, really — trying to use the Honey Trap on this lady specifically. That's practically donating resources to the enemy.
Isn't that right, Grace?
Li Fei spread her hands and didn't bother with anything as weak as "I was just bidding fairly." Instead, she spoke with complete sincerity:
"My apologies. I couldn't help myself."
"Come to think of it, I owe you quite a lot, don't I?"
"When I was a complete nobody, the prestigious Mettis family graciously extended an invitation for me to work as a servant in their home. What a pity I failed to appreciate such generosity."
"And yet, even so — you couldn't possibly have needed to send people to ambush me on the road outside the city, could you?"
"Of course, the young lord of such a grand and storied household as Mettis was kind enough to come knocking in person afterward, demanding a settlement with considerable enthusiasm. How could a little woman like me possibly dare to refuse?"
Having subjected the facts to a certain degree of… creative embellishment through the art of language, the top courtesan fixed him with a cold smile.
"As for this Balance Crystal — do you want it or not? If you're short on funds, I'd be happy to sponsor a portion of the cost. Let's say three hundred gold coins — the very ones you sent me. How does that sound?"
Juicy.
The watching nobles were practically vibrating with glee, merrily sipping their wine as they observed the spectacle. Those with existing grievances against the Mettis family were wearing expressions of barely restrained schadenfreude.
Everyone present was a person of standing and reputation. There wasn't a soul among them who hadn't, at some point, engaged in the fine art of pressuring common-born women through intimidation and coercion — provided one excluded the gentlemen who preferred different company.
Outright illegality was off the table, naturally — the female devil of Loxibrook was practically champing at the bit, waiting for any of them to slip up so she could seize their estates. But when it came to working around the rules, every person in this room was an expert.
In that context, allowing an oppressed commoner to turn the tables and openly announce her intentions of revenge could only be described as poor technique.
In truth, Li Fei had carved out something of a name for herself in Loxibrook by now. Several guests had already recognized who she was.
The "Angel of the Isolated Island," Special Enrollment student of the Magic Academy — a rising star ascending by the day. And while the Mettis family had seen better days, their foundation and resources remained formidable. Not to mention that Kenneth had demonstrated the exceptional caliber that just might restore the family's former glory.
Who would come out on top in the end was none of their business. But the process? The process promised to inject a most unexpected delight into their indolent, luxurious, and tediously predictable lives.
After all — beautiful women of common birth were plentiful enough. But genuinely entertaining drama was a rare commodity. As long as the fire didn't spread to their own doorsteps, this sort of thing was precisely what everyone loved to see.
"It seems you harbor a rather deep-seated prejudice against me," Kenneth said, his expression unmoved. "However—"
"Spare me."
Having already muddied the waters with her artfully seasoned version of events, Li Fei had absolutely no intention of giving Kenneth a chance to defend himself. She reached into her small, exquisitely crafted ladies' clutch with a cool hand, produced a goldsmith's note with a face value of three hundred gold coins, and flicked it directly into his face — cutting him off without a shred of ceremony.
"This is a matter of dignity. There is no room for negotiation whatsoever."
Predictably, she caught the flash of strangled humiliation that crossed Kenneth's face before he could suppress it.
It was rather like the feeling of having endured a torrent of imaginatively constructed insults from a VIP user on some gaming platform — carefully threading every word through the gaps in the filter, a masterpiece of indirection — only to hit Enter and discover the other party had used their premium privileges to mute you. The flavor of it was something between exquisite and agonizing.
Li Fei felt a deep and uncomplicated satisfaction — though she did wince slightly over those three hundred gold coins. Not a drop of regret, though.
This lady works herself to the bone for money so she can buy diamond rings for her mistresses and put on a good show. I grovel meekly when paying back loans, and I strike with full force when the moment calls for it.
"I hope you won't come to regret this."
Kenneth's voice was low and measured.
"Oh?"
Li Fei curled the corner of her mouth upward. "Six months from now. A duel to the death. Do you dare?"
The moment the words landed, the room erupted. Even Leona couldn't help raising an eyebrow, something unmistakably close to "woman, you have once again captured my full attention" flickering through her gaze.
Loxibrook did have legal means of killing someone — for instance, after both parties signed a Death Contract and stood before a City Hall magistrate as witness, a fair, just, and fully transparent duel could be held, with no liability for whatever outcome followed.
"Do you have any idea what you're saying?"
Kenneth let out a short, contemptuous laugh. Out of sheer instinct to maintain his composure in front of the assembled nobles, he managed — barely — to suppress the impulse to accept this seemingly foregone duel on the spot.
Six months. In six months, Kenneth would reach Sequence 6 regardless.
And Li Fei? She was Sequence 9 right now.
Climbing one or two Sequence levels in half a year — reaching Sequence 7 — would already mark someone as a talent of exceptional caliber. But the threshold between low-Sequence and mid-Sequence was not so easily crossed.
In truth, Kenneth was regarded as the hope of his family, and his natural talent was in no way inferior to any previous Special Enrollment student. The only reason he had failed to claim the top spot in his entrance assessment was that his year happened to coincide with the "Twin Stars Eos" — a pairing so extraordinary that even his best efforts had ended in defeat, and all subsequent attempts at certain… alternative arrangements had come to nothing. To this day, he had yet to shed the label of "ordinary student."
Even so, it had taken him two full years of accumulation at the threshold of Sequence 6 before he had finally taken that crucial step forward.
"I said: in six months, I am going to kill you."
Li Fei repeated it, one word at a time, perfectly deliberate.
The Advancement Rituals at the lower Sequences were all relatively straightforward. The Sequence 8 ritual, at the very least, Li Fei was confident she could complete in short order. That left nearly six months — more than enough time to push into Sequence 7.
She would still be at a disadvantage in raw Sequence level. But Li Fei was absolutely certain that with her conviction, her talent, her will, and just a tiny bit of assistance from her System, she could cross the Sequence gap and take Kenneth down.
If not for the value of caution, she might have set the duel for three months out.
"Has she gone mad?"
"What a pity. Such a captivating flower, fated to wilt before her time."
"It seems the Angel of the Isolated Island has a great deal of confidence in her own abilities — but she's badly underestimating Kenneth."
"..."
The development had exceeded everyone's expectations. The onlookers broke into hushed murmurs — some astonished, some mournful — but almost no one was betting on her.
"I must say, I find your courage genuinely admirable."
Kenneth applauded slowly, expression blank. "Your terms — I accept."
"Then it's settled."
Li Fei turned away from him without another glance and dipped her head toward the auctioneer in a polite apology. "Please, continue."
"Evidently, the agreement between these two is rather more anticipated than anything remaining in tonight's lots."
The middle-aged gentleman smiled, drew a breath, and announced in a ringing voice: "Then — the current bid from this young lady stands at twelve thousand and one gold coins. Does anyone offer more?"
Silence. The silence of a midnight river.
Several seconds passed. Li Fei kept the smile on her face — but the emotion behind it was deteriorating rapidly.
You miserable little—
I provoked you this thoroughly, and you just hand it over to me without a word for your family's dignity?! Come on! BID! COUNTER ME!
But Kenneth refused to play along.
Even when someone nearby stage-whispered something along the lines of "so this is the great and storied Mettis family? Quite entertaining, really" — he gave no sign of having heard.
Damn it. Infuriating.
The top courtesan lifted her wine glass, working very hard to keep her smile elegant and her cheeks from puffing out — while internally, she was bleeding gold coins.
She could absolutely afford to throw a few hundred gold coins around for the satisfaction of a moment. But twelve thousand? The cost was genuinely painful. Even if she resold it, she'd likely take a significant loss.
Do you know how many drinks I'd have to pour to earn that back?!
"Twelve thousand one hundred."
Leona's voice reached her ear without warning. Li Fei turned to look at her, startled.
"One of my subordinates will be advancing to Sequence 6 soon as well. Since a suitable material has presented itself, I see no reason to hold back."
Leona touched her glass lightly against Li Fei's.
Are you perhaps… in need of a subordinate? Or rather — does your subordinate happen to need a boss-lady?
Li Fei mentally offered a silent apology to Zhihua-jie, then pressed herself warmly against Leona's side and turned on an expression of grateful, faintly bashful adoration.
As Li Fei and Leona fell into easy conversation, a parade of eclectic treasures took the stage one after another, each claimed by a bidder in the restored atmosphere of cheerful camaraderie.
More than a few of the lots caught Li Fei's eye — a Crescent-grade item, "Elven Leather Boots," and a Fierce Tiger Elixir that granted a permanent boost to Strength, among others.
She held herself back. Budget was budget.
"What you are about to see is not merely a transcendent item of remarkable efficacy — it is, beyond all else, a one-of-a-kind collector's piece!"
The middle-aged gentleman spread his arms wide. "This is the pillow — previously used — recovered from an Elven Princess at the time of her capture!"
"I'm sure you are all well acquainted with the legendary beauty of the Elven royal bloodline? That particular princess was…"
The middle-aged gentleman devoted considerable enthusiasm to describing the princess's face, figure, and lofty station before continuing:
"Of course, the pillow itself is also an extraordinarily rare treasure. Sleeping with it, even a low-Sequence Transcendent need only rest for a single hour each day to wake fully refreshed and brimming with energy!"
That's it.
Li Fei's eyes widened by a fraction. Her gaze locked onto the pillow — it looked sumptuously soft, exquisitely made.
With this pillow, she would have so much more time for Meditation and study.
She swept a glance around the room and noted that quite a few guests were eyeing the lot with very keen interest.
To reduce one's sleep requirements with no side effects was, in effect, a roundabout extension of one's lifespan. That alone explained the appetite.
If it weren't for the fact that sleep requirements naturally diminished as one climbed the Sequence ladder — ultimately reducing the pillow's practical value considerably — Li Fei might not have dared set her sights on it at all. She knew perfectly well just how terrifying the market value of longevity-enhancing treasures could be.
Of course, even a powerful high-Sequence Transcendent with no personal use for the pillow might still purchase it as a gift for their junior disciples…
Li Fei patted her thigh. The thick stack of goldsmith's notes secured beneath her thigh garter gave her a surge of confidence — the miniature clutch that matched her gown would have looked absolutely stuffed and lumpy with that much cash inside, so she had made creative use of the available space on her person. Even the valley between the hills was currently serving as a repository for her lip balm.
"The opening bid is… twelve thousand gold coins!"
As the middle-aged gentleman's voice fell, the guests began calling out their offers in succession.
"Thirteen thousand."
"Fifteen thousand."
"Sixteen thousand."
"Sixteen thousand two hundred."
The price climbed at a breathtaking pace toward the vicinity of market value, then the bidding slowed and the increments began to shrink.
Li Fei — attending her first auction of this particular caliber — took a measured sip of wine, gauged her moment, and added her voice to the room from a base of seventeen thousand one hundred:
"Eighteen thousand."
Raising the bid by nine hundred in a single jump made her intent unmistakable. Most of the remaining bidders blinked, then smiled and raised their glasses toward her in gracious acknowledgment, withdrawing from the contest with genuine good sportsmanship.
The last few holdouts hesitated briefly, then let it go as well.
After all, the pillow was only useful to low-Sequence Transcendents — its practical ceiling was limited. And with enough effort, suitable alternatives could be sourced elsewhere. No sense prolonging the fight.
— Excellent. Even smoother than anticipated.
The auctioneer had already begun the countdown. The hammer hadn't fallen yet, but that didn't stop Li Fei from popping the mental champagne early. She raised her glass and returned the glances drifting her way with a serene little smile.
"Eighteen thousand and two."
A voice cut in without warning. Li Fei's smile twitched. A splash of wine escaped the rim of her glass.
Which miserable wretch just dared to snipe this lady's lot?
Don't they know who runs this city? Every significant figure in Loxibrook is practically eating out of my hand—
…Oh. It's Kenneth.
Letting you live until now was my mistake.
Li Fei narrowed her eyes, wrestling with whether or not to stage a midnight raid on Bai Mansion tonight and have her best friend scatter the Mettis family's ashes to the four winds… but then she considered the cost. She'd probably lose her only true friend. And the love available in unlimited quantities. And — most critically — she was perfectly aware of Bai Mengtian's grand "ambition" to build one big happy family. If they were still just best friends, the rule was naturally: a sister's wife is sacred and not to be touched. But if the friendship curdled into something else, that rotten woman would absolutely pivot to "a sister's wife? Don't mind if I do."
Li Fei was perfectly entitled to enjoy the latter arrangement when visiting Bai Mansion as a guest. But in reverse…
Hmm…
Fairies she wasn't too attached to — shareable.
Ram… not so willing.
Eve? Eve already had her own wings, and just last night, at the height of tender feeling, had voluntarily declared that "my wings are your wings" as a filial offering. The Mother of Fairies had reportedly been so moved she wept four full tears. Heh.
In any case — letting the friendship go sour over someone as inconsequential as Kenneth simply was not worth it.
"It would seem this belongs to me."
Kenneth's mouth curved into a smile.
Li Fei's expression went utterly blank.
Her budget for the pillow was twenty thousand — but it was abundantly clear that Kenneth intended to drive the price up at every step, willing to accept overpaying just to keep it out of her hands.
Looks like I'll need to find an alternative after all.
Li Fei exhaled a silent, resigned sigh somewhere in her chest.
"Eighteen thousand and three."
Just as Li Fei was quietly despairing and mentally beheading Kenneth in vivid detail for the emotional catharsis, Leona placed another bid.
"Leona-jie."
Li Fei's eyes lit up like twin stars as she looked at her, radiating gratitude.
Leona cast a single unhurried glance in Kenneth's direction. The smile on his face froze where it was. He had nothing more to say.
One look told him everything. This was not someone he could afford to cross.
As everyone in Loxibrook knew, Leona was regarded as the heir apparent of the Mercenary Guild's Loxibrook chapter — and her father had the blood of high-Sequence beings on his hands.
...
With the final centerpiece lot — a staff — claimed at last, the auction drew to its close.
"Thank you, Leona-jie."
Li Fei put on her sweetest smile, took Leona's hand, and drew her toward a quieter corner of the room. She adjusted her angle slightly so that Leona's tall, graceful figure blocked the line of sight from the rest of the crowd — then bit her lower lip, let a flush of shy warmth cross her face, and with careful, deliberate hands, lifted the hem of her gown.
Along the inner thigh of one smooth, long leg ran a black leather garter. On the other leg, a ring of white lace held its place.
In the span of a blink, she retrieved the goldsmith's notes that had been held snugly against her skin by the garter, then lowered her skirt. The color in Li Fei's cheeks had risen to a genuine flush. Her dewy eyes trembled slightly — like a girl who had just worked up the nerve to offer her very first kiss to the elder sister next door. Bashful. Exquisite.
And as that breathtaking flash of snow-white skin vanished behind the falling fabric, the faintest, barely perceptible shadow of disappointment crossed Leona's beautiful jade-green eyes.
Now, the top courtesan was perfectly aware that if she had played dumb, she might have walked away with an expensive transcendent pillow entirely for free.
But she also knew the difference between a single satisfying meal and a lifetime of dining well. And she had plans. Long-ranging, big-picture plans.
So she counted out goldsmith's notes totaling eighteen thousand gold coins — still faintly warm from her skin, still carrying the ghost of her perfume — and pressed them into Leona's hand. Then she tapped one finger lightly against her own lips, tilted her head, and smiled her most winning smile:
"The remaining three gold coins — I'm keeping those."
"In exchange, next time, dinner is on me!"
____
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