Closing the door, Ritzy sighed from relief and lowered his hand off the elf. Removing his hand, Ritzy turned around and sat on the living room couch. On the couch, he examined the elf with the intent of understanding her thoughts.
Breaking the awkward silence, Ritzy spoke.
"Miss Caroline is it?".
Caroline coughed from nervousness and didn't look at Ritzy for a second but then suddenly turned to him and looked straight into his eyes. Her eyes were filled with determination and this raised Ritzy's wariness on her.
The elf spoke with strong intent,
"Lord Ritzy, I know what you did last night".
Those words confirmed his suspicion so Ritzy spoke nonchalantly to look as if he didn't care what she could do with her information.
"And?".
Not expecting Ritzy to show little interest in her blackmail, she became hesitant but then remembered she had the upper hand and calmed down. Speaking with assurance she said,
"If you desire no problems, then I want you to fulfill some of my requests".
Ritzy didn't become disturbed or emotional, instead he spoke with malice.
"Why should I do what you say? I can kill you now and just pay your ownership fee to the guild or hotel as an apology".
The elf began to sweat from the fear of him fulfilling his words. Just as she was about to plead for her life, she remembered most nobles, especially young ones starting, care very much about their reputation.
The elf approached Ritzy and rested on the other side of the sofa, sitting lazily right next to Ritzy.
"If you desire to kill me then you'll need to be ready to get a hit on your reputation. From the looks of it, you're young and you haven't lived like a noble for a very long time at least. So you probably don't know that people will always remember that the first night you were a noble, you destroyed property of the Pleasure Guild".
She then sat up straight and placed her finger on Ritzy's chest, showing no fear or hesitation.
"We both know it's more beneficial for you to fulfill my demands than for you to kill me".
She then gave a devilish smile as she spoke,
"Now, what do you say my young noble friend?".
Ritzy remained calm but spoke a bit more respectfully. Not because he feared her, but he now had her where he wanted. He didn't plan on killing her because he didn't know the price of a very rare and beautiful elf slave would cost and he didn't know who she belonged to, so he decided it was too risky to kill her.
He just wanted to lower her buying price of being quiet. The small respectful tone was just to pretend the negotiations were leaning on her side.
Ritzy,
"So... What do you desire my fair lady?".
Smiling from her small victory, she said.
"Just a few things that anyone else in my position would want. I want you to buy my freedom, buy a couple of my friends' freedom, provide reliable transportation back to the elf territory, not only bring us to elf territory but also my home, and one platinum plus 20 gold coins for personal use".
Ritzy,
"Too expensive. How about just only freeing you, providing transportation only to your territory, and ten gold coins".
She became enraged and said,
"That's completely unfair and not even an offer! Give a better deal".
Ritzy spoke calmly,
"Why should I?".
Elf,
"We both know that the information I hold is much more valuable. I bet there are nobles against you who are willing to pay a better price for this information".
Ritzy,
"But how do you know who's trustworthy?".
Elf,
"I don't care, I'm willing to risk it for a possibility in what I need!".
Hearing her say the word need, Ritzy realized she was desperate for something she couldn't give up on. This was good and bad from him. Firstly, she would do anything for what she needed and nothing less. This meant she had a bottom line that he only needed to reach but since he needed to reach it. It could possibly be more expensive.
Ritzy,
"Then give me a better offer if you want 100% certainty that you'll get what you need".
The elf began to bite her lip and look hesitantly at Ritzy. Taking a couple of seconds to think, she finally decided to speak.
"I need my friends and I's freedom, reliable transportation to elf territory, and 50 gold coins".
Ritzy spoke seriously,
"Doesn't seem worth it, how about you and your friend's freedom since you won't budge, the transportation to the elf kingdom, and I'll pay the locals to take you the rest of the way".
The elf went on the fence, she did get what she wanted but she knew her information was more valuable than what was offered.
"Include supplies for the travels and it's a deal".
Ritzy,
"Sure".
The elf became excited from being confirmed she could leave and escape with her friends.
"Let's go the pleasure guild. I need to find them and then you can buy their freedom and place them under your custody. With us under your custody, we can leave right away".
The elf then stood up from the sofa and ran to the door. Just as she was about to turn the door, she felt something odd and turned around to see Ritzy. Looking behind her, she saw Ritzy still slouching on the couch.
She said confused,
"Lord Ritzy, if we go now and leave soon, the sooner we'll be done and you can return to your normal life".
Ritzy,
"We'll go but not right now. I have a few things I want to do before we go so just wait".
Not explaining any further, Ritzy left the living room and went into the bedroom. He then closed the door, leaving her alone in the room.
Ritzy passed the bedroom and enter the bathroom. Inside he approached the bathtub and examined it. Normally the bathtub would be filled by a servant, but he didn't want to see anyone right now so he decided to use water magic instead.
Just as he was about to fill the tub using water magic, he saw a gem with runes on the side of the tube. Curious, he placed his hand on the gem and infused mana just like he saw the old servant do with the elevator.
Infusing mana, room temperature water started pouring into the tub.
Ritzy,
"I wonder how much gems and stones with runes are worth".
…
Time passed with Ritzy taking a bath and the elf constantly knocking on the door for him to hurry. Finally, after an hour of pestering on the other side of the bedroom door, she became restless and barged inside the room.
Barging inside, she saw Ritzy taking a nap on the bed fully dressed. He had light gray boots, black pants, and a dark green button-down tunic shirt.
Seeing him fully dressed but laying around infuriated her and made her shout.
"What are you doing! My friends are suffering back at that guild and you're here sleeping!".
Hearing her shouts caused him to wake up from his nap. Getting out of the bed, Ritzy looked annoyingly at her and went into the living room. Not responding to her comments.
Ritzy then went past the living room and out to the lobby.
Not sure what to do and panicking from the thought of Ritzy deciding to go against the deal, she worriedly followed him.
In the lobby was a man dressed in servant clothes but different from the other workers, the servant had a light blue ribbon on his shoulder.
The servant seeing Ritzy exiting his suite, he quickly approached him.
"Lord Ritzy, do you desire to go down?".
Ritzy,
"Yes".
Servant,
"Right away then".
While the servant was placing his hand on the stone on the glass wall, Caroline the elf exited the room as well and spoke,
"Lord Ritzy, I-".
Before she finished speaking, Ritzy said.
"Go down through the stairs".
The elf looking surprised at Ritzy's sudden change of tone, no longer looking at her as an equal but more of an unwanted necessity. Not sure how to continue, she decided to listen to Ritzy's words and opened the stair doors.
Not paying attention anymore, the elevator reached their floor and Ritzy went inside with the servant.
Ritzy spoke as he yawned,
"Ground floor please".
Servant,
"Right away sir".
The servant kneeled and placed his hand on the floor just like the old man did before. Infusing his mana on the ground, the floor began lowering and going down the shaft.
As the elevator went down, Ritzy thought to himself.
'I need to be more careful and make sure people listen to my orders and do them precisely. Having that elf caused nothing but setbacks. Not only do I need to waste my precious time and money which I need to start growing in power. Because of her, I couldn't enjoy my much-needed nap'.