"Exclusion is exclusion, then! It's the perfect chance for me to join a bigger Church!"
In the living room, Mrs. Maggie was holding the whimpering Pipi tightly and shouted loudly, "What truth? It's nothing but a bunch of deceitful tricks!"
Jacob clenched his fists tightly, glaring at her with his teeth grinding audibly.
Just then...
A hoarse male voice suddenly came from upstairs.
"Maggie, who are you arguing with now?"
With the creaking noise of footsteps on the stairs, a man in a sharp suit entered the living room, his waistcoat perfectly tailored and his shirt softly clinging to his body, while his neat goatee was slightly curled, making him look like a gentleman walking on the streets of a wealthy neighborhood.
"Gilbert, this is none of your business!" Mrs. Maggie called out.
The man named Gilbert glanced around the living room and finally rested his eyes on Pipi, suddenly cracking a smile: "Even if you don't say it, I've pretty much heard everything from upstairs... Maggie, it's just a dog. There's no need to make such a big fuss with the neighbors over it. I've already advised you before to not keep it by your side."
"Mr. Jacob, a pleasure to see you. I am Gilbert Wilkin, the brother of Maggie's deceased husband."
Gilbert extended his hand and shook Jacob's: "Actually, I have always supported you. As a pioneer on the path of love, you are quite respectable."
"Ah... um, thank you."
Jacob, confused about the situation, nodded. His mood was a mess, and he really couldn't find the words to reply.
"Here's my business card if you ever want to collaborate."
Gilbert handed out his business card to everyone in the living room, even Yuniya got one.
[Ross Maritime Limited Company, Gilbert Wilkin, 72 Ross Avenue]
The simple business card only had the company name, his full name, and a mailing address, with no other information.
But...
Marvin had heard of Ross Maritime; it was a company that had worked with Grey Wolf Dino. After the declaration of maritime war three years prior, with the threat of privateer ships gone, each country's merchant ships entered a golden age, prospering more than ever. Ross Maritime was one of the beneficiaries.
If this were three years earlier, such a fat sheep, once targeted by privateer ships, would have had no chance of escape.
Putting away the business card, Marvin and the others left Mrs. Maggie's home. The negotiation had failed, and there was no reason for them to stay.
When they reached the front door of his house, Jacob's face was overcast, his cheeks twitching continually, clearly furious to the extreme.
"Priest, what should we do now?"
He asked, "That bitch Maggie is abusing Pipi! We must think of something."
"I... do have a plan."
"Really?!" Jacob's eyes suddenly brightened, "What's the plan? Please, Priest, tell me!"
"At the end of the day, Mrs. Maggie's unwillingness to give up Little Black is all because of the benefits."
Marvin removed his hat, dusted it off, and put it back on: "For her, Little Black is the perfect tool to connect with the upper class. Miss Maggie, having lost her husband, if she wants to avoid worries for the second half of her life, she needs to find a reliable husband. Clearly, she has set her sights on those wealthy gentlemen and nobility."
"You're right..." Jacob agreed profoundly, "She does think that way, and the whole of South Street knows her little schemes! Relying on her looks, she dolls herself up every evening and flits to other people's balls to socialize. If any noble gentleman takes a fancy to her, he must be blind!"
"Speaking of which..."
Suddenly, Marvin remembered the newspaper he had read at noon: "I saw in the newspaper that Mrs. Maggie is currently recruiting a tenant. Didn't she have a gentleman living in her house before?"
"Are you talking about Giuseppe Diaz, the pharmacist?" Jacob answered, "He did rent a room at Maggie Criss' place, but just yesterday, for some insane reason, Maggie Criss kicked him out! It's the joke of the town, considering that Pharmacist Giuseppe never once paid his rent late. Where could you find a better tenant than him!"
"Hmm, but let's get back to the main point. My method is very simple: since Maggie Criss wants to use Little Black to make connections with the nobility and wealthy gentlemen, we might as well use that to our advantage. Bring a well-trained pet to the ball, promote it heavily, and once it catches the attention of the nobles and gentlemen, we make an exchange with Mrs. Maggie... It's called fighting magic with magic. Little Black is perfect for this. I believe a Kitty that can do backflips, dance the tango, and sing 'meow meow' songs will be more popular than Little Black."
"Oh... And here I thought you were onto something..."
Jacob bowed his head and sighed, "I'm not like Maggie Criss. I don't have status or background; I'm just a winemaker from a small workshop. I can't even get into the dance hall, so how am I supposed to promote anything?"
"If you can't go in, someone else can."
"Hmm?" Jacob's head shot up, "Do you mean..."
"I know someone who can get into those high society balls. As for Little Black, I think it will agree. Three cans of fish and it'll be settled. As a follower of the Truth, it would be more than happy to save lives in peril, right, Little Black?"
Little Black opened its mouth wide, staring at its master in shock, its brain completely malfunctioning.
"Priest..."
Jacob looked at the man before him, moved, and stammered, "I... I'm just an ordinary worker. I can't create any value for the Church. Why would you..."
"People must keep their promises."
Marvin whistled for a carriage: "You have already proven that you're truly in love with Miss Maggie. Therefore, it's my responsibility as the one who took on this commission to clear the obstacles for you. That's my principle, and it has nothing to do with value. Also..."
Marvin lifted Nia into the carriage and, once settled, he said, "Mr. Jacob, you really should quit drinking. Please don't forget the vow you made in the Church. Someone who breaks their vow casually cannot be trusted."
In the cold wind, Jacob stared blankly as the carriage moved away, then he suddenly took off his cap and pressed it firmly to his chest, bowing deeply:
"From this moment on, I, Jacob Valentine, will not touch a drop of alcohol... Truth above all."
.................
"Daddy, why did Little Black choose Mr. Jacob and not Mrs. Maggie?"
On the carriage bound for Ross Avenue, Nia voiced her question: "Clearly, Mrs. Maggie is its owner..."
"An owner isn't necessarily good, just as some people aren't fit to be parents."
While stroking Little Black, Marvin said, "In Mrs. Maggie's eyes, Little Black is a dog, just a dog. There's a clear distinction in rank between it and its owner. But in Mr. Jacob's eyes, Little Black is not just a dog. He respects it, he loves it, he's willing to regard it as an equal. That's what tipped the scales for Little Black in the end."
"Once you've seen the light, you can't tolerate the darkness any longer."