CH16 – Request
Lobster, as Claire called it, was quite a messy meal.
Arlott gazed blankly as Alia expertly cracked open the claws for the two of them, and then Claire had to dirty her hands, sucking all the meat from the claws.
Even the legs and many other parts, all had to be eaten by hand, which as expected, got messy easily.
But Arlott didn't care about such minor things, while Claire was used to eating a lobster so she didn't mind a little mess either.
She had also covered her lap with a cloth in case some juice dripped down and ruined her dress.
All in all, it was a hearty meal which the both of them enjoyed quite a lot.
Claire, being innocent and quite a 'sunny' personality girl, somehow kept blabbering all the time, telling Arlott all about her trade and the city of Plethora.
She also told him the various cities she had toured and enjoyed, something that intrigued Arlott to listen to her.
'Wish I was born in such a house…' Arlott thought sadly, but then sighed and gave up, 'I can't change the past, but I can surely change the future. Just some more work and I can live how I want.'
"Oh and you know, there is a special pool in the capital of Luscia Duchy that can improve any woman's physique! It only works on women though, which is a little strange."
Arlott's attention was attracted by Claire again, as she clapped her hands and told excitedly.
A rare smile graced Arlott's cheeks and he chuckled slightly, feeling intrigued by Claire's personality.
Despite there being many hints of her acting abnormal, Arlott ignored them as in his eyes, she seemed like a simple innocent girl. Just from her words she seemed like a girl who saw the world in black and white, while it has always been grey.
"I want to go there, but daddy said no. He said Luscia isn't a place where young girls like me should go. But honestly I think he is a little scared." Claire said.
"Oh? Why scared?" Arlott asked, though it was a question just to keep Claire talking, rather than actual curiosity.
"As I told you, I don't have a mother, but the thing is, it's not really the truth." Claire began, talking with wide gestures and fully immersed into the talk.
"I did have a mother, but she left me and daddy. One day her cousins were on a trip to the Duchy of Luscia where mother fell in love with some another man, she wrote a humiliating message back to daddy and said she wouldn't return."
Arlott's left eye fluttered in disbelief as he tried hard to not curse Claire's mother.
There were many words in his mind to call a woman like her, but he chose to remain silent.
"That's why my daddy flips off whenever someone mentions Luscia. Daddy hates that place. Though I will go there when I don't need daddy's money anymore."
"Rebellious?" Arlott chuckled.
"Yes!" Claire pumped her fists and looked at him, "I hate being said no! If I want to go, I will go."
"That makes sense." Arlott said simply and wiped his lips with a cloth, "I will go to my room then."
"Oh… okay," Claire replied in a lower tone than usual, feeling sad about his departure. Though looking at the sun's position, it had been over an hour since they started eating.
Arlott also enjoyed the talk with her, but it was mostly recreational with no gain to him, all he got was 5 IP for sitting for 1 hour, something that is four times slower than sleeping for one hour.
Thus feeling no tangible value in continuing the chat, Arlott got up and announced his departure.
"And miss Claire," remembering something, Arlott turned back and called.
Claire's ears perked up and she looked at him, urging him to continue.
Arlott walked closer and said softly, "Can you try to get me a palace's blueprint or a map? Even a rough one works. More I know the better."
Her eyes widened at his request, when he walked closer, she thought it would be something out of her wild fantasies.
Looking at his covered face, the deep voice and the lean body, Claire felt something that a proper lady of a noble merchant house shouldn't feel.
But quickly, her hopes were dashed.
"P-Palace's blueprints? The Paxley's Palace?"
Arlott nodded.
"That… That's hard, Sir Charles." Claire coughed and asked with a probing voice, bare of earlier playfulness and childish charm.
"Why would you need the map and print of the palace? What is your endgame, Sir Charles?"
At the question, Arlott stayed silent for a few seconds, contemplating. "It's too soon to tell you. Maybe I will once you fulfill this mission."
"I… is that a promise, sir Charles?" her voice breaking and unsure, Claire asked innocently.
Arlott turned around, a low chuckle escaping his lips. With a last look at Claire's innocent and pretty face, "No promises." Arlott said before leaving.
There were still 2 days before he could feel safe to go out, till then he would do what he should.
Farming IP by sleeping.
"No promises…" Claire sighed, staring at Arlott's retreating back with incomprehensible glint in her eyes, "Bastard still doesn't trust me enough.
One hour of pretending and that obnoxious act, gosh I am tired. I should visit my pet little duke more often,"
Once Arlott, Alia and every known person was out of her sight, her true personality came forward.
A manipulative vixen who made use of her innocent charm and pretty face.
'He is asking for the palace's blueprints, huh?' she thought, 'Is it what I think it is? Is he actually planning to do something… crazy?'
A smile unconsciously creeped up Claire's lips at the thought.
At first when Arlott promised to make her a duchess, she really thought he was just lying to get into the city or maybe escape the encirclement.
But after seeing his behaviour, requests and nature.
There was a doubt.
'Does he intend to… kill the duke?'