Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 78 - 75: The Best Salesperson Anna

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Upon entering the Bloody Rose club, the sight that greeted them was a large dance hall filled with a lightly swaying crowd on the carved marble floor. As cultural entertainment was still in its nascent stages, the arts were akin to wobbly infants crawling, without the kind of music that could stir one’s blood to a passionate fervor.

However, the music that enveloped the scene had reached another extreme, an ethereal percussion sound, resembling the noise of rainwater striking stones. At times it was a gentle drizzle, at others a heavy downpour. In this performance, there were melodious howls, devoid of tune or lyrics, the most primitive of cries. You could feel the wildness and brusqueness within, the origin of language.

The musicians and vocalists were on a stage to the side—four, four-meter-tall... bamboo insects. Their bodies, akin to bamboo poles, produced a rhythmic and specific sound as their slender limbs beat upon their trunks. Though simple and monotonous, the music’s pure joy was precisely what ignited the passion in people’s hearts, freeing them to swing their limbs wildly.

Then, during a break, they’d head over to the nearby bar for a drink.

"The bamboo insect band, Bloody Rose’s professional performers."

"Candy!" A voice, clearly angry, yet melodically clear, called out from behind the trio, though the tone of reproach was enough to distort any sense of beauty.

Approaching them was an exquisite Succubus.

Sheep-like, curved horns, and light brown, curly hair framed the face that bore a six parts resemblance to Candy at its center. A deep purple gown accentuated the tempting curves, with a chest area fashioned from see-through black gauze.

The gown split open on both sides, revealing white thighs, and a black devilish tail coiled around her left leg like a necklace, with black bat wings folded behind her back. On her right shoulder was a rose tattoo with a Roman numeral I at its center, signifying the number one.

She was a full head taller than Candy, her soul-snatching eyes fixed on Candy at that moment.

"Sister."

"You are twenty minutes later than our appointment, such a bad child."

"I’m sorry, sister."

"Where is my ID badge?"

"Here." Candy cautiously handed over the ID plaque from her palm.

"Has the deposit been paid?"

"Already given to Mr. Drum from the City of Sins."

"Did he leave any message?"

"Yes, he hopes to have the opportunity to dine with sister at Soler’s upscale restaurant."

"Greedy man."

Anna slid the small black plaque into the curls at the back of her neck, casually tossing her fluffy hair in a way that made the badge disappear as if it had entered another dimension.

"Candy, you should change into your work attire."

"Okay, sister. But, these two..."

"Ah, new guests, first time here," as if finally noticing William and Lyle, Anna expressed her joy with an exaggerated tone, naturally clasping William’s arm with both hands. As he trembled, his arm sank into Anna’s softness.

"I will take good care of the guests. Gentlemen, please follow me this way."

William seemed to have his bones removed, or perhaps had already entered a drunken state, cluelessly letting Anna steer him like a ship’s captain.

Lyle and Candy nodded a goodbye, following William. Although the fortune wasn’t shared, when hardship came, please allow me to watch your torment from the side.

William was led to the bar counter, and timely enough, a bartender appeared before him.

As Anna’s gaze shifted, her flirtatious charm turned into idolizing haziness. Her body close to William’s, they seemed fused together, as if lips coated with beeswax were grazing his ear.

William dropped his disguise, collapsing over the counter after the eleventh mixed alcoholic drink.

Anna dumped William, who was as limp as a dead pig, in a corner of the counter, ensuring he wouldn’t obstruct traffic, then moved to Lyle’s side.

With a snap of her fingers, a glass of orange-red liquid appeared before them two.

"Is this for me?" Lyle looked at the glass, the beautiful beverage still bubbling up like a miniature fountain.

"No, this one is mine." Anna held the glass in her hand, and as she swallowed, the liquid disappeared into her stomach.

"But," the glass, left with a small portion of liquid and the peach-colored imprint of her lips on the rim, was pushed towards Lyle, "if you are willing to pay the bill, consider this exceptional drink as my treat."

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Anna’s eyes stared straight at the mirrored lenses of the plague mask, a generous smile on her face, like a lioness on the hunt.

Lyle looked at his cup, "How much for this cup?"

"One Oliou. Two dinars is its original price, the rest is for my sake."

"So you’re saying, I’m paying nearly ten times the price for a cup that’s only one-tenth full?"

"It’s not a bad deal for you, is it?" Anna’s eyes twinkled with confidence, a true marketing genius.

Lyle pointed to William, who was tossed in the corner, "How much did what he just drank cost?"

"The value of losing his underpants, but just the underpants, we operate harmoniously; after all, I’m just a frail woman."

"How do you know the value of losing his underpants?"

"I guessed. I assess our guests’ statuses to analyze their spending ability. My judgment is always right. I have ways to make him drink, and ways to make him spit it out."

Truly a remarkable person.

"You’ve told me all this, and you still think I’ll jump into the pit?"

"Of course," Anna said with a confident smile, "there’s no deceit here, only passionate staff and generous customers. For my sake, you would climb mountains and sail through flames because, you like me."

Anna’s hands cradled Lyle’s cheeks, their gazes locked, and through the thin glass, Lyle felt as if he was looking through a kaleidoscope, dreamy and hazy, his mind only filled with Anna’s smiling face and the idea of lavishing her with generous rewards for her intimate services.

Lyle thought of his Oliou slipping quietly away, the inability to fend for himself, the prospect of having to live with Ralph, and his body shivered.

Still, the Oliou was more fragrant.

He opened Anna’s palms, "Were you trying to charm me?"

"You broke free?" Realizing her failure, Anna’s smile ceased, and she snatched up the cup and downed its contents in frustration.

"I knew it, Andrey’s people are tough nuts to crack."

"I’ve been exposed?"

Perhaps realizing her gentle ruse was useless, Anna adopted a different demeanor.

"Your ring, Andrey people actually disguise themselves among humans to appear as their own, indeed there’s all kinds of lunatics."

Lyle looked at the Andrey signet ring on his hand, having already reversed the emblem so that all outsiders could see was a plain silver ring; he didn’t expect to be discovered even so.

"An Andrey ring isn’t a symmetrical circle, and its material is uncommon – that’s mithril. Moreover, it’s something I see quite often."

Just as Lyle was about to inquire further.

Anna, in a fit of madness, slapped her head, "Enough, this defeat is a total insult to my charm. Hey, what’s your name?"

"Plague Doctor."

"I meant your real name; I know you Andreys have the habit of using code names."

"You don’t need to know my real name, Succubus."

Anna began to grind her teeth, revealing her little fangs quite easily.

She stood up, pointing her finger directly at Lyle’s bird beak.

"Plague Doctor, I’m declaring war on you now. Just wait, within half a month, I will become the most beautiful woman in your life. You’ll kneel under my bat wings, using your skull to pillow my thighs."

Lyle was silent for a few seconds, "Are you trying to pursue me?"

Anna exploded once more, flaring up, "Just you wait, I’ll surpass the person you like tonight. Plague Doctor, tell me now, who do you think is the most beautiful woman?"

Lyle stroked his chin, thinking for a moment. "Alianna?"

"Alianna? Lady Alianna Naslan? Is it too late for me to surrender now? I mean, what I said just now was only a joke."