"Lady Francesca, how may I help you?" A maid bowed slightly.
Francesca. "Where is my father?"
"Lord Rurcam should be here after he finished with the other guests."
"How can my father meet other guests in this situation? Please tell him to hurry."
"No need for that, daughter." A tall man with a warrior-like bearing walked toward them with confidence. The man had chestnut, shaggy hair, and a scar left by a sword just under his right eye.
The man's tight, luxurious clothes defined his muscle, and Aldred could tell that he was a powerful Diamond Rank warrior.
"Welcome to my home, Lord Aldred. Or should I say Lord of The Death?" The man laughed. "I heard so many things about you."
"I assumed everything you heard is positive?"
The man laughed again. "Yes! Everything is positive. Destroying the Wildlings Gang's underground base. Killing criminals everywhere. You're the type of person I need."
Aldred nodded a bunch of times proudly while his women rolled their eyes.
"Where are my manners? I am Rurcam Subiabiterbo, the Duke of this place. The guards have told me about your presence. Thank you for saving us from the pirates." Rurcam quickly grabbed Aldred's hand and shook it up and down.
Aldred felt like he could be thrown away so easily by his arm strength alone, and he could only smile bitterly at that.
Well, Rurcam was a Diamond Rank, so the gap of strength was horrendous.
"Don't worry about it. The pirates attacked us first, I simply retaliate for self-defense."
Rurcam smiled. "You are as humble as people said you are. When the pirates attacked, you could have run away, but you choose to fight instead. There's no need to hide it. I know you have a great heart and did not want the people of this island to suffer."
Aldred could only blink at that. He did not intend to save the island at all. He was simply enraged that mere pirates had the guts to fight against his fleet, so even though the enemy had two motherships, he didn't even consider retreating. If the pirates had brought three or four motherships, he would get out of this region as fast as he could.
Why would he sacrifice his fleet for others?
But since Lord Rurcam thought of him as a hero, then let it be.
"Please, let us continue speaking in my office." The maids bowed and opened the door to his office before they walked inside.
"Tell me, does your friend like molten honey?"
The maids prepared the cups and poured in a shining golden liquid that easily poured into the cups.
"That looks tasty." Aldred sat down and took a sip. "Not bad."
"It's not ordinary honey, and in fact is one of our trademarks, but we're not here to talk about honey. But before that, let me give you a taste of our true product. What you consume just now is the cheap and mass-produced one. Francesca, can you help me treat our guest?"
"Yes, father. Please excuse me, Lord Aldred." She left the room.
Aldred nodded and glanced at Rurcam. "I heard you need my help."
"I do. Direly so. Has my daughter explained the situation to you?"
"She has."
"Then you must know how desperate we are?" Rurcam glanced at him in a meaningful way.
Aldred smiled. "I am not going to extort you, Lord Rurcam. I see you as a potential long-term business partner. I am sure, you know that long-term profit is better than short-term benefit."
"That is correct, and I am glad you are straightforward and honest with me. I am tired of playing words and mind-guessing." Rurcam sighed and leaned on his chair.
"Sometimes I want to quit being a Duke and drop it all on my daughter, but how can I be so cruel to do that?"
Aldred smiled bitterly.
"Sorry for ranting at you, Lord Aldred. Let's talk business. I want you to protect the island while we build our own fleet. I know you are a treasure hunter so you cannot stay in one place."
"How long do you want me to protect the island?"
"It won't be long. The pirates don't let us build our own fleet, but I have prepared all the necessary materials and people to do it. If you can give me two months, I can make three motherships, and more than 120 warships. That will be enough to scare the pirates."
"Two months? That is a little too long. Although I understand that it takes time to build a fleet."
"Can you not spare two months? I already pushed my resources to the max with that speed."
"I have a solution, Lord Rurcam. I can rent you my worker golems to help you build your fleet."
"Ah right, I forgot about your golems. Can they help me?"
"I wouldn't offer them if they can't."
Rurcam laughed. "Alright. I trust you for that. How many worker golems can you give me?"
"I can rent you 25,000 worker golems for 1 month."
"Alright."
"Now it's my time to talk," Aldred said. "What can you give me?"
"A fleet."
"What do you mean?"
"After we destroy the pirates together, I will give you one of their motherships, and more than 70 warships to you. Of course, we will also replace all the destroyed ships after the battle."
"I like that offer."
"So do we have a deal?"
"Deal."
Rurcam and Aldred shook hands and laughed manically.
Francesca returned with a jar of sparkling honey, and she poured it into a teacup before politely placing the cup in front of Aldred.
"Please enjoy our Sparkling Honey Dew, Lord Aldred."
"Finally, Aldred. Go taste this honey. I am sure you will like it so much, that you will ask more from me."
Aldred smiled and activated his godly eyes to check the content of the honey. He even checked the cup, the table, and the sofa.
Everything was safe. So with that in mind, Aldred drank the honey.
[You have consumed Sparkling Honey Dew.]
[Charm increased]
[Error. The charm has been set to maximum. Obtaining a new skill…]
'Oh, since my charm is at maximum level. I get a skill instead?'
[Skill obtained: Random Arousal]
'The fuck?!'
