A woman dressed in a grass-green, form-fitting long dress sat on a velvet-covered armchair, taking a small sip of red wine from her glass. She closed her eyes, letting the rich aroma dance on her tongue. Her voluptuous figure swayed gracefully with each breath.
"Smooth and mellow, perfectly balanced between sweet and sour, with just the right amount of astringency—this must be a new vintage from Edoliac, harvested in the spring sunshine and picked in early summer..." The woman opened her eyes, her beautiful face filled with a blissful expression. She looked at the glass in her hand: "Red wine paired with this crystal delicacy is a perfect match. If only we could add Silver Ring City's 'Roasted Fruit Feast,' you know? It's the most famous royal dessert. Slices of fruit soaked in honey, sprinkled with cashews, almonds, and pine nuts, then slowly roasted over a low flame—one bite, and the taste..."
"You like that glass and the red wine? They're all yours. Talk less and drink more!" The old man with gray hair and beard, sitting opposite the woman, rudely interrupted her. He was wearing a sloppy work gown, and his long, thick white eyebrows twitched slightly. He was flipping through a stack of papers filled with calculations and data in one hand, while grabbing a bottle of red wine and pouring it directly into his mouth with the other.
Seeing the other person's rough drinking style, the woman cast a disdainful glance at him, carefully wiped the wine stains off the glass with a soft cloth she carried with her, wrapped it up, and put it into her suitcase.
“Let’s get down to business, Theodore. There are some people in the Elders’ Council who are very unhappy with you lately.” The woman in green spoke without the old man, who was busy flipping through papers, even looking up.
The woman was somewhat annoyed and slammed her hand on the table in front of her: "The funds you used last month were three times that of the month before last, and you still refuse to report your research progress. Moreover, you are sending fewer and fewer 'successors' to the 'Conflict Legion'."
"Oh, and about the Battle of Watchtower last week. Not only did the 'Relief Society's' test subjects fail to complete their mission, but I heard they also disobeyed orders and deserted the battlefield. You know what? I had to put in a lot of effort to deal with those barbarians to the north!"
Just as the woman was about to continue complaining, there was a slow, deliberate knock on the door. The old man put down his wine bottle and tapped three times on the armrest of his chair. A man dressed as a farmer pushed open the door, walked to the old man's side, and leaned down to whisper something to him.
"Oh! They're here?!"
The old man raised his thick eyebrows, a stark contrast to his previous attitude, and excitedly put down the papers in his hand.
The woman in green sitting opposite him took a small sip of her drink and said with a smile, "Has our guest arrived?"
Theodore raised an eyebrow, glared at the other man, and snapped, "Ratchet, remember, he's my guest. You came uninvited!"
The woman remained unperturbed by the old man's harsh words. She wiped the wine stains from her lips with a plain white handkerchief, straightened the wrinkles in her clothes, and said with a smile, "What does it matter? I just happened to hear that this distinguished guest was coming to visit when I came to find you. It's a chance encounter, after all. Besides, I really do have something I'd like to discuss with that person..."
“Ratchet, don’t blame this old man for not warning you. This is my territory. You’d better put away your dirty tricks from the ‘Elders’ Council’!” A flash of violence crossed the old man’s eyes. He tidied up the papers on the table and said to the waiter, “Take the guest to the main drawing room and have the chefs start preparing dinner. The best dinner ever!”
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Exquisite oil paintings, expensive carpets, and glittering gold jewelry filled Todd's mind with a jarring sense of contradiction as he stood in an extremely luxurious reception hall.
Such a high-class place with such luxurious interior, judging from its location and appearance, is actually an agricultural product warehouse in an inconspicuous little village in the southern part of the Moon Creek Plain, less than a day's carriage journey from Muxi Town.
Seemingly noticing the confusion in Todd's eyes, Adam's apple tilted its head and said in a somewhat strange tone, "When you meet the chairman later, regardless of his words or actions, please maintain the necessary respect. Hmm... he's a bit... strange..."
Todd frowned. "Let me see Karin first."
The man with the prominent throat looked somewhat troubled: "I've mentioned this to you repeatedly during our journey. The selection and determination of the 'successor' is a long and complicated process. Miss Black Sheep is safe now... at least for now. Please remember! Your every move here will determine everything..."
Just as Todd was about to ask another question, a loud voice interrupted his thoughts.
“Mr. Todd! I’ve been wanting to see you for a long time, but I haven’t been able to find the time. I didn’t expect you to come to see me first!” An old man in a workshop uniform walked quickly toward him. He was tall and burly, with a face with strong features and thick white eyebrows that were unforgettable.
Todd was somewhat surprised. He looked at the throat bone to verify. Could this old man, who looked and dressed exactly like a blacksmith, be the chairman of the "Relief Association"?!
Adam's apple rolled its eyes, shrugged, and nodded.
Todd, having rushed over, was still wearing his grey lab coat under his cloak. The old man approached him, glancing at the man's long coat stained with colorful reagents, then at his own canvas-like workshop attire, and a rare look of pleasure and delight appeared on his face. He patted the man on the back forcefully and laughed heartily. Although it was their first meeting, it was like seeing an old friend after many years. Theodore warmly took the astonished Todd's hand and led him deeper into the hall.
As he walked through the room, a pale green figure flashed past him, but he couldn't remember the face; only the bright blue eyes remained in his mind.
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