The Lost Lady [ON HOLD]

Chapter Sixteen: A Proper Talk

How long has it been?

How long has it been since I last saw this woman with an average beauty?

Years?

Decades?

And here you are now, staring back at me...

After a few minutes of contemplation, Lena quietly wiped away her tears and stood with a calm demeanor. She walked back towards her chair and extended her right arm towards the Great Advisor.

"Thank you," she said and looked straight to those silvery eyes of the masked man in front of her. With a curt smile on her face, she continued, "By the way, My name's Lena. It's nice to meet you."

The Great Advisor gently put down his teacup and reached out to shake Lena's hand. "Isn't it already late for an introduction?" he asked.

"Just like the saying goes, 'it's better late than never'."

And although the Great Advisor didn't know where that saying came from, and what exactly the word nice meant, a faint smile could be seen on his beautiful lips.

"I'm Ranulf de Fricht. It's great to meet you too, Lady Lena."

"So, Ranulf's the name?"

"Yes."

Lena and Ranulf shook hands as they acknowledge each other.

"Alright, now that we finally know each other's name, we can now have a proper talk." Lena beamed. "I have something else that I need to do," she said.

"What is it?" Ranulf asked.

"That's none of your business." Lena blurted nonchalantly.

Ranulf's mouth slightly twitched as he asked, "Then, why do you need to tell me?"

"I need money," Lena said in an as-a-matter-of-fact manner.

"Lady Lena, I'm afraid I won't be able to give you -"

"Are you telling me that it is too much of me to ask for reward money by saving your life?"

"It's not that -"

"The Exalted Great Advisor, I'm pretty sure that your life's worth is more precious than any other treasure, even much more than a bit of silver and golds," Lena grin with her fox-like smile. A gleam of malice was flickering in her eyes.

This is clearly extortion!

Lena sighed internally.

But I'm sorry, this lady is in great need of money.

She looked more intently towards Ranulf with her dazzling eyes becoming even brighter with a peculiar glint on them.

Besides, I can't help to demand more from someone extravagant and as exalted as the Great Advisor...

I might not know how things are working now in this place, but I'm quite assured that someone as him could be rich beyond compare.

"Lady Lena, it's not that I can't give you reward money, it's just that, as the Great Advisor –"

"What Great Advisor? We're friends now, right? We shouldn't be mindful of the status."

Ranulf was still calm with his usual gentle but monotonous tone. However, from time to time, Lena was cutting him off before he could even finish a sentence, making his head throb a little on how impudent the beautiful lady in front of him could be.

Even though I'm not after the affairs of the world, I'm still the exalted Great Advisor, one should know how to respect me.

He heaved a deep sigh internally.