Dinner Meeting

"What's the matter? You seem nervous." Marina commented calmly to the boy across from her after the waiter took their orders. She currently sat in a booth at the Green Forest Pavilion.

The restaurant held a great reputation in the city and even employed a couple Grade Four Immortal Chefs. They worked hard to replicate the city's famous Refining Haven Forest, the forest downstream from the city.

Not only did they captured and cook a lot of beasts from there, but they also decorated the pavilion with saplings and hung moss and other effects from the forest. She'd read about it in a travel guide and decided to hold her meeting here to see the samples.

Of course, it helped that the prestige and openness of the place added extra pressure on her associate.

"Of course I'm nervous! I can't believe you wanted us to meet here, what if someone from the House sees us?" The man with brown hair looked around nervously. He looked younger than Marina despite being six years older, and he had a naturally weak and harmless face. He was handsome, but something about the shape of his features made you feel the urge to protect him.

"What can they do about it? I may be disowned but that doesn't mean we can't meet. We aren't breaking any rules." She stated casually.

"Don't play with me! You and I both now your status in the family after what you pulled. My reputation will be tainted if I'm seen with you. Why didn't you send what you needed over the mirror?" He glared at her angrily, his Spirit Ascension cultivation leaking out.

Marina examined one of the nearby trees while taking notes on it, unconcerned of the exerted pressure of her companion. "You should be thanking me for showing you a preview."

"A preview?" His aura paused in his confusion.

"Yes, a preview of what could happen to you. For if the household finds out what you've done, it'll be my reputation in danger of being stained meeting you." She reminded him coldly.

He trembled for a moment before forcing himself still. "… Your position is gone, no one will believe you." He said flatly. He may have bowed to that in the past, but things had changed. She'd lost all her positions and advantages, meanwhile he still had his family behind him.

"I have evidence of your help at the party. With one instance of you acting against the Household's interests, they'll at least look into it. And be honest, if I could find out, do you really have confidence that you cleaned up well enough that the disciplinary branch won't discover it if they look?"

His face paled as his greatest fears reawakened. "Impossible, I left no traces." He stated while glaring at her. He'd made sure to cover his tracks at the Vault's party perfectly, there should be no evidence.

"You can't fathom the methods I have at my disposal." She glared back, daring him to try her.

A battle of wills played out in their glares for a moment, but he quickly looked away, causing her to snort in disdain.

"I'll get the things you want. But this is the last time." He gave in with gritted teeth.

"Of course you'll get them Jonny dear, however… you don't get to decide what happens next." She stated flatly.

Jonny kept his head down while trembling. He looked so much like a defenseless bullied boy, but his eyes were cold. 'Her qi fluctuations are at the Refining Realm. She's still weakened after losing her cultivation and she has a lot of enemies. If she were to disappear…'

A loud thump on the table caused Jonny to look up. A jade bottle sat on the table, radiating the energy levels of a peak Spirit Ascension.

Cold sweat ran down Jonny's back as four more amulets appeared next to it, all radiating power of the same level. They all vanished in the next second before they drew the attention of the other guests.

"You wouldn't happen to be having any dangerous thoughts, right Jonny?" Her glacial voice sent chills down his spine as he felt the hidden killing intent within.

"No way ma-ma'am. I would never after all you've done for me." He said in a broken voice.

"Seems you've finally remembered your place." Marina nodded while the disdain in her eyes grew. "You have five days to get the items I've ordered. You can use these to trade when necessary. And don't skimp on the quality. I expect any surplus back, and any poor deals you make come out of your own pocket." She threw a storage bag next to him that held the last of her assets.

It mostly held tailored armors and clothing of grades one through three. They weren't liquid assets, but their quality was superb. It wouldn't be hard to exchange them with the city becoming more and more oversaturated with cultivators preparing for the exams.

She'd spent pretty much everything she'd brought to the Vault Family and now only had the items that might be useful for the exam. She didn't like not having her own cash, but she wouldn't need to make any big expenses for a while anyway.

She could've prepared more, and would've if she'd planned it better, but she never expected to randomly meet someone who perfectly matched her criteria in a Viscount Family.

Their food arrived soon after that exchange. Jonny ordered a single entrée, but Marina ordered seven. She sampled each dish carefully, occasionally jotting something down in her notebook and looking around the pavilion.

Jonny kept his eyes focused on his plate as he ate, the food tasting like ash in his mouth. 'Why do I have to live like this? Why? Why? Why!?' His face looked absolutely miserable.

Marina noticed his state, but was entirely unsympathetic. She knew his true nature, and in a perfect world she'd want nothing more than to turn him in. Unfortunately, tools she could use and dispose of without a shred of remorse were in short supply, and she would use anything to achieve her goals.

"This has been a fruitful night." Marina stood after packing the majority of her food in a to go box. They had a small sealing formation that would keep the food's grade from deteriorating for a few extra hours. She could give the rest to Raul or Ellen later in that time.

She stood up while dropping the pay for her meal on the table. "Oh, and Jonny, our previous agreement is still in effect. I hear so much as a whisper of you and your old ways, I'll report you immediately." She stared him down until he nodded in confirmation.

"Do your best Jonny, I'm looking forward to it." She gave him on last glare before leaving.

Jonny stared at his half-eaten food after she left. The pitiful expression vanished from his face as he began calculations of his own.