Zeon's mind clicked into gear. He had a problem now. A powerful noblewoman who was both angry and interested, and he had a product she wanted. He had to give her something to appease her.
He reached into his pocket and took out a necklace, but it was different from the others he had sold. This one had a tiny, polished ruby embedded in the center. The carving, the mana infused circuit, were more intricate than the other jewelries he made.
He offered it on his palm. "I… It's a gift for you, my lady."
Colette's eyes widened, and her annoyance was forgotten as she took it, making her naked fingers, without her glove, brushed against his palm. The touch was electric to Zeon, and it made his lower part of his body, rebelling against his will. He clenched his jaw, lucky for him, he was still lowering his head.
"You made this?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper, and her eyes fixed on the tiny red stone.
He nodded without saying a single word.
"So… the rumors are true."
She ran her fingers over the necklace, tracing the delicate carvings, as Zeon had made it carefully. She tested the mana inside it with her own, then smiled in satisfaction to know what it was capable of. It was a necklace imbued with a calming intent, designed to soothe its wearer. Just as the rumors had claimed.
"Show me what you have made so far," she commanded.
Zeon obeyed, and he showed her a plain silver ring he had been working on, a simple circlet with a complex carving for mana, and a bracelet. Each piece was designed based on his memories of the jewelries on Earth.
Her eyes gleamed. "Come to my manor tomorrow. Be there at noon," she said, her voice no longer cold, now laced with authority.
Then she turned and walked away, her knights following her closely behind. Zeon was left kneeling on the wooden floor, bewildered.
*******
Barney and the others swarmed him, their eyes showing palpable relief. But now they had a nervous awe in their expressions.
"You heard her. You must go. She… the same with all the Grid, they don't forgive. You don't say 'no' to them." Barley said in a hoarse voice.
Zeon's breath hitched. The Grid was the ruling group in Carja, and they had a reputation for being ruthless. To defy them would be to invite a kind of trouble he was not prepared for.
His instinct screamed to flee, then hide in a quiet corner in this world where no one knew him. That was cowardice, and he still needed to learn, to wield his craft in ways he'd never dreamed.
*******
The following day, at a few minutes past eleven, Zeon stood in front of the Countess's manor. The building was an architectural masterpiece of stone and steel that dwarfed the Iron Fork's homely warmth. Black armored guards flanked the wrought iron gates, their faces hidden behind their helmets.
He approached the main gate, looking at the sturdy iron bars of the gate with curiosity. They looked like they could withstand a siege. One of the guards, a tall man stopped him and asked coldly.
"State your business."
Zeon's throat felt dry as he answered. "I'm here to see the Countess. She… invited me."
The guard said nothing, just stared at him with an unblinking gaze. He didn't seem to believe him, or perhaps, he just didn't care. Seconds stretched, and Zeon began to sweat. He was about to tell him the whole story of last night's meeting with the Countess, when the gates creaked open, and a servant, by the looks of her, appeared.
She looked at him for a moment, then said, "The Countess is waiting."
Relieved to be free from the guards, Zeon followed her through the gate, and was stunned to see the strikingly different interior compared to the rest of Forked's homes. The floor was polished marble, and the walls were adorned with tapestries showing scenes of great battles and ancient wars. Sunlight was spilling to the corridors from the high windows, giving the atmosphere of the fantasy world that Zeon used to imagined.
He was led into a private study. The room was small, but cozy, with a fireplace in the corner, a large wooden desk, and a few comfortable chairs. The walls were lined with books and maps.
Colette sat at the desk, not in her fine dress from last night, but in a simple and loose tunic. It was a modest garment, but it clung to her curves in a way that left little to the imagination, still giving off a sexy aura. She looked at him with an intense gaze, her green eyes seeming to take in every detail.
"Sit," she said, gesturing to the chair opposite her.
Zeon sat, his hands on his lap. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves as meeting her made him imagine some naughty scenes.
"You're from the Iron Fork, correct?" she began, her voice calm and steady.
He nodded, not saying anything, still a little nervous.
"And you made the necklaces that sold out within the Forked?"
"Yes, my lady."
She picked up the ruby necklace from her desk, then observed it under the light from the window. The teardrop alloy gleamed, its tiny ruby heart winking red.
"This is not like the others, is it? It has something… more to it. A different kind of mana," she said, while holding it in her palm.
He hesitated. He had no intention of revealing how he made it, so he had to lie, and he had to make it sound believable.
"It's… an experiment, my lady," he said in a rush. "I've been… working with different alloys, trying to find new ways to infuse them with mana. The ruby… it seems to amplify the mana."
She smiled in delight. "I knew it. You are a genius artist, Zeon. A rare talent."
Heat crept up his neck. He was a scientist, not an artist, but he wouldn't correct her.
Colette leaned forward, revealing the upper part of her tunic, and surely… inside of it.
"I have an offer for you. Be my personal artisan, and I'll give you a workshop, tools, materials, all the resources you need. You will have a salary, more than you could dream of. In return, you craft jewelry for me, and for those I choose. You will not sell to anyone else without my permission."
Blinded already by the seducing sight before him, he felt his mind spin in sluggish motion. But he heard her offer, and he forced his mind to be back into its calm state again.
This was the opportunity he had been hoping for, a way to gain access to materials and knowledge he could never get on his own. It was dangerous to deal with the source of the lust, but he had to take it.
He nodded slowly. "I accept, my lady. I'll be your artisan."
Her smile widened. She had found her new toy, and he was it. Plus the crafts he made.
"Good. We begin tomorrow."
Zeon let out a silent long breath, and he was sure she was about to tell him to leave the manor, when her voice again sounded. But now, it sounded like a hoarse voice in his ears.
"Now, could you help me put this necklace around my neck… please?"