No such thing as what if.
With that single sentence, Mr. Herbes and those around him were forced to abandon their final illusion of self-deception—there was no what if.
“Thank you for your professional legal counsel at such a ti. Good night, gentlen.”
The lawyers politely bid farewell to their employers on the other end of the call. As top-tier lawyers, their consultation fees were steep—half a day’s work earned each of them at least five to six hundred Gael or over a thousand Federal Sol.
No wonder people always envied the legal profession—sitting and talking for a few hours could earn you a fortune.
After the call, Mr. Herbes leaned back into the sofa, exhausted. A wave of dizziness hit him, followed by a surge of hunger so intense he couldn’t even think.
Only then did he realize it was already night. He had missed both lunch and dinner. Forcing himself to stay conscious, he tapped his cane on the ground to get attention. “Gentlen, we’ve been at this all day. Isn’t it ti to eat sothing?”
“I’d hate for Lynch to do nothing to us and we end up sick on our own!” He was the first to stand up. After sitting the entire day, he nearly fell back down, but soone next to him caught him just in ti.
“I’ll visit Mr. Lynch and try to sound him out…” he announced, giving the others a small sliver of hope.
After a quick dinner, Mr. Herbes carefully dressed, selected so exquisite gifts, and headed to the hotel to visit Lynch.
Though the delegation had arrived the night before, all formalities had been completed that day, aning they wouldn’t be leaving until the next morning. Tonight, they would still be staying here.
But unlike the cheerful atmosphere of the previous night, everyone was a bit disappointed today—Blossom Street had been shut down due to a case. To preserve the cri scene, the area was temporarily closed.
They returned empty-handed. Deep down, they all knew the real reason, but so things are better left unsaid.
If you don’t say it, you’re smart. If you do, you’re just stupid.
Back at the hotel, they hadn’t even changed when the front desk called the room.
The assistant picked up and asked Lynch, “A Mr. Herbes says he’s a friend of yours and wants to see you…”
Lynch was montarily surprised, then smiled. “Yes, he’s a friend. Let him up.”
After hanging up, the assistant looked curious—and a bit admiring. “You’ve got friends everywhere you go. Do you have friends all over the world? How do you know so many people?”
Lynch was in a good mood and joked, “Because we’re all friends with money, so we’re all friends with each other.”
Helen felt there was a deep aning behind that. She sensed it but couldn’t quite put it into words, falling into a daze.
Lynch only had a high school education, yet he could always say things that sounded profoundly philosophical. It was hard to believe he was just a high school graduate. ᚱäΝ𝔬ВƐS̈
It often made Helen question herself. She might not have graduated from a top university, but she had still gone to college—yet she constantly felt inferior to Lynch. Was she really such a failure?
Not long after, the doorbell rang. Mr. Herbes knocked.
The assistant opened the door, took the gifts, and placed them on the coffee table in front of Lynch.
Each main mber of the delegation had a private suite in the hotel—they had reserved the whole floor. Right now, they were in the suite’s living room.
Mr. Herbes handed off his coat to his butler and approached the sofa. “Just a few trinkets. I heard you like watches and pens. I happen to have a few from my collection—maybe you’ll like them.”
Whether Federals or aristocrats like Mr. Herbes, the social etiquette of the world didn’t include false modesty—no one would say, It’s too much, I can’t accept this, or feign reluctance while obviously wanting the gift.
The assistant accepted the gifts naturally. Lynch just as naturally opened them.
He opened the watch box first: a beautiful platinum watch.
“Platinum case, sapphire crystal and dial. One of only three made by the master in…,” Mr. Herbes introduced the piece with a trace of pride.
It was indeed luxurious. The maker was a top-tier craftsman who only made three handmade watches every four years. Each one sold for a jaw-dropping price.
So were worth hundreds of thousands, others millions—comparable to the value of so companies. Yet people scrambled to buy them, often just to display them in glass cases, never to wear.
This particular watch had cost around 600,000 when bought, but its current value exceeded a million, and it would only rise further.
Lynch nodded in satisfaction, took it out, said “Thank you,” then placed it back on the stand and opened the next box.
Inside was a gemstone-encrusted fountain pen worth 180,000 Gael. Also handmade, the pen ca from a family that had long served the Gephra royal family. The Emperor himself used their pens.
People joked that signing a contract with one of these pens made your signature look just like the Emperor’s—a testant to the brand’s prestige.
Lynch enjoyed collecting such pens. He always felt that carrying two pens lent him the air of a scholar, a touch of Confucian refinent — though here, no one really understood what that ant.
He thanked Mr. Herbes again. The gifts were well chosen—things Lynch genuinely liked, and together worth over a million. Mr. Herbes had clearly spared no expense.
“I thought you’d be vacationing in the Federation or sowhere else…” Lynch said as he put the pen back, looking at Mr. Herbes with a warr smile than usual. But to Mr. Herbes, that smile carried a chilling undertone.
“…Didn’t expect we’d et in Gephra. Were you waiting for on purpose?” Lynch asked, his question sharp and unsettling.
Herbes had indeed co to leverage external factors to the fullest, but he couldn’t say that—doing so would offend Lynch completely. Still, he reacted quickly. “I ca to witness a historic mont.”
He deftly dodged the question. “If the Federation and Gephra reach a cooperation agreent, it ans the world’s two strongest nations are uniting. As the papers say, it’s another big step toward world peace.”
“Such cooperation also ans more opportunities—this is what I ca for.”
“And you know, I’m not one to sit still. Here today, sowhere else tomorrow. But Mr. Lynch, you really surprised . I had no idea you were in Gephra until I saw the news. I thought you were still in Nagaryll.”
He tested the waters carefully, smiling as he watched Lynch’s reaction.
Lynch responded just as quickly. “We’re here mainly to discuss business cooperation and so civilian project tenders, so so businessn had to co along. I’m just one of them.”
“The Joint Developnt Company is doing well. The board mbers and chairn think highly of . I’m young, so they wanted to gain so experience.”
Herbes cursed silently. He suddenly realized he might have walked into one of Lynch’s traps—all because of Lynch’s appearance.
That smug little bastard’s looks were too deceiving. You could never guard against a smiling twenty-sothing who looked as innocent as a blank sheet of paper. He had let his guard down!
Mr. Herbes gave a dry laugh. “I recently heard a funny joke…”
He looked at Lynch, who played along. “What’s the joke? Let hear it too.”
“So say this loan between us was a trap you set—that you plan to swallow both the principal and the interest. Don’t you think that’s a ridiculous joke?” He laughed loudly, as if he truly found it amusing.
Lynch also laughed, his smile carrying deeper aning. “Of course it’s ridiculous. I’d never do such a thing to a friend.”
But Mr. Herbes didn’t feel relieved by Lynch’s reply. In fact, he noticed sothing off—Lynch had never explicitly stated that they were friends.
With warmth and anticipation, he looked at Lynch. “Are we friends?”
Lynch smiled and replied, “Of course. We’re the best business partners.”
He avoided a direct answer, leaving Mr. Herbes uncertain. Yet Lynch’s deanor made him wonder if he was just overthinking.
Confused and doubtful, Herbes knew he couldn’t press Lynch to say what he wanted to hear—it would be too forced.
“I have so friends here. When the ti cos, I’ll throw you a party,” Mr. Herbes said warmly. “I’ve lived in Gephra for quite a while—I’m familiar with everything. You have to give a chance to show so hospitality.”
Lynch nodded. “Alright. Just give a ti and place.”
Mr. Herbes didn’t stay long. After they agreed on the ti and location for the party in the capital, he left.
After seeing Mr. Herbes and his butler out, the assistant asked curiously, “Are you two good friends?”
Lynch smiled without answering directly. “That’s why I’ve prepared a big surprise for him.”
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