After leaving Lord César behind and heading back upstairs, I gave Anna an update on the situation. I wanted her to follow us, while invisible of course, just in case something happened. I didn't think this was necessary, but a little extra caution never hurt anyone.

Right now, if we wanted to influence House Sandstrike and get them to strike out at the succubi, Lord César was our best chance. However, this came with its own risks. What if Lady Isabel sent someone to spy on Anna and I? Lady Isabel planned on enthralling "Lord Andrew", but we left before she had the chance. In her shoes, I'd keep an eye on us and wait for an opportune moment to strike.

Besides, even if Lady Isabel hadn't sent someone to spy on Anna and I, she would keep an eye on Lord César. The current Lord Sandstrike reached his position by stabbing Lady Isabel, his own mother, in the back. Enduring something like that would shatter my trust in family. I'd watch over them, looking for signs of betrayal, just in case.

Man, this city was turning me paranoid.

Regardless, there was a good chance that one of Lady Isabel's thralls would keep watch over Lord César and I during our outing. Having Anna follow us in secret would ease my mind in case the worst happened. While I could deal with the thrall myself, I didn't want to risk exposing my true identity.

However, to my surprise, when I explained everything to Anna, she seemed unhappy for some reason.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

Anna crossed her arms and pouted.

"I'm annoyed," she said. "You and I haven't even had a proper date yet, and now you're rushing off to go on one with someone else."

I gave her an odd look.

"Anna, Lord César and I aren't going on a date," I said. "I'm just playing along because of our plan. Otherwise, I wouldn't give someone like him the time of day."

Anna snorted.

"I'm sure he thinks of it as a date," she said.

I sighed, before I gave Anna a soft smile. I found it cute when she acted jealous.

"How about this?" I said. "After we finish dealing with the situation here in Eastwatch, I'll take you out on a proper date."

Anna narrowed her eyes at me.

"Promise?" she asked.

"I promise," I said, nodding.

Anna's pout shifted into a mischievous grin.

"Good," she said. "I'll hold you to that."

Looking at the expression on her face, I realized that she faked being upset in order to elicit a promise from me. I rolled my eyes. If she wanted a date, she could've just said. Then again, maybe she wanted me to ask without her saying anything.

"Now go," Anna continued. "Get ready for your date with Lord César. We have a war to start."

I sighed in exasperation, before I left with Cally to get ready for my outing with Lord César. This took more time than expected. While Cally had some experience with helping my sister in getting ready, she lacked many of the skills required of a personal maid. So, the two of us muddled along. After some trial and error, we managed to get me ready.

When I looked in the mirror, I realized how much I resembled Mother. Cally even found some rose and pomegranate perfume, my mother's favorite, and spritzed me with it. I wasn't sure how I felt about this.

I didn't have much time to contemplate this, before Cally rushed me out of the room. Of course, I grabbed some hidden weapons before we left, just in case. This included another vial of poison. It worked so well last time that I figured, why not?

By the time I made it back downstairs, followed by Leroy and Cally, a full half-hour had passed. Despite this, Lord César didn't seem impatient. In fact, I found him chatting with the innkeeper. At first I tensed up, fearing that Lord César suspected me and was grilling the innkeeper for information. However, I relaxed when I realized the two were just talking about playing cards. It turned out that the both of them like to gamble at some of the same establishments. Still, a part of me remained wary, just in case.

Lord César's eyes lit up when he caught sight of me.

"Lady Gabriel," he said. "You look lovely!"

I looked down, acting like a shy young lady.

"Thank you, Lord César," I said in a quiet voice.

Lord César held out his arm towards me.

"Shall we get going?" he asked.

I nodded, before gesturing to Leroy and Cally.

"Do you mind if I bring my personal maid and my bodyguard along?" I asked. "After what happened yesterday, Andrew doesn't want me to go around by myself." I shivered. "Nor do I wish to."

Lord César gave me a sympathetic look.

"I understand," he said. "Bring them along."

I flashed him a smile, before I took Lord César's arm. Together, the two of us headed outside where we found a House Sandstrike carriage waiting for us. Cally joined Lord César and myself inside the carriage, while Leroy rode outside with the driver.

Lord César and I spent the next few hours enjoying ourselves. It wasn't difficult, since it was a beautiful day out, with clear skies and warm weather. To keep up appearances, I acted weaker than I felt. After all, I had been poisoned just yesterday. It would seem suspicious if I didn't suffer some lingering effects, even after taking an antidote or seeing a healer.

When he saw this, Lord César expressed concern and offered to take me out some other time, but I insisted. I wanted to come across as a lonely young lady desperate for company, to the point of pushing through the poison's lingering effects.

After a while, Lord César stopped asking. However, he kept glancing at me every now and again with a worried look on his face.

As promised, Lord César gave me a tour of Eastwatch and showed me all the best places to shop. I made a point to memorize them all. Not for myself, but so I could buy souvenirs and gifts for everyone else back home. Plus, I wanted to buy a gift for Anna. The two of us were engaged, but to my shame, I had never given her a gift. I needed to rectify this.

Lord César offered to buy several things for me, but I refused. At least as first. After some persuasion on Lord César's part, I relented and accepted a small brooch. My plan for charming Lord César required him to pursue me. If I made it too easy, he would lose interest and we'd be back at square one. However, if I kept rejecting his overtures, he might give up. I needed to maintain a careful balance.

Afterwards, Lord César and I enjoyed lunch at one of Eastwatch's most famous restaurants, one with a breathtaking view of the ocean. To dine here, most people needed to book a reservation weeks in advance. However, House Sandstrike maintained their own private room at this restaurant, so we got in with little problem.

All in all, things were going well. However, I knew it would take more than this to charm someone like Lord César. He was a famous playboy after all. Still, it was a good start.

In the middle of our meal, a retainer of House Sandstrike came in and handed Lord César a message. The latter's brow furrowed when he read it. I wanted to ask about the message, but I reined in my curiosity to avoid arousing suspicion. A few moments later, Lord César put the message away and dismissed the messenger, before resuming his meal. I followed his example and put the message out of my mind. For now.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

When we finished eating, I expected Lord César to bring me back to the inn. However, he told me that there was one last place he wanted to bring me.

"It's an important place to me," Lord César said.

He refused to elaborate more than that, no matter how many times I asked. In the end, while I found it odd, I decided to play along. This was an opportunity to earn more of Lord César's trust. It was risky, yes, but my friends' presence minimized the risk. So while I had some misgivings, I accepted Lord César's offer. He smirked at this, which deepened my misgivings.

Together with Leroy and Cally, the two of us rode in the House Sandstrike carriage and arrived at a nondescript single-story building. It was located in between the two halves of the city, the one for locals and the one for tourists.

I frowned when I saw the building. Lord César said this place was important to him, but nothing about it seemed special to me.

"Don't be fooled by its appearance," Lord César said. "There's more to this place than it seems."

I nodded, before I followed Lord César inside the building. The interior looked as plain and nondescript as the exterior. I think it was a shop of some kind, with wooden shelves and a wooden counter, though I couldn't tell for sure. The shelves were empty and covered in dust. If this was a shop, it was one that had been out of business for a long time.

Despite this, I saw an elderly man with long white hair and a bushy white beard sitting behind the counter. At first I feared he was dead, since he wasn't moving or saying anything. However, when I heard the sound of faint snoring coming from him, I realized that he was just asleep. This filled me with relief.

Lord César strode past the old man, heading towards a door that led deeper into the building. When he opened it, he revealed a stone staircase leading down. I raised an eyebrow at that.

What was Lord César up to? By this point, I found his behavior suspicious. It felt like he was leading me into a trap.

However, I held my tongue for now. If this was a trap, springing it might yield results. What kind? I didn't know, but I planned on finding out.

My friends and I followed Lord César down the stairs, which were illuminated by glowstones embedded in the walls. At the bottom, we found a wooden door reinforced with metal and magic. Lord César knocked on the door in a specific pattern.

A few moments later, the door opened, revealing a bald, burly man covered in tattoos. He wore rugged clothing. His appearance all but screamed "I'm a thug!" in bold lettering. More than that, I sensed that he was a Third Ranked Awakened. Given his build, I suspected he was a martial artist rather than a wizard. If he was a wizard, then he specialized in internal magic.

The bald man gave Lord César a respectful nod, before he looked at my friends and I. After scrutinizing us for a bit, he faced Lord César again and gave him a questioning look.

"They're special guests of mine," Lord César said.

The bald man's face lit up with understanding.

"Ah, I see," he said.

The bald man stepped back and gestured for us to enter. I gave Lord César an uncertain look.

"Lord César," I said, trying to sound unsure. "What is this place?"

Lord César gave me a reassuring smile.

"It's an establishment I own," he said. "Don't worry. Unless I allow it, no harm will befall you."

To some, Lord César might have sounded reassuring. However, I noticed the implied threat they held. Rather than call him out on it, I decided to continue playing along.

"Oh, thank goodness," I said, sounding relieved. "You had me worried there for a moment." I gestured for Lord César to go first. "After you."

My friends and I followed Lord César through the doorway. What I saw on the other side caught me off guard for a moment. I found myself in a large room decorated with expensive and opulent furniture. Crimson and gold were the primary colors here. The walls, the ceiling, even the furniture. Except for the floor, which was a light hardwood.

There were a number of tables scattered all over the room. Intricate glowstone chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Wooden doors decorated with brass led to places unknown. The faint smell of alcohol and smoke lingered in the air.

This place reminded me somewhat of Crawford's home, back in Sunheart. However, Crawford's place was a private residence. Clearly, this place was not. At first I thought it might've been some kind of restaurant, because of all the chairs. However, after studying them for a moment, I realized that wasn't right. In that case, what could this place be? My mind went through all the possibilities.

"Is this a casino or a gambling den?" I asked.

Lord César looked surprised.

"Why, yes," he said. "It is. I'm surprised you figured it out right away, given your… upbringing."

I shrugged.

"My family informed me about places like this and warned me to stay away from them," I said.

Which was true. When Kaylee and I were children, our parents told us about a distant uncle of ours who grew addicted to gambling. The rest of House Sturm tried to help him break free of his addiction, but to no avail. In the end, this distant uncle racked up so much debt that his entire life collapsed. From then on, he became a cautionary tale within House Sturm about the dangers of gambling.

"Lord César," I said, giving him a stern look. "Why did you bring me to a casino at this hour?"

It was still early in the day, so the casino was empty. Other than my friends and I, the only ones here were Lord César and the bald man.

"There is some business that I wished to discuss with you in my office, Lady Gabriella," Lord César said.

I frowned.

"What sort of business?" I asked.

Lord César gave me an odd smile.

"We'll discuss that once we reach my office."

Yep, this was a trap. Oh well. At this point, my friends and I could've dropped the act. However, I was curious. Why lead us into a trap? What was Lord César's goal here? Had he seen through my disguise? Or was there some other reason?

"And if I refuse?" I asked.

Lord César's smile widened.

"You don't have the option to refuse," he said.

As if on cue, I heard the door behind us open. I looked back just as four more thuggish-looking men stepped through. Like the bald man, they were all big and burly Third Ranked Awakened that wore rugged clothing.

Like the bodyguard that he was, Leroy whirled around and drew his weapon. However, when he saw how many opponents there were, and how strong they were, he looked at me. I gave him a slight shake of my head. Cally, pretending to be my personal maid, acted fearful and clung to me.

"My lady," she said in a tearful voice.

I turned back to our host.

"Lord César," I said, acting like someone trying to be tough. "What is the meaning of this?"

Lord César dropped his smile.

"Let's just say that I found many… inconsistencies in your story, Lady Gabrielle," he said. "And I'd like some clarification."

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"You're going to regret this," I said in a trembling voice.

My acting must've worked, since the thugs behind me snickered.

"I'm sure I will," Lord César said in a patronizing tone. "Now, if you don't wish for your bodyguard to be hurt, tell him to surrender his weapons. Otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite."

"Do as he says," I said, still looking at Lord César.

"But my lady-" Leroy started to say, but I cut him off.

"Just do it!"

Leroy let out an exaggerated sigh, before I heard him sheathe his weapon and surrender it to the thugs.

"Excellent," Lord César said. "Come along now."

He started walking off. My friends and I followed him with obvious reluctance. The thugs formed a semicircle behind us, herding us forward. We were trapped, or so it appeared. In reality, the three of us could deal with this group of thugs with ease.

Lord César led us through one of the doors and into a hallway. Like the large room, crimson trimmed with gold was the color scheme. The entire time, no one said a thing. The only sound we heard was our footsteps on the hardwood floor.

After a short walk, we arrived in front of a door with more ornate decorations than the others. Lord César opened the door, revealing a lavish and well-appointed office. At the far end stood a large wooden desk carved with intricate designs. Several bookshelves, each filled with expensive tomes, covered the wall on my right. A large alcohol rack took up the wall on my left. It displayed several bottles of alcohol, many of which were rare and expensive.

In addition to the wooden desk, there was a little sitting area with two couches and a small wooden table. Lord César gestured to my friends and I to sit down. We complied, taking up a whole couch, while he walked over to the alcohol rack to pour himself a drink. The five thugs stood guard at the office's entrance.

"I bet you're curious about why I run this place," Lord César said.

"Not in particular," I said.

Lord César, who was just about to take a sip of his drink, paused.

"Well, too bad," he said, sounding irritated. "I'm going to tell you anyway. I've always had good luck when it came to gambling. It didn't matter what game it was, I would win more often than not. Cards, dice, etc." He sipped his drink. "Unfortunately, several casinos and gambling dens barred me. So, I decided to create my own casino." He gestured to the office around him. "As you can, it's worked out quite well for me. At this point, I'm the wealthiest scion in House Sandstrike. If I wanted to, I could break off and form my own House. Or at least, start a collateral family."

I gave him a scornful look.

"And what is the point of this little story of yours?" I asked.

Lord César gave me a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"It's simple," he said. "Let's play a little game. I ask you questions, and you answer. If I like your answers, you'll get to leave this place alive."

He stopped there, but his implication was clear. If he didn't like my answers, then I was a dead woman-I mean a dead man.

"Let's begin," Lord César said, his expression grew serious. "Who are you and why are you sniffing around my House? What are you after?"

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