CHAPTER 404: NOT FOUND

The sun rose as usual, its morning light filtering through the dense forest canopy, casting dappled spots on the blue brick path.

Two slender steeds draped in diamond-studded silk that sparkled like stars gradually approached from the end of the path. Golden reins extended from their necks to an intricately carved dark gold carriage behind them.

The wheels rolled over the blue brick road until they reached the front gate of the Kravina mansion.

The patterns on the dark gold carriage flowed with elegant vitality, converging at the center where they connected to a gleaming gold emblem—the symbol of the Casidra Trading Association.

The guard driving the horses pulled the golden reins, bringing the two robust white steeds to a halt. The morning sunlight fell upon the horses' coats, reflecting a dazzling radiance like the illuminating dawn.

The guard dismounted, quickly opened the carriage door, and leaned forward slightly, welcoming his master with profound respect.

The woman inside lifted the carriage curtain and slowly stepped out. As soon as she alighted, she casually surveyed the mansion walls surrounding her.

"Is this Councilor Kravina's residence?" she asked.

"Yes, Miss Zora," the guard responded, bowing even more respectfully.

Zora gazed at the Kravina mansion, contemplating silently. So Councilor Kravina prefers this architectural style. Perhaps I should gift him a couple more properties like this.

While Zora was lost in thought, a maid from the mansion approached her, curtseyed, and said: "You must be Ms. Zora Nandena. Please come in. The master and his family have been expecting you."

Hearing the maid's words, Zora responded with a polite, sweet smile. It seemed that Mr. Viktor placed great importance on the transaction with the Casidra Trading Association—he had even notified the household staff to welcome her.

Zora gave her guard a knowing look, and he immediately understood, nodding. He turned and retrieved an exquisite gift box from the back of the carriage, placing it in the maid's hands.

"A small token of appreciation. Please accept it," he said.

"Just some modest trinkets," Zora added.

The maid looked at the gift box with slight surprise. Such an elaborate box must contain something quite valuable. Before she could react and politely decline, Zora had already walked into the mansion's courtyard, her long, fair legs swaying gracefully as she moved.

Halfway through, as if sensing something, Zora looked back. The maid was still standing there, holding the gift box that had been forcefully handed to her. Zora smiled gently and said: "Please, lead the way."

......

The meeting hall in the courtyard was exceptionally quiet. Morning sunlight streamed through the tall glass windows, bathing the entire hall in golden light. The vintage carpet had been immaculately cleaned by the servants. Sunlight illuminated the flowers, plants, and beautiful furniture, bringing everything to vibrant life.

On a long redwood tea table, several cups of steaming tea emitted the distinctive fragrance of aged tea leaves.

Zora sat on the sofa, feeling the soft comfort beneath her, and began to ponder: Councilor Kravina probably wouldn't be so attentive in hosting her personally. So, there was only one possibility—Councilor Kravina must have a very thoughtful lady of the house.

Recalling that Viktor had suddenly mentioned having a fiancée when they were in the kingdom... Could it be that Councilor Kravina and his fiancée were already this intimate? They were even living together before marriage.

Just as Zora was still processing this revelation, Lia descended from the second floor, step by step. She lowered her head and noticed the extraordinarily elegant yet unfamiliar woman whom the servants had seated on the sofa.

Instantly, her eyes curved with delight, and her lips turned upward, unable to hide the joy in her heart. Oh ho, here comes the money. She had heard all about this woman—the daughter of the Casidra Trading Association's chairman. Her dignified and courteous demeanor, in Lia's eyes, was nothing but a shining mountain of gold just waiting to be claimed. For someone who loved money like her, this was simply the best "friend" one could have.

"Are you Miss Zora?" Lia called out.

Hearing the voice from the stairs, Zora looked up, saw Lia approaching, and quickly stood up, bowing respectfully.

"Hello, I'm Zora Nandena," she introduced herself while carefully observing Lia.

Faced with the young, beautiful, and elegantly poised Lia, Zora's eyes brightened slightly. She looked close to Viktor's age, and her demeanor complemented Viktor's perfectly. Such a beautiful woman with a unique aura must surely be Viktor's fiancée. However, wanting confirmation without being too direct, she chose a more tactful approach:

"Are you the lady of the Kravina household?"

Lia, now standing before Zora, was slightly taken aback by this question. Although everyone in the Kravina family treated her as the lady of the house, and Lia had always assumed this role, it was the first time she had heard someone address her so openly as such.

After brief consideration, Lia found it quite reasonable and smiled at Zora: "Yes, I am the lady of this house, Lia. If you have any matters to discuss, you can speak directly with me."

Alright, now it was confirmed—Lia was indeed Councilor Kravina's fiancée! Once her suspicion was confirmed, Zora's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, and she even wanted to lean closer to Lia to establish a more intimate relationship. Her words became noticeably warmer.

"I didn't expect you to be so young and beautiful," she gushed. "Mr. Viktor must adore you very much."

Listening to Zora's compliments, Lia felt like a flower was blooming in her heart, and her face bore a sweet smile. After all, everyone enjoys flattery. Especially Zora's last comment, which Lia found particularly gratifying.

She had heard compliments about her youth and beauty so often that her ears had grown calluses. But being told that Viktor adored her, although Lia found the wording somewhat strange—well, since she was Viktor's sister, it seemed normal enough, nothing problematic.

However, in front of outsiders, she still needed to maintain her composure. Moreover, this was a transaction that Viktor had specifically entrusted to her. She had to secure it firmly without revealing any weaknesses.

So she concealed her smile and chuckled lightly: "Thank you for the kind words. Let's sit down and discuss the details."

After they were seated, Lia cleared her throat and resumed her usual efficient manner. "So, Ms. Zora, please tell me what the specific content of our cooperation entails."

The strong business acumen and rapid shift in demeanor left Zora momentarily stunned. They truly were a couple, weren't they? Both approached matters in the same way—direct and without unnecessary delays.

With this thought, Zora also straightened her posture and quickly responded: "It's like this." She handed over a carefully drafted contract that had been prepared in advance, placing it on the tea table before Lia.

Lia's slender fingers gently took it, her eyes focusing intently as she examined it. Zora sat beside her, explaining in a gentle and patient tone: "We sincerely invite Councilor Kravina to become the branch president of our association's division in the kingdom. He will enjoy all the benefits and privileges of the kingdom's branch."

Lia's eyes showed thoughtful contemplation. After reviewing the contract, she placed it on the table, her slender fingers tracing over one of the clauses, and said with serious determination: "This clearly states in the contract that you are inviting our side to join. But a transaction is always a two-way affair. What I want to know now is, what can you offer to persuade us to join the association?"

Uh...

Zora sat with her mouth agape, frozen in her seat. This woman was truly formidable.

Her father had always told her that business was like a battlefield. During negotiations, a merchant should never directly reveal all their bargaining chips. For instance, the contract only mentioned inviting Viktor to join the association.

Yet Lia, with just a glance at the contract, had directly pointed out the hidden conditions. It wasn't just "Viktor" joining the association but "us" joining—one Viktor and the entire Kravina family were entirely different matters. This would require their Casidra Trading Association to offer substantially more.

And that wasn't all. With just one sentence, Lia had transformed what was originally their advantage into a disadvantage. She was even questioning Zora about how much their association could offer to entice them to join.

Now, Zora was truly stunned. Coming to invite someone to join the association, but now they needed to pay out of their own pocket. Yet they had to do precisely that. Even her father had said that if necessary, they could give gifts to the other party, as long as they secured Viktor.

Clearly, the remaining items would not be retained by their association. Zora sighed inwardly, understanding that she had already lost in this minor business skirmish. But fortunately, this condition was still acceptable to their association.

"So, what would you like us to offer?" Zora asked, somewhat constrainedly.

At this moment, Lia pulled out a glossy black pistol from her waist. She placed it on the table with a loud "thud." The sound was so startling that Zora jumped slightly.

"Before discussing other matters," Lia continued, "let me first give you a welcome gift. You can use it for self-defense."

Zora stared at the object on the table with confusion. She picked it up curiously and examined it carefully. "What is this thing?" she wondered.

Lia, with a playful smile, suggested: "You can try pulling the trigger, but please don't aim it at anyone."

Intrigued, Zora held the gun in her right hand, pointed it at a wall in the meeting hall, and tentatively pulled the trigger.

BANG!

Sparks propelled by magical energy exploded from deep within the barrel in an instant. A black projectile wrapped in crimson light shot out from the gun barrel, with gunpowder smoke rising from the muzzle. The astonishing black projectile instantly struck the wall, bursting with a thunderous impact that caused part of the wall to collapse.

The guards outside, hearing the violent explosion from within the room, quickly burst through the door and rushed in. As soon as they entered, they saw Zora standing with the black object in her hand, pointing at the damaged wall.

Meanwhile, the stunned Zora stood with her mouth agape, her palm trembling and breaking out in cold sweat, her voice clearly shocked: "What... is this?"

"You mean this?" Lia smiled slightly and explained: "This thing is called a gun."

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