"What's wrong? Did I hit a nerve, and now you're upset?" John asked lightly.
"But now that I think about it, it really seems that way. Yes, you've always just appeared here in the guise of a servant. No matter how capable you are, no matter how terrifying your power might be, here you are merely a maid."
"A maid who could be sent away at any moment, even to someone you are unwilling to serve. You have no power to resist."
"Or to put it more harshly, you can hardly be considered a person in this place. You're more like an object, an object that could be sent away at any time. Is that really acceptable to you?"
John smiled faintly as he spoke, as if he had uncovered some secret, his lips curling up into an amused smile.
He thought these people were devoid of emotions, but it seems that wasn't the case.
It was just that he hadn't touched on the right issues before.
"What's the matter? A little unhappy? Or do you think everything I'm saying is correct? Or perhaps you simply dare not resist?"
"Even I know about this. Surely, you must know as well? Does your so-called master really have so much power that he can demand you sacrifice your own bodies? Isn't that a bit too exaggerated?"
John's tone was laced with mockery, as if that was the only way he could vent his emotions somewhat.
Jasminette's usually composed expression was beginning to falter.
John felt he was on the verge of breaking through her defenses.
Emotional fluctuations in a person could provide an opportunity to break through their psychological barriers.
"It seems I've said so much, and yet your master still does not wish to come forward, which proves he really had no intention of meeting me today," John said indifferently.
"If he doesn't want to meet me, then why bother wasting time here in the first place? It seems your master wanted to see me, but didn't want me to see him."
John sensed that something in the room had begun to change.
He surmised that the so-called master had probably been in the room all along, just invisible to him.
After all, if items from the secret realm fragments could be brought out, then it wouldn't be strange for there to be other unknown secrets.
"Although I don't know why you wanted to see me, it's probably because there's something on me that you could make good use of," John said.
However, Jasminette understood very well that these words were not directed at her, but at her master.
If the younger generation of the Alliance could be controlled so easily, the Alliance's future would be doomed.
However, it was clear this person knew a great deal about him.
From the events at Star Cluster Academy until now, not much time had passed, yet they knew everything.
Or perhaps they had known all along what John was here for but had chosen not to reveal it.
"If you have such intentions, then you shouldn't just be saying it. You should show some sincerity," John remarked, looking at the floating bunch of grapes.
He quickly realized that this variety was not grown on this planet; it must have been brought from a far-off place.
This confirmed that this person had more power and resources than he had initially thought.
"I happen to know some things you want to know, so I believe we can mutually benefit from this. What do you think?" the voice suggested to John, who found it amusing.
"I don't think I have anything of value to trade with you. On the contrary, you possess many things I want to know. If I want to obtain these, it certainly means I'll have to pay a higher price," John replied, fully aware that there's no such thing as a free lunch.
Since the other party had already made this offer, it meant that John had something they wanted.
Knowing this, there was no need to say much more; having a general understanding was enough.
"Indeed, you're right. There are some things that only you can provide, and only you can give me the answers I seek," the owner of Rose Hotel said with a noticeably pleased tone.
The mist swirled, and John sharply noticed that Jasminette seemed very afraid, too scared to utter a word.
On the surface, she appeared the same as before, but in reality, her hands were trembling slightly.
It was clear that these people were truly terrified of this so-called master.
Otherwise, they wouldn't be this scared from just a single remark.
"Why don't you tell me what it is you want?" John asked, calmly observing the figure before him.
When both parties have something to offer, it creates the most stable cooperation.
The black mist swirled, clearly pleased.
"Then why don't you start by telling me about the fragment you obtained from Sophia Winchester?"