Upon hearing Lothur's question, Viktoria immediately answered what she knew. "I can't tell you what each part of this competition will be like since that will be announced on Tuesday morning by the provincial government."
"But it is likely that you will have to participate in the combat phase, or at least some kind of debate or comprehension competition." She seriously said, looking into his eyes. "My mother will probably try to force your participation that relies less on your physical abilities. But there are no guarantees."
"Oh?" He looked at Viktoria in surprise since this was the first time he had heard anything good from Mabel regarding him. 'Hmm, it must be for the sake of the family...'
Viktoria then approached him and helped him button his shirt. "Don't worry. You don't have to perform well. Just be there to participate and make your presence felt. Leave the rest to the family."
"Really? You might be surprised at my performance, dear..." He winked at her, bringing his lips closer to her left ear. "There are more things I'm good at besides making you feel good."
Gulp!
She did not know what to make of that sentence of his, but considering her lack of knowledge regarding Lothur, Viktoria considered that such talents of his referred to his ability with women.
She looked at him calmly. 'As long as you can help me feel better, that will help a lot...'
'I had a much more effective training session this afternoon. But the only thing different I've done recently is to be with you.' She squeezed his muscles while she had already finished helping him get dressed. 'He strangely knew my weakness better than I did...'
'Impressive!'
"Lothur, just attend the competition, follow the family's instructions, and be careful of people outside our organization. If you do that, everything should be fine."
"At worst, I will help you." She kissed his lips.
"I'm counting on it, dear." Lothur smiled without saying much.
He wanted to use his progress to shock Viktoria during this competition and maybe change her view of him to bring them closer together. But even though he did not need that anymore, he wanted to surprise her at this event.
Anyway, after the two finished talking, Viktoria went to her residence to train, something she eagerly wanted to do to get tired and go to bed. As for Lothur, he escaped from the Frost estate and went directly to the Becker family home.
...
Meanwhile, in a small room in the servants' area of the Frost estate...
Three people were gathered there, among them two men, one of them being someone dressed as a servant and the other as a nobleman. As for the third person, she was a woman dressed as a housemaid.
"I guess we can consider Elise dead at this point, right?" The woman asked as she saw the solemn expressions of her companions.
"That must be the case." The nobly dressed individual said. "I heard that Kai's rats discovered some evidence in Lewerenz..."
"How did that happen? Wasn't she just after a young man unable to cultivate?" The third individual there inquired.
"I don't know. But considering that Lothur is alive and she hasn't reported back until now, there's no reason why we should think she survived." The nobleman said.
,m "Damn!"
"If that's true, the boss will be pissed! I heard that he had some plans for her..."
After hearing the speech of her comrade, who was also posing as a servant in this place, the woman there said. "In any case, we must hurry our action and take the power of this family. When do you think we can take the big step?"
The nobleman thought for a while and said. "I already have everything planned. We will continue to stay below the radar for the next few weeks. But when the Secret Realm starts, we will make our move!"
"Secret Realm?" The man dressed as a servant asked in doubt.
The woman then asked. "You want to act when Viktoria is not around. Is that it?"
"That is the case. Viktoria is not yet strong, but her influence is already big enough to hinder our action. So, we'd better act when part of the core of that family is divided."
"Here's what we'll do..."
...
As that plot developed, Lothur arrived in front of the Becker estate, where this time, he went straight through the entrance gate without hiding.
"Hey! Hey, you there!" One of the guards there quickly walked towards Lothur, ready to stop this young man who seemed to want to enter this place.
Lothur looked in the direction of that person he had fooled for days and took out the item that Gomeric had given him earlier. "I am here to speak with the patriarch. I have serious matters to deal with him."
"The patriarch?" That individual looked at Lothur and the other guards in the vicinity.
But since they all realized that the item held by Lothur was authentic, none of them were rude.
"All right, I will escort you there." Then, as another guard ran to warn Gomeric about this special visit, the person from earlier said.
...
"What? A silver-haired young man? Lothur?" The patriarch rose from his armchair in surprise as he looked at his subordinate.
"He must be here to do business ..." Hilda commented, not thinking that young man would have the audacity to come like that to go have fun with Elke. 'Speaking of which, I have to reinforce the security of this place.'
'Lothur is showing us that there are weaknesses in our property!'
While she had these thoughts in mind, Hilda followed Gomeric until the two came across the silver-haired young man.
At the same time, Elke, who had already been warned by one of her handmaidens about Lothur's visit, rushed to that place to see the situation.
"Lothur, what is the reason for your visit? Do you have something on your mind?" Gomeric looked at that 'harmless' young man, curious.
"Hmm, patriarch, it's about that glove we talked about earlier. I have talked to my partners, and they authorized me to trade such a thing as I wish." Lothur bluntly said.
"In addition, I already have a new design for an even more efficient glove and the price for producing it."
"Oh?" Patriarch Becker smiled as he saw his daughter hugging one of Lothur's arms.
"Lothur, have you already made it?" The young redhead asked in an excited tone. "It was faster than I had imagined!"
"Yes, I was lucky enough to find new materials and develop a new design for this item." He commented as Elke's father directed him into the interior of that residence.
After they sat around a business table, with Elke on his left side and her parents on the other side, Lothur heard from his mother-in-law. "Before we talk numbers, tell me something. What do you seek in this business? Selling gloves? Or something different?"
Lothur looked into the eyes of that woman who had caught him in the act with Elke. "Madam, I desire a royalty contract with the Becker House."
"I will pass on the glove design to you, and your responsibility will be to produce and market it. Eventually, every glove produced will have a slice belonging to me.
"My initial ask will be 40% of the profits for 200 years." He gestured as he smiled at those two.
"40%? 200 years?" The two looked at each other, interested in how Lothur was negotiating.
...