Chapter 8: A Better Understanding

Eina exited the bedroom, taking small, hesitant steps towards the house on the other side of the yard. The distance wasn't far, she walked with what looked to be a determined look, but the servant girls noticed the slight tremors as she walked.

Although they guessed that this new 'master' of theirs was a coward, but the other girl seemed to be protecting her. They didn't know why, but they knew that they shouldn't get on the indifferent girl's bad side. She didn't look like a kind master.

Eina followed the path to Rose's house, seeing the servant girl standing there, she asked in a low voice, "Is Rose busy?"

The servant girl replied with a well trained smile, "Miss Rose said that when you came, you could just enter at will, Miss Lily".

"Thank you" Eina whispered, bypassing the servant girl.

Entering the bedroom, she saw Rose sitting at a table drinking tea. The child sat there drinking tea with an elegant demeanour. No matter how Eina looked at it, this wasn't what a child should be capable of.

'No matter' she thought, 'How am I any different?'

Eina put away her timidness, straightening her back and walking to the other chair, sitting down lazily, as if this was her home.

Rose glanced at Eina, and then returned to drinking her tea quietly.

The room returned to silence, with neither of them speaking. Eina didn't mind, she came here to figure out the terms of cooperation from this new-found partner of hers. But if this was to be a battle of wills, then the terms could wait.

Until dinner was served, the two of them still hadn't spoken. Eina naturally ate with Rose. She didn't want to give the girls over there any chance to play tricks.

After dinner, the two went and bathed separately. Eina had only a little bit of care for hygiene. She would bathe everyday if she could, but on many missions in her previous life, that just wasn't an option. Now feeling fresh, dressed in clean clothes, Eina was completely reinvigorated.

Rose sent away the servant girls with a wave, and walked to the soft couch by the brazier. Enjoying the heat emanating from the anthracite, she finally looked at Eina.

"What is your plan?" Rose asked plainly.

Eina saw that this girl had finally asked. Knowing that this was Rose's way of bowing her head, Eina wouldn't be conceited, she chose to give out a vague idea, "I think I want to stay here for a while. This is a good place to grow up, with at least no monetary worries. Probably safer than living outside too".

Rose pondered what Eina said, before replying, "Yes, this place is definitely safer than outside. But you must know what they will be expecting of us in exchange for such a 'blessed' upbringing".

Eina chuckled "Don't worry, I'm well aware. But what would that have to do with me?"

Rose thought of the booklet she had seen Eina steal, however she shook her head "Don't be so overconfident. Did you notice something when going to see the madam today?"

"You're talking about those people hiding in the shadows? Or the warrior lover of hers?" Eina returned the question.

Rose showed a subtle change in her expression, reflecting on her previous bias, 'It seems I underestimated her'. She nodded her head "Then you have preparations in mind for how to deal with them?"

Eina waved her hand nonchalantly, "When the time comes, just kill them".

Rose was dumbfounded by the answer, 'Was this girl too arrogant?' she mused. "What about the brothels backing?".

"Who's backing it?" Eina asked, showing no signs of worry.

"The second Prince" Rose said in response.

Eina felt this girl was trying to embarrass her. Even if she wasn't a child, couldn't Rose see from her demeanour, that she wasn't a noble born girl? How could she know the various parties in officialdom? Eina sighed with a resigned expression, "Should I be worried about the second prince?"

Rose was confused for a moment, then understood what Eina meant. She had known the girl in front of her wasn't simple, so she subconsciously assumed that the two of them had gone through similar events, which led them here. But looking back, Rose knew she was wrong. Eina never held herself with a noble demeanour, in fact she seemed quite unrestrained. With the lack of fear towards the martial warrior beside the madam, or the shadow guards in hiding, Rose guessed that she might be from the rivers and lakes. A chivalrous warrior that walks the world wherever she pleases. She probably wasn't a righteous person though, more like a wanton devil.

She suppressed the smile that appeared, and continued to explain the situation.

Eina was bored while listening to the various intricate relationships of the top level in officialdom. However she did receive some useful information from it. The brothel they were currently in was southward from the capital city.

Apparently the country was currently ruled by the Ding royal family. The Emperor was in his early forties, and he already had a multitude of children. A total of nine sons and twelve princesses. The princesses aside. The nine sons ranged in age from their early twenties all the way to just a few months old.

Naturally like any monarchy, the prince's are all vying for the throne. However their father, who fought on the battlefield when he was young, was still in good health, so they couldn't be too blatant with their accumulation of power, just in case they tipped the emperors inverse scale. After all, which father would be at peace knowing their own sons were coveting the seat that was under him? A seat usually inherited after the death of the person that was previously sitting on it.

Eina didn't care about the fight for the throne, but the brothel had another purpose, apart from the obvious. It was a perfect information collection centre. With brothels littering every town and city from west to east, north to south and everywhere in between. It has become a powerful asset to the people that control such places.

The second Prince that Rose mentioned was the son of the noble concubine Rui. She as the eldest daughter of prime minister Rui, who was in charge of the civil ministers, had ample ability to support her son to fight for the throne.

Eina had a headache thinking of the rest of the parties involved in the power struggle. She didn't think she had anything to worry about. Her and Rose were only seven at most, physically at least. The fight for the throne has already begun, what does it have to do with them, who wouldn't need to escape for ten years?

And if the second prince hasn't won the throne after those ten years, then Eina will scoff at his abilities. What should she fear about a loser that can't even snatch a chair with all the advantages he has?