金瓶梅第2部

It was Tycon's obligation.

He needed to test the girl-- to understand where her strengths lied.

Steeling his willpower, Tycon removed two thick ledgers from his bag and placed them onto the table. Tycon's golden eyes flashed a spark, meeting the ardent green-eyed gaze of the determined Sorina Capulet.

The woman laughed coldly, seizing upon Tycon's show of weakness. Her voice dripped with arrogance, "What are these, little lordling?"

"These, Miss Capulet… are Zindo Tavor's accounts from the past two fiscal periods."

Tycon pushed them gently forward. The young woman snatched them from the table impatiently and began thumbing through the pages, "Hm. Amateur work. But I can deal with at least this."

Tycon steeled his courage and slammed his hands on the table, "The accounts! How would you present them?"

The woman merely raised an eyebrow at Tycon's violent demand. Slowly, she leaned back, crossing one long leg seductively over the other. Raising her delicate hand, she revealed three fingers.

"Three parts, Sir Tycon...

"The Balance Sheet: Guild Invictus' assets and liabilities. The Income Statement: Our revenue and expenses. And The Coin Flow Statement: The revenue and expenses from operation, investment, and financing. These three financial reports together at the very minimum will give clear financial understanding of the Guild."

Tycon recoiled in shock at Sorina's clear and concise answer, "This-- this…"

Seldin Korr blinked several times, glancing back and forth at the two, "Excuse me. What's… what's going on?"

Tycon and Sorina looked over, realizing they had overdramatized their interview. The two calmly retook their seats, sitting normally.

"Your answers were very good, Miss Capulet."

"Thank you, Sir Tycon."

"Now, Miss Capulet, you are aware that we are traveling to the Icehorn Mountains."

"That's right, Sir."

"What would you pack in an adventuring kit? Both I and Miss Korr will be judging your answer."

Seldin nodded, crossing her arms and waiting silently. Sorina rested her head on her tiny fist, thinking seriously.

After some deliberation, her tiny voice squeaked, "Um... extra undergarments?"

Tycon shared an incredulous look with Seldin.

"A book? A... walking stick?" Sorina added.

After about a dozen answers, Tycon raised his hand for the Calculator to stop. Each answer suggested a vacation trip to a trade city rather than a dangerous trek into unexplored wilds. Seldin had already closed her eyes, distancing herself from the world.

"Miss Capulet," Tycon massaged the bridge of his nose.

"Yes, Sir?" Sorina perked up, her fists clenched together in front of her chest.

"I have found the difference between your financial expertise and substandard adventuring knowledge to be... tragic, at best."

Sorina's face fell, "A-aww… But… what does Miss Seldin think?"

Seldin opened her one good eye, "Don't talk to me right now."

"O... oh."

Tycon sighed, "Miss Capulet, really. Is it your wish to go out and adventure or would you rather stay in Nice and earn fat sacks of coin?"

Sorina plopped her chin on the table, rolling her head cutely left and right, "It's so difficult to make money, though... we'll need capital, connections... I don't even know where House Charm--"

Tycon plopped a third book onto the table, "Baron's journal. Inside is the combination-code to his safe. Contained within is a list of his business contacts and the deeds to quite possibly all his properties."

Sorina gripped the journal to her chest, "When will you be leaving, Sir?"

Tycon glanced down at the table-- he hadn't seen when she had taken the book.

...His perceptive abilities were very good. He was literally a snake. How could... what?

Guard Captain Varen kicked the door open.

"Now wait JUST A MOMENT! MY LITTLE NIECE CAN'T HANDLE THE RESPONSERBILLERTY!!"

Seldin looked over to Tycon. Tycon whispered, "Brain damage" under his breath. Seldin nodded, pouting sadly.

Varen began to shout, tears formed shamelessly upon his cheeks, "I've watched you grow up, you're still just a little girl! Tell the Baron you're not ready!"

"Fufufufu," the young woman laughed as she arrogantly slammed a small white rectangle on the table, leaving a finger pointed down upon it. "Oh, Uncle Varen… I'm not the same little girl I was all those years ago. You have no idea what you've done..."

"You're bluffing, girl! Just--" Finally, Guard Captain Varen felt that something was wrong. He began to sweat, breathing heavily. His knees began to buckle from the pressure, "W-wait, what's this? What's happening?!"

"Uncle Varen," Sorina's taunting voice crescendoed to a fierce, domineering shout. She flipped the white card on the table, "You've ACTIVATED MY BUSINESS CARD!"

...

Tycon had taken Seldin by the hand and led her out of the room. He closed the doors behind them as he breathed a sigh of relief.

The Calculator Class was terrifying, almost as terrifying as--

Tycon glanced over to Seldin Korr, the Berserk Knight. She was absentmindedly staring at her fingers.

"Is everything alright, Miss Korr?" Tycon asked.

The woman continued to stare in a daze.

Tycon shrugged. He still had more paperwork to deal with, examining servant and renewing servant contracts, and dealing with Zindo's accounts. He chose to escape before he became embroiled with something else troublesome.

...

The humans knocked loudly at the door to Tycon's room.

He grumbled to himself as he left the warmth and comfort of his bed. It was the middle of the night, and just because someone else couldn't sleep, didn't mean that he should be bothered.

"Baron Tycondrius? Are you awake?" Asked a muffled voice from behind the wooden barrier.

Tycon opened the door, seeing over a dozen people huddled in the hallway holding candles, including Bucket, Collette, and Pascale. The representative they had elected to knock on the door was... an especially-terrified Barza.

"By the gods, Barza Keith, what do you want?"

"C-can't you hear it, Sir?"

Tycon stared blankly at the man, pursing his lips. An anguished wail resonated throughout the manor.

The servants, mostly female, huddled together, some of them yelping in surprise-- Tycon and Bucket winced at the harsh noise.

"The ghosts of everyone the Baron had killed!" "No, it's the Tavor ancestors-- they've grown angry!" the crowd murmured.

Bucket was trying his best to look brave. He held Barza's hand and patted his arm, "It's okay, Mister Barza. Ghosts aren't real."

Some of the more cowardly servants began to calm down, hearing the boy's bravery. Tycon decided not to correct him.

With a deep sigh, he said, "Fine, fine. Go back to your rooms, all of you… I know how to deal with the issue."

The crowd breathed sighs of relief. "Oh, I knew Sir Tycon would have a solution." "Oh, he's so dreamy." "I'm not actually afraid of ghosts, I just wanted to see Sir Tycon in his nightgown."

Tycon judiciously buttoned up the front of his top.

The servants began to disperse, and even though Barza wanted to leave, Bucket had resolutely held onto his hand.

Tycon raised an eyebrow, "Is there something else, young man?"

"I... I want to help you, Sir... fight the ghost."

Tycon nodded in pleasant surprise. It seemed that the boy knew that ghosts were real, but spoke aloud to allay the servants' fears. The boy was more clever than he'd initially estimated.

"That's very noble of you, young man. However, I am confident in... negotiating with your ghost. I will call upon you if necessary."

The boy tried to reply but failed to stifle a yawn. "Okay, Sir Tycon."

"Mister Barza."

"Y-yes, Boss?"

Tycon crossed his arms and stared in annoyance. He was fully awake and unhappy about it, "Why didn't you offer to assist me?"

"I uh.. Err... I figured you had it, Sir Tycon? Boss? ...My lord?"

Tycon closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

"Go." Tycon waved them away, "Tuck the boy into bed."

"Ah… Alright, Boss. You can count on--"

"Juuuusst go," Tycon urged firmly.

Barza rushed off, carrying Bucket in a princess-carry. Tycon looked down the dark western hallway. With the stars shining through the windows, his eyes saw the hallways as clear as in the day.

And so, with a reluctant heart, he began to walk towards the source of the noise: Seldin Korr's bedroom.