"So exactly what do you know about this city?" Lyren asked after a momentary silence. Claire looked at Lyren with a flirtatious smile as she leaned her chin on her palms supported by the elbows on the table.
"It depends on what kind of information is common knowledge but some information come with a premium package."
Claire's words did not require any explanation for Lyren to understand that she could tell him about the city but only the common knowledge for free.
If he wanted real events, he was going to have to pay for it.
This did not come as much of a surprise and he was certain that she had information that was not just common knowledge.
He pretended to be in contemplation and after a while he asked his first question. He was not that much in need for common knowledge if he could learn it with time.
He needed some big secrets…
"So, about the academy entrance exams. I hear that there are several interesting characters…"
Lyren started with his hands on the table just like hers. The only difference being that his fingers were intertwined in front of his face.
"You really are sharp to pick that off on your first day. But you know… this information can't go out for free…"
She did not try beating around the bush but she wanted Lyren to ask for the price but he was just looking at her as though he was not going to ask.
"So, what are your rates?" Lyren finally asked and a smile bloomed on her face in the dusk lit environment.
Lyren swallowed hard when he saw her reply. She was not saying it out loud but holding out her right hand showing five fingers.
"Four copper coins? Fifty? Five hundred?"
Lyren asked but she kept shaking her head and he could not help but feel he was about to get extorted but he gritted his teeth as he asked.
"Five silver coins?"
And then she nodded. Lyren had started that low so that he could not appear to be throwing away money. Had he started at five silver coins, she might have raised it up to fifty.
Lyren reached for a pouch from the two guards and removed five silver coins and placed them on the table.
She smiled as her fingers caressed the silver and then she put it away somewhere in her medium sized breasts.
He looked away and her chuckle came to is ears but he did not let it affect him and when he looked at her again, he was serious implying she should start.
"I can't stat on an empty stomach. I will serve us food and then I will tell you about it over a meal."
Lyren wanted to argue but he heard churning in his stomach and he let her serve the food. He could not help but wonder why it felt like he had gotten married.
Why was she serving herself too? Was she trying to freelance on him and also extort him?
This thought made him chuckle but he had already paid for the week's stay here. Everything else was on the hotel.
She was diligent in her task and she was done serving in no time. She also lit the chandelier and the room lit up and they talked for over an hour and they had even stopped eating.
Claire did most of the talking and Lyren only asked for clarification.
Her information was mixed with some general knowledge and this helped Lyren get a clear view of what the city played out to be.
When she was done, he felt that his coins had not gone to waste and after they finished eating, she cleared the table and took the utensils away.
Lyren was now thinking of his next move. From her information, there were five protégés this year and even before joining the academy, they had already reached the third stage.
This was the reason those guys in the hotel had said that they were going to surpass Sera and Even Claire said that their talent was just like Sera's if not greater.
He thought differently about this though. He had dealt with Sera and she was not a push over.
She showed more wasted talent as though the academy was holding her back. He could tell that she was ambitious to get stronger and when the academy could not offer her more chances to advance, she was going to leave.
He had asked about leaving the academy and it was clear from Claire that it was possible but that was only if you showed greater talent.
If the academy realized your potential, they would prepare you to leave and when he heard that, he realized it was what Sera was after.
His thoughts went back to his training.
He was not training to join the academy to begin with. His cultivation alone was enough to have him taken in as an inner disciple immediately.
He was joining the academy because it provided a suitable cultivation environment and it also had basic information that he required.
Some things were hard for him because he did not know the basics.
The hollow grip was a perfect example for this. He was sure that he could have found it in the academy but it could have taken him a longer time.
This was a reason enough to be grateful to Claire. He had taken a huge leap forward and he was much closer to learning the first sword than he ever was.
His thoughts were suddenly interrupted as he thought of Claire. Was she going to insist on staying the night?
That was unacceptable and if she was, the hotel might as well return his money to him. He had chosen the VVIP room because of privacy. If he could not get that at night, he was going to leave the next day.
"Young Master, if there is nothing else, I will be wishing you a good night and take my leave," Claire said with a bow as she left.
Lyren wanted to berate her but he let it slide. Maybe she was being watched…
He followed after her and closed the door with her unaware and just when he was about to head back, he paused.
"How much have you gotten from the kid today?"
"He is not an easy one and I was lucky to be able to get five silvers from him."
"Foolish girl! Are you unable to seduce a thirteen years old kid? I never thought that you would be the one making complaints here. How many times have you wrung money from those old bastards?
"You know we have given him the VVIP room for a week and we can't suffer losses. You must make sure that you earn at least one hundred from him."
"It is not that easy but I will try. Excuse me."
Lyren listened and he realized that he was right. They really were after his silver.
So, all those times she tried to get intimate with him was a path she was trying to create in order to have him start throwing money at her…
He was about to head back when he heard a knock on the door and he was not surprised.
He waited a few seconds before opening the door and he was greeted by a grinning familiar face. The same waiter who had brought him here. Lyren now thought that this waiter was even more mysterious than Claire.
Why was he acting like a waiter while he had actually possessed dominance when speaking with Claire?
This question, he pushed it to the back of his mind as he also put on a smile when he saw the waiter. His smile though was an amused one...