“We’re even now, at least on one account,” Midas said.

“Even?” I asked.

I was standing in his office, surrounded by marble busts of dead ancestors, gilded bookcases, mahogany furniture, vases, expensive looking wine bottles, and a large throne-like chair behind an impressive table that was covered in golden tools and accessories.

Midas, or more specifically, Midas III Pessinus, as he insisted on pointing out more than once, was sitting in said chair while I sat in a lower chair in front of him.

“I’m a man of honor,” Midas said, sipping on a glass of wine that he was courteous enough to also offer me. “You saved my life, so I saved yours.”

“You could have just testified in my defense during the trial,” I said twirling the wine in my glass and smelling its aroma.

“Why would I do such a thing when I had another option that also ensured you’d hold your end of our other bargain?”

“Ah, so that’s what this is for?” I said, lifting my leg to look at a steel bracelet with glowing writing around my left leg.

“The public service bracelet,” Midas nodded. “One step outside the city walls and your life force will start getting drained. A true symbol of who really runs the show around this place.”

“And that would be you?” I suggested, sipping on the wine. An interesting flavor.

“That would be the Dargos Trade Guild Corporation, currently headed by my father, Midas II Pessinus.”

“So you keep saying,” I said, sipping more of the wine. Mithuna’s alcohol was really growing on me. “Why is the son of the CEO running the show in an unimportant backwater like Ratia?”

Midas didn’t answer. He just stared at me, finished his wine and then proceeded to flip the glass he was drinking from to the floor.

“Apologies if I spoke out of my station,” I said. “We are rather frank and direct in clan Pua.”

“Enough pleasantries,” Midas said and rang a small bell on his desk.

A cute maid in an actual maid outfit hurried into the office.

“Clean this up,” Midas instructed her towards the broken glass. “And you.” He turned to me. “Show me.”

Well, if he was going to practically throw them at me.

My eyes met the maids as she passed me. I smiled and nodded at her.

She had sleek brown hair arranged into pigtails under her maid headpiece. She was quite tanned, far more so than any girl I’ve seen in Ratia, and by how much she struggled with gathering the glass, she clearly wasn’t hired for her maid skills.

No. She was hired for the very fine thighs and the D cup breasts. Also her innocent looking face. She was definitely Midas’ type.

Her skirt flipped up as she struggled to collect and rake in all the broken glass so that I could see a pair of fine cotton panties. Lacey ones too. At least Midas had good taste in uniform codes.

“All done, sir,” the maid said, rising to her feet, blushing slightly as she straightened her skirt.

“Leave us,” her master instructed.

She turned for the door, and our eyes met again.

I gave her another smile and nod.

She was still blushing and rushed for the door with her collected trash.

“So where are all those secr—“ Midas began but stopped mid-sentence as the maid hazarded a glance back towards me.

I responded with a wink.

It took her a second to come back to and realize her boss was staring. “A-anything else you need, sir?”

He shooed her out with his hand.

“How?” he asked as the door shut behind her. “You didn’t even say a single word!”

“I didn’t need to,” I said, sipping more of the wine.

“That bracelet prevents you from casting any magic, that maid was hired a week ago, from out of town so you couldn’t have met, and you didn’t even need to talk to her!” Midas said. “How?! A smile and a nod and she looks at you in a way she never looked at me!”

I finished the last of the wine. “The secrets of clan Pua are simple, yet powerful.”

“Show me!” Midas demanded. “Show me the secrets to a woman’s heart!”

I smiled and put down the glass.

It’s been a long while since I’ve personally coached anyone.

I stood up, cracking my knuckles and my neck.

This guy wasn’t a lost cause, he was just your run of the mill simp. But I didn’t have much time.

Midas will get the crash course on seduction.

A training montage.

“Get the fuck up!” I barked.