Rosenberg, in the outdoor area of the second roof floor of the hanging gardens.

The second roof floor was called the red floor. It wasn't hard to see why. You could see it from someone's tower near the complex.

Flowers like warm fire glowed under the midday sun on the parapet wall to the lower floor. They had only just begun to bloom and were already glowing with all their might, but the black dots in the fire made it look as if they were burning up on it. Matching to the appearance of the flowers it was named fire lily. It did not grow in Baele in the wild. They had been imported from Jena for the hanging gardens. They were not the only plants on this floor, nor were they the most striking.

On the wall to the upper floor were cross lattices in recessed shapes and at regular intervals. Flowers like blood drops adorned the strips like medals. Not a single strip was left untouched. There were as many flowers as there had to be to make it beautiful. It was supposed to look natural, but from some angles it looked systematic. You could only guess the latticework through the dense foliage. You guessed that black lattices held the greenery, but they were hidden from view. You could lift some of the leaves to check, but you had to be careful. This plant had thorns and their sting was more dangerous than you would think. These plants were climbing plants from Baele. They were cultivated plants without a name. It was something that would never grow on its own. There was an antidote, but it only existed in the hanging gardens, just like these plants.

Reyji Hayano stood casually leaning against the parapet wall to the second floor. Behind her back, there was a deep drop and she enjoyed the cool wind on the back of her neck and the scent of the flowers. Of course, Reyji wasn't just standing on the parapet to pass the time. She was at work. Her personal mistress Marah Von Rosenberg was not a second away from her.

Marah was sitting at her favorite spot at the garden table in the half-shade of a palm tree. In front of her was a fresh cup of tea and an empty ashtray. She waited with her hands in her lap and seemed relaxed. As long as she had enough tea and no one spoke to her, she was usually calm, but that could change quickly if either of those two things changed.

The last person present was the maid, Claire. She stood two steps away from the table and had a round silver tray in her hand. The way she pressed the tray firmly to her chest with her arm, the way she repeatedly tried to tuck the same strand of hair behind the same ear with the same hand movement, and the way her gaze kept jumping to the wooden gate, it was not hard to see that she was very nervous. Reyji didn't know any different from her. She always acted like this before she had to interact with guests and she would have to in a moment.

The guests were already on their way upstairs. A guard had just announced their arrival. It was a business proposition of great importance. Reyji knew that. She also knew what the offer was. Anyone who knew who the guests were could guess what the offer was, but they would all be wrong.

Reyji turned her arm without taking her hands out of her pockets to read the time from her wristwatch.

Less than a minute later, one side of the wooden gate opened. Two palace guards came marching out, leading two people into the outer area.

One person was a tall man in a rather ordinary suit. He had a briefcase with him. His hair already had a hint of gray. The man walked purposefully to the table without looking back. The other person was a young man who was about the end of puberty in terms of age. He was chubby and wore a fancy suit without a jacket, but with a vest and bow tie. The clothes looked a little as if his mother had picked them out for him. From the moment the boy stepped outside, his head was spinning in all directions as if it was his first time in a garden complex like this. He was certainly impressed, but it was still rude to stare at everything with his mouth open.

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The older man was Mr. Jens. He was the deputy director of the free banks. The boy was the replacement for the person who had wanted to come but was unexpectedly unable to attend, as Marah had expected. While the two of them were sitting at the table, the palace guards marched back inside and pulled the gate shut from the inside.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Von Rosenberg. I'm delighted that we were able to get an appointment with you at such short notice."

"The pleasure is all mine, although I am disappointed that Mr. Sternschreiber doesn't have time to visit me in person. Last time he made me laugh like no man ever has before. I think it's a shame that we couldn't build on that. Please tell him that the next time you see him."

~Did they get that?~

"Um, I'll remember it."

"And who is the boy?"

Mr. Jens took a step back and presented the boy with his arm outstretched as if he were trying to sell him.

"May I introduce Amadeus Sternschreiber, the son of the director of the Free Banks."

The boy took a wide step forward and puffed out his chest proudly.

He had the same name as his father, but not nearly the same presence. To Reyji, he somehow looked like a future conman.

"I also wish you a very good day, Mrs. Von Rosenberg. I've heard a lot of good things about you from my father."

Not even two minutes had passed since their arrival and Marah already shook her head for the first time. "I don't think so," she replied snappishly.

The boy froze, as if the words had been a blow to his jaw.

Marah ignored the boy. "Why not sit down first." she invited him to the table and made it seem as if it was directed exclusively at Mr. Jens.

The invitation was accompanied by a flowing hand gesture, which was also a signal to Claire to pull the chairs away from the table for the guests. However, by the time Claire had understood, so much time had passed that Reyji wanted to go himself. It was only when Claire noticed that Reyji was moving that she herself jerked into motion.

Claire went about her work so that Reyji could lean back against the balustrade and the guests could sit down.

Mr. Jena first placed his bag next to the chair and then took a seat. As he sat down, he undid the middle button of his jacket and then kept his hand in front of his stomach until he was seated, so that the jacket was open, the fabric was not raised at the shoulders and he continued to make a respectable impression. The chair was a little way from the table, but he still didn't slide any closer. His legs were parallel and straight. His hands were not on the table, but at least they were visible.

The boy also followed etiquette and opened the buttons of his vest, but Reyji had the impression that his reasoning was different. The way the vest was stretched, he had to undo the buttons, otherwise they might end up in the tea. The clothes were evidently a little too tight for his physique, which also spoke for the fact that his mother had picked them out. The boy scooted close to the table. His knees went apart. He put his right hand on the tabletop, but his left was where it shouldn't be.

Reyji naturally pays attention to how people behaved and wanted to appear. People couldn't help but make references to their thinking. It was necessary to intervene in time before someone could do something stupid. Mr. Jens was apparently less interested in how others behaved and wanted to appear, otherwise he would probably want to leave again.

Marah was considered to be down-to-earth, but she wasn't rooted to the ground. Perhaps it only went unnoticed because she was still more polite than others in such a high position? Mr. Sternschreiber would have brought it up immediately anyway. Perhaps Mr. Jens thought that as deputy he did not deserve the same respect? After the boy's introduction, he had rather hesitated a tiny moment before taking a step, so Reyji had the impression that he was avoiding conflict. That would be a welcome trait. Someone who could swallow his pride would be less work.

.../ End Part