"Henry, buy Leona whatever she pokes her beak at," I told Henry and tossed him a pouch of coins.

"Peep!"

Leona chirped happily.

You're really trying to get on my good side, aren't you?

We had just exited the carriage and were in front of the Ashford Bakery. The morning rush had ended, but the afternoon lunch rush was in full swing. The scent of rich, buttery pastries and hearty loaves of rye bread wafted from the bakery, beckoning passersby inside with its enticing aromas.

Henry blinked in surprise.

"I—I'm sorry? You mean the bird?" he asked.

"Obviously. Do you see anyone else with a beak?" I replied.

"Well, no," Henry said.

"Exactly," I said. "I'll be inside and will meet you back here once I'm done."

"Peep!"

Leona fluttered atop Henry's shoulder, and he got in line.

I entered the bakery and gazed up at the tall ceilings. This time around, they were covered in hanging, colorful round lanterns and greenery. I walked to the booth with a smiling young man in a green vest.

"Hello, welcome! How may I serve you today?" he asked. "If you want to purchase baked goods, the line is outside."

"I'd like the special menu, please," I said. "Preferably now."

The young man looked down at his sheet and grimaced.

"My lady is, unfortunately—"

I slid over a golden coin before he could finish providing an unfavorable response.

"—having lunch, but she would be happy to see you." He smiled and motioned for me to follow him. "I will seat you out back."

He led me through a short hallway and into the small courtyard surrounded by buildings on all sides. Bright sunlight peeked through the delicate purple petals hanging overhead, forming a natural canopy over the table where Natalia sat. At the same time, the branches swayed softly in the breeze. The scent of the wisteria and freshly baked goods mingled in the air, creating a rather enhancing setting.

My stomach grumbled. I realized that I still needed to have lunch myself.

"Could you also bring me a sandwich–whatever is popular–and a cup of tea?" I asked the young man.

"Most certainly," he told me before raising his voice to announce my presence. "Natalia Ashford, I have Luca Frey to see you."

"In the middle of lunch?—oh very well, bring him in," Natalia's called out, clearly amid eating, from behind the hanging wisteria.

"Your special menu." The young man sat me across from Natalia.

Natalia chewed her food with her right hand covering her mouth, revealing a set of long, lavender-lacquered nails. Her eyes twinkled in amusement.

"Well, then, Luca Frey. What do I owe the pleasure?" she asked after swallowing her food.

"I'm looking for gossip regarding the Genuiver Duchy," I said. "And especially anything on Anastasia Genuiver that portrays her in a negative light."

"Oho. Well, I have some intriguing tea to spill on her that only came in just before you arrived." Natalia reached over with her hand and tapped the menu before me. "If you wish to hear it, it'll cost you five hundred gold Duex coins."

I raised a brow at the astronomical cost but placed a phoenix eye gemstone between us.

"It must be some really good gossip for such a price," I said. "I expect the remaining five hundred gold Duex coins in credit."

"Of course," Natalia replied, sliding the gemstone across the table to herself.

I could have traded gossip for gossip, as in previous rounds, but decided to spend money instead. Gossip in the wrong hands was a dangerous dagger. Moreover, it had become clear to me that Natalia's buyers weren't necessarily interested in justice being served, given how he appeared unaffected after alerting Natalia of Lord Blanche's crimes.

Besides, with the rest of my winnings that The Gilded Siren delivered yesterday, there was little point in being stingy. I was very comfortably well off, and once I invested in some shovels, I would really start raking in the profits.

Natalia glanced up and smiled. "And it appears your food and tea are here in time to hear the juicy intrigue."

"Hello, Luca Frey?" A plump woman came over with a tray of food and tea. "Here is your order."

She set down my sandwich with fresh rye bread and served me black tea that smelled of plums.

"It's on the house," Natalia said.

It had better be, given how much I'm spending.

I picked up the porcelain cup and inhaled the rich fragrance. I smirked, recognizing it to be one that my family smuggled out of the chaotic Kingdom of Laupia.

Natalia waited for the plump woman to leave before leaning over the table with her chin resting in her hands.

"Have you heard of the Lineage Act of 740?" she asked.

"No, I can't say that I have," I admitted and took a sip of my tea.

"Well, it's a bill recently introduced by Lord Trevor Cavendish and is being discussed within the Adovorian Parliament," Natalia explained. "It was designed to regulate the marriages of those reigning from nobility and those of well-off means, but without any titles."

I frowned at this and set down my cup.

"Regulate marriage? Is this something that would affect my brother and Princess Evelyn?" I asked.

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

At the very least, Micah and Princess Evelyn didn't show any concern about their engagement failing because of such a bill. But, of course, they had also died in prior rounds, so their lack of concern wasn't much of a compass.

"Perhaps." Natalia shrugged. "It depends on if it actually passes. And even if it does, it depends on the types of amendments made to it during deliberation. Sometimes bills don't look anything like they start out as."

I sighed, biting into my rye sandwich with cheese and thickly sliced beef. I felt my head pulse. I hated politics and their accompanying minefields. Even when I became head of the Frey Merchant Guild in my original life, I tried to avoid it as much as possible. I usually relied on Charles to inform me about the political landscape and help me make decisions.

But perhaps if I was better about staying informed myself, the Frey Merchant Guild may have fared better, navigating the various regulations that came about.

I rubbed my temples, trying to soothe my headache.

Am I going to have to stay on top of what is happening in the political arena now that I'm going to be head of the Frey Merchant Guild again?

"What does it have to do with Anastasia Genuiver, though?" I looked up into Natalia's eyes.

"Everything," Natalia replied with a smirk and sipped her tea. "See, I have it on good authority that Anastasia Genuiver bribed several parliament members to vote against the bill."

"Isn't bribery standard practice in the Adovorian Parliament?" I asked.

It was so common place that little was done to even cover up just how bad it was. A lavish ball would be hosted by a noble and a forty-carat emerald necklace would be gifted in front of all attendees to a parliament member's wife. Then, lo and behold, the wife's partner in parliament would pass a bill that would be advantageous to the very generous noble.

Natalia grinned.

"Indeed, "she replied. "And that's why this particular case is so fascinating. See, Anastasia Genuiver is allied with the faction currently supporting Princess Naomi's ascent to the throne. So by all accounts, she should have been an unwavering proponent for a bill that would thwart Princess Evelyn's marriage to your brother."

I continued to eat my sandwich while Natalia continued to clue me in.

"Moreover, she made the bribes out subtly without the usual extravagance that nobility awards their favored politicians in Adovoria."

I still didn't understand the significance, however. Nor why this piece of information cost me half a phoenix eye.

"Why would she do that?" I asked, hoping for the mystery to be undone.

A sly grin grew across Natalia's face. "See, because such a bill might affect her as well."

I raised a brow. "Don't tell me she has a secret lover?"

As far as I knew of the future, Anastasia Genuiver had no such thing. If anything, she had many lovers, none remotely serious or secret, so it was hardly scandalous and deemed normal for her.

"Nope," Natalia replied. "But you are getting warmer. It's Anastasia Genuiver herself. There have always been jokes that she wasn't born of the Duke and was conceived through the help of another; I mean, the Duke was well into his late sixties when she was born. Of course, these were baseless rumors and hardly worthy of my attention. However, her involvement in this bill has caused me to re-evaluate the gossip surrounding her legitimacy and believe it to be true."

"That would certainly be problematic," I smirked and took a sip of my tea.

I now had some very damning information against Duncan's most significant obstacle in regaining his foothold as the original firstborn heir.

Now I just need to provide him with a ladder to climb himself out of the wreck that his own reputation is.

"For my next question—

"Ah, I'm afraid that's all the time I have," Natalia interrupted. "I can see Carlos is signaling that my next appointment is here. And I'm afraid it's not one I can miss."

Tch.

"Well, in that case, I won't hold you any longer." I downed the remainder of my tea. "But I do have one request, at the price of five hundred gold Duex coins."

Natalia's eyes twinkled at this, and she raised her palm for Carlos to wait a moment.

"Oho? And just what may your request be?" she asked.

"You specialize in collecting gossip, but what about circulating it?" I asked.

Natalia's smile widened, and she flipped my menu over with even more menu items listed.

"As long as there's some truth to it, I am more than happy to circulate juicy intrigue," she replied.

I nodded at this, knowing this to be the case already. It was how she had gotten herself killed in my original life.

"I'm looking for any gossip that might benefit Duncan Genuiver and help with his public perception," I said.

Natalia chuckled. "That's a tall ask, but for five hundred gold, I am more than happy to send my butterflies out to see what opportunities there might be worth spreading."

"Thank you," I said and rose from my seat.

"As a free piece of advice, you should create a positive buzz to spread yourself. There's only so much I can do if there's nothing sticky and worthwhile to spread." Natalia said. "Do come by again Luca Frey! And I'll be in touch regarding Duncan's image."

"If you plan on sending any letters, I'll be in the Town of Ascot the next couple of days staying with my grandmother," I said.

"Oho! Well, do inform her ahead of time to expect communication from me and to please not shoot down any of my doves," Natalia said.

She waved her hand in a goodbye, and I followed Carlos out.

I looked about for Natalia's next appointment but didn't see anyone nearby.

Strange. I was hoping to get insight into who else might be utilizing Natalia's services.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Natalia watched as Carlos, her longtime assistant, sat across from her with a sly grin on his face. It was quite the contrast to the expression he gave all her clients.

She shivered.

I can never get used to his contrasting personality.

"That was an eventful morning," Carlos said, slicking back his black hair.

Natalia reached over and poured herself more tea.

"Indeed, it was. I assume you were paid extra to interrupt my lunch?" Natalia asked.

Carlos nodded and slid a gold coin to her. "I had a hunch that what Luca had to say might have been worth the trouble. Was he?"

Natalia picked up the coin and twirled it between her fingers.

"Your hunch was right, but you're going to need more than this for the insight that I have to share on him," Natalia said and pocketed the coin.

Carlos raised an eyebrow. "More than for what that Genuiver maid had to offer?"

Natalia's smile widened.

"Realy now?" Carlos chuckled. "Well, price is of no matter. You know how Lady Agnese Hensley is. She is more interested in being the first to know the juiciest gossip than how much it'll cost her."

Natalia nodded. Lady Agnese Hensley had been her first client when she was just a youngster running about her parents' bakery and sharing gossip for cash. She had remained her biggest client to this day, albeit never coming to see her personally apart from that first time.

"Luca Frey and Anastasia Genuiver's maid aside, any other of my clients that caught your eye?" Natalia asked.

"Blythe of the Hogshead Syndicate came by—" Carlos began.

Natalia pulled up her dress to reveal a new runic tattoo on her ankle.

"That's a shame," Carlos said and crossed his arms.

Natalia laughed. "For you and dear Lady Agnese Hensley, but certainly not for my pockets."

Carlos leaned back in his chair. "I guess Blythe 'The Menace' Calabrese is smarter than he looks, but if he weren't, he wouldn't have been able to expand his business so considerably and quickly after his sister's passing."

Natalia picked up her cup of tea and smiled.

She had no intention of revealing anything more to Carlos regarding Blythe and risking her life. Runic tattoos were notoriously dangerous. Accidental deaths often happened, especially since few underground artisans knew how to implement them correctly.

I don't know how Kathy does it with so many of them.

While an effective gag order, they weren't widespread. They were made illegal three centuries ago in Adovoria and most of the continent, being allowed only in specific use cases. The penalties were severe enough that no noble cared to bother with them and even the lowest of servants typically preferred to quit their jobs than run the risk of a runic tattoo activating. Only one syndicate was famous for gagging all of their subordinates with it. However, unlike a lowly servant or a shackled subordinate, Natalia was paid extremely handsomely to undergo such dangerous treatment.

The biggest gossip I can't share with anyone is how in the world Blythe Calabrese even managed to afford me to agree to undergo such a treatment.

"Well, in that case, only Luca and Genuiver's maid it is," Carlos said. "What dirt did you learn in conversation with them? Start with Luca. I'm intrigued."

Natalia let her chin rest in her hands and leaned over toward Carlos.

"I'm sure you've heard rumors of how Chase Daylan has changed overnight?" Natalia asked.

Carlos nodded. "He's really stirring up his supports as of this morning."

"It appears that Luca Frey, after three months of seclusion, has come out and looking to stir some waves as well. In particular, he appears to be backing Duncan Genuiver to regain control of his duchy and is willing to spend a fortune while at it."

"Interesting." Carlos poured himself a cup of tea. "But that's a tall order. Duncan Genuiver's reputation is in shambles."

Natalia smiled. "And that's where the Genuiver maid comes in."