"Home, sweet home! Welcome to my humble establishment, ladies."

The four ladies descended from the carriage bearing the De Clare insignia, three of them wearing exquisite night dresses while the last of them was wearing a normal gown.

"I can't believe you haven't invited me here before." Edith said as she stepped towards Vivian's ViTech building.

"That's not my fault. My friends can just pop up any time. Invitations are for strangers." Vivian replied and stepped forward to the gate before knocking a few times in a specific manner.

A few seconds later, the metal gate of the building was partially opened and a hoarse voice spoke up.

"Welcome back, Director."

An elderly man appeared behind the gate and greeted Vivian before looking at the ladies behind her and clearing the way inside.

"Mr. Harper, my friends and I are here for some private conversation. Please, don't let anyone know we are here."

"But you are without security, Director." The old man said, "Sir Logan has clear instructions to contact him if this happens."

"Contact him then. It will take some time before he arrives anyway." Vivian shrugged before looking at the other three, "Let's go in, ladies. The night is still young."

Edith and Isabella were about to step forward but seeing how Matilda wasn't willing to move, they all looked towards her and then looked at Vivian.

"Did you feel excluded when I said ladies?" Vivian asked.

"I am sorry, I shouldn't be here." Matilda wanted to back away but Isabella stopped her by her hand.

"Don't worry. Vivian doesn't eat little kids as it was rumored." She said.

"There was a rumor like that?" Edith asked only for Isabella to roll her eyes.

Matilda hesitated but seeing that there was no escape from those three, she agreed to walk inside knowing that they could overpower her if they wanted to, especially with Edith around.

The four walked in and climbed the stairs all the way to the top floor where Vivian's office was. Vivian opened the door first and then turned to an electrical switch on the walls.

"Brace your eyes." She said and turned the light on.

"Oh, God!" Edith closed her eyes from the strong burst of light as almost eight lamps were now lighting the room.

"Why are they so bright all of a sudden?" Isabella asked.

"Professor Bellfield has enhanced the design and as his sponsor, my office is the first place in the world to be fully equipped with full electrical lighting." Vivian showed off her privileges with clear pride.

"Congratulations on your success, Vivian." Edith said with a warm smile.

"Thank you, my dear." Vivian replied.

As Isabella and Edith made themselves at home, only Matilda remained standing where she was and looked around her without much expression.

"Any thoughts, commoner girl?" Vivian asked.

Matilda turned to Vivian and then looked down to avoid the eyes of the villainess who seemed like they would eat her alive.

"Congratulations, my lady. You have made something wonderful." Matilda said.

"Aww! You're so welcome." Vivian said with a smile that disappeared in an instant after that, "What were you doing with Natasha Ivanov?"

"Ohoho!" Isabella heard how Vivian's tone switched and she turned back to see how the interrogation unfolded.

Even Edith was fully focused on how Vivian pressured Matilda simply by walking toward her and acting big and tough.

"I was working for Lady Natasha." Matilda replied and kept her head down to avoid Vivian's domineering attitude.

"Working for her? Why? Your boyfriend Prince doesn't support you well enough?" Vivian asked.

"I was merely making a career of my own…" Matilda tried to reply but Vivian was already closing on her which compelled her to step away from Vivian.

"You are not required to have a career until you graduate two years from now." Vivian said.

"I… am… a commoner. I need a career sooner than anyone else." Matilda replied.

"Oh my! And here I almost thought you forgot your place." Vivian said with a mocking smile.

"Not when you always keep reminding me." For the first time, Matilda replied with an impatient and angry attitude.

For a second there, Vivian was almost taken aback by that sudden shift of personality. This goody-two-shoes heroine from the game and the scatterbrain commoner girl she always bullied had this in her?

"What did you just say?" Vivian asked and walked faster toward Matilda who backed away to a wall, "Cat ate your tongue? Say it again."

"I said…" Matilda wanted to steel her nerves and reply but Vivian's expressions weren't helping since whenever Matilda tries to gather her courage, one look at Vivian's face makes her fluster and look away all of a sudden.

"You said?" Vivian, however, wasn't backing down from this one.

"Alright, alright, enough with this."

At that time, Isabella had to stand in order to return the peace between the two. She walked between them and made Vivian back off.

"Sorry about her. She's actually a very nice person." Isabella said and smiled at Matilda, "And sorry about the way I fooled you to follow me to the carriage. It was the only way to get to you without making a scene."

"Just let me go. I don't want trouble." Matilda said and averted her eyes off Isabella's gaze.

"Sadly, my little junior, you need to answer a few questions since you have walked into trouble yourself." Isabella said and invited Matilda to sit, "Viv, where are your manners? We invite guests to sit down first and offer tea before talking with them."

"Whatever!"

"No maid is around and since this is your place, make us some tea, darling." Isabella said.

"Wha…"

"You're a terrible host, Vivi."

After exhaling a long sigh, Vivian walked to the tea set in the corner, found the water kettle, and put it on a small stove before using the uncommercialized version of the friction matches to light the fire up. After adding the water and the tea leaves, it took a few minutes for them to boil and steep before they were ready to be served. Eventually, Vivian poured the tea into three cups before getting reminded by Isabella to make a fourth one.

"The tea is ready. If you want honey or sugar cubes like babies, add them yourself." Vivian said as she served the tray and sat down.

"I'll add just a bit of honey." Isabella said while smiling at the unamused Vivian.

"I'll go for a neat cup of tea." Edith said and drank the tea as it always should be drunk, pure.

"You're kissing her ass, Edith." Isabella said with a sly smile.

If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

"Isabella!" Vivian stomped.

"How is that an ass-kissery? I enjoy my tea the way my host intends it to be." Edith said and started drinking from her cup before her eyes widened with shock.

She then added three sugar cubes with an awkward smile to Vivian.

"So, from what I understand, Natasha Ivanov hired you because of your skills to create her newest cosmetic, Gratia, and you tried to stop its production because you thought something was wrong with it?" Isabella asked.

"Yes… my lady." Matilda replied while looking between Isabella and Vivian.

"And a friend recommended you to her because she promised you something important that your life depends on?" Isabella asked again.

"Yes." Matilda confirmed.

"This leaves us in a pretty tight spot. You refuse to tell us who that friend is and what she promised you." Isabella sighed as she drank her tea.

"And even from an outsider's perspective, the relationship between you and House Moore should be bad enough that a partner of the Moore conglomerate – such as Natasha – wouldn't dare to hire you unless Count Julian Moore allows it. I assume he didn't." Edith added.

"I have answered all the questions I can. Now, if you excuse me." Matilda said and stood up.

She intended to turn and walk away from the room as it seemed that the trio of villainesses had no intention of harming her and so she felt safe just to turn her back and leave but…

"I suggest you take your seat, drink your tea, and answer the goddamn questions."

Taking the bad cop role all the way, Vivian had a gun in her hand and pointed at the seat with it. Matilda couldn't help but freeze before tensing up and not knowing what to do.

"Viv, this is so rude, aim that thing away." Isabella instantly told Vivian to stand down and turned to Matilda, "I suggest doing what she said, you'll walk out of here unharmed as long as you do so, you have my word."

Seeing that even Isabella wasn't simply letting her go, Matilda sat back with a dejected face.

"I assume that this friend who introduced you to Natasha is young lord Robert Moore. I mean, who else could it be?" Edith concluded and looked at Vivian who wasn't against that theory.

Isabella kept focusing on Matilda's reaction but the latter didn't confirm or deny it.

"As for the thing you want from Natasha, I have a good guess what it is. I didn't think Natasha had the gall to give it to you but knowing who you are and who she is, I think I figured it out." Vivian said and looked at Matilda cunningly.

"Then good job figuring it out." Matilda said with a solemn face.

"The Spirit Lotus." Vivian said and seemed to be right on point.

Isabella narrowed her eyes and looked between Vivian and Matilda a few times.

"The Spirit Lotus, huh? So that's what it was all about." Isabella said then turned to Vivian, "Wait! Why did Count Julian give the Lotus to Natasha?"

"Natasha has only three seeds from the Lotus, not the whole thing." Vivian said and explained, "After opening the Lotus, our people extracted 8 seeds from it and distributed them among the specialized departments. Since she was working in herbs and chemicals, Natasha acquired three seeds while the pharmaceutical department got the rest. While the Lotus' purpose was to determine why it was the only living thing that originated on Albion that managed to cross the ocean, no one has made any progress yet."

Vivian's words explained a lot about the situation of the Lotus. Still, those words seemed to have rubbed someone the wrong way.

"Only your people were unable to with how exploitative they were researching it." Matilda said in anger, "Those seeds are absolutely the most beautiful thing in the world and hold immense life force within them. All you did was ruin a perfectly healthy plant to figure out why it was alive and how to haul more living things like it from Albion for your own benefit."

Hearing Matilda speak like that, the three villainesses were taken aback and looked at each other. This meek girl was now almost ready to stand up and beat them all with how fervent she acted.

"Alright, let me make one point clear. This isn't some noble quest or charitable endeavor. This is business – cold, hard, and unforgiving. It's a lifestyle, not just a job, and one that benefits every citizen of this Empire. We act humanely when necessary, and we exploit when necessary. The Spirit Lotus, no matter how many millions it is worth, is just another resource we own. So if you have no reason whatsoever except that we are acting too "exploitatively" with our property, I suggest that you watch that tongue of yours, or with God as my witness, I'll go after you in a tribunal court of law until not even a crown prince can dig you out from the pile of turd I will bury you under."

Vivian's words struck a chord of fear in Isabella and Edith. Their eyes met, a silent pact formed: never to provoke Vivian's wrath ever. Matilda, however, couldn't even meet Vivian's gaze. Fear and humiliation washed over her, and she remained frozen in her seat.

"What my friend said is to not interfere with her family's business or… you know… she can take legal actions." Isabella toned the heat down a notch and looked at Matilda, "Listen, you are young, seventeen, right? You can get excited about things but don't let it get the better of you. Be mindful of what you do or say."

"And stay away from my house." Vivian said.

"That too." Isabella added with a smile before standing up and handing each their cup of tea, "Now, you two drink that tea before it gets cold, and let bygones be bygones."

As the situation cooled off, Isabella and Edith took the lead to crack up conversation about anything even though the two shared very little. Who could have figured out that the beef between Vivian and Matilda could make the feud between the De Clares and the Blacks seem nothing so serious?

"The tea is delicious. Thank you." Matilda said as she put the cup and the saucer back on the tea table.

"You drank it without sweetener just like Vivian, huh? You two are something else." Isabella said and tried to lighten the mood.

"Can I leave now?" Matilda asked.

"Not so fast." Vivian said and looked at Matilda, "I know it is not my business to care but what was wrong with Natasha's new product? That Gratia brand?"

The other two remembered that there was something like that and it was what started this whole scene. Now that Vivian remembered it, they got curious by default as well.

"Are you sure you want to know in front of outsiders?" Matilda asked Vivian, "This may cause a substantial loss to your family's reputation."

"They are my good friends, they know how to keep secrets." Vivian replied.

"Well, since it is you, you can actually do something about it." Matilda sighed and looked at Vivian with a serious face, "Lady Natasha has used my skills as a botanist to awaken the hidden potential in the lotus seeds. Since the seeds had a lot of vitality, they would be difficult to consume directly so I suggested using them as catalysts to enhance other materials."

"I see." Vivian nodded, "That would boost the effects of many things."

"Indeed. We are talking about the strongest de-aging balm in the market. While the formula isn't anything special, I have noticed strange behavior and different skin abnormalities on those testers who tried it. We are talking about skin deformities and reversed effects. It can even cause joint pain and many other symptoms." Matilda said.

"Wait! Hold on! Natasha went ahead with the product and gave samples out in the party to noble ladies?" Isabella asked.

"She told me she wouldn't!" Matilda closed her eyes in frustration, "The symptoms are there but as long as one keeps using the product, the side effects will be mild but they will be compelled to keep using it."

"Addiction!" Vivian said and her eyes were brimming with anger.

"Yes, that's the best word to describe it." Matilda nodded, "Getting the most influential women in the Empire to be addicts to her product. That's a lot of leverage to have."

"This is bad!" Edith said and stood up, "Natasha isn't an Elgardishwoman, having leverage over so many noble ladies is a threat by itself, my family should be notified."

"Wait!" Vivian said and stopped Edith from leaving, "There must be more."

Edith looked at Vivian and then turned to Matilda.

"Hey, this is no simple business now. It is a matter of the security of our Empire. Don't leave out any details." She said.

"It is as you heard. The Spirit Lotus seeds have a lot of Vitality which is beneficial but they have transformative effects as well which caused this simple cosmetic formula to be very harmful. It has terrible side effects but as long as one keeps using it, the effects won't show much. It is addictive since it is very effective at keeping women's appearance younger. Not to mention that Natasha was insisting on hiding more side effects that I didn't know about." Matilda said.

"Vivian, what are we dealing with here?" Isabella asked Vivian with a serious tone.

"Well, I have studied some botany for the exams so vitality and transformative effects are really a weird mix to have in a single plant but I am inclined to ask, are the effects reversible?" Vivian asked.

"With the right medicine, the damage can be stopped but the process of reversing the damage will take a long while and will depend on many factors." Matilda replied and then stood up, "I must notify His Highness about this as soon as possible. He'll know what to do."

"I advise you to be wiser than this. He won't be able to move without a justifiable cause and evidence. However, Natasha can't be left alone. I'll notify the Inquisitors and bring an investigation force right away." Edith said.

"Hold your horses, the two of you." Vivian said and stood up, "This is a matter between House Moore and its partner. I'll send word to Lord Father and he will hand Natasha to House Black if her intentions were to infiltrate the noble society and gain leverage over its members. As for the Prince, if he gets involved, don't blame me for what I will do."

Taking matters into her family's hands, that's how things should be and since it is going to be resolved this way, Edith and Isabella had nothing to say.

"How is this any different? Do you intend to leave her be? Let people get dragged into her greedy schemes when the product is on the shelves tomorrow?" Matilda stood up against Vivian and spoke angrily.

"Tone it down, commoner girl. This is neither your business nor do you have the authority to even have an opinion." Vivian said with annoyance, "And who said I'll leave her till tomorrow? That product will not see the light of day."

Vivian said and walked to her desk then turned to some strange tubes installed behind it. She opened the lid covering one of them and spoke into it.

"Voros! Voros!"

As she called a couple of times, a voice replied to her a few moments later.

"Chief! Voros here!" Voros replied.

"Prepare the weapons." She said.

"Old gen… new gen?" Voros asked.

"Three sets of old gen." She replied.

"Aye!" Voros said and went away.

Vivian closed the lid over the communication tube and turned to the other young women, two guns adorning her hands.

"Ladies and commoner girl, we're going to chew bubblegum…"

Ka-chak!

"… and kick ass."