Re:START/If {Book 1.0}
Chapter 43: Mutual-Evit 3 of 10 “Rondo” (Part 01)

In one of the special guest rooms in Theodora's brothel, Odo and Vil sit next to each other. Across the table in front of them, the owner of the brothel stared unfriendlylylyly together with two ruthless men who looked like executioners.

The Courtesan's brothel was named Alms Lilac. A name that can be said quite contrary to the function of the place, but from another point of view is also very appropriate. Since the early days of the Fourth Treaty of the Land began, Theodora had been Madonna for over ten years in the brothel of Mylta.

Odo stared at the black haired woman. Inside the room with wooden floors and walls that seemed more akin to imperial architectural designs, the atmosphere became heavy as none of them started the conversation. Theodora thrust her cigar pipe backwards, one of the executioners directly lit the cigar with a little fire magic.

Sucking a cigar with the contents of the opium leaves, the madam exhaled it into the air and made smoke spread in the room. Odo immediately closed his nose, looked flat and said, “You better not wear that, your life is getting shorter, loh.”

“I don't want to hear that from you. So, this is one thing that can reduce my stress. Boy, mind your own business ...”

That response slightly made Odo turn his gaze towards Vil. Making sure that the Great Spirit was not affected by the opium smoke, Odo rang his tongue. The young man tapped the tip of his own nose with the tip of his index finger three times, restricting breathing and installing an information structure to keep opium content in the air from entering the body.

“Tell me ..., whereas I'm just worried you're dying sooner.”

“Not having to care about me.” Madam slightly raised her chin, looked down and said, “So, what did you do to come and want to talk to Theodora this?”

Odo was silent for a moment. Although his breathing had been restricted and the smoke of opium was not inhaled, but the fragrance still smelled clear. The aroma is a kind of incense to repel unconscious odors from copulating marks, the aroma of fragrant herbs mixed with unpleasant odors.

“Hmm ...” Trying to put aside the inconvenience, Odo looked at Madam and said, “May I get straight to the point?”

Madam again sucked her cigar, exhaled smoke into the air and then ketus said, “Please, it saves my time too.”

“Stop this business of yours ...!”

It left Theodora dumbfounded, putting on an annoyed face and feeling like she had been played with. Dropping the burning opium on the tip of his cigar on the ashtray, the madam said firmly, “Child, do you want to make me angry? Come and say you want to talk, but it's like that? Huh, already! There's nothing to talk about anymore! Get away from my place!”

“Wait, I haven't finished talking ...”

“What else? You're just a cocky boy, don't know how this world works.”

Odo slightly grinned, stared intently and said, “Madam must have heard rumors that war is coming soon, right?”

“It ...” Theodora fell silent, put her cigar on the table and turned her gaze away. Finished thinking, he looked back at Odo and asked, “So right war will happen, huh? Hmm, is it because of the matter of the attempted murder?”

“Taste no,” says Odo. “Since the beginning, the Moloia people did want to go to war. The assassination attempt would only be an excuse. They will most likely invade Luke's territory first before starting the invasion of the kingdom of Felixia.”

The young man's words astonished Theodora, as did the two executioners standing behind him. Taking a deep breath, the madam decided to ask, “Lantas what makes you say such an important thing to a prostitute like myself? Wouldn't you rather say that to the officials?”

Putting both hands on the table and smiling lightly, Odo said, “Officers who become customers of your prostitutes?”

“You ... quip?” Theodora stared in annoyance, looking at her eyes like a snake being bullied while sleeping in a nest. Turning his gaze away, he said, “They are indeed like that the function of this place .... Officials are also some men, they are too busy working and do not have time to make family connections. A flower field like this is perfect for them. Not that I'm blackmailing them, we're here receiving and giving.”

“I understand that,” said Odo while lowering his hand back on the lap, then leaning on the seat back. Staring lightly, he confirmed, “I have absolutely no intention of insinuating, Madam Theodora ..... It's just, rather than the government I think it's faster to ask you to do it.”

“Ask us?”

Stop leaning, Odo pointed towards Theodora and said, “Madam should have known, the early access of the kingdom of Moloia to get to this land is the sea .... Luke's territory is at the forefront if war happens—Moloea only needs to cross the middle sea and they have reached this place. And ...”

“The port area that must have been first attacked,” said Theodora.

The madam began to sweat, she had expected such a thing since the failure of the Moloia people to commit murder. If war were to really happen, it would be certain that hundreds of ships with large cannons whose strength greatly exceeded that of Felixia's royal fleet would destroy the port. Layout, the brothel district will be affected faster than anywhere else in the city of Mylta.

“See, Madam already knows itself.” Odo smiled, exerting pressure with his casual expression.

“What ... do you intend to help us? Or just ...”

“Just take this give and take, just like the way you think. I know Madam instigated some fishermen and helped the Moloia people it must be because they guaranteed some things to you, right?”

“ ....” Madam silenced, Odo's words were very precise under her getting such guarantees.

Reading the reaction of Madam Theodora's increasingly sweaty face, Odo again said, “Therefore, let's do the same. Cooperate with me, I will guarantee this place remains even though war breaks out again on this continent.”

Putting both elbows on the table and propping my head with the back of my hand, Madam said, “You government man, I don't believe that. If they were encouraged by the Religion who consider this kind of business heretical, surely they will do the same thing at that time and intend to displace us.”

“I'm not a government person,” denies Odo.

“You son of Marquess, boy. That's enough for me to doubt you.”

“Ah, true also ...” Odo looked away, pretending to think even though he had prepared the right solution. Staring at the Madam, he asked, “Then, what should I do to make Madam believe that I want to really help you?”

“Hmm .... “ Madam stops supporting the head, sits upright and takes a deep breath. Thinking of equivalent terms, he said, “Uang .... Yep! The money! If you can give money that is equivalent to the risks that exist, if I will consider.”

“Uang, yes? Hmm, did those Moloia people also give money?”

“Iya— A!” Madam accidentally let go of admitting it. Turning his eyes anxiously, he simply said, “It was .... They are not ...”

“Alright ..., how much is it?” Odo paid no heed to the mistake, casually gazing and completely aiming for what he was doing by coming to the brothel.

Madam momentarily felt astonished by the young man's attitude. Taking a deep breath, he said the amount, “How about 1,000,000 Rupls? Just so much that money will make us believe you'll help.”

“Baiklah .... 1.000.000 Rupl,” says Odo directly.

“Seriously?! Boy, you want to spend that much money?!” Theodora was shocked until she got up from her seat. The two executioners behind him were also no less surprised to the point that they took a deep breath.

“Yes .... Of course,” said Odo casually. Lifting his right arm to chest height and slightly rolling up the shirt, he pressed the surface of the Dimension Bracelet and said, “But% and the lack of dicil?”

“You ... really want to give it? Half of it ... it's already 500,000 Rupls, you know. That ... equivalent 500 gold coins.”

Not caring for Madam's anxious expression, Odo took out a small cloth bag from the storage dimension onto the table. It contained roughly around 10 Top Quality Magic Crystals, Class A. Which if sold can reach more than 500,000 Rupls.

“Ya, of course .... I have the funds. Although it's not in the form of money, I don't think it's a problem, right?”

Madam was about to take the bag, but because it was too heavy she could only pull it up in front of her. Pulling the leash and opening the bag, he was scattered with the two executioners behind him. It was truly a Top Quality Magic Crystal, Class A. The weight of each crystal is about one kilogram.

“This ... you ... earnestly?” ask Theodora pale.

“Of course, what am I kidding for.” Odo smiled faintly, hid his true expression and asked, “So, do you believe me?”

“Good ...” Madam Theodora gulped heavily, looked on with anxiety and said, “We will believe. But ... remember this, we're not entirely going to believe you, Son of the Marquess. We will believe as long as it is profitable for us.”

“Of course ...” Odo sat up straight, putting on an artificial smile that looked very natural.

“Hmm, first of all ...” Odo pointed straight and firmly said, “Be the ruler of this district!”

“Eh?” It made Theodora shocked along with her two executioners.

Not letting them ask, Odo lowered his hand and again said, “Get rid of all your competitors and become the ruler of this brothel. Snakes need only one head, crush the other head and become the sole ruler of the prostitutes in this city ..”.

“A-What are you saying?! You think in this place how many open u—!”

“Quietly,” cut Odo. Small smile, he explained, “I have the plan. If Madam follows him carefully, everything will go smoothly.”

The young man in black hair again took something from the Dimensional Bracelet. It was a stack of parchment paper, a document about the plan to be given to Madam Theodora.

Putting all the papers on the table, Odo said, “All the plans are here. Just follow the procedure, I guarantee Madam can be the leader of this brothel within half a year.” Taking the topmost paper, Odo handed it to Theodora and said, “This is the basic details.”

Receiving and reading the plan list in outline, Theodora was wide-eyed. The two executioners behind him could not read, therefore they simply stared at the bewildered paper their Madam was holding.

“I-This is what you really want to do, boy?”

“Ya, sure. First Madam had to get rid of the other heads, then absorb the members to the Madam group. Using the funds I gave you, build this brothel to be the largest and the only one ...”

Theodora trembling. What the young man in black hair said was not a mere booze or a naive look. Reading the gist of his plan for the brothel district, Theodora knew that the ideas Odo had put out were worth putting at stake.

In the plan, Odo wanted to make the brothel district a more classy entertainment venue. Put down the element of prostitution, more of a kind of cabaret where the cabarets work. For it is necessary a single ruler, the education of prostitutes to increase marketability, then lastly is the renovation of the place.

Basically, the entertainment area is not just about sexual intercourse or something like that, entertainment such as accompanying men to drink, inviting them to chat, or play board games is also one of the attractions of the entertainment world. Theodora knew this because she had acquaintances in the empire who also opened a prostitution business, there were groups of women who sold their skills to entertain men rather than the body.

“Luke—”

“Call only Nigrum. If anyone hears I'm here, it's my pseudonym.”

“Hmm, okay. Mr. Nigrum, I agree with your proposal .... But, changing everything within half a year of me felt impossible. Just let a plan like this take a period of four to five years.”

“Quietly, it's possible to do.” Odo presented the documents to Theodora. Smiling lightly, he said, “Please read first .... Madam's not doing anything tonight, is she?”

“Ya ..”.

After that, Madam read each sheet of plan documents that Odo gave. It contains 57 sheets, divided into 3 stages of the plan. In the first stage, what needs to be done is to get rid of the other prostitute leaders. Getting rid of them is two ways and not physically getting rid of them. The first way by absorbing it was another brothel that belonged to Theodora, and the second was to destroy it if the first way could not.

After the second stage is completed, an education will be put in place to train the art of entertaining prostitutes. It is done gradually between two to four months, then the results will be seen by doing different services to customers and checking the existing reactions to see interest. If the interest of the customers is known, the education of the prostitutes will be centered on it.

The final stage is development. Using Odo's budget and progressive calculation of profits from the entertaining arts education stage, a major renovation will be undertaken to turn the slums of the brothel district into a viable entertainment venue in the port area.

Not only that, on the last sheets there is something that makes Theodora shocked. What Odo plans is not just for the brothel district, but thoroughly for the city and its progressive economy.

“It .... Do you want to revive this city like it used to be?” ask Madam whose hair is covered.

“Yes, that is my goal. To fight and defend the city, money and trust were indispensable. First I want to make this city look convincing, then invite other nobles to invest or help weaponry if the war gets to the worst point ..”.

“Worst point ..?” ask Madam confused. Although he understands the world of entertainment and its ins and outs, he is still very layman on political matters.

Putting on a fretful face, Odo replied, “Guerrilla war.”

“Sorry, I don't know about that kind of thing.”

“That's a rare type of war on this continent.” Odo closed the mouth with his right hand, slightly lowered his face and explained, “Think of that it's some kind of small war going on continuously .... Furtively, sabotage, moving at full speed, disguising themselves as civilians, and resorting to means that could be said to violate human rights and morals .... Honestly guerilla war is the kind of war I want to avoid.”

“What ... that slick Moloia person?”

“Moloya?” Odo stopped closing his mouth and raised his face. Staring flat, he said, “Not them, but it is our kingdom that will most likely do that.”

“Kita?” Madam felt a little doubtful, stared flatly and said, “The kingdom of Felixia has great respect for the rules of war .... As far as I am haughty nature— I mean myself, the pride of the soldiers as well as the knights was ...”

Odo understands this. The soldiers and knights of Felixia tended to uphold the ethics and rules of war, they most likely would not do so. However it only applies when the condition of strength is equivalent or there is no far difference with the other party.

Taking a deep breath, Odo explained, “Madam knows, guerrilla tactics are only carried out by those whose strength is weaker but the numbers are many.”

“You want to say that Moloia is stronger? Even if you're a child of the Marquess?”

“Ya ..” Odo stared intently, his forehead shriveling and started saying, “I'm just talking about facts. When compared to Moloia, we are nothing now .... Therefore, at the very least I want to make the battlefield more profitable. My goal is not war to win, but to survive.”

Madam momentarily fell silent. Although he did not know of such a problem, but he understood that the situation would be very dangerous for him and his prostitutes' children if war continued. Taking a deep breath, he said, “Tuan Nigrum, are you sure you prefer us courtesans over governments?”

“I did not choose you, which I chose this city,” insisted Odo.

“So, yes ...” Leaning her back against the back of the chair, Theodora slightly breathed a sigh of relief after understanding something. Staring at Odo with his eyes violetnya, he asked, “Did you put the same thing on the Religious and the Government? I recently heard rumors that the two camps are starting to find stable conditions, are you the one who did that?”

Odo smiled lightly, then replied, “Entahlah .... I'm just giving you a chance, those who want to divorce themselves.”

Theodora momentarily fell silent. Thinking back about the offer and the plan, he rounded up the decision and said, “Hmm, fine ... We will do the plan you give this. You've given the money, we want to stay, I think our goal is now one-way. However ..”

“However?”

“May I ask one thing?”

“Please.”

“What ... You did this because you're the son of the Marquess? Or ...”

“Consider it because I am the son of a Marquess.”

“Original reason?”

“Madam will know it in a few months.”

Theodora was at a glance surprised and a little sorry Odo did not want to tell her the main reason. Nodding once, he said, “So, yes .... Hmm, let. We have indirectly been hostile to you, it is only natural that you do not believe directly and tell everything.”

“Thank you, Madam.”

After that, they continued to discuss the plan until midnight. Each sheet they discuss, from the first stage to the last. Madam Theodora asked, Odo replied. Such a cycle continues until the 57th sheet is completed.