". . .tell me, is it because I am a woman?"

Her knowing grey eyes, laden with wisdom and experience, bored his- with an unblinking gaze.

Nexus shrugged indifferently. He knew where she was getting at;

"I picked True Potions because it is THE most successful business in this industry. The fact that you happen to be the most stunningly elegant woman I have ever set my eyes on- is just a bonus."

Up close, Nexus could see her silvery white of her thinning eyebrows, and her long luscious lashes. They complimented her cloudy eyes, and the growth of long flowing white hair on her head.

He hadn't lied- she was downright stunning.

"You say you have other elixirs and artifacts for sale?"

"Yes."

"And you're willing to give me the exclusive rights to be the sole marketer?"

Nexus' hairline, along with his bushy eyebrows, shot upwards as he furrowed them deeply;

"Unfortunately, no. Is that gonna be an issue?"

This time, she smiled;

"No, of course not. If you had agreed to that, I would've seriously considered if you had an actual future in this business."

Placing both palms on the arms of the chair, she suddenly pushed herself upwards- triggering a rich bounce of her pronounced breasts- as she got to her feet.

"For a youth of your age, and with a face as handsome as that, I gotta say- you've impressed me today mister Ni Yang. Trust me when I say that doesn't happen all too often these days."

Nexus held her gaze as he also rose to his feet;

"I'm honored."

"Likewise." she stretched out her arm for a handshake; "We have a deal mister Ni Yang. I'm genuinely looking forward to taking this city by storm with you as my business partner."

Nexus instinctively stretched out his hand and took hers in it;

"Same here." he echoed; "Same here."

The span of her hand and the hollow of her palm was soft- delicately soft.

And cold.

Ice cold.

-----------------

After nearly an hour of negotiating with a business shark, Nexus, (still in his Ni Yang disguise) pulled out of the white building feeling like a god.

As soon as he left the entrance, the very moment his feet touched down on the street outside, a wide smile broke out on Nexus' face. Grinning from ear to ear, Nexus inhaled a rich gust of the open air outside. His eyes sparked with gratitude, and his steps sprung with the childlike feeling of being on an adventure.

He had just completed his first deal.

He had just landed his very first contract!

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a long shadow cast itself over him, covering him like an eclipse, and looming over him with danger. Insitinctively, Nexus turned at the very last moment, and a sweeping wind breezed right past him- followed by the humongous white form of a galloping horse, and the angry voice of its rider;

"WATCH IT PUNK!" the flabby man hollered at him impatiently; "Get out of my way!"

The rider's voice echoed loudly above the steady galloping as Nexus swerved just in time to avoid getting trampled to death by the humongous horse.

Despite the brief brush with death, Nexus wasn't even the least bit shaken.

Barely even acknowledging what had just happened, his eyes glistened with excitement as he once again refocused his thoughts on the army of gold coins that was soon to be coming in.

Arms deep inside the pockets of his coat, head upright, and with is back straightened, Nexus' feet broke out in a long stride- away from True Potions' front porch. He had already taken a few steps forward when he heard the nervous neighing of the horse behind him.

"Shit," his eyes rolled inside his head; "I did buy a horse didn't I?"

---------------------------

Sitting lazily on the saddle, with his jet black trench coat swaddled all around the base of the horse, and with his round hat draped across his face, Nexus swayed from side to side as he headed west- in the direction of the evening sun.

The glowing orb of reddish orange in the horizon made Castra city look like a hub of red boiling stew. The gothic buildings, the walled manors, and their grey painted fences made it look like they were actively trying to keep people out.

Like a ghost visiting town, Nexus' black clad form skittered through the streets of Castra city on his jet black stallion. His round hat shrouded his eyes, leaving only his lower bearded face. His hands remained tight on the reins. All around him, horses and their riders milled in gentle- and in sometimes rushing progressions.

Gentlemen, with their shining polished shoes, their puffy mustaches, their dry cleaned waist coats, and the occasional one eyed spectacle that hung pretentiously on their faces, rode on well groomed horse- perfectly poised as they literally looked down on every pedestrian trodding on foot.

A few carriages would come roaring by, carrying beneath its shut windows a baroness or some rich dude's mistress that was being whisked away covertly.

Nexus took it all in, wondering what his next adventure would be like- especially now that he was about to be a rich bastard.

Somehow, using just the position of the sun, Nexus was able to navigate his way through the busy streets of the city- arriving at the castle just as the evening bells started to ring in the towers behind him.

As he approached the gate, moving slowly in rhythmic side to side motions on his horse, Nexus was suddenly struck with the thought that he was still in disguise. Already, just a few yards ahead of him, the two old fat guards in rusty helmets, and even rustier spears, were beginning stir- looking at him from that distance, and wondering who the fuck that was.

"Damn it."

He rasped under his breath.

It was too late to turn back now.

Barely fifteen yards out, the first guard took a tentative step forward, clutching his spear tightly and peering at him carefully- ready to accost the all black, seemingly faceless stranger.

Thankfully, Nexus' wide black hat afforded him some kind of visual protection.

Taking full advantage of it, Nexus lowered his head dramatically, using the circumference of the black hat as a shield from the invasive eyes of the guards. With his face hidden from them, Nexus quickly and silently deactivated his disguise;

"System get me back to my original face and size asap!"

[KINDLY CONFIRM REQUEST TO DISPOSE OF DISGUISE.]

"Do it now!" he rasped urgently.

[REQUEST CONFIRMED. ACTIVATING REVERT NOW.]

Nexus waited to feel some tingle. Or some spark. Or basically anything that told hm something magical had happened. 

"Oi!" eight yards away from the castle gate, and the guard was howling like a guard dog; "Stop there in the name of the Lady Russell!"

Slowly, Nexus lifted his head up. Suddenly, the coat on his body felt somehow– bigger? Even the hat which sat perfectly on his head seemed to droop over now, nearly falling over his face as the horse galloped forward.

Three yards out, Nexus' face came into the orbit of the itchy guards at the gate;

"At ease gentlemen, it's just me."

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