Opening Of The Talks.

Led by the trio of servants, passing through the large gatehouse you stepped into the entrance yard establishing the Sima clan compound as a siheyuan style estate. As when you emerged from the gate you felt a sense of crossing a boundary when you were faced with the spirit screen standing in its solitary vigil in the midst of the otherwise empty large courtyard.

The spirit screen was a tall stone slab carved with an extensive relief engraved into its surface that’d masterfully been painted. Framing the relief were fruit bearing apricot branches at each corner sat apples surrounded by magnolia flowers. Across its surface to ward off evil spirits were lurid depictions of angelic women scissoring on beds of clouds their expressions of ecstasy were vividly captured by life-like faces.

That angelical orgy surrounded a throne which featured Carus’s back and wings spread as she mounted your robed form. Your lack of known features lead to extravagant detail to be lathered onto what few there were.

Whoever the artist had been, they’d given the fingers of the hands of the relief that groped Carus’s generous cheeks life-like detail in the indentation as they dug into the flesh. No detail was spared on your effigy's cock, the skin was glazed or maybe lacquered to give it the illusion of it coated in Carus’s fluids, and it captured every vein of the prick spearing into your head angel and excruciatingly carved detail of her face of ecstasy from its penetration into her.

You’d have considered it a lurid curiosity and cultural quirk, if you hadn’t felt… Yourself? It was hard to encapsulate the sensation that you’d felt walking through the threshold of the gatehouse. But, it was familiar, or the same sensation as the trickling stream of the divine power you could access, it carried a sense of guarded watchfulness.

It was fascinating, and made sense now that you thought about it. Those things that would be superstitions back home, in a fantasy world would serve an actual purpose protecting a home from evil spirits.

Your eyes shifted to Daisuke, the catgirl’s attempts to look priestly, undermined by the cum trailing down her inner thighs flustering her. She discreetly cast a spell wiping away the virile evidence still decorating her inner thighs and preventing more leaking out.

Reaching out you cupped that pert exposed ass you’d enjoyed, squeezing that firm cheek you had to wonder what services were provided, beyond that rite of annulment she performed on you.

She perked up, ears flicking towards you and gave you a coy smile and slowing her step to fill the palm of your hand with the smooth skin and firm flesh of her derriere. “Now, now, unless you're offering an invitation to join you in that wonderful robe, it’s my duty to see you to this introduction.” Daisuke huskily giggled, the candor she had when you first met her at the temple shone through, and curling her tail around your forearm she led you forward by making it almost a chase to keep her butt in your hand as you entered another smaller courtyard.

Tourist gawking subsided as the walls were plastered white and painted with some tale that didn't register, for your mind was taken in favor of the supple rump in your hand you fondled. How it had the right amount of give for your fingers into sink into, the memory of it bouncing on your cock still fresh enough your loins to thob yearning for her hot tight pussy and the way it almost sprang back to its flawless smooth form whenever you let go, beckoning again to be toyed with. Her tail that coiled around your forearm brushed down your limb drawing you back when your pace slowed, adding a hurried step to yours to catch up.

Entranced you let slip a spark of the divinity into your fingers, Daisuke loosed a quivering gasp when your digits dug into her flesh delivering spine tingling pleasure lancing up her back. Her next step fell heavy and her tail tightened around your forearm sensually caressing your across your skin.

Sending a smoky look back over her shoulder at you and a cat-like smile. “Oh that poor farm girl.” Daisuke suggestively licked her lips, giving them a glossy sheen. “You must have ruined her for other men, she must be aching for you~” She huskily chuckled.

Straying from your target, who purred as you continued your enhanced ministrations. The older lizardfolk maid and the majordomo were unfazed, the younger of them blushed and on catching her glancing at you, she hurriedly averted her gaze.

Walking through the second gate, your eyes roamed further as you were guided into the central, gravel and stone tile courtyard of a living area. It’d occupants were magnets to your ravenous eyes.

On their knees, dozens of lizardfolk women basked sunbathing like their reptile cousins on the sunbaked stone. They wore little more than lingerie or underwear, most bared their breasts to the radiant sun, wearing bottoms following the black, white color scheme of a maid outfit that adhered to their mound like paint on their skin-like scales giving them tantalizing cameltoes.

A few struck more suggestive poses, or intertwined their bodies like a pair that sat belly to belly, breasts pressed together sharing body heat and ever so slightly shifting, rubbing on each other making soft hissed moans.

Their reptilian bodies lent a statuesque quality to them, no sweat marred their still bodies, only the shallow movement of their breathing dissuaded the notion they weren’t alive. It created a sensation of strolling through a statue garden of bewildering beauties, presenting the unspoken temptation to reach out and grope conjured by the household servants.

Through this courtyard your escorts led you through this picturesque courtyard of lesbos.

You could likely spend hours just… admiring this scenery, you weren’t sure if it was purposeful or merely sensuous adaptation of fantasy to your salacious framework. Mentally you sent a notion of approval to Carus, through your link, that returned a sense of glowing satisfaction.

Greedily devouring the sight, your mind turned from lust to curiosity as switching between woman to woman, you noted none of them had human skin like the younger maid, like the older maid they shared coloration and patterns.

Yet, she alone possessed the hybrid quality. Reaching into yourself while Dampati took a turn to take a side exit from this living area, you reached out using the divine power you had, using it like an insubstantial inspection kit.

To your eyes it was like a fine mist floating around the young maid, yet other than a twitch of one of Daisuke's ears, and a quick puzzled glance around her, then a shake of her head there were no other reactions.

It coiled and swirled cautiously around the young lizardfolk hybrid, reflecting your inner sense of inexperience and care you were exerting, no matter how intuitive this energy obeyed your desire and will.

But, the information you were seeking flowed into your mind. It was a strange thing, most of it was lost to you from your inexperience, however you were able to pick out she was a lizardfolk from the torrent of information, but there was something familiar, a divine gift? Or blessing?

Whichever, it stood out and you cautiously investigated further poking at it, visually it took the form of the mist focusing on her human swaths of skin. You gleaned no sense of malice or that it was a curse, the touch of the divine gave a sensation of gratitude and repayment in its blessing.

A mystery for you to enjoy peeling away the layers, and clothes off this beautiful young woman to discover the truth.

It gave you something to think about while stepping through a narrow alley-like path that felt almost like the ones in the market district, between the living area holding the lizardfolk. Then emerging into a true Chinese garden, pond with a pagoda and all.

There was that quintessential serene atmosphere conducive to reflection, relaxation and scholarly pursuit. Yet, you felt something more, the air here tasted sweet and electric that raised the hair on your arms.

It was a subtle energizing effect, your eyes met Daisuke’s as she took your hand groping her, intertwining your fingers while wearing a sly little smile and smoldering look. Gazing around the garden you couldn’t put a finger to it, it’d be something to study when you were settled down.

“Ahh~, oooh yes like that, right there!” A loud domineering feminine cry cut into the tranquil silence.

Of your escorts, the only one to react was the young Lizardfolk. Her head angled downwards, cheeks and flushing with embarrassment while all the other women had no reaction as you traveled the cobbled path.

“Sister.”

You barely caught the soft abash whisper from the younger maid, that choice of words was interesting and likely came with a tale equally so, especially as you caught sight of the source.

Laying on a bench within the pagoda at the center of the pond, a honey skinned beauty laid on a bed of her rich chestnut hair, she wore a leotard that looked sculpted to her lithe figure, it’s taut material left her succulent apple sized breasts defined enough to admire as if they were bared freely. Down below, her hips were undulating against the face of a kneeling woman at the foot of the bench between her legs, her mouth latched onto the girl’s mound that she energetically dug into.

The beauty’s hands ran through the other girl's raven black hair, grasping her head in an iron grip she drew her lapping partner forcefully to her womanhood. Beads of sweat and perspiration from the heat of the day gave her skin a sheen like precious amber that made her all the more alluring. “You always know the best way to use your tongue.” Her moan carried a haughty tone and was dismissively expectant of her partner, adding a sour note to her magnetic pull.

“Mrh.” The other girl could only make incoherent sounds as she ate out the commanding lithe girl.

Grinding her mound into the woman’s face, she grunted dissatisfied, cracking open an eye. “You better make me cum, you I’ll send you back to your branch in shame.”

Bratty, you’d feel assured in describing the demeanor of the girl. Going on a limb, and the lack of reaction you’d assume she was Fang’s daughter. And sister to the younger maid? Oh you were going to have fun peeling apart this tale, and dealing with her weren’t you? There’s certainly something fun to be found in her, as she’d be yours and not the other way around.

Her antics provided a sensual backdrop as you were lead through the winding paths of the garden, it distracted your mind as you felt there was more to the formations of the garden, a subtle allure that drew you to wrap your arm around Daisuke’s waist to the priestess’s sly pleasure as her hand slipped into your robe to grope the growing tent you were pitching through your sweatpants.

Piecing this veil of higher purpose of the garden fell aside as the leisurely stroll left it’s boundaries as you were led into another courtyard of the siheyuan. This one was clearly of higher importance than the one where the Lizardfolk had been sunbathing.

The pillars of the south building supported it’s overhanging roof providing shade were all detailed sculptures of women, intricately carved; they were all individual as no two were the same. Painted and carved white jade was used for their faces, though they failed to hold a candle to Dampati’s flawless beauty. The two statues that stood along the stairs leading to the entrance had their arms spread welcoming guests forward to the main building.

Setting the tone quite well you mused as you followed your escort into a richly decorated entrance room, vibrant red silks hung from the ceiling providing ambiance and taking the edge off the sun’s light, to the sides were several wooden screens depicting scenes such as women bathing and playing in the water, and toying with each other's bodies.

Stopping, Dampati turned and bowed. “Honored guests, rest here as I inform lady Fang of your arrival. If you have any requests, the maids will gladly serve them.” She said before leaving.

Letting out a sigh, Daisuke sat down on one of the cushioned chairs, stretching out with a cat-like purr she tugged at the open sides of her yukata, flashing generous amounts of sideboob. “Hah~, I’m jealous of your robes, a perfect and comfortable haven from the sun.” Daisuke bemoaned, then her face shifted to a sly cat-like smirk. “Maybe you’d let me back in while we wait, that blessed member certainly can scratch an itch~” Daisuke teased, spreading her legs the act attracted the wandering eye to her covered womanhood, upping her tempting offer as she circled her hand on the front of her loincloth.

“Oh, I don’t think our host will keep us waiting long enough for a second serving of cream.” You answered, earning a giggle from the priestess.

"I'd call you a braggart, but I know better~" Daisuke teasingly threw back, before she requested a refreshment from the maid. You remained standing, your curiosity burning as you wandered the room inspecting everything.

Ogling and admiring the fascinating way the casual sensuality expressed itself in the more ornate showpiece furniture, from the way the armrests of the chairs were carved into the nude women in the throes of ecstasy a occupants hands would grasp their breasts or figures in suggestive ways to name one discovery. If anything it tilted the decoration from rich to gaudy as everything looked wildly expensive for the purpose of impressing guests with a facade of wealth and power.

Tracing a fingertip up her abdomen over her womb no doubt still filled with your seed, Daisuke gave a sultry giggle. “I do love cream as any kitty does, especially such irresistibly thick and virile cream like yours, though your country boy impression is quite cute. Have you never seen the luxuries of the city?” Daisuke mixed her flirtation with inquiry, tilting her head curiously.

“Hrm?” You had to blink as it took a moment to click that she might be fishing for information. “Oh, conveniences aren’t anything new, but where I learned was a rather utilitarian place, decorations were always far from even being a distant third concern.” You shared, continuing your exploration which turned up a very interesting discovery. Neither were you really lying; just choosing a bleak interpretation of public schooling.

Much further into the expansive hall you spied another person present in the reception hall.

It was a rather tall woman, admittedly around here, that only meant she could look you in the eyes without looking up at you. Marked as beastfolk by her two fuzzy rabbit ears sprouting from her head like those you'd seen in the marketplace. She stood fussing over an intricate lotus embroidery design she’d been working on, and around her feet were several bolts of fabric and spools of thread beside her that gave the impression of a tailor. Her clothes caught more of your attention, their Turkish belly dancer inspired design in the midst of this fusion of Chinese and Vietnamese culture was instantly attention grabbing.

Approaching you’d have assumed she was in her own world adjusting the design, if not for the moment you made towards her one of her large rabbit ears twitched towards you and remained fixated in your direction tracking you, her other lay back at rest. But, other than that, there was no other reaction that’d tell you she’d noticed you at all as her hands would blur adding to the embroidery before pausing for another inspection.

Your slow approach gave ample time to ‘study’ her figure, starting from the bottom your eyes trailed up her long slender legs taking in their flawless smooth skin left on display by the mini-skirt that used three long tails of fabric of which only the front one preserved her modesty, as the other two left a gorgeous parted slice of her perky round derriere for onlookers to enjoy unobstructed as the only barrier was a exotic lace veil stretched over her globes. While her bare midriff showed off a flat stomach and her small waist at the center of her hourglass figure that made for a pleasant trip for the eyes to reach her bandeau that held her modest bust.

Reaching her you had to remind yourself touching was permitted as you touched your hands to her firm flat stomach, slowly tracing them up her sides. “A fascinating design for your clothes, I’ve seen the style, but never knew where it came from?” You inquired, your fingers slipping underneath her top, filling your hands with the warm supple muscle of her bosom.

Her ears lifted, turning towards you as she took full notice of you, her forest green eyes opening with interest. “The west.” She answered with decisive curtness, her voice a soft whisper that carried its message with hidden strength within it.

Flicking her slowly stiffening nipples, you hummed interpreting her words. “To the west of Tania? Or the western continent? Ah, let me introduce myself, Michael.”

Sucking in a breath from you tracing her areolas with some divine power enhancing your touch, her chest swelled from the sharp breath in your hand and you felt her heartbeat quicken through your hands. “Continent. I am Ysera.” The now named Ysera clarified.

Clearly she spoke more with her body than with her words.

“A pleasure to meet you; did you visit those lands?”

Placing her work aside she nodded to your question as she responded to your groping in kind, her own hand skimming with interest across your robe as it infiltrated it’s confines. They headed south to your crotch seeking your manhood, however, her hands found pause on your sweatpants and side tracked into exploring this strange garment, her tilted in curiosity as she followed the seams of your pants for a spell before intruding into the front of your pants.

“Very hot and dry, not like here, but the style is pleasant to wear here too.” She said, leaving it to you to pick apart that she was quite well traveled.

Delving into your already stretched underwear, her hands were a touch of sudden sensation of your throbbing member, Ysera expertly caressed your length with a passion equal to your clothes earlier, taking the measure of your shaft by sliding her hands across the sensitive skin, feeling out your girth by using both hands to encircle your prick’s half-hard rod provoking a throbbing swell that broke the ring of her touching fingertips as it grew and she weighed your balls in her hands rolling and massaging them. Her stoic face was tinted by a light flush of her skin, lifting herself on her tiptoes she placed her chin on the crown of your head as she pushed your face into her bosom.

“Virile.” Drifted to your ears heavy with desire, the simple word uttered assured in the assertion.

Taking a breath of the woman shoving your face between her tits, she smelled of rich spices. “So I keep hearing.” You glibly retort, letting yourself enjoy the prolonged moment you groan as her hands worked magic, hand over hand on your shaft ending with a twist on your cockhead that stoked a fire in your belly.

“Oh-hoh, is the famous Ysera making a claim to such an innocent man? If you're handling my charge that long, I don’t think there’s any other interpretation~” Daisuke's teasing voice cut in, the catgirl having practically appeared beside you both. Her hand covering her mouth, and eyes sparkling with mirth.

Ysera disengaged from you in a surge of fluid and graceful motion in stepping back, her limbs retracting from your clothes and body as if they’d never been getting you off and without jostling your package uncomfortably. “I didn’t mean to impose.” Ysera respectfully said, reaching into a pouch on her skirt she retrieved a token, in the palms of both her hands she offered out to you.

“For my services, I have never seen or felt such clothes before. Show it to any transporter and they'll take you to me.” She elaborated.

Taking the token from her hands that quickly returned to her sides, the eastern glyphs meanings came to your mind as easy as reading any English text ‘Weavstress Ysera’. On the other side was something you weren't sure of, but at a guess at its design it was visual shorthand for the location of Ysera's workshop.

“And not for any other reason?”

Your teasing hit the mark as her forest green eyes shot to the corner of her eyes averting her gaze and the subtle flush tint of her cheeks returned. She remained silent about any further intent.

"Mrhh~? Aww, don't be shy, I'd love to bless a tryst born of wild passions." Daisuke teased the bunnygirl, she prowled circling Ysera like a predator stalking its prey while caressing Ysera's inner thigh using her tail.

Making a metal note as you stored the token in your haversack, you could imagine plenty of uses for a talented tailor in a world where sexualized outfits were modest. Your adventurers won't know what hit them, once you've rounded them up.

“Lady Fang is ready to receive you, honored guests.” Dampati interrupted.

"Ah, a shame." Daisuke lamented to your amusement as you both made to follow Dampati.

Dampati and the younger maid led you and Daisuke to a side room, its decorations unlike the main entrance hall were somewhat subdued, projecting elegance instead of wanton showmanship. At the center were two hard wood sofas softened by the addition of vivid red silk pillows separated by an empty space that a table could go between them.

The most attention grabbing feature to you was the robed, faceless miniature figure of yourself seated accompanied by a figure Carus dutifully seated at your foot holding a stone tablet as to transcribe and convey your word set upon a shrine on the far end of the room. Eying its design and decorations made you think of a brothel, fitting you suppose.

Set before yours and Carus’s figurines was a rather unique incense holder, it was white jade sculpted into the figure of a human woman in euphoria, a hand aloft holding a tilted bowl containing a cone of incense that burned filling the room with a teasing scent of invigorating spice. Rather than rising, the thick smoke like a backflow incense pooled, and overflowed from the bowl cascading over the naked form of the woman cladding her body in a wispy dress of smoke as she presented herself to your figurine.

Beyond the physical shrine, you sensed the presence like you did on entering your own temple ground, which now you recognized as Carus. Unlike on your hallowed ground, it felt distant, weaker and a little hazy.

At your entrance, the room's occupant rose from her seat. Fang Sima, at her full height, barely reached your shoulders, a stature which meant you had to try looking her in the eye, meant straight down at the translucent mesh of the boob window of her highly modified qipao showing off her grand tracts of land. Trailing lower, her outfit with the triangle cutout of the same thin revealing fabric showed off a wonderfully flawless flat stomach to enjoy until you reached her hips, her dress’s high cut open sides flaunted her hips bare of any hint of underwear leaving the answer veiled behind the knee-length flap of her qipao’s skirt.

Yet, through grace and poise she struck a stalwart, sophisticated and elegant figure. A pristine gem, untarnished by time even at her age she looked barely older than her daughter. An interesting feature you’d noticed of Mellovian.

Carus chose well, your hardon raged with renewed burning heat to hurry through the formalities to the lopsided dealing to begin the fun. But, the sweeter gift comes to those who can bide their time.

You caught a slight quirk of Fang’s eyebrow when seeing Daisuke, before she performed a very shallow bow Fang greeted us. “The Sima clan welcomes our honorable patron and their guest.”

Stepping forward Daisuke's tail flicked as she gave a deeper bow in return. “I Daisuke, negi of Haverty, will be presiding over this introduction. I extend the thanks from the Guji, and high priests to the Sima clan for it’s accommodation to our sudden request, and their condolences for your recent loss of your husband.

Fang gave the slightest flinch of hurt, her hand twitched clenching the jewel of her cane, if not for your close ‘studying’ it would have been missed as Daisuke approached Fang, the small priestess cupped the noblewoman’s face as she pressed her lips to hers in a intense kiss.

Separating Fang eyes averted for a moment from the priestess before returning. “Yes, it was a very sudden misfortune. Without him I’ve had no time for visits to the temple or the red light district.” Fang said, her voice pained, yet firm as unyielding steel.

You felt a certain undertone to the use of sudden, perhaps something more to it? Foul play?

“Loss need not be sorrow, for Haverty extends his gift of love and passion to those in living need of comfort.” Daisuke comfortingly said, her hand with the tenderness of a lover caressing the noblewoman’s cheek.

“But, we have the introduction of your companion at hand, no?” Fang changed the topic, by turning it to you.

She looked you up and down with intrigue, her head craning up to look you in the eyes with a curious gaze as her rose quartz colored eyes widened at taking you in properly. “An interesting character, rare to see someone of the stock of the old northern provinces in the heart of the empire these days.”

Taking that as a cue to speak, you threw off your hood realizing it’d be a little odd to keep it up. “Ah, I am Michael, son of Elizebeth. You’ll have to forgive my ignorance of Tanian etiquette, these are foreign lands for me, my lessons didn’t cover those matters, and your beauty is distracting.”

The corner of Fang’s mouth twitched in amusement at your compliment, as she placed both her hands atop the head of the crimson jewel of her cane. “Yet, your command of the imperial tongue is impeccable for a foreigner, without a hint of an accent I might add. Is that your trade? The haste of the message left out your craft?” Fang commented with a raised eyebrow.

Right, you’d made yourself capable of speaking any language. “Just a talent of the tongue I possess, my craft is where all my focus lies in the art of artifice.” You spin the beginnings of the web using bent truths.

Fang hummed thoughtfully at your answer, her gaze turning once to a distracted evaluating look, its firmness wavering as it lingered on your visible features as it sought to appraise your possessions. Then coming to a decision, Fang shifted her pose to a one that drew your eye to her assets you'd admitted interested in.

“Place aside worldly matters. As an ordained introduction, let us begin by giving our prayers to Haverty for a fortuitous outcome for all involved.” Daisuke purred, her hands touched Fang’s stomach and trailed up to cup the underside of the matriarch's breasts, like a shepherd the catgirl turned the other woman back to face the shrine.

Imitating them, you step up beside them, facing towards the shrine.

As in the temple, Daisuke with practiced artistry shrugged and opened her kimono top, sliding from her shoulders Daisuke’s kimono caught on her spread forearms releasing her two fat perky twin melons from their silken confinement, the priestess even seemed to breath more free with her bosom exposed, their creamy white skin kissed by the subdued sunlight that spilled through the silk curtains.

Beside her Fang stood nobly, chin held high as Dampati like a sensual spirit came up behind her, undoing her lady’s neck clasp she peeled the thin fabric of the front of her dress down exposing her large shapely mammaries that begged for attention. A call the blindfolded majordomo answered cupping them, and using her hands as a shelf for them to rest on display for your figurine.

You, you had no idea of what to do.

Focusing, you asked the premiere expert on the matter. ‘Quick Carus, how do I worship myself?’ You asked with wry amusement.

‘You don't. That's duty of all whom pay homage to you, I have it all in hand. Enjoy the fruits of my labor.’ Carus breathily responded.

“Oh Haverty, master of pleasures, of inscrutable ways and methods. We give thanks for your guidance in ordaining an opportunity for this fortuitous meeting. We shall seek a beneficial outcome for both parties of this meeting that we hope fulfills your unknowable plans, bless us with your passion.” Daisuke offered her prayer.

Both women closed their eyes and bowed their heads to the shrine, a gesture you imitated and upon opening your eyes. Carus’s figuring had changed position and form in the split moment from the foot of your figuring to Carus with a writing box on her lap as if ready to transcribe the meeting.

You could tell everyone in the room was surprised, their eyes wide and astonished, but not in any way disquieted by the fact an inanimate object had suddenly moved and altered it’s form.

It was a subtle thing, but you caught Fang’s shoulders sag in what you thought was relief as a held breath was released from her luscious lips. An opening that was quickly closed as she assumed the regal noblewoman persona in a blink of an eye, resuming her stance with Dampati supporting her tits.

Dutifully crossing the space to the foot shrine, Daisuke touched two fingertips to her lips and transferred a kiss by touching them to your figurine. “An auspicious omen for the Silent God to grant us Carus’s attention, let us not disappoint him.” She said, a slight nervousness in her voice.

Ah, don't be nervous about your performance under the gaze of your god… he’s rather enjoying the chance to ogle your tits!

Nodding in solemn agreement with Daisuke, Fang looked at you anew before looking at the younger maid. “Daiyu, where is my daughter?”

Bowing deeply to Fang, the now named maid spoke. “The young Mistress is being entertained by a lesser clan member in the gardens.”

Closing her eyes, Fang took a breath. “Daiyu, stay as an attendant to this meeting. Dampati, take a maid, and see to Yi.” She cooly ordered, and both women bowed.

Dampati left the room, as the now named Daiyu moved behind Fang while the noblewoman turned to you and Daisuke, reaffixing Fang’s dress and adjusting her clothes to as if she’d never been flashing her family’s deity.

“Come, honored guests sit. We have much to assert, this meeting.” Fang signaled the beginning of the talks, with a wave of a hand towards the couches and took a seat.

Rather than joining Daisuke on the couch opposite Fang, you slid in beside her with a confident grin, laying your hand on her thigh, Fang offered no protest and looked curiously at you. “Oh, I’m sure I won’t fail to impress with my end of the bargain.”