On Thursday morning, at the Surrey family estate, the slightly overweight, forty-something MP Surrey had just finished breakfast when his butler informed him that Mr. René was already waiting in the study.
MP Surrey's brows immediately furrowed. As the family's professional asset manager overseeing the majority of the Surrey finances, Mr. René had brought nothing but bad news ever since the family's archbishop in the Church of Steam and Machinery had passed away.
Sigh... No matter how much I dread it, I can't avoid this... Let's hope it's not too disastrous this time... With a heavy sigh, MP Surrey followed the butler to the study, where he found a weary-looking Mr. René with dark circles under his eyes.
The financial manager, only thirty years old and in his prime, had been so strained by the pressures of the past month that streaks of white had begun to appear in his hair.
When MP Surrey entered, René was downing cup after cup of coffee, desperately trying to replenish his depleted energy.
The sight made Surrey's heart sink, but he maintained a calm tone as he asked, "René, has something else happened?"
"Yes... I've just received news that is extremely unfavorable to us..." René replied, dabbing his forehead with a handkerchief—perhaps due to the heat of the coffee.
"What news?" MP Surrey asked, sitting on the sofa and forcing himself to remain composed.
With the recent barrage of bad news, he had grown somewhat numb.
"Mr. Henry, the second-largest shareholder of Suhite Bank, has sold all his shares to the Flessey family..." René answered cautiously, trying not to agitate the MP further.
"What?!" Surrey shot up from his seat, disbelief written across his face. "Henry sold his shares?!"
"Yes... According to my sources, he's been negotiating with the Flesseys for nearly a week. It may already be in its final stages..." René wiped his sweat again, delivering what felt like a divine punishment to MP Surrey.
Suhite Bank was the Surrey family's most vital asset. As its largest shareholder, the family's lifeline was inextricably tied to the bank.
Henry had been their staunchest ally, and together, their combined shares exceeded 50%, securing the Surreys' operational control.
Previously, the Flesseys had acquired scattered minor shares, but the Surreys hadn't been concerned—those couldn't shake their foundation.
Now, however, if the Flesseys succeeded in acquiring Henry's stake and rallied other small-to-mid shareholders, they could genuinely overturn the Surreys' absolute authority over Suhite Bank!
"No... The Flesseys must have already swayed some shareholders... If the shares under their control surpass ours, even the neutral third-largest shareholder—Count Hall of Loen—and the other minor shareholders will side with them..." Surrey felt his legs wobble, but he steadied himself and ordered the butler, "Arrange a meeting with Henry—today at noon!"
The butler gave his employer a concerned look but bowed. "At once, sir."
MP Surrey then turned back to René. "Are there any neutral small-to-mid shareholders we can still win over?"
René, having done his homework, retrieved a document from his briefcase and handed it over. "Sir, among those worth approaching, Mr. Monet and Berlat Steel remain our best options. They supported you during the Flesseys' and Deliens' previous pressure campaigns, so they may assist again. However..."
"However what?" Surrey pressed, uneasy.
Truthfully, he had never understood why those two had helped before—their intervention had been abrupt and unexplained. Whether they would do so again was anyone's guess.
"I met with their representatives earlier... They informed me they've received orders from above to defer future decisions to Mr. Ebner Bryan's recommendations," René explained.
"Ebner Bryan... Who is that?" The name rang a faint bell, but Surrey couldn't place it.
"After checking, I found he's a new shareholder of Suhite Bank, holding a 1% stake..." René pointed to a line near the bottom of the document.
MP Surrey stared at the name for a long moment before turning to the butler. "Isn't Ebner Bryan that friend of Fanny's? The one from Loen?"
"Yes, sir. Detective Bryan is indeed Miss Fanny's friend. He escorted her all the way back to Trier and has since settled here, establishing several businesses—including real estate and a newspaper... Additionally, he's a devout follower of the Earth Mother Church and maintains good relations with Archbishop Helen." The butler, having thoroughly investigated Ebner due to his connection with the young lady, provided detailed information.
"So Detective Bryan is Miss Fanny's friend! That explains why those two parties helped us before!" Mr. René's face lit up with realization, and he grew visibly excited. "If that's the case, even if Mr. Henry sells his shares to the Flesseys, we might not lose! In fact, our chances of winning are quite good!"
"How so?" The MP's spirits lifted as well, and he pressed for details.
"Detective Bryan hails from Loen, where he enjoys considerable fame and influence. He might even be acquainted with Count Hall! If we can secure the support of the third-largest shareholder, our crisis would be averted...
"Even if we merely ensure Count Hall remains neutral, this battle is far from over!" Mr. René suddenly felt reinvigorated.
Having been under constant pressure recently, he was eager for a chance to fight back.
After seeing the newly motivated Mr. René off, the MP hesitated before addressing the butler again. "Have I been neglecting Fanny too much?"
"Miss Fanny bears no resentment toward you," the butler replied tactfully.
This was true—Fanny's thoughts were now largely preoccupied with Ebner.
Closing his eyes briefly, the MP finally said, "Send for Fanny... I'd like to speak with her."
"At once, sir." The butler bowed and withdrew.
.....
Meanwhile, in the ancient palace above the gray fog, Ebner frowned at "The World" Klein seated below him and cautiously advised, "Given your... unique circumstances, infiltrating the 'Celestial Sect' could be dangerous!"
"I'm aware... Lady Yalolan warned me as well." Touched by the concern, Klein explained, "I've reported this matter to both 'The Fool' and the Goddess. I'll have some protection."
So now that you know the Goddess is a "fellow traveler," you're getting bold, huh? But the "Mother Tree of Desire" isn't to be trifled with—this will leave quite an impression on you!
Still, with the Goddess watching over him, the risks should be manageable...
With that thought, Ebner ceased his objections and simply nodded. "If you need help, summon me through 'The Fool'... I'll teleport over immediately."
"Don't worry. I've prepared extensively for this infiltration. There might be danger, but it should be within controllable limits."
After exchanging some recent experiences, the two concluded their regular "fellow traveler" meeting.
.....
Back in reality, Klein remained silent for a long while before closing his eyes. His facial contours softened, his irises turned blue, his eyebrows thinned, and his lips pressed together slightly—in mere moments, he had transformed into Tracy's likeness.
"Not bad... It's not so different after all. Maybe because I'm not cross-dressing? It feels similar to becoming Gehrman Sparrow or anyone else—just prettier and with some... extra weight up front. If I'd looked like this back on Earth, I wouldn't have struggled to find a girlfriend." He smirked self-deprecatingly.
Even this simple gesture, ordinary on Gehrman Sparrow, now carried an unsettling charm.
Damn it! Klein cursed inwardly, quickly adjusting his mindset as he immersed himself in the role.
As time passed, he found his psychological barriers genuinely fading, replaced by relaxation and calm—bringing him closer to harmony with the potion.
Which meant faster digestion.
Well, I'll be damned... This actually works. Silently marveling, Klein rose, took four steps counterclockwise, and returned to the gray fog to reconfirm the mission's risk level.
Back in reality, reviewing the collected intelligence on the "Celestial Sect," he ultimately couldn't bring himself to don their near-nudity attire...
In this moment, he gained deeper self-awareness: some lines he simply couldn't cross.
Little "Sun" said to remember it's just acting... Sighing, Klein retrieved the mystical item taken from Tracy's wrist, planning to seal himself within it before having Danitz or Darkwill discreetly deliver the "crystal" to the Governor's Mansion.
(End of Chapter)