The dimly lit corridors of de Winter Castle echoed with the slow, deliberate footsteps of two men. Dandelion raised his lamp, its flickering glow casting shadows on the stone walls as he turned to Tristan.
“This is where the maids live, right?” he asked. “But are you sure about this? What woman working in a duke’s castle would want to become a prostitute?”
“The art of persuasion is a business skill,” Tristan replied with a smirk.
Dandelion grimaced, shaking his head in disgust. “It feels like I’m getting covered in filth, Tristan.”
“You’re the one planning to seduce a maid, so spare me the self-righteous act,” Tristan shot back.
“It’s different for me,” Dandelion insisted. “I just want to have some fun with a pretty girl for a day. I won’t force anyone if they say no—not that anyone has ever refused this face.”
Tristan gave him a playful shove, and after a brief pause, they rounded a corner and entered a narrow passageway.
