As something she was passionate about, Lucile soon went deep into an explanation as to what the Trade union was all about and Hal felt it was quite similar to what Wade was doing here, except that hers was legitimate and was not only rooted in auction.

Paladin Trade union which only gained the right to be called that through its branches all about the major cities of the Silva Duchy only held auctions on particular days and occasions. The items to be auctioned were also the cream of the crop.

On other days, there were stalls rented out to small-time traders and permanent stalls for runemasters who wished to sell their crafts and Alchemists who wished to sell their pills.

When the family that used to be in control of the Trade union pulled out their support, they also pulled out all profits that the business had made thus far. According to them, it was theirs as it had been made before the change in ownership.

Also, they took control of most of the union's assets.

Had that not being the case, Lucile would have still been able to make use of the union's illustrious name to hold an auction that would call out those with valuable items to sell.

However, in a situation where the only thing they actually still owned by virtue of the change in ownership was the union's headquarters in the capital and all profits earned in any other building other than that would still be shared with the family that once owned it, she could not do so.

She needed to acquire the union's assets and then negotiate deals with their resident Alchemists and Runemasters and it did not come cheap.

Now that she could pump blue gems back into the union, she could work on getting it back on its feet and even fulfill her wishes to have branches in other Duchys and not just in the Silva Duchy.

It was through the union's branches that she was able to garner information all round and why she had been confident that Hal's 'Klint family' did not really exist in the capital.

Lucile moved closer to him and placed a hand in his chest,

"I appreciate your input, but don't think that's all it takes to woo me" she said.

Hal chuckled,

"Who said I was even trying to?" He said and lowered his face the inches with which he was taller than her until their lips were only an inch apart.

Then he stopped and waited for Lucile to travel the rest of the distance which he was sure she would eventually do.

Her lips were soft and warm and the taste of it had Hal quite giddy but it was nothing compared to how Lucile felt as the feline-eyed beauty shivered from the pleasure she felt from making contact with his lips.

She raised her arms and wound them around Hal's back to pull him, if possible, even closer to her and even harder into that kiss.

Hal in turn wrapped his arms around her and loved how her pillowy large breasts pressed against his muscular chest while he could feel the hardness of her nipple which told of her arousal.

And just like that, the two delved into a full make-out session that had them forgetting about their environs and only focussing on each other.

...

Passionate as the kiss, Hal still felt it was not yet time to push for the real deal and preferred to leave things as is.

Much as Lucile enjoyed the kiss, there was still a bit of confusion as she was not entirely sure if she had readily given herself into that kiss because she wanted to or because of how joyous she was at that moment.

Whatever it was, Hal was quite ready to let her sort it out. He was not in any rush. On the contrary, he felt it was about time he returned to the capital and reported back to the Princess through Ehrlich.

The communication talisman he had received from Ehrlich had been alerting him all day and was a further message of insistence on how it was time to leave.

Lucile planned to remain in Black lagoon for a while longer so that she could fine-tune the details of Wade's substantial investment and could not possibly return to the capital with Hal.

As for those who had come to Black lagoon for the auction and not offered assistance in Wade's time of need, they had mostly left the city as soon as they could.

Some did go to the residence to offer apologies but a majority of them felt there was no need since the Sheik himself must understand their thinking and decision not to interfere between him and his rebellious advisor.

And they were actually right.

Much as Wade was displeased by their apathy, he still understood their reasoning. At least they had remained neutral and not offered to assist Gavin either.

Besides, even if he was upset, showing it would have had the opposite effect and just alienate the same people who were responsible for his wealth.

If he could not smile and act like it all had never happened, how would he be able to call them when next he planned to have an auction. After all, Hal had not said he could not still trade and had not given him an alternate means of earning.

Especially since all his share of profit in Lucile's trade union would go directly to Hal who did not look like he was interested in sharing.

Anyway,

Hal did not need or want any escorts and found his way to one of the teleportation circles in Black Lagoon which now worked on account of Gavin's lockdown protocol being deactivated.

The circle was in a hut-like housing and lacked the presence of attending Runemasters with holographic screens for two reasons;

First, Residing Runemasters were a scarce commodity in Black lagoon, and Second, what would be the point of inviting people to trade in the black market site when their locations as well as where they traveled from was being tracked.

While the Sheik usually knew the names of all those who came to attend his auction, there was still the need to retain a semblance of anonymity.

Hal sighed and shook his head at how this was a double-edged sword in the sense that it made them open to infiltration from the very same people they wanted to be trusted by.

He was about to step into the circle when he received another alert from the communication talisman and decided he might as well not ignore it this time,

"Damn it, Ehrlich, you are persistent. I'll give you that" he said once the talisman was out of his inventory.

There was an annoyed silence at first before Ehrlich spoke out of the talisman slowly,

"Why haven't you been picking up your talisman?" He asked.

"I was busy, because, unlike you Ehrlich, I actually have a social life. A small one but a social life all the same." Hal said in a casual tone.

Ehrlich growled but when he spoke, he surprisingly calm,

"Your mission is already complete and in case you don't know what happens next, let me spell it out for you;

You have to return to your station and report to your supervisor which is me or you stand to lose all your gained merit and Gems." He said and Hal could almost hear the sly smile on his face through the talisman.

His eyes narrowed,

"How would I have known that when you never told me?" he said with a hint of annoyance.

"Well, I just did. I hope you don't take too long" Ehrlich said.

Hal sneered,

"I won't. In fact, I'm already at the Teleportation circle." With that he disconnected and slotted in the blue gems.

Since the teleportation circle was of a high rank and the distance between Black lagoon and the capital was not as much as that of Kirsten city and the capital, Hal estimated his journey would take half an hour as opposed to the three hours of the Kirsten-capital journey.

With that thought in mind, he activated the circle and stepped into the void.