“I’m the Lady of Sofia.” she chuckled, radiating trustworthiness with the charisma of an Icon. “You have my word.”

“Then prove you can do it.” the woman then replied. She seemed to be a bit prideful - but it was alright. At this point, it was just a demand stemming from her attitude. This battle has been already won.

“For Montogery’s wife: of course.” Sofia replied. The other woman’s shoulders dropped a smidge in relief. “Please wait here, I’ll get it arranged for you right now.” the young woman added with a confident smile.

The wife nodded.

The noble then lightly jogged back to the man who was waiting at the bar.

---*---

“And that’s the issue.” Sofia finalized, after explaining what had just happened to the husband, Mr. Montgomery.

“R-really?” the man asked, tears starting to pour from his eyes. “Is that all I have to do?”

Sofia nodded.

“Yes. That’s all. And the problem is solved.”

The man then brought his forearm to his face.

“Pen, paper. Contract.” he then stated, as he wiped his tears with his sleeve.

“Of course.” the noble replied as she started to pull them out from her purse. The last time she did this was to get Barlow and Cebolla signed up for the Black Ties. Now, she was using the power of contracts to achieve something greater.

Step by step, she would climb; she thought. Like this, she would achieve her goals.

She then wrote up the conditions she had mentioned, and then with a ruler from her purse, made the lines where they had to sign.

“All good?” she then asked, before showing it to the man.

He paused for a moment as she inspected the document with his moist eyes.

"You'll handle my store, yes?" he said.

"Yes." Sofia replied.

"You'll make at least this much in profits per month, yes? You confirm it."

"Yes." she mentioned again.

He seemed to be more of a verbal contract person. Or he wanted it both verbally and written, to be sure. Either way, he seemed to just be confirming what was written. Provided that there was nothing unclear in what she had put in there, she should be in the clear. Hopefully his current emotional state wouldn't make him misunderstand any of the terms in there.

Sofia waited as the man read it over, again and again. Her toes curled in her shoes. She didn't want him to think it over too much - his doubts would make him not sign.

"So, everything alright? You agree?" she then asked, trying to dislodge him from his analysis paralysis and pressure him to sign. She was so close. She wouldn't let something like this - his doubts - stop all of this effort until now.

"Ah, yes. Sorry." he stammered. Then, he nodded. And signed.

“Thank you. I won’t disappoint.” Sofia then replied, and slid the paper to herself to sign it. “And now, the fruit please. And your vacation, to rebuild your bond with your family, begins.”

The man produced it from his coat, and he looked at it. Then, he gave it a kiss.

“For my family.” he whispered to the fruit, to then hand it over to Sofia.

“Good luck.” he then said to the young woman, with a soft smile.

[Exit]