546 Entertainment at an Archfey Soirée 2



Leylandra's expression darkened at Ren's words, and for a moment, he feared that he had offended her. However, after a moment's pause, she spoke again, her voice low and dangerous.

"Trivial things, you say? Tell me, Ren, have you ever been to war? Have you ever fought for something that you believe in with all your heart and soul? Have you ever seen the look of victory on the face of a comrade or felt the satisfaction of defeating an enemy?"

Ren nodded his head. "Yes. I have. I just don't find it fascinating. Thrilling, yes. Violence and war only lead to pain and suffering, and I believe that there are better ways to solve problems than through killing."

He was being a hypocrite right now.

Leylandra's expression softened at Ren's words, and she regarded him thoughtfully for a moment before speaking again.

"You may be right," she said softly. "But there is still something fascinating about mortals and their wars. Something primal and visceral that calls to me. Perhaps it is because I am an Archfey, and violence is in my nature. Or perhaps it is simply because I find the mortal world so endlessly fascinating. Either way, I cannot help but be drawn to stories of war and combat."

[Leylandra is Satisfied and Happy!]

Ren nodded, feeling a sense of relief that he had managed to steer the conversation and ended with a favorable result.

That notification was his cue to move to his next target.

[Whisper, Faun Artist and Poet. Aristocrat, male, painter, and poet of some repute. He wants respect from anyone — anyone at all — and is actively hitting on female nobles with little success.]

Ren skidded to a stop after reading his description. This wasn't the type of conversation that he would excel at. He wanted to take a turn but was too late when Whisper called him.

"Hey, you! You're an adventurer, right?" Whisper trotted towards Ren and huffed before he spoke. "I heard that adventurers in the mortal place are very good with love. Can you advise this old Faun on how to get a woman?"

Ren raised an eyebrow at the Faun's question, wondering where this was going. "Love advice, huh? Well, I'm not sure I'm the best person to ask, but I'll do my best."

He was definitely not the best person to ask. To that, everyone would agree.

Whisper nodded eagerly, his large ears twitching with excitement. "Oh, thank you! I've been trying to win the heart of Lady Luminia for weeks now, but she doesn't seem to be interested in me at all. Do you have any advice for how to make her fall in love with me?"

Ren bit back a chuckle at the Faun's question, trying to think of a diplomatic response. "Well, first of all, you might want to tone down the hitting on other female nobles. It's not a good look."

Whisper looked slightly offended at Ren's comment, but he quickly composed himself and nodded. "Yes, of course. I just thought that if Lady Luminia saw how desirable I was to other women, she might be more interested in me."

Ren shook his head. "That's not how it works. You can't force someone to love you by making them jealous. You need to show Lady Luminia that you're genuinely interested in her and that you respect her as a person."

Ren wanted to tap himself on the back for his reply.

Whisper nodded thoughtfully, his long tail twitching behind him. "I see. So, how do I do that? How do I show Lady Luminia that I'm genuinely interested in her?"

Ren hesitated, unsure of how to respond. He wasn't exactly an expert on love and romance, and he didn't want to give Whisper bad advice. However, he knew that he had to at least try to help the poor Faun.

"Well, you could try writing her a poem," he suggested tentatively. "You're a poet, right? Maybe if you wrote her a beautiful love poem, she would be impressed by your talents and your sincerity."

Whisper's eyes lit up at Ren's words, and he grinned from ear to ear. "A poem! Of course! Why didn't I think of that? Thank you, adventurer! You've given me a great idea!"

Ren nodded, feeling a sense of relief that he had managed to help Whisper. "You're welcome. Good luck with Lady Lumina."

Whisper trotted off, his tail held high with excitement, and Ren couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he watched him go. He may not have been an expert on love, but he had managed to give the poor Faun some hope. And in a world as uncertain and dangerous as this one, a little bit of hope could go a long way.

[Whisper is very happy and satisfied!]

Alright, on to the next fey. Ren thought.

[Lurvana, Winter Court Seductress. Archfey, a female, crashes the party. Pure, unbridled sexual desire made flesh. Lurvana is looking for a good time in a variety of ways. She shows no shame and would love to make out with anyone in the nearby fountain. She's terribly bored or anxious in ordinary conversation.]

Egh . . . Ren made a side sweep and avoided her at all cost. This wasn't the type that he could deal with. Avoiding her didn't bore fruit once she laid on him, however.

"You there," Lurvana called, and Ren could do nothing but stop in his tracks.

Ren turned to face Lurvana, feeling a sense of dread in the pit of his stomach. He had read about the Winter Court Seductress's description, and none of them were particularly flattering. However, he knew he couldn't ignore her, so he put on his amiable face and stepped forward.

"Hello, Lady Lurvana. What can I do for you?" he asked, trying to keep his tone light and friendly to no success.

Lurvana smirked at him, her eyes flickering with a dangerous light. "Do for me? Oh, adventurer, you have no idea what I want you to do for me. But I think you're going to enjoy it."

Ren felt a shiver run down his spine at her words, but he tried to play it cool. "I'm all ears, Lady Lurvana. What do you have in mind?"