My Pervert Sytem

"A very messy welcome for the famous Silver Lioness," the strange woman purred taking a slow calculated drag from her pipe.

"But I suppose the rumors were true. The Sterling family always keeps a highly entertaining guard dog on a short leash."

Leon stopped in his tracks and narrowed his eyes at the new arrival. He passively activated his newly acquired Vitality Reading skill analyzing the strange woman standing near the ruined gates.

Her internal energy network was incredibly dense and highly refined projecting a smooth calm flow that easily marked her as a Tier Five Grandmaster.

She did not wear the green crest of House Vane or the black lotus of the Syndicate indicating she was a highly dangerous neutral party.

"You have a very strange definition of entertainment," Leon replied smoothly resting his hands casually in his pockets.

He projected his heavy Intimidation Aura testing her defenses but the woman simply smiled allowing the heavy pressure to wash over her without flinching.

"My name is Lady Valeriana," she announced taking another slow elegant drag from her smoking pipe.

A thin cloud of sweet smelling purple smoke drifted into the night air.

"I am an independent broker of highly valuable secrets. I came to see if the rumors of Lady Seraphina surviving the wilderness were true. It seems she found a very capable stray along the way."

"I am not a stray Lady Valeriana," Leon stated his voice dropping to a dark warning register. "I am the warden of this estate. And you are trespassing on private property."

Valeriana chuckled softly a rich melodic sound that carried a heavy trace of genuine intrigue.

She walked slowly up the cobblestone path her hips swaying with a deliberate hypnotic rhythm. She stopped just a few feet away from him looking up into his rugged handsome face with a fearless challenging smirk.

"The Chamberlain has placed a total quarantine on the imperial palace," Valeriana explained her tone shifting to a smooth businesslike cadence. "Your mistress is politically stranded. But the Chamberlain is hosting a massive high society banquet and martial exhibition in three days. The entire noble court will be there. It is the only place to bypass his bureaucratic walls and speak directly to the imperial council."

Leon absorbed the valuable information realizing this was exactly the opportunity they needed to break the political gridlock.

The crystal bell violently chimed in his skull projecting a glowing pink text box right between them.

[Quest Issued: The Smoke and Mirrors]

[Objective: Step firmly into her personal space, pluck the pipe directly from her fingers, take a drag]

[Reward: +10 Charisma, Skill ’Poison Resistance (Minor)’, 400 Shameless Points.]

[Failure Penalty: The Host will suffer a localized respiratory malfunction causing him to loudly hiccup like a highly distressed pig every time he tries to speak a woman’s name.]

Leon stared at the horrific penalty and ruthlessly suppressed a deep tired sigh. The system was already forcing him to mess with imperial city strangers, who could be far more dangrous than he realizes.

He took a smooth calculated step forward closing the small physical gap between them. He utilized a fraction of his monstrous Agility and reached out effortlessly plucking the long smoking pipe directly from her delicate fingers.

Valeriana blinked in pure unadulterated shock. She was a Tier Five Grandmaster and she had not even registered his sudden movement until the wooden pipe was already gone.

Leon placed the smooth tip of the pipe between his lips and took a deep drag holding her wide surprised gaze. The sweet purple smoke filled his lungs carrying a faint trace of a highly refined numbing agent.

He slowly exhaled a thick cloud of smoke directly into the cool night air leaning his face dangerously close to her ear.

"You talk a bit much Valeriana," Leon whispered in a deep resonant tone handing the pipe back to her with a smooth charming smirk.

The eccentric information broker stared at him her dark eyes flashing with a sudden chaotic mixture of deep indignation and a fierce unexpected heat.

A faint red flush crept up her elegant neck betraying her calm mysterious facade. No man had ever dared to treat her with such casual disrespect in her entire life.

Before Valeriana could formulate a witty biting response the heavy sound of marching boots echoed from the foyer behind them.

Seraphina marched out of the broken doors fully dressed in a fresh dark tunic and trousers holding her heavy steel broadsword in her right hand. Her silver hair was damp and her violet eyes were blazing with pure violent fury.

She took one look at Leon standing inches away from the beautiful woman in the crimson dress and her lie detector aura exploded with a massive blinding wave of fierce jealous rage.

"Step away from my warden Valeriana," Seraphina hissed sharply raising her broadsword slightly. "Before I decide to test if your famous defensive spells can stop a piece of solid steel."

Valeriana laughed loudly quickly recovering her composure. She took a step back and reached into her dress pulling out a thick heavy envelope sealed with a glowing golden wax crest.

"Always so possessive Seraphina," the broker teased tossing the envelope onto the ground at Leon’s feet. "There is an invitation to the Chamberlain’s banquet. But read the rules carefully. You must bring a proxy fighter for the martial exhibition. I suggest you bring your very bold guard dog."

Valeriana offered Leon a lingering highly intrigued glance before melting smoothly backward into the dark shadows of the street disappearing completely from sight.

Seraphina sheathed her sword and glared heavily at the spot where the woman had vanished. She turned her intense blazing violet eyes toward Leon crossing her arms over her chest.

"I leave you alone for five minutes," the noble daughter muttered her voice dripping with heavy sarcasm and unspoken jealousy. "And you are already sharing a pipe with the most dangerous spy in the capital."

"She simply brought us the keys to the castle Lady Seraphina," Leon replied smoothly bending down to pick up the heavy golden envelope. He offered her a devastating confident smile.

"It seems we have a party to attend."