"What is it?"
Li Andy opened the door and saw the smiling butler.
The butler looked at Li Andy, growing more satisfied the longer he looked.
Upon learning from his subordinates that many guests were inquiring about 'Harvis Fashion,' he understood that this young master had succeeded.
Moreover, it far exceeded his expectations!
The Governing Madam's judgment was indeed always excellent.
"Young Master Andy," the butler handed him a room number, "This is the room number for the Governing Madam's suite. That madam... is currently facing a small problem. I think you might be able to help her solve it. This is a good opportunity to enhance the reputation of your firm and the development of the Harveys industry."
Li Andy took the room number and scanned it with a puzzled look:
"What kind of problem?"
The butler replied:
"It's about the Unicorn Troupe's inclination. That madam needs the troupe to perform the 'correct' opera three days from now."
Li Andy's mind flashed back to the argument he had just heard in Rose's room.
In this era, the fate of performers could truly be easily manipulated by those "big figures."
At this time, the New Continent, to put it bluntly, was actually nothing more than a feudal fiefdom.
The slogans of freedom and human rights hadn't even appeared in documents yet.
This land was filled with resentment and helplessness everywhere.
"Are you asking me to be the good cop persuader?" Li Andy asked with a frown, "How did you get in touch with the Governing Madam?"
The butler paused, then replied somewhat awkwardly:
"This opportunity came from a small favor being repaid. The attendant knight currently favored by that madam once received help from Mr. Harveys."
"A recommendation from a male concubine?"
"Uh... yes."
Li Andy twitched his lips, suddenly feeling that some matters were not limited to gender.
However, since it was all for progress, he didn't look down on others.
The butler continued:
"Originally, I should have gone to negotiate, but I think Young Master you are more suitable. If you can perfectly establish this connection, I believe there will certainly be no one to oppose your future wedding with Miss Molly. Even if you have particularly intimate relationships with the other two young ladies."
Li Andy was stunned.
The butler's words were already very direct.
What did this mean? The final test from the father-in-law and mother-in-law??
Li Andy couldn't help but find it a bit amusing.
Marriage?
It felt like such a distant word...
Li Andy was silent for a long while, but ultimately decided to go and investigate.
The main reason was his guess that the matter of the mask might be related to that Governing Madam.
After all, in the game's plot, the troupe was not disbanded, but remained in the New Continent, siding with the independence faction.
Hmm... he wasn't doing it to gain the final approval of Molly's parents.
Did he need others' permission to be with whoever he wanted?
What a joke!
He just... wanted Molly not to be conflicted between two sides.
As for marriage... that could be discussed later...
...
Arriving at the suite door specified by the butler, Li Andy realized that he had actually overlooked this room when using the Mystic Mirror to search.
He lightly touched the door with his spirituality and immediately felt a spiritual barrier similar to Sister Anna's room.
He frowned slightly and knocked on the door.
A sturdy, brown-haired man, wearing only trousers, opened the door.
Seeing the other party still looking like he was sweating from exertion, Li Andy guessed that this must be the ambitious attendant knight.
He didn't waste words and directly showed the token the butler had given him.
The brown-haired man frowned, his gaze going back and forth between the token and Li Andy's handsome face, asking with some uncertainty:
"Are you... here for a serious discussion, or...?"
"Serious! I have a partner!"
Li Andy twitched his lips. He didn't need this kind of progress.
Uh, or rather, he already had a fixed object for progress.
"Alright."
The brown-haired man immediately breathed a sigh of relief. He was asking, but also probing.
After all, he had spent a great deal of effort, enduring the torment of various instruments, to defeat all other competitors. Some scorned him, some envied him, but only he knew how difficult this path was.
If repaying a favor brought him a strong rival, he would rather repay the favor in another way.
"Come with me."
The brown-haired man sighed inwardly and whispered a reminder,
"Now is the time when the madam is easiest to talk to, but remember, don't mention the Governor's name. It's best to call the madam... Miss Ainos.
"Also, your tone of voice should be as polite as possible. Whether you can reach an agreement depends on yourself.
"Mr. Harveys's meal... the favor, I consider it repaid."
Li Andy raised an eyebrow, feeling that the other party also had it quite rough. However, to make him negotiate like a humble servant, sorry, he probably couldn't do it.
Entering the room, Li Andy saw the Governing Madam again.
At this moment, she was wearing a loose bathrobe, holding a cigarette between her fingers, and sitting languidly on the sofa with her long legs crossed.
When Li Andy's gaze fell on her somewhat disordered shadow, he immediately realized—this Governing Madam was an insider.
Moreover, her spirit seemed to have just stabilized!
Could the Performer's Mask be related to her?
"My dear..."
The brown-haired man put on a doting, puppy-like smile of someone in love and came fawningly before the madam, introducing,
"This is the professional I recommended to you. He might be able to persuade the troupe, to make those foolish fellows understand that they only have one path: independence."
The Governing Madam exhaled a puff of smoke, sizing up Li Andy. Her gaze lingered on his face and collarbone for a good while before she asked:
"Can you convince the troupe?"
"Probably."
Li Andy paused, then added without an ounce of modesty, "I'd say I have a hundred percent certainty."
"Heh heh," the Governing Madam was amused and asked with interest, "Then do you know why I value such a small troupe so much?"
Li Andy pondered for half a second and replied:
"Because you need the troupe's influence. You need a... loudspeaker to propagate ideas and philosophies."
As he spoke, the Governing Madam's smile immediately faded, and her gaze towards Li Andy gradually became serious.
Others more or less knew what she wanted the troupe to do, but he was the first to state it so simply and clearly.
Li Andy continued:
"The various districts of the New Continent are actually scattered grains of sand, difficult to gather.
"We have no historical foundation. We are just a group of refugees... or bandits, who came from all over the world."
Upon hearing the word 'bandits,' the Governing Madam's brow visibly furrowed, scaring the attendant male concubine beside her, who frantically gave Li Andy meaningful glances.
But Li Andy paid no mind and continued:
"Therefore, if you want independence, if you want to unite, you need a common ideology.
"You need the troupe, in fact, to help you propagate that ideology.
"And this ideology can be called 'freedom.'"
