Chapter 14: Help in Need

To the west of Fifth University, there was a small grove containing hundreds of villas with private courtyards. This was the residence for the university’s senior administrators and top professors, as well as the quietest and most scenic place in the entire university. At the heart of the grove, there was even a small lake.

Thick clouds covered the sky but could not block the morning light. When the eastern sky gradually brightened, Mr. Gron, the Dean of Academic Affairs of Fifth University, was already dressed neatly and sitting at the dining table, enjoying a delicious breakfast.

Applewood logs crackled in the fireplace, and the faint scent of the wood was refreshing. The room was warm. Through the wide floor-to-ceiling window, one could see the heavy snow falling outside. It must have been bitterly cold out there, but inside it was as warm as spring. The sharp contrast made Mr. Gron sigh contentedly. He opened his mouth wide and took a big gulp of fresh milk.

The room was luxuriously decorated, with brightly colored wallpaper on the walls and furniture and knick-knacks everywhere adorned with gold and silver. The eastern wall was entirely covered with precious porcelain from The East. All the seating and bedding were covered with silk, all of which showed the family’s great wealth.

Dean of Academic Affairs of Fifth University, a noble of the Empire, and a wife from an Earl’s family. Mr. Gron gave a satisfied burp, rubbed his slightly balding head, and a happy smile appeared on his round, red face.

The pretty young maid carefully carried a silver tray and brought a white bread with dried nuts that Mr. Gron liked best. Mr. Gron chuckled softly, and his right hand naturally slipped under the maid’s skirt, firmly grabbing her youthful, tender thigh. He recalled the delicate, soft moans of this little maid beneath him last night, and his heart warmed.

Last night, he had finally paid a few shiny gold coins to get this lovely young woman into his bed. His wife had been away from home these past couple of days, which opened up a convenient opportunity for Mr. Gron.

He knew that his wife had recently become involved with some powerful figure in Borelly, and he also knew what the so-called literary salon was all about. But all this was acceptable. She didn’t care on whom he sweated profusely, so he wouldn’t complain under whom she moaned and gasped. It was a fair deal; everyone found their own fun!

The little maid gave a coquettish hum and cast an extremely charming sidelong glance at Mr. Gron.

Mr. Gron gave a strange ‘hehe’ laugh, and his heart warmed again. But what worried him was that although his mind was filled with romantic thoughts, his body—to be exact, a certain part of his body—had no reaction at all. It was cold and soft, like a hibernating little grass snake, showing no response whatsoever.

Feeling disheartened, Mr. Gron withdrew his hand, picked up the white bread with some concern, and slowly picked out the hazelnuts, chewing them with a ‘crunch crunch.’ This was not a good sign, not good at all. He knew his body well; it meant that he wouldn’t be able to perform vigorously for the next few days.

Normally, it wouldn’t matter much, but he had just made that subtle little request to Father Barin, and Father Barin should have, as per his request, passed the task on to those capable student ‘thugs’ in University City.

Without a doubt, in Mr. Gron’s mind, students like Lin Qi were complete ‘thugs.’ He had little fondness for these troublemakers who ran amok in University City. But he had to admit that even important people like him couldn’t do without the help of these bad students.

Thinking of that lead dancer Gina from the Gisean roaming troupe, based on Mr. Gron’s many years of experience in romantic affairs, she should still be a pure girl. She was different from his wife and his little maid. His wife, who came from a noble family, and these well-behaved little maids were like delicate pet dogs.

Squinting his eyes to look at the little golden dachshund snoring in front of the fireplace, Mr. Gron couldn’t help but shrug.

Gina was different from them. She was a wild little cat, a strong and agile little leopard. That youthful body, full of energy, and her vigorous movements deeply captivated Mr. Gron. He was determined to spend a night with this beautiful girl at any cost. Imagining the scene of that beautiful, youthful body writhing and struggling beneath him, Mr. Gron’s heart began to beat fiercely.

But damn it, a certain important part of his body still showed no reaction at all.

“Damn it!” Thinking of the fiery, wild Gina, Mr. Gron began to regret last night’s indulgence.

His own little maid could be enjoyed anytime, even when his wife was home. But girls from the Gisean roaming troupe, that kind of top-quality goods, were extremely rare. Whether it was her looks, figure, skin, or the wild temperament so different from ordinary girls, Gina’s allure was too powerful for Mr. Gron.

Giving up Gina for a little maid? That would be a disaster.

But he knew his own body. It wouldn’t recover its vigor for three to five days, and the Gisean roaming troupe never stayed in one place for more than three days! Mr. Gron stood up gloomily; the delicious breakfast no longer held his attention. Sighing, he grabbed the gold-trimmed tricorn hat on the table, put it on his head, picked up a small old mountain cane, and walked out of the house with his head drooping.

The cold wind hit him, and Mr. Gron shivered. Unable to vent his frustration, he roared angrily. Those damned lazy servants! The noble Lord Gron was going out, and they hadn’t even prepared the carriage yet?

Lin Qi, yawning repeatedly, swaggered into Mr. Gron’s yard and waved at him with a smile.

It was like swallowing a fly first thing in the morning. Mr. Gron looked at Lin Qi with intense disgust. He admitted that thug students like Lin Qi were useful, but that didn’t mean he could tolerate such scoundrels freely entering his courtyard. His face darkened as he waved the small cane, making a ‘whooshing’ sound, and roared with full intimidation, “Lin Qi, you damn fellow, is this a place you should be?”

After all, this was the residence of a noble and a lady from an Earl’s family. How could a thug like Lin Qi barge into a noble’s home?

Lin Qi held a crystal vial, only the size of a thumb, in his hand. He grinned happily at Mr. Gron and said, “Dear Mr. Gron, I’ve brought something good for you! I think you need this precious, miraculous potion refined from mysterious herbs from The East!”

With a meaningful glance at Mr. Gron’s lower body, Lin Qi—who had many ears and eyes in University City, including Mr. Gron’s coachman who was a peripheral member of the Iron Fist Brotherhood—knew exactly what shameful problem Mr. Gron had.

He was determined to squeeze a large sum of money from Mr. Gron for this potent potion.