RISE OF EROS

Andrew, who was about to leave, returned to his seat and asked, "Who?", but Candice didn't answer him, she just smiled slightly as if she had just won something and then Andrew understood that Candice wouldn't give him information for free.

While thinking about how to trade for the information that Candice had, she spoke, "Okay, I don't want to rob you, since you've brought me good business, so this time I'll tell you what I know without asking for anything in return."

Candice's comment surprised Andrew, but he quickly regained his composure and said, "Then I'll thank Mrs. Candice for the help." Candice waved her hand as if to tell him not to mind and began to tell Andrew what she knew.

"I imagine you know that in the area where your Heavenly Palace is located, there are so to speak 5 thugs who rule the sector, right?" Andrew didn't say anything, just nodded and Candice continued.

"One of them was Debos, but you know what happened to him. The other 4, are called Rufal, Dinocal, Canotto, and Zoltan. This last one is an old and dangerous fox, but don't worry about him, I'll take care of him for you."

Candice didn't explain the reason why she would take care of the old man, but Andrew didn't bother to ask, he decided to believe in her and focus on the other 3, however, Candice tell him anyway.

"This group had been suppressing many businesses in the sector and they made me lose several businesses, so I gave them a warning. Debos did not take it into account and well it ended as it ended.

Candice paused, drank some tea, and continued, "The old man Zoltan, wanting to take advantage of me, acted as a spy working with me, but apparently the other 3 became suspicious of him and the group split up."

"Now the old man is starting to have ideas of bothering me and your Heavenly Palace, so since it's my problem I'll handle it, but I won't do anything to the other three. If you can't handle these little things, you don't deserve to collaborate with me", Candice continued.

Andrew knew the business of the four men that she was talking about, but he didn't know these men in particular and now that they were targeting him, he wasn't going to sit idly by and wait for them.

After internalizing the information, Andrew said again, "I appreciate this gesture, I promise to return the favor later," and then he got up and left. Candice had a smile on her face as she watched Andrew leave.

For her, the Heavenly Palace was a small business and she didn't care much for it, but Andrew seemed interesting to her, so she wanted to see how he would solve the problem.

Candice thought Andrew was a bit naive for the kind of business he was part of, however, that was because she did not know the brutalities Andrew had done. As Andrew and Oliver reached the first floor of the store, the stocky manager who had served them before, approached.

"Mr. Andrew, the payment for the designs will be sent in the morning hours tomorrow," he said cordially, and Andrew nodded and headed for the Heavenly Palace with Oliver.

As they walked back, Andrew asked, "Oliver, you have to keep your guard up, especially when the renovations begin, I think it will be the best time for them to bother us."

"Young master, what will you do about the man called Zoltan?" Oliver asked. Andrew remained silent as they walked. He understood Oliver's concern.

While it was true that Candice said she would take care of him, it would be reckless of him not to know the old man's movements and so he replied, "Send a message to Aki, tell her to suspend the current mission and investigate these people."

Oliver responded with a short, "Yes, sir," and they continued on their way in silence until they reached the Heavenly Palace. Upon arriving, Oliver immediately went to send Aki the new orders, while Andrew returned to the office.

Aki reported the progress of her missions every three days, mostly at night, but it wasn't like they couldn't contact her. They had established a simple system that consisted of leaving the message in a certain place.

It was not a special place, it was a small lonely alley with little lighting. Aki would check that place every day before the opening of the Heavenly Palace, so they could communicate with her.

Andrew told Carolina about the men who were targeting them and she got a little worried. It was true that she had adapted to the dangers of this business, but being a weak woman, she was still scared when these things happened.

So Andrew had to comfort her for a while. Unexpectedly a week passed, without any setbacks, and just as Andrew thought, his enemies had already found out about the renovations he was going to do at the store and were waiting to attack.

Rufal, Dinocal and Canotto's plan was simple. Creating trouble in the construction, more specifically, they would wait for the construction to start and then create trouble, to prevent it from being finished, with that the Heavenly Palace would not be able to do business and would lose its reputation.

On the other hand, Zoltan was more astute and decided not to intervene yet. His idea was to let all the participants in this conflict weaken each other and then he would launch a quick attack to eliminate them all.

However, to his misfortune, Candice already knew his intentions and without him knowing it, he had an assassin following him at all times from the shadows. Candice was just waiting for the right moment to kill him.

Aki had changed her mission and in a week demonstrated her abilities. She had found out that Zoltan was being watched by someone from the shadows, without anyone noticing and she notified Andrew.

She had also investigated the other three and discovered that they were more cunning and stronger than Debos, but they were still idiots. That was the evaluation that Aki gave to them, as they had the same flaw as Debos.

They, like Debos, believed that being the bosses of the area, no one could touch them. Confidence is not bad, but arrogance was something different and these men were arrogant to the core.

The next day, Oto and his team would start their work, but it was still night and Aki was reporting what she had discovered. In the office were Andrew, Carolina, and Oliver listening to Aki.

Since Oliver was the most powerful fighting force that Andrew had at his disposal, he decided that Oliver should participate in the meeting. Aki told everything she knew, which was a lot.

She had discovered what businesses the three men were doing, whether they were in full view or the most obscure businesses. She learned about the estimated combat strength and even the details of the plan to attack the Heavenly Palace.

The men were arrogant and that's why they never thought that someone could sneak into their secret meetings and listen to their whole plan. In a world where so many strange abilities exist, not taking precautions when discussing topics like this, only a fool would do, that's why Aki thought of them as people with money, but no brains.

It was so easy for Aki to infiltrate that with just one order from Andrew she could kill them in an instant, but Andrew didn't want to make the same mistake he made with Debos.

He did not want to just eliminate them, he want to take advantage of the situation more specifically, he was after the money that these men had. In fact, Candice still had not to eliminate Zoltan for the same reason.

Although rotten, these men had amassed considerable wealth and they wanted to obtain some profit from their enemies. Great minds are always looking for the greatest profit, especially traders.

The four of them discussed all night what countermeasures they would use against their enemies. The plan was simple. Aki would find where their enemies kept the money and try to secure it.

Oliver would be on watch during the construction and the courtesans would be watched by two or three guards when they left the establishment to prevent a calamity when they went out to enjoy their days off.

Andrew, Carolina, and Helena would be at Candice's store training her staff for the fashion show most of the time, so they didn't think they needed to be on their guard.

He knew that Candice would not allow him to be harmed, at least not for now when she still did not receive the profits from their cooperation, not to mention, that thanks to Aki's information, Andrew knew that, although the troops of the thugs of the area were numerous, they weren't powerful, so with Andrew's skills he could handle the situation.

The day when the construction began has arrived and Oto brought the contract. Andrew read it carefully to avoid any legal loopholes and signed it. After paying half of the money, Oto and his team started working.

Thus began the week that would create great changes to the red light district or at least to the area where the Heavenly Palace was located. Candice had also made her preparations and soon all the characters involved started making their moves.