The rules of the Information House were simple. The client and her or his agent/informant will sign a contract to ensure the client of clean business.
Certain amounts of the rules are depending on the information, and the difficulty of the job. Second, should the client be found guilty of a crime, all information will be confiscated by the house.
They also include the honesty of an agent or any informant regardless of their jobs. It means, the client has the high authority to decide on how the information will be used and kept confidential. If any information is tempered or false, the house will take care of them either with physical or mental punishment.
Under the management that the agent/informant was in trouble with the client, he or she can leave the job. However, if he or she passed a week of working with a client, he cannot leave his work.
The client and the agent can write a contract, this will prove their unification as partners. When it comes to the prices of each information sold to the client, the house has the authority to conduct such an amount.
That only means, the client can't complain if the price was too high. However, to ensure good transactions from both sides, it said that before the client signs a contract, she or he can discuss the price she can pay in advance in case she couldn't pay it later on.
After all, information is a valuable product. I give a long silence after I listen to his explanation and give a quick nod. I understand half of it but I still have to be wary about the rest.
"Can the client have the authority to punish the agent/informant if the said crime was performed?" I asked.
He slightly smiled before he carefully shifted. "According to the owner, the client can do more as such, we are merely tools to satisfy your needs for information," he said but the way he said those words gives me a chill at the back of my bones.
Tools? To merely satisfy one's needs. I have long since felt that way with the Second Prince. It was that time when my father died that I understand my worth in his eyes. I was merely his tool, and once I am no longer useful, he will discard me.
I married a fool, and yet I became a fool myself. That is why, I had to make sure I will never repeat the same mistake as I did back then. In this lifetime, I will play the main role of this ploy.
To ensure none of us in my family dies from such cruel fate. 
"So long as your information is true, I do not mind how much the price can cost," I simply bowed my head and looked down. "Let's sign a contract," I mumbled. 
The man in front cautiously chuckled. "Such a brave choice," he said and then he brought out a white document in front of me. "This is the contract, feel free to read it first before you sign."
『━━✣━━』
The contract was a simple client and servant job condition. Though, it took me a while to consider some clauses, thanks to this man in front whom I do not know his name, I was able to understand some of the complicated stuff in the contract.
To simplify the clauses in the contract, I had it adjusted and added some of my conditions as well. After that I signed the contract with ease, and handed it over to the man.
He looked at the documents before he nodded. "Congratulations for signing a contract with us, I am your agent, and my name is Rone," he introduced himself, but rather late? 
No wait, he did it intentionally. An agent's name and face is rather confidential, and introducing themselves before a client signs a contract is like asking them to be exposed. That means when the contract is signed, the client will fulfill the contract which will make them unable to speak their agent’s name to anyone.
"Ah," she chuckled. "I see, nice to meet you, Rone—" I was so busy with Rone that the sound outside almost made me forget that we are in an opera house.
He looked at the close curtains and he opened them wide open. "It seems that the actors are practicing," he then looked at me. "Would you mind staying and watching? It's also an opportunity to see the owner of the opera!"
Is he speaking about the master of the house? The one who manages this organization or the opera? This kind of makes me intrigued to know the person behind this masterpiece. The first time I heard of this organization was from a maid in the palace, before I knew it, I found out that Lady Arianna was acquainted with the house.
Well, it's not so bad to see who owns this place. I gave Rone a nod as an agreement and then I stood up. Besides, I never see an actor behind the scenes, and I was never interested in any opera's or any theatrical performance before.
Gentle, I walked forward near Rone in the small balcony, then I shifted my gaze at the stage where I saw a few men and women dressed up in costumes. Then I saw others beside them as they helped with the props. 
"Look, my lady," said Rone as he pointed somewhere, or someone on the stage—it was a girl, right about my age, beautiful and dazzling, she was also quite stiff and she dressed up with all white. "That woman is our best performer, she is Fioze Venlize, a singer."
She looked like she was in distress, although I could hear her voice from this distance, I also found her personality a bit odd. "Do all of your singers have such an attitude?"
Rone laughed. "Of course not! Fioze is just very different from others. Her pride is too high that others get annoyed sometimes," he mumbled and I looked away.
"What show are they playing? Sorry, I am not very familiar with an opera," I honestly spoke and he looked at me.
"It's fine, they will be performing a romantic show about a lady who fell in love with an actor, Fioze was stressed because the master was pushing her forward—" he then stopped as he was looking from behind me. "That must be the master."
During that moment I did not know anything. So, when I turned and looked back at the stage, I couldn't help but to be surprised. 
『━━✣━━』
He looked at the girl in front as he shook his head. "Fioze, I told you not to change the lyrics as you wish, I have seen others complain about your behavior!"
The woman did not mind being yelled at but at the same time, she was just looking at him plainly and reformed. "It's their fault for not having the talent to go on par with me," she stubbornly said. 
"You little brat," he mumbled and then he looked at the musicians giving off a frightful look. "If you don't stop this, I will have no choice but to have you removed from the play."
He was not so sure about removing her but if she continues to torment the musicians, Kalester will have no choice but to remove her from the entire play. However, Fioze did not take that lightly.
Hence, instead of complaining, she reforms to a seductive method. Kalester is known to have no interest in women, but what if Fioze has a chance? Right, she thought it was for the best as well.
She has always liked him, but he wouldn't look at her. So, Fioze caused an accident and fell on Kalester's hard body. The incident was so intentional, but the face of the crowd was genuine.
"What the heck are you doing?" he angrily said, but the woman hugged him so tightly he couldn't brush her off. 
"I have always loved you master, wouldn't you love me the same?" 
Kalester cracked, the woman's voice was so sweet it could take you to heaven, but his attention was not for her but for somebody else.
The sharp and dark gaze from a distance. It made him look up to meet an eye filled with disappointment. 
Catholy looked at Rone and she coldly looked away from that scene she had witnessed. "I think I should head back now," she said stiffly as she immediately exited herself from the room.
There's no mistake in what she saw, but she was right to ignore it. Even if he declares his love, he is not her lover. She bites her lips as she carefully walks towards the hallways. 
Why didn't he brush her off? Why did he let her touch him? She was filled with questions but was discarded soon, she realized she didn't have rights to get jealous, because they were not lovers.
Then, what are they? Strangers?
She looked at the path, showing the door which she used to come in earlier. 
"Catholy!" 
Her body froze the moment she was about to open the door. She turned around, as her heart started pounding, fear gripping her every nerve. As she faces the man in front, she masters her bravery to look him in the eye.
She refused to back down, determined to stand her ground. "You—"
"I can explain, that was an accident, I—"
"No, I don't care. We are not lovers, nor do we have any relationship beside knowing each other from the past. So, I am fine with it," said Catholy and she faked a smile.
She already was betrayed for the first time. This time, she wanted to cut her feelings before it grew. What she said is true, all that she said from the past was nothing but a ploy.
She gripped her hands as she was looking at the wall, she was afraid to see his reaction. This response was for the best, he can flirt with women he can see, at least she knew that they don't have any relationship at all.
『━━✣━━』
"I apologize," he said and made me tilt but I did not look. "So, please don't brush me off like that. Do you think I will like someone else, or love them as I do to you?"
What is he saying? I... I know I am acting childish right now, but I know this was for the best. So, why? I feel so irritated right now? Should I feel this way? Can I trust him?
I don't know.
"Catholy," he called but I couldn't answer. 
"Look at me," he demanded. "Please."
How am I supposed to react? I... 
"Make a deal with the devil," he said and it made me confused. What is he saying? "If I betrayed you, I will kill myself—"
I did not hesitate to look up, and scream a word. "What!?" However, I couldn't believe what he said. 
That is when I saw Kalester's face. It was miserable and sad. As if all life has been drained from him. I bit my lips and a few tears fell from my eyes.
This man really makes me sad when he is like that. "You really are a fool," I mumbled and I carefully went to him. "I'm sorry for misunderstanding the situation."
He looked at me after a long silence, and then suddenly he pulled me over and he leaned his head on my shoulders. I got used to him doing this, so I didn't bother resisting as I patted his back.
"We may have no official relationship, but you are still mine," he softly mumbled and I childishly chuckled.
He has always been like that to me. "You sound like a possessive man who couldn't get enough with his things," I then suddenly felt his hand around my back, as he grip me gently.
"I can kidnap you right now and cage you in a jail where you can never leave my sight," he stopped and then he breathed in. "However, you don't like that and I want you to know that I am not that kind of person who locks someone they love."
I smiled and nodded. Yeah, I know. Even if he does, I will always escape to find him first. I myself am a master of escaping locked doors. His highness would often lock me up in my past life, so I learned how to unlock doors using sharp and slim bars. 
"Just wait a little longer, we will win this battle," I said as I patted his head and touched his soft hair.
I once remember him having long hair like a woman, but now they are too short.