Eran Thouris was in her element. Her mind raced, the blood pounded in her veins and she felt as if an electric current were running over her scales.
“This tea is… quite… adequate.”
Seated across from her, the representative of the Deep Coral Conglomerate, Lissa, tried to conceal her pleasure after imbibing the fine drink.
“You might change your mind when I tell you how much it costs.”
She made a gesture with her left hand, a flickering of fingers, and her adversary’s eyes widened.
“That’s… less than I would have expected.”
“If I’m not mistaken, it’s almost half of what your Conglomerate charges for its patented tea blend, is it not?”
“Less than half,” Lissa grated.
“Oh my. I imagine the introduction of this tea to the market will collapse your sales precipitously.”
“Are you suggesting this… swill… is better than our tea?!” Lissa demanded.
“Of course not. It doesn’t quite achieve the same depth of flavour, and the Deep Coral blend is famed throughout Pangera for its rich aroma. This tea gets close, but doesn’t quite match it.”
She smiled and took a deep sip.
“Which is why it's half the price.”
this, inferior, monster-created leaf,” Lissa scoffed, but she didn’t quite have the right amount of energy behind
quality, but they made so much of the stuff. In this instance, Satrap Umizan had been more than happy to undercut
have had it too good for too
Lissa, squirm, she shared his
~~~
really put
representative, Terraz. “You can see
the way the Colony made most of their furniture. At present, the ant was processing the raw wood, using
is doing most of its measuring by
“Her measuring.”
this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it,
ants as ‘it’. Such terminology ‘otherised’ the Colony, making them seem cold
perfectly aware of what she was attempting to
if you
“Well, let’s ask.”
and the two approached him. They relayed
is using her antennae and forelegs for measuring
to them and extended her front leg,
these… markings?”
the leg were evenly spaced marks running up to a
of evolutionary energy for the carvers to maintain a permanent ruler on their legs,” the mage continued her translation.
and indicated something, making swift motions with her
where to cut. With skillful application, the scent trails can be made
to
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!