Beyond the Divorce

Atlas pinched my nose playfully. He didn't answer my question and instead asked, "What do you want to eat?"

"What can we eat here?" I asked skeptically.

But when the dishes arrived, I couldn't help but smile. It was all seafood dishes I loved, and although they were prepared in a different style here, they looked very tempting.

I reached for a dish eagerly, and he indulgently reminded me, "Take it easy, we have plenty of time."

"Why did you bring us here for dinner?" I asked, knowing that he must have had a reason.

Sure enough, Atlas smiled and replied, "We need to put on a show and make Navi nervous. Otherwise, he'll come up with too many tricks. If he wants to challenge me, he must be able to do so."

"So you wanted him to feel like you were going to a more important appointment to make him uncertain," I said, "Especially when you brought the notebook with you?"

"Exactly," he replied, feeding me some lobster meat.

It was tender, succulent, and slightly tangy. The lobster was fresh.

"Why does it have a hint of sourness?" I asked.

a specialty here," he replied, looking at me, "Do

so fresh and tender!" I praised, then asked seriously, "Aren't you afraid they

you afraid?" he

you're taking a risk. You saw Navi's people. They were desperate for that notebook. I was almost a

always leave room for the next step." "Looks like you're quite familiar with Navi's place," I said, thinking that this

all of Cirencester," Atlas said arrogantly, "From the surface

raised an

me if you have any questions." Atlas was like a mind reader and knew exactly

just wondering when you learned to speak the Cirencester language

glanced at me and

int

for me. After all, our business is globaby don't like

that success wasn't pure luck

so I learned how the people talked. And I hired locals to teach

a moment. That was what he meant when he

Atlas say

many mines does our family have?" I asked