Lumera was summoned to the garden. She glanced at [xiaochou.name], then took a seat beside you without a word. [xiaochou.name] wasted no time, diving straight into the matter of coin. The Mirror scorned the folly of men chasing wealth, concluding, "Humans are but slaves to the gold coins they forge."

"If Master [player.name] permits, I should like to offer a thought," Lumera said calmly. You allowed it, encouraging her to speak freely. "I believe that all—men, gods, even the great Creator—are slaves to what we make. Parents are slaves to their children, Sultans to their realms, carpenters to their chisels and saws. Why else create, if not to surrender ourselves utterly? We might as well sit idle upon what we own. But we create, as the wise have said, and creation is a chosen bondage." With that, she bowed gracefully to [xiaochou.name], then poured it a cup of wine with noble courtesy. Watching [xiaochou.name] struck silent, your heart swelled near to bursting with pride. You fought the smirk tugging at your lips, offering only a cold, measured praise: "Well answered. Your studies serve you. Today, at least, we’ve salvaged some dignity for human."

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Card = Lumera

Result:

• Adjust Tag (Wisdom) of Slot #1: Add 1
• Counter (7000707): Add 1

[xiaochou.name] struck up a conversation with Maggie with ease—it was always quick to be seen as your trusted companion, even a confidant.

When the Maggie sought Maggie’s wisdom on matter of coins, the intent was lofty discourse. But Maggie swiftly produced a chest of coins from her household, spilling a trove of coins and tickets across the table, recounting each with pride. "You’ve come to the right woman! None know the ways of coin better than those who keep it! See here—this is the first Sultan’s coronation gold coin, the most sought-after mint, purest in its day… The highlanders’ coin fares worse, the faces scraped clean…" She listed a dozen foreign currencies, weighing their worth, dissecting the rulers stamped upon them—their triumphs, their follies—and the lands they hailed from, their very character laid bare in metal.

Even you, let alone [xiaochou.name], had never noticed the depth in the coins you tossed so carelessly. Maggie had spent years tending her household’s wealth with such care. It was a lesson for all.

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Tag (Wife) = 1

Result:

• Adjust Tag (Sociability) of Slot #1: Add 1
• Counter (7000706): Add 1

Mahir was summoned to the garden by you, and she eyed [xiaochou.name] with suspicion, making it clear she had no patience for idle socializing. Without further ado, [xiaochou.name] dove straight into the topic of coin. The Mirror decried the folly of people chasing wealth, weaving a conclusion that “Humans are but slaves to the coin they create themselves"... only to be ruthlessly cut off by Mahir.

“Oh, Lord [xiaochou.name] knows nothing!" she scoffed. "Creating coin is a delicate, highly skilled craft! Kings may lose their heads, and statues in temples may be toppled and remade, but no one dares replace the master of the mint lightly..." She then launched into an exhaustive lecture on the intricacies of coin minting, down to the anti-counterfeiting techniques of notes and seals—so detailed you suspected she’d dabbled in forgery herself. This wealth of utterly useless knowledge, at least for the moment, left [xiaochou.name] speechless. In the days that followed, you caught glimpses of the mirror-born creature meticulously shaping coins between its fingers, comparing them to the genuine articles as it scrutinized the technical details Mahir had shared.

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Card = Mahir

Result:

• Adjust Tag (Wisdom) of Slot #1: Add 1
• Counter (7000706): Add 2

You took [xiaochou.name] to Habib’s kitchen, where he was trimming excess fat from a large cut of beef, collecting it in separate piles… Conversation wouldn’t interrupt his work, so you spoke amidst the dance of his blade.

[xiaochou.name] swiftly steered the talk toward the folly of human chasing wealth, weaving a conclusion that “humans are but slaves to the coin they create themselves…"

Habib frowned, uncertain whether to contradict a friend of Master [player.name]… He simply swung his knife faster, more precise, sending slices of fresh meat scattering with soft thuds. Sensing his point was being dismissed, [xiaochou.name] haughtily demanded to know what Habib was doing. "Jerky, honored [xiaochou.name]," Habib replied, scooping up salt and spices he’d toasted in a copper pan, mixing them with the meat—then thrusting his bloodied hand toward you both for inspection. "Once dried, this will keep for ages, and it’s worth more than fresh beef… I’ll brand it with [player.name]’s sigil, so all will know [player.name]’s household boasts the finest jerky in the city—whether served by the master and lady themselves or traded in the market by their servants for fresh fare."

[xiaochou.name] fell silent. Indeed, Ha hadn’t mentioned coin, yet here—a servant could craft something enduring, tradable, even a marker of power! The Mirror sank into thought, while you hastily reminded Habib that the finest jerky in the city belonged to the Sultan’s kitchens, and he’d best not go boasting such things.

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Card = Habib

Result:

• Adjust Tag (Survival) of Slot #1: Add 1
• Counter (7000706): Add 1

You introduced [s2.name] to [xiaochou.name], letting them chat over tea in your garden. When the topic turned to whether humans were slaves to coin, [s2.name] countered that coin was more like a teacher.

"Because we are so greedy, only the calculus of profit drives humans to give their all—to divide land, we studied geometry; to count mountains of coin and grain, we studied numbers..." [s2.gender(He,She)] gestured to the grand estate, even the distant palace atop the hill. "In the end, most of what we build to endure comes from the study of numbers and shapes... Perhaps there is no master so generous, nor slaves so eager to learn!"

The conversation clearly left its mark on [xiaochou.name]. Later, the Mirror spent time delving into mathematics, declaring to all who would listen that it was a devil of human’s own making!

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Tag (Wisdom) ≥ 6

Result:

• Adjust Tag (Wisdom) of Slot #1: Add 1
• Counter (7000706): Add 1

A strange thing happened in your manor—all the mirrors ceased to reflect. Servants brought the mirrors to you, their surfaces coated in a peculiar gray-green grime. You scraped off a bit and held it to your nose. A rich, overpowering fragrance shot straight to your skull. Though no expert on spices, you were a noble who had tasted and seen many rare delicacies—so you knew at once that this "grime" might be worth a fortune. And, most likely, it came from [xiaochou.name]. That’s its way of expressing satisfaction with the meeting you had arranged. Soon after, a bewildered spice merchant from the market was brought before you. The moment he stepped into your chamber, his nose twitched. Then, after tasting the powder you’d scraped into a small dish, his eyes bulged nearly out of his head. "Cloves… vanilla… cinnamon… Oh, by the god! Name your price—how much more do you have?!" You showed him all the mirrors. On his knees, he painstakingly cleaned each one with a handkerchief, leaving you a hefty bag of gold. And then—he spread the tale far and wide in the market, burnishing your already somewhat mysterious reputation even further.

Result:

• Coins: 8
• Counter (7100004): Add 1
• Adjust Tag (Wisdom) of Slot #1: Add 1

Action:

• Enable Event: The second question from the wise man: Small-scale fundraising starts.