Qais accepted, though reluctantly. He sat stiff-backed on the carpet of your parlor, glaring at Malkina with mounting irritation.

Malkina, silent as a statue, stared back. The stand-off stretched on until Qais finally stormed out.

"I think I understand," Malkina murmured after him. "Kindness is an unshakable strength... the certainty that, no matter what happens, this person will never change."

She then launched into a flood of cosmetic notes—how to shadow the eyes, how to gray the sides of the nose—techniques she claimed will reproduce something of Qais's steadfast face.

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Card = Qais

Result:

• Card (Intuition)
• Adjust Tag (lock_181) of Slot #2: Add 1
• Counter (7000813): Add 1

Maggie arrived beaming, twice flattered. Once that you considered her kind, and again that you entrusted her with hosting a lady guest.

She laughed through the afternoon, trading stories with Malkina until the two parted warmly. As they said goodbye, Malkina suddenly whisked out a rouge box, dabbing Maggie's cheeks with quick, deft touches, then handed her a small mirror.

"Oh—how magical! I don't look tired at all," Maggie exclaimed, tilting her face this way and that. "Will you teach me this trick? Is it the shade of the blush, or some secret essential oil you've mixed in?"

The two falled into delighted chatter again, sharing secrets of beauty and laughter.

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Tag (Wife) = 1

Result:

• Adjust Tag (Charisma) of Slot #2: Add 1
• Adjust Tag (lock_181) of Slot #2: Add 1
• Counter (7000813): Add 1

Lumera tilted her head, pondering. She spoke with Malkina about what "kindness" truly means, drawing examples from her many books: the kind wear white, the kind keep their lips pale, the kind are neither too rich nor too poor...

"So," she concluded, "what everyone desires can never be kind; and the one everyone wishes to be will never be kind."

Her words left Malkina quietly reflective.

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Card = Lumera

Result:

• Adjust Tag (Wisdom) of Slot #1: Add 1
• Adjust Tag (lock_181) of Slot #2: Add 1
• Counter (7000813): Add 1

Alim shrugged at the notion. "Kind? Hardly. I'm just... less wicked than most nobles."

He and Malkina talked at length. His face, quick to shift from sly to charming, sparked all manner of inspiration.

When it was time to leave, Malkina fussed briefly with his appearance—tidying his brows, pinning stray locks. The change was startling: the old Head Thief looks almost like someone new.

"Hee, hee... good! Now I can rob those who remember my face all over again,"

Alim chuckled, bounding away gleefully.

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Card = Alim

Result:

• Adjust Tag (Stealth) of Slot #2: Add 1
• Adjust Tag (lock_181) of Slot #2: Add 1
• Counter (7000813): Add 1

Malkina spended a long while in conversation with you, as you recounted deeds you believe to be "kind." She listens, nodding thoughtfully.

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Tag (Protagonist) = 1

Result:

• Adjust Tag (lock_181) of Total Tagged (Protagonist): Add 1
• Counter (7000813): Add 1

Action:

• Enable Event: Additional questions

The person you invited may indeed be kind, yet they proved to be no source of inspiration for Malkina...

Through your efforts, Malkina gathered a trove of insights linking kindness and beauty. She filled pages upon pages of her notebook with observations.

"The key is modesty in exposure, balance in tone," she insisted, fussing over your appearance with practiced hands. "The outline mustn't pinch too narrow... ah, there! See? You look much kinder already."

Conditions:

• Any
  • Slot #2 Has Card = Qais
  • Slot #2 Has Card = Alim
  • Slot #2 Has Card = Lumera
  • Slot #2 Has Tag (Wife) = 1
  • Slot #2 Has Tag (Protagonist) = 1
• Counter (7000813) ≥ 1

Result:

• Counter (7100001): Add 1
• Counter (7000809): Add 1