Pursuit of the Sun 1.2

- I understand! With age, he lost his virility and now has to rely on his subordinates! It's not a problem; it will happen to all of us! Or rather, to you, - the Lady looks up from the paper, seeing only a retreating back. - ... Well, okay.
Leaving the strange servant to his affairs, she continues with the plan.

After receiving a slap on the backside from a guard – the standard fee for entry into the noble quarter for women of her profession – Tifa successfully makes her way to the sheriff's residence, which, at least from the outside, doesn't impress with its luxury – a small, sturdy building, around which patrols of guards are plentiful.

Inside, she finds even more guards, one of whom escorts her to the main hall, where, in addition to the sheriff and several women dressed similarly to Tifa, she sees three other notable people.

The burly man clicks his tongue contentedly and nods, the smoker is silent but looks with interest, and only the old man behaves like a gentleman.
-- Lady Tifa? Very, very pleased, Tankred Vigy at your service, -- taking Tifa by the elbow, he offers her wine and seats her in a luxurious armchair – there are no others to be found in the sheriff's inner chambers, which, although they don't sparkle with gold, are executed according to all the rules of bourgeois elegance. -- Oswald, you old rogue! That's the decoration for the evening that you promised us.
-- Yes, the sheriff knows how to keep his word! -- the burly man laughs, and if Tifa didn't understand the joke, the smiles of the other guests make it clear that she is indeed beautiful.
-- This house is only for the best people in the city! -- the sheriff declares, and the burly man and the old man can no longer contain their laughter. -- I am glad that you have honored us with your visit, Lady – we don't have dull evenings here, but this one will be even better than usual.