500th Time Reborn, A World Only Known By Women: The Karma System

"So, my next question is why Mother Balishire was so tight-lipped about this deal?" I asked, and Teresa shrugged.

"Hard to say, but like I said before, I can't confirm or deny this information. So we don't even know if that is the case, but you seem to have other evidence. That builds a stronger case against the Guildmaier, but I just have a hard time seeing Mother Grenada having anything to do with that. She is one of the city's nicest women, not just among the Mothers. Just like Lutha Grashalor, Grenada Guildmaier is known for helping girls that have been cast out," Teresa said, and Jana nodded.

"That is certainly true about Grenada, but that doesn't mean that she knows what her family was up to. You can never be too sure in this city," Jana sighed before looking at me.

"Alright, that just leaves me to see them, but is there anything else you wanted to talk about? Is this the only reason Lady Penelope would send me to talk with you?" I asked, and Teresa frowned at me.

"Penelope? She is the one that asked you to come to talk to me, not Connie?" Teresa asked in a confused voice that made me uneasy.

"When I had left the Balishire's manner, Lady Penelope purposely got in my way so I would trip over her, and then she slipped me this note in my pocket," I explained, then pulled the note out and handed it to Teresa.

"Penelope used to be one of my girls, but Irene Balishire took a liking to her after Penelope chose her," Teresa explained and then looked at the note.

"Choose her? Don't you mean that Irene chose Penelope? Is that not how things work here?" I asked, a bit confused because I was sure that Teresa was like a brothel manager of sorts, and the girls out there were her girls that people picked.

"No, women come here for pleasure, excitement, and enjoyment, but they do not get to pick which girl they will get. I have turned away many women because my girls refused them. Some people are rude, while others come unbathed and in dirty clothes. My girls are important, and I do my best to keep them as safe as possible, but this note is troubling. I can see why Connie brought you here now. The paper that this was written on is a type that only I use, so she would know to come to me," Teresa explained, and I nodded, pointing to the paper.

"What does it say?" I asked, and Teresa shook her head with a sigh.

"More trouble. Seems that Irene is starting to get much stricter with the girls and with Penelope as well. She is worried about her and the girl's safety," Teresa explained, and Jana looked shocked but didn't say anything.

"What can you do about this?" I asked, and Teresa shook her head in frustration. I could see before she even spoke that that would not be as easy as it sounded, if possible at all.

"Nothing, really. I could take Penelope out of there, no problem, but most of the other flower girls there are Irene's daughters. While the other families would stand behind me to take back Penelope, they wouldn't dare say anything about her daughters, or that would start a fight with all the families. Each of them have strange rules and customs, so each isn't willing to pry into the other for fear that they will be questioned themselves. The last thing is that Penelope is a very kind girl, and she will not leave the other girls behind, so she would fight against me if I tried to take her back," Teresa said and then blew out a long and frustrated breath.

"It looks like Penelope is going to be in for a hard time. I'll see what I can do, but it seems like this situation is out of your hands," I said, and Teresa nodded before standing up from her seat and starting to pace around the lounge.

"I will do what I can but thank you for your help. Please keep us updated on what happens with the Guildmaier family," Teresa said after she finally came back to sit down. "I think the solution to this is getting Hilda back so you can do what you suggested. These families have too much control and seem to think they can do whatever they please because of it. This has stayed out of my view down here in The Bottom, but when Irene took Penelope, I knew this day would come. I knew what she was like, and I tried to tell Penelope that, but that just seemed to make her want to go more so she could help. The girl was always too nice for her own good!"

"You know I'm going to do what I can. It's why Lady Penelope sent me here," I said as I stood up, and Teresa nodded before standing up and shaking my hand.

"Just don't forget that these families can be dangerous so please stay safe," she warned with a severe look, but then her face softened a bit when she looked over at Jana, who was finishing off her drink in the corner of the room.

"I will be safe," I said with a nod before walking to the door and turning back to the girls. "Do you think that it is too late to talk to Grenada? Or any of the Guildmaier family?"

"No, I know for a fact that Grenada is still up this late," Jana said with a smile, and Teresa nodded in agreement before giving me directions to the house.

With that final bit of information, I thanked them both before leaving the lounge and making my way back out into The Bottom. I had a feeling that my next stop would be revealing, and I was eager to find out what it held in store for me.

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