Chapter 21: Wolf and Fox


    I could definitelynd thendy if I tried hard enough, I tell minia with the tone of a seasoned warrior who knows which battles to pick.


    Yeah, and I could convince Clodia to give everyone double their sry and even a kiss on the cheek, minia snorts while rolling some dough.


    Ye of little faith, I said with extreme disgust. Im repelled by the inexistent trust you put in my wondrous means.


    You im to be a great baker, but all I see is someone behind on his new bread-schedule, she smiles wickedly at me.


    I pout.


    Yeah, yeah.


    Im not five but I pout.


    Clodia likes productivity and has upped mine and minias quota, since we both appear to be too good at our jobs. So good that we chat until she has to pull us by the ear.


    I could seduce anyone, minia, my dear. I could seduce even Clodia if I wanted to. Its called the magic stick, and Im the love doctor, I say with my signature wink.


    Her expression suddenly goes ck. A secondter, minias now fighting back the tears while she seemingly looks over my shoulders.


    Oh, God.


    Shes behind me, isnt she?


    Good evening, love doctor, I hear a t toneing from behind my shoulders.


    Hey, boss, I say with a smile so high my cheekbones are probably going to break or something.


    Thinking of trying the <em>magic stick</em> on me? Id be curious to see if it bends or breaks, Clodia says, squeezing one of my shoulders.


    I cross my legs, feeling the phantom pain in myher region.


    Sorry, boss, we were having augh, I say to save myself from whatever punishment shes devising for me. My voice goes a bit higher than normal; its not surprising if you consider the fear Im currently harboring in my heart.


    As you always do, she replies with an icy smile, her hand still squeezing my shoulder.


    Listen, Im not <em>big</em>. Im no The Rock, okay? Clodia, instead, probably does the Elven version of CrossFit or something like that. I swear, her arms must be twice as strong as mine. So, I feel itspletely fair and not at all emascting that I feel my shoulder crumpling under the death-grasp of her demonic ws.


    I suddenly exhale in contentment after she releases said mp.


    Leave the bread behind. You two,e with me. You didntin about the workload and had a wonderful run. Its time to get to the serious stuff.


    I look at her uprehending.


    minia, Clodia gestures toward my work-buddy.


    Joey, you passed the test. We might as well start working on something more important. Clodia wanted me to keep an eye on you for a month or so, but in my opinion  and in the opinion of the truth-stone  you are a good kid.


    minia undoes the upper part of her uniform to show a little pin close to her corbone.


    Oh, shoot, thats a truth-stone? But how can she see?


    It heats up if you lie about something. Save from the jokes that got picked up as lies, you are the most ingenuous kid I have seen in a big city.


    Wait a second, my eyes go wide, what the hell is this? Clodia nted you here to keep an eye on me?


    minia nods and winks toward me, trying to copy my signature move.


    minia is my highest leveled employee and the most talented baker in the entire ce, Clodia says. When you got here with several different ideas, including <em>caramel</em>, I asked her if she had ever heard of it. It was easy to reproduce once we knew what to do, but the idea had simply never been tried by anyone we know of.


    Well.


    They pulled a big switcharoo on me, didnt they?


    And you had minia tail me to make sure I wasnt a scammer?


    minia snorts by the side.


    No, Joey. I <em>offered</em> because I wanted to know the human who had developed a new baking technique without even thinking about it. The same supposed [Baker] with no ss. You also know some secrets about bread and many other things, dont you?


    I look at her and frown.


    Another person would feel betrayed, maybe. I am a sucker for deception and drama, and I truly have tomend their y. I mean, not that I was attentive or anything like that. But they did well and they treated me fairly.


    So, now Im off to being tortured by two beautiful Elves until I spit out everything I know? I say with a smile and only half joking.


    minia suddenly assumes the betrayed expression that should have been my prerogative.


    What?! How can you even think something like that?!


    Clodia puts up a hand in front of her and looks at me dead-right in the eyes.


    Im going to offer you a magical contract that will


    WOAH! Im not signing any magical contract! I put up my hands.


    I assure you; we can go along with whatever terms you are thinking, just dont dismiss Clodia tries to say with the most reasonable tone shes ever used since I met her.


    No, no, no. To hell with contracts. Im not signing it, I cross my arms.


    So, he <em>is </em>really afraid of clerks and paperwork, Clodia looks at minia, whos looking back with an I told you expression hanging on her face.


    Joey, what if I call Lucinda to be your approved legal representative in this transaction? We can make sure she will make enough money she will not even think of saying no.


    And we can make this as quick as possible, Clodia says with a sincere smile.


    No, no! minia, for a second time, puts her hand in front of the chef. This is going to take <em>a long</em> time. The negotiation will be long and drawn out. You will need to spend <em>a lot of time </em>with your legal representative. Hours, maybe even burning the midnight oil together to figure out the best solution for your deal.


    Clodia stares at her, not yet catching up.


    I, instead, have caught up really well.


    And my hand is so stretched out it could fall off at any moment.


    Oh, minia, you truly know this old heart, I say with a wolfish grin.


    Oh yeah, baby, she replies with eyes sharper than a fox, games on.