Chapter 902 Dietary Restrictions
At three in the afternoon, Catherine arrived at the agreed location on time. The other party, however, notified her of the address at two thirty. Upon receiving the address, Catherine promptly set off and arrived punctually. Just as she finished parking, a boy appeared beside her.
âAre you Catherine?â he asked. Catherine nodded, and the boy handed her a note. âSomeone asked me to give this to you,â he said.
âThank you,â Catherine replied, taking the note and opening it.
It was a Sudoku puzzle, not too difficult. Catherine quickly solved it, revealing a simple set of coordinates. Following the coordinates, she soon reached her destination-a stylish restaurant that stood out amidst the surrounding skyscrapers with its industrial decor, exuding a distinct charm.
Upon entering, a waiter guided her inside, leading her through a corridor to the basement. It was there that she discovered a totally different place.
âMiss Swann, your reserved private room is right here. Your guest is already waiting inside,â the waiter informed her.
âOkay,â Catherine grunted, pressing the door handle and entering the room.
The spacious room contained only one person, quietly perusing the menu at the dining table. After she entered, the person didnât even look up, but softly said, âMiss Swann, please have a seat.â
Catherine pulled out a chair and sat across from the man.
âMiss Swann, any dietary restrictions? âhe politely inquired.
Catherine looked at him and sneered. â Donât you even know my dietary restrictions?â
The man seemed taken aback, apparently not expecting Catherine to say that. âMiss Swann, what do you mean? Itâs our first meeting. How could I possibly know if you have any dietary restrictions?â he asked.
âYou seem to understand me so well, yet you donât even know about my dietary restrictions?â Catherine replied.
Hearing this, the man chuckled. âIt seems we havenât done our job well enough.â He was initially worried that Catherine might have sensed something amiss, and he was now reassured.
As he assessed Catherine, she was also sizing him up. âSince youâre here, care to introduce yourself?â she asked. âYou know about me, but I donât know about you!â
The manâs appearance was unremarkable, with no distinctive features that would make him stand out in a crowd. Yet Catherine saw through his facade. This man must have been disguised, and the face she saw was not his real one. âWhatâs behind that mask?â she wondered.
Perhaps sensing Catherineâs scrutiny, the man proceeded to introduce himself. âMiss Swann, you can call me Cloude! Iâve always admired your talent and would like to be friends with you. If youâre willing, Miss Swann, we can not only be business partners but also good friends!â
Catherine observed him with narrowed eyes. âBeing friends with you comes at a high price!â she remarked.
Cloude, also known as Black Robe, was revealing his identity for the first time, deeming Catherineâs unique nature worthy of sharing his name. âMiss Swann, I assure you that being friends with me will not leave you at a loss. Although it may seem like youâre losing out on some benefits, you should know that even if I donât get them, they wonât end up in your pocket. Remember. This project belongs to Styre University and is under the jurisdiction of Eskana.â
âMr. Cloude, I think itâs necessary to emphasize that I am Eskanese,â Catherine said in a serious tone.