A Third Ending

Richard wasn’t inexperienced with women anymore, and certainly wasn’t lacking in partners either. Given his strength, identity, and status, be it in Norland or Faelor he could have as many women as he wanted. And given his increasing power and influence, it wouldn’t be hard to court women like Rosie in the future either.

The very fact that Duke Mensa had used Rosie as a bargaining chip with the Schumpeters was proof enough that she was worth less than a broken family. Richard wasn’t worth as much as Dario right now, but even in the near future that would be vastly different. That was something even the rest of Faust’s nobles had to acknowledge.

However, Rosie was truly special. She had broken many perceptions of her, including his own. His original plan had been to humiliate and violate her ruthlessly; in his quest to humiliate the Mensas and Schumpeters, he had resolved himself to fall as far as...