Initially the Baron barely seemed to notice when Charley approached him and offered the typical waitress introduction, touting their wine selection before offering a menu to decide on their modest food offerings. But the Baron had indeed heard the man, turning his head slowly towards the enormous former soldier who seemed more of a bouncer than a waiter. Berenholdt's cold, piercing gaze settled directly on Charley's face, his lips pursed in a frown that seemed to magnify the sharpness of his eyes. The Baron was no match physically for Charley in the slightest, that was no question, but the man's eyes were so devoid of empathy and emotion that they could drain the soul from anyone who dared gaze into them long enough. Even Charley had to divert his gaze every now and then to stop himself from feeling weak in the knees.<br/><br/>A brief silence followed, and it seemed likely that the Baron was ready to snap at Charley to leave him be. But then the Baron's facial features abruptly softened - not completely, but noticeably - and he answered, "I shall not be here long, so food will not be necessary. However, I will take a bottle of your finest wine. I don't care what it is, simply bring it here." That seemed to be an end to the order, the Baron's attention returning to Doryn.<br/><br/>The Baron's face didn't react in the slightest upon hearing that his information was "misinformed," his features returning to the stone-like visage that everyone knew and..."loved." He did, however, react when Doryn informed him that his Diamond had been found, though his reaction seemed strangely muted. A raised brow, an unnatural upward curl of his wrinkled mouth, and a soft grunt seemed to be the extent of his reaction. The Baron was playing at something, though it was difficult to tell what he was playing at, and when Berenholdt was playing a game, the stakes tended to be fairly high.<br/><br/>"I see. Well, I am pleased to hear my Diamond is safe, then," he uttered without any trace of emotion in his voice. "It doesn't please me to hear of the hassle I must go through to get it, but at the very least it isn't in the hands of a dirty little thief any longer. I will be calling upon the Duke to retrieve it later, though I hope I can expedite the process. Something very important has arrived today that requires that Diamond, and I must..." The Baron abruptly fell silent, as if not wanting to let Doryn hear the rest of what he had to say. Any attempts to prod him for further details would've merely elicited a scowl and a glare stating quite clearly, "It is none of your business." The only thing that could be gleaned from his words was that something "important" had arrived, and he planned on using it as soon as he had the means of doing so.<br/><br/>When Doryn attempted to discuss something further with the Baron, Berenholdt actually listened, though his face still shone with the same scornful countenance he was known for. Even so, his lips actually curled into a curious, almost genuine grin, as if amused by the Captain's attempt at confiding in the notoriously reclusive aristocrat. When Doryn finished laying out his proposal, the Baron held his grain as he leaned in a little as well. "You are bold, Captain...and reckless. Men like you don't often live long...but those that do become great men. I wonder what path you will take? But you offer...it intrigues me. If you bring me my Diamond, I will do what I can to assist you...without your superiors being the wiser. I know when to hold my tongue...a valuable skill you should learn yourself, but for the grace of you lucking into my assistance. The sooner you bring the Diamond, the better. I trust you know where I live?"<br/><br/>The Baron reached into one of the pockets of his coat and pulled out a money purse, his fingers fishing inside the bag for several polished gold coins. He laid the coins on the table, lifting his fingers off of them as if they had been contaminated by merely touching the tavern table, before pocketing his coin purse again and turning his gaze back to Doryn. "If you would be so kind, bring the wine I requested with you when you visit my abode? I have what I came for, so there is no need to remain here. Do what you will with the change. Give it to that young fellow bringing my bottle as a tip, distribute it amongst the poor, use it to buy a whore tonight, I care not. And that is all I have to say. Until we meet again, my good Captain."<br/><br/>Without another word, the Baron picked up his cane and headed straight for the exit, without even one additional glance towards Doryn or anyone else in the Dew Drop Inn. The lasting image of his face was that of a smug satisfaction, as if he had planted a seed of information that he needed to get out into the open, but what that seed was couldn't be determined. As he approached the door, patrons who had been filing towards the exit abruptly stopped their exodus and stepped back, allowing the scornful nobleman to step outside without anyone else touching him. The Baron vanished wordlessly into the outside sunlight, the sound of his cane clacking against the cobblestones dissipating with each retreating step, until all traces of his presence were gone.<br/><br/>As if the Inn had been cleansed of a terrible curse, dozens of patrons released a collective sigh of relief before heading back to their seats, hoping to resume their meals and drinks in peace again. Upon on the balcony, seated next to Hani, Ethirdir found himself able to breathe more easily as well. Whatever had just happened, he was glad it was over, though his mind was still reeling at the sight of Baron Ludwig von Berenholdt in the Dew Drop Inn. The man had come here for a reason, and the Elf was worried it had something to do with the Basilisk Heart. Turning to his companion, he said, "Hani...I fear something terrible is going on regarding that man. Perhaps we need to speak to the brave young Captain who shared a conversation with that ghoul of a man...and lived to tell about it?"