Leo and Irina stood frozen in place, feeling like their CPUs were about to overheat.
One hundred sets?
The capital’s top tailors?
Rush order overnight?
What kind of concept was this?
Leo quickly did the math in his head. Even the most ordinary set of clothes, if made by a capital tailor, would cost at least a few gold coins. One hundred sets—that was several hundred gold coins.
And these were the latest styles, made overnight.
That price… it would probably be even higher.
A flimsy excuse of “collecting clothes” exchanged for an “apology gift” worth nearly a thousand gold coins.
Leo’s mouth twitched involuntarily.
He felt like he’d opened some kind of strange Pandora’s box.
“It’s over, it’s over…” Irina mumbled behind him in a voice so soft it was nearly inaudible, “Why isn’t she playing by the script? That’s not how it’s written! Isn’t she supposed to stay tsundere and then be won over by our charisma?”
Leo took a deep breath.
“Wake up, that’s the kind of cheap novel you read.” He complained inwardly, “In reality, when rich people find out that reasoning with you doesn’t work, they’ll just knock you out with money.”
Obviously, he and Irina had just been knocked out.
“Well? Does this apology show enough sincerity?” Christine looked at the two of them’s dazed faces, a rare sense of satisfaction rising in her heart.
This feeling was even more refreshing than when her mental strength improved during meditation.
Before, she always wanted to show off her family background and status, hoping others would draw near on their own. Now she understood—all those intangible things were useless.
Just give!
Directly throw at them something they can’t refuse!
There’s no friendship that a huge sum can’t buy. If there is, then throw even more.
Looking at Leo’s handsome face, now written all over with “Who am I, where am I,” Christine’s smile became even more “kind.”
“So, can we find a place, sit down, and have a quiet talk now?”
She extended the invitation again.
This time, Leo didn’t try to come up with excuses like “going home to feed the griffin” or “the flowers on my territory need watering.”
He knew there was no avoiding this.
When a rich lady sets aside her ridiculous pride and starts using her “money power” on you, you’d better go along.
Otherwise, who knows what outrageous thing she’ll do next.
What if she decides to buy all of Blackwood Town and give it to him as an “apology gift” next time?
“Alright.” Leo nodded, his expression regaining its calm, “But, not right now. After this afternoon’s Magic History class—how about the Academy Lake Pavilion?”
He needed some time to clear his mind, and also to get his story straight with Irina.
“Okay.” Christine agreed briskly.
Her goal achieved, she no longer lingered. With elegance, she turned and left with her two maids, leaving behind a dashing figure.
Not until her silhouette disappeared at the end of the corridor did Irina let out a long sigh, nearly collapsing onto Leo.
“My goodness, that scared me to death…” She patted her chest, still shaken. “That woman’s presence is overwhelming! Her smile just now looked exactly like a villainess about to stab someone!”
Leo glanced at her sideways: “Aren’t you the protagonist? What are you afraid of, villains?”
“I’m a protagonist with no cheats!” Irina retorted righteously. “My system just pushes me to do missions and doesn’t even give me a newbie gift pack! Facing a pay-to-win player like her, I’m under a lot of pressure, alright!”
She paused, then grabbed Leo’s arm, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
“But, come on, a thousand gold coins’ worth of clothes! That’s enough for everyone on our territory to get new outfits, and there’d still be a huge amount left! This rich lady… isn’t half bad. Why don’t you consider her?”
Leo: “……”
He felt his headache getting worse.
“Is there anything in your head besides money?”
“I could think about you, too.” Irina blurted out, then blushed furiously.
Leo couldn’t be bothered to respond. He pulled her along toward the classroom.
The entire afternoon’s classes passed with both of them absent-minded.
Leo was thinking about Christine’s true motives, and how he should respond.
Irina, on the other hand, was fantasizing about what kinds of styles those hundred sets of new clothes would be, and how many she might get for herself.
Finally, the school day ended.
As agreed, the two of them headed to the Academy Lake Pavilion.
Christine was already there. She’d sent her maids away and sat alone on the stone bench in the pavilion. On the stone table before her was a delicate tea set, steam curling from the tea.
The afterglow of sunset scattered over the lake, the surface glittering.
The atmosphere was peaceful, perfect for… laying things on the table.
“Sit.”
Christine pointed to the stone bench opposite.
Leo and Irina sat down.
“Try this first.” Christine poured each of them a cup of tea. “Moonlight Spring from the Elven Forest, it helps calm the mind and spirit.”
Leo picked up his cup and took a whiff—a fresh, grassy fragrance filled his senses.
As expected of a duke’s daughter—her taste was truly different.
“Alright, tell us. What do you want to talk to us about?” Leo got straight to the point.
He didn’t like beating around the bush.
Christine put down her teacup, her golden eyes locking onto Leo’s, the aura of a superior once again apparent.
“Leo, you’re a smart man. I won’t waste time with pleasantries.”
“Although your Prince title was stripped, what runs in your veins is still the blood of the Viandel family. Your three brothers won’t let any potential threat go—even one they consider insignificant.”
Her words, like a sharp knife, struck straight at Leo’s biggest worry.
“Your talent in the entrance evaluation was enough to move you from their ‘can ignore’ list to the ‘needs handling’ list. News of your return to the capital is probably already on their desks.”
Leo’s expression didn’t change, but his heart sank.
He knew she was right. That butler’s appearance yesterday was proof enough.
“So?” Leo countered. “What’s your point? Does the ducal House of Raphael want to get involved in the royal succession struggle?”
Christine shook her head.
“No. The Raphael family has always served the King, never taking part in the Princes’ battles.” She paused, then changed tack. “But I, personally, am very interested in you.”
“Your summoning arts are unusual. Your mental strength, unfathomable. Most importantly, even faced with utter despair, you didn’t give in—you managed to revitalize a barren border town in just a few months.”
She looked to Irina. “And you, Irina. Born a commoner, yet your magical talent rivals any genius. The two of you are like uncut gems, with limitless futures.”
Irina was a bit embarrassed by the praise, scratching her cheek.
Leo, inwardly, rolled his eyes.
Here it comes, he thought—the classic recruitment speech.
“So, I’m here today to discuss an investment.” Christine finally got to the point.
“Investment?” Leo raised an eyebrow.
“That’s right.” Christine’s gaze sharpened. “I, Christine de Raphael, in my own name, wish to invest in your Blackwood Town.”
“I can provide gold coins, urgently-needed craftsmen, doctors, teachers, and even open up business channels for you in the capital, handling your brothers’ harassment for you.”
Every condition she listed struck directly at Leo’s weaknesses.
Leo was silent.
These were exactly what he needed.
He’d just raised some money selling Fei Liao, but for a territory’s long-term growth, it was a mere drop in the bucket.
Talented people were even rarer—something he couldn’t buy even if he wanted to.
As for the pressure from his brothers… that was a sword hanging over his head.
Christine’s offer was just too tempting.
So tempting, he had to wonder what the price was.
“There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” Leo looked at her and spoke slowly. “What do you want?”
Christine smiled.
She liked dealing with smart people.
“What I want is simple.”
She held up a finger.
“First, all future output from Blackwood Town—my caravan gets priority purchasing and exclusive sales rights.”
She held up a second finger.
“Second, I need you, Leo, and your Blackwood Town, to become my most important allies in the future.”
“When you’re no longer that exiled good-for-nothing, but a lord holding troops and wealth, I want you on my side.”
Christine’s gaze burned with ambition, undisguised.
She wasn’t investing in Blackwood Town.
She was investing in Leo’s future.