The air in the pavilion seemed to freeze the moment Christine uttered those words.
Ally.
The weight of this word was far heavier than “partner.”
Irina was utterly stunned, her amber eyes darting back and forth between Leo and Christine.
She felt as if she was witnessing a historic moment of great importance.
Leo, on the other hand, felt nothing at all—in fact, he almost wanted to laugh.
[Ally? Sounds so nice.]
[Isn’t this just an angel investor?]
[Investing money and resources, taking shares, and waiting for my company to grow and go public. Then she’ll be a major shareholder, sitting back collecting dividends, and even pointing fingers at me in the Board of Directors.]
[Dream on.]
He picked up his teacup and took a gentle sip; the scalding tea calmed his tangled thoughts.
Christine was, indeed, a clever woman.
She saw his potential, recognized the difficulties he was facing, and so chose to offer help when he needed it most, hoping to use the smallest price for the greatest future return.
For her, this deal was guaranteed profit.
Even if he failed in the future, all she would lose would be a little gold and a few hands—nothing but a drop in the ocean for the powerful House Raphael.
But if he succeeded…
She would gain the friendship and support of a powerful lord—perhaps even a contender for the throne in the future.
Her abacus was clicking away, sharp and loud.
Leo set down his teacup with a light clink.
“Miss Christine.” He changed his form of address, “Your offer is generous, and sincere.”
Christine’s lips curled up, thinking he was about to accept.
“But,” Leo suddenly changed the subject, “I refuse.”
“……”
Christine’s smile froze.
“Why?” she blurted out, her tone tinged with disbelief.
She had considered that Leo might bargain, might hesitate, but never that he would reject her so bluntly.
“It’s simple.” Leo leaned back against the stone bench, settling into a comfortable position. “Because your investment is far too risky.”
“Risk?” Christine frowned. “My investment only brings you benefits. Where’s the risk in that?”
“No, no, no.” Leo wagged his finger. “You’re mistaken. The risk I speak of isn’t mine—it’s yours.”
Christine: “?”
Irina: “??”
The two of them were confused in perfect sync.
Leo began his performance unhurriedly.
“Miss Christine, you saw my performance in the assessment, so you think I have a promising future, worth your investment. Right?”
Christine nodded.
“But did you ever consider that this might be just a flash in the pan?” Leo’s expression grew solemn, his tone suddenly filled with the weary wisdom of someone who’d seen it all.
“You saw me Summon three earth elementals, but you don’t know what it cost me to do that. My mental strength is nearly depleted. Such Summoning—I can’t possibly replicate it again anytime soon.”
He started spouting nonsense, dead serious.
“You see the current prosperity of Blackwood Town, but you don’t know how many Guardians died to defend against the monsters of the Black Forest, or how much compensation we’ve paid out. The territory’s finances have always been on the brink of bankruptcy.”
Irina couldn’t help but twitch at the corner of her eye.
Boss, you just hauled back a whole crate of gold coins yesterday. Where exactly is this “brink of bankruptcy”—in your dreams?
But she was sensible enough not to expose him, instead putting on a perfectly mournful expression, “It’s true, it’s tragic,” playing along flawlessly.
“So,” Leo spread his hands with a look of “I’m thinking of your best interests,” “investing in me now is like betting on a high-stakes gamble. On the other side of the table are my three elder brothers, holding all the power and resources of the capital. And me? All I have is a dilapidated territory and a group of hungry townsfolk.”
“How much chance do you think you have?”
“Placing all your hopes on me is just too risky. If I lose, your investment will be washed away. I don’t want Miss Raphael to make a rash business decision out of impulse, nor do I want to drag you down with me.”
He spoke with touching sincerity, as if refusing such a great benefit was entirely for Christine’s own good.
Irina was almost bursting from holding back her laughter.
[Incredible!]
[This reverse sales pitch gets full marks!]
[Trying to PUA me? Trying to brainwash my boss? Let’s see who’s the real master here!]
Christine was thoroughly thrown off by Leo’s maneuver.
Her mind felt muddled.
It…almost sounded reasonable?
Had she really been too optimistic? Leo’s current situation was truly dire, his brothers deeply entrenched in the capital. Hoping to overturn them was like daydreaming.
Placing all her bets on him was indeed a massive risk.
Seeing Christine lost in thought, Leo knew it was about time.
Time to throw out his own proposal.
“But…” Once again, he used this classic turning point.
Christine immediately looked up, her gaze focused again.
“Although ‘investment’ and ‘alliance’ are too risky, perhaps we can adopt a more reliable method of cooperation.” Leo smiled slightly.
“What method?”
“Trade.” Leo spat out the word.
“Blackwood Town may be poor, but with the vast Black Forest behind it, there are bound to be some rare goods you can’t find in the capital. For example, certain special woods, or the pelts of magical beasts.”
“I can promise that all Blackwood Town’s specialty products for external sale will be exclusively handled by your caravans.”
“You don’t need to take any risks. Just use your channels to help me sell goods, and we’ll split the profits.”
“For you, this is a deal with guaranteed profits and no losses. What’s more, our relationship remains purely business, so you won’t be dragged into the royal family’s muddy power struggles.”
Leo’s proposal sounded reasonable, perfectly sidestepping all the “risks” Christine was worried about.
But in reality, the initiative had quietly shifted hands.
Instead of “I accept your investment and become your ally,” it had become, “You help me sell goods, and we’re equal partners.”
“As for talent and gold…” Leo chuckled, “I can ‘purchase’ all of that from you. As long as your caravans keep turning my goods into money, why would I ever worry about a lack of funds?”
Christine fell silent.
She felt like she’d been led in circles, yet the more she thought about it, the more sense Leo’s proposal made.
This way, she truly didn’t need to shoulder any political risk, yet could still forge a close relationship with Leo, and make a tidy profit through exclusive rights.
This…seemed far more reliable than the original “invest in the future” plan with its sky-high risks.
“Well?” Leo looked at her. “Miss Christine, what do you think of this win-win proposal?”
Christine was still hesitating.
Just then, a middle-aged man in the uniform of an academy staff member came running anxiously toward the little pavilion.
“Leo! Finally found you!”
The man stopped outside the pavilion, panting. Noticing Christine, he paused for a moment, but quickly said, “The Vice Dean requests your presence at his Office immediately!”
Leo’s heart gave a sudden lurch.
Vice Dean?
That old man who gave him the “Outstanding” assessment?
Again?
Will they ever let him enjoy his life as a salted fish in peace!