CHAPTER 24: A BATTLE OF WITTS.

"I would like to become your wife."

Silence settled, allowing both Dorian and Seraphina to take in the words that had just been said.

Before giving his response, he made a rather disgusted look, his head tilted to the left while pointing at her judgingly.

"Are you some kind of gold digger?" he accused.

"Absolutely not!!!" she yelled, quick to defend herself.

"Then why would you want to marry a man you just met? It’s not like I am a powerful noble of some sort; that would mean our marriage has some influence in politics," he observed her. "What reason would you have for marrying me?"

She was quiet, staring at the side and thinking of the appropriate answer to Dorian’s question.

Ding!

As the familiar alert echoed in his head, Dorian turned his head to the side, fully seeing the system runes play in front of him.

[The target is feeling vulnerable and sad.]

[Tip: Be cautious with your words.]

’Cautious, uhn... that would be rather difficult.’

As far as he knows, one of her talents was being a master strategist and a business consultant. If there was anything he picked up managing a business in his former world, it was to never underestimate people with business sense.

Fortunately, Seraphina just so happens to fall under this category.

Now looking at Dorian, Seraphina closed her fist.

"My family runs a small business in Foriam territory; however, my family hasn’t really been doing well as of late. Mainly because my father got into a dispute with a famous merchant, and it affected his growth a lot.

"My uncle, of course, tried to help, but he had no power in comparison to the merchant whom my father had made an enemy out of. As such, I was advised to come here and become your wife. My uncle claimed you were a man of wits and opportunity; if I could help you grow to your full potential, then someday, I could pick my father up as well."

"When you say dispute, do you mean the merchant is sabotaging your father’s product with his influence?"

Seraphina’s face lit up with surprise. "Yes, exactly. How did you know?"

’Sigh, business sabotaging other business happens a lot in my former world; it’s quite petty if I do say so.’

"And so now, marrying me is supposed to help fix that?"

Seraphina lowered her head. It wasn’t like she expected Dorian to be ecstatic about it; she indeed planned to tell him everything from start to finish. All she needed was to know how he would react.

If he were the type of man to use a woman just because she was out of options, then she would know how to handle it from there.

However, by a small margin, if he just so happens to be different.

Snap!

Dorian snapped his finger as a new idea occurred to him.

"If that’s the case, what if I give you a better offer that doesn’t involve trading your body to someone like me?"

"Eh?"

"The main issue here is from the fact a well-known merchant is harassing your father’s business," Dorian hinted. "It’s an easy fix once you understand how the law of the kingdom works."

Seraphina was still trying to understand why he didn’t just go along with marrying her. She provided a fairly convincing backstory and also made it clear that she wasn’t there for his money, but rather for the experience.

Dorian leaned forward, carrying an air of authoritativeness and expertise with every word he spoke.

"If I were to be a shareholder of your father’s shop, with my own product on the line, that would stop the merchant. The moment a noble is involved, the law tips away from their favor. Being a merchant, I am sure he understands this part very much."

"You’d own half of my father’s shop?" She picked her words.

"It’s not as bad as it sounds, trust me, far better than you selling yourself away, and I can guarantee it will bring more success than whatever you have right now."

Thinking more about it, Gilbert described Dorian as an opportunist. Always finds ways to make things work in his favor. That said, he never called him a liar.

Lowering her guard, she puffed her cheeks as she uttered, "No fair, this wasn’t what I expected."

’Yeah, figures. I knew she was doing some kind of test.’

Dorian sighed internally. The system gave that much away.

Everything Seraphina had said so far was true; her father’s business was indeed collapsing, and it was because of a dispute with a famous merchant.

Because of this, her uncle gave her advice to get close to Dorian and marry him in order to secure the business and also learn how to be a better trader.

That said, Seraphina didn’t want it, stating Dorian was known to be a drunk and a failure following his reputation.

So she tried to test him the best way she could, including going as far as to bow her head despite being a small noble herself.

And yet, Dorian didn’t fall for it. Not once.

"You’re strange. A cute girl like me asks for your hand in marriage, and you speak of business. Sigh, you are definitely nothing like the rumor says. Seems my uncle was right," Seraphina spoke out loud, flicking her hair to the back with her hand.

"Look who finally decides to show up," Dorian spat.

"I apologize for doing so. But surely you can understand why I find it hard to believe the Aurelian drunkard discovered a hidden dragon mining ground." Seraphina looked at him. "To be honest, I am quite impressed; you bluffed me well."

Before Dorian could talk, she leaned forward.

"Though I tested you, I am still interested in your plan. If there is any way you can indeed help my father, then I am all ears. I am willing to do anything."

"Is that so?"

Dorian reached for his back and pulled out a contract, and then stretched it to her.

"In that case, here you go."

Grabbing it, Seraphina stared at the paper for a while.

"What is this?"

"A contract."

Seraphina took her time to read the first page of the contract, and after she understood what it was, she turned her attention back to Dorian.

"This was what you were after the entire time, Lord Dorian?"