"Lady Melissa, I have a request."
It was like a gamble and a little bit like cheating. Having an alliance or partnership with Ruhe was a great deal because Ruhe could provide many unique and well-made things, also their services for either their clients or ordinary customers were of a top notch alias 'very' profitable. Ruhe cherished their partnerships also respected honesty and loyalty in the process. Here was a lady of Ruhe, a child no more than sixteen years old even, that maybe could simply say 'yes' to help. No matter what, this chance shall not be let escaped.
"I wish to build partnership with Ruhe." Mark said with an explicit and confident voice.
Melissa tilted a little, staring like an innocent child. "Then, Uncle should ask Miss Robin from the partnership department. Or if Uncle feel awkward with a lady, then Uncle should go to Sir Art from the noble serving department." Melissa smiled gently.
Mark shook his head, "No, My Lady, I need My Lady's help for the partnership."
Melissa touched her cheek and smiled, as if the smile itself said sorry-no-can-do toward Mark. "We should be fair and square, no favoritism."
Mark could see although Melissa seemed uttering the words with a child-like figure, the eyes of someone expert or who knew well about business framed on Melissa. Mark gulped as he could not get Melissa to work together to expedite the partnership process. Melissa was sitting quietly in front of him, resembled that of a little kid who knew nothing. But the fact was all hidden well.
Mark sighed, "Hah… I get that Lady Melissa could not interfere the partnership process, no?"
Melissa shrugged her shoulder, "Daddy told me that if someone ask about building partnership to me, Mel should say that exactly same line Mel said to Uncle just now."
"Was it fun being in the mercant house, Mel?" asked Mile without any ulterior motive, purely asking.
Melissa smiled gently, "Mile want to come to Mel's house?"
"I can?" said Mile with a noticeable excitement.
Melissa nodded, "Mile is Mel's good friend, Mel will invite Mile formally later."
Tok… Tok… Tok…
Three knock from the office door made them turned to one same way. Mark cleared his throat, "Ehem… come in."
A young man, around seventeen or eighteen years old, walked in. "Sir Mark, my friend are searching for her sister. Do you have any lost one around here?"
Both Mark and Mile turned to Melissa as she might be the one whom searched. "Who's searching, Rico?" Mark asked as he stood up from his seat behind the working desk.
The sword hero summoned about two months ago, Rico, smiled gently. "Hey, you could come in now." He said gently to the one outside the room.
A young lady, around sixteen years old, came in. "Melissa." She called immediately as she came in.
"Sister!" Melissa cheerfully called.
The young lady approached Melissa, then kneeled. She held Melissa's hand, "Where have you been? Didn't we promise to meet up at the fountain?"
Melissa touched her nape, "Wah… Mel was lost, Sis. Mile was the one who saved Mel." Melissa raised up the hand that still held hers.
The young lady nodded, they could not see her expression clearly as she was wearing a veil to cover half of her face. "Thank you, Mile. Is there anything you want?" She said with a gentle voice.
Mile shook his head, "No, no. I help Mel because Mel is Mel, not because I want to have anything in return."
Melissa turned her gaze from Mile to the young lady, "Sister, Mel want to invite Mile to our home." Melissa said.
The young lady nodded, "Well, then, it is okay. I will inform the maids after you send the formal invitation later. Is that okay?"
Melissa nodded real fast, "Yeay, Mile's coming to Mel's house!" Melissa cheered as she really happy about it.
The young lady stood up and turned her body toward Mark. "I apologize for my sister if she bring trouble and forgive my rudeness just now. I am Vidaeus Lili from Ruhe family." The young lady bowed slightly with a graceful gesture.
Mark smiled and bowed respectively, "It is an honor to have two lady of Ruhe to come to my room."
"The honor is mine, Sire." Lili replied politely.
"I assume that Sire must be talking about 'partnership' with my sister just now." Lili said.
"Sire may come to our house with Mile for further discussion, we may not look like it, but we are not fond of some 'dishonesty'." Lili's eyes was a sweet pinkish, but Mark could feel the sharp gaze of her. As if Lili was saying don't-talk-on-our-back.
Mark nodded and forced a smile, "S-sure, My Lady. It would be my honor tobe invited." He stuttered.
Lili smiled behind her veil, "The honor would be ours. Well, then, Melissa, say 'thank you' and 'goodbye' to everyone. We should get home before Father begin to worry." Lili turned her gaze to Melissa.
Melissa stood slowly, "Thank you for taking care of Mel and bye-bye, Mel will go home now." Melissa bowed a little.
"Your leg's still hurt, isn't it?" asked Mile as he stood up with a worry face.
Melissa smiled gently, "No worry, Mel wil—" Her words were cut by Mile's action.
Mile quickly lifted Melissa like that of bridal style. "As a future knight, I would not let a lady suffer in front of me." Mile winked his left eye, making Melissa blushed all of a sudden.
"Th-thank you…"
The four of them, Mile, Melissa, Lili, and Rico, went out of the room, left Mark alone with the piles of paper. Mark sighed, "Fairies, could you all do this pile by half?"
Three fairies with purple and bluish aura nodded, "Would it be okay to finish it?" asked one of the fairy.
Mark nodded, "It's better. Thank you."
The three fairies really are fast and competent. Fairies that have purple and bluish aura said tobe one of the worker fairy called 'Sirius Fairy', the one who helped sort books of documents in the world national giant library. There are more than seven worker fairy, but they usually only contracted with one being and not multiple. 'Sirius Fairy' naturally worked fully to their heart content and so, they could contracted with more than five people at once because they enjoy working so much.
"Sir Mark," called a cute voice. It is one of the fairy who currently checked the paper that they divided to three part.
"Yes?" Mark replied without turning his face from the paper in front of him.
"it is late, but won't you send Mile-kiddo to the great school?" The other fairy nodded, "I think so too. It has been awhile for the entrance, but I heard they're still a lot who registered into it."
"Maybe," Mark begin to talk. "Mile will attend the school after I negotiate with the Ruhe."
The three fairies stopped, turning their gaze to Mark and stared.
"Sire going to use Mile again."
"Aw, poor kiddo."
"Mark is evil after all. Only Mile-kiddo the kind and angelic one."
"Ugh… you don't know my pain huwaa…" Mark's last dignity got shattered into pieces. Tears welled up as Mark stuttering in stress.
The three fairies circled Mark and each patted Mark. "There, there, don't cry, Big Kiddo…"
"By the way, isn't the 'Lady Melissa' just now kind of rings a bell?" said one of the fairy.
The other fairies shrugged their shoulder, "Who knows, there are a lot whom name was 'Melissa'."
"Well, whatever… shall we get down to work, then." They said as they acted like nothing of alike question just now bugged or reminded them of anything.