"You look like you're in a good mood." Sela leaned in front of Seraph.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Seraph held a posture like nobility. Both of his hands behind his back as he walked forward a smug look on his face.
"Oooh, I assumed Your plan must have worked? What did you do?" Sela's dress trailed behind her, along with Alena and the Maid who followed the two.
"I've gained a murder." Seraph sent a sidelong glance. Sela couldn't help but giggle at this, the more time she spent around seraph the more natural he appeared even if his natural state was this mysterious boy in front of her.
Sela, perhaps on etiquette, moved her hand to cover her giggles. Her tone immediately turned into a soft whisper as she parted her lips "You've gained House Elong? So easily?"
Seraph was slightly shocked at how fast the princess figured this out so fast, but he quickly realized that her figuring it out was normal. Seraph always forgets that the seductive princess in front of him wants to fight against all of her brother's factions and win.
Sela saw his hesitation and continued, "You were looking at her too closely earlier… You almost made me jealous with how much you were staring at her."
"Really? I didn't mean to make it look like that…" Seraph rubbed the back of his head.
"Don't worry, just remember that you're mine." Sela hugged his arm. Then whispered into his ear, "And that I also belong to you."
Alena and the Maid, the third wheels of this scene, just looked at the couple with a slight twitch in their eye. They weren't mad about seraph's relationship with the princess, rather they were mad about the princess' choice to hug seraph so sensually in the middle of the hallway…
'My princess, please care about your reputation!' Alena and the maid both shouted in their minds.
…
"I can't believe it…" Sela put a hand to her mouth as she gazed at the noble lady look around indignantly. Haughtily holding up her head, while standing in front of Sela's carriage.
"I thought you already knew." Seraph looked at her puzzled.
"Yes, I know about your plan… but it's still shocking. I've been trying to get a supporter for years and the best I've gotten is my mother and now I've been chasing after this crow for a year now and she evaded all of my plans… but now here she is." Sela shook her head at the end.
Seraph looked at Min who was silently raging next to the cart, she couldn't believe that Seraph was making her wait for this long. For instance their class had ended one hour ago and Seraph was still not here yet.
The reason for this was because Sela had many things to do after school, which seraph patiently accompanied her. Sela didn't want to make their potential ally wait any longer, she didn't want to lose this opportunity so she immediately came forward. With seraph in toe.
"I'm sorry for making you wait," Sela gave her a gentle smile, while motioning for the maid to open the carriage door "I had some extra classes after school, I hope you can forgive me?"
Min eyebrow twitched as she looked at Seraph, who avoided her gaze. "It's all right… I've heard from Seraph that you have an offer I might like?" Despite her clear annoyance, she managed to pull up a smile which seraph commended her for.
"Let's talk about this more inside the carriage." Sela entered the carriage first, followed by Min and then each of their followers. The carriage was a tight fit so a butler climbed out to accompany the chauffeur.
The carriage began to move, a long silence only filled with the sounds of the streets outside and the carriage's movement followed. Seraph was the first to break the silence with a smile accompanied by, "The Elong Family has a long line of businessmen, alchemists and all other forms of magical studies… Your family is very skilled."
Min looked at him then smiled, "We are indeed very skilled. However, I thought you brought me here about an offer I can't refuse not to sing tales and praises about my family."
Princess Sela, just sat back and watched. This wasn't her time to intervene… She couldn't because she didn't know what Seraph's plan was.
"I just wanted to show you much value I place on your family," Seraph replied, then continued "However, as you wish. First off I want to say that what you saw back inside the academy wasn't fake nor could it fool someone like you… alchemy is your family's expertise afterall."
"What I major in is not the same as what my family majors in-" Sela cut her off.
"At a young age your family had already assigned you a master alchemist to teach you. At age ten you were able to differentiate herbs and at age 12 you could make your own potion without much difficulty. To say that you aren't a major in alchemy is quite… Modest don't you think?" Sela carefully switched her legs back and forth as Seraph smiled.
Seraph struck the iron while it was hot, "Since, that's the case. I believe you know how important my offer is."
Everyone looked at Seraph. Sela, the maid, and Alena all looked at him in surprise. What was his offer? This sounded more like blackmail than a gentle business offer...
However, what surprised them more is Seraph's next words, "Some of your family, Your business, all of your estates were lost in the war against the high elves. I can promise you, this 'deal' with me will bring your family into new heights."
Mel's hands trembled as she dug her hands into her thigh, "It's not surprising that a hero has a forked tongue…tell me what the deal is."
"I give you the substance… However, your family gives me 10% of the money you receive from it." Seraph smiled.
Mel who was trembling before looked up at him confused, '10%? If he asked for 40% he was still not out of line… the substance was very high ranked. If my family got our hands on it, they would make fortunes selling it to the military and all major families… we could outpace our competitors and even have higher quality potions.' She looked at Seraph as if he was an idiot, a glance that Sela was quick to notice.
Mel smiled as she parted her lips, "Thank you-"
Seraph cut her off, "I'm not finished yet,"
Mel cursed inside of her head, 'Of course he wouldn't be finished…'
Seraph continued, "I want a sovereign title in your family."
Everyone in the cart looked at him confused, 'Sovereign title? What the hell was that?'
Seraph smiled, "It's a very old custom… A Sovereign title enables someone from a different family a position in your family akin to an elder."
Seraph was asking for a family elders position. While still being a part of the royal family. Doesn't that infringe on their dignity as a noble family? Wasn't this directly supporting the princess? The Elong family was not a part of the power struggle but seraph was going to drag them in with this.
The butler at Mel's side almost lunged at Seraph as he shouted, "Who the hell are you?!"
Seraph tensed his muscles ready for a fight, but Mel slapped her bodyguard's chest and had him sit back down.
Mel then spoke, "I'm sorry but the Elong Family cannot approve of this…" Seraph was a part of the royal family, if they did this.. The royal family would have direct control over some of their matters because as an elder of the family they could directly request a lot of information without anyone's disapproval because he was an elder…
Seraph gave a mysterious smile, "There are more benefits to this for you…"
Mel shook her head, "I don't see any benefits."
"They're are many benefits, like gaining an ally with a hero…" Everyone looked at him like he was stupid, even sela had to look away from the scene but he continued "Gaining a fortune, Gaining a stable foothold in the royal family." Everyone looked at him again, surprised but he continued, "Gaining an army, that could help support your families endeavours."
Mel looked at him, "What do you mean?"
"I know the law restricts noble families from raising a set amount of troops to restrict rebellion… This is also to support noble families making alliances with other families. Your family depends on your alliances, in order to properly protect your family from attacks by other major factions… with their own alchemist." Seraph rubbed the side of the carriage door handle as he spoke.
"The law doesn't restrict the royal family from raising any amount of troops." Seraph shrugged his shoulders. Seraph's implications were clear, if Seraph became a sovereign for their family… Then that would mean they could get a larger army. They could also receive a stable foothold in the royal family as well through him.. As a sovereign ship would go both ways.
"What if the other families catch wind of this? Wouldn't we be screwed then?" Mel had gripped her thighs and thrusted her chest forward.
Seraph chuckled, "I've only worked through the skeleton of this plan. The people that shall make it truly work is your father and the king."