"Nothing, Antigone," Malcolm said. Yeah, right. He wasn't going to admit that he had been too distracted to measure the tithe correctly. "I didn't need it."
"Hmph." After writing something down on her clipboard, she adopted an expression so sweet and subservient that it could give flies diabetes and knocked on the elegant carriage's door.
"My lady, you're free to collect the tithe."
A young woman's voice drifted out of the carriage, although Malcolm was too far to hear it, and he and the banner-bearers stepped away from the silo.
A rush of wind blew through the surroundings, coiling around the silo and forming a miniature tornado that connected to the storage wagon.
Malcolm watched as the wheat was sucked out of the silo and stored in the wagon. It was an impressive sight the first time he had seen it, but now he was numb to it.
The silo was sucked dry and the tornado vanished, the banner-bearers retrieving their banners and assuming their positions on either side of the carriage.
Antigone nodded in satisfaction and was about to have the carriage turn and leave when the young woman's voice drifted out again with a curious tone.
The official frowned, poking her head inside, and the two had a discussion in hushed whispers.
When Antigone pulled her head out, she had an ugly expression on her face. "Farmer," she said through clenched teeth. "My lady wishes to speak with you."
"Speak with me?" Malcolm asked. Had he done something wrong?
No, he was sure he hadn't. So what was this about?
"Yes," Antigone answered aggravatedly. She hadn't stuttered, had she?
The carriage door swung open, and Antigone helped the Ascended step out.
A young woman exited the carriage, with fiery red hair and matching eyes. Her hair was swept up in a dainty ponytail, and her elegant features held a slight smile that men would gladly go to war for.
She wore expensive crimson cloth embroidered with gold, and a pendant bearing the city's crest hung from her neck.
"Are you the farmer that delivered this tithe?" she asked Malcolm.
"I am, my lady," Malcolm nodded. "Although if I had known it was going to someone as pretty as you, I would have offered more."
[Warning! Affection decreased!
Serena: 32%]
'Shit.'
"Hm," she said, her smile fading. "Antigone tells me that farmers never offer more than their allotted tithe. Why have you broken from this stereotype?"
"…I didn't need it," Malcolm answered honestly. "It would have gone bad if I had kept it to myself."
[Affection increased!
Serena: 32%]
'Serena'
[Serena
Description: The Princess of Flames
Affection: 32%
Current feelings: skeptical, reluctant]
'Reluctant?' he wondered. Reluctant about what?
"You're a pragmatic one," Serena said after a while. She joined her hands before her, eyeing him seriously. "That's good, because I have a proposition for you. I assume you are not wed?"
"No, I'm not," he said, doing his best to keep his sadness out of his words.
"My father requires me to be wed before he dies," Serena said simply. "He wants to know that his bloodline will continue after he leaves this world. I have decided that my husband shall be you."
"I'm sorry?"
Serena raised her hand to stop him. "It will be a strictly transactional relationship," she said. "You will live in my house, sire an heir with me, and attend certain meetings with me.
"I do not desire any form of companionship from you, but I can offer you a better life than what you have here. If you accept, I shall have Antigone arrange to give your farm away and you shall come with me back to the city.
"Per city laws, however, I cannot force you to come with me. This decision is entirely up to you."
Blip!
[Menu unlocked: Quest
New quest unlocked!
Romance Quest: "Seduce the Princess of Flames"
Description: Make Serena fall in love with you
Rewards: 1000 CF, 5 Stat Points
New quest unlocked!
Side Quest: "The First Step."
Description: Accept the offer from the Princess of Flames.
Reward: Technique: Love Cultivation]
"I accept," Malcolm said as soon as he saw the messages.
[Quest complete! Dispensing rewards…
Rewards generated!
Reward 1: Love Cultivation (Spark Grade Yang Cultivation Technique)]
"Excellent," Serena said. "Then please, come with me. Antigone?"
"Yes, my lady," Antigone said, forcing an ugly smile onto her face as she helped the Ascended into her carriage.
"Come, farmer," Serena called from the wagon. "Antigone will help you up."
Antigone's expression darkened even further, and her smile somehow turned even uglier, but she dared not complain.
With one last look at the screen of his Husband System, Malcolm climbed into the carriage.
.......
"We have four more tithes to collect before we can head home," Serena explained.
Malcolm nodded, but he was hardly paying attention.
The seats of this carriage were so soft, it felt like he was on a cloud. And even though they were riding down what should have been a bumpy road, they felt not a shred of turbulence within the carriage interior.
"If we're going to be wed, we should know each other's names," Serena suggested.
"My name's Malcolm. And yours?" he asked her, pretending he didn't already know it.
"Serena Tertorigus. My father is Adren Tertorigus, one of the city lords of Udren City."
"City lord?"
"Ah, I forgot farmers do not know of the city's inner workings," she said. "City lords are Ascended that head their respective families, and work with other city lords to govern the city. Once he dies, the position will fall to me."
"So you're pretty important, then?" The daughter of a city lord sounded like a heavy burden.
"Hardly, but maybe soon. My father is quite old, which is why it is imperative that we sire an heir before his age catches up to him."
'So I'm little more than a fuck buddy,' Malcolm thought, rubbing his hand on the plush seating.
He could live with that… for now.
But unfortunately for Serena, he had a goal to achieve. And he wouldn't let her stand in the way of that.