Ethan stood up, smiling as he walked over to Saberi, leaning on the desk next to him to signify equality. He began to speak slowly:
"Lord Saberi, if I invest, develop a plan, and help you promote and sell all your stock, turning this seemingly hopeless venture into a lasting source of profit, how much of the profits would I receive?"
"Uh!" Saberi was momentarily stunned. "Sir Ethan, were you born a merchant?"
"No."
"No?" Saberi was even more surprised. "Then how do you know that standing or sitting at the same level is a rule in business dealings? That's a subtle principle known only to seasoned traders."
"That's not important," Ethan replied with a smile. "Since you believe in fair trade, let's get down to business. I understand your question about my background was to gauge my commercial skills. To be clear, I am not a merchant. But that doesn't mean I lack the instincts and skills of one."
Saberi looked at Ethan's serious expression for a moment before breaking into a sly smile typical of a shrewd businessman.
"I'd be happy to discuss this with you, but not right now. I need to arrange the departure. We've already delayed too long and must set sail immediately. We have to reach the territory before the sea freezes, which means a journey of over a month. In other words, we'll have plenty of time to talk. Is that alright with you?"
"Of course," Ethan nodded. "If you're not in a hurry, neither am I. And as you said, we have more than a month."
"Great! You can rest here for now. If the office is uncomfortable, you can go to your room, which is right next to the captain's cabin. I know you two just got engaged, so I've prepared a double bathtub for you. I hope you like it. And please, keep in mind that I'm an old bachelor. Try to keep the noise down when you're... busy," Saberi said with a look of mock distress.
Ethan's mouth twitched at this.
After Saberi left, it wasn't long before the "Popeye" hoisted its sails and began to move northward.
When Angelina heard about the double bathtub, she insisted on dragging Ethan to see it and, as the ship began its journey, insisted on having some "fun," calling it the "departure battle."
...
At dinner time, Ethan did not dine with Angelina but carried a tray of bread, beef, and mushroom soup to visit another woman.
He knocked lightly on the door and heard a voice from inside say, "Come in."
Lily was sitting on a narrow, hard wooden bed, staring blankly. She had no idea what she had done wrong. When she woke up, she found herself locked in this small room.
Except for the regular delivery of food, no one had spoken to her or told her why she was here. She had cried for help, but no one responded. She was on the verge of despair, not knowing what her future held.
But today, she saw a familiar stranger walk through the door.
"Ethan?" Lily looked surprised. "What are you doing here?"
Ethan smiled and placed the food on a small table beside the bed, then sat down next to her.
"I'm sorry it took so long to see you."
Lily's eyes widened. "You're the one who brought me here? Why did you imprison me? If you think my fees were too high, I can waive them. Just let me go home. I…" Lily began to cry.
Ethan let her vent, then gently patted her back and spoke softly:
"Please don't cry. Let me explain everything. And please believe me, I mean you no harm. I'm doing this for your safety."
Lily wiped her tears and asked, "What happened?"
"It's all because of that assassin," Ethan said gravely. "The organization he's part of is incredibly dangerous. Anyone associated with his target is at risk. When I hid the assassin at your house, I only intended to keep him hidden temporarily. Unfortunately, you got caught up in something much bigger. Without going into details, know that if your whereabouts are discovered, both the assassin's organization and a noble family might target you. To keep you safe, I took the liberty of bringing you here. You need to come with me to my territory to stay safe."
Lily stared blankly for a moment. "You're a lord?"
"Barely," Ethan replied.
Lily suddenly laughed and playfully slapped Ethan's shoulder, scolding, "When did you fall for me? Why couldn't you just say so? Instead, you scared me and brought me here with such a lousy excuse."
"Uh!" Ethan's mouth twitched. Reflecting on what he had said, he couldn't find anything ambiguous. Why did Miss Lily always misunderstand?
"Miss Lily!" Ethan sat up straight and said seriously, "I'm being very serious. Everything I said is true. And I already have a fiancée. She's on this ship, heading to the territory with us."
Lily looked thunderstruck and asked weakly, "Can I not go? I want to go home!"
"If you're not afraid of dying, I'll let you go at the next port," Ethan said firmly. "Believe me, if I'm right, you'll be targeted as soon as you leave this ship. The person who might harm you could even be someone on this ship, and I won't be able to stop them. Your safety was a condition I agreed on with a high-ranking individual. If you stay with me, they'll leave you alone. If you leave, they'll act. I'm sorry to have dragged you into this, but it's already happened. I hope you understand."
Lily gave a bitter smile. "I understand. I'll go with you to the territory and live there, but you need to pay me a salary. And I'm not a servant."
"No problem! Once we reach the territory, you'll be free. You can even choose a plot of land and build your own home!" Ethan smiled.
"Really?" Lily asked, incredulous.
"Really!"
Legally, all land belongs to the lords, and every commoner living on a lord's land must pay taxes. Everyone knows this. Once you own a plot of land, no matter how small, you can call yourself a lord. Of course, being a lord comes with responsibilities, but land under a lord's protection doesn't fall into this category. The most common example is a knight's land, which is exempt from national and lord's taxes, though the individual still has to work.
So, Lily couldn't believe someone would give her a piece of land.
"Don't regret it!" Lily said, eyes sparkling.
Ethan smiled. "Just don't regret it yourself."
"If I regret it, I'll be a dog!" Lily said excitedly.