“I’m sure you already know,” Viscount Arlen sat back haughtily, “The quality of carrots improves in the warm region.” However, even his arrogant facade was unable to hide the desperation in his voice.
The viscount pushed the papers he brought, Aden quickly scanned the documents and his eyes, which were used to seeing a large amount of texts at the same time, were able to quickly capture the main points.
“The peak in climate temperature occurred over twenty years, but less than thirty,” he summarized the points in a calm voice.
"Yes.
The central region is unable to produce large quantities of carrots.
My farm is the only one that produces and supplies carrots in the capital and the carrots are of excellent quality, you won't find a single carrot smaller than my hand!" The viscount boasted as he extended his open palm.
Aden looked in disgust at the fat right hand that looked like it had never held a pen, let alone a sword in front of him and nodded.
It was at this moment that the door slowly opened with a creak.
The two men's gaze turned to the door and the person who entered was a woman wearing a black veil.
The elegant red and gold ornaments in her hair sparkled as the light danced on them.
Her slender wrist was briefly visible as she reached out to close the door.
It was a hand that looked white and smooth, without blemishes.
When she turned her head, the veil moved and revealed her cleavage.
The lady then quickly grabbed the veil as if she didn't want it to move anymore.
“Welcome,” said Viscount Arlen.
Aden stood up when he knew who she was and her gaze turned to him.
“And she is?”
Arlen looked back and forth between the two.
Whoever she was, she seemed to be someone in a higher position than him.
He recalled how the deputy introduced himself as a deputy to a manager and how he mentioned that the manager was very busy so he wasn't sure if they could attend in person.
Arlen remembered the displeasure he felt when a mere merchant sent a deputy to see a noble, but decided to let him go as he assumed that merchants were just lowly people who didn't know the etiquettes of nobles in the first place.
‘But how did someone so busy get here?’
“Acid Merchant is deeply interested in this business,” said the man in front of him.
The fact that the lady was here seemed to prove this feeling.
This made Viscount Arlen feel better.
“She is managing the northern circulation for our merchant.” Aden introduced her.
He was polite as if he was introducing a superior and Viscount Arlen bowed a little upon realizing her position.
He wasn't being a sycophant, he was comforting himself, he was just following the etiquette of nobles.
“This deal, I hope we can make it work.”
Aden held back his laughter when he saw Arlen trying his best to maintain his height in front of them, but everyone here knew.
The person holding the sword here was the woman in the black veil, the person Viscount Arlen was trying to pretend wasn't apprehensive about.
***
Ilyin took a deep breath as she stood in front of the meeting room door.
She had to remember now, that she was not Ilyin of Arlen and even if she entered without the veil, she was no longer a young lady of Viscount Arlen.
She had no reason to fear Viscount Arlen.
‘Even though he’s my father, he can’t do anything to me anymore.’
She reached for the doorknob, and as she opened it, she heard footsteps coming towards her at the end of the hallway.
She looked in the direction and saw that it was a knight.
She soon recognized him as the rude knight who discovered which merchant was trading with the north.
The knight examined her curiously, but did not seem to recognize her.
Even though her face was hidden by the veil, Ilyin couldn't help but feel scared and she shook it off before entering the room with all the confidence she could muster.
"Welcome."
The first thing she saw when she entered the room was Aden and then Viscount Arlen who was sitting opposite him.
“And she is?”
When she was home, she remembered that he was much bigger.
Until she arrived in Biflten, much of her world was controlled by Viscount Arlen.
If he told her to leave the house, she had to leave, if he told her not to leave and shut up, she had to put up with the bad rumors and listen, but in front of Aden, Viscount Arlen looked incredibly pathetic.
Aden stood up when he saw Ilyin.
“She is managing the northern circulation for our merchant.” Aden introduced her as a superior.
Ilyin examined the viscount through her veil.
Her chest felt tight and her heartbeat quickened and she remembered the last few days when she had to live under him.
Ilyin watched as the realization slowly dawned on the Viscount of his title as manager.
Time slowed down uncomfortably as he took a breath, placed his hand on his stomach and greeted her as if he were a gentleman:
“This business, I hope we can make it work.”
His words echoed in Ilyin's mind.
It was the first time she saw this.
The viscount had always looked down on merchants and now he tried to put up a superior front, but Ilyin could see right through him.