The Villain Reborn as Game's Final Boss

Chapter 264: Let’s do it [4]

"You don’t have to worry about that. You can just inform your father that I can provide him with something great, that could help your house elevate its power and might in the empire."

Ashlyn simply raised her brows at the audacity of my claim.

After all, I was blatantly boasting of being able to help a duchy while not being even the heir to a noble house...

"Have you heard of Syma?"

"Yes."

Ashlyn was quick to answer, after all, following the recent attacks, even someone living in a remote cave would know about Syma.

"Tell him that I will negotiate a deal with him on behalf of Syma."

"..."

"..."

This time I didn’t follow up with my statement, letting Ashlyn process everything that I had said so far.

I knew it might have been a little too sudden for her, but I had no time to play little games.

Being straightforward was better at times.

And knowing the rivalry between the Frosts and the Levaiths, I knew that Ashlyn would have no choice but to consider my deal.

After all, I knew all about the ambitions that Duke Levaith had.

And there was no way Ashlyn would be ignorant about the goals that her father had always strived to achieve.

As for revealing my relations with Syma... it wasn’t a big deal.

Sooner or later everyone would have made the connection between us, so it was better to come clean.

Then there was that matter of the scholarship for the commoners that I had promised in my speech.

When the funds for that would be traced, someone would ultimately end up linking the source to Syma.

"If you have any doubts regarding my legitimacy of being able to negotiate on behalf of Syma—"

"I don’t."

Hm?

Ashlyn’s immediate reply surprised me.

There should have been at least some doubts regarding my claim—

"Though I can’t say for sure... I just have a feeling that you aren’t one to lie, at least in such matters."

Well... that was fair enough.

From Ashlyn’s point of view, I wouldn’t be stupid enough to antagonize House Levaith, that too without the backing of my house.

"Still, I will need time to discuss it with my father. You will have to wait—"

"That can’t be done."

I had to secure at least some of my interests, lest the duke decided to divert from his original goals.

After all, I didn’t trust the information from the game to be applied in this world with perfect accuracy.

Ashlyn’s eyes had visibly narrowed at my words, though she chose to restrain herself, letting me elaborate on my statement.

"The negotiations with your house will only take place when you accept the conditions that I had proposed. That will settle the deal for your academy politics, and only after that will I extend the... bonus on my part."

At the end, it wasn’t me who was desperate about these negotiations.

"It’s you who wants my support."

"..."

"And it’s your house that will benefit the most from the subsequent negotiations, after all, Syma is already a well-established global player."

I let the silence stretch between us, giving Ashlyn ample amount of time to make the decision.

Even Ana, who was always the first to show her outburst, was quiet at the moment, knowing the importance this deal could have for Ashlyn as well as her house.

Seconds soon turned into a minute as Ashlyn was still lost in her thoughts, taking all things into consideration before deciding on the deal.

But—

"Be quick."

I wasn’t one to wait.

I could see the pressure increasing on Ashlyn’s shoulders through the visible narrowing of her eyes, as well as the subconscious grip with which she closed her palm.

"I can’t immediately make a decision on behalf of the people who have chosen to support me. If you give me some more time, I will have to first discuss it with them and—"

"That’s alright. But does that mean— you have no issue with taking the decision for yourself?"

Though Ashlyn didn’t reply, I took her silence as acceptance.

"That settles it. Being the generous person that I am... I will grant you additional time to discuss everything with your faction as well as your father. But—"

Ana sighed from the side, knowing where this was headed.

"In return, you will have to accept my second condition... right this instant, with no delays whatsoever."

I mean... I had to at least secure an advance payment for my support.

"That condition is too... unfair. At least make some changes in it. Its scope is too broad for Ashlyn—"

"That won’t do."

I interrupted Ana, who according to me should have just remained silent, sitting like the obedient dog that she was.

"But—"

"Can I at least know the extent to which you may try to redeem the favour, after all, as a daughter of a duchy, I have to stay within certain limits—"

"I won’t ask for your body."

I wasn’t an unreasonable person.

I knew how important it was for daughters of noble houses to maintain their purity until their marriage.

"Then I have no issue accepting your condition."

Ashlyn, seeing that I won’t demand her body, felt visibly relieved, though her expressions still stayed controlled.

There was only so much that a person could read by seeing her face.

And that would have been the same for me, but—

I was a little gifted in that department.

"I guess that settles the discussion then."

Ashlyn simply nodded at my words.

Seeing that there was no need to stay here, I stood up from my chair, before extending my hand towards Ashlyn.

Ashlyn, on her part, stared at my hand for a moment longer, before reciprocating the handshake.

"You will have my support, Miss Ashlyn."

"Just Ashlyn is fine with me."

The Levaith princess smiled at my words, and just as she was about to end the handshake, I remembered something, making me tighten the grip on her hand.

Ashlyn, though confused, didn’t speak anything against my actions, though seeing her face I could tell that she might have found me a little weird.

"I forgot to ask you something."

"Okay?"

Ashlyn raised her brow, hinting for me to ask the question.

At the moment, both of us were standing on either side of the table, our hands still clasped together in the handshake.

"Will you be my partner?"

"..."

"..."