In a lavish office room, the CEO of Rosavere Pvt. Transport Company, gestured towards the chairs, her elegant hand motion as inviting as her soft demeanour. “Please, have a seat, Mr. Lackey,” she said, her pink eyes watching carefully.
Aether, still wearing his rabbit mask, and Celestia sat down without a word.
The tension in the air was… palpable.
The pink-haired woman, sensing the cold distance between them, sighed inwardly. She let out an awkward chuckle. “I understand you’re disappointed, Mr. Lackey, but please believe me, I meant no harm.”
Her words hung in the air, but Aether and Celestia remained silent.
Turning her gaze towards Celestia, the woman softened her tone further, “I recall meeting you three weeks ago when you first mentioned Mr. Lackey… I immediately received you right? Do you truly believe I would leave him waiting like this, knowing he had come to see me? Believe me, the receptionist didn’t inform me!!”
Celestia blinked, glancing at Aether before nodding in acknowledgement. Her quiet confirmation prompted Aether to finally speak, but not before an inward smile crept across his face, ‘Business is about maintaining a certain push and pull character,’ he mused.
With a small cough, Aether straightened, “I am not disappointed in you, Ms….” Your next chapter is on empire
Celestia’s voice echoed telepathically in Aether’s mind, /Amara Rosavere./
Aether continued smoothly, “Ms. Amara Rosavere.”
“Then what seems to be the issue?” Amara asked, her voice calm yet tinged with curiosity.
Aether’s expression turned thoughtful as he responded, “I’m simply having second thoughts about our partnership.”
Amara flinched slightly at the unexpected remark.
Three weeks earlier, after Aether had returned to the academy, he had sent Celestia to Amara with proposals for unique and innovative products.
However, Amara had been less than impressed at the time, annoyed by the fact that a maid had come in place of the owner… Her initial reaction had been to cancel any potential partnership outright.
But,
when Amara heard the details of the products—revolutionary items like the Wind Charm (a hand fan powered by magic), the Frost Rune (a magical refrigerator), the Echo Crystal (a sound amplifier), and the Cleanse Brush (a toothbrush powered by enchantments and crystals)—she had realized just how groundbreaking this technology could be.
The potential to change entire industries had been undeniable, and she couldn’t let this opportunity slip through her fingers!!
Clearing her throat, Amara’s tone softened, “Please, Mr. Lackey, give us one more chance. I assure you, I’ll make things right.”
Aether stared blankly at Amara, carefully hiding his amusement. As much as he wanted to proceed, this was a moment too valuable to waste.
Negotiation was an art, and he was not going to pass up the chance for better terms.
After a pause, Aether finally nodded. “Fine.”
Amara sighed in relief, but before she could celebrate, Aether added with a soft yet confident tone, “However…. I believe some compensation is in order, don’t you think?”
Amara’s lips twitched as she tried to hide her frustration. “I see… shall we begin the negotiations, then?”
Aether nodded again, handing her a list. “These are the current items available for sale, along with their rates.”
Amara took the list and raised her eyebrows in surprise. The prices were hefty, to say the least.
She studied Aether closely, noting his aura of calm confidence. ‘He’s different… more mature than I expected,’ she thought as her face became more serious.
…..
…..
…
After what felt like an eternity of back-and-forth, the negotiation finally ended. Amara sat back in her chair, exhausted. Her throat was dry from speaking so much, and she gulped down a glass of water while staring at Aether, who remained composed as if the gruelling process hadn’t affected him at all.
‘This guy… he’s not normal,’ Amara thought, rubbing her temples. ‘It’s like he’s been in this business for years!’
Even Celestia, who had been quiet throughout the meeting, telepathically remarked to Aether, /You’re really good at this./
Aether smirked slightly. /Well, I did work as a salesperson for a long time./ There was pride in his tone, but inwardly, he too was impressed by Amara’s skill. ‘No wonder she’s at the top,’ he thought with satisfaction.
And yet, despite her prowess, Amara had conceded to a 5% loss—all due to her receptionist’s mistake.
As the atmosphere shifted towards a more amicable tone, Amara seized the opportunity to draw closer to Aether.
A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she gestured towards Celestia. “She nearly gave me a heart attack when she appeared, dressed like that. I genuinely thought someone had come to assassinate me… How funny it is that she claimed to come because of you.”
Aether chuckled lightly in response, “Forgive me for not being there in person; I’ve been busy creating products and barely had a moment to spare.”
Amara trembled with laughter. “No need for apologies! For a creator like you, time is of the essence!”
Aether nodded knowingly, aware of the underlying intentions in her words. Amara carefully broached the subject, “I understand you have your reasons for hiding your identity, but could I at least know your true name?”
Aether flashed a smile, “My name is indeed Lackey!”
Amara sighed, a hint of scepticism colouring her tone, “Right. Should I write the contract in that name, then?”
Without hesitation, Aether nodded. Amara’s expression shifted, recognizing that Aether was not yet ready to reveal his true identity, ‘Well, I’ll need to earn his trust gradually,’ she thought, preparing to sign the contract when—
“Amara!!” The door swung open, revealing an elderly man accompanied by a handsome younger man.
“Grandfather?” Amara mumbled, her expression morphing from surprise to disgust as she saw the handsome man.
The old man, Julian’s fury was palpable, “How dare you keep your fiancé waiting all day?”
Amara shot back, her tone firm. “I am in a meeting right now, Grandfather. Please leave!”
Ignoring her protests, Julian turned his gaze to Aether. “Could you wait outside, sir?” It was clear that he didn’t recognize Aether.
Aether glanced at Amara, who shook her head subtly.
“I cannot, sir, as I am—” Before Aether could finish, the handsome man interjected, “Take this money and get out!” He threw a bundle of money at Aether’s face, which Celestia caught mid-air, glaring dangerously at him.
With an indifferent tone, Aether remarked, “This is the second time you’ve mistreated me, Amara Rosavere.”
Even if Amara didn’t feel the need to retaliate, Aether wouldn’t miss the chance to turn this situation to his advantage.
Money was still Money!!
Amara gritted her teeth, her patience waning. “Guards!!” she shouted.
Immediately, a group of armoured guards stormed into the room. Amara pointed at Julian and the handsome man. The guards hesitated, but sensing the danger, they swiftly escorted the handsome man out while respectfully bowing their heads to Julian.
Julian glared at Aether, frustration etched on his face as he exited the room.
Once the chaos subsided, Amara sighed, awkwardly breaking the tension. “Family drama… Haha.” She pushed the contract towards Aether, who nodded and signed it.
With a flourish, Amara handed over a crystalline, transparent card inscribed with “Rosavere Pvt. Bank” above Aether’s pseudonym, “Lackey.” “This card is called Debit Card which will grant you access to money that is deposited in the bank account without needing money. Just pour your energy into it, and it will record your energy signature, accessible only by you.”
Following her instructions, Aether poured his Arcane energy into the card. It transformed into a deep black hue with intricate white markings.
“Well, see you later…” Amara said, but Aether interrupted.
“It seems you’ve forgotten something…. Here.” He revealed the final product he had created specifically for her.
Amara’s eyes lit up with joy as she realized Aether had passed her test. He had given her the product without her asking or begging, making their business relationship even more promising.
As she poured her arcane energy into the crystal, her mouth fell open in awe. “Wowwwww….!” Flames in seven vibrant colours erupted from the crystal, mesmerizing her.
“T-This…” She struggled to find the words, astonished by the extraordinary display. “I-I can’t believe it. It’s gorgeous….”
Looking up at Aether, she spoke with newfound respect, “I-I don’t think the previous amount would be enough for th—”
“It’s fine,” Aether interjected warmly. “You helped me when I needed money, so consider this a token of our new friendship.”
Amara couldn’t help but smile at his words.
[+100 AP]