CHAPTER 101: OFFER

The training grounds were supposed to be neutral territory. A place where you could work out your problems through violence instead of words.

Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell the Summerfang twins that.

"HISSSSS!"

Aegis paused mid-swing to look at Mei’Lin, who was literally hissing at her from across the field. Not metaphorically. Not symbolically. Actually hissing like an angry cat.

[Jesus.]

"Is she okay?" Talia asked, lowering her practice sword.

"No."

"Should we do something?"

"No."

Kai’Lin was trying to drag her sister away, muttering something about "too obvious", but Mei’Lin had apparently decided that psychological warfare was the new plan. She kept making direct eye contact while her face turned progressively redder.

"I-I didn’t enjoy it, nya!" Mei’Lin shouted across the field.

"Nobody said you did!"

"Good! Because I didn’t!"

"I believe you!"

"You should, nya!" Her voice cracked. "Because it was terrible and I hated every second!"

Several students stopped their training to stare. Great. More fuel for the rumor mill.

"Can we just spar?" Aegis asked Talia. "Please? I need to hit something that isn’t emotionally complicated."

Talia shrugged.

They squared up again. Talia’s form was perfect as always—balanced, controlled, ready to react.

Talia struck first, a testing blow that Aegis barely deflected. The impact rattled up her arms.

"So," Talia said, following up with a series of quick strikes. "What actually happened with the cat?"

"She broke into my room—" dodge "—we had a misunderstanding—" parry "—and now she’s extremely embarrassed about it."

"Embarrassed how?"

"Just... general embarrassment."

Talia’s sword caught her shoulder, sending her spinning. Even with practice weapons, it hurt.

"You’re being vague."

"I’m being diplomatic."

"I-It was the worst experience of my life, nya!" Mei’Lin continued shouting. "Your technique was terrible and your form was sloppy!"

"I WASN’T ACTUALLY GOING TO DO ANYTHING!" Aegis shouted back.

"GOOD! Because I wouldn’t have let you, nya!"

"I KNOW!"

"And I definitely didn’t almost—" Mei’Lin choked on her words. "FORGET IT, NYA!"

She ran off, tail puffed up like a bottle brush. Kai’Lin threw Aegis an absolutely murderous look before following her sister.

"That seems healthy," Talia said dryly.

"She tried to kill me and now she’s embarrassed that she got flustered instead. It’s a whole thing."

"Ladies."

They both turned to find Darius approaching, looking like he’d stepped out of a painting titled "Noble Prick at Sunset." His training outfit probably cost more than most students’ entire wardrobe.

"Goldspire," Talia said flatly.

"Talia." He smiled warmly, then glanced at Aegis with barely concealed disdain. "Lovely to see you training. Though perhaps you could find a more... appropriate partner?"

"Appropriate?" Aegis asked.

"Well, someone of proper standing. No offense, Starcaller."

"None taken, Dickspire."

"It’s Goldspire."

"My mistake."

His jaw tightened anyway.

"Talia, I was hoping we could discuss the Winter Trials. Perhaps over dinner?"

"No."

"You haven’t even heard my proposal."

"Don’t need to. I’m busy."

"Your mother would likely suggest otherwise, no?"

Talia’s grip on her sword tightened enough to crack the handle.

"My mother doesn’t control me."

"Doesn’t she?" Darius stepped closer. "The marriage is already being arranged. The Winter Trials will simply be the formal announcement."

"There won’t be a marriage."

"Oh? And how do you plan to stop it?"

Talia glanced at Aegis. Something dangerous flickered in her eyes.

"Maybe I’ll marry someone else first."

The training ground went quiet. Even the students who’d been watching Mei’Lin’s meltdown turned to stare.

"Excuse me?" Darius’s voice could have frozen lava.

"You heard me." Talia moved closer to Aegis. Close enough that their shoulders touched. "Maybe I’ll marry Aegis."

Aegis’s brain short-circuited.

[WHAT?]

"She’s a commoner," Darius said slowly, like explaining to a child.

"It’s still a possibility."

"Your mother would never—"

"My mother wants me married. Much to her chagrin, though, at the end of the day, I still get to pick who."

They stared at each other, the air between them crackling with enough tension to power a small city. Aegis stood there, wondering if she should say something or just let the nobles duke it out.

"This isn’t over," Darius said finally.

"I have a feeling it never is with you."

He stormed off, probably to punch something expensive. The moment he was gone, Talia stepped away from Aegis like she’d been burned.

"That was just to make him leave," she said quickly.

"Obviously."

"I’m not actually going to marry you."

"Well, yeah. Clearly."

"Good."

"Great."

They stood there awkwardly. Talia had her arms crossed, staring back at Aegis.

"I should go," Talia said.

"Yeah."

"This didn’t mean anything."

"Yep."

"Exactly."

She left quickly, practically running. Aegis watched her go, trying to process what had just happened.

[Well. That was weird.]

"She wants to marry you, nya!" Mei’Lin had apparently come back just to shout that. "But I don’t care, nya! You can marry whoever you want! It doesn’t matter to me at all!"

"Nobody’s marrying anybody!"

"GOOD, NYA!"

Kai’Lin dragged her away again. This time successfully.

[What in the hell is going on here!?]

---

An hour later, Aegis was trying to study in the library when she heard:

"Miss Starcaller?"

Aegis looked up to find a woman in expensive clothes holding an actual briefcase. She looked like she’d fallen out of a business meeting and landed in a fantasy world.

"Yes?"

"My name is Lady Merchant. I represent certain interests."

"That’s the vaguest thing anyone’s ever said to me."

"May we speak privately?"

Aegis glanced around. The library was mostly empty except for some students who were definitely pretending not to eavesdrop.

"Sure."

They moved to a study room. Lady Merchant set the briefcase on the table and opened it.

Gold. So much gold that Aegis’s eyes hurt looking at it.

"That’s... a lot of money."

"Fifty thousand gold pieces."

"That’s a LOT of money."

"It’s yours. If you agree to certain terms."

[Ah... I see what’s happening here.]

Aegis leaned back.

"Let me guess. Darius sent you."

"Lord Goldspire is concerned about your... influence on Princess Stone."

"My influence."

"He would prefer if you maintained distance."

"He wants me to stay away from Talia."

"Precisely."

"For fifty thousand gold."

"Correct."

Aegis stared at the money. That was more than most people saw in a lifetime. She could buy legendary equipment, rare spells, probably even a small house.

Or, you know, work toward that whole "marry Talia" plan she’d been thinking about.

"And if I refuse?"

"Then you receive nothing and Lord Goldspire proceeds with... alternative methods."

"Threats. Nice."

"Business."

Aegis stood up, walked around the table, and sat on the edge right next to Lady Merchant. The woman shifted uncomfortably.

"Here’s the thing," Aegis said, pitching her voice lower. "That money looks really nice."

"Then accept—"

"But I need to know you’re being straight with me. This is really from Darius? No strings beyond staying away from Talia?"

"That is the sole requirement."

"No fine print? No magical contracts?"

"Lord Goldspire felt a verbal agreement would suffice." Lady Merchant’s tone suggested she thought Darius was an idiot for this.

Indeed, if Aegis had to guess, he was being this blasé about it for no other reason than...

[Because I’m a commoner. So he thinks I’ll look at this money, my eyes will bulge out of their sockets, and I’ll kiss Talia goodbye. He really is an idiot. Fifty thousand gold and he didn’t even demand a magical binding? This is too easy.]

"Well then." Aegis smiled, all teeth. "I accept."

"You... do?"

"Why wouldn’t I? That’s enough gold to set me up for life." Aegis reached for the briefcase. "I stay away from Talia, I get rich. Simple."

Lady Merchant looked suspicious.

"That seems rather... quick."

[Clearly, you have more sense than Darius does.]

"What, you want me to pretend to think about it? Waste your time with moral grandstanding?" Aegis laughed. "I’m a peasant! We’re all very practical when it comes to money. Fifty thousand gold is worth so much more than some princess who barely tolerates me."

[Sorry, Talia. I’ll make it up to you with all the stuff I buy with this gold. And maybe by actually marrying you, if that whole plan works out.]

"I see." Lady Merchant still looked uncertain. "And you’ll truly maintain distance?"

"Oh, absolutely." Aegis lied. "Won’t go near her. Complete distance. Total separation."

"Lord Goldspire will be monitoring—"

"Let him monitor." Aegis hefted the briefcase, testing its weight. "I’ll be too busy spending this to bother with palace drama."

Lady Merchant stood slowly.

"I must admit, I expected more resistance."

"Why? Because of some rumors about library encounters?" Aegis shrugged. "That was fun, but this is fifty thousand gold. I know which one lasts longer."

"How... pragmatic."

"Like I said, us peasants are like that."

[This is literally the easiest money I’ve ever made. Thanks, Darius, you absolute moron.]

Lady Merchant moved toward the door, then paused.

"Lord Goldspire wanted me to remind you that breaking this agreement would have consequences."

"Mm-hmm."

"Severe consequences."

"Sure."

"You don’t seem concerned."

"Why would I be?" Aegis clutched the briefcase to her chest like a beloved pet. "I’m not going to break our agreement. Scout’s honor."

[I was never a scout. Also, verbal agreements aren’t worth the air they’re spoken with.]

Lady Merchant gave her one last searching look, then left. The moment the door closed, Aegis opened the briefcase again just to make sure the gold was real.

It was.

[... And suddenly, I am very, very rich. Wow.]

She could buy so many things with this. Legendary weapons. Rare armor. Maybe even some of those special event items that normally cost real money in the game.

[And all I have to do is... absolutely nothing different than what I was already doing.]

She closed the briefcase and headed for the door. She’d need to hide this somewhere safe. Maybe ask Nazraya about secure storage. Or just stuff it in her inventory and hope no one noticed.

In any case, she couldn’t stop grinning.

[That said, I should probably let Talia know though. Hope she won’t be too irritated at me for taking all this cash.]

As she left the library, she nearly ran into Mei’Lin, who was lurking outside with her sister.

They made eye contact.

Mei’Lin’s face went red.

"I-I wasn’t waiting for you, nya!"

"Okay."

"And I definitely wasn’t thinking about—about—" She covered her face. "NOTHING, NYA! I was thinking about nothing!"

"Sure."

"Stop agreeing with me! It makes it worse!"

Kai’Lin sighed.

"Come on, sister. Let’s go before you embarrass yourself more."

"I’m not embarrassed, nya! I’m angry! Very angry!" But her voice was too high-pitched to be convincing.

They left, with Mei’Lin looking back once, her expression somewhere between mortified and... something else Aegis couldn’t quite identify.

[This is going to be a problem, isn’t it?]

But that was future Aegis’s problem. Present Aegis had fifty thousand gold pieces and absolutely no intention of honoring a verbal agreement with a pompous noble who thought commoners were too stupid to lie.

Life was good.