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Chapter 2-38 : Negotiation (part 1)
「I’ve been waiting for him to say that…」(Chloe)
After murmuring to herself like that, Chloe approached Wolff and puffed her chest out as if she wanted to show him the star badges on her chest.
（Onee-chan! I know she’s going to save me!）
Mylia felt secure while Chloe was standing next to her. She moved closer to Chloe and leaned her head against Chloe’s shoulder.
Chloe smiled at her and grabbed her hand, and then she turned her gaze back to Wolff.
「Please forgive me for interrupting. My name is Chloe de la Atwood, Mylia’s older sister. I’m a third-year student in the Commerce Department. May I speak with you, Sir?」(Chloe)
Even Chloe, who was always calm, felt nervous when she talked to a duke.
「What a well-mannered lady. Yes, of course, you can talk to me. I have no intention of bothering Miss Mylia at all but I want you to understand that I have to protect my honor as a duke.」(Wolff)
「I understand.」(Chloe)
（Honor…? I see! He is a duke. He will lose face in the aristocratic society if he doesn’t even return the favor to a girl like me…）
Mylia finally noticed why Wolff insisted on giving her something in return. She looked up at Wolff and Chloe who were staring at each other.
（I wish I had a smartphone now so I can take a picture of them… A handsome duke, a beautiful black-haired girl, a cute silver-haired magician girl, and a group of knights as the background… That would be a nice picture…）
Mylia, who was no longer feeling nervous thanks to Chloe’s presence, started thinking about things that had absolutely nothing to do with the current situation.
「Duke Griffith, it hasn’t been long since Mylia started studying in this school. She doesn’t know much about politics and the aristocratic society in this kingdom. I understand that you want to keep your good name but I think ten thousand gold coins is too much for her to handle.」(Chloe)
「I see… But…」(Wolff)
「But we are not going to refuse it. We will gratefully accept your offer.」(Chloe)
（Waiー Onee-chan!? What is she talking about? Is she serious?）
Mylia was shocked when Chloe said that.
Wolff, however, let out a sigh of relief and smiled at Chloe.
「Thank you for accepting my offer, Miss Chloe.」(Wolff)
（Ho, Hold on! Is he aware that he is broke right now? How can he smile like that?）
Mylia couldn’t keep up with Wolff’s way of thinking.
「However, we will receive the money after Mylia graduates. No, to be exact, we will receive it within ten years after Mylia graduates. Would this be acceptable to you?」(Chloe)
「In other words, I have thirteen years to fulfill my promise, right? Fair enough. I will send the contract to Miss Mylia later. Miss Mylia, are you okay with that?」(Wolff)
When Wolff asked her that, Mylia glanced at Chloe with a confused face. Chloe then nodded at her.
「Yes…」(Mylia)
Thinking that Chloe would handle everything, Mylia replied to Wolff with a positive answer.
Wolff then looked at his wife, and then they smiled at each other.
He managed to protect his honor as a duke but he ended up having a huge debt.
He currently didn’t have much money, and it was difficult for him to fulfill his promise in the near future, so Chloe’s suggestion was a lifesaver for him.
「Miss Chloe, I’ve heard rumors about you that you are the best student in the Commerce Department. I’m honestly impressed. No wonder Diana has an interest in you. She always talks about you.」(Wolff)
「Fa, Father…!」(Diana)
「Hahaha! I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told her about that, should I?」(Wolff)
「Geez…」(Diana)
（Hee… So he can also laugh like that. He seems to be a good father unlike both of my worthless fathers in my previous and current lives…）
Mylia watched the exchange between Wolff and Diana with an envious look. She wished she had a kind father like him.
「Is that so? I feel honored to be praised by you.」(Chloe)
When Chloe bowed to Wolff as she said that, Diana looked away with a blushing face for some reason.
「I still have a lot to talk about with you, but now there is the school director and Professor Caroline here, so I think it’s better if we talk in private later.」(Chloe)
When Chloe said that with a low voice, Wolff nodded and looked at the school director.
「Well then, we are going home for now. James, I’m sorry for the trouble.」(Wolff)
「Don’t worry about it. You’re always welcome here.」(school director)
（Ahh~ School Director’s rabbit face looks so cute when he’s smiling~ He looks close to Aria’s father. I wonder if they are old friends…）
「Thank you, James… Miss Mylia, Miss Chloe, I will talk to you later.」(Wolff)
After saying that Wolff headed toward the school gate. His wife, the three knights and Diana then followed him while Aria approached Mylia.
「Mylia-san, would you like to come along? I want you to see Grandma…」(Aria)
「Can I? I’d love tー」(Mylia)
「ーShe can’t.」(Caroline)
When Aria tried to invite Mylia to her house, Professor Caroline suddenly interrupted.
「You and your sister have our permission to leave the school for a while but Miss Mylia doesn’t.」(Caroline)
「But…!」(Aria)
「No, it’s okay. You heard her. I can’t leave the school. Besides, I think you should spend this precious moment with your family.」(Mylia)
「If you say so… Alright then, Mylia-san, see you later.」(Aria)
「Please send my regards to your grandma and be careful on your way home.」(Mylia)
「Un!」(Aria)
After replying to Mylia with a smile, Aria headed toward the school gate, chasing her family.
（I’m really glad for them… I hope I can visit Aria’s house someday….. Ahh… What an adventure… Going into an underground maze, fighting Peter, solving the mystery of Daemon’s Map, fighting Basilisk, and meeting one of the most important people in this kingdom… If this were a movie, the main actor would definitely be Aria, the cute witch. The supporting actors would be me and Peter, and the director would be… Daemon? No, no. Anyone but him…）
While Mylia was thinking about silly things in her head, Professor Caroline stared at her with hateful eyes from behind.
Mylia felt relieved that everything was over, but she had no idea what kind of trouble awaited her moments later.