The guards eventually brought Elian and Bianca into an opulent eting room. The atmosphere scread top 1% from the gilded trim to the red silk draped across every surface. It radiated prestige and beauty, yet Elian squird inside.
How much does all of this cost? What if I break sothing?
Bianca chuckled as she pulled Elian toward one of the couches. She pushed him to sit on it. Imdiately, a soft creak echoed. Terrified of having to pay for damages, Elian moved.
A thin lattice of Living tal webbed through the couch legs, quietly reinforcing the fra as he sank down.
"You are no fun, feel free to break everything, Elian. Don’t worry about the costs. I do not think you understand how much money I have," the witch teased.
Elian smiled wryly. He had no worries with turning dungeons into dust, but sohow, being careful with furniture was sothing ingrained in his being.
The wolves and Burny all made themselves comfortable and lay on the soft carpet. Fluffy stayed by the door, and Silent kept within reach of Bianca. Burny took the highest point while Bastion lay in the center of the room.
Hmm. Interesting.
The three wolves all had different inclinations. It showed just from which spots they chose. So favored defense, while others prioritized vision. A warm weight settled into his lap. Without warning, Bianca sank into his lap, resting her back against his chest.
It was incredibly soft and warm. The figure rested her back against his chest and took his hand into hers. "Darling, if you don’t pay attention to , I’m going to get angry."
Stunned by her relentless advances, Elian gulped in nervousness. Despite the few tis he went on the offensive, he knew little about the matters between man and woman. Unsure how to react, he decided to try to calm her instead.
Uhm. Bianca, aren’t you here to speak to them? Maybe it would be better to...
She cut his thoughts short with a kiss. Bianca grabbed his head and pulled him closer. As if savoring his every breath, she kissed him deeply, her tongue coiling around his like a predator claiming territory.
Bewildered by her passion, Elian could only ekly accept her advances. When she grew satisfied, Bianca pursed her lips and murmured, "Chiara."
"Huh?"
"Right now, I’m Chiara Alvestra. And Chiara doesn’t ask permission. I told you, didn’t I, darling? I have been holding back for your sake. You grew brazen; now face the consequences."
Elian wanted to complain, but seeing Bianca openly display such lust stroked his desire for conquest. Usually, his lover was a blushing kitten. Now she tasted like danger, like fire—and he didn’t know whether to kiss her again or run.
Even now the golem didn’t know what to do. He had never been in a relationship before. Movies taught him how to flirt. His parents taught him how to love. But nothing taught him how to survive soone like her.
"Ehem."
A sudden cough shattered the tension. Bianca clicked her tongue in annoyance, her irises glowed sky-blue as her mana began to freeze everything her body touched. And while Elian was technically wearing clothes, they felt more like his skin.
Bianca lowered her hat and covered her face; however, she didn’t get off him. He tried to gently move her to the couch, but "Chiara" pinched him and wiggled her butt to remain seated on his lap.
"Welco back, Lady Winter. It has been quite a long ti." A handso clerk greeted in utmost respect.
Lady Winter?
"Long story. I will tell you later," Bianca answered in his mind.
Elian grew concerned. Just how many masks had his lover worn when she was alive. Did she really have not one single friend in that period?
Despite the warm greeting, Bianca frowned in displeasure. "And who are you supposed to be? Where is Walter? He’s supposed to be my account manager," she snapped.
The clerk bowed his head and explained, "Please forgive him, Lady Winter. Walter Dornevale died almost forty years ago. The account then passed to Cassian Dornevale, who retired last year. I am Silas Dornevale Walter’s grandson."
Three generations?
Elian nearly fell off the couch.
Just how long has Bianca been talking to these bastards?
Bianca lowered her gaze and gripped Elian’s hand tighter, "Is that so? To think young Cassion had also retired. I guess it has been a while. Walter was a good man; I will miss him. How old are you, Silas?"
The clerk smiled at Bianca. Even Elian could see how he appreciated Bianca’s words about his grandfather.
Don’t humans live past 100 nowadays? Why are the Dornevales’ lives so short?
"It’s because of their talent. In exchange for being powerful guardians, Dornevales barely pass sixty years of age."
Oh, I am sorry, Bianca.
"It’s fine. I sort of expected it. Death is a natural part of life and as a Psychomancer there will co a ti when everyone I know will pass on. That is the cost of placing my soul in another vessel."
Feeling the sadness radiating from Bianca, Elian hugged her body tenderly. Seeing her expression, he understood just how much Walter ant to Bianca.
Do not worry, Bianca; you are no longer alone. The Weapons and I are also immortal. We will live together in bliss until the world ends or the sun explodes. Hmm. I doubt that would be enough to kill us, though.
Bianca giggled, "Is that your pitiful attempt at consoling , darling?"
Elian turned away and smiled sheepishly. Bianca, who couldn’t control herself, laughed in glee. Silas didn’t make a remark and simply waited. When Bianca finally looked at him, he answered as if nothing had happened.
"I shall turn thirty this year, Lady Winter. Do not worry though; I already have a son who is in training. By the ti I retire, he will replace without issue."
"Wonderful, introduce him to soti. I would love to chat, but I am in need of several things."
"I understand. May I ask what services you require?"
She pressed her fingers to her temple, and a system file pinged toward Silas. Elian received a copy as well. It was a detailed list of things Bianca needed to get done, so of which even the golem couldn’t even comprehend.
Silas, however, took everything in stride and rely bowed. "I understand. I can secure the land and supplies within the hour. For the rest, I would need a couple of days."
"That is fine. Send a line to the Crows. I wish to speak to them."
"I shall do so imdiately. As for the liquidation request, do you have the items with you now?"
Bianca then ran her fingers along Elian’s arm, voice lting into a mock-plea, "Darling, can you pull out the cores and equipnt?"
Without a mont wasted, Elian opened his magic bag and living tal stores. He dumped the excess cores from Snow Wolves and Flaming Swallows. It also included the equipnt left behind by Breakers they killed, including Arjun and Heaven’s Fist.
Elian noticed Silas’ eyes widen when he saw the gear that belonged to the S-Rank Breakers. He gulped in nervousness but quickly recovered in the next second.
Hmm. I guess they know better than to ask.
"Am I to assu that you wish to clean the funds for the sale of these items?"
"Yes. Use my account. I saw the report of my portfolio. I am quite pleased. Feel free to take Fifty Billion Crowns as a bonus for Walter and Cassian’s performance during the last five decades," Bianca instructed.
Fifty million crowns? A bonus? Bianca! That’s too much!
The huge number made Elian’s mind stop working. But his lover made a soft smile and sent her financial statents to him, shocking him even more.
You are worth 890 billion? Just how rich are you, Bianca?
Bianca stopped using telepathy and had everyone present hear her words.
"You misread, darling." Bianca’s smile sharpened. "That number has thirteen digits—not ten."
Elian’s mind blanked.
Thirteen digits? That’s... T-Trillion.
He wasn’t sure if he should kiss her or panic.
"Now do you believe ?" Bianca kissed him. "I can buy Crestfall for you, if you’d like."
Unable to understand, Elian’s sense of money started to shatter. He grew up budgeting groceries to the decimal. His mother once cried over a five-crown service fee. What was he supposed to do with a woman who could buy a nation and call it a gift?
Elian tried to dream what he would even do with a trillion crowns. He couldn’t. Even spending a billion a day, it would take over two years before Bianca’s money would run out. That was how much money she had.
But Silas made a comnt that grabbed Elian’s attention: "Thank you, Lady Winter—and congratulations on finding your HSK."
"HSK?" Elian parroted. "What does that even an?"
"My father often told stories of why soone as wonderful as Lady Winter remained unspoken for. At that ti, her answer was that she was waiting for her HSK, an acronym for Handso, Strong, and Kind. This story has been passed on to by my father."
Handso, strong, and kind? How adorable. Was that what you told yourself, Bianca? It sounded like sothing from a fairytale.
However, Elian noticed the witch turn quiet; when he looked at her face, she was blushing scarlet.
"Don’t look. I made it up to get Walther off my case, okay?"
For a second, she looked like she wanted to hide inside his coat. Not from sha—but because he’d found the last soft place she’d kept hidden.
Elian felt mischievous and pointed to himself, "So I guess I should start calling myself HSK from now on?"
"DON’T YOU DARE!"
At his joke, the wolves and Burny all laughed at Bianca’s expense. Fluffy lost it—rolling on the floor. Even Silas smiled as he watched Bianca stamr in embarrassnt.
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