"I'm interested in a plot of land owned by your family near Hunter Guild Ulbert."
Thornwood didn't move. Nothing changed on his face. But his eyes narrowed, just slightly, enough to tell me he hadn't anticipated this.
"That land," he said. His tone didn't change, but there was a new layer of caution behind it. "May I ask what it would be used for?"
"Crescentia is planning to build a training facility for our future employees. The location needs to be strategic, close to residential areas, with easy access. Your land meets all the criteria."
Thornwood leaned deeper into his chair. His fingers moved to his chin, propping it with one hand. The gesture of someone assessing.
"Training," he repeated the word as if testing it. "Crescentia Group, the largest company on the continent, wants to build a training facility. On the land of a viscount. In the southern district." He looked straight at me. "Forgive me if I sound skeptical, Miss Valenrose, but does Crescentia not already have its own facilities for something like this?"
"We do. But not for this scale."
"What scale do you mean?"
"A hundred people per batch. Two groups per day."
Thornwood raised an eyebrow. This time his reaction wasn't hidden. Two hundred people a day passing through a facility on his land. He was calculating the implications.
"Two hundred people," he said quietly. "That is not a small training program. That is more like..." He paused. Chose his words. "An institution."
"A job training program," I corrected with a light tone. "Under Crescentia's umbrella. Not an institution. We're training our own future employees."
Thornwood studied me for several seconds. Then he leaned forward, both elbows resting on the desk. A more aggressive posture than before.
"Miss Valenrose, I appreciate you coming in person. But allow me to ask candidly." His voice dropped half a note. "What exactly will be taught at this facility?"
"Basic skills. Reading and writing, arithmetic, general knowledge."
"Reading and writing and arithmetic." He repeated it in a tone that could mean anything. "For future employees."
"Correct. Crescentia is growing rapidly. New branches open every few months across the continent. We need employees who can read reports, count inventory, and understand employment contracts. Recruiting people who are already educated is expensive, and the supply is extremely limited. It's more efficient to train them ourselves."
Thornwood didn't respond immediately. He picked up his teacup and took a sip. A gesture that looked casual, but I knew its function. He was buying time to think.
"I have heard a rumor," he said, setting down his cup, "that Crescentia submitted a proposal to the kingdom regarding education for commoners. Taxes reduced, schools built." His eyes sharpened. "Does this training facility have anything to do with that proposal?"
The right question. This man wasn't stupid.
"That proposal has already been approved by His Majesty," I answered calmly. "And yes, this facility is the first step. But legally, this is Crescentia's internal program. Not a school. Not an educational institution that requires approval from the noble council."
"Interesting." Thornwood rotated his cup on the desk. Slowly. "So Crescentia has found a way to build a school without calling it a school."
I didn't blink. "We've found a way to train the employees we need."
"Of course." A thin smile appeared at the corner of his lips, but his eyes didn't follow. "Miss Valenrose, allow me to ask further. What about the instructors? Who will be teaching at this facility?"
"We're currently recruiting. Educated merchants for arithmetic. Retired officials for basic law. And for reading, writing, and general knowledge, we're looking for someone with a strong academic background."
"An academy graduate?"
"Ideally."
Thornwood snorted. Not a rude snort, more like an exhale that carried skepticism. "You will have difficulty finding an academy graduate willing to teach commoners. Their status is too high. Teaching at a facility like this would be considered beneath them."
"I know."
"And if you insist, they will demand an unreasonable salary."
"I know that too."
"Then?"
"We have a way." I smiled. Let it hang.
Thornwood looked at me for a moment. Then shook his head slowly. Not a shake of refusal. A shake from someone beginning to realize that every answer I gave had been prepared before he even asked.
"Very well. Next question." He folded his hands on the desk. "Two hundred people a day passing near my land. That is no small amount of traffic. What about security? Who is responsible if there are disturbances, theft, or damage in the surrounding area?"
"Hunter Guild Ulbert already conducts routine patrols around their area. With the facility near the guild, we get additional protection. On top of that, Crescentia will provide its own guards during operating hours."
"And outside operating hours?"
"Night guards. Two of them. Covered by Crescentia."
Thornwood nodded. But he wasn't finished.
"The building. Who is financing the construction?"
"Crescentia. Entirely."
"On my land."
"With a long-term lease agreement. A highly competitive annual rent. And the Thornwood family name listed as Crescentia's official partner in this project."
"Official partner." He repeated it. Same as before, testing the words on his tongue. "What does that mean in concrete terms?"
"It means your name appears on every document. Every report submitted to the kingdom. Every public announcement about this project. Viscount Thornwood, partner of Crescentia Group in a training program approved directly by His Majesty."
Silence. I could see the words landing. Not in his ears. In his ambition.
A viscount from the southern district whose name was mentioned alongside Crescentia and the kingdom. That wasn't just prestige. That was a rise in political standing without having to lift a single finger.
But Thornwood still hadn't dropped his guarded expression.
"Miss Valenrose. I appreciate your transparency. But allow me to ask one more thing that you may not like."
I raised my teacup and took a sip. Calm. "Please."
"Why my land?"
"I've already explained. Strategic location, close to residential areas, easy access."
"That is not what I am asking." His eyes sharpened. "There are many strategic plots of land in the capital. Some even easier to acquire than mine. Merchants offering land to Crescentia would trip over each other to give you cheap prices just to have their names listed alongside your company. But you chose to come to a viscount who is known for refusing every offer for years." He leaned forward. "Why?"
A good question. A question that showed the man in front of me wasn't just some old nobleman sitting on inherited wealth.
I set down my cup.
"Because a merchant's land can be bought by anyone. Including by someone who wants to disrupt this project." I chose my words carefully. "But a nobleman's land is protected by family law. If I lease your land, no merchant or even another nobleman can buy it out from under us. Our agreement is protected. And this project is safe."
Thornwood was silent. For a long time. Longer than any pause in this conversation.
Then something changed.
Not a dramatic change. Not the kind you could point at and say "there, right there." But I saw it. The muscles in his jaw relaxed. His shoulders dropped by a centimeter. And his eyes, which had been full of caution since the beginning, slowly warmed.
He smiled.
Not the thin, calculated smile from before. A wide smile. Genuine.
"A genius, indeed." His voice changed. Lighter. More open. As if someone had just opened a window in a stuffy room. "Thank you for choosing my land as the starting point."
I smiled back. There was a certain satisfaction when someone who'd been skeptical finally saw what you saw. His sharp questions earlier weren't signs of distrust. They were signs that he was serious. And serious people were people worth partnering with.
"I will not lie, Miss Valenrose." Thornwood stood and walked to the bookshelf behind him. His hand traced the row of books with a casual motion. "I have admired Crescentia for a long time. What your company has done in the last ten years, that is not merely business. That is change. Banking, printing, shopping centers, insurance, technology. Nearly every aspect of life." He glanced back. "And now education. Or training, if you prefer to call it that."
He let out a small laugh. A warm one. I smiled in return.
"I will be honest with you," he returned to his chair and sat in a way far more relaxed than before, "the reason I refused every offer before was not because I did not want to sell. It was because they were not worthy. Merchants who wanted to build warehouses. Carpenters who wanted to set up workshops. Those are not things worthy of standing on my family's land." He looked at me. "But a Crescentia training facility? A program approved directly by His Majesty? That is different. That is something I can take pride in."
"I'm glad to hear that, Viscount."
"Edric." He raised his hand. "If we are to be partners, just call me Edric."
I nodded. "Edric."
"Now." He tapped the desk lightly. "Let us discuss the details. Annual rent. What number do you have in mind?"
I gave him a figure. A figure I'd calculated the night before. Slightly above market price to show respect, but not so high that it looked like waste. A figure designed to make the other party feel honored without putting Crescentia at a loss.
Thornwood listened. Then nodded slowly.
"A fair number." He picked up a pen from the desk and twirled it between his fingers. "I accept."
I smiled. A person who was already satisfied with their answers didn't need long to decide. That was a sign he'd been calculating everything in his head during the conversation, and my figure fit within his numbers.
"However," he said, and I knew there'd be a "however" coming, "there are a few things I would like to add to this agreement."
"Please."
"First, the lease duration. I want a minimum of five years. With an option for renewal."
"We're planning ten years. With a review every three years."
"Ten years." He smiled. "Even better. I appreciate long-term commitment."
"The second?"
Thornwood set down his pen. He leaned back and looked at me with an expression more serious than a few minutes ago. The tone of a partner thinking about shared interests.
"Insurance."
I raised an eyebrow. "Insurance?"
"The building Crescentia constructs will stand on my land. If something happens, fire, riots, natural disasters, any kind of damage, I want to ensure that the losses do not fall on either party without protection." He spoke in a tone that sounded perfectly reasonable. Perfectly responsible. "I suggest we include a property insurance clause in the agreement. Crescentia certainly already has good relations with the banking division for something like this."
I looked at him. He looked back. His face was calm. His eyes were gentle.
"Property insurance," I repeated. "You want the building constructed on your land to be insured."
"For the protection of both parties," he said. His smile didn't change. "If something happens, Crescentia does not take a loss from having to rebuild from scratch. And I do not bear the moral burden of a building being destroyed on my land without any guarantee of recovery."
His logic was perfect. From any angle, this was a perfectly reasonable request. You could even call it wise. A partner who thought about risks before they happened was a good partner.
"That makes sense," I said. "We can include an insurance clause. Crescentia already has a property guarantee system for all our building assets."
"Good." Thornwood nodded. "But I would like one more thing."
"Yes?"
"Since this building will stand on my land, I would like the insurance policy to include my name as an involved party. Not as the primary holder, of course. But as the landowner who would be affected if damage occurs." He raised his hand before I could respond. "This is not about money, Miss Valenrose. This is about responsibility. If the building is damaged and there is a claims process, I want to ensure that my land is also protected in the process. Not just the building."
I weighed his request. Legally, a landowner did have the right to be protected if property on their land sustained damage. Including his name in the policy as a related party wasn't unusual. Many large property lease contracts included similar clauses.
"I'll need to discuss the technical details with Crescentia's legal team," I said. "But in principle, that request makes sense."
"Of course. I do not expect you to agree to everything today." Thornwood extended his hand. "What matters is that, in principle, we are in agreement?"
I looked at that hand. Then shook it.
"In principle, we're in agreement."
His grip was firm. Warm. And his smile was wide.
"I very much look forward to this partnership, Miss Valenrose. Truly." He released the handshake but didn't release his smile. "If there is anything I can do to speed up the process, do not hesitate. That land has been empty for too long. It is time it was used for something meaningful."
I stood and straightened my clothes. "I'll send the full proposal along with the draft agreement within a few days."
"I will be waiting with pleasure."
The blue-haired maid appeared at the door again as if she knew exactly when the conversation had ended. She bowed and made way for me.
"Edric." I nodded as a farewell.
"Serena." He replied with a smile just as wide. "Have a pleasant day."
I followed the maid back through the corridors. My steps were light. Lighter than when I'd arrived.
This negotiation had gone better than I'd hoped.
Not because he'd agreed right away. Quite the opposite. His sharp questions at the start, his thoroughness about security, his structured insurance request -- all of it showed a partner who thought seriously. Not some nobleman who just wanted to slap his name next to Crescentia and sit back waiting for money to roll in. Edric Thornwood thought about risks. Thought about protection. Thought long-term.
And honestly, that was refreshing.
Most people who dealt with me only saw two things: Crescentia's money or Crescentia's name. They agreed to anything without reading the details because they were too afraid of losing the opportunity. Thornwood wasn't like that. He tested every answer, made sure every angle was covered, and only opened up after he himself was satisfied.
That was the mark of a good partner.
The blue-haired maid escorted me to the front door. She gave a brief bow.
"Have a pleasant day, Miss."
"Thank you." I smiled at her. A genuine smile. "You've been very helpful."
The girl's expression didn't change. She only bowed again and closed the door.
I stepped out through the gates of the Thornwood residence. The sun was almost directly overhead. The warm midday air hit my face and I took a deep breath.
Land secured. Partner found. Insurance discussed from the very beginning so it wouldn't become a problem later.
A productive day.
My pace quickened toward the guild. Recci and Veracci were probably already waiting for lunch. And after half a day negotiating with a nobleman, I was starving.
Recci needed to know that we'd found a good partner. But that story could wait until my stomach was full.