Chapter 44 - 43: Deal Reached

Chapter 44: Chapter 43: Deal Reached

Why was Lilia helping him? Ever since last night, when Lilia introduced him to the Englis siblings, Lucian had been pondering this question.

To him at the time, Lilia should have been perfectly content, desiring nothing more. As a commoner, she had already gained far too much. The opportunity to study at Lien Academy. The affection and flattery of her noble classmates. Not to mention Caius’s attention, the Beaumont couple’s approval, and a status and treatment far exceeding that of an ordinary maid... These were privileges countless commoners could spend their entire lives striving for but never attain.

If Lilia simply wanted to live a stable and affluent life, she could easily maintain the status quo and remain by Caius’s side as his maid. But she didn’t. She studied diligently and strove for first place. Not only did she work exceptionally hard in her academics, but she also never neglected her social networking. She even took the initiative to approach and help him, seemingly eager to jump ship from the sturdy ferry of the Beaumont family onto his own little boat that could capsize at any moment.

Why? In the past, Lucian couldn’t figure it out. However, after hearing that young man’s monologue outside the door just moments ago, he suddenly saw everything clearly.

Lilia was only a commoner. Everything she possessed now came from the Beaumont family’s charity. And all gifts of fate had a price.

No matter how much Lady Beaumont liked Lilia, she wouldn’t treat her so well for no reason. She introduced Lilia to noble ladies, pushing her into the upper-class social circles... This wasn’t for Lilia’s own good—or rather, not solely for her good. More importantly, she wanted Lilia to serve as a bridge connecting other families, securing benefits for the Beaumont family through marriage.

This was Lilia’s "mission." It was also the price she had to pay for the past decade of gifts she had received.

Since she couldn’t escape it no matter what, rather than follow the Earl couple’s arrangements and marry some noble scion she had never met, she might as well choose one herself. He was the "future" Lilia had chosen for herself. She wasn’t helping him. She was building her own future with her own hands.

The moment this thought arose, for some reason, Lucian suddenly felt a bitter twinge in his heart. He leaned back, using his usual lazy smile to mask his inner thoughts. "Why choose me?" Compared to "why help me," there was only a one-word difference, but the meaning was worlds apart.

Lilia naturally understood. "I’ve already answered this question, too."

Lucian raised an eyebrow.

"Icing on the cake can never compare to offering a lifeline in a crisis." Lilia’s tone was flat, sober, and rational. "I chose you because you need me. That’s all."

Lucian fell silent for a moment before laughing. "I thought you’d play the emotional card. Like saying you chose me because you like me..."

As his words faded, Lilia shot him a look that practically said, ’Do you hear what you’re saying?’

"Of course I like you." She said it incredibly smoothly, as if stating some universal truth.

Lucian was stunned for a second.

"Or rather, I have a favorable impression of you," Lilia added. "At the very least, I’m not repulsed by interacting with you."

Lucian was speechless. He couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Lilia tilted her head. "What is it?"

"It’s nothing..." Lucian reached up to cover his forehead. "I finally understand why Ian reacts so strongly when people only say half a sentence..."

"Ian?"

"A friend of mine in the Student Council."

Lucian quickly reined in his emotions. He had to admit, Lilia had a very sharp eye. Looking at all the nobles in the Lien Kingdom, for Lilia, he truly was the best candidate. He had the status and the strength. Although the Williams family was declining day by day, they still held the title of a Hereditary Duke. Moreover, precisely because the Williams family was falling from grace, he needed to hold onto the Beaumont family’s lifeline all the more tightly. This would also guarantee Lilia’s future position. After all, compared to other nobles, what tied them firmly together wouldn’t be something as ethereal as love, but rather something far more stable: their deeply intertwined mutual interests.

Lilia looked at the young man beside her. As if he had finally understood everything, he leaned back slightly, letting his full weight rest against the back of the chair. His choppy blond hair scattered across his forehead, and his emerald eyes shimmered in the sunlight. He was thinking, and he was weighing his options. Thinking about the future, weighing the pros and cons.

After a long moment, Lucian let out a soft breath. "When you saw me at the Englis Duke Mansion, had you already planned all this out?"

"No," Lilia said. "Earlier than that."

Lucian smiled. "So that’s why you answered me with ’Take a guess’ back then?"

"Yep." Lilia rested her chin in her hand. "That was the only way to get your attention."

"Then why tell me the truth now?" Lucian looked at her. "Aren’t you afraid I’ll think... this was all premeditated, and get too spooked to cooperate with you?"

She wasn’t afraid. After all, he liked it when people played mind games with him. Lilia gazed back at him. "I believe partners should be entirely honest with each other."

"But we aren’t partners yet," Lucian said.

"I think we are." Lilia narrowed her eyes, offering a beautiful smile. "Besides, when it comes to someone I’ve set my sights on, I’m never stingy about showing my sincerity."

Whether it was helping with the introductions last night or being completely candid today, she had shown her hand. Faced with her words, Lucian didn’t respond immediately.

Lilia wasn’t in a hurry either. Just as she had said, toward a partner she had set her sights on, she wouldn’t hesitate to show her sincerity—and her patience.

After a long while, Lucian sighed. "Alright, I really don’t have a reason to refuse... We have a deal." As his words fell, a pale hand was thrust in front of him.

"What’s this?" Lucian asked.

"A high five," Lilia replied. "Since we’ve struck a deal, we should have some proper sense of ceremony."

"...How does this count as a ceremony?"

"Just tell me if you’re going to do it or not."

"Fine."

Lucian, feeling helpless, reached out and gave her a high five.

SLAP.

Their palms crossed and met. Even though it was only a fleeting touch, that exceedingly soft sensation seemed to sear itself into Lucian’s heart.

Lucian glanced at his own palm. After a moment of silence, he spoke up, "Regarding the specific details of our partnership, I think we need to have a thorough discussion.

"This includes the rules we must abide by, the obligations we must fulfill, and the contingency plan if either party breaches the agreement."

He spoke with a strictly businesslike tone, even pre-empting the possibility of a future falling out. For a moment, the previously lighthearted atmosphere in the hospital room grew a little stagnant.

Lucian stole a glance at Lilia’s hand. He had noticed it when they high-fived just now—the girl’s hand was very soft, but also very cold. After all, it was nearly noon, and she had overexerted her body during her morning training. Whatever little energy she had left must have been completely depleted by now. Eating some hot food might make her feel better. With this in mind, Lucian said, seemingly casually, "It happens to be lunchtime. Shall we head to the cafeteria and talk while we eat?"

"Sorry, I can’t." Lilia was still resting her chin in her hand. "I still have to wait for Caius.

"He said he would bring my food over."