On the seventh floor of the Mage Tower, Laurent stood respectfully before Li De, who was gazing out the window.
“Rom Bernard, Level 5 Mage, 27 years old, son of a Marquis in the Nolan Empire. He arrived in Green City from the capital, Nolan City, six months ago and currently serves as a manager in the Alex Merchant Guild. He enjoys high prestige among the nobles of Green City.
He has a fondness for precious antiques and gemstones, particularly favoring artworks created by Elves.
Moreover, Rom is a devoted admirer of Winnie Alex. His move to Green City was motivated by his pursuit of Miss Winnie.
However, according to rumors, Miss Winnie doesn’t seem to hold any special feelings for Rom. Their relationship within the guild is strictly professional.”
Laurent paused slightly, observing Li De’s back as he looked down at the streets outside through the glass window.
“Lord Li De, this Lord Rom holds significant managerial authority over the Alex Merchant Guild. If we wish to purchase large quantities of supplies, there’s no way around him.”
After encountering obstacles with the grain plan, Li De had undergone a shift in mindset. Although the issue had been resolved perfectly, it solidified his determination to establish a network of connections within Green City.
Thus, he instructed Laurent to discreetly gather information about the nobles of Green City.
In truth, given his status, it would have been most appropriate for him to handle this personally. However, he wasn’t yet ready to make contact with his nominal teacher, Grand Mage Spark Ross. Therefore, the most direct approach was to win over a noble with decent standing.
Dawn City was still a framework—aside from not needing to construct the city itself, everything else had to start from scratch.
Not only did they need to purchase vast amounts of supplies, but they also had to prevent leaks about the vampires’ identity, forcing Li De to tread carefully.
This situation resembled those management simulation games on Earth, with one key difference: if you lost in a game, you could restart. But if he failed here, it would spell doom for the entire vampire race.
Under these circumstances, finding a breakthrough point became crucial.
Recently, the overseer of the Alex Merchant Guild, Rom Bernard, had caught Li De’s attention.
As the son of a Marquis, Rom held a prestigious position and was an important member of the Alex Merchant Guild.
Their upcoming acquisition plan would be nearly impossible to execute without involving the Alex Merchant Guild—a giant serpent entrenched in Green City.
Laurent had initially suggested approaching Winnie, but Li De dismissed the idea without hesitation. That girl, with her breathtaking beauty, possessed a terrifying background and sharp mind, harboring intentions he couldn’t fathom. It was best to avoid her altogether.
After finishing his report, Laurent hesitated, furrowing his brow. “Lord Li De, recently I’ve sensed that the Alex Merchant Guild seems to be covertly investigating our Golden Wheat Merchant Guild.
Their overseer even casually inquired about the whereabouts of that batch of grain.”
Li De’s heart skipped a beat. Turning around, a glint of coldness flashed in his eyes.
“How can you confirm they’re investigating us? Isn’t it normal in business transactions to inquire about the other party’s background?”
Laurent’s furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and a smile reappeared on his face.
“They’ve been probing too much information, especially about you.
Of course, perhaps I’m overthinking it. Recently, the Alex Merchant Guild has been quite accommodating to our Golden Wheat Merchant Guild. In the past, popular goods were out of reach for small guilds like ours, but in the last few days, we’ve managed to secure them several times.
The Golden Wheat Merchant Guild has earned at least thirty Gold Pucks because of this. Goddess above, these are pure profits for our guild, free from those accursed underground organizations, Lord Li De. All thanks to your efforts—praise be to you~”
Laurent had mentioned this casually and didn’t dwell on it, but to Li De, even the smallest anomaly warranted vigilance. What exactly was that girl with the striking violet eyes planning?
Though they had only met once, Li De harbored deep wariness toward Winnie, that dazzling tulip. She was no innocent little rabbit like Vina.
She was a disciple beyond the ordinary, the daughter of a Marquis, and a Level 11 Tempest Warrior. Compared to her formidable abilities, her beautiful appearance seemed less remarkable.
“Laurent, draft an invitation for Lord Rom. Invite him to join me for a drink this evening at Elviss, the finest tavern in Green City.”
It was time to plant a nail within the enemy ranks. Li De’s dark eyes gleamed like the depths of the starry sky.
Laurent bowed respectfully and took his leave.
Li De’s current status among humans was far from lowly. Not only did he hold the title of Baron in the Empire, but he was also a genius mage at Level 10 and a disciple of Grand Mage Spark Ross.
His status was nothing short of prestigious.
Two Sun-hours later, Laurent returned with Rom’s reply.
Within the elegant invitation, Rom expressed his delight at Li De’s invitation and confirmed his punctual arrival at 7 PM. He also praised Li De’s reputation as a genius mage and extended greetings to his teacher, Spark Ross—common courtesies among nobility.
“Laurent, Rom has been pursuing Miss Winnie, correct?”
Li De closed the ornate invitation in his hand and smiled at Laurent.
Laurent was momentarily taken aback. Earlier, he had suggested that Li De directly approach Winnie, as she was the president of the Alex Merchant Guild, wielding authority and resources far beyond what Rom, an outsider, could command.
In his view, their previous interaction had been quite friendly, with her helping resolve the grain issue for the Golden Wheat Merchant Guild.
Thus, Winnie should have been the ideal choice, but Li De’s evident reluctance puzzled him.
Now, hearing this question, his expression turned strange. Could it be that Lord Li De had also been captivated by this tulip of Green City?
Seeing Laurent’s odd look, Li De shook his head helplessly.
“Everyone has weaknesses, don’t they?”
Laurent adopted an understanding expression. “Lord Li De, liking a beautiful girl isn’t something to hide. A distinguished and handsome man like you—no woman could resist your charm.
If my daughter weren’t so young, I’d gladly offer her as your concubine.”
Li De was pleased and commended Laurent’s discernment.
“You have a daughter?”
Laurent beamed with pride. “Lord Li De, my daughter is renowned for her beauty in Green City.”
“Of course! She looks exactly like me.”
“Pfft… Let’s get back to discussing Rom.”
Laurent looked deeply aggrieved.
“Lord Rom is the eldest son of the Bernard family and studied under a Grand Mage at the Royal Academy of the Nolan Empire. He met Miss Winnie during his time at the academy and fell head over heels for her.”
A very old and common story, a noble youth from a wealthy family falls for a noble maiden studying far from home. Her exceptional talent and flawless beauty captivate the noble youth.
The noble youth launches a relentless pursuit, year after year. Even after the noble maiden returns to her territory, the noble youth remains infatuated, eventually traveling thousands of miles to be near her, seeking daily companionship.
After hearing this, Li De sighed deeply. In this era of inconvenient transportation, only idle nobles could afford such romantic gestures.
And, upon reflection, though it sounded romantic, wasn’t this just a textbook example of a love-struck fool?
Blinking thoughtfully, a plan began to form in his mind.
Dealing with unfamiliar nobles wasn’t his strong suit, but manipulating a lovesick fool… well, that seemed simple enough?