The Boundaries of Possession - Chapter 6
She had to save the family. She had to do something—anything. After pondering her options for a while, Elysia sought out a small merchant guild that had just started its operations in the coastal city.
‘Let’s strike a deal.’
‘Miss, this isn’t a brothel.’
The merchants of the merchant guild were reluctant to accept the money brought by an omega. However, the money she carried accounted for more than half of the remaining assets of the Brillen Viscountcy—a significant amount. The merchant guild, just starting out and desperate for investment, had no choice but to pretend they didn’t notice where the money came from and accepted it.
Their trade flourished.
The guild initially hoped that Elysia would show her inexperience and withdraw after a while. But instead, she rested her chin on her hand, precisely calculated profits and losses, and reaped significant gains.
While the merchants grumbled, she returned with minerals that were only produced in the Brillen territory and renegotiated deals. That, too, turned out to be a major success.
Wealth overflowed, but she needed someone trustworthy to protect it. After seeing numerous people take advantage of her father, who had been left dazed after her mother’s death, Elysia knew she had to be cautious. Even the butler, whom they had trusted the most, had stolen their wealth and fled.
Thus, she needed the strongest and wisest alpha. Eventually, her thoughts settled on Andreas. After much deliberation, she concluded that marriage with a dominant alpha like him was the answer.
She had to rise to a position where no one could dare look down on her.
“Andreas Eperthier…”
Her lips moved faintly as she whispered his name. Her blue eyes, reflecting on the past, slowly lowered toward the floor.
Knock, knock.
The knock on the door lifted her light gold eyelashes as they slowly fluttered upward. As the door opened, her maid, Sei, entered the room.
“Sei, you’re here already?”
Those light blue eyes held a calm sorrow, like the serene lake in front of the mansion. Sensing her lady’s somber mood, Sei smiled even more brightly, as if to dispel it.
“Miss, you’re going there today! I came early so I could help you get ready and make you look beautiful.”
Her eyes sparkling, Sei opened all the jewelry boxes and alternated her gaze between Elysia and the jewels. Elysia let out a resigned sigh.
“What’s the point of dressing up when no one even knows who I am?”
But Sei was determined. Once Elysia was adorned with heavy jewelry, she lifted her head and looked at the small clock resting on the dresser. She then reached for her mask.
Andreas.
Today, she would finally define their relationship.
***
Traveling from the capital city of Ozéol to the coastal trade city of Clocène took more than three hours, even at the fastest pace without any stops.
Andreas was attending the trade conference as a representative of the imperial family. The purpose of the meeting was to secure the largest trade rights within the empire for the imperial family, a task that could significantly determine the outcome of his future.
The moment Andreas stepped into the building, his expression soured. His sharp eyebrows drew together, and those who passed by either blushed or hesitated in fear.
“Goodness, Master. If you’re this openly irritated, the merchants are all going to stare at you,” Hern, his attendant and chief secretary, muttered.
“What could they possibly do by staring?”
Hern quickly scanned his master’s appearance. Andreas’s eyes resembled a deep, murky swamp—dark and seemingly capable of swallowing everything they touched. His large frame, an undeniable trait of a dominant alpha, made him the center of attention wherever he went.
His sleek, ash-gray hair, brushed back from the start of his eyebrows in a straight line, emitted a subtle, refined glow that often left onlookers in awe. His very presence was enough to intimidate others.
Hern clicked his tongue openly.
“Don’t stand so upright.”
“You’re telling a noble to slouch? Nonsense.”
Andreas pressed his fingers against his temples, trying to ease the tension building behind his eyes. Watching him, Hern let out a sigh before muttering the words he’d been holding back.
“Standing next to you, I look absolutely pitiful.”
“What would you even do if you caught another noble’s attention?”
“Exactly, what could I possibly say?”
Standing next to Andreas, Hern felt like a small hill beside a towering mountain. Despite the stark contrast between the two, no one dared to laugh at them. The sheer pressure emanating from the dominant alpha kept any ridicule at bay.
“Let’s go in.”
