Published at 25th of February 2026 7:33 am

Chapter 2514: Company and Exclusive Brush ⑱

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

In actuality, it was somewhat questionable whether she was even keeping up mentally, but they still had to move the discussion forward. Even so, given the current situation, which could fairly be called chaotic, she did not want to shift straight into negotiating the conditions for an actual partnership or joint development.

[……I believe it is a truly wonderful proposal, and we are deeply honored that you have brought it to our household. However, it is a matter of such great magnitude that I would first like to resolve various questions and uncertainties……]

[Yes, of course. I will answer anything within my capacity…… For now, let us set aside the matter of whether or not to conclude a contract. My hope is that, during today’s discussion, we can dispel any concerns or doubts Lady Cornelia may have, so please feel free to ask anything.]

Hearing Count Sharon express his wish to begin by asking various questions, Trois accepted readily with a gentle smile.

With his soft and kindly air and calm, composed bearing, it was clear why he headed the Sales Division of the world’s largest trading company, his very presence made him easy to approach.

[Well then, to begin with, regarding what is envisioned for this new technology……]

And just as he had declared, Trois proceeded to answer Count Sharon’s and Cornelia’s questions one by one with care. He was exceedingly courteous and sincere, responding to them with genuine earnestness.

Whenever a point of concern arose, he explained it thoroughly until that concern was resolved, and even the smallest questions were answered without evasion or ambiguity.

With clear and considerate explanations, with their anxieties addressed as though he were personally standing beside them, and even including projections of how matters would proceed should a contract actually be concluded, such as the allocation of rights between the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company and the Sharon County, the discussion progressed steadily. The initially tense Count Sharon and Cornelia gradually found themselves speaking more freely, drawn in by Trois’ gentle manner.

Then, once the conversation had advanced to a certain point…… Cornelia felt a chill run down her spine. When she glanced to the side, Count Sharon also appeared pale, a bead of sweat trailing down his cheek.

Why? How? Questions welled up, yet no answer came. Trois remained consistently gentle and gentlemanly, and just as he had declared, he was essentially waiting for Count Sharon and Cornelia’s questions before responding.

Yes, the ones asking the questions were the Sharon County side. Trois was merely answering what they asked and providing supplementary details…… The choice of topic should have belonged to Count Sharon and Cornelia.

……And yet, at some point, they realized.

At first, this had been meant as a preliminary discussion before deciding whether to conclude any contract, and they had been asking questions with that understanding. But since when have things changed? Looking back, neither Count Sharon nor Cornelia could pinpoint the moment…… yet before they knew it, the content of their discussion had shifted into “adjusting terms on the premise that a contract would be concluded”.

(……We were only supposed to receive an explanation this time, take the matter back, and consider it further…… And yet, before we even noticed, so naturally, as though gently led by the hand, the conversation has advanced all the way to negotiating terms!?)

Yes, thinking about it now, they could see it, but until just moments ago, they had not even realized it. The discussion had already progressed to the adjustment of terms, and they were at the stage where those terms would be finalized here, formalized later in the form of a contract document, and then concluded.

(B- But, these are extremely favorable terms…… aren’t they? So favorable that one wonders whether it is truly acceptable for us to benefit this much…… The contents are entirely agreeable…… Perhaps there would be no issue in proceeding to a contract?)

Though surprised, the conditions being negotiated were undeniably attractive. It seemed that not only Cornelia but Count Sharon as well were thinking the same.

Perhaps it was because Cornelia was a friend of Kaito that such advantageous terms had been offered, but in any case, if the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company was proposing conditions favorable to the Sharon County, there was no reason to refuse.

In the end, the negotiation of terms continued as it was, and the discussion reached an agreement both Count Sharon and Cornelia could accept…… yet when the stage came to write down the finalized conditions on paper, the two of them turned pale once more.

The conditions that had left a strong impression on them were certainly favorable to the Sharon County. However, when everything, including the extremely detailed clauses, was written out and reviewed…… the terms were almost perfectly even.

[Well then, if there are no objections from the Sharon County, I will prepare a contract based on these conditions by our next meeting.]

At this point, they understood. Looking at the paper, it was true that every condition listed had indeed been discussed. And yet, the matters most strongly imprinted in Cornelia’s mind were only the favorable ones. As for the clauses disadvantageous to the Sharon County, she could confirm that they had certainly been discussed, but astonishingly, they had left almost no impression in her mind.

Most likely, no, without a doubt, this too was all due to Trois. Not only through his expressions and demeanor, but also by skillfully adjusting the tone of his voice, the pauses in conversation, and the order of his words, he had controlled which points would linger vividly in Cornelia’s mind and which would be buried among the rest, difficult to recall.

The questions at the beginning, the realizations in the middle, the adjustment of conditions toward the end…… Count Sharon and Cornelia should have been the ones thinking and choosing for themselves all along.

And yet, it felt as though they had stepped of their own will into an unknown, vast labyrinth, choosing each fork in the road, deciding the order of their steps, selecting among countless options as they advanced…… only to realize, in the end, that the destination they reached had been decided by Trois right from the start.

(……A monster of verbal combat.)

Now she understood. Even as a shiver ran through her, relief followed. Most likely, no, without a doubt, it was thanks to Kaito. The reason the contract terms had ended up perfectly balanced between the Seditch Magic Tool Merchant Association and the Sharon County…… was because Trois had intended from the very beginning to bring them to that exact ratio.

If Trois had truly desired so, he could have concluded the agreement with conditions overwhelmingly favorable to the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company with ease. Precisely because they were certain of that, both Count Sharon and Cornelia felt nothing but relief that events had not unfolded in that direction.

Serious-senpai : [As expected, even a count is at a disadvantage against Trois……]

? ? ? : [Well, they’re on completely different levels of experience. At this point, even Kuro-san, who personally taught him the basics, would probably have a hard time beating Trois-san in verbal combat. Well, I…… or rather, Alice-chan has never lost to Trois-san in verbal combat.]

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