[AFYC] Chapter 40

Something was fascinating about her poise. She sat so perfectly still and composed that he would bet everything he owned that even her toes beneath the table were lined up straight. Her hands, delicate as they were, handled the contract as if dancing—precisely the way his mother often described it. Despite the evident heat, her face flushed red; she didn’t once fan herself. 

Her attire, which looked at least twenty years old, was one thing. The way she carried herself—so refined, yet seemingly unaware of others—was another. It wasn’t simply fear; it felt habitual and couldn’t just be cultural. She spoke the common language of Norfolk fluently and could read and write it as well. 

Could she be an illegitimate child of some noble who grew up under strict supervision? 

“What do you think of the contract?” he asked. 

“Ah...” 

“If there’s anything you don’t like, just let me know.” 

He was willing to change most terms, if necessary, except for the clause about the document in the vault and the one requiring her to remain under his protection until the vault was opened. 

But those weren’t conditions. No matter how much she might struggle, he had no intention of letting her go. So he hoped she would comply when he treated her kindly, for both their sakes. 

Seo Ah finally spoke as his warmth contrasted sharply with his cold gaze on the contract in her hands. 

“You mentioned you would pay five billion Kerte per week for providing protection...” 

“Hmm?” 

“How much is five billion Kerte worth?” 

Oscar chuckled softly and nodded as if understanding her confusion. He glanced out the window, then at his clothes, before explaining. 

“In terms of the upper class in the Norfolk continent, a house substantial enough to be called a mansion in most capital cities would cost around a hundred billion Kerte. Castles are excluded from this because they usually can’t be valued.” 

“I see.” 

“Maintaining such a house would cost about four to five billion Kerte annually. A suit like the one I’m wearing would range between five hundred thousand and one million Kerte. But that’s for the upper class. The average annual income for the middle class is about fifty million Kerte.” 

“…” 

“When you visit Felphe Bank later, you’ll find that it takes at least six months to open a vault, even if everything goes smoothly. During that time, you’ll be under my protection, and in return, you’ll receive the equivalent of a house. Not a bad deal, don’t you think? Combined with what’s in the vault, it could amount to quite a sum.” 

“Is it not enough?” 

Oscar asked, his tone so soft it was almost laughable. If she said it wasn’t enough, he could always offer more. After all, he spent billions on a whim, so what mattered? 

But as he mused, Seo Ah, who had been staring intently at the contract, shook her head slightly. 

“No, it’s enough.” 

She raised her eyes slightly, then quickly looked back down. 

“That will do.” 

As she placed the contract on the table, Oscar noticed the crumpled edge where she had been gripping it. The tension in her hands was evident, and a small smile played on his lips. 

“Good. If you ever feel it’s not enough, just say so.” 

He pulled out a pen from his pocket and offered it to her. 

“Shall we sign?” 

Looking at the pen, Seo Ah cautiously stood up and reached out with both hands. 

Oscar’s gaze momentarily lingered on her outstretched hands. For someone who had supposedly travelled so far in desperate need of money, her hands were soft, without a single callus. 

When he placed the pen in her hands, they gently closed around it. 

Seo Ah returned to her seat and simply stared at the pen cap without removing it. Curious, Oscar watched as she examined it closely, turning her head this way and that as if it were some rare artefact in a museum. 

“Is this your first time seeing a pen?” 

“…” 

“You’ve never seen one before.”