Negotiation (1)

Arthur paused and looked at Rudy, confusion flickering across his face.

"What did you just say?" He asked hesitantly. "Are you... agreeing with me that everything was your daughter's fault?"

Just moments ago, this man had been furious, even going so far as to threaten him with his aura.

But now, his anger had vanished, and instead, he openly admitted that the disaster at the party was indeed his daughter's fault.

Arthur couldn't help but wonder—was Rudy joking, toying with him, or was there another reason behind his actions?

Rudy let out an awkward chuckle as he slowly sank back into the sofa. "Ahem! Well, I'm not actually mad at you. I already knew what happened at the party, and yes, it was entirely my daughter's fault."

"I spoiled her too much, and this is the result. I sincerely apologize, Young Master Avaron."

Saying this, he lowered his head slightly in a solemn gesture.

Hearing his words, Arthur exhaled in relief. "Alright, I understand. You don't have to apologize like that. But then, why did you act so furious and unleash your aura to pressure me? Was there a reason for that?"

He raised an eyebrow, eyeing Rudy with curiosity.

Rudy lifted his head and let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. "No particular reason. I just wanted to see what kind of man could stand as Young Lady Vanessa's representative. To my surprise, you were strong enough to withstand and resist my aura, Young Master Avaron. That's truly impressive."

His gaze carried genuine admiration and appreciation.

As the God of the Sword, he held great respect for those with power.

Coincidentally, Arthur was someone who met his standards—worthy of recognition.

Moreover, Arthur was still quite young, which made him even more impressive in Rudy's eyes.

"So that's how it is… I see," Arthur replied with a small smile.

Rudy's personality aligned perfectly with his role in the storyline. He was a man of firm principles—honest, cautious, and resolute.

Those traits were what earned him respect and secured his position as the Duke of Everhart.

Despite being tested in such a way, Arthur harbored no resentment or anger. If it helped him gain Rudy's trust, then enduring the test was a trivial matter.

After all, his main purpose in attending Celine's birthday party was to meet Rudy and establish a cooperation that aligned with his mission's interests.

"Don't just stand there, Young Master Avaron. Have a seat," Rudy offered, his tone now noticeably more polite than before.

Arthur snapped out of his thoughts and gave a small nod before walking over to the sofa and sitting down.

Looking at Rudy sitting across from him, he crossed his legs and rested his palms on his knees. "So, what is your reason for summoning me, Lord Duke? Earlier, you mentioned wanting to establish cooperation. Is it related to the Maple Leaf Trading House?"

Rudy took a sip of his coffee and gave a small nod. "Yes, I do intend to cooperate with the Maple Leaf Trading House. To be honest, Young Master Avaron, the invitation sent to Young Lady Vanessa was my decision. I had hoped she would attend Celine's birthday party, though I knew the chances were slim."

Setting his cup down on the saucer, he continued in a cheerful tone, "Fortunately, even though Young Lady Vanessa couldn't come, she still sent you as her representative. That is truly a blessing for me and the Everhart family... Hahaha!"

Seeing Rudy's joyful expression, Arthur simply smiled without commenting.

In the storyline, Vanessa never attended Celine's birthday party.

Despite being the first daughter of Duke Everhart, she never considered Celine important enough to warrant her presence.

Moreover, her reason for being in the capital wasn't for business or any formal duty—it was to meet the real Aron.

A few days before Arthur took over Aron's body, the true Aron had sent a letter to Vanessa, asking her to come to the capital for an important discussion.

Vanessa, deeply in love with and obsessed with Aron, had been overjoyed and agreed without hesitation.

Unfortunately, she never realized that Aron had summoned her solely to exploit her status as the eldest daughter of the Maple Leaf Trading House for his own affairs.

Recalling how foolish it was for Aron to waste a woman as exceptional as Vanessa, Arthur could only sigh and mutter under his breath, 'What a brainless, idiotic man.'

Shaking off his thoughts, Arthur took a deep breath before speaking. "Since you've already expressed your intention to cooperate, I'm more than willing to agree. But before that, I'd like to know—what kind of partnership are you proposing to the Maple Leaf Trading House?"

His status as Vanessa's representative wasn't just for show. It granted him immense authority, allowing him to decide whether or not a noble family could establish ties with the Maple Leaf Trading House.

Well, of course, this authority had been entrusted to him directly by Vanessa. To throw away such an incredible woman—Aron truly was an irredeemable fool!

As if anticipating his question, Rudy remained completely at ease and replied, "Young Master Avaron, you should be aware that we are a military family. The Everhart family, in particular, is renowned for its expertise in forging weapons of war. Naturally, the business I wish to propose involves war equipment—armor, swords, and the like."

"Oh?" Arthur raised an eyebrow, showing interest. "Tell me your plan."

Rudy then began outlining the proposal he had prepared.

A few minutes later, he finished his explanation, and Arthur had already grasped the entire concept.

"I see. I understand," Arthur said with a slight nod.

In summary, Rudy's plan was to sell the Everhart family's forged war equipment to the Maple Leaf Trading House at a five percent discount from the usual market price.

Given the exceptional quality of their weapons and armor, the offer was undeniably tempting.

However, in the art of bargaining and negotiation, accepting an offer too easily was never a wise move.

If things were made too simple for the proposing party, they might grow complacent—and once that happened, reckless behavior could follow.

This was a lesson Arthur had learned from his experience working for a Black company in his previous life.

"I find your proposal quite intriguing, Lord Duke. However, may I suggest two conditions?" Arthur said with a faint smile.

Rudy adjusted his posture, sitting up straighter, and replied seriously, "Of course, Young Master Avaron. Please, go ahead."

Arthur let out a soft sigh, then leaned forward, resting both elbows on his thighs.

"I'd like to propose a price adjustment. First, I want the price you offer us to be eight percent below the market rate," Arthur stated, raising his index finger.

Rudy's expression shifted instantly at the demand, but he remained silent, choosing to listen further.

"Secondly," Arthur continued, raising his middle finger, "I want fifty percent of the total war equipment you forge each year to be sold to us at the price set in my first condition."

Rudy's breathing grew heavier at the second condition. He had originally planned to allocate only thirty percent of their war equipment to the Maple Leaf Trading House.

A five percent discount was already a considerable loss in profit.

But now, not only was Arthur demanding an eight percent price reduction, he also wanted half of their annual production.

This was no different from slowly strangling the Everhart family!

Rudy's face flushed with anger.

"Young Master Avaron, do you take the Everhart family so lightly!?" His eyes gleamed with cold fury as a powerful pressure began to condense around him.

Yet, despite his hostility, Arthur remained utterly unfazed.

He calmly straightened his posture and crossed his legs once more. "There's no need to get angry just yet, Lord Duke."

A faint smile tugged at his lips as he added, "I haven't finished speaking."