13. Business Partner (2)

I knocked on the door of the Duke's study and entered when I received his permission.

As soon as I entered I felt the pressure of the strong mana hit me like a punch and I stood at the doorway for a moment adjusting to the pressure.

It was unlike anything that I had felt before, so strong, so profound that I couldn't help but be curious about the source.

[Passive skill: Shield of Invulnerability has been activated.]

My system automatically activated my passive skill and the pressure disappeared making it easier for me to breathe again.

"Reina, why are you standing there? Come inside." I heard Duke Arthur and hesitantly stepped inside.

Duke Arthur sat on the sofa with the tea and refreshments on the table and another person who sat opposite him.

I came face to face with this person who was probably the source of the strong mana. It was a man who seemed to be in his mid-twenties with short brown hair and round chocolate brown eyes dressed in white and blue robes.

I frowned slightly as his mana didn't seem so strong, it had its own pressure but it was bearable, unlike the other aura that I felt earlier.

Did he conceal it?

I let it slide for the time being as I curtsied, "Welcome to the Aurelius residence, I'm Reina Aurelius."

The man stood up and bowed too, "I'm Darren Marley, pleased to see you, Young Miss."

He sat down and I took a seat beside the Duke. For some reason, I couldn't feel comfortable as if there was something more to this picture, something that I couldn't quite keep my finger on.

"Reina, this is..." Duke started but Darren spoke up intercepting him.

"Pardon me, Your Grace but, let me introduce myself to the Young Miss." He said with a polite tone before he looked at me with a warm smile.

"I'm the Master at the Mage's Tower." My eyebrows jumped and I noticed the silver badge on Darren's robe which confirmed that.

Through Reina's memories, I learned about this world to some extent and because of that, it was kind of hard to believe that the Mage's Tower who had sworn to stay away from the society was suddenly in front of me.

The Mage's Tower consisted of the mages who had no other purpose than to research and create magic tools that helped the non-mages. Yet, they never indulged themselves in society as the mages of the Tower didn't go by the hierarchal rules of the kingdom but rather by their own system.

The colour of the badge told the rank of the mage in the tower.

White: Apprentice.

Blue: Disciple.

Purple: Scholar.

Silver: Master.

Black: Archmage.

Nobody knew much about the internal affairs of the Mage's Tower that was why it was rare to see any mage outside and currently, one was sitting in front of me and not any low-ranked but a Master.

"I didn't expect my father to be in contact with the Mage's Tower." I spoke and the Duke cleared his throat.

"Well, he wasn't until recently. We received a letter from His Grace two days ago requesting a visit to discuss something important." Darren's eyes flitted to the Duke.

"Only that?" I asked.

"He mentioned about the business regarding magic stones. We weren't going to accept but I was sent to check his claim."

"Claim?"

"Yes, about a place which had a great amount of magic stones but had to be kept a secret, something which made our Archmage curious."

Darren reached out and picked up his teacup sipping his tea while I couldn't help but feel as if I was being assessed and the direction from where I felt it wasn't where Darren was.

"Activate Mana Sense." I commanded in my head.

My mana whipped out of me and I couldn't help but feel it, the burning presence in one place, I turned my head, looked at the Duke's desk and narrowed my eyes. If only I had Mana Eyes then I would be able to see what was hiding there.

"Is there something wrong?" I turned back to Darren and smiled.

I didn't know whether they were trying to mess with us. Or were they suspicious about something but they were being secretive and that irked me.

"I'm glad that you made time from your busy schedule and came all the way here. But I can't give you any details if you can't be honest with us."

Darren's eyebrows twitched for a moment before he smiled, "What do you mean, Young Miss? His Grace sent us a business proposal and a rather astonishing news so, I have come to confirm it myself."

"Is that so?" I asked and he placed his teacup down.

"Yes."

"I will answer all your questions then." I said and then picked up the pen that was on the desk along with the papers.

"Then, shall I start?" He asked as he leaned ahead and I smiled.

"Not so fast," I said as I pulled a paper and started writing. Because of the complete knowledge of Mana Eyes, the extra information that I had gotten was of Mana Contract.

"What are you doing, Miss?"

"Writing a contract."

"Pardon, what?"

"Since you don't trust us, it's only obvious that I can't trust you as well. So, whatever you come to know after talking to me should stay between the people present here."

Darren seemed surprised as I pushed the contract in front of him after infusing my mana into it. He stared at the contract and then at me.

There was a white glow on the paper which would only be seen by a Mage, the levels of the Mana Contract were different and since my Mana wasn't strong enough I still had a long way to go.

"Thi-This is Mana Contract! How could you... at such a young age?"

"Sign it, it says that if you breach the secrecy then you will lose all your mana."

It was impossible to separate the mana from a body as it was the life force but the mana contract's power was enough to bind the mana usage of the person.

So, the stronger the mana of the person who made the contract the stronger the power that would bind the other party.

"But, it's not that strong to bind my mana, Young Miss?"

"Do you really think so?"

I activated my Dragon's Presence and Darren stiffened his smile disappeared and his face grew pale and even the Duke beside me grew uneasy.

"Now, sign it." I ordered.

Darren's hand moved and he put his signature on the contract infused with his mana to complete the deal and I deactivated the Dragon's Presence making Darren gasp and breathe heavily.

I let him calm down for a moment before he gulped down some water and then looked at me with wary eyes.

"Sha-Shall we start then?" He asked and I tilted my head to one side.

"What are you saying? Didn't I tell you that whatever I say should stay within the people present in here?" I said and he frowned.

"What do you mean?" His eyes travelled to the Duke who looked at me instead.

"There's one more signature to be done." I announced.

The Duke reached out and took the pen and the contract. I put my hand on his and took the pen from his hand.

"It's not you, Father." I told him and his eyebrows furrowed.

"Then who? There's nobody else here besides us, Young Miss?" Darren said his eyes darting to the right and I smiled.

"You are not that good of a liar, Master Darren." I said as I swung my hand shooting the pen like a dart in a particular direction making Darren and the Duke gasp as the pen froze midair near the desk and I smirked.