Disoriented Resolve

A/N: These days I was too busy with some thing irl. My blood brother got married, and there's the deadline for the final projects. I don't have enough time to write a new chapter and thus, I only upload it now after tweaked it for a bit. Another bad news is that ..., next week I have my final exam, so maybe I'm not gonna upload chapters in that timeframe.

Chapter 11: Disoriented Resolve

Satria felt a pang of regret hitting his heart. He had a hard time believing that there was a girl who would like him in just mere days. It's unthinkable ..., absurd. After all, he didn't have the face, aura, or luck of a protagonist.

'What ..., what have I done? I shouldn't say that ..., shit, this is all messed up, why couldn't you just accept it and have an anime waifu for yourself! Goddamn, isn't that your weeb's dream? Come on, Sat, why the hell you just said all of that to her?'

Dahlia is just silently weeping on his chest, drenching it wet. He doesn't have a strong reason for rejecting her advance. He was skeptical about what made her attracted to him, as he realized that he was never a man of irresistible charm. But she doesn't look like faking it. In fact, he hoped that she was genuine with her feeling.

The time he spent with her made him realize that she's not a two-dimensional character from a novel book. She's her own person, in fact, he felt slightly bad for thinking that she's just a female lead of a light novel. She is a charming young woman of talent.

"Look, Dahlia ..., I'm sorry. You are a charming young woman, you're pretty, smart, and your occasional klutziness' only made you adorable. If the situation is different, I may have fallen in love with you, however, this is how it is. I don't want to start a relationship because ..., because circumstance forces both parties."

"... but, I like you! It's not like I am forced by anyone or anything." Dahlia stated and looked up at him teary-eyed.

She realized how upfront she is about her feeling and got so shy that her face turn crimson. She buried her face in his chest again.

"I ... I'm happy to hear that, but I don't want you to make a reckless decision in the spur of the moment. This is huge responsibility and commitment, and honestly ..., I don't think I'm ready for all of that."

"Satria, I never asked you to marry me ..., it's just an engagement, and besides it's just for this time, for the founding of this company. I'm suggesting all this for your sake."

"Yes, I know but we don't have to do this. There has to be some other way. I ..., I'm only 18, and I don't want to be tied with huge responsibility this early. I want to enjoy my youth."

"..., you're an assh*le, you know that?"

Dahlia punched his chest with her small fist and pinched it. She then buried her head deeper into his body, diving her nose to smell his fragrance. Satria winched in pain but he just let out a suppressed hiss.

"Hey Dahlia, you don't even know the true me ..., what you feel about me is just momentary attraction and curiosity." Satria tried to reason with her again.

"Oh shut it, don't lecture me on life. I've lived a life twice your age." Dahlia retorted. "Can we just ..., get engaged with the goals of getting to know each other better, to see if we're compatible or not?"

Satria was flabbergasted by how adamant Dahlia was about this. He contemplated on this for a moment and found out that ..., he really is stupid for not accepting it on the get-go. A beautiful woman who proposed to him and was so dead set about it. He felt it was too good to be true that he thought it might be a trap.

'Maybe it's just me being too paranoid ..., and I'm too afraid of starting a relationship with anyone.' Satria took some time to contemplate and he come to an answer.

He pulled her back into a tight hug and then muttered near her ear, "you'll gonna regret this."

"Maybe, but I will regret it more if I never try."

Dahlia has lived a whole 47 years combined with this and her past life without experiencing the feeling of romantic love. If she was still her old self she would never do something like this. But she realized that she couldn't wait any longer, she had to pursue it to get what she wants. She has to fight for it.

"Stupid girl." he put his hand on top of her head and rubbed it gently.

"Is that an acceptance, I suppose?" Dahlia asked, finished crying.

"Uhmm ...," Satria nodded his head, "If you're fine with having me, then let's do this."

Hearing his bland words, she said. "Che ..., you're not romantic at all."

"... and you're out of your character." Satria countered.

Dahlia squinted her eyes looking straight into his eyes, she pinched his side belly and twisted it. She said, "this is 'my' character."

"Aw aw aw ..., damn it hurts! Stop it!"

"Never again compare me with the character based on me in the novel and manga that you've read. I'm alive and breathing, and that fictional work didn't portray me perfectly down to the detail. And honestly, that's a bit disrespectful, you know." stated Dahlia with the most serious facial expression.

"Okay ..., okay, I'm sorry." Satria smiled helplessly at that.

"Hmph ..."

Satria took out a tissue paper and wipe out the tears staining her face.

"Don't be mad ... though you're also cute when sulking, I like it more if you smile."

"I'm not at the appropriate age for blushing. But I admit that you're good with words." Dahlia avoided his eyes with her cheek reddened.

"And so ..., any idea on the name of our company?" Satria asked because the carriage almost reached its destination.

"How about using your last name, I know it's not your family name but still, why not use it. Anyway, Purnama ..., what does it mean in your language?"

"It's a full moon," answered Satria.

"Purnama Inc. Purnama company, Full Moon corp. Hmmm ..., Mangetsu? How about Mangetsu? That sound like a popular bar in Tokyo. What do you think?"

"Let's go with Mangetsu. It surprisingly sounds pretty cool in my ears."

---=---=---

"Mr. Dimas, you've finally awake! Are you alright? How is your condition?" a worried voice called out to him. It was the brunette receptionist with whom he made the first contract in this world.

"Ms. Clara. I'm alright, just feel lethargic." he smiled at her and felt grateful after hearing the whole story from Dahlia, "thank you, and sorry for the inconvenience. I'm saved because of you."

"That's not a problem at all, Mr. Dimas." Clara smiled at him and then leaned forward.

She was smitten with his current appearance. Before he was just an exotic foreigner but now he's a handsome and charming man with a deep pocket. Even if she currently has a boyfriend, she didn't mind getting acquainted with him in all sorts of ways.

"Good evening, Ms. Clara." Dahlia who saw and feel the strange glints in Clara's eyes immediately stated her position by hugging his arm.

"Welcome, and good evening to you too, Ms. Rosetti." Clara who noticed that provoking gesture feel somewhat challenged. "Uhm ..., it's not really my business to ask this, but, are you two in a relationship?"

"Starting from this day, we're engaged."

'Just not too long after you annulled your engagement? With a man whom you just got met barely a week ago?" Clara didn't have the gut to utter that question. 'A pity though ..., he's so handsome if he groomed himself well. Aish, what a miss.'

Dahlia then said to her, "I would like to discuss something about the establishment of a company. Is the vice guild leader in the office?"

"Of course, I can arrange a meeting with Mrs. Jedda right now if you want."

"Yes please ...,"

"Ah before I forgot, this ..." Clara took out a sealed letter and handed it to Satria. "This an invitation for the City Lord's son's birthday party. He is very interested in your kingdom and invited you to come and join the party."

"... I see, thank you." Satria received the letter and planned to open it later.

A guild worker then lead them to the meeting room, and before long the vice guild leader entered.

"Dahlia, dear ..., and Mr. Dimas. Welcome, and sorry for making you wait."

"It's fine."

"Vice-guild leader ..., sorry for the intrusion, and good work."

"My ..., thank you." Gabriella took a seat in front of them and poured tea for herself. She asked, "So, I heard that you're looking for me to do some business."

"We're here to establish our company." Dahlia stated, interlocking her hands with Satria, and then added, "and registering the matter about our engagement."

"Hmmm?" Gabriella couldn't believe what she just heard, she looked at Dahlia to see her firm and stoic expression. But for somehow, she could feel happiness emanating from every fiber of her body. "I know that before I said to pursue your own happiness, but isn't this too fast, Dahlia?"

"Thank you for worrying about me, vice-guild leader ..., I have confirmed my feelings for him, so he did with me." Dahlia calmly stated with conviction in her voice.

Gabriella didn't respond to that and just took a second look at the young merchant from afar. Dahlia's late father is her close friend so that makes her something like a niece. She has known the girl since she was a baby, and never did she see Dahlia like this. She turned her gaze to Satria, the man who was perhaps the reason for her change of heart with wary eyes.

It's really unnatural, if what Dahlia did is just to spit on Tobias' foolishness, then it's the very reason why she did so. But with a foreign merchant such as him? That's highly improbable.

'Is it because of that magic device? Dahlia seems to know about it. And she seems to know the papers and the stationery too. But ..., how? This young man, what kind of trick did you use to make Dahlia agree to this?'

Sometimes, people are overthinking that they tend to overdo it. Gabriella was the most skeptical about the relationship between the two. However, that was a personal matter when they come here for business. Thus, she shelved that thought in the back of her mind and said.

"... I will prepare the documents needed to register your company."

"Ours."

"Pardon?"

"It's ours. The company would be joint ownership between the two of us, and I need Mrs. Gabriella's help in this. Satria didn't have kingdom's identity documents."

"Well, the procedure would be troublesome but I can handle that."

---=---=---

Satria spend two hours filling in the documents, and after finishing with that his company in this world has been established. While at it, he also contracted purchase agreements for magic stones and materials that Dahlia needed for her research.

'Now that's two quests completed ...'

[A Company is All You Need] - Establish a trading company (Claim)

[Contractor] - Sign a dozen of contracts (Claim)

[A Company is All You Need]

[Received] :

[Gold] x 100

[Merchant Exp.] x 1.000

[Reality & Other Falsehoods] x 1

[A-Summon Fragment] x 25

[Contractor]

[Received] :

[Gold] x 20

[Merchant Exp.] x 200

[Blank Contract Paper] x 10

[Acta Contractus] x 1

[A-Summon Fragment] x 10

[Reality & Other Falsehoods]: A magical grimoire that will help the readers comprehend the Alteration Arcane Art.

[Acta Contractus]: A book that automatically writes down a log of any contracts that the user has signed.

'With this finished, I can go back to the Earth without worry.' Satria closed the notification windows and turned to Dahlia.

"Dahlia ..., the other quest is to make money and spend some. Actually, the time will be too tight and I can complete these if I go about it the usual way. But I know how to cheat the time of my system."

"Cheating with the time?"

"Yeah ..., you see, there's a relative time difference between this world with my earth. If a day has passed on this place, then only about three hours have passed on my earth. There are seven times of difference between the time of this place with my earth." Satria explained the time dilation between this place and the earth. "If I go to earth then my relative time would also follow the earth's relative time measurement. When that happen, I got another week's timeframe to finish the quests. And if I open another gate to another dimension ..., if that dimension has a slower time flow, then if I'm staying in that dimension my relative time would also follow."

"Hmmm ..., so you're planning to open another gate leading to a world with more delayed time flow to finish this quest?"

"Yes."

A conflicted expression appeared on Dahlia's face, but she steeled herself and nodded after thinking about it. She said. "Okay ..., I'll help."

"Great, while I stay on the earth ..., it would be great if you manage the goods that I'm selling. I'll return back to earth in just a moment, do you want anything while I get back?"

"Hmm ..., particularly, I don't need anything. Oh yeah, maybe potato chips and beers."

"I don't know how to buy alcoholic beverages ..., those are not exactly something you can buy in convenience stores back in Indonesia. What about some coke?" Satria actually didn't fond of buying those alcoholics because of his religious teaching.

"Well, okay ..."

Satria nodded after hearing her affirmation. He looked at her and put his hand on her luscious red hair. From what he knew, Dahlia was slightly bit taller than him.

'Did my height grow after that?' he thought silently.

"The matter about our relationship. I still think it's too rushed out, it's not like I have repulsion against it. But I still feel that it's not the right time for us. I hope we can figure out what's best for both of us."

"Even if you decided to end this relationship, I will respect your decision and accept the rejection. And I will still like you. Don't worry, I'll still be working under you even if I can't be your fiancée." said Dahlia with a reassuring smile.

"..., I'm grateful for that." Satria pulled her into an awkward hug. "I'll be back with more goods and their price, please coordinate with the guilds on how to sell them."

"Okay ..."

Satria summoned Marlyn and the griffon was released into the world once again. He mounted her and looked at Dahlia who was sizing up the beast.

"I never know you had this ..., what it's called, a gryphon?"

"Ahaha ..., she's a griffon actually. Then, see you next time, Dahl."

"See you ...,"

Satria patted the back of Marlyn's Neck and the beast started galloping, after gaining some momentum, she flapped her wings and started gliding in the air.