The Duke's Unwanted Wife

“Yes, mother. I’m home.”    

Marvis used to speak well of his home and his parents yet their reunion was so awkward. Perhaps it was because they left on a sad note but he couldn’t look them in the eyes. His mother dropped what was in her hands and ran to embrace him. His father defeated their expectations by embracing him first, his mother joining from behind.    

“Why did you leave home like that? We were so scared that something horrible happened to you!”    

“Father, that’s enough. You’re embarrassing me in front of my friends. Father!”    

“I am so sorry, I didn’t know they were your friends. It wasn’t my intention to be so rude to our guests but our son hasn’t been home for months now and it has bothered us so much,” his mother said, pulling away.    

“Months? From the way he spoke, I guessed he hasn’t seen you in years,” Alana said, very confused.    

“No, I last saw my parents a few months ago after I left home without telling them. They were so worried that Sebastian secretly sent correspondence to them about my well-being. Natalia asked him to.”    

“Oh, where’s Lady Natalia? We finally have something to show her.”    

“That’s why we’re here, Father. We need your help.”    

Seeing the somber expression on her son’s face, the village chief brought them all into her hut and instructed her children to serve the guests properly. She had seven children, Marvis being the oldest and Java, the youngest. Her second and third lived in Marvis’s home back in his land and fourth, fifth and sixth were the ones around to entertain the guests. The fourth was only 11, yet he looked older than that.    

“Ani, are you staying?” He whispered, leaning over his brother’s head.    

“Sorry, Dani. Your brother has to go back. But I promised when you’re 12, you will come join us, didn’t I? All you have to do is wait until that time.”    

Java hopped around in the hut until her human father caught her and placed her on his lap, brushing her hair to calm her. It worked like a charm.    

“Is Lady Natalia in danger?” The village chief asked.    

“Something like that. My sister has decided to embark on a dangerous journey and she didn’t go without backup since where she’s going is an anti-magic zone. We wouldn’t be able to help her there,” Sebastian replied.    

“Anti-magic zone, eh? Those are quite common in the Empire.”    

“What do you mean? Aren’t those exclusive to Berinda?” Adelie asked, surprised.    

“Werecreatures are a race that exist in tandem with world order and magic. However, we have more magic than we have world order. World order is what allows us to exist in a state of half animal, half human. Magic is what allows us to transform and live for a long time. Magic also helps us control the effects of shifting which in the past, would’ve resulted in the deaths of several children. The children shift properly when they are 12 and therefore can protect themselves then. Because they have magic, they don’t die. But if they are stripped of that magic, they suffer for hours and hours until they either shift or die. This is the method that the Empire used to control the population of the werecreatures. They would place several children in an anti-magic zone and those who survived would become slaves. Out of my thirteen siblings, I was the only one to survive that cruel treatment. I also managed to escape my fate of being a slave because of my mate.”    

“I…had no idea,” Sebastian said.    

“Of course. Most of the cruelty against werecreatures is only spoken in hushed around the Empire and for the most part, it is legal because we are seen as traitors. If it wasn’t for Lady Natalia, my children would have suffered the same fate. Which is why I am willing to do anything to help her.”    

The lady in question found herself in a meeting surrounded by several men, trying to settle a trade agreement. She was disappointed by what she had seen so far and for an exclusive kingdom, they barely had anything valuable to offer. It was surprising to her.    

“Your excellency, I am of the opinion that you are being too picky. We have presented you with everything and you still insist that we don’t have anything valuable. This is an insult to our great kingdom. I am starting to doubt your position as the Ambassador for the Merchant Association.”    

“Minister Hwori, I am also curious about how a kingdom like this has flourished for so long. It has a history of great scholars, that’s undeniable but none of the items considered valuable in this kingdom is considered valuable outside of this kingdom. You can ask those who went to the auction if they were able to sell those items you held in high esteem for a price you think it was worth.”    

“How could such people understand the value of such great items?”    

“Those people you speak carelessly of have ties to great organizations and kingdoms. They are the ones who set the values on items that they want. If your item is not deemed valuable, then what can we do about it? I don’t want my trip to your kingdom to be such a waste of time but it seems that is all it is. The merchant association will offer to buy the current goods at a higher price to compensate you. If that is all, then I will be leaving this for the middle men to continue.”    

“Wait! Lady Ambassador, please don’t be so quick to judge us. Minister Hwori let his patriotism get in the way but I can assure you that is a one time thing. You have a reputation of turning things to gold, your excellency. Surely there is something among the things we have offered that you can turn to gold.”    

The man that spoke was neither young nor old. He had the dignified air of a scholar and he looked easier to talk to. It also looked like he was knowledgeable about the outside world.    

“Forgive me for interrupting. I am Minister Mori, the minister of Education. I only asked to watch this meeting to record but I couldn’t help myself when you said you wanted to leave.”    

“I see. Then, Minister Mori, which of these items have the highest probability of striking gold in the international market? You get first pick.”    

The Minister saw a challenge in her eyes and rose to it. He pointed at a piece of bark that had been placed on a velvet cloth in the middle of the round table.    

“That is called the Donsai plant. It’s a sturdy tree that was imported from a foreign country and cultivated into a different, sturdier variant. We now use it to make furniture for mostly nobles and the royal family.”    

“How sturdy is it?”    

“It can greatly resist the unpredictable weather in Berinda.”    

“Then it is valuable. However, I thought that was only added as a formality and it came with its sets of rules as being a luxury item? I couldn’t accept those rules. I was the one who made Mythril accessible to the rest of the world, rich or poor. Luxury items are required to meet a certain standard and so far, Donsai has not met that standard.”    

“And what standards are those?” Minister Hwori asked scornfully.    

“That it needs to be valuable to luxury customers and that it needs to be the only one of its kind. Have you ever heard of the everlasting birch?” She asked, facing Minister Mori.    

“…yes, your excellency.”    

“Then you must know that your Donsai does not in any way compare to the Everlasting Birch. Therefore, it will not be accepted as a luxury item.”    

“I understand.”    

“I will offer a deal. I will first provide furniture made with Everlasting Birch so the quality can be compared by the royal family. Don’t worry, if you agree to the deal, the cost will be coming out of my own pockets. Second, Donsai will not be luxury goods but it would be deliberately priced to give it value. If I give my word for the price, then it will be accepted. We can talk about transportation, processing and labor costs once we settle the deal.”    

They asked for time to think about the deal. She had one week and it had only been two days so she was willing to give it time. They had been so frustrating so she sighed as she came out of the room.    

“I was observing you, trying to understand why several important people trust you as the Ambassador for the Merchant Association. I have failed to spot even a single weakness in you even though you are so young and you’re also a woman. You are a dangerous person, your excellency,” Minister Mori said. She looked at him with a neutral face, looking at the book clutched to his chest.    

“It is important that the people of Berinda have a good image of me if you want his cooperation to be successful. You’ll be hard pressed to publish something as ground breaking as a young human woman successfully carrying out trade between the world renown Merchant Association and the glorious kingdom of Berinda. That sounds like a difficult job. It won’t be that hard to handle for such a wise man as yourself, no?”    

“…I understand. We shall meet again, your excellency,” he bowed and left. Her eyes trailed his figure until she could no longer see him. She turned to walk back to her quarters in tow with her maids.    

“Have you found it?” She whispered to one of them. She shook her head.    

“We only have a few days before we leave. You know the importance of succeeding. We shall not let this chance slip away.”    

“Yes, my lady.”