To be honest, Cornelia wasn't sure if her brain was even keeping up anymore, but the conversation had to move forward regardless. That being said, given her current state of utter confusion, she was desperate to avoid diving into the specific terms of a formal partnership or joint development just yet.
"I believe this is a truly magnificent opportunity, and it is a supreme honor for our house to be considered," Count Sharon began, his voice steady despite the weight of the situation. "However, as this is such a significant undertaking, I would first like to clear up a few points of confusion before we proceed further."
"Of course," Trois replied, a gentle smile gracing his features. "I will answer anything within my power. For the moment, let us set aside the matter of whether or not we will be signing a contract. My goal for today’s discussion is simply to ensure that Count Sharon and Lady Cornelia are free of any lingering doubts or anxieties. Please, feel free to ask whatever is on your mind."
Trois accepted the Count's request with a pleasant, ready nod.
He possessed a soft, kind aura and a calm, composed demeanor. As expected of the man at the top of the sales department for the world's largest trading company, his presence alone created an approachable atmosphere that invited conversation.
"In that case, let us start with our expectations for this new technology..."
True to his word, Trois proceeded to answer every inquiry from the Count and Cornelia with meticulous care. He was the picture of a gentleman—sincere, transparent, and thoroughly dedicated to addressing their concerns.
Whenever they expressed unease, he explained the situation patiently until their fears were resolved. Even the smallest, most trivial questions were answered without a hint of evasion.
Between his polite, easy-to-understand explanations and his empathetic way of smoothing over their concerns, the discussion flowed naturally. Trois even began to sketch out hypothetical scenarios of how the partnership might look if they were to sign—outlining how rights and responsibilities would be divided between the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company and the Sharon Count House. Before long, the Count and Cornelia, who had been so stiff and guarded at the start, found themselves swept up in the rhythm of the conversation. It was becoming quite a lively affair.
However, once the discussion had reached a certain depth, Cornelia felt a sudden, icy chill run down her spine. Glancing sideways, she saw that the Count had turned pale, a bead of sweat trickling down his temple.
Why? What was happening? The questions surged within her, but the answers remained out of reach. Throughout the meeting, Trois had remained a perfect gentleman. Just as he promised, he had spent the entire time waiting for and responding to their questions.
That was the problem. The Sharon family had been the ones asking the questions; by all rights, the Count and Cornelia should have been the ones steering the conversation.
And yet, the truth eventually dawned on her.
They had started this meeting with the firm intention of keeping it to a preliminary inquiry—an information-gathering session before they retreated to consider their options. But somewhere along the line, the context had shifted. Cornelia replayed the dialogue in her mind, searching for the pivot, but she couldn't find it. Somehow, so naturally that they hadn't even noticed, they had been led by the hand. The discussion was no longer about 'if' they would sign, but had moved into the finalization of terms on the premise of a contract.
We were supposed to just listen to an explanation and take it home to think it over! That’s how this was supposed to go! And yet, without us even realizing it, he’s gently guided us right into the final negotiations!
Looking back now, she could see the trap, but she had been utterly oblivious while it was happening. They were already hammering out the fine details as if the deal were a foregone conclusion, leaving only the formal signing for a later date.
But... the terms are incredibly good, aren't they? Cornelia thought, her mind racing. In fact, they’re so favorable I’m almost worried about how much we stand to gain. If the deal is this satisfying, is there really any problem with moving forward?
The Count seemed to be following a similar train of thought. They were startled by the suddenness, but the conditions were undeniably attractive. Cornelia wondered if Trois was being so generous because of her friendship with Kaito, but regardless of the reason, there was no logical excuse to refuse a deal that favored the Sharon House so heavily.
The negotiation continued until everyone was satisfied, and they reached the point where they needed to summarize the agreed-upon terms on paper. When the final list was laid out before them, however, the faces of the Sharons turned white once more.
The conditions that had stuck in their minds were indeed favorable to their house. But when they looked at the complete document—including all the fine print and minor clauses—the overall deal was almost exactly an even fifty-fifty split.
"Well then, if there are no further issues on the part of the Sharon House, I shall prepare a formal contract based on these conditions for our next meeting."
Only then did Cornelia truly understand. Looking at the parchment, she recognized that they had indeed discussed every single point listed there. However, Trois had ensured that the favorable terms were the ones that made a lasting impression, while the clauses that balanced the scales in Seditch's favor had been introduced so subtly that they had barely registered.
Trois had mastered the art of manipulation. It wasn't just his expression or his aura; he used his tone of voice, the timing of his pauses, and the very structure of his sentences to control exactly what his audience remembered and what they overlooked.
The initial questions, the friendly banter in the middle, and the final settling of terms—it felt as though the Count and Cornelia had been thinking and choosing for themselves at every turn.
In reality, it was as if they had entered a vast labyrinth of their own volition, choosing every fork in the road and every path forward... only to realize that Trois had decided exactly which exit they would reach before they had even stepped through the door.
A Monster of Eloquence.
The realization left Cornelia trembling, yet it brought a strange sense of relief. It was undoubtedly thanks to Kaito that the deal had ended as a fair, equal partnership.
She was certain that if Trois had wished it, he could have effortlessly manipulated them into a lopsided agreement that stripped the Sharon House of everything. The only reason the scales remained balanced was because Trois had intended it to be a fair fight from the very start.
Serious-senpai: "As expected, even the Count is outmatched against someone like Trois..."
???: "Well, their years of experience are on a different level. By now, even Kuro-san—who taught him the ropes—would have a hard time beating Trois-san in a war of words. Not me, though. Alice-chan has never lost to him."