Chương 345: Chapter : 345

"It is not that simple, Naomi," Princess Iris sighed. The Princess looked very sad.

"Sayma's family holds a lot of power. If she completely ignores a direct order from her parents, they will cut off all her personal funding. They will publicly disown her. It will cause a massive diplomatic scandal. The other nobles will use the scandal to attack our unit." Sayma stared down at her hands.

"My mother wrote that Scott is already expecting to meet me. They set up a formal, introductory meeting for tomorrow evening. If I do not attend, my family will be entirely humiliated. They are trying to force me into a corner." The girls exchanged incredibly worried looks. They hated seeing their brilliant friend trapped by old, unfair rules. They wanted to fight for her. They wanted to protect her from her controlling parents. The room was filled with a fierce, independent, strongly feminist energy.

They absolutely rejected the idea of a forced relationship. In the middle of this intense, supportive, highly emotional moment, Ken Eliot reached over and picked up his yellow pencil. He tapped the pencil on the table. He looked around the room. He blinked his sleepy eyes. He completely failed to read the mood of the room. He did not understand the deep emotional distress at all.

"I am just trying to understand the problem here," Ken said casually. He slouched deep into his chair. He let out a loud, lazy yawn.

"So, your parents want you to go meet a rich guy named Scott. And they set up a meeting for tomorrow evening." Sayma looked at him. She put her glasses back on.

"Yes, Ken. That is exactly what I just said." Ken gave her a goofy, totally relaxed smile.

"Where is the meeting taking place? Is it at a nice restaurant?" Sayma frowned in confusion.

"My mother mentioned a very lavish, highly decorated tea parlor in the Diamond District. They serve incredibly expensive dinners. But that is entirely beside the point."

"No, that is the entire point!" Ken argued cheerfully. He leaned forward and pointed his pencil at her.

"Sayma, you are missing a massive opportunity here. You are looking at this all wrong. You see a political trap. I see a free, premium meal." The girls stared at him in utter disbelief.

"A free meal?" Naomi asked. Her voice sounded very dangerous.

"Exactly!" Ken nodded enthusiastically. He spread his arms wide.

"Look, everybody eventually gets married, right? It happens. But before you get married, you have to eat dinner. This Scott guy is super rich. He is trying to impress your parents. He is definitely going to pay for everything." Ken listed his points on his fingers.

"You can order the most expensive steak on the menu. You can order three different appetizers. You can get a massive slice of chocolate cake for dessert. And you do not have to pay a single Bel for any of it! It is the ultimate dining experience!" Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators! Laxmi's jaw dropped. She looked at Ken like he had grown a second head.

"Are you seriously telling her to accept a forced marriage just so she can get a free steak?"

"I am not telling her to marry him!" Ken corrected quickly. He shrugged his shoulders.

"I am just saying she should go meet the guy. Go to the fancy parlor. Eat all of his expensive food. See if he is a decent person. If he is annoying, just say thank you for the meal and leave. If he is actually nice, then maybe you get a free dinner and a nice guy. It is a win-win situation. Why say no to free dessert?" The strategy room went totally silent. The elite girls turned their heads slowly. They glared at Ken. Their eyes burned with collective, deeply offended anger. Sayma looked utterly betrayed.

Naomi looked like she wanted to throw him out the window. Zinia cracked her knuckles loudly. Ken smiled a goofy smile. He looked around at their angry faces. He slowly lowered his hands.

"What?" Ken asked lazily. He blinked his dark eyes in pure innocence.

"Did I say something wrong? Food is very expensive in this city. We should take advantage of the rich nobles whenever we can. It is just basic economic strategy." Naomi took a slow step toward him. She crossed her arms tightly.

"Ken, you are the most clueless, incredibly dense person I have ever met in my entire life."

Ken sat back in his wooden chair. He did not look intimidated by the glaring girls. He just looked genuinely confused. He thought his plan was flawless. He loved free food. He assumed everyone else loved free food too.

"I am just being practical," Ken defended himself. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets. He slouched his shoulders again.

"You guys are always complaining about our budget. I am offering a solid financial solution. Just eat the rich guy's cake." Sayma took a deep breath. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her dark combat uniform. She pushed her glasses up and looked at Ken with a very polite, but incredibly firm expression.

"Ken, I appreciate your unique perspective on economics," Sayma said. Her voice was perfectly controlled.

"But this is not about a free dinner. This is about my freedom. A meeting like this is not a casual date. It is a formal, highly binding social contract in the noble world." She placed her hand flat on the golden-trimmed letter.

"If I sit at that table and eat his food, I am accepting his courtship," Sayma explained patiently.

"I am telling my family that I am willing to be chained down by their rules. I will become a superficial trophy wife for a man I do not even know. My entire life will be dedicated to attending tea parties, managing a mansion, and boosting his political career." Sayma's dark eyes filled with absolute, unbreakable determination. She looked at Princess Iris, and then she looked around the room at her teammates.

"I refuse to do that," Sayma declared proudly.

"I am a tactician. I am a scholar. My mind belongs to me. I have dedicated my life to serving Princess Iris and the 13th Unit. I will not abandon my tactical duties to play a role in a forced, loveless relationship. I would rather eat plain bread in this dusty estate for the rest of my life than eat a premium steak in a golden cage." Princess Iris smiled warmly. Her violet eyes shone with deep pride and affection for her Vice-Captain.

"You will always have a place here, Sayma. We will face your family together. I will not let them take you away."

"Absolutely not!" Laxmi cheered loudly. The fire user pumped her fist in the air.

"Sayma is staying right here! We need her brain! And honestly, traditional noble marriages are a total scam!" Laxmi hopped onto the edge of the wooden table. She swung her legs energetically.

"My parents tried to tell me I needed to find a nice, wealthy husband to calm my temper down. They wanted me to wear fancy dresses and stop practicing my fire magic. Can you imagine me at a formal tea party?"