In her heart, Bernadetta felt not unlike the gray-blue clouds in the sky out the window. Today was the start of the marriage talks, and she was at a restaurant with her father, who owned the place. There with them was the man himself: Noel Stollen. They had the entire restaurant to themselves, so the spacious dining room was empty of guests save for the three of them. The immaculately groomed servers brought superb food and wine as Ralph and Noel spoke.
“So before becoming a Seeker, you managed a winery?” asked Ralph, who of course knew this fact but was eager to show interest in Noel.
“I did. I quickly handed the business off to someone more knowledgeable, but I enjoyed it. Even now that I’ve left, they still send me good wines whenever they produce them.”
Noel was dressed in a tailcoat, and he smiled brightly as he went on.
“I think the greatest takeaway from the experience was the bond I had with the people who worked the winery. That was the real treasure, and it’s not something money can buy.”
“I understand completely. There are those in society who see me as cold-hearted, but I too believe nothing is more important than the relationships people have with one another. May I just say I am so glad to have the opportunity to talk to you today.”
“The pleasure is all mine. I couldn’t be more grateful to speak so openly with a giant of the financial world.”
The two men went on with what was clearly a business discussion. There was nowhere for Bernadetta to join in. She was little more than a walking centerpiece merely present to dazzle. It was bad manners for a rich man’s daughter to interrupt him, yes, but she was also trying to calm her nerves, which were frayed with fear and anxiety.
Noel was, in person, much more beautiful than she remembered having seen him through her insects. He also exuded endless ambition.
All people had status. Looks, physical prowess, intelligence, artistic sensibilities, charisma, morals, wealth, rank, power, lineage, connections, achievements—the list went on. A person’s status gave them value, and that value distinguished the haves from the have-nots. The wall between the two was absolute. Equality did not exist.
Think of this quote from one of the poor: “Money isn’t everything.”
Now imagine the same quote coming from the wealthy: “Money isn’t everything.”
The exact same words, yet they carried entirely different weight.
Have-nots were not inherently evil. However, they were not trusted. They were not heartfelt; their words carried no weight. A person’s status, in other words, was what gave them the power to force others to consent—a crystallization of their value.
Seen from this point of view, Ralph lost to the sixteen-year-old Noel in terms of status, even though he was revered as a tycoon. In terms of appearances, the boy made one think of the fleeting, transient beauty of a young girl, but he had an overwhelming presence and depth to him. It was as though he were completely and utterly flawless—likely due to all the great feats he had achieved—and yet how many people missed this about him?
Bernadetta had also faced her fair share of terrible experiences and fierce battles in the depths of the underworld, and even then, Noel terrified her. It was a fear that petrified her and made it impossible for her to make decisions. No matter how much she peered into his eyes and his smiling face, she simply could not see through to the truth.
She had absolutely no idea what this beautiful young man was thinking.
“Are you not feeling well?” Noel asked her.
Bernadetta snapped back to reality at the sound of worry in his voice. “I-I’m fine.”
“You look quite pale. Maybe we should wrap things up and meet again at a later date.”
Ralph nodded at Noel’s suggestion. “I think it best we do just that. Forcing your way through a pleasant meal when you’re under the weather tends only to leave a bad impression. My apologies, Noel.”
“Think nothing of it. We all have days when we’re under the weather.”
“I’m grateful for your understanding. Let’s plan for another day, then. Perhaps you’d like to meet just the two of you, next time?”
“Very well. I’m unaccustomed to female company, but I would be happy to act as her escort.”
In response to Noel’s smile, Bernadetta mustered a vague nod.
“Excuse me for a moment,” Ralph said suddenly, rising from his chair.
At first, Bernadetta thought he was going off to attend some kind of business, but just as he was leaving the restaurant, he shot his daughter a wink. She understood then that he wanted her to talk with Noel in private before their “date” came to its conclusion.
Still, the girl was unsure what to do once Ralph was gone. Was it really possible that Noel had somehow ascertained her real identity? And if he had, why would he go to the trouble of accepting these marriage discussions? Her throat was bone-dry with nerves, and she sipped her wine before making up her mind and looking Noel in the eyes.
“May I ask you a question?” she ventured.
“As long as I can answer.”
“I heard from my father that you initially turned down his offers to meet me. What was it that gave you a change of heart?”
“Aha. That,” said Noel with a chuckle. “To be completely honest with you, it comes down to money. I am hoping to get further financial support from your father, which is why I took him up on it.”
Bernadetta was stumped by Noel’s blunt response. It left her at a loss for words, but Noel pressed his fingertips together and went on.
“As I’m sure you’re aware, I’m putting a lot of work into hosting the Seven Star Cup. It requires a huge amount of funds, and though I’m embarrassed to admit it, we could use some help. I thought I might approach your father about it.”
“You are nothing if not honest,” replied Bernadetta, still baffled. “Did you not think you might hurt my feelings? Few people, if any, would be happy to know they’re being used for the sake of money.”
Noel grinned and nodded. “You are correct, and I may have made things unpleasant for you. However, as I already have your father’s understanding on the matter, I felt it was only a matter of time before the information reached your ears. In which case, I deemed it better for you to hear it from me first. Besides,” he said, his eyes narrowing as he sized her up, “wouldn’t it be true to say that you yourself aren’t particularly excited about these marriage discussions?”
“That’s not—” Bernadetta began, but she could not bring herself to finish.