"Well, don't worry. Leave it to me. I'll take good care of Nilou and bring her to the finest stage."
Leon spoke with absolute sincerity.
No one present doubted his words. One only had to meet his gaze for a second to feel an almost instinctive trust arise in their heart. It was as if Leon were the only person in the world incapable of lying.
Nilou stepped forward shyly.
"Please guide me, Your Highness."
"There's no need to be so formal with me, Nilou. It's alright."
Leon gently raised his hand and placed it atop the girl's head, with the same care one would devote to a rare and precious work of art.
Yet deep within his eyes, a sharp and destructive light lay hidden.
[Finally got her… haha, wasn't that easy? Lumine, you told me it would be difficult and complicated… but in the end, for me, it was simple. Tsk… people are so easy to guide.]
"Hm? Your Highness, you…"
"Hm? What is it?"
"N-no, it's nothing. It must have been my misunderstanding. For a moment… I felt something a little frightening."
Nilou let out a soft breath and forced a smile.
The expression Leon had revealed for a brief instant had startled her. But it had vanished so quickly that it felt like an illusion.
She decided she must have imagined it.
How could the prince before her possibly be a bad person? She must have been mistaken.
"…She's surprisingly perceptive."
Leon muttered so quietly that only he could hear.
He thought the girl possessed an admirable sixth sense.
Fortunately, his mask was perfectly in place.
From a certain point of view…
Leon had lied.
In truth, Nilou did not need to leave the Zubair Theater.
The Grand Sage of the Akademiya who had targeted them was destined to fall. When Nahida fully returned and he took control of Sumeru, art would once again be acknowledged.
If Nilou wished, she could spend the rest of her life dancing on that small stage in the underground bazaar.
She did not need a "greater stage."
But…
[But I don't want such a beautiful ruby to remain buried in a place like this. That would be an unforgivable waste.]
He wanted to place her inside his own jewelry box.
To take her out whenever he wished, admire her brilliance up close, and shape her radiance.
Only the noblest being in the world would be worthy of possessing her.
Leon valued talent.
In his eyes, most people were like unpolished stones—rough, ordinary, shapeless, without shine.
Yet human beings were fascinating creatures.
Among countless common stones, there would occasionally appear the rarest of gems.
Brilliant. Unique.
Leon enjoyed collecting such gems.
Allowing exceptional talent to remain buried among ordinary stones was, to him, a great pity.
Thus, he invested heavily in these talents—not merely to offer them a stage upon which to flourish, but above all to bring them under his command.
The current Nilou was one of them.
And it was already decided: whatever he favored would inevitably fall into his hands.
Now that the red-haired dancer stood before him, what remained was simple.
Bind her.
Ensnare her with elegance.
And never allow her to leave in this lifetime.
"Nilou, since you are now under my protection, let's formalize it with a contract."
Leon withdrew an exceptionally high-quality scroll from his storage space, sealed against any tampering, and placed it before her.
Nilou picked it up almost unconsciously.
"A… contract?"
"After all, words alone are not enough. If we rely only on a verbal promise, I believe your friends at the Zubair Theater will still be worried. Some matters must be clearly defined. A contract that binds us equally is the best choice."
"But that's not necessary… I believe Your Highness is a good person. You just helped our theater overcome its difficulties. I trust you."
Leon chuckled softly.
"I'm glad to hear that. But it's only a matter of writing a name. Every artist who receives my investment goes through this process."
Nilou lowered her head and began to read.
In the next instant, her eyes widened.
She could hardly believe the conditions described within, and her breathing trembled.
Upon signing, she would receive a fixed monthly fund of 50,000 gold coins as a lifetime guarantee.
In addition, at least three performances per month would be arranged for her. All profits from those performances would belong exclusively to her—Leon would not claim a single share.
There would also be a mansion reserved for her in the capital of the Magic Kingdom.
And should she encounter any danger or difficulty, she could seek Leon directly to resolve it.
Such extraordinary terms left her mind spinning.
It was treatment she could never have imagined at the Zubair Theater.
The scroll slipped from her hands and fell to the floor; Nilou hurriedly picked it up, flustered.
"Your Highness… this is far too generous. It doesn't have to be this much. You can reduce it."
"It's fine. You deserve this treatment. In fact, I would feel uncomfortable offering any less."
Leon calmly waved it off, elegantly signed his name on one side of the contract, and then handed the pen to Nilou.
Lumine, standing beside them, watched in silence and drew a slow breath.
It was no wonder so many artists longed for Leon's approval.
Signing that contract meant never having to worry about food, clothing, or material concerns before one's talent faded.
It meant being able to devote oneself entirely to one's ideals.
"Of course," Leon added casually. "Not everything is perfect. If you sign this contract, Nilou, there will also be certain restrictions."
"Huh? Really? Let me see…"
Nilou blinked and quickly scanned the clauses.
There were indeed limitations.
First: The contractor (Leon) would have the right to arrange the stage and performance schedule of the contracted party (Nilou).
Second: The contracted party (Nilou) must dance to music selected by the contractor ten times per month.
Third: The basic contract term would be 20 years, extendable proportionally to the amount of investment made by the contractor (Leon), at a ratio of 100,000:1.
Fourth: The contract could only be terminated by the contractor (Leon). The contracted party (Nilou) would have no right to voluntarily withdraw. In case of breach, she must compensate 1.5 times the amount invested by the contractor and would be prohibited from using funds originating from that same investment to pay the compensation.
Fifth: The final right of interpretation of the contract would belong to the contractor.
"Well?" Leon tilted his head slightly. "Everything in order? If there's no issue, just sign. Young lady, don't hesitate."
Nilou took a deep breath.
Compared to the generous conditions…
The restrictions did not seem sufficient reason to back out.
"Alright… I'll sign it right now!"
In the end, the still-innocent red-haired dancer signed a contract she would never be able to escape in this lifetime.
Leon smiled in satisfaction.
(End of Chapter)