Help, I'm in Another World and All the Men Are So Hot! [BL]-Chapter 233: Unexpected Proposals

"Alright, does anyone else have any proposals?" Damien said, determined to steer the meeting back on track and away from their competitive banter.

"Yes!"

"Lorenzo, go ahead," Damien said, addressing the young man who had raised his hand.

He found it odd. Weren’t Leonide’s suggestions meant to represent the collective ideas of all four of his retainers?

They had seemed to be discussing it together earlier...

Lysander and Lucian glanced curiously at Lorenzo, as if they hadn’t expected him to speak up.

"Our Steinholt Trading Company is prepared to extend an invitation to Master Damien as our external relations officer, once Master Damien chose to renounce his title," Lorenzo declared confidently.

The remaining members of Damien’s group of four retainers—minus one—broke into a buzz of astonished whispers. Even Theo looked at Lorenzo with a surprised expression, while the others watched the unfolding scene with amusement.

"Furthermore," Lorenzo continued, "if Master Damien retains his title as a baron, we intend to seek recognition as his official merchant house."

"W-Wait, either way, you’re trying to tying Master Damien into a family-level relationship?!" Leonide exclaimed, his voice a mixture of betrayal and disbelief. "You traitor, Lorenzo!"

You all seem to be having quite a bit of fun with this, Damien thought, bemused.

"Well, that’s quite the overt bid to monopolize him," Theo said, her tone half-admiring, half-skeptical. "Does the head of the Steinholt Trading Company—your father—and your brothers know about this?"

"Due to Master Damien’s current status, I haven’t mentioned it to them directly yet. However, the idea has been floated informally, and their initial reaction has been positive. I’m confident I can persuade them," Lorenzo replied.

So, Damien thought, Lorenzo hasn’t mentioned his name or title explicitly. That’s probably wise. Although... whether things will go as smoothly as Lorenzo hopes is another matter. The adult world can be harsh.

"Um... well..." Damien’s musings were interrupted when Lorenzo, so composed just moments ago, began to fidget uncharacteristically.

What’s wrong? Bathroom break? Damien wondered.

"I-I may have also mentioned... that the person in question is someone I like," Lorenzo admitted, his voice growing softer. "And I’m pretty sure they would immediately gave me their full approval."

"What?! The parents approval already?!"

The remaining three retainers—shouted in unison, their eyes wide with shock.

Even Theo, Zima, and Ithnan looked momentarily taken aback by Lorenzo’s sudden declaration.

Damien himself was surprised at what he had just heard.

"Oh, no... I haven’t told my father anything about Master Damien yet, including the fact that he’s a man, so it’s not official approval..." Lorenzo said, laughing nervously.

His cheeks flushed red as he glanced up at Damien, his expression showing a hint of uncertainty.

"Um, Master Damien... my father said he would like to meet you sometime. Could we arrange for some time to make that happen? Of course, only after I properly explain everything to him and once things have settled down enough for it to be convenient."

"Y-Yeah, I’d be honored to meet him..." Damien replied, feeling as though he had just booked his first formal introduction to someone’s family.

Although no date had been set, he already felt nervous.

While the other retainers lightly smacked Lorenzo in a playful scolding, Lorenzo still looked pleased with himself.

"Well, this certainly caught me by surprise," Theo said, regaining his composure. "We’ll go over the details of that later. For now, let’s focus on Damien’s status. Have you finalized any arrangements?"

"No, as I mentioned, I haven’t disclosed any details about Master Damien yet, so nothing specific has been decided. However, if he takes on the role of external relations officer, he’ll need a team. My plan is to include all of us in that team."

"I see," Damien thought. The job would be different from their previous roles as servants, but they were all talented, young, and adaptable. It seemed feasible. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

The real challenge was Damien himself. He would just have to do his best. After all, any new job is bound to feel daunting at first.

But there was still one issue...

"Um... if that happens, I’ll end up all alone again, won’t I?" Theo said quietly.

That’s the crux of it, Damien thought.

While the plan to integrate him as a commoner would help him adjust to the world and ease his burdens, it would inevitably separate him from Theo. And the idea of being apart from her... he didn’t like it at all.

"To address that concern," Lorenzo interjected, "we’re considering assigning Master Damien as a liaison to Dalehaven family. That way, it would seem natural for him to visit the estate daily, and there could even be occasional staying overnight for ’negotiations.’"

Wait... Damien noticed something shift in Sebas’s demeanor as Lorenzo spoke. His expression hadn’t changed, but after spending so much time with him, Damien could tell something was different.

"That’s a rather transparent case of... let’s just call it diplomacy," Theo said with a wry smile. "Still, I must admit it’s effective. As his lover, I don’t have any objections."

He turned his head to look at Sebas.

Ah, so Theo noticed it too, Damien thought.

"Well, in that case, I must warn you," Theo continued. "The one who’ll handle our house’s dealings won’t be me, but Sebas. You should prepare yourself for that."

"I’ll keep that in mind. Please go easy on me, Mr. Lorenzo Van Steinholt," Sebas said, bowing his head slightly toward Lorenzo.

Lorenzo’s expression froze, clearly strained under the weight of Sebas’s calm yet ominous presence.

If Lorenzo’s vision for the future came true, Damien thought, it might just be his stomach that suffers the most.

Sebas, who looked at Lorenzo like a snake staring down a helpless frog, were an amusing sight to Damien. But then, an unexpected person raised their hand.

"Oh my, Zima? That’s quite unexpected," Theo remarked.

Zima, who had shyly lifted his hand, stood up when called upon and handed a piece of paper to Theo.

Ah, Damien thought. He’s been learning to write from Elyon.