Chapter 84: Business School

Aster flushed red. Over the past few days, he had received praise from various people, from Toby to his older brother back in Galesend.

But hearing it directly from Shani multiplied that joy and satisfaction tenfold.

Shani smiled, watching the bulky young man duck his head bashfully like a shy young maiden.

"Oh right, I saw you were watching a business class?" Shani asked, steering the topic. 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

Aster’s face lit up instantly. "I just started watching out of curiosity, but after diving into it, I’ve learned so many new concepts."

Seeing how genuinely intrigued Aster was, an idea sparked in Shani’s mind. "How would you feel about enrolling in business school?"

"Business school?" Aster hesitated. "If I go to school, I won’t be able to stay focused on monitoring Mortis Company’s growth."

"You’d be joining school’s Executive Program. It doesn’t require physical attendance, you can take all your classes online."

Shani tapped her smartwatch and forwarded him a link to Vipera Business School’s website.

Aster was genuinely intrigued by the prospect of studying while working. He carefully scanned the school’s information from the link Shani sent over.

The business school was based in Serrata, the capital city of the Ophidian, a serpent beastman-based kingdom. It was quite a distance from Aurelis, making the online option a massive advantage.

"The number one business school on the continent?!" Aster gasped as he read the claim on the website.

He turned to Shani, who offered him a knowing nod. It wasn’t just marketing fluff. The title was officially recognized by merchant associations across the continent.

Shani had stumbled across information about the institution while researching Red Worm Jelly a while back.

She had assumed it would be useless to her, but it turned out to be remarkably handy now.

The Ophidian Kingdom itself was renowned as one of the top three economic powerhouses. It made total sense that the finest business academy hailed from their lands.

As the premier business school, the prestige of its degree and the strength of its alumni network were unparalleled.

Business associates and government officials alike would clear paperwork for its graduates with few questions asked.

Its alumni made up the continent’s top tier of entrepreneurs, standing just one notch below graduates of Grand Academy itself.

"But, Shan..." Aster faltered as his eyes caught the entry fees and tuition costs. "This is way too expensive."

An entry fee of 200,000 Credits and a semester tuition of 50,000 Credits certainly sounded steep, but to established figures in commerce, it was pocket change. Many of them pulled in monthly profits exceeding 200,000 Credits.

The heavy price tag served as the initial filter, ensuring the school catered exclusively to those who already possessed active business ventures rather than dreamers still drafting blueprints.

"Leave that to me," Shani said smoothly, before adding as she saw him open his mouth to object, "You can pay me back once you start earning real money."

Aster felt deeply conflicted. A passion for business had quietly taken root in him, but he felt embarrassed by how heavily he relied on Shani.

Shani pretended not to notice Aster’s troubled expression. She reached out to Logan Rivers, her attorney, to request a recommendation.

Getting admitted to the continent’s top business institution wasn’t something one could do on a whim, Letter of Recommendation from recognized figures in commerce were strictly required.

Although Rivers was a law school graduate, his specialization in corporate law meant he moved in the same circles as the business elite.

"Oh? Aster wants to enroll at Vipera? I think that’s an excellent step for him, Miss Rowan," Logan remarked, his holographic projection radiating genuine enthusiasm.

Shani let out a soft chuckle, though she couldn’t help a playful pang of annoyance internally.

’Since when did they get so close that Lawyer Rivers calls Aster by his first name, while I’m still ’Miss Rowan’?’

Irritated as she pretended to be, Shani knew Aster was naturally cheerful and possessed a knack for putting people at ease.

Logan was more than happy to secure a recommendation from an established businessman and even offered to handle Aster’s enrollment process himself.

In truth, Logan offered because he had observed how Aster conducted himself with Toby Mortis and noted the young man’s initiative in taking decisive action without waiting for Shani’s orders.

As an attorney who frequently dealt with shrewd corporate players, Logan sensed Aster possessed far more latent potential than his bulky, unassuming exterior suggested.

But he wasn’t about to voice that observation to either of them, at least not yet.

"Oh, right. Aster should also find a resonance partner soon. Even if he isn’t heading onto the battlefield, businessmen frequently exert beast pressure for intimidation during negotiations," Logan added before wrapping up the call.

Beast pressure was a form of intimidation through raw power, a feat achievable only if a beastman possessed beast essence.

Shani had been wanting to address this topic for a while, so this was a perfect opening. "Do you have anyone in mind for a partner? If not, I can help you look for one."

Aster fell silent, that troubled look surfacing once again.

Then, he braced himself, his face flushed as red as a boiled lobster, and said, "I want you to be my resonance partner, Shan."

He rushed to add, "Don’t overthink it, though! You can only have one baby beast, and picking a prince as your partner is obviously the best choice for you."

Shani was taken aback. ’He’s been saying he wants to be my partner ever since we were kids. How the hell did I forget that?’

"Did I forget to mention that my rank went up after taking those energy potions? The exact same potions I gave to you and Mina. You two should have ranked up as well," Shani said.

Aster gasped, not because of his own likely rank increase, but because he realized there was still a chance he could become Shani’s partner.

"Can I really... be your partner?" Aster asked, his cheeks burning red.

Shani chuckled and offered a warm nod.

’Still, if Aster and I resonate right now, with him at D-Rank and me at C-Rank, our baby beast might only end up at D-Rank,’ she thought internally.

"I’m a bit tied up this month. How about we conduct our resonance session at the end of the month?" Shani suggested.

...