The Extra's Rise
Chapter 646 - 646: Extraction (1)

After succeeding in turning Kali into a Zombie Princess, I returned to the Creighton estate with the four girls. The transformation had gone flawlessly, exactly as I'd planned, and now it was time to capitalize on our success. The Ashen Territories held far more valuable necromantic materials than just the Zombie Crown, and Rose had already demonstrated her business acumen by preparing extraction operations before we'd even returned.

"It's good having such a smart employee," I said as I grabbed Rose by the waist, pulling her closer in the privacy of the estate's study.

"I do my best," she replied, leaning her head against my chest with that practiced casualness she'd perfected. Rachel was currently meeting with her father Alastor, no doubt briefing him on our expedition. Reika and Kali were elsewhere in the estate, probably adjusting to the increase in mana rank and strength.

Which left just me and Rose to handle the business side of our little adventure.

She was sitting on my lap now, acting like she wasn't affected by our proximity as we reviewed the extraction plans spread across the mahogany desk. But I could see the telltale signs—the way her neck had flushed a delicate pink, the slight tension in her shoulders, the careful way she avoided looking directly at me when she spoke.

It was adorable, really. Rose could command reality itself with her Gift, could make the impossible seem routine, but put her in close contact with me and she turned into a flustered mess trying to pretend she was completely composed.

"The preliminary surveys indicate significant deposits of Deathshard crystals in the cathedral's lower levels," she said, her voice admirably steady as she pointed to specific locations on the map. "My extraction teams should be able to harvest them without disturbing the dimensional stability."

"Mm," I hummed in agreement, but instead of focusing on the map, I let my hand rest on her hip, thumb tracing idle patterns through the fabric of her dress. "And the timeline for full extraction?"

Her breath caught slightly at the contact, though she tried to hide it by clearing her throat. "Three weeks, maybe four. The magical saturation makes standard equipment unreliable, so we'll need to use specialized tools."

"Smart," I said, leaning forward slightly so my breath ghosted across her ear as I studied the documents over her shoulder. "What about the crystallized Deepdark formations we found in the outer chambers?"

Rose's pen hesitated for just a moment—barely noticeable unless you were watching for it. "Those... those will require more delicate handling. The energy density could make them unstable if extracted improperly."

I couldn't help but smile at how she was trying so hard to maintain professional composure while I made it increasingly difficult for her to concentrate. My free hand moved to her waist, fingers splaying across the curve of her side.

"You're very thorough," I murmured, letting my voice drop to that lower register I knew affected her. "Always thinking three steps ahead."

"Someone has to," she replied, but her voice had taken on a slightly breathless quality that betrayed her attempt at nonchalance. "You're too busy being dramatic with ancient artifacts to worry about practical concerns like profit margins and extraction logistics."

I laughed softly, the sound vibrating through my chest where she was pressed against me. "Is that so? And here I thought my dramatic flair was part of my charm."

"Your charm," she said, finally turning to look at me with those beautiful brown eyes, "is considerably more subtle than your ego would suggest."

"Subtle?" I raised an eyebrow, my hand sliding up to rest just below her ribcage. "There's nothing subtle about this."

Her composure cracked just slightly, a faint flush spreading from her neck to her cheeks. "Arthur..."

"Yes?" I asked innocently, as if I weren't deliberately making it impossible for her to focus on the financial projections she was supposed to be reviewing.

She tried to turn back to the documents, but I could see the way her hands trembled slightly as she reached for another report. "The projected revenue from necromantic materials should offset the expedition costs within six months..."

I shifted slightly, adjusting our position so she was more firmly settled against me, and was rewarded with the soft intake of breath she tried to hide. "That's impressive profit margins. Your business instincts really are exceptional."

"I... thank you," she managed, though she was clearly struggling to remember what numbers she was supposed to be calculating.

I let my thumb trace along her ribs, a gentle but unmistakably intimate gesture. "Of course, we'll need to factor in the increased security costs."

"Right, security..." Rose's voice was getting progressively more distracted. She fumbled with the papers, nearly dropping one before catching it. "We'll need to... to coordinate with..."

She trailed off, clearly having lost track of what she was trying to say as I continued my gentle ministrations. The flush had spread to her ears now, and I could feel the way her breathing had become slightly uneven.

"You were saying?" I prompted, enjoying the way she was coming undone despite her best efforts to maintain professional distance.

"I was saying that you're..." She turned in my lap to face me more directly, her brown eyes slightly unfocused. "You're making it very difficult to concentrate on work."

"Am I?" I asked with mock concern, even as my hands settled more firmly on her waist. "I'm just appreciating your exceptional planning skills."

She gave me a look that was half exasperation, half something much warmer. "Your appreciation is very... distracting."

"I'll try to contain my enthusiasm," I said solemnly, though I made no move to actually give her more space.

Rose tried valiantly to return her attention to the documents, but I could see she was fighting a losing battle. Her pen hovered over a calculation she'd already completed twice, and she kept losing track of which report she was supposed to be reviewing next.

"Arthur," she said finally, setting down her pen with deliberate precision. "If you keep this up, we're never going to finish the quarterly projections."

"The projections can wait," I said, studying the way her carefully controlled expression was starting to show cracks. "Besides, watching you try to pretend you're not affected is far more entertaining than reviewing extraction timelines."

That did it. Something snapped in her composure, and before I could react, she'd turned fully in my lap and kissed me.

It was supposed to be a quick, decisive gesture—probably her attempt to take control of the situation. But the moment our lips met, I could feel her resolve melting away. The kiss deepened, became less calculated and more desperate, her hands moving to grip my shoulders as if I might disappear if she didn't hold on tight enough.

When we finally broke apart, she was breathing hard, her carefully styled auburn hair slightly mussed and her brown eyes wide with a mixture of satisfaction and embarrassment.

"There," she said, trying to sound triumphant despite the obvious flush coloring her cheeks. "Now maybe we can get back to work."

I couldn't help but grin at her attempt to regain control. "Is that how you handle all your business meetings?"

The flush deepened. "Only the ones where my business partner is being insufferably distracting."

"Insufferable?" I raised an eyebrow, letting my hands settle more securely around her waist. "That seems harsh. I prefer 'strategically focused.'"

She rolled her eyes, but I could see the smile she was trying to suppress. "You're impossible."

"And you," I said, leaning closer until our faces were only inches apart, "are adorable when you're flustered."

"I am not flustered," she protested, even as she unconsciously leaned into the proximity.

"No?" I brushed a strand of auburn hair away from her face, letting my fingers trail along her cheek. "Then why are you blushing?"

"I'm not—" she started to argue, then seemed to realize the futility of the denial. Instead, she just pouted, which was somehow even more endearing than her attempts at professional composure.

"Much better," I murmured, and kissed her again.

This time there was no pretense of it being a strategic move. She melted into the contact immediately, her hands sliding up to tangle in my hair as she kissed me back with an intensity that made the financial reports scattered across the desk seem utterly unimportant.

When we eventually broke apart again, she rested her forehead against mine, breathing hard.

"The extraction reports..." she said weakly, though she made no move to actually return to them.

"Can wait," I finished, and kissed her once more for good measure.

Rose sighed against my lips, finally admitting defeat. "You're going to be the death of my productivity."

"I'll make it up to you," I promised, grinning at the way she tried to look annoyed despite the obvious contentment in her expression.

"You'd better," she murmured, settling more comfortably against me. "Those profit margins don't calculate themselves."

But neither of us made any move to return to the paperwork. Sometimes, after all, the best business decisions were the ones that had nothing to do with business at all.