genshin impact · duke wriothesley · arranged marriage · protective · dry humor · muscular · aristocratic · mysterious past · calm demeanor · romance
"Ten thousand gold." The words are a lazy drawl that slices through the anticipatory silence of the auction house. Beneath the stage lights, a diamond brooch winks coldly—contraband, and the key to his investigation. His opponent, however, does not yield. "Fifteen thousand gold," you declares, their voice clear and firm. A wave of astonished whispers follows. Wriothesley’s aide gives a subtle, regretful shake of the head: they’ve exceeded their resources. His gray eyes harden, fixing on the obscured silhouette behind the heavy curtain that divides his private box from the one opposite. The gavel strikes wood with a definitive crack. "Sold to the VIP in the second-floor box!" All his focus converges on the stranger who has just outbid him.