Diplomatic Detention Center, West Gate Registration Office

At first Osvik was angry because he was forcibly detained, but after he tasted the delicious dishes served to him, his anger subsided. He even had a chance to squeeze the provocative butt of the young woman who was the Head of the Registration Office. So, Osvik's heart was filled with joy right now.

'Well, that's her fault for wearing sexy clothes that make her provocative curves more defined.' Osvik grinned while remembering the incredible sensation in his right palm.

However, Osvik's joy was drastically reduced as he turned his gaze to the small painting on his passport. The face painting was very different from his personal painting made by a famous painter in Makai Royal City. Not to mention being handsome, in the face painting called a photo, Osvik's face looked more like a hornless buffalo rather than a human face.

Of course, Osvik couldn't accept it. Unfortunately, the three Maesters and his bodyguards swore that the photo was extraordinarily accurate. Then, as Osvik was contemplating on how to change his photo, the woman whose buttocks he had squeezed walked in with a group of people.

Judging by how the Registration Office security saluted the man in the front, Osvik concluded that the man was in quite a high position.

"Ser Osvik, this is Ser Slane, the highest leader of Amethyst Merchant," with a tone full of respect Rutim introduced Lt. Col. Slane.

Osvik didn't expect that the highest leader of Amethyst Merchant would meet him so quickly. So his heart instantly jumped to the sky. 'Looks like they understand my importance.'

"Venerable Ser Osvik, welcome to Magwurt City." In a friendly tone Lt. Col. Slane shook Osvik's hand. Then hug the young noble as if he was a close friend.

"Venerable Maester, welcome to Magwurt City."

Lt. Col. Slane also greeted and hugged the three Maesters who stood behind Osvik as if he was welcoming relatives who had come from afar. After that, he sat on the sofa opposite the four.

"Venerable Ser Osvik and Maesters, may I know the reason for your visit, and why did you bring along some of Dourk Tavern's equipment?"

Osvik smiled from ear to ear before saying, "Maybe Ser Slane doesn't know yet, so let me explain."

"Please, I'm all ears."

"Old Man Dourk has given me the position of Amethyst Merchant representative along with the equipment he got from Amethyst Merchant."

Lt. Col. Slane tapped his finger on the armrest before speaking, "I don't understand why Old Man Dourk handed over the position of Amethyst Merchant representative to Ser Osvik. Because in the contract, Old Man Dourk is only allowed to return the representative's position along with the equipment to Amethyst Merchants, and not to any one's else."

'Contract? Why does Old Man Dourk never mention it.' Osvik muttered without realizing that the contract actually had never existed.

After clearing his throat, Osvik immediately proposes his thoughts, "Since we have met, can we straighten out this contract? If Ser Slane gives me the right to circulate Amethyst Merchant's commodities, then I guarantee it will smoothly enter Makai Royal City."

Lt. Col. Slane nodded slightly. "It's a feasible proposal, but before that there are a few things we have to agree on. First, I hope Ser Osvik is willing to help me ensure Old Man Dourk fulfills his role as Amethyst Merchant representative.

Second, all the equipment you bring here is damaged and according to our engineer, the cause is a procedural error in the re-assembling process. So you have to paid for the replacement."

Osvik smiled cheerfully before saying, "Ser Slane, I have asked Old Man Dourk to continue operating as usual. It's just that the commodities he buys from Amethyst Merchant must be limited to a certain quota. For the equipment, I have paid all of them 10 gold coins. For the clock, Old Man Dourk said he didn't spend any money on it.

Old Man Dourk also said that if there was any damage then Amethyst Merchant would send someone to repair it, but I took the initiative to bring it here. So, shouldn't you thank me?"

Lt. Col. Slane casually said, "As I said, the equipment was completely damaged and could not be repaired. Also, the price of the package for the solar power plant, ice cube maker, water pump, and piping system is 25 gold coins. As for the wall clock, I think Ser Osvik realizes that it's worth is equivalent to a few mid-tier farmlands."

Osvik immediately frowned, but he tried to restrain himself and said as calmly as possible. "Ser Slane, even though I had to replace the damaged equipment. You cannot simply raise the price or even charge the clock that you previously gave away for free."

"I did not raise the price. More precisely, I gave a big discount to Old Man Dourk because I owe him a huge debt of gratitude."

"Debt of gratitude?" a huge question mark appeared on Osvik's forehead.

Slowly but surely Lt. Col. Slane's expression becomes gloomy. "Ser Osvik, I'm sure a noble born like you will never understand how bitter a life of an orphan who has to live on the streets like me.

"Pardon?" A big question mark filled Osvik's face as he looked at Lt. Col. Slane deeply.

"When I was six years old, there was a moment when I had not eaten for three days in a row. At that time, I could only sit in a small alley without being able to move my body. I instinctively knew that if I didn't get any food that day, I would die.

I have resigned to accept my fate. I thought that death was much better than having to starve every day. However, a man suddenly gave me a piece of bread. It was 2-3 days old plain bread, but to me, it was the sweetest bread that I've ever tasted.

The man then helped me until I recovered. After that, an old pickpocket forced me to join his group and I turned out to be very good at pickpocketing. But as smart as a squirrel jumps, once or twice it will fall too.

I was caught by a young noble whose face, hair, gaze, nose, and manner of speech are very similar to yours. I was beaten up and almost died considering the body of a 12-year-old boy is very weak. However, once again I was saved by the man who previously gave me bread, who turned out to be the cook at Walluo Castle.

After that, an adventurer merchant who came from outside Amstell Continent picked me up and educated me to be a merchant. He has a very large trading business and I got a pretty good position. In short, after I returned the adventurer merchant's kindness, I requested permission to return to Amstell Continent.

I saw an opportunity to set up a base in Magwurt City. So I built a base there before going to Walluo City to repay the kindness of the cook who had helped me.

Of course, the cook did not remember me. He also no longer worked at Walluo Castle. Ironically, he was kicked out from castle for giving leftover food to street children too often. But it doesn't matter if the cook doesn't remember me. Because the most important thing is, I will never forget his kindness.

Ser Osvik, whether Amethyst Merchant will cooperate with you or not, it depends entirely on your willingness to replace the damaged equipment and your attitude toward Old Man Dourk."

At first, Osvik had doubts about Lt. Col. Slane's long life story. The problem was, Lt. Col. Slane had a natural talent for lying that he honed it over until it surpassed the level of a Hollywood veteran. What's more, he mixed his lies with real-life experiences and intel that IDG managed to gather.

Meanwhile, Osvik fully understood that his father really hated pickpockets and always gave harsh punishments to them.

And the final hammer that destroys Osvik's doubts was, how could a mechanism that the concept not even be able to imagine, let alone created by Maester of Mechanical Engineering on Amstell Continent, was only valued at a few gold coins. Not to mention the wall clocks worth a few mid-tier farmland which was given away for free.

Even so, in the end Osvik still insisted that Lt. Col. Slane's story was only a means to deepen his demands for the compensation he was asking for. In short, Osvik chose to consider that the story never happened.

"Ser Slane, I will compensate for the damaged equipment. But you don't need to dramatize it. I will cut off my hand if a respectable man who leads such a large trading business like you has a childhood life as a pickpocket."

"Thank you for the understanding and generous praise from Ser Osvik," Lt. Col. Slane said cheerfully before turning to Rutim who was sitting beside him. "Rutim, how is Lucca?"

Rutim did not understand why Lt. Col. Slane suddenly asked Lucca. Moreover, she was sinking in contemplating Lt. Col. Slane's past which shook her heart so hard.

So Rutim stuttered a little before answering, "L-Lucca is well and preparing for the mid-year exams."

"I'm happy to hear that."

Lt. Col. Slane nodded in satisfaction before grabbing four bags of money from his pocket. Then, from the most beautiful money bag he took out 5 gold coins and gave them to Rutim.

"You can go home early today. Then take Lucca and William to dinner. Forget about the unpleasant experience you had this afternoon, and also don't stop wearing sexy clothes."

"... Ser Slane?"

Rutim was dumbfounded while Lt. Col. Slane had put the five gold coins in her hand before she could refuse.

So Rutim could only get up and bow deeply. "Thank you for Ser Slane's kindness and attention to this humble servant."

At the same time, Osvik and the three Maesters looked at the money bag in Lt. Col. Slane's hand while muttering, 'Why is the money bag so similar to mine?'

Osvik and the three Maesters' questions were instantly answered after they felt their waist, and found out that their money bag were nowhere to be found.

'Bastard!'

Osvik shrieked in his heart, but he immediately held back as he remembered that he had said he would cut his hand if Lt. Col. Slane was a pickpocket.

A smile bloomed on Osvik's lips, then he said, "Ser Slane, while I was on my way here I lost my money bag. Maybe it fell over, and somehow my money bag looks very similar to the money bag in your hand, did you possibly find it by the side of the road on the way here?"

"Ser Osvik means this money bag?"

Lt. Col. Slane pointed to the money bag in his hand and Osvik immediately nodded his head firmly.

"I really didn't know that this money bag looks similar to your money bag. But these four money bags were gifts from distant friends when they visited here. So I can guarantee that this money bag is mine."

'Bastard!'

Osvik shrieked in his heart once again. He had heard from Lady Yuuri that bureaucrats and merchants had something in common. They would never spat out money they had swallowed. Now, finally Osvik experienced it.

At the same time, the three Maesters looked at Osvik with sharp eyes as they muttered inwardly.

'This child is a catastrophe.'

*****