Chapter 18: The Agreement

Agatha and Alexander looked at Ignatius, then focused on the child. The guards forced the child to kneel.

"Care to explain, Ignatius?" Agatha said. She was standing next to Alexander, whose eyes were locked on Silvester.

"My Lady, he is just a child. Please—"

"Don’t answer, Ignatius. You, child. Who are you?"

Silvester raised his head, a confused look washing over his face. Even Ignatius froze.

’It’s impossible. How come they don’t even know me? Is this one of their schemes?’ Silvester thought.

"I said, who are you! If you do not answer, I will cut your throat!" Alexander shouted in anger. He slammed his hands onto his table. His hands and arms began to glow red, ready to shoot fire magic. The guards trembled in fear.

"Please, my Lord, he is my grandson!" Ignatius pleaded. His eyes were filled with tears.

The whole room fell silent. Agatha and Alexander looked confused, exchanging glances.

"Is he one of the new servants you were talking about, Ignatius?! He was supposed to start tomorrow, but he already stole a precious scroll!" Alexander raged. He was still mad and looked ready to lose his temper at any moment.

"I am very sorry, my Lord. Please... We will return the scroll right away and leave this house immediately," the old butler begged. He didn’t want Silvester to be killed and was ready to sacrifice his job just to keep Silvester safe.

"It is a good thing, my Lord. An old butler like him must be gone from our household. He cannot do his tasks properly anymore." Agatha sat down in a chair beside Alexander, puffing on her cigar.

"I will let this slide, Ignatius. Return the scroll, but you must leave with your grandson. If either of you ever tries to set foot in my household again, you two will never see the sunrise," Alexander said calmly. His cold eyes were still set on Silvester.

Silvester used his Locksmith’s Eyes to check on Agatha and Alexander. In his vision, the red mana threads were immensely coated on them, but something had changed. There were a few tiny black mana threads. This was his first time seeing black-colored mana, and it was emitting an awful aura.

’That might be the reason why they don’t recognize me,’ Silvester thought.

"Now get the fuck out of my house! Now!" Alexander commanded. The guards grabbed both Silvester and Ignatius and escorted them outside.

For a moment, Silvester looked back at the closing door where Agatha and Alexander were.

"What the hell happened while I was gone?" he murmured to himself.

It was already midnight by the time they were escorted outside. Ignatius held his luggage, containing his few fine clothes. He held Silvester’s hand, and they walked together under the moonlight.

"I am sorry, my Lord. I will find a way to get a proper job again so that we can have a good life," Ignatius said in a low voice.

"Do not worry, Ignatius. I still have money, and I will handle the rest. You should take care of yourself and get some rest. And please, just call me Silvester—that would really fit my taste."

"Silvester... I will, Silvester. I know you have so many questions, but the first thing we must do is find a place where we can rest. We can find a proper home tomorrow. My savings from staying with the Lerwicks should be enough to get one."

They continued to walk, and after a few hours, they stopped at a huge building near the Commercial District.

"Silvester, are you sure that this is the right place? This is the Locksmith’s Guild. We must not trespass, or we might get killed," Ignatius warned, full of doubt.

"No. We are in the right place." Silvester walked forward, and they let themselves pass through the gates.

It was a three-story house made of oak wood. It was still midnight, but its features were clear as the moonlight reached the ground. A brass banner hung in the center of the building.

Andromeda - Locksmith’s Guild

Silvester did not knock. Instead, he pulled out a card and placed it against the lock.

Click.

The small rune on the card glowed brown and then turned off. The door opened, and they went inside. The chairs were empty, and only the candles lit on the tables gave light and warmth to the room. Master Victoria was at the front desk, cleaning her tools.

"I didn’t expect that you would come here so early. We just met a few hours ago, my little lamb." Victoria flashed a grinning smile. She stood up and walked close to Ignatius and Silvester, who were standing in the center of the lobby.

"We encountered unexpected circumstances, and I would like to accept your offer, Master Victoria," Silvester announced. He looked intently at Victoria, who was serious in that moment, her face unreadable.

"Hahaha. It’s a deal, Little Silvester, but... under my conditions." She sat on the table and let her eyes scan the old man.

Ignatius remained quiet. He knew who Master Victoria was. She was an influential smith, and almost all the residential and private households of the kingdom were under her management.

"I know you. You’re the butler of the Lerwick household. Ignatius, right?" Victoria said with certainty. She delivered mineral oils to the Lerwick manor once a month, and Ignatius was the one who guided her regarding the work.

"Yes, my Lady. I am Ignatius. However, I do not work with the Lerwicks anymore. My grandson and I were just fired." He bowed his head slightly out of respect for Master Victoria.

"Ohh. You don’t look like him, Silvester, but he seems intelligent. Anyway, follow me, Silvester, as we have something to discuss, baby. Ignatius, please just wait here." Victoria smiled and walked upstairs.

Silvester followed her, leaving Ignatius in the hall with a confused look on his face.

They arrived at a private room. It was an elegant office, much like Alexander’s, but with tools displayed in the corner. The room smelled fragrant, and fresh roses sat in a vase on the center table.

"So, what are your terms, Victoria?" Silvester said while leaning back on the couch. It was so soft that it made him bounce a little.

"Cutie lamb, don’t get too excited. The only term I want is for you to teach me what you know, and I will support you with whatever you want for eight years. Isn’t that a good deal, honey~?" Her seductive voice echoed across the room.

It would be a good deal for Victoria. She wanted to learn everything so that her guild could be chosen as the main locksmith service for the Novaria Palace, which was her ultimate dream.

"I have a proposal, too."

"I am listening, honey~"

"First, just call me Silvester. Second, I will teach you what you need to know. Third, I will be paid for teaching you. Fourth, secure a decent home for Ignatius," Silvester said continuously.

"Hahaha. That’s a lot for a deal, little lamb... I mean Silvester. Still, I agree, and I will send you a contract tomorrow. Hmm?"

"Great. Can we stay here for tonight? We don’t have a home yet."

"Please make yourselves comfortable. Before you go, Silvester, can we start the training tomorrow?"

"Actually, you can start now. Here, open this vault without using any tools. If you open it within three days, we can formally begin the tutoring."

Silvester pulled out his newly created vault. It was a small box with a three-wheel combination lock—his favorite toy from his previous life.

He put it on the table and left the room.

Victoria still could not comprehend what she was seeing.

A safe that no locksmith in this world knew of.

"You never fail to amuse me, my little lamb." A genuine smile was painted on her face as the moonlight shone on her blushing cheeks.