Rutto

The carriage passed through the gates of the city hall and moved toward it.

Click!

I looked at the box in my hand and opened it ever so gently. Not fully, even now, I am scared that someone might see it and kill me for it.

People have been killed for far less.

This box came three days ago, along with a handwritten 'thank you' note for my gift.

Throughout the week, I have been thinking about the gift I gave Silver at the party. Worried, but also disappointed that there was no reply to it.

I knew they were worth something. If they weren't, they wouldn't have been in my inheritance skill, but never in my dreams, I had expected to see the things when the thank you note came.

I looked through the small gap, and inside it were the tiny bottles. Filled with colorful mist.

When I opened the box. I was expecting something good. Hoping it would be a mist-crafted thing, but to my utter shock, I saw bottles and bottles of emotion essence.

I thought they were Grade I at first, but I realized they were Grade III and the shocking amount of a hundred of them.

Their value is astronomical. I have people who are willing to pay a massive price for them, far above the market rate.

I thought it was a mistake. He had mistakenly sent me these, but I didn't contact him to correct it.

I need this. It will solve all of my problems.

Click!

I closed the box in a hurry as my driver opened the door. The driver, I was barely able to pay this month's salary by selling the celebration invitation from Silver.

People were willing to pay a good price for that.

The money will help me with this month, but I am completely broke next month, without anything valuable to sell.

I got out of the carriage and entered the city hall.

I hope Silver didn't call me to say it was a mistake. I am hoping this is not the reason for the meeting. I need them and the money they bring.

Soon, I reached his office and could see a few people in the waiting room.

"Alex Rutto, I have a meeting with Lord Silver," I said to the beautiful teen secretary. "Lord Silver is ready for you, Lord Rutto," she replied with a professional smile.

It surprised me, but I thanked her before walking to the door.

The guards opened it as I reached it, and I stepped inside.

"Lord Silver," I greeted the young man and was relieved that he was alone. If read the atmosphere correctly he has some questions for me.

I don't think I would hide the truth. If I am forced.

Though, I hope, if I am forced to tell the truth, it will be for his ears only.

"Please take a seat, Lord Rutto," He said. "Thank you, my lord," I replied and sat in front of him.

There was a silence, and I started to sweat.

Especially when I saw him looking at me with a smile on his face. I don't like to be in such a situation where others hold all the cards, but it has been the reality of my life.

"Thank you for the gift, Lord Rutto," he said finally.

"I should be one thanking you, my lord, for what you have given me. It was truly generous of you," I replied, but the young man shook his head.

"I had paid you only a fraction of what they were worth," he said, it utterly shocked me.

I expected them to be valuable but never expected to be worth a hundred Grade III bottles and now he is telling me, they are worth far more.

I had read those books, and they didn't feel any different from the other books on the aura we had in our library before my father sold them all.

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The only thing I found interesting about those books is the writer.

"It was kind of you to say that my lord," I said diplomatically, with my heart beating. This man wants something, it is clear in his eyes; he isn't even hiding it.

Seeing me, looking. The smile on his face widened a little further.

"I have an offer for you. If you have any rare books, I am willing to buy them above the market price in complete secrecy," he said and slid the scroll toward me.

I looked at him, before taking the brown scroll in hand and opening it.

Immediately, I felt the power from the scroll. It had the power of the legacy and skill attached to it. The material of the leather is also expensive.

It is the quality used for powerful agreements.

I read the texts, and my heart couldn't help, but skip a beat.

'He knows,' I thought.

Though it didn't surprise me. Anyone with intelligence and information about me will be able to make the connection by seeing the books.

The contract is simple. He asked me to sell him books and him alone.

Once I sell to him. I cannot sell them to anyone without his explicit permission.

I read it over and over each word before I put it down and took the pen before signing it. When I looked at him, there was a surprise on his face.

"You didn't have to sign it immediately, Lord Rutto," said the man a moment later.

"It was a fair deal, my lord," I replied.

It is for this very reason that I sent him the books. I wanted money and the first books were a gift, I was planning to sell other ones to him.

Instead, he provided a hundred bottles of emotional essence for the gift.

It is a great opportunity for me. Silver isn't forcing me and he is paying a fair price.

Right now in my situation, it didn't matter if he was giving a fair price or not.

What mattered that he didn't send me to the dungeon and tortured everything out of me? That would happen with other nobles on the mainland and almost everywhere.

For me, that hundred bottles are more than enough. I could live off them in luxury for decades.

If I invested wisely, even for my whole life.

So, I signed the contract, which will bind me to Silver. Now, he will be responsible for my protection. If someone came to know about the skill, it would be his job to protect me.

"I have another offer for you, Lord Rutto," he said, breaking me out of my thoughts.

...…..

"I don't think I could give you anything my lord," said the man to which I smiled.

He is nervous but excited. I am excited too.

The books are amazing. I am currently in the first book and haven't even finished half of it as those are not the books you could read quickly.

"You can, I said," I replied, and the man looked.

"I want you to work for me, Lord Rutto," I stated my offer and the man's face showed his shock.

"I already have a job, my lord," he replied. Once again, I smiled.

"You have it for now, but it won't be yours for long, Lord Rutto. I have already been informed by your bosses about their intention to replace you," I informed.

He seemed to be aware of that already, as there was no surprise, but anger rose to his face.

"Though if you want to keep your job. I could request it from the Prime Minister. I believe he will listen to me, but I think, it will be a better choice to work for me,"

"I will give you a job on par with your standing. It is a respectful job with responsibility," I offered.

He seemed stunned by it and took a while to calm himself down.

"Can you give me some time to think about it, my lord?" he asked.

"I will give you a week, Lord Rutto," I replied to him. The man nodded and got up before walking out of the office.

I hope he agrees. I need him in my control. If he has the kind of inheritance skill that Bell suspects. Then he would be tremendously useful to me.

A job will keep him in my control and will also give him opportunities to level up.

If he accepts, I am going to give him some responsibilities. The man is a little demure, but he can be spontaneous and has the guts to take risks.

He demonstrated his spontaneity when he sold everything to get the guardianship job. The risks, he took with the gift of the books and the contract he signed instantaneously.

It would be unwise to let go of such a person.

Hours passed as I met a few people and attended meetings.

"Connect me to him," I said to Shaun as the clock ticked four.

It had been four days with my people talking to him, but nothing came out of it. Instead, the man went out and captured a second group of people.

I am talking about Count Igalad.

I took Shuans hand, and after a few seconds, the spell connected with the other side.

"Count Igalad," I greeted the man.

There was absolute silence from the other end. If I hadn't been feeling the mana, I would have thought the spell had been deactivated.

'Lord Silver,' spoke the man finally.

"I hope you are well, Lord Count," I said. I wanted to move directly to the main point but decided to do a simple pleasantry before that.

'I am Lord Silver,' He replied curtly.

Hearing that, I sighed internally. This won't be easy, but I need him to fall in line.

"I hope you will release the people you have captured from Viscount Taris and Baron Lomivas' territory," I requested politely.

'I can't do that. They are runaways.' The man replied.

"They are not runaways, Lord Count. They were from the territories of two nobles whose territory had been captured. I am within my rights to hire them," I refuted.

'To me, they are runaways and I will deal with them according to the laws of the empire and my territory,' he said.

"Can I not do anything to make you release them?" I asked. 'Unfortunately, you cannot,' he replied with a derisive chuckle.

Hearing that, I sighed visibly.

"Then you left me no choice, Lord Count," I said, and he laughed.

"What are you going to do, little lord?" he asked, insulting me. I am not angry. Why would I be? When I have something interesting planned.

"Poach your men, of course," I replied, and he laughed loudly.

"Be my guest, but let me tell you, no men of mine will come to your territory. No matter how much money or emotional essence you offer," he said, with clear anger in his voice.

He is fearful of that and already taking precautions. Keeping eyes on people who could leave.

"I may not, but your enemies could. I am going to sell them a lot of essences and going to do it cheaply with the condition, that they poach your men," I threatened.

"I am very sure, they will be more than ready to accept these conditions. Some had already contacted me about that on their own," I added a moment later.

The reply came immediately. He cut the call.