TFA1 6.4 - This Child Is A Catastrophe

Diplomatic Detention Center, West Gate Registration Office

At first Osvik was angry because he was being forcibly detained. However, his anger greatly subsided after he tasted various delicacies that the Registration Office had served for him. He even had a chance to squeeze the provocative butt of the young woman who was said to be the Head of the Registration Office. Therefore, Osvik's heart was filled with joy right now.

'Well, that's her fault for wearing sexy clothes.' 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 totally 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 security of Registration Office saluted the man in the front, Osvik concluded that he must be had a quite high position.

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

Osvik didn't expect that he would meet with the highest leader of Amethyst Merchant so quickly. In an instant, his heart jumped to the sky. 'It seems they understand my importance.'

"Venerable Ser Osvik, welcome to Magwurt City." In a friendly tone Lt. Colonel Slane shook Osvik's hand and hugged him as if he was his best friend.

"Venerable Maester, welcome to Magwurt City."

Lt. Colonel Slane also greeted and hugged the three Maesters who stood behind Osvik as if they were his closest relatives. After that, he sat on the sofa across 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’s representative along with the equipment he got from Amethyst Merchant."

Lt. Colonel Slane tapped his finger on the armrest before speaking, "I don't know why Old Man Dourk handed over it to Ser Osvik, but he is only allowed to return the position of Amethyst Merchant’s representative only to me."

'Contract? Why did 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 matter? If Ser Slane gives me the right to circulate Amethyst Merchant's commodities, I guarantee it will smoothly enter Makai Royal City."

Lt. Colonel 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’s 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 pay for its 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, Amethyst Merchant would send someone to repair it, but I took the initiative to bring it here. So, shouldn't you thank me?"

Lt. Colonel 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 its pipeline is 25 gold coins. As for the wall clock, I think Ser Osvik realizes that its 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 pay the replacement cost, you cannot simply raise the price or even charge the clock that you previously gave away for free."

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"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?" In an instant a huge question mark appeared on Osvik's forehead.

Slowly but surely Lt. Colonel 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 had to live on the streets like me.”

"Ser Slane….?"

"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.

Even so, I had accepted my fate. I thought 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 then, I was caught by a young noble whose face, hair, gaze, nose, and manner of speech are very similar to yours.

He had beaten me until I almost died. However, once again, I was saved by the man who previously gave me bread, who turned out to be the cook at Castle Walluo.

After that, an adventurer merchant took me and brought me to travel from one continent to another. He also educated me to become a merchant. He has a very large trading business and I got a pretty good position. In short, after I returned his 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 Castle Walluo. Ironically, he was being kicked out from castle for giving leftover food to street children too often. But it doesn't matter if he 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 equipment and your attitude toward Old Man Dourk."

At first, Osvik had doubted Lt. Colonel Slane's long life story. The problem was, Lt. Colonel Slane had a natural talent for lying that he had honed it until it surpassed the level of a Hollywood veteran. Moreover, 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 them harsh punishments.

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 that worth a few mid-tier farmland was given away for free.

Even so, in the end Osvik insisted that Lt. Colonel 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 was never happened.

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

"Thank you for your understanding and generous praise, Ser Osvik," Lt. Colonel Slane said cheerfully before turning his gaze to Rutim. "Rutim, how is Lucca?"

Rutim did not understand why Lt. Colonel Slane suddenly asked about Lucca. Moreover, she was still deeply contemplating on Lt. Colonel Slane's past which shook her heart so hard.

So she stuttered a little before answering, "L-Lu-Lucca is well and now he was preparing himself for mid-year exams."

"I'm happy to hear that."

Lt. Colonel 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. Take Lucca and William to a dinner, and forget about unpleasant experience you had this afternoon. Also, don't stop wearing sexy clothes."

"... Ser Slane?"

Rutim was dumbfounded while Lt. Colonel Slane put the five gold coins into her. She had no chance to refuse it, 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. Colonel Slane's hand while muttering, 'Why is the money bag so similar to mine?'

Osvik and the three Maesters immediately found the answer after they checked their waist, and found 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. Colonel Slane was a pickpocket.

Osvik immediately forced a smile before saying, "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 money bag in your hand, did you possibly find it by the side of the road on the way here?"

"Ser Osvik, do you means this money bag?"

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

"I really don't know that this money bag looks similar to yours. But these money bags were gifts from distant friends when they visited here. So, I can guarantee you 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 personally.

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

'This child is a catastrophe.'

*****