Chapter 95 : Chapter 95
Chapter 95. Cicero
“The trail of the Corruption Cult has also gone cold. I truly have no reason to remain in Winter City any longer,” Reynard replied directly.
He fell silent for a moment, as if recalling something.
Reynard took a small crystal vial from his pack.
Inside the vial was some white powder.
It was the same substance he had found earlier in Jefferson’s room.
“Keep an eye on this.”
Reynard handed the crystal vial to Logaris.
“I found this in the room of that boy named Jefferson when I was clearing out Herman’s manor.”
“I do not know exactly what it is, but my instincts tell me it is dangerous.”
A trace of disgust appeared in Reynard’s golden eyes, though even he did not seem to notice it.
“Many years ago, when I was still very young, I think I saw something similar.”
“But I cannot remember where.”
“I only remember that wherever it appeared, nothing good followed.”
He looked at Logaris and spoke in a tone that left no room for doubt.
“There must be a serious problem behind this thing. You had better take it seriously.”
Hearing this, Logaris’s expression did not change much.
“Do not worry.”
“Before you even discovered it, I had already examined it with Revelatory Divination.”
“This thing is a highly refined alchemical drug that directly affects a person’s mind and soul. It is extremely addictive. Once someone becomes dependent on it, even the gods could not save them.”
Logaris’s voice remained calm.
“I have already ordered Sylvia’s Shadow Guard to investigate its source with full effort.”
When Reynard heard that Logaris had already made arrangements and recognized the severity of the matter, the tension in his expression finally eased slightly.
He nodded and said nothing more.
“That is good.”
Reynard turned and strode out of the guest room.
There were no farewells and no polite words.
Moments later, a black steed burst out of the side gate of the Governor’s Residence.
Facing the raging wind and snow, it galloped toward the gates of Winter City and soon disappeared into the vast whiteness.
…
Not long afterward.
Far away in the eastern region of the kingdom, in the port city of Seabreeze City.
This was the most prosperous trade hub of the Astrelia Kingdom, completely different from the grim and tense atmosphere of Winter City in the Northern Territory.
At the docks, massive Magitech cranes were lifting cargo from all over the world, producing deep rumbling sounds.
On the streets, fashionable merchants with gleaming hair slicked back with pomade could be seen everywhere. Beside them walked strangely dressed bodyguards from foreign races as they loudly discussed deals worth tens of thousands of Golden Lion Coins.
The air was filled with the salty smell of the sea, the soot from Magitech steam engines, and the strange mixture of various spices.
Even the architecture here differed greatly from that of the kingdom’s inland regions.
There were no towering Gothic spires.
Instead, the city adopted a more open and bright architectural style influenced by the United States of Meriga.
Huge floor-to-ceiling windows, spacious balconies, and brightly colored outer walls painted with alchemical dyes all demonstrated the vitality and wealth of the city.
On one such bustling commercial street stood a law office whose sign looked strangely out of place.
“Cicero Legal Consulting Office.”
There were no extravagant decorations.
Only a plaque carved from fine golden nanmu wood, its lettering elegant and restrained.
At that moment, the atmosphere inside the office’s reception room was rather tense.
A young noble dressed in expensive silk slammed his hand angrily on the table, his face flushed.
“This is outrageous! You merchants are nothing but bandits!”
“The contract clearly says three thousand gold coins. Why should I suddenly pay another one thousand gold coins as a ‘risk deposit’?”
Sitting across from him was a large merchant with a bulky body and ten fingers adorned with gemstone rings.
He held a cup of tea, blowing gently across its surface with a faintly mocking smile.
“Baron Philip, you should not say such things.”
“The contract clearly states that all terms follow the 《Unified General Maritime Code》. Article Thirty-Seven of the code clearly requires a risk deposit for transporting artwork valued above five thousand gold coins. Your batch of antique vases is certainly worth more than five thousand, is it not?”
“I…”
Baron Philip was left speechless.
How was he supposed to understand some ridiculous 《Unified General Maritime Code》?
Just as the two men were about to break into another argument, a calm and magnetic voice interrupted them.
“Gentlemen, please calm yourselves. Have some tea. There is no problem that cannot be resolved by sitting down and discussing it.”
The one who spoke was the owner of the office, Cicero.
He looked to be around thirty-five or thirty-six years old.
He was handsome, with neatly groomed short dark-brown hair and faint smile lines at the corners of his eyes that added a mature charm.
The most eye-catching thing about him was his impeccably tailored dark gray three-piece suit in the Meriga style, paired with a sapphire-blue tie. Even the finest tailors of the royal capital would struggle to produce such a perfectly fitted cut.
He had a carefully trimmed beard and carried the elegant composure of an elite intellectual.
Cicero first turned toward Baron Philip and said with a gentle smile,
“Your Lordship, your generosity and reputation are well known throughout Seabreeze City. It would truly be a pity if such a minor misunderstanding in the contract were to damage your dignity.”
With a single sentence, he gave the noble ample respect.
Baron Philip’s expression softened slightly.
Then Cicero turned to the large merchant.
“Mister Garcia, your mastery of commercial law is impressive even to me. However, you may have overlooked a supplementary clause within the Astrelia Kingdom’s Noble Law.”
“When conducting transactions with a titled noble, any additional contractual terms must be clearly communicated verbally. Otherwise, the noble has the right to refuse the additional clause.”
Merchant Garcia’s smile froze.
Of course he knew this law.
He simply had not expected that this man who looked like a gentleman from Meriga would also know the kingdom’s legal system so thoroughly.
Cicero picked up his coffee cup and took a slow sip before continuing calmly.
“Of course, we are all respectable people. Bringing this matter to court would harm everyone’s reputation.”
“I have a suggestion.”
“Mister Garcia, you could change this one thousand gold coin ‘risk deposit’ into a ‘priority loading and unloading service fee.’ This would maintain commercial logic while also avoiding legal risks.”
“And Your Lordship,” he turned back toward Baron Philip, “by paying this fee, you would be purchasing faster and safer service. At the same time, you would also establish a good relationship with a powerful merchant like Mister Garcia. Is that not beneficial for everyone?”
“Most importantly, the total amount of the contract remains three thousand gold coins. As for the one thousand gold coin service fee, we can draft it as a supplementary agreement. I will personally prepare the document to ensure everything is flawless.”
The entire solution flowed smoothly like a perfectly executed combination of moves.
It preserved the noble’s dignity, ensured the merchant received his money, and conveniently promoted Cicero’s own services.
Baron Philip and Garcia looked at each other, both seeing the same expression of astonishment in the other’s eyes.
So this could actually work?
In the end, both men gladly accepted the solution.
Before leaving, each of them placed a heavy purse on the table.
“Mister Cicero, your wisdom is truly admirable!”
“If I ever have legal problems again, you will be the only person I consult!”