Chapter 96 : Chapter 96
Chapter 96. The Big Contract
After seeing the client out, Cicero returned to his desk.
He poured the gold coins from the two money pouches onto the table and skillfully stacked them into two small golden hills.
A satisfied smile appeared on his face.
After all, making money was nothing to be ashamed of.
Especially when it was earned with one’s brain.
Just then.
WHOOSH—
A black shadow pierced through the spotless floor-to-ceiling window without making the slightest sound.
A completely black paper crane fluttered its wings and landed precisely on the desk in front of him, stopping neatly between the two piles of gold coins.
The handwriting on the letter was bold and flowing, carrying Reynard’s distinctive sharp style.
Although the message was concise, it contained a great deal of information.
The letter roughly explained that a high-ranking official at the Governor’s Residence in the Northern Territory urgently needed a professional who was proficient in law, familiar with the legal codes of many nations, and politically reliable.
Reynard bluntly stated in the letter that the only “respectable gentleman” he could think of who met all the requirements was Cicero.
He described it as a “big contract” and urged Cicero to head there as soon as possible.
Cicero patiently continued reading.
At the end of the letter, there was an additional line written in a completely different, messy handwriting style, clearly added as a teasing remark.
“The payment is generous enough to send your little princess to the best school and still double the size of your wife’s wardrobe. The client works closely with the Northern Princess, so it is reliable.”
“….”
After finishing the letter, Cicero briefly showed a helpless smile.
So after all that, it was not a cry for help.
That brat was selling out his teammate!
However, he quickly set aside the joking thought and began thinking seriously, rubbing the neatly trimmed stubble on his chin.
This commission was probably not just about money.
The Northern Territory…
Was that not the domain of Princess Sylvia, whose reputation had recently spread throughout the entire kingdom?
Cicero’s mind began working rapidly.
First there had been the sensational auction of Fleeting Youth that shook the entire nation.
It was said to have raised an astronomical investment fund, and the entire Northern Territory had now entered a phase of rapid development.
Even earlier than that, the local powerhouse of their eastern coastal city, the August family known as the “Golden Griffin,” had made an unprecedented large-scale deal with the Northern Territory, directly mobilizing strategic resources for transport.
Behind all these operations, the contracts, clauses, and financial transactions involved would inevitably create a huge demand for legal consultation.
“Daddy!”
The door of the law office suddenly burst open, and a soft childish voice interrupted his thoughts.
An eleven-year-old girl wearing a white princess dress and possessing brilliant golden hair ran in like a little butterfly and threw herself into his arms.
“Daddy, where did the story end today? Is the dragon-slaying knight about to marry the princess?”
The little girl looked up at him with sparkling sapphire-like eyes filled with expectation.
Cicero’s sharp, calculating lawyer demeanor melted instantly.
He picked up his daughter and kissed her chubby cheek.
“Of course. But before marrying the princess, the knight has to help her organize the account books first. Otherwise, the princess’s castle will be emptied by villains.”
“Huh? A knight has to know accounting too?”
“Of course. A knight who cannot manage accounts cannot protect his own princess.”
Just as the father and daughter laughed together, a graceful and beautiful woman walked in carrying a tray.
She placed a plate of sliced fruit and a cup of warm milk on the table with gentle movements.
“You have been busy all day. Take a break.”
Her eyes were filled with tenderness when she looked at her husband.
But when her gaze fell on the black letter in Cicero’s hand, a faint trace of worry appeared in her eyes.
She knew that her husband had once lived through a dangerous period of reckless youth.
Cicero sensed his wife’s unease.
He set their daughter down, took his wife’s hand, and gently patted it.
“Do not worry. It is not what you think.”
He explained softly.
“An old friend has introduced me to a business opportunity.”
After reassuring his family, Cicero returned alone to his study.
He unfolded a huge map of the Astrelia Kingdom and slid his finger across it until it finally stopped at the northernmost city—Winter City.
He began analyzing carefully.
He understood Reynard’s character very well.
That man never lied.
If he said the reward was generous, then it certainly would not be a small amount.
The current situation in the Northern Territory was filled with reform and opportunity.
For a top legal expert, it was the perfect stage to demonstrate his abilities.
More importantly…
Cicero’s gaze became distant.
He thought about his daughter’s future.
He hoped she could enter the kingdom’s finest academy, Saint Arcadia Academy, and receive the best education available.
However, the tuition of that academy was outrageously expensive.
Unless one was the sort of once-in-a-thousand-years genius whom professors fought to admit with full scholarships, it was an enormous burden for any family.
For a more comfortable life for his family and a brighter future for his daughter, he had to earn this money.
Go.
He had to go.
He must visit the Northern Territory and see it for himself.
Once that thought appeared in his mind, it could no longer be suppressed.
He wanted to personally inspect the situation and see exactly how valuable this “big contract” really was.
Early the next morning, before dawn.
Cicero packed a simple suitcase.
Inside it he placed a thick copy of Essentials of the Astrelia Kingdom Legal Code, several heavy winter clothes suitable for the severe cold of the Northern Territory, and a compact revolver manufactured in the Meriga Federation.
He leaned down and gently kissed his sleeping daughter on the forehead.
Then he lingered briefly beside his wife’s lips.
“Wait for me to come back.”
He said softly.
Afterward, he turned and left the house without hesitation, heading alone toward the magitech train station of Seabreeze City.
…
At the same time, Winter City, Governor’s Residence.
Logaris looked at the mountain of case files piled in front of him and felt as if his head was about to explode.
He irritably grabbed his hair, causing his rimless glasses to tilt to one side.
The temporary decree he had issued about “conflict-of-interest recusal” had indeed produced immediate results—damn it all!
As soon as the decree was announced, more than eighty percent of the old personnel in the entire judicial system were suspended for investigation.
Now things had become troublesome.
The citizens applauded enthusiastically, but every single backlog case now had to be retried.
The workload had not decreased.
Instead, it had increased dramatically, and everything ended up piled onto the desk of him, the Acting Chief Judicial Officer.
“Lord Logaris!”
A temporary assistant walked in cautiously while holding a stack of new reports.
“My lord, this is the latest public sentiment report. Ever since you implemented the new decree and delivered fair judgments in the ‘Bakery Owner Seizing an Orphan’s Property Case’ and the ‘Textile Factory Owner Withholding Workers’ Wages Case,’ the public response has been extremely enthusiastic!”
The assistant’s voice carried a hint of excitement.
“Now crowds of commoners gather outside the Governor’s Residence every day voluntarily, praising you and Princess Sylvia! They say Winter City has finally welcomed a truly just and upright official!”
Logaris listened with a blank expression.
A just and upright official?
Oh, give me a break!
All I want is to go back to working on my magitech cannons!
He snatched the report and flipped through it roughly.
It was full of useless praise and flattery, which only made his headache worse.