The Night Rose

Chapter 13

Silas was so excited and was experiencing such a thrill. He was rushing his way to meet Arwin that he didn't saw the people, so he ended up bumping into lots of objects and people without caring about them and just getting up and continuing running.

He says carefreely, “Sorry about that; I’m about to meet someone truly remarkable!”

Everyone looked at him- all were estranged, but he didn’t care. Silas has his eyes set on meeting Arwin. Finally, when he got to the office, he barged inside, making the employees jump up for their seats, scaring some of them completely. They were remarking, “You scared the crap out of us. Why are you here?”

The guards automatically threw their weapons out, but when they saw that Silas was unarmed, they placed their swords in halfway on their scabbard, ready to draw them at any time if Silas would show any signs of hostility.

Silas was welcomed with protests, “Silas, what the hell was that? Do you know you can use the doors like normal people do and not scare us? Well, if you don’t know, now you know!."

One of the employees said while showing an angry face at Silas, “We have work to do here! You’re a hindrance.”

"Bram, I finally found myself a captain! Me, I finally did it!" Silas couldn't hide his excitement while showing a paper at Bram's face.

Silas was doing his silly victory dance, so Bram tried to calm him down.

"Calm down, Silas, and sit down, and after five minutes, you can repeat it! Right now, you keep yapping words, and you aren't making any sense. I cannot understand what you are saying for the love of God. Calm down now!" Bram finally got angry towards Silas’ behavior and shouted out loudly.

Silas pauses for a while; he suddenly turned meek and scratched his head before saying.

"Sorry? But I did do it. Bram, remember the old steamship I bought a long time ago? And my dream with it?” Silas was lost in his thoughts as he continued, “I think, and I really have a strong feeling about this- it's finally becoming real! Just look at this person's answers; just look at them."

Silas reluctantly gave Arwin's test answers to Bram and then continued, "I don't know how can Northguard throw a skilled person like him out from the guild. He even seems that he arrived just not a long time ago and look at his age, isn't he just a prodigy?” Silas was so excited that he just kept talking and praising Arwin; he really feels a significant change coming towards his way, and whether it was a good change or not didn’t matter at the time for Silas. All he could think of was the bright plans he had for Arwin.

Bram replied just after he finishes reading the whole paper, “You are right; he could definitely make your dreams come true and improve your company.” He continued with his strategy and plans as if he was playing chess. He’s laying each chess piece perfectly; he explains, “As of now, you are the only company that sells steam her- powering up most of the buildings and machines of our towns, but at the demands increase, it’s been a pain in the ass to supply them their need.it's quite a hard without an airship, pilot, and mechanic.”

A hint of a smile is visible on Bram’s cheeks as he concludes, “ Everything changes now; you just upped the playing field. Now, you seem to get both of them in the same package, so luck is on your side! Are you sure that you aren't blessed by the gods or that you didn't sell your soul to the demons for your cursed luck?"

Bram continued to read once again Arwin’s answers; he couldn’t believe his eyes, such a young man with great renown exist somewhere and what are the odds that Silas himself found this young man, he asked out, "So what do you want to do with this prodigy of yours? If this is true, and he is as skilled as he seems to be by these answers, what then?"

Silas smirked as he envisioned his plans, “I want to register him as a citizen and make him the card that I can hire him immediately and get the benefits that only citizens get.”

Silas pauses a while as he looked beyond the horizon of what tomorrow promise. He smiled and continued, “So, I'm ready to make this gamble and pay the citizenship for him and make it easier for him. As you already know, some people have worked for over two years and still don't have enough money to pay for citizenship, but if I wouldn't do this, I might lose him to another guild or company.

And without the citizenship, he wouldn't be that free to move or get house etc. from here that easily." Silas started to explain everything to Bram, who already regretted asking as he knew Silas could talk hours and hours of he was in that mood.

But he felt a tremendous shiver down his spine. He was absolutely terrified and amazed upon seeing Silas’ determined eyes. It’s been a long time since he saw those eyes. Bram felt small compared to him; he smirked and stopped Silas from talking.

Bram scratches his head and looks away; he said, “ So basically, I just have to register him as a citizen, give him the Identification card, and you pay for everything, right?"

“Bingo! Yes, that is it. I'm not asking anything else from you, and yes, I will pay it; it was around ten gold coins, right?" Silas agreed as he snaps his finger in excitement

"Hey, now, did you think I was born yesterday? Your scams won’t work on me.” Bram continued, “No, it's fifty nowadays as more and more people are coming on this beautiful continent, and we have a limited amount of houses and benefits we can give out.”

“45?” Silas tried to bargain.

“As you know, that card gives you the right to freely buy a house from here and move out to the city to hunt or do work without need to pay the tax.” Bram explained with a smirk, “Then it also gives you a lower tax from selling and buying items, and we are planning to add even more benefits later on to it.

So we cannot just give these out to anyone, so now only those that do have skills or are beneficial for the town and the growth of it are getting these.”

“Okay, okay! I get it.” Silas groaned

“So, are you still ready to take the gamble and pay the sum of not?" Gram asked again from Silas.

"I came this far even if he isn't that good and lied, then I will make him work to the death to pay the sum he owes me, so yes, I will pay it out," Silas said and then continued, “Send the bill at the company, my pretty assistant will pay you.”

Bram has second thought, and Silas daw through him; he patted Bram’s back and said, “I’ll pay! Just not now as I don’t casually carry fifty gold coins around. I will then pay it later this today or this week.

"Okay, Silas, and yeah, I know the feeling. I still remember how practical it was to carry spatial bags around and store things there, but now you have to carry everything by hand.” Bram shares his troubles, “I still sometimes haven't gotten used to it, especially when we always use the copper, silver, and gold coins here. It would be so much easier if someone would invent just one coin type or something like paper money as yes, I only have eighty silver coins at my pouch and the copper and gold coins top of it."

Gram continued ranting as he was finishing up the paperwork. Silas was smirking, but he didn’t show; he thought to himself, ‘Got you.’ Silas has always been good at manipulating people into doing what he wants.

It was his gift. He had a way with words and people.

"But oh well, enough of that. Here is the identification card and all of the legal paperwork. Please remember to bring this Arwin later on here that we can bind the card only for him and place his face in here to make it legitimate.." Gram said and giving everything at Silas.

"Thank you so much, Gram, and as I said, send the bill at the company, and I will pay it," Silas said while taking the papers and the card from Gram.

"See ya later, then Silas, and take care." Gram waved out, and Silas waved back while exiting from the office.