Chương 241: Chapter 240: Approved

City Hall, Owlspring"What do we do about this?" the middle-aged man asked his superior as he opened the next file. It was not the first time he had opened it—only the first time he could no longer postpone the decision. Nearly four weeks had passed.

"I have the answer from my superior. We are approving the application," said the old man across from him. The middle-aged man couldn't hide his surprise. Brothels were delicate subjects—especially when applicants came from foreign states. They were classified under the scarlet category, which meant they could be used for information gathering. Licenses were revoked immediately if that was discovered, followed by severe punishment. This application was from Greltheaven.

Though the city had agreements with it, that didn't guarantee approval. The process was always long—especially for scarlet-category businesses.

"It is quite surprising," the middle-aged man said. A quota had already been assigned to the cities, and Greltheaven had filled its allotment. By regulation, no further approvals should have been granted.

"Not surprising, given the man behind the application," the old man replied.

"He's only a small-time adviser. Is it his family?" the middle-aged man asked. The House of Silver was wealthy, and merchant cities had a fondness for deep pockets.

"No, not the family. The work he has done."

"He favors stronger ties with merchant states, lower taxes, and several other policies we want," the old man said with a faint smile. Understanding dawned on the middle-aged man's face. Cities and states always favored those who aligned with their interests.

"I will approve it," he said, stamping the file and placing it into the approved section. Agent of Experience Lv. 22"Mister Silver, we have arrived," Zela informed, waking me. I opened my eyes and saw the notification hovering before me. A smile spread across my face. I had leveled up. It surprised me. I hadn't leveled when I secured a record number of contracts earlier—I had expected it then. Perhaps something had shifted behind the scenes, or I had simply crossed the threshold now.

Whatever the reason, I welcomed the attribute point. After a moment's thought, I added it to Charm, bringing it to sixteen. Charm was already my highest attribute—four points higher than Intelligence. Most people invested in physical stats, even non-combat classes. Very few prioritized Charm above all else. But its effects, though subtle, grew powerful past certain thresholds—and most of my skills relied on it. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

I stepped out of the carriage with a smile at Zela and boarded the waiting boat. The shoreline had developed rapidly in recent months. Trade with Navr had brought prosperity; infrastructure rose where once there had been nothing. Even the surrounding baronies and lauryl benefitted from the flow of goods. I watched the night sky as we crossed. Soon, I reached the opposite shore and entered the waiting carriage. The girls had wanted to greet me, but I had told them not to.

They had better things to do than wait at the docks. It was still an hour before dawn, yet the port was already alive—ships arriving, cargo being unloaded, wagers being placed on incoming goods. Today felt different. Exactly one year ago, I had arrived in this city full of anger and disappointment. Now I felt hope. Next year, I intended to be even further ahead. The carriage entered the city gates as the streets began to stir with early activity. Fifteen minutes later, we stopped before the manor.

I chose not to visit the establishment—it would be quiet at this hour. Better to rest before a long day. Click. When I entered my suite, I found a surprise waiting. Carla lay asleep on the bed, covered only by a thin silk sheet. I approached quietly, taking in the peaceful sight of her. For a moment, I forgot about rest entirely. I brushed the sheet aside and leaned down, placing a gentle kiss on her. She stirred beneath the touch, shifting closer without opening her eyes.

Soft laughter escaped me as she reached for me, pulling me down beside her. The quiet room filled with warmth as we lost ourselves in each other's presence, the outside world fading away. Time slipped by unnoticed. When we finally rose, hours had passed. I was late for my meeting with the Count by a few minutes—but he was occupied elsewhere, and the meeting began half an hour later. It lasted over an hour, followed by another two spent in the office setting targets and plans.

Now, as vice-director of trade, I had a clear agenda. At the top of my list: bringing more cities into trade with Navr—especially Deerpond. I would also expand beyond the Renwell region. It was ambitious, but necessary. It would benefit both the city and my own consulting business, which was gaining momentum thanks to Ina and Andrea. They worked tirelessly, rarely staying in Greltheaven more than a night. I felt guilty pushing them so hard—but they were the only ones I trusted.

The carriage stopped before the three-story office building. Click. I entered—and found Carla waiting. That alone was unusual. She should have been in her own office, buried in work. Instead, she looked at me with visible nervousness. Without a word, she pointed to the five letters on my desk. I activated Rapid Legs and reached them instantly. Each envelope bore a different color and seal—but all shared one mark: the merchant state of Meldhorn.

"They finally came," I said quietly. I sat down before opening the first. Halda.

"Rejected," I said, my expression tightening. The next—Nalir. Also rejected. Carla didn't ask. My face told her everything. The third letter was from Owlspring. I opened it without hope. Then I froze.

"What is it? Did they approve?" Carla asked. I nodded and handed her the letter.

"They really did. We got Owlspring!" she exclaimed. It was the most important city of all—the second largest in Meldhorn. The clientele there would surpass anything we could access elsewhere. I steadied myself and opened the next.

"Ilaus accepted," I said. Carla's eyes widened. Then the final letter—from Taveb.

"Taveb accepted too," I said in disbelief. Moments ago, we had faced rejection. Now, three approvals stood before us.

"It will be very expensive," Carla said seriously. I nodded. Greltheaven was small—barely one hundred fifty thousand residents. Each of these cities was more than ten times larger and located in costly merchant states.

"It will be expensive," I agreed, "but the opportunity is too great to ignore." Each approval came with a condition. We had six months to establish operations—or the licenses would be revoked. One month alone would be spent securing sub-licenses and compliance. Such strict timelines applied only to scarlet-category businesses. Six months was not long. But I would make it enough. I had to. Because this was only the beginning of what I intended to build.