Chapter 5: Beginning

The ravenette doesn't know if Marshal was flirting with him or if he was just honest like that, "I-I see..." Jerome could only reply, of course he was flustered.

"I always wanted to celebrate festivals... The North is too cold to hold any. The closer we could have is the Klausentemum." Marshal added, making the latter realize that the white haired man was just honest.

Klausentemum is a lot like Christmas in Kevin's world, but it was celebrated on the 13th of the month. This event is on late summer and early winter where Chrysanthemums bloomed and became a symbol of happiness and well-being.

Jerome had to adjust greatly with how months and days are different from his world as well as how surreal it was that some of the holidays are almost the same.

"Are you that against dancing with me, my lord?" The shorter looked up at Marshal who was smiling down at him as he asked the same question again.

The ravenette assumed that the latter must've heard Liao calling him lord.

"I'm not a lord yet."

"Yet..." Marshal chuckled, "I assume you plan to be."

"Yes." Jerome immediately answered.

The white haired man can tell that the latter was sincere just from that short answer alone, he could notice the the determination it carried when he answered.

Soon, the social dance ended and they bowed to each other.

"Well then, I hope to meet you soon as a lord..." The white haired man smiled to the shorter.

"Thank you..." The latter could only mutter, he didn't want to admit it but Marshal was too handsome that he gets stunned.

"If you don't mind—"

Before Marshal could ask Jerome's name, which they forgot to ask from each other, the black haired boy was swept by Liao as soon as the dance ended.

"That was incredible, my lord! The way you stomped on the man's foot was quite the entertainment!" The Eastern man chuckled as he dragged Jerome by his shoulder to who knows where.

Even the ravenette wasn't able to say goodbye and just sighed, "Liao, you do know it's quite rude to just pull me away from a conversation, right?"

The older seemed confused, "Oh! I didn't notice... I apologize. The people were starting to gather at the center again that I thought it would be fine to do so."

Jerome could sense that Liao really didn't mean to be rude this time, so he just smiled, "Well, I had fun... I have to admit that."

This made the Eastern man beam a smile, "I knew you would! We should do this again sometime!"

The next night, after Jerome quit his work at the tavern, he met Liao in the private room to discuss about the papers regarding the mine and the shop.

"I have been waiting..." The Eastern man stated with only a candle to light the room, it was illuminating only the lower part of Liao's face to make him more intimidating.

The younger opened the lights (which was powered by magic gems) and ignored the older's roleplaying making him pout.

Jerome sat down and crossed his arms.

If someone entered the room, one might think that Jerome was the older one between them.

Liao cleared his throat and prepared the deed to transfer them to the younger, the papers have magic and can bind one person depending on the conditions of the contract.

Once the Eastern man gave the papers to Jerome, he read them carefully and thoroughly, "You're only asking for a 10% share?" The younger raised an eyebrow at the smiling narrowed-eyed man.

"I only have one condition." Liao pointed at one part of the contract.

"The client should only do what they agreed to... If the client became nothing as the contractor expected him to be, then the contract will be nulled." Jerome don't know if the older was serious about that condition or not since it was pretty simple.

"I get my entertainment, you get to be a noble." The Eastern man shrugged with a smile.

"Then our contract will be over once I became boring but not when I become a noble?"

"Precisely." Liao kept his smile, tilting his head.

Thinking about it, it was actually quite a challenge to keep this man entertained. Jerome doesn't even know how he does it but he guess he'll just act like his usual self instead of overthinking it.

The younger shrugged before signing, the paper glowed that signified the seal of their deal.

"Then congratulations, Lord Jerome Wright. Owner of Rosen Gems." Liao smiled and kept the contract before offering his hand for the latter to shake.

Jerome shook his hand with a smile.

"You can start tomorrow."

The Eastern man's statement made the latter blink in shock.

"What about the furniture?

"Already at the shop."

"The gems."

"Mined."

"The jewelries?"

"Initial designs are already done, you could talk to the jewelry maker for any alterations."

Jerome sighed, Liao was far more excited than he was but he was confused about one thing.

"I know I said that I wanted to make magical jewelries from the magical artifacts but how did you manage to do that in a short time? Magical gems are wild and could harm the jewelry maker if it's not handled carefully." The younger asked, that's why he was initially shocked that he was opening the shop as soon as possible.

"At first I hired an expert to handle it with caution, of course I already thought ahead of you, my lord. However, they said that the gems were already tamed when they saw them straight from the cave."

"Tamed?"

"Yes, a magical gem once cut may either emit a magical field but the ones that we saw were once wild but suddenly tamed. It may be because of you." Liao chuckled softly.

"Spare me the pleasantries." Jerome sighed but he was immediately contradicted.

"Oh I'm not, I felt it when we left. The magic in that cave was actually quite strong and I thought that the reason you passed out was because you cannot handle it, but it was proven wrong when you suddenly went inside the cave and came back as if it didn't affect you." The Eastern man explained, smiling while holding his chin.

"You really are quite interesting, my lord! Quite special indeed!" He added making the younger embarrassed at the sudden compliment but he became pensive.

'Maybe it was because of the Rosaria Stone?' He thought to himself.

Jerome ignored thinking about it, at least he don't need to ask a mage to make the magical gems tamed, from what he read in the novel, they could be arrogant. He knows because Rowan punched one in the story.

"Well, that's a load off my back... what about advertisements?" He added another question.

The older smirked, "On how it went well? You'll be quite surprised for tomorrow!"

Somehow, that statement made him nervous.

The next day, when Jerome arrived at his shop with Liao via carriage, there were numerous people waiting and looking inside.

The raven haired man felt nervous but he clenched his fists, thinking that his business has to be successful. He already did so much to guarantee his success, it's too late to back out now.

Once the carriage stopped and Liao guided Jerome in front of the crowd, he could make up some of the whispers that they mutter from each other.

'So, Lord Hardwicke was correct... Sir Feng chose this young man to invest to.'

'He looked incompetent, maybe he was only leeching off of Sir Feng.'

'But Sir Feng was rumored to be quite picky of the businesses he invest to.'

The words that he managed to hear gave him the motivation and confidence to show these people—noble servants, commoners and even noble themselves—that he deserved to be noticed and acknowledged.

Liao noticed the change of demeanor on the younger and gave him the space to speak.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen, you are all witnessing the grand opening of the Rosen Gems, in which Sir Liao Feng himself invested in. I have the greatest gratitude for his generosity however, this is not only from his hard work alone." Jerome looked at everyone who listened to him attentively.

"I am Jerome Wright, the mind behind this business. Introducing jewelries that not only will make you the fairest of them all but will also protect you from the dangers ahead."

The crowd began to whisper, confuse as how a jewel will do that.

Jerome cut the ribbon and opened the door to his new shop, "Everyone, gazed upon the innovation of magical gems and jewelries!"

Everyone was in shock of how the young man managed to do that.

'Aren't they wild? Do they have a mage employed? I heard only the royal family could hire mages...'

'I doubt the young man has the money for it...'

'They could be fake...'

"Oh, I doubt they're fake." Jerome smiled politely at everyone as they got inside. One of Liao's hired staff gave him a brooch, a yellow gem on it, meaning that it's for protection.

"I will have Sir Liao strike me with a sword to prove it." The young man wore the brooch on his suit and opened his arms to present himself vulnerable.

The mentioned Eastern man looked surprised but he grinned in excitement, he approached the younger who gave him the sword.

"Oh... So this is why you bought one." He looked at it, he remembered Jerome buying it at the festival.

"Please slice this apple to prove that the sword is not fake." The young man also gave it to Liao who took it, he threw it in the air and caught it with the blade of the sword.

Everyone was nervous watching what about to come, "Now that the sword's authenticity is proven, shall we proceed, Sir Liao?"

"With pleasure." Liao grinned and prepared himself to attack Jerome.

Everyone screamed in shock and panic when the blade swiftly neared the young man who closed his eyes and opened his arms.