Chapter 82: Invitation

The moment the box was uncovered, the air inside the showroom grew noticeably colder.

“What is that?” Tibbar asked, curiosity momentarily overcoming his absolute terror as he peeked over the edge of the counter.

“This is the Felis Box,” Colleen explained, her voice carrying a rare trace of gravity. “It is an ancient heirloom passed down through the Felis bloodline for over three hundred years. According to our ancestral records, it contains the lost crest seal of the first Marquis—a document that proves our family’s direct ownership of the Phoya trade routes.”

“Let me guess,” I said, stepping closer to inspect the object. “Nobody can open it.”

“Not just ‘nobody’,” Colleen corrected me, her cat ears flopping back in annoyance. “Over the last fifty years, my father has hired every grand archmage, dwarf locksmith, and master tinkerer from here to the imperial capital. They tried picking it with magic wires, blasting it with high-tier fire spells, and even dissolving the metal with acid. Nothing worked. The silver runes absorb all external mana and reflect it back twice as hard.”

She looked at me, her green eyes shining with intense expectation. “My older brother is currently trying to convince my father to hand over the family leadership to him. If I can present the original crest seal at the upcoming High Council assembly next week, my father will name me the official heir of the Felis merchant house instead.”

“So you want me to open a three-hundred-year-old magical puzzle box that the greatest archmages in the empire couldn’t crack,” I summarized flatly.

“You killed a black dragon in three seconds,” Colleen pointed out, raising an eyebrow. “Opening a tiny metal box should be child’s play for a monster like you.”

“My fee for custom opening services is very high,” I said, pulling down my magnifying loupe over my right eye.

“Name your price,” Colleen declared instantly, waving her hand dismissively. “Gold, land, rare metals, my family has more money than the imperial treasury.”

“Five hundred gold coins,” I said. “Plus, an official noble patronage badge from the House of Felis. A badge that completely exempts my workshop from local daily business taxes and prevents corrupt landlords like Kino from touching my lease.”

Tibbar let out a sharp gasp at my insane demand, but Colleen didn’t even blink.

“Deal,” Colleen said immediately. “Five hundred gold coins and my personal noble badge. But only if you open it right now, in front of my eyes. If you fail, or if you damage the contents inside, you will serve as my personal house servant for the next ten years.”

“Alright. It’s a deal,” I said.

I stepped up to the mahogany counter, looking down at the black box.

I activated my Locksmith’s Eye skill.

A wave of bright golden structural vision covered the object. Instantly, the outer layers of dark metal faded from my sight, revealing the internal mechanics of the Felis Box.

It was a masterpiece of ancient engineering.

Inside the black alloy casing sat thirty-two interlocking internal gears made of dense star-iron.

Each gear was attached to a tiny magical spring that vibrated at a specific frequency.

Surrounding the gear core were three explosive mana traps designed to detonate if any external tool pressed against the internal tumblers with forced pressure.

It wasn’t just a lock, it was a fucking kinetic bomb.

‘Whoever built this was an absolute genius,’ I thought to myself, a faint smile touching my lips. ‘Standard picking picks would trigger the pressure plates instantly. Magic spells would overload the silver runes and set off the mana traps.’

“Well?” Colleen asked, leaning over the counter with her tail twitching nervously. “Can you open it, or are you preparing your dynamic servant outfit?”

“Your family’s archmages failed because they were trying to break the lock,” I said calmly, opening my wooden tool kit and pulling out three thin silver wires and a small brass tuning fork. “A master locksmith does not fight the lock. He speaks its language.”

I picked up the brass tuning fork, struck it softly against the wooden counter, and brought the vibrating metal prong right against the side of the black box.

HUMMM…

A clear, high-pitched acoustic frequency vibrated through the dark metal. Inside my vision, I saw sixteen of the thirty-two star-iron gears align themselves in response to the sound frequency, their teeth clicking into a straight line.

“First layer unlocked,” I muttered.

I inserted two thin silver wires into the microscopic air gaps along the top edge of the box. Using my refined golden mana, I didn’t force the tumblers. I simply channeled a tiny, gentle pulse of ‘OPEN’ magic straight into the central balance spring.

Click.

The glowing silver runes on the outer surface of the box instantly flickered, changing from bright blue to a deep, calm gold.

“What is he doing?” one of the wolf guards whispered in awe, his hand flying to the hilt of his sword. “He isn’t even using a key!”

“Quiet!” Colleen snapped, her eyes glued to my hands, completely mesmerized.

I picked up my small iron hammer, tapping the corner of the black box with precise, calculated force. Three quick taps.

TAP. TAP. TAP.

The remaining sixteen star-iron gears spun rapidly inside the casing, matching the kinetic resonance of my hammer strikes.

The three explosive mana traps disengaged one by one, their dark energy draining harmlessly into the wooden counter below.

I placed my palm flat against the top of the box.

Open.

I commanded softly in my mind.

CLACK

CLICK

THUD

A heavy, satisfying mechanical sound echoed through the silent showroom. The seamless black metal top of the box split into four neat triangular sections, sliding smoothly back into the side casing like the petals of a blooming iron flower.

The Felis Box was open.

Sitting inside the velvet-lined interior of the box was a thick, yellowed parchment roll tied with a golden silk ribbon, bearing the ancient wax seal of the First Marquis of Felis.

Silence descended upon the room once again.

Colleen stood there with her mouth wide open, her pink cat ears flat against her head, staring at the open box in absolute, unadulterated shock. The two massive wolf guards looked as if their brains had completely short-circuited.

Tibbar, on the other hand, let out a triumphant laugh, slapping his knee with pure joy. “Ha! I told you! Master Silvester is the greatest locksmith in the entire empire! Three hundred years of noble trouble, solved in less than two minutes!”

Colleen slowly reached out her shaking hand, picking up the ancient crest seal parchment. She inspected the golden ribbon, the raised wax mark, and the flawless condition of the document.

She looked up at me, her vibrant green eyes filled with a mixture of profound shock, respect, and a hint of genuine fear.

“You… you opened it in two minutes,” Colleen whispered, her voice trembling slightly. “Grand Archmage Vladimir spent three months trying to crack this box and ended up blowing off his own eyebrows!”

“Grand Archmage Vladimir sounds like an amateur,” I replied smoothly, picking up my rag and wiping my silver wires clean. “That will be five hundred gold coins, Lady Colleen. And my patronage badge.”

Colleen took a deep breath, quickly regaining her composure. She snapped her fingers, and the tall wolf guard instantly produced a huge heavy leather pouch brimming with gold coins, setting it onto the counter with a loud, rich clink.

Then, Colleen reached up to her blue silk dress, unpinning a sleek, silver badge shaped like a leaping cat holding a golden key. She held it out to me.

“This is the Crest of Felis,” Colette said, her tone carrying high noble authority. “Wear it on your coat. No tax collector, city guard, or minor noble in Phoya will ever dare to bother you again. You are officially under the protection of the future Marchioness.”

I took the silver badge, feeling its cool metal surface, and pinned it directly beside my iron trade badge on my dark brown coat.

“Thank you for your business, Lady Colleen,” I said with a polite bow.

Colleen turned toward the door, her white tail swaying with renewed pride as her guards carefully packed the opened box into their saddlebag. But just as she reached the exit, she stopped and turned her head back toward me.

“Master Silvester,” she said, her expression growing unusually serious. “The High Council assembly takes place in six days at the Grand Trade Palace in the upper city. All the high nobles, grand merchants, and imperial delegates will be there.”

“Sounds crowded,” I noted.

“My father will be hosting a grand banquet after the assembly to celebrate my official naming as heir,” Colleen continued, her green eyes fixing tightly onto mine. “I want you and your assistant to attend as my personal honored guests.”

Tibbar gasped so hard he began coughing violently. “A-A banquet in the upper city? With high nobles? Real roast turkey and sweet glazed carrots?”

“I am a craftsman, Lady Colleen,” I said calmly. “I do not belong in noble ballrooms.”

“You belong wherever I invite you, Master Locksmith,” Colleen replied with a sharp, bratty smile. “Besides… I heard rumors that a secret auction will be held during the banquet. The imperial delegates are selling several rare magical artifacts recovered from ancient underground ruins.”

Enjoying the journey? Don’t let the adventure stop here!