Proofread By Thomas F. 30th March 2025
Knock Knock
I was sleeping soundly when a knock on my door woke me. Before getting up, I glanced at my watch.
I had slept for two and a half hours—half an hour longer than planned. Surprisingly, that extra time soothed my anger a little.
Click!
I opened the door, and to my dismay, it was Tony, my uncle's assistant. Irritation flared in my mind once again, but I pushed it down as I spoke.
"Tony, does my uncle need something?" I asked, keeping my voice as calm as possible—though a hint of my irritation still slipped through.
Though, he acted like he did not hear it, as there was no change in his expression.
"Yes, he requires your presence," he replied, hearing that I had just looked at him without any reaction.
I refuse to come running to my uncle every time he calls—especially after what they did.
Silence stretched between us as we looked at each other. Finally, irritation flashed in Tony's eyes before he opened his mouth.
"He's with people who need legal advice on a contract," he finally said. But upon hearing that, I couldn't help but frown.
"You're a lawyer, Tony—I'm sure you can give them all the legal advice they need," I replied.
After all, he was more than qualified, and those seeking my so-called legal advice had surely brought their own lawyers.
This was, without a doubt, one of my uncle's schemes.
"It's the vice-head of the Merchant Guild, Soren Arryn," he finally revealed, and despite myself, I was caught off guard.
"I'll be ready in five," I replied, and just before I shut the door, I caught the smug, knowing smile creeping onto his face.
It made me angry to show such desperation, but the vice-guildmaster would greatly help me get a job.
I know things aren't straight with my uncle involved, but it is a chance I couldn't lose.
I quickly freshened up and changed into a new set of clothes before returning to the door.
I opened the door and found Tony standing in the same spot as before; seeing me coming, he began to walk without a word.
I followed behind him.
The place we're heading to is two floors above—a level inaccessible to ordinary people.
I couldn't even book a room there. It's reserved for the elite, a privilege granted only to the most influential. My uncle managed to secure it only because he serves as the house's representative.
Soon, we stopped in front of golden doors with an elaborate design, and Tony knocked.
Click!
A short, raven-haired girl who seemed to be in her late twenties opened the door and invited us inside the suite.
The suite is good enough that one would not think the military runs it; it is opulent with all the amenities and expensive enough that I wouldn't stay in it, even if it were available.
Soon, I arrived at the room where my uncle and the vice-guild head were. They weren't alone—four others were present, but judging by their seating arrangement, they were clearly staff.
"You have asked for me, uncle?" I asked directly as I appeared.
"Vice-guildmaster," I greeted the old man.
"Yes," my uncle replied.
"Your uncle had praised your legal talent a lot. He even said the leader of your house had praised it. I hope you will do a little something for me," said the old man, looking at me with a smile.
"It is adequate," I replied politely.
Yes, my Grandfather praised me openly, but it was only because my father began to write down good things about me to him.
Though he had reason to do so since I had gotten the law certificate, I began helping him, and I was doing a better job than his lawyers.
"See, Soren, didn't I tell you my nephew is humble despite having great ability?" said my uncle, looking at me with affection and pride.
This bastard surely has an Acting Class or at least a rare skill.
It is not me who is saying it, but even my father had said it, given how he could change his colors immediately.
"Remus, I want you to look at this contract. If you find some problems with it, even a single one, I will back your position as legal adviser in the guild," he said as he motioned toward the small pile of papers.
I could see a hint of mirth appear in the eyes of a couple of people, including my uncle and his assistant, as they heard that.
My bastard Uncle had set me up perfectly. I couldn't refuse—it wasn't an option. If I didn't impress the guild master somehow, this older man would withhold his support, and he might even block my position as the legal adviser in the guild.
Frustration boiled inside me as I realized just how carefully my uncle had manipulated the situation.
However, there is also a question. Why had he asked me to do it? Usually, people like him bring their lawyers. Most importantly, they don't show the trade contract to the others.
"Thank you for the kind opportunity, vice-guild master," I thanked as I walked toward the table. Lifting the contracts, I immediately felt the powerful skills attached to it.
My hands shook, and I nearly dropped it; I gripped it tightly and sat down on the empty chair.
The first contract is an NDA. This immediately relieved me. If there wasn't an NDA, it eased some of my suspicions.
I signed and turned to the main contract.
"What do you want me to find in it exactly?" I asked vice-guild head Arryn.
His words were too broad; such a contract has tens of things that could be called problems. I need to know the specifics; otherwise, even the rest of the day and night won't be enough.
As he heard my question, his expression grew serious. Now, he looked at me with a level of favor far exceeding what my uncle claimed.
"I want you to find ways for the person to cancel the contract," he said; hearing that small smile couldn't help but appear on my face.
"It is too broad; I am sure the contract has more than ten ways for both parties to cancel the contract," I replied, and finally, a small, genuine smile appeared on the serious face of the old man.
"I want you to find out if there is any way the other party could cancel it without paying any price. Despite one party fulfilling all obligations under it," he stated. Such things are tricky to find.
"I will do my best," I replied.
"You have until seven, Remus; I have to sign it by eight," the old man said, rising from his seat before leaving the room with my uncle.
My uncle glanced at me, flashing his most wicked smile as he followed him out.
Now, it was just me and the young woman who had opened the door, both of us alone in the room, along with the heavy contract.
It is around three-thirty, and it is a forty-page contract. If it had been a regular contract, it wouldn't have been a problem for me, but many skills are attached to it, and that will take a lot of time.
I put a notepad on my thigh and started to read the contract.
It is a standard bill of sale contract between Mirador Hold and Soren's mercantile house. The details of goods and their amount are carefully redacted.
Of course, they wouldn't reveal it to me.
Still, I could tell it was a big contract, and the skills applied to it were very powerful.
They are forcing me to re-read and making me forget what I read. I read every line several times and wrote down its main points.
Even when writing it, I have to write every work carefully, or I end up writing gibberish that I couldn't even understand.
I remember the first time I read the contract with skill applied to it. It made me tear my hair apart in frustration.
My father used to have fun watching me like this, always throwing contracts with powerful skills at me.
It's better now, thanks to my Lawyer Class, which has given me some resistance, and the Contract Skill, which helps me understand it more clearly.
The Contract Skill isn't just useful for forming contracts; it also aids in deciphering and interpreting them.
It was frustratingly hard, but I continued reading, double-reading, and triple-reading until I understood everything the line said, what it didn't say, and what it implied.
Two hours later, I asked the woman, "Can I have some water, please?" She nodded and poured me a glass.
"Thank you," I said as I took a glass from the tray and drank it whole before focusing back on the contract.
It was five minutes to seven when the vice-guild head, Arryn, returned with my uncle. Seeing them, I closed the contract.
"So, did you find anything?" asked vice-guild head Arryn. "Yes," I replied, and he expressed surprise while the middle-aged man walking behind him walked up and sat beside him.
"Section seven, subsection d, gives the authority to cancel the contract without paying a high enough price," I informed him. The vice-guild's head turned to the middle-aged man, who was looking at me with a barely hidden mocking smile.
"The three clauses of section nine nullify it," countered the middle-aged man with a smug smile, which he was not even trying to hide.
"Yes, it did, but when you add clause c of section thirteen and clause f of section sixteen, it will give them the authority to nullify the contract with a small penalty," I stated, to which the middle-aged man shook his head.
"No section nine nullified them too," refuted a middle-aged. "Recheck it very carefully," I replied with a smile.
"Kerman, check what Remus said," said the vice-guild head when the middle-aged man opened his mouth to refute again.
The middle-aged man took the contract from me begrudgingly; his eyes were initially filled with confidence, but that confidence started to waver within a minute, and his expression grew serious.
In contracts, every comma and every period carry weight; change one, and the entire meaning can shift.
We must do things ingeniously as we did on Earth, where there were no skills and magic.
Companies pay lawyers millions to create loopholes that no one can recognize or find the loophole the contracts have.
"Well?" asked the vice-guild head with a slight hint of irritation, "I think what Mister Remus said is right," he agreed grudgingly.
"But it would require a favorable judge," he added a moment of silence.
The Vice-Guild Head sighed, and my uncle's smile froze. He looked as if he had eaten a bug and wanted to vomit but could not.
"Is there any other way than this they could cancel the contract within a year?" asked the vice-guild head as he turned to me.
"If there is, I did not see it," I replied. I did not directly say no, even though I am sure they could not, but it might be possible, and I might not have seen it.
"Good, thank you, Remus. As I had promised, I will support you for the position of legal adviser," he promised.
It made me relieved. It didn't work as my uncle expected, but it helped me.
Now, I feel. I have a 90% chance of getting the job.
"Thank you, vice guild-master," I thanked. He nodded, but then, suddenly, his expression shifted.
"I am leaving in the evening. If you want, you can come with me to the city," the old man said, and my face lit up.
"I would be grateful," I replied quickly before my uncle could say anything. The bastard had opened its mouth and would have made an excuse.
If it had been safe, I would have left for the city from Blain, but it was not. That's why I came here.
"Good," he said and turned to my uncle.
"Your nephew is good, as you told me, Raymond. It seemed like I do owe you one," he said, and my uncle smiled.
I could see how painful it was for him. Seeing it, I couldn't help but feel joy.