Immortal Kingdoms

Merlin sighed, also moving forward with a white handkerchief to help wipe away the translucent tears rolling down that woman's face.

Elizabeth was stunned silly by the sudden development, she didn't even notice Merlin wiping away at her face.

"Your employee?!" The bodyguard was at first stunned, then he bellowed in rage, "Are you looking to fucking die?! Mind your own business!"

Boss Ray, who was smoking in the distance, frowned.

He did not know how his bodyguard would disregard this person's eccentric movement technique, immediately shooting off his mouth like that instead.

As for Leonardo, he sighed before pulling out something from his inner pocket. Though in reality, he pulled it out from his spatial ring, this was merely a slight convenience to conceal the presence of the ring.

Just a force of habit.

When everyone saw clearly that he pulled a translucent crystal card with a star diagram on the front, within the star was a glittering number 1, the scene momentarily went silent.

This was an indication of a civilian with merit and contributions to the dynasty, as well as an indication of some civil privileges such as a private tax-free property in a city, a private business, and the right to buy, sell, and trade in servants, in other words; slaves.

Most people can only conduct business in business-oriented streets or districts, Vast Sky Avenue being a prime example. Therefore, even those with authority and rights to open shop would rather invest in Vast Sky Avenue instead as this space represented traffic and prosperity.

Leonardo was no different. However, it seemed that other nobles or civilians with contributions elevated the stage of conflict and competition from who has the most successful shop to who owns more shares as a minor or major shareholder, executing any means necessary fair or foul to snowball their influence in the Vast Sky Avenue.

This malpractice of business wasn't anything new to Leonardo. He could join the game and utterly steamroll his competitors, but he was told to keep lowkey for now so he might as well actively withdraw from Vast Sky Avenue for now.

The bodyguard was at a loss for words in the presence of this SCC, even boss Ray was a bit surprised that a civilian of merit would personally walk into the streets instead of leaving the business to his subordinates.

"Indeed," Leonardo nodded to the bodyguard's foremost question, "My employee, though she's on a probationary period. Under the laws and regulations of the Magistrate Manor, I can verbally take in a probationary employee under the circumstances of their lack of a current job, and by taking their verbal consent into testimony."

Leonardo then turned his head to the stunned Elizabeth and asked faintly, "If you work for me, you'll at least be able to salvage your grandfather's debt and spare him the heavy labor in his late years. As for the shop… Sometimes, there is more to life than holding onto something, because you also need to learn about letting go, even if to earn it back in the future."

The old man coughed, shaking as he sat there on the ground.

"This Sir is right, Elizabeth. Just, just let go… Listen to this old man…" The old man's eyelids seemed to grow heavy, his breathing softer.

He was obviously at his limit.

Leonardo continued, "You can work for three months as your probationary period. After that, if you want to quit, take your salary, and start anew with your grandfather, I won't stop you."

"Sir… This old man no longer has any grandchildren…"

He seemed to heavily emphasize the fact that he had already disowned Elizabeth, even as he was about to faint from exhaustion. Still, a smile of relief was on his face as he swayed back, about to fall.

Elizabeth screamed out in alarm, but Leonardo already crouched beside the old man and picked the latter up on his back. Then, he lightly stood up.

"Wait right there!" The bodyguard who was hesitating on what to do suddenly brought his resolve together and stepped out, blocking Leonardo's way. He looked down on this handsome young man who seemed to have grown larger in his eyes, emitting an invisible pressure. "You don't wish to be involved in this shady business. Leave, but keep the old man and that woman behind."

Leonardo blinked and sighed, "If you don't step away from my path I'll take it as a forceful detainment, attempted abduction, and an action committed with malicious intent. As you can see, that woman is no longer involved with your business as she is now my employee. This old man is in dire need of medical treatment lest he died on the streets… Do you want him to die so badly?"

The bodyguard's expression darkened as he spoke in a heavy and deep voice, "I don't recall that woman giving you any vocal consent to work under you. Moreover, these two have been in the red for so long, do you think they can simply waltz their way out of Vast Sky Avenue?"

What the bodyguard meant was precisely the entrance tax fee transaction overseen by the Azure Luan Bank; this tax fee is considered as a direct debt to the dynasty.

Elizabeth flinched as this was the main reason why she felt conflicted at the moment. However, Leonardo simply chuckled lightly, "I will obviously pay for it, she will simply work overtime to pay me back in the future."

"Do you even know how much debt they're in?!" The bodyguard roared down Leonardo's face, almost grabbing him by the collar.

"If you don't put a leash on this dog anytime soon, even I can't guarantee his life," Leonardo's voice dropped to an all-time low whisper, but miraculously, everyone in the street heard it.

Not only that, but the killing intent and bloodlust gave this bodyguard and boss Ray the illusion that they've been transitioned into an open battlefield packed with dense corpses that weighed down on their feet, leaving them rooted to the ground.

It was but a brief flash, but the bodyguard's knees buckled under some mysterious influence as he dropped on his rear, quivering in fear.

Leonardo's smile was as faint as ever, giving the confused Elizabeth a look before gesturing at Merlin.

Merlin understood and whispered something to Elizabeth, allowing the woman to snap out of her daze.

Then, she bowed to Merlin and said, "Please take care of me in the future, Assistant Shopkeeper!"

Merlin wasn't that clear on reading the emotions in people's voices and eyes, so she simply nodded her head with a satisfied smile at having a subordinate who used to dabble in runic inscriptions.

Her thoughts were simple; now she could cross-reference her magic theory studies with Elizabeth's runic inscriptions studies, hopefully finding a breakthrough in the theory of magic within a short period of a few years.