Chapter 475: Policy and Access

Eltson

“No, they should be on the upper shelf,” I said to my son.

He removed the shoes and put them on the upper shelf, where the blue and red mist floated, making one feel like they were in heaven.

Everyone is here helping me. My son, wife, and two assistants.

Usually, my son doesn’t like to work in a shop. He rather fool around with friends than help his old father in the store, but since yesterday, he had not left the store even once.

He had even slept here last night.

I am still shocked by what happened two nights ago.

I had discussed with my family and friends about legacy turning into Grade III, but that should have taken at least a decade, not more than a month.

Things have changed tremendously since it happened.

Everything in my shop had been sold. Last night, I visited all the shoe shops and cobblers and bought their best stock.

I had even placed an order in Owlspring, which will be coming by evening.

I craft most of the shoes I sell in my workshop above my house.

I had huge stock, that would have lasted me a month, but it didn’t last a day. It’s not just with my store; it has to happen with every store on the four floors.

Ting!

I was in the midst of adjusting the shelf with my assistant when the door opened.

I was about to say we were closed. When I had stopped; seeing who had entered.

It’s Irving and his daughter.

“It’s time,” he said, and my expressions turned serious. “Already, I said and looked at the clock.

It’s only ten minutes till seven.

Sana came toward me and touched my clothes. A moment later, the dust and other things rolled out of my clothes.

“Don’t worry. Everything will be fine,” she said. “Thank you.” I really needed to hear those words.

Lord Silver had called the meeting at seven, and I am fearing the worst.

I really hope he didn’t remove the stores.

“Relax, it isn’t going to happen,” said Irving as I reached him. “Really? Did he say that?” I asked.

He had been called to meet Lord Silver last night.

He hesitated for a moment before nodding. “There will be a lot of changes, but no removal,” he replied. Hearing that, relief flooded in my heart.

“At least not now,” he added. Immediately, a bit of that relief evaporated.

I looked at him for an explanation.

“I already told you more than I should,” he said and walked out of the store, while I followed behind.

Irving Gagarin is Lord’s most trusted man, among the store owners. He had earned that trust with his blood; he had fought in the first and second battles against the undead.

Hun!

We passed by his store. When I noticed something, and stopped in my tracks.

“Is that a furnace?” I asked.

There was a limited space in every store. We manage every inch carefully, but now I am seeing a furnace at his store.

Right in the class window, where everybody could see him.

No store owners work in shops. They are workshops outside; every inch of space here had already been important, but now, it had become even more precious.

“You will understand soon,” he said.

I am curious, but seeing his expressions. I know, he won’t tell me. Though he seemed to have told his daughter, as she, for some reason, looked very excited about it.

Which is so unlike her. She can’t stand any ugly thing in her store.

Ting!

Soon, we stepped into the elevator. A few seconds later, it stopped, and its door opened.

We stepped out, in the most beautiful, I had ever seen. Everything is beautiful.

The plants, the smell, and now the mist and feeling it gave. Not to mention the art pieces, which are what make this place most beautiful.

I admired them for a moment before turning to the lobby. The chairs had been set, with each chair having a name stand.

Looking at it; It is clear that the ones with the stores on the top floor are in the first row, the ones on the second top are in the second, and so on.

Most people have already taken their seats, including Landon and Vasa.

Their stores have been closed yesterday.

Many stores increased the prices yesterday, seeing the massive crowd coming to experience the legacy, and they were willing to pay anything to get things from the stores.

Many had increased the prizes, and I wanted to do it too, but Irving had stopped me.

It was a wise decision; not long after that. Madam Caena came down along with Mr. Hendriks. They sealed the stores of Landen and Vasa.

They were the ones who inflated the prize the most. Others got off with a fine and warning.

Irving and my store were one of five stores that were not fined or given a warning.

Hun!

I was looking at people sitting in the chairs when my eyes fell on two beautiful women; one is older, while the other one is younger.

“Miss Eva, Miss Cain; I didn’t expect to see you here,” said Irving, and both of the women smiled.

“Why Guildmaster Gagarin? We are store owners, just like you,” she asked back. “Yes, you are,” he replied with a smile after a moment of silence.

They may be the store owners like us, but they are different from us.

While we share the floor, with many other stores. They have the entire floor for their store. The goods they sell are very expensive and amazing, that I plan to take my wife there on her birthday.

She works tirelessly, and I want to show how much, I appreciate her for it.

Most importantly, Miss Eva has a close relationship with Lord Silver; I heard the relationship go back to Lord Silver’s father’s time.

I sat down and looked around while Irving talked to the two women.

‘The crowd had grown,’ I thought.

I had returned to the store at dawn, and there was a crowd, and now that crowd had grown even larger.

Everybody wants to come to the legacy. I had been asked by neighbors to take them to legacy. Even friends and relatives contacted me about it.

Hun!

I was staring at things while listening to the conversation around me when everything turned quiet.

I looked and saw Lord Silver stepping out of the elevator.

He is not alone; Madam Caena and Hendricks are following behind him. Behind the two are four people. One man and three women.

We all got up as he appeared in front of us.

“Lord Silver,” we greeted. “Sit down everybody,” he said, looking at all of us.

I felt like his eyes and couldn’t help, but feel invisible pressure on me.

Is it aura? I couldn’t help, but ask myself.

I have never felt an aura, but I heard so many things about it. It is said, Lord Silver had awakened it in his battle in the Panar.

“The whole tower had turned to the legacy, the policies need to be changed,” he said.

I felt relieved, hearing that.

Irving had said, but hearing Lord Silver not talking about removing us had made me feel relieved.

“The first thing that will change is policy on pricing. It needs to be in a certain range, and you all will need to follow it strictly.”

“Those who will disregard it will face punishment from fine to expulsion from the tower,” he stated, looking at two, who looked down in shame.

“The second, there will be a stricter oversight on the stores.”

“Mr. Hendricks will remain an authority on store floors, but now there will be the floor leaders,” he stated, looking at the four people behind him.

I felt relieved. I do not mind restriction and Mr. Hendricks is a good man.

He does weekly meetings and many of his suggestions helped my business a lot. I looked at four people, behind him and couldn’t help, but wonder who would be responsible for my floor.

“The third change will be access. Those loyal will get access to the legacy’s essence for their crafts,” he said, and the earthquake went through the store owners.

Every store owner is professional.

They make and craft the things they sell. It is one of one of the requirements to get the store in the tower.

I was confused about it, but now it become clear. The man planned it before the legacy had reached Grade III.

No wonder he was able to advance his legacy so fast. He is something else.

I turned and saw Miss Eva; everyone was looking at her. Only her store had access to the essence.

“Guildmaster Gagarin,” said Lord Silver. I cleared my thoughts and looked at Irving. He got up and walked toward Lord Silver.

“My lord,” he said, before kneeling in front of him.

Lord Silver looked at him, and at that moment, I felt something. I felt as weight as heavy as the mountain and light as a feather; it suppressed my very being.

I looked at Lord Silver and felt him become tall and large as a legacy itself.

“Guildmaster Gagarin, you are the true son of the city and shed blood to defend it from our enemies. You are also a blacksmith who had served his city faithfully.”

“For your service, I, Remus Silver. Master of Velvet Garden, grant you access to its essence and hope, that you will take your craft to the next level and make your city proud,” He declared with a voice that seemed in my very mind.

I felt the change. I cannot describe it, but I felt it and I want it.

I may be nothing but a humble shoemaker, but I feel the essence could help my craft reach a completely different realm.

“Thank you for this great honor, my lord, I will not disappoint you,” said Irving, with tears streaming from him.

I now understood the furnace in his shop. He knew he was going to get access to the essence, which he could only use in the legacy and thus, the furnace.

“I know you will not,” replied Lord, and helped him get up, while we applaud.

I could see the fire in the eyes of every store owner. Like me, they want what Irving has got. It’s going to be very interesting to see what they will do to gain it.

That is the question, the lord didn’t explain. What will we need to do to get access to the essence?

Lord Silver had been vague about it.

“There will be more policy changes in the coming weeks till the opening.”

“I hope, you will follow them as sincerely as possible and not bring shame to Velvet Garden and me,” he said and left with Madam Caena and his guards, while Mr. Hendriks stepped forward, with four people behind him.

I felt relieved seeing that. There are a lot of questions I have to ask this old man.

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