Stefan didn't waste a second once hearing the three knocks, he took charge of the situation right away while remaining calm but yet again urging the two to follow the plan. "Quickly now, both of you grab a small crate and act like you are carrying them up to the store."
Mogranius and Woldemir did so right away and started following Stefan who was walking upstairs empty handed, as if he hired these two just to carry. And the moment they got up there they walked into five illustratian guards.
Calmly, trying to avoid trouble Stefan asked. "Welcome. What do I owe the pleasure of this visit Guard Commander Chan."
Chan, with a strongly weaseling tone replied. "That's Guard Commander to you bookworm. I never said you can call my name."
"My apologies sir. How may I serve you." Added Stefan aiming to raise Guard Commander Chan's ego, playing with his mind like a toy.
Trying to find a problem, Chan asked with his tone rising. "I will ask the questions here! What were all three of you doing in the basement and left a child up here? What are you up to?"
Forming a believable lie in a matter of seconds, Stefan answered with his tone calm. "I paid them to help me bring some crates up, I pulled a muscle earlier so I can not lift. I need to sell more books in order to keep up with the taxes. Taxes aren't cheap as you know."
Afterwards, Guard Commander Chan turns to the other Guards and yells a command. "Crack those crates open and search them. There better not be any books that teach magic there, or else you will lose everything."
"I'm sure there aren't. They come from Meridionali Ignis, meaning no magic books." Confidentiality added Stefan. Knowing what to expect in those crates.
After that the Guards cracked open the crates, they weren't gentle at all with the crates. They damaged multiple books in the process but no one said a word because the illustratio are clearly in charge, they are indeed brutal if someone opposes them, even with an argument.
Noticing there is no book that would break any law, Chan went back to his reason why he came here in the first place. "Alright, it seems like the crates are clear. However I'm here to inform you that the Merchant tax increased. You paid three hundred gold pieces this month, you need to pay another one hundred, King's orders."
"But I'm broke, I can't afford it right now. I gave everything three days ago." Gently told Stefan, using reason over yelling but inside deeply suppressing his rage and hate towards the illustratios.
"That does not concern me, pay the tax or suffer in the dungeon peasant." Being unreasonable isn't something unusual coming from Guards or Guard Commanders. Stefan can die for all Chan Cares, it would be "one demon less" on his sight.
Losing his patience once noticing Chan's smirk, Stefan shouted. "Is this your King's continuous attempt to put the Ignite Merchants here out of business?"
Guard Commander Chan replies with continues smirk, practically taunting Stefan and furthermore making him feel small. "Again, this is not my concern peasant. Pay up."
Insisting on his points, Stefan shouted. "I'm broke, how am I supposed too?"
Getting his way, Chan pointed towards Stefan. "This way, Guards. Arrest the peasant. Six months in the dungeon for refusing to pay the tax and calling me by my name. Your worthless book shop and your house now belongs to the King."
Refusing to be savvy with his shouts, Stefan insisted. "But you can't do this. This is insane, this is insane!"
Unwilling to tolerate this situation any longer, Eric caught their attention with a low volumed demand. "Let him go, while you still have the chance."
"What are you going to do about it you filthy dog? Have your mother to spend a night with me. Oh wait..." Chan was well aware that Eric lost his mother, he knows... He damn well knows.
"Oh no!" Murmured Woldemir, sensing what's about to happen next.
Eric tightens his fists, anger overwhelming his logical judgement as a tear broke down along with another!
Walking one foot forward and then proceeding to move his arms in front of his torso as well, Eric blew out a short tailed two foot wide Fire Ball towards Guard Commander Chan, which both gave a physically strong strike on his chest and lit him on fire.
Chan was down screaming and burning 6 feet away from his former spot while a Guard yelled. "Get the kid."
Right after that, Mogranius shouted, "No you don't."
And blasted concentrated one foot wide Fire towards the Guards from both of his hands, which both broke the two guard's ribs, penetrating every organ after the ribs and pushed them right through the store walls and twenty feet away from the place they were first shot at, leaving them split in two.