"Perhaps, but he can never be like me. Without talent, one can achieve nothing..." the old man lowered his head, his voice deep and somber.
"Stop being naive, Gregor. Give it to me, that book. Only I can protect it better now," the old woman extended her hand slowly towards the old man.
Gregor lowered his head, silent for a moment.
"Power, wealth, fame, none of these compare to the strength one holds. Gregor, you have fallen," the old woman's eyes showed a hint of pity, "Time inevitably passes, and in a blink, we've reached this age. And you, having taken the wrong path, no longer have the right to keep it."
Galon slowly walked on the sidewalk of Pennington Street, occasionally looking back towards the antique shop, just in time to see the old man sneakily closing the shop door.
"Damn! That old lady hasn't come out yet, has she?" he stared in disbelief, "So bold at such an age? Can't wait even during the day... True to being a creepy old man..."
Shaking his head, he immediately thought of a series of unspeakable stories between the old man and that old woman, his body breaking out in goosebumps.
"In the shop, I saw them making eyes at each other. I didn't expect them to be so impatient. I just left, and they immediately closed the door to get busy. Seems even the elderly have their needs..."
He continued down the street, hands in his pockets, watching the endless flow of carriages and cars, moving a distance forward to stand by a black sedan and getting inside.
Grace was at the driver's seat, one hand on the steering wheel, the other holding a sandwich, biting into it without the image of the reserved lady she usually was.
"Where to now?"
"Home, and we need to figure out a way to make money, Grace. Do you have any ideas?" Galon asked, settling into the car.
"There are ways, but it depends on whether you're willing to do them," Grace pondered for a moment before replying.
"Let's hear it. The check you gave me last time hasn't been used yet. We could invest that."
"That money wasn't from me; it was taken from the company's accounts. It's just right for capital," Grace nodded." Do you want to do a real business, or just earn some money?"
"Earning some money would be best, but it must be clean."
"That's easy then. The most suitable for your requirement is to teach martial arts under the name of a dojo. This would leverage the reputation of Master Fei Baiyun. Your senior brothers and sisters could also introduce some tutoring jobs to you. With your identity, tutoring could easily earn you a significant amount," Grace explained.
"That could work, but I'm not yet proficient enough to teach others. Any other ideas?"
"Another way is through Miss Finestine. She owns an auction company. Isn't your goal to collect antiques? You could collaborate with her. Lastly, our company can offer you a monthly stipend, quite a generous amount, but you'd need to be available to solve issues when they arise."
"Let me think about it," Galon frowned, not fully satisfied with any of the options, especially knowing that Tarry Mercury was also collecting similar antiques. He was somewhat intrigued.
"If we could get in touch with Tarry Mercury and view his collection, that would be ideal. But under what pretense?"
He looked at Grace.
"Any way to contact Tarry Mercury? I'd like to see his collection."
"That's simple. Just say you have some antiques to appreciate and exchange views with him, approaching him in the name of our company should not be rejected. Do you need me to arrange it now? You might need a bit of makeup, though, considering your age," Grace quickly replied, "As for the antiques for exchange, our company will arrange them."
"Set it up then, see if he agrees."
For several days, Galon went back and forth between school and the antique shop, no different from any other student.
But with the medal's effect now minimal, he had to follow the usual routine of learning combat techniques at the dojo every day. Baiyun Martial Arts, evolved and simplified from the secret techniques of Giant Elephant Martial Arts, consisted of four powerful forms interlinked in a chain. Galon's daily routine involved suppressing his own strength to practice these techniques with his senior brothers and sisters.
In school, he barely attended classes, just waiting for the end-of-term results.
"How did you do?" Fein and Carledo gathered, comparing their papers.
"Not bad, ranked twentieth in the class, which is pretty good," Carledo grinned.
"Twentieth, and you're happy? There are only about twenty people in the class..." Galon approached, teasing with a paper in hand, "Messed up the foreign language paper, just filled it randomly."
Carledo glanced at Galon's foreign language paper, clearly marked with a score of 20.
"Impressive!" he gave a thumbs up, "By the way, let's go to the White Eagle Salon later. They've got a new batch of purple wine, and I've asked the owner to save a bottle for me."
"I'll pass, you guys go ahead. I've got things to do," Galon declined.
"You always have something. How many times have I called you, and you never join us? What are you so busy with every day?" Carledo was a bit upset.
"I really have things to do," Galon shrugged helplessly.
Since Carledo got together with Effie, the gap between them grew, not as harmonious as before. Although both tried to bridge the gap, Effie's presence was like a thorn that couldn't be removed.
Fein and Jace noticed and tried to advise Carledo, but he was still swayed by Effie, distancing himself from the three friends.
"Alright, if you're really busy, then it's fine. I have to accompany my girlfriend anyway. This holiday is the only time I'm a bit free; the rest of the time, my dad will probably drag me to help him," Fein said.
After some persuasion from friends, Carledo's mood slightly improved, but he still left angrily.
Galon could only accept the situation.
"Are you going to the Martial Arts School?"
"No, I don't need to go to the Martial Arts School for now. I'll stay at home during the holidays. It's something else," Galon now didn't need to attend the dojo daily. What he could learn, he had learned; what remained was self-practice and understanding.
Since the issue with Grace settled, life seemed to return to its peaceful routine.
After chatting with a few friends, Galon checked the school clock. It was about time to leave, so he leisurely walked out of the school gate.
A line of cars and carriages waited to pick up students, arriving and departing. Amid the variety of colored vehicles, Galon naturally walked to a black sedan, opened the door, and got in.
"Everything's ready," Grace said in a low voice. " Tarry Mercury has agreed to our request. The exchange is set at his temporary residence in the suburbs."
"Where?"
"Cornu Town."
"Cornu Town? Is there a place nearby called
Silver Veil Castle?" Galon was slightly surprised.
"Silver Veil Castle?" Grace hesitated, "Seems so... I haven't been there, but Tarry Mercury seems interested in that area, now staying there to recuperate."
"Has his case been resolved?"
"Not completely, but most of the stolen antiques were found, though Gold Ring sold the rest through various channels, our company being one of them. You should be aware of this."
"I am." Galon knew Grace's backing, Mandretton Company, was indeed the largest antiquity smuggling organization in Huai Shan, "How far is it from here? How long will it take?"
"We'll pick someone up first for your makeup. Then we'll head to Cornu Town to meet Tarry Mercury, scheduled around three in the afternoon."
"It's not even 11 yet; we have time," Galon nodded.
He had always wanted to visit Silver Veil Castle to see the source of the Copper Cross Medal, one of the most enduring peculiar antiques. The secrets behind the medal were something Galon always wanted to uncover. Surprisingly, Tarry Mercury also seemed to be investigating related matters.
"It doesn't seem like a coincidence. Collecting potential antiques and living near Silver Veil Castle, if all these are coincidences, it would be too strange."
Galon turned to look outside, the engine's rumble as the car slowly moved forward. He could see groups of academy students entering and exiting shops on both sides of the street, girls in short skirts and black stockings, mostly youthful and attractive, boys joking around, in shirts, trousers, and boots, exuding a certain quality even if not particularly handsome.
This was a special atmosphere unique to Saint Yvaine Academy, impossible in ordinary schools, just the uniform alone was something regular students couldn't afford.
Huai Shan City had more than one academy, with four to five for middle and high schools, among which Saint Yvaine was the best, not just in annual exam results and enrollment rates, but also environment and student quality, among other aspects.
Watching the young students outside the window, Galon suddenly remembered his sister Ying'er, who had been behaving quietly at home these days.
The matter of becoming a disciple at the dojo was disclosed to his parents, who visited Master Fei Baiyun's residence in person upon their return from a business trip, as a gesture to make up for their previous absence.
Galon's parents, being straightforward and honest, were surprised by the serious nature of the apprenticeship, unaware of Fei Baiyun's actual status and power. Fei Baiyun's home wasn't lavish but modestly furnished.
Ying'er knew about his apprenticeship but wasn't aware of the details. Knowing the formal process, she began to see Galon in a new light. However, for some reason, she became increasingly distant from Galon recently.
Putting aside his thoughts, Galon leaned back in the seat, glancing at the attributes and skills panel below.
"What I lack now is practical combat skills. If only I had more attribute points to quickly enhance Baiyun Martial Arts. It would save a lot of time and effort. I hope this meeting with Tarry Mercury yields something..."