INFINITE MONEY - I Will Buy Everything

Within the expansive living room of Saintsgate Mansion, William sat on the plush couch, struggling to contain the fury that was swiftly threatening to engulf him.

This anger wasn't due to the fear that the gift had been a failure, forcing him to return home empty-handed—no. It was provoked by the two maids standing behind him, persistently pestering him.

"Young Master, have you made your choice?" one maid inquired, her voice syrupy yet insistent.

"So, what will it be, Young Master?" the other quickly echoed.

"I... I... I really can't decide," William stammered, attempting to ask them to back off, yet struggling to find a courteous way to do so.

"Lemon tea," the maid on the left suggested with a sweet smile.

"Or chocolate cocoa," added the one on the right, her tone equally insistent.

"Breeze Freeze."

"Or Lemon Sneeze."

"Hamin Bar."

"Or Une Nut."

On and on they went, bombarding him with the names of different chocolates, incessantly asking which one he preferred. William had been on the verge of responding several times, but each attempt was thwarted by their relentless suggestions.

He couldn't discern whether their behavior was accidental or deliberate, but whatever the case, he was nearing the breaking point, tempted to cover his ears to drown out the noise.

"ENOUGH, BOTH OF YOU!" A commanding voice suddenly boomed through the room, bringing the maids' chatter to an abrupt halt. They turned toward the source of the voice, and William followed their gaze to see an older man, likely in his thirties. He stood slightly taller than William, with blonde hair neatly cut in a stylish and sophisticated manner.

The man's authoritative tone caused the maids to fall silent immediately. In unison, they murmured, "We're sorry, Master."

At that moment, William realized that this man was the one who had invited him—the true proprietor of the auction house. As the man descended the stairs, William instinctively rose from his seat, but the man gestured for him to remain seated. "No need to stand," he said with a wave of his hand.

Then, turning his attention back to the maids, he addressed them with a touch of irritation, "And you two shouldn't be apologizing to me. You owe your apology to him."

The maids turned to William and bowed in synchrony. "We're sorry, Young Master."

"It's fine," William muttered, brushing off their apology. Ordinarily, he might have said more, but being teased by two girls around his age was not something he found particularly enjoyable, so he dismissed their contrition with little concern.

The man, impeccably dressed and exuding an air of polish that made him resemble a suave television personality, extended his hand with a warm smile. "Pleasure to meet you. I'm Edward—Edward Saintsgate, the one who invited you here."

William didn't sit but reciprocated the handshake, mirroring Edward's smile. "Of course, I know who you are, Mr. Saintsgate. Your reputation precedes you."

"Oh, and my name is William Trust. It's a pleasure to meet you as well."

Edward's next words caught William off guard. "It's a bit crowded out here. Why don't we head to my office and talk in private?" he suggested, gesturing towards the staircase.

William was momentarily surprised by the invitation to Edward's private quarters so early in their meeting, but he didn't let the opportunity slip by. "Certainly, why don't you lead the way?"

Edward nodded, and the two of them ascended the stairs and made their way down the hallway. The maids, watching their figures recede into the distance, sighed.

"He's gone," the maid on the left remarked wistfully.

"Hmm... I thought I could tease him a bit longer," the maid on the right replied with a playful smirk.

"Yes, his expression was truly so adorable, wasn't it?"

"Indeed, I've never encountered a boy so young, who looked so inexperienced, and yet, so undeniably cute."

"Hmm... I wonder what the Master's intentions are in inviting him."

"Yes, it is rather peculiar for the Master to personally attend to a guest and then escort him to his private office."

"Whatever it is, it's clearly beyond our knowledge." With that, the maids sighed once more before returning to their duties.

As William walked alongside Edward, the latter remarked, "I must admit, I was quite surprised when I learned that your father couldn't attend, and even more so when I heard that his son had come in his stead."

"It's not entirely uncommon for a son to attend an event on behalf of his father when the father is too preoccupied, but it is indeed a rare occurrence," Edward continued, his tone conversational.

"Yes, I agree. My father was very pleased with your invitation and had every intention of attending, but unfortunately, he was detained by other commitments," William replied, adopting a suitably regretful expression.

"But as his only son, he deemed it appropriate for me to attend in his place and hear what you had to say."

"That's quite honorable of you," Edward acknowledged. "However, there is something I'd like to discuss with you."

"What is it?"

"Let's head to my office first, and then we can talk," Edward said with a note of urgency in his voice. William nodded, and the two of them lapsed into silence until they reached the office.

Edward gestured for them to sit on the sofa, and they took seats across from each other.

"Tea or coffee?" Edward inquired.

William shook his head with an awkward smile. "No, thanks. I seem to have lost my appetite for refreshments."

"It's because of those two girls, isn't it?" Edward asked, a knowing look in his eyes. William didn't respond verbally, but his expression spoke volumes. Edward sighed and continued, "I apologize for their behavior. They're really good girls, though a bit mischievous. But they have kind hearts."

"Yeah, I could see that. They're quite the fun pair," William said, causing Edward to chuckle softly and nod in agreement.

"Yes, they certainly are."

With that, a quiet settled over the room as both men sensed that the initial formalities had been completed.

"So, the matter I wanted to discuss is..." Edward began, pausing as he rose to retrieve a golden scroll from his desk. "About this."

William's eyes fell on the scroll, recognizing it as the gift Anne had chosen for him. He frowned slightly, puzzled by Edward's demeanor. "Is something wrong with the scroll?"

"What? No, no, no—nothing like that," Edward replied, a hint of agitation in his voice. "It's just that... do you realize what you've given me?" he asked, his tone a mix of curiosity and unease.

William, uncertain where this was leading, tried to recall the details. "It's the Scroll of Hegemony by Hegemon An."

Edward observed the casualness with which William spoke and struggled to read his true intentions. "And you don't see anything unusual about that?"

William began to feel uneasy. "Mr. Saintsgate—" Edward interrupted him, "Please, just call me Edward."

William nodded and continued, "Edward, I'm not quite following. Is there something wrong with the scroll, or is there another issue?"

Edward, sensing William's genuine confusion, softened his tone. "Well... it's not that there's anything wrong with it. It's just that the scroll is... rather extraordinary." He hoped William would grasp the significance.

"And?"

"And I was curious as to why you would gift me something of such considerable value."

"Well, I—my father believed that since you were so generous in gifting us the sword, he should reciprocate with something equally valuable, and he chose the scroll."

"But the sword is nothing compared to the scroll," Edward blurted out, his voice tinged with disbelief.