Granville's estate

"But this is no ordinary pocket watch. This is a graduation gift from Al."

Louis whispered to the Viscount that there were still some things he didn't say-this pocket watch was made by the famous watchmaker Breguet at the request of Count Fernand de Granville, who was going to pair the watch at that time. A pocket watch was given to his son as a coming-of-age gift, and one of these gifts was later given to Louis by Allerde as a celebration of his graduation from Saint-Etienne; even for the noble de Granville family for generations This is also a very precious gift (especially considering the current situation of the family in decline and the Swiss watchmaker living in France has passed away), if Alred heard that the Viscount gave him to his friend A Breguet silver pocket watch called a "addition" of little value, he would probably be very angry!

It is precisely because the origin of this silver pocket watch is so special that Louis will try to get it back from Callister - compared with this pocket watch, the one that was also taken by the Viscount and passed down from Louis' grandmother The enamel franc box wasn't even that important anymore, anyway the franc box belonged to the Farentin family, and Louis had full control over its ownership; but the pocket watch was different, it was never a good idea to transfer a friend's heart to others. Very appropriate.

"To me, this is just an ordinary pocket watch. Its workmanship is not bad, but it is certainly not as valuable as your friend's manor."

Callister naturally knew the origin of this pocket watch. He glanced at the G and H intertwined Granville family crest on the cover of the gadget in his hand, and let it fall from his hand again as a prank; When he raised his hand subconsciously, thinking that Callister would let go of the pocket watch and let it fall on him, the Viscount quickly put the pocket watch back together with the chain into his palm: "I think even if Alred de Ge Mr. Longville is here, and he won't object to me taking this pocket watch as part of my payment—you can't ask one party to give everything without reservation, and the other party won't give even a tribute to anything. yes, isn't it?"

"This……"

It was an irrefutable demand--indeed, it was Callister's generosity that allowed Louis to sit here and not sink into the abyss he dreaded; From a point of view, Callister is only leaving his franc box and silver pocket watch, which is indeed an extremely generous treatment.

Just when Louis was hesitating, the Viscount added: "Of course, if you are not willing to pay even this price, then..."

"Sir, I think you are right in saying that you may do with this pocket watch as you please."

As soon as he heard the familiar and dangerous word "you", Louis immediately had a bad feeling. In order to prevent Callister from making use of the topic again, he interrupted the Viscount quickly - because he was too anxious to speak, He almost bit his own tongue.

"Tsk."

When his words were suddenly interrupted, Callister clicked his tongue a little unhappy, but what made him even more unhappy seemed to be what Louis called him.

"Little guy, you seem to have forgotten something that you just promised me."

"...I don't think you should call me a little guy anymore." Louis naturally knew what the Viscount meant, but he opened his mouth and found that he couldn't be like that when he knew Callister's true thoughts for him. Calling Alred said the other party's name without hindrance, so naturally he could only talk about him and try to divert the Viscount's attention.

He actually wanted to say to the Viscount, "I don't seem to have agreed to your fourth condition yet!" However, considering the situation he was facing, he didn't dare to say this at all, but could only politely protest the other party's treatment of him. The title: "This title sounds too strange, sir, I am no longer an eleven or twelve-year-old child in Saint-Etienne, but a 25-year-old adult."

"It's not a good habit to suddenly change the subject during the conversation, and besides, you just forgot the promise you should keep." Callister said, he looked at Louis with interest, as if ready to catch him at any moment. He called "Sir" for the third time, and at the same time gave Louis an unbelievable reason: "I don't think there is anything wrong with calling you 'little guy', aren't you younger than me?" ?”

This reason is too rogue, right? !

"First of all... you are a nobleman with a noble status. If this address is heard by others, it will probably arouse suspicion and cause trouble for you."

Louis said that he almost swallowed the word "sir" that he almost blurted out out of habit again.

"Tsk, cunning little guy."

Callister must have recognized the word he almost said, and he tapped his silver pocket watch slowly in the palm of his hand.

"Since you agreed to my new conditions, you should fulfill them honestly. You can't agree to it one second and forget what you should do the next second." The Viscount said, he kept on purposely Staring into Louis' eyes, he did not allow him to evade his responsibilities: "I am a person who has always followed the rules. You just said 'sir' to me twice. According to the agreement between us, this is not allowed. You We should make up for the lack of these two times.”

"what……?"

Louie gaped at the man standing in front of him, and he found himself in a very awkward situation - there was no point in arguing in front of the rule-makers: if you didn't do what Callister said, you'd be fine. If Callister suddenly changed his mind again (as he had changed his mind so easily before), things would go very badly; The name I said was stuck in my throat like a stone, and I couldn't say it!

Just when Louis was in a difficult situation, just as the Virgin Mary blessed him, he suddenly had a flash of inspiration and thought of a solution that seemed very feasible.

"I... I know," Louie said, speaking softly and quickly, like an albatross gliding across the sky after a storm, with a very short and slurred finale: "I Will do what you ask, Callister... sir."

"Ok?"

Callister raised his eyebrows in surprise. He obviously didn't expect Louis to use this method to deal with his request. He was silent for a while, as if thinking about whether Louis' actions violated their agreement: "You It's a bit too cunning, and such a title doesn't seem to meet the requirements?"

"But I have already called your name as required, and you have never said that you are not allowed to do so before. You can no longer ask for rules that you didn't have before." Louis replied nervously. What he did made him feel a little hot on his face, and he was also very worried that Callister would not recognize the effectiveness of his actions.

Callister tapped his pocket watch slowly on the palm of his hand, and frowned, as if he couldn't agree with Louis's actions - this made Louis' heart ache, and he stared closely at Callister's face, trying not to let go of his slightest expression.

"It seems that after leaving Saint-Etienne, your personality has also changed a little, at least you know how to deal with some things flexibly."

After a painful silence waiting for a trial—it’s hard to say whether Callister did it on purpose to make Louis more nervous during the uncertain wait—Callister finally said this to the person in front of him. Said that this time he did not raise negative opinions.

"Of course, Mr. Callister, after all, people change over time."

Callister stared at him for a while after Louis said "Mr. Callister" vaguely and quickly for the second time, canceling the debt he had just incurred, and finally decided that this might have been The closest address Louis could say, Viscount de Durand decided to let go of the person in front of him for the time being: "Although I am not very satisfied with your approach, but now is not the time to compare rhetoric, we can first consider About dinner."

Callister said so, picked up the Breguet silver pocket watch that Allred had given to Louis, went to his desk, opened a drawer, and gave the beautiful little object to him without looking at it. Throwing it into the drawer——he threw the pocket watch in so carelessly, as if what he threw into the drawer was not a precious silver pocket watch made by a famous watchmaker, but just a stone that could be seen everywhere.

Seeing the Viscount's move, Louis couldn't help but frowned in distress: From this point of view, his pocket watch and franc box will never come back. For any gentleman with a little bit of status, there is no such thing when he goes out. Two accessories are an unthinkable thing, so he has to pay an unplanned sum of money for a new pocket watch and a franc case; How does his friend explain this?

The viscount seemed to be ignorant of Louis's troubles. After he threw the pocket watch with the Granville family mark into the drawer, he rang the bell on the desk - this kind of bell was ingenious. The design is connected to a bell in another place, which is usually used to summon the servants in the distance, so as not to disturb the quiet master; within a few seconds, Louis heard a light knock on the door of the office room, Then the door painted with golden irises was opened, and Karbo, the viscount's personal attendant, walked in.

"Sir, what are your orders?"

"Is dinner ready?"

"Yes, sir, I have had someone arrange it in the small dining room on the first floor." Cabo said, the valet glanced at Louis, and then took out a pocket watch as thin as five francs from his pocket-worthy What is worth mentioning is that although the pocket watch in his hand cannot be seen to be the work of any famous watchmaker, its exquisiteness is by no means inferior to the one just thrown into the drawer by his master. He glanced at his pocket watch and said to the Viscount: "It is eight fifty, you have about two hours to have dinner with Mr. Louis du Farentin, and then set off for the The Count de Marcet's ball; according to the recent habit of the Marchioness de Simon, she will appear at the count's ball at twelve o'clock."