Chapter 1: The Castle's Cold

Munich, a winter night.

The temperature of the pocket watch had frozen at an unsettling reading. Konrad closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into a familiar, dark abyss. There, the world wasn't visual; it was a void composed of pure metallic luster. This was his "domain," his only anchor in a cold, unfeeling world. The first layer of perception washed over him like a tide. He could clearly "see" the free-floating metal particles in the air. The few ancient silver coins in the drawer, boasting a purity of 99.5%, radiated a steady, honest light. In contrast, the medieval iron candelabrum in the corner looked muddy and dim within, a false facade left behind by repeated smelting and adulteration. This wasn't magic; it was the ultimate sensitivity to molecular resonance, an instinct born from the dormant技艺—wait, that's a mixed typo in my thought process. Let's stick to English: an instinct awakened from sleeping skills in his bloodline.

He opened his eyes, the corner of his mouth curving into a faint, subtle arc. In a world full of deception, only the metal itself never lied. It recorded the passage of time, and it recorded the traces of greed. Konrad stood up, straightening his thin flannel shirt. The fireplace was barely alive, the wind howling outside, yet the chill in his heart had already receded by half. He re-folded the asset list and slid it back into the drawer. No matter who was standing out there, no matter if they brought contracts or threats, he was ready to use these eyes to dissect every lie that was golden on the outside but rotten inside.

Konrad walked to the window. The glass was covered in intricate frost patterns, blurring the world outside. He extended a finger and scratched a small hole through the ice, watching the snowflakes swirl violently in the storm. A gust of cold wind instantly lashed his cheek, piercing and bone-deep, but he didn't flinch. He lowered his head, looking at the pocket watch in his pocket. Through the fabric of his coat, he could feel that faint yet steadfast warmth, pulsing like a heartbeat.

The footsteps outside were heavy and rhythmic, each step landing in perfect sync with the beat of his own heart. He didn't reach for the door handle. Instead, he clenched the pocket watch tightly, feeling the residual warmth fading but not yet gone completely cold. He knew the visitor brought no good news. On this night, surrounded by debt and conspiracy, The Castle held just him, and the cold was closing in with every heavy footstep.

"Unimportant?" Konrad stood up, leaning forward to close the distance with Marcus. "In Article 34 of the EU Cultural Heritage Protection Act, 'unimportant' does not equal 'can be ignored.' If I sign this, the entire contract will be void due to procedural violation. Do you really want to let the City Hall lawyers teach us about legal compliance?"

"The heating system is an independent unit. Cutting it off requires a written order from the City Hall, and you don't have that authority yet," Sophia said flatly. "However, Marcus, if you dare to test my limits with that stolen loot again, I will report you directly to the EU Anti-Money Laundering Office. I believe you fear jail time more than bankruptcy."

He closed his eyes, sinking his consciousness back into that void of metal. In his perception, deep within the foundations of The Castle, there was an anomaly of light sleeping. It was an ancient, pure silver, far more brilliant than any metal in the modern world. It was a beacon left behind by a lost civilization, and it was his only trump card for a counterattack.

"That's an old precedent. We are under the new law now." Marcus cut him off, his eyes darting with a sly, cunning glint. "And if you don't want to watch this crumbling mansion turn into a ruin, you'd better sign now. Transfer the collection in this study to me to cover the repair costs."

"I doubt the word 'clean' is the right one to use." Konrad picked up the silver teapot, rolling it between his fingers. "Take this pot, for instance. It feels heavy, but it lacks the warm, gentle luster that true silver should have. Uncle Marcus, you've been quite good at acting lately."

"But it’s within your risk management scope." Konrad looked her directly in the eyes. "If Marcus tries to dig up those old treasures, the structural safety of the entire Castle will be threatened. For the sake of your Family Trust Fund, you should care about this too."

Marcus ground his teeth, pointing a shaking finger at Konrad. "He's being unreasonable! Who does he think he is? Some useless heir holding a broken watch? As long as I cut the heat and let him freeze here for the night, tomorrow he'll be on his knees begging me!"

Sophia stood in the doorway, wearing a sharply tailored dark gray coat. She held a tablet, its cold blue light reflecting off her expressionless face. She was the chief banker for the Family Trust Fund, and Marcus's most powerful ally.

"Get out! Or I'll have the City Hall cut off the heating here!" Marcus roared, his voice cracking with anger. "Freeze to death in this godforsaken place! You'll regret not getting on your knees like a dog to sign that paper today!"

"Misunderstanding? According to the system, you just tried to use three items marked as 'forgeries' as collateral. Hans's note in the backend was: 'Watch out for this old fox, he's trying to cash in stolen goods.'"

Marcus pushed the door open, his heavy woolen coat dragging in snowmelt, leaving dark, wet footprints on the dry floor. He didn't say a word. He walked straight to the desk, braced both hands on the wood, and his shadow instantly engulfed Konrad.

Konrad didn't speak. He sat back down in his chair, placed the pocket watch against his chest, and felt its weak, pulsing warmth again. He looked at Marcus, devoid of fear in his eyes, filled only with a bottomless calm.

"For Mr. Marcus, antiques are just gold." Konrad's voice was low. "Especially when those so-called 'antiques' are mixed with tons of zinc and lead."

Sophia watched Marcus's face flush red, then looked at Konrad's calm eyes, and finally gazed out the window. The snow was falling heavier, and the lights of the Castle flickered weakly in the storm.

Marcus shuddered, the greed in his eyes replaced by fear. He abruptly yanked open his coat to reveal empty pockets, then glared at Konrad with a venomous hatred.

"Loud enough." Sophia adjusted her glasses, her voice cold. "Marcus, I'm checking the quarterly reports. Your behavior is interfering with my ability to leave on time."

"Marcus, you know I hate trouble. If there's an issue with these items, I do not want my name to appear in any investigation report. Konrad, what about you?"

"Interesting. I might consider giving you a booth at the Paris auction next week. Provided, of course, that you can prove the things in your hands are actually worth the price."

"This fee is not reasonable. According to the old precedent of 1987, structural repairs should be covered by the Family Trust Fund, not the personal responsibility of the heir."

"Kid, don't try to bluff me with legal codes. You know how many friends I have in Brussels. You think I'll let you walk out that door alive?"

"I don't need to walk out that door alive. I need evidence. If you insist that those collections belong to you, then prove their purity."

Marcus's pupils contracted sharply. He scanned the fine silverware displayed in the study—forgeries he had secretly swapped in, planning to sell them at a high markup on the black market.

"The door is still open, Mr. Marcus. You can choose to leave now, or stay a little longer and listen to Miss Sophia."

"I will prove it. But before that, do me a favor. Look up the construction records for that passage under the Castle's foundations that was sealed off two hundred years ago."

"Miss Sophia, I am waiting for you to confirm the legal validity of that transfer document. As I stated earlier, procedural violation means the contract is void."

"The attachment list on the transfer document is missing a line. That 17th-century silver chalice was not listed in the collateral assets."

"Miss Sophia, you're just in time. You've arrived at the perfect moment. We seem to have reached a certain... misunderstanding regarding this debt."

"I was auditing the debts, Uncle Marcus. Since you personally came to the door, I assume it wasn't to check on my sleep."

"This is the final payment for repairing the Castle. Three hundred thousand euros. If it's not paid by tomorrow morning, the City Hall will seal the entrance."

"We'll see, Konrad. In this castle, contracts last longer than promises. But promises... can be broken."

Marcus swung a fist suddenly. Konrad dodged to the side; the fist crashed into the bookshelf, sending several heavy tomes tumbling down.

After speaking, he turned and ran toward the door, his leather shoes screeching sharply against the floor as he disappeared around the corner of the corridor.

He opened the drawer, took out the fountain pen, and wrote a small line in the blank space of the asset list.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Marcus barked. "How dare you doubt the integrity of the family?"

Konrad placed the pocket watch into his upper pocket, pressing his hand against it to feel that lingering faint heat.

Sophia put away the tablet, turned toward the door, and her high heels clicked again, receding into the distance.

Marcus let out a cold laugh, pulling a document from his inner coat pocket and slamming it onto the table.

Konrad's finger stopped on the line reading "Historical Artifact Valuation Clause," applying a bit of pressure to the tip.

"Miss Sophia, I am merely stating facts. Metal does not lie. Only human hearts do."

"That's a typo. For the overall interest of the family, this small blemish is irrelevant."

Konrad stepped back half a pace, leaning against the bookshelf behind him, keeping a position where he could defend himself instantly.

Marcus wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, quickly adjusted his collar, and put back on his mask of feigned virtue.

Sophia entered the study, her gaze sweeping over Konrad before landing on Marcus.

But Konrad knew that before the true harsh winter arrived, he had to find the key.

"You're not asleep yet?" Marcus's voice was raspy, dripping with a superior, scrutinizing tone.

Marcus's face instantly stiffened, then returned to normal, though his knuckles tightened further.

Marcus’s eyes turned fierce. He bypassed the desk, his fingers nearly poking the air in front of Konrad's face.

"Good luck, heir. Don't freeze to death. I'm waiting to see how you turn this around."

"Konrad, your earlier comment about 'purity' was a bit interesting."

"Purity?" Marcus snorted. "Those are antiques, not gold!"

Marcus froze in place, his face shifting from red to white, turning in horror toward the doorway.

The corner of Sophia’s mouth lifted slightly, revealing a trace of approval so subtle it was nearly imperceptible.

Konrad did not look up; he just tapped the list on the table lightly.

The study fell into a dead silence, broken only by the faint crackle of the dying embers.

Konrad stood up, straightened his collar, and nodded slightly to Sophia.

Sophia's fingers tapped on the screen, making a soft sound.

Sophia paused for a second, then returned to her professional smile.

"Checking historical records? That's outside my scope of business."

The doorknob turned, emitting a sharp, metallic screech.

Marcus wanted to freeze him to death, wanted to destroy this castle.

Just then, the crisp sound of high heels echoed.

The door closed. Konrad was alone in the study.

Sophia stood in place, adjusting her cuffs.

Konrad finally looked up, his gaze as calm as ice.

Sophia raised an eyebrow, looking at Marcus.

Not a name, but a coordinate.

"Is he lying?"

Konrad nodded.

Outside the window, the blizzard raged on.

Then, he locked the list away and walked toward the stairs. Deep within the Castle, in the darkness, something seemed to be waking up, waiting to be unearthed.