Volume 1 Chapter 111 Apologies
Seeing Xu Yi walk into the main hall, Viscount Leslie revealed a bright smile to him.
“Xu Yi, congratulations on officially becoming a Fifth Grade Magician.”
Xu Yi was surprised, “How did you find out this quickly?”
Although Xu Yi didn’t doubt the power of the Stagg Family behind Viscount Leslie in Anvilmar City, it hadn’t been that long since the Fifth Grade exam had ended. Viscount Leslie had already received news on this, it was a bit too surprising.
‘A person who has never taken the Magicians Guild exam before, but pa.s.sed the Fifth Grade Exam on his first time. If I don’t even know about this news, I might as well not come to Anvilmar City anymore.” Viscount Leslie said with a bit of pride.
“Oh? Is me pa.s.sing the Fifth Grade Magician exam that rare of a matter?” Xu Yi couldn’t help revealing a smile.
“Of course. You have to know that there were many people who looked down on you before, but now they have no choice but to pay attention to you because of this piece of news.”
Xu Yi was a bit confused, “Lord Viscount, although Fifth Grade Magicians aren’t everywhere, they aren’t that lacking, right? I think that just in our Lampuri Kingdom, there should be over a thousand Fifth Grade Magicians, so how special can I be? Comparing it, I think my magic machines are more attractive to people. Not to mention that I was summoned by the king two days ago because of the agricultural magic machines, it should be right that this matter attracted more attention.”
Viscount Leslie shook his head, “You don’t understand people’s hearts at all. They thought that you were just a small merchant that invented something novel that caught his majesty’s interest, that’s why you were summoned. As for the major impact that these agricultural magic machines have, these people don’t know about it at all and disdain learning about it. Compared to this, a magician with great talent is something they pay more attention to.”
Xu Yi was silent for a bit before suddenly saying, “Among those people, does it include Lord Viscount’s father, Lord Duke Stagg?”
Viscount Leslie took a deep look at Xu Yi, “Although lord father knows more than those fellows, but Xu Yi……it’s far from enough.”
“Is it because me and the Frestech Chamber of Commerce doesn’t have enough influence, so it can’t enter his eyes?” Xu Yi asked with a smile.
Viscount Leslie gave a slight nod, “It’s generally this meaning. Although lord father is a bit interested in you because you were summoned by his majesty, it’s far from having him care about and placing importance on you. So……” Viscount Leslie spread his hands and said in a helpless and pitiful voice, “I’m very sorry. Although I’ve worked very hard, lord father doesn’t have the intention to meet you.”
Xu Yi shrugged his shoulders and said in an uncaring voice, “Lord Viscount, you don’t need to apologize. I’m very clear that with my ident.i.ty and status, having the Lord Duke care and place importance on me is impossible. This is nothing, the Frestech Chamber of Commerce and I have a lot of s.p.a.ce to develop, so there will be a chance to meet the Lord Duke in the future.”
“You really do always have confidence.” Viscount Leslie said with a smile.
“That’s one of my advantages.” Xu Yi accepted this praise without any hesitation before asking, “But Lord Viscount, I’m very curious. Why hasn’t Hannes come see me in so many days? Could it be that after he came back to Anvilmar City, he wouldn’t recognize an old friend from Banta City anymore?”
Viscount Leslie gave a helpless smile, “You finally couldn’t help asking about this. Let me tell you, according to some news I received yesterday, as soon as that fellow Hannas returned home, he was locked up and can’t go out for a month. So even if he wanted to see you, it’s impossible.”
“Locked up?” Xu Yi was surprised, “Why?”
“Of course it’s to punish him for staying in Banta City for too long, even missing the arranged time to return home.”
Xu Yi was a bit speechless, “He isn’t a child, why would he be punished for this?”
Viscount Leslie shrugged his shoulders, “There’s no other way, his family is like this.”
“No wonder Hannas had a strange expression when mentioning his father.”
After chatting about a few more things concerning Hannas, Viscount Leslie took out a letter to give to Xu Yi.
“I need to stay in Anvilmar City for some time. You’re going back tomorrow, so help me take this letter back to Brunei.”
Xu Yii took the letter and Viscount Leslie gave him a thick paper bag that he didn’t know what was contained within.
“It’s some doc.u.ments, also give them to Brunei.” Viscount Leslie thought for a bit before saying, “I might need to stay in Anvilmar City for a rather long time, so if you need anything, you can just go talk to Brunei.”
Xu Yi knit his brows, “Lord Viscount, forgive me for being blunt. Although Butler Brunei is loyal to you, he is rather stubborn as a person and isn’t as flexible as you. It’s fine if it was a normal matter, but if it was something special for example some large actions for the company, I’m worried……Ke, forgive me for being direct, but I’m worried he will delay these matters.”
Viscount Leslie couldn’t help smiling, “You kid, you actually have this much opinion about Brunei. Relax, I’ve said before that I wouldn’t take part in the developmental decisions for the company, so you can just do whatever you want to do. As for the matter of the land, I’ve written about it in the letter and I believe you won’t be disappointed.”
Xu Yi put the letter and bag away with a smile, “Then I can be a.s.sured. Lord Viscount, you truly are wise, you have prepared everything.”
Viscount Leslie ridiculed him before standing up, “Alright, we’ll leave it like this. I have something to do tomorrow, so I won’t send you off when you leave.”
Xu Yi shook his head, “I’m not a little girl, would I die from something like this?”
Viscount Leslie laughed before walking out the door.
When he had one foot past the door, Viscount Leslie suddenly stopped. After pausing for a bit, he slowly turned to Xu Yi and his expression became very complicated, like he was struggling with something in his heart.
After hesitating for a while, he finally gave a sigh before saying in a soft voice, “Xu Yi, as for the matter in the palace, I should apologize to you.”
Xu Yi looked at Viscount Leslie in surprise. Countless thoughts pa.s.sed by in his mind before he gave a smile, “Lord Viscount, you make this sound too serious. Actually Viscount Harvey was right, as a chess piece, I should have the awareness of a chess piece. There is no need for you to apologize.”
Viscount Leslie looked at Xu Yi in a daze and his eyes couldn’t hide the shock he felt.
After that, Viscount Leslie’s expression calmed down again and he gave a nod to Xu Yi. He didn’t say anything else as he left without turning back.
Seeing him disappear around the corner, Xu Yi covered his face and revealed a smile of self ridicule.
“Actually if there was no other choice, who would want to be a chess piece?”
###
Two days later, Xu Yi returned to the Banta City he had been away for ten days.
This time he didn’t come back alone, but compared to when he left Banta City, the people who were traveling with him had changed.
The ones with him when he left were Viscount Leslie and Baron Hannas, but now that he was back, those two fellows remained in Anvilmar City. The one who came back with Xu Yi, other than Sancheli who Xu Yi had picked up on the way, there were also the ten low level magicians he had enticed to come to Banta City to check out the Frestech Chamber of Commerce, which included Erwin, Rooney, and Bob.
The highest of these magicians was only Second Grade. The youngest was Rooney who was nineteen this year and the oldest was Isaac Fowler who was forty seven this year.
If it said that there was still hope for the three young people of Erwin’s group to become powerful Great Magicians, then for someone like Isaac Fowler who was still a Second Grade Magician at his age, it was close to impossible for him to become a powerful Great Magician.
So when Xu Yi talked to them and mentioned the wages he offered, it was very easily to entice them.
Other than these people who would become staff members of the Frestech Chamber of Commerce without any unexpected accidents, there was also a very special person who came with Xu Yi.
“Young miss Seveni, have you prepared a place to live during this time?” Xu Yi looked at Seveni who sat opposite of him and asked with a faint smile, “If you haven’t, perhaps I can help you find a suitable place?”
Seveni was still wearing the agricultural department’s uniform. She didn’t have any makeup on her face and she didn’t look that outstanding with a first glance, but the more one looked at her, the more they were attracted by the intelligent look she had that wasn’t commonly seen in women of the Sines Continent.
Hearing Xu Yi’s question, Seveni revealed a gentle smile and shook her head, “Many thanks to chairman Xu’s goodwill, but I will be seeing Count Sean soon. As for your question, I think Count Sean should have made preparations, so there is no need to trouble chairman Xu.”
Xu Yi gave a slight nod, “The preparations of Lord City Lord are better than mine. Then young miss Seveni, you……how are you planning to inspect our Frestech Chamber of Commerce?”
According to the instructions of the king, Seveni was representing the king and the agricultural department to monitor and inspect the Frestech Chamber of Commerce, to ensure there wouldn’t be any problem in terms of quality for the agricultural magic machines made for the agricultural department. At the same time, she would be studying the farmland transformation and the farmers partic.i.p.ating in the Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s farmer support plan, to see how to implement this plan across the kingdom.
Based on this work, Seveni would have to stay in Banta City until at least the spring harvest of next year.
It was already December and there were still around five months before next year’s spring harvest.
Thinking that Seveni would be staying in Banta City for this long, while representing the king to inspect his company’s work, Xu Yi felt a bit awkward.
But the agricultural department representing the king was the largest customer of the Frestech Chamber of Commerce and this customer had the king’s imperial edict, so Xu Yi couldn’t show any discontent at all. He had to do his best to show his pa.s.sion and welcome them.
“Chairman Xu’s words are too heavy, I am not inspecting your Frestech Chamber of Commerce, rather I am just observing with a learning att.i.tude.” Seveni said with a faint smile, “Actually I’m very curious towards the Frestech Chamber of Commerce you’ve built. Chairman Xu, what made you think to study magic machines?”
Xu Yi paused for a second before answering in an awkward voice, “Young miss Seveni, this is a long story.”
Seveni still had the same faint smile, “It doesn’t matter, we have much time together in the future. I’m very happy to slowly listen to chairman Xu’s stories.”
The carriage stopped at this time and Xu Yi opened the curtain to take a look, seeing that the carriage was already at the entrance of the City Lord’s Manor. He jumped out of the carriage and reached his hand out to support Seveni down.
“If you really want to hear it, I can slowly tell you in the future.” Xu Yi said with a faint smile, “As for today, you must be tired from the long journey, so I hope that you will have happy dreams first.”
“Many thanks for your blessings.” Seveni gave the normal curtsy of a n.o.blewoman before heading to the doors of the City Lord’s Manor.
Count Sean had already received the news and was at the door waiting. Seeing Seveni walk over, he immediately came forward with a wide smile.
Seeing the exaggerated smile on Count Sean’s face, there were a few doubts in Xu Yi’s heart.
Even if Seveni was here to inspect Banta City on behalf of the agricultural department, did Count Sean need to act this polite?
But this thought only appeared in Xu Yi’s mind for a second before he threw it to the back of his head.
After getting in the carriage again, he gave an order to the driver and the cavalcade headed to the Frestech Chamber of Commerce outside the city.