Volume 5 Chapter 121 Shadow in his heart
Xu Yi had plenty of ideas, but reality gave him nothing.
After laying down the magic signal tower, according to his plan, the first step was laying down coverage in Xu Yi’s personal territory. This was considered promoting this technology while also being considered an experiment, testing the various aspects of this technology.
When they reached a certain extent, they would then erect magic signal towers all over the Stantine Duchy, integrating the entire duchy into the magic network that Xu Yi dreamed of.
However, while he didn’t encounter any hindrances on the first step, there was a large hindrance when he wanted to take the second step.
The Frestech Chamber of Commerce had contacted the n.o.ble who was closest to Xu Yi’s territory, planning on installing magic signal towers in his territory and expanding the Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s magic network.
But when they talked to that lord, the Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s proposal had been firmly rejected by that lord.
This made Xu Yi very surprised.
Because this lord’s territory was close to the Frestech Chamber of Commerce, he already had a deep cooperation with them and had gained many benefits from this cooperation.
Before this, he didn’t reject any of the requests of the Frestech Chamber of Commerce, always following them. But this time, he had taken a very strong stance and didn’t leave any room for further discussions. It meant that it was impossible for the Frestech Chamber of Commerce to install a magic signal tower in his personal territory.
His strong response was surprising to everyone in the Frestech Chamber of Commerce. Xu Yi had personally met with the lord on this matter and explained to him how much this would increase the people’s standard of living, but he still didn’t seem to relent at all.
In the end, because of his strangely firm stance, the Frestech Chamber of Commerce gave up on using his territory as the first target to expand. They turned to discuss with another lord who bordered Xu Yi’s territory.
However, the other lord had the same determined stance as the lord from before. He also stated that he wouldn’t allow the Frestech Chamber of Commerce to build any magic signal towers on his territory no matter what.
If it was just a single lord that had this kind of change in att.i.tude, it could be considered some special consideration on his personal part, but for two lords to have this strange att.i.tude at once, Xu Yi had no choice but to pay attention to this.
When he had his subordinates contact another lord, although they had been firmly rejected just like before, Xu Yi finally understood that this hindrance wasn’t just coincidental.
Facts proved Xu Yi’s inference.
Akali’s small research team worked with the Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s public relations staff in the Stantine Duchy to contact over ten n.o.bles to cooperate, but they had all rejected them without any exception.
This strange circ.u.mstance would make anyone feel that something was off.
Why would the lord of the Stantine Duchy take the risk to offend the Frestech Chamber of Commerce and oppose such a thing that had no harm to them? Why would the oppose something that could improve the quality of lives for the citizens that lived in their territory?
Xu Yi was very confused about this. Even if they gave all kinds of strange reasons, they were all excuses in the end and not a single one told the truth.
The matter of building magic signal towers, because they were being built in the private territories of the lords, they had to have the lords work with them to build it properly.
Now that they all didn’t want to work with them, Xu Yi couldn’t do anything right now.
But compared to the strange rejection about the magic signal tower, Xu Yi cared about the real reason behind why the lords had rejected him.
When he contacted the congress before to get a new piece of territory, he could only give up after more than half of them rejected this. Xu Yi now found that he, or perhaps the Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s influence was much greater than he had thought.
For the control of the Stantine Duchy, these two things both proved without doubt that there was no control of the Stantine Duchy at all.
This made Xu Yi a bit disappointed.
He thought that with the appearance of the Frestech Chamber of Commerce greatly improving the quality of living for the Stantine Duchy citizens, as well as giving everyone benefits, everyone would approve of the Frestech Chamber of Commerce and would support all their actions.
But the brutal fact had told him that he had taken this too much for granted.
“Kid, aren’t you thirty five years old? Why are you still as naive as a child?” Arch Magus Camilla looked at Xu Yi with knitted brows before shaking his head, “Just kindness will make people thank you, but you have to understand that grat.i.tude is only grat.i.tude and obedience is a completely different matter. Others might agree to some things because of grat.i.tude, but if it goes against their own interests, of course they would choose to protect their own interests. How could they blindly obey you?”
“But…..While wanting territory would affect their benefits, so it’s normal for them to disagree, but how would constructing magic signal towers affect them? Why would they firmly oppose this?” Xu Yi was confused.
“Kid, you’re not willing to study magic when you have nothing else, now do you know what the problem is?” Arch Magus Camilla gave a soft snort.
Xu Yi scratched his head in a confused manner, “How is this related to you wanting me to study magic? Could it be that if I study more magic, they would agree to help me construct the magic signal towers?”
“No, it won’t.” Arch Magus Camilla shook his head, “But if you study more magic, you would know more about the stories of magicians and wouldn’t be that confused about why they won’t let you construct a magic signal tower.”
Xu Yi was surprised, “What stories?”
“It’s about two thousand years ago.” Arch Magus Camilla cleared his throat and slowly said, “Around two thousand years ago, humans had just taken control of the continent from the elves. Because humans mainly depended on the magic they learned from the elves, allowing them to defeat the elves, there weren’t that many magicians, but they were powerful. At this time, the most powerful magicians were unyielding leaders among humans. For their own benefits, these magicians built magic towers in the areas they controlled…..”
Through Arch Magus Camilla’s explanation, Xu Yi finally understood.
So two thousand years ago, these powerful magicians had released powerful magic waves through their magic tower, controlling all humans in the area of these magic towers. They didn’t even let off other races.
Because these magicians were not good people, these humans were controlled by these powerful magicians through their magic towers, becoming things they controlled at will. Their lives weren’t much better than when the elves controlled the continent, it was even much worse.
Although with the development of human society, they broke free of being controlled by these powerful magicians, forming the human kingdoms that existed now, the shadow of the magic towers had a deep impression on human memories.
Now that the Frestech Chamber of Commerce wanted to build these signal towers, although they had a different function from magic towers, with the shadow that was cast, it would be strange if they didn’t reject this proposal.
Xu Yi thought that he could come up with a solution after learning of their worries, but now he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
“Is there a mistake! The magic signal towers are completely different from the magic towers, alright? Aren’t they being too scared?”
“If something can threaten one’s rule, being careful is reasonable.” Arch Magus Camilla softly recited a famous phrase on the Sines Continent.
Xu Yi helplessly shook his head, “Then what do I do? Do I have to force the lords to let me build the magic signal towers? If I really do this, I might as well destroy them with the company guards.”
“That is also a good method.” Arch Magus Camilla gave a shrug. Seeing the surprised look that Xu Yi had, he gave a certain nod, “Don’t doubt it, I’m serious.”
Xu Yi slightly knit his brows, “Grandfather, are you instigating me?”
“No, I’m seriously advising you.” Arch Magus Camilla said in a deep voice, “I’ve already wanted to discuss this problem with you. I approve of using magic machines to improve the lives of normal people, but I’ve always felt that there was a problem with your methods.”
“What problem?” Xu Yi asked in a confused voice.
“You’re too indecisive. You clearly have the ability to control the entire Stantine Duchy, but you insist on building that congress. I’m not saying that this method isn’t good, but haven’t you noticed that this method causes many problems for the ideas that you want to raise for the Stantine Duchy?”
Xu Yi was silent for a bit before giving a nod, “I’ve noticed, but…..this is a method that I want to use. I don’t think that I’m suited for being a king.”
“No, I’m not making you a king, you really aren’t right for this. I just want to remind you, Xu Yi, that you have more responsibility than you can imagine. You have to change your idea and become stronger. Indecisiveness and going slowly will only make things more difficult, it will make your ideals become further and further.”
After saying this, Arch Magus Camilla patted Xu Yi’s shoulder with a serious look.
“Xu Yi, I agree with your ideals and hope that you can realize them, but you have to understand the truth for this.”
Xu Yi lowered his head and looked at the ground, not saying a thing.
Arch Magus Camilla didn’t keep urging him and only silently watched.
After a while, Xu Yi took a deep breath before looking back up. His eyes were no longer filled with doubts, but rather they were glowing with conviction.
“Yes, grandfather, I understand. I know what I have to do.”
Arch Magus Camilla nodded with a smile.
He understood Xu Yi, thinking that Xu Yi was the most intelligent person he had ever seen. Since he had understood and made up his mind, there were many things he didn’t need to say.
“Alright, Xu Yi, no matter what you decide, remember that I, Arch Magus Camilla will do my best to help you!”
“Thank you.”