Chapter 145: The Outstanding Little Maid

"Teacher~" Isha, who had just returned from the White Tower, was visibly excited. It had been over half a month since she last saw Li De. Upon entering the study, she immediately ran to his side. Her ruby-red eyes curved into crescents, and her delicate face radiated an indescribable beauty. Li De chuckled and reached out to ruffle Isha’s long flaxen hair. Though she had spent the winter well, for some reason, aside from her rosy cheeks, Isha hadn’t grown taller or gained weight. She remained as petite as ever. At 15, she should have been in the prime of her development, yet she still looked like a 13- or 14-year-old girl—small and delicate. Isha ?? Level: 3 Age: 15 Golden Bloodline: Unawakened Description: A member of the Golden Race possessing the Golden Bloodline. The talents of the Golden Race are enough to astonish even the gods. During Li De’s last visit to the Crimson Mage Tower, Isha had officially advanced to the rank of Beginner Mage. In just half a month, she had risen from Level 2 to Level 3—a meteoric rise. In fact, if Li De hadn’t insisted that Isha focus on mastering magical knowledge, she might have solidified her first magic model within a week of becoming a mage apprentice and ascended to the rank of Formal Mage. Li De could only marvel at the innate talent of the Golden Race. The Vampire race, though a powerful superior race, seemed like beggars compared to the Golden Race—it was incomparable. "Have you been diligently studying magic under Teacher Spark these past few days?" Isha obediently nodded, her beautiful eyes narrowing slightly. She leaned her head affectionately against Li De’s large hand, much like a little kitten. "Isha has been very good. I’ve already learned five spells from Grandpa Spark. Teacher, in the future, I can help you~" Hearing the girl’s innocent words, Li De couldn’t help but inwardly gasp. Five spells? And this was after only half a month—not only had her level increased from 2 to 3, but her learning speed was also incredibly fast. The Golden Race truly operated on an unfair advantage—it was absurd. "Mm, keep studying hard. When your teacher isn’t around, the Crimson Mage Tower will rely on you to protect it." Li De pinched the girl’s cheek affectionately, his face full of indulgence. Isha fulfilled all his fantasies of having a younger sister—obedient, adorable, and exceptionally talented. She was perfect. "Mm," Isha nodded firmly, her eyes filled with a determination Li De couldn’t fully comprehend. After chatting for a while, Isha suddenly remembered something and guiltily said she needed to fetch a magic secret given to her by Spark. She had been so happy when she came upstairs that she forgot. Li De watched her leave the study with an amused expression. She was still such a little girl. Moments later, his expression grew calm, and a thoughtful look appeared in his eyes. Currently, the Crimson Mage Tower was thriving, appearing healthy and prosperous. But it wasn’t without its crises. The tower's strength was fragmented. The only high-level combatant was Li De himself. The rest were either mage apprentices or novice mages who hadn’t even reached Level 5. They still had a long way to go to grow stronger. Even Isha, with her Golden Bloodline, was no exception. Fortunately, his nominal teacher, Spark, was still around to shield him from some storms. However, the Crimson Mage Tower would eventually have to stand on its own. Relying on external forces wasn’t a sustainable solution. With the Crimson Mage Tower located in Green City, where a Transcendent mage resided, he couldn’t transfer Vampires here—or else he wouldn’t be so worried. If he could somehow recruit two high-level combatants, the Crimson Mage Tower would be secure. Thinking about it, Li De chuckled. Such thoughts were easier said than done. If high-level combatants were easy to obtain, they wouldn’t be called "high-level" in the first place. Emi had become a Vampire through sheer coincidence. If Li De hadn’t improved the Small Fireball spell and Emi hadn’t underestimated that battle, the blasphemous man might have escaped without a trace. --- The magic scrolls produced by the Crimson Mage Tower quickly disrupted Green City’s magic scroll market, drawing the attention of many nobles. However, with Spark’s prior declaration, no one dared to say anything against the Crimson Mage Tower. In this city, Spark, at Level 19, was undoubtedly one of the top figures. Those who could rival him were few—aside from the Transcendent Mages who surpassed him, there were no more than three others. Green City was the political, economic, and cultural center of the southern region of the Nolan Empire. Most cities were governed by Green City’s nobles. To be among the few top figures in such a city spoke volumes about Spark’s influence. No noble would dare offend Spark over magic scrolls—it simply wasn’t worth it. Even though the business of magic scrolls was lucrative, it was far from enough to justify risking offending a great mage. Those capable looked down on it; those incapable didn’t dare act. However, in recent days, many nobles had approached the Crimson Mage Tower seeking cooperation. After all, magic scrolls were a hard currency. Even buying them at market price could turn a profit. While Green City had the Mysterious Shop, other cities did not. Magical items operated on their own illogical rules. Li De didn’t pay too much attention to this, leaving everything entirely in Vina’s hands. Through his deliberate delegation and training, this intelligent little maid had grown significantly during this time. In his absence, Vina had managed the Crimson Mage Tower entirely, handling everything methodically without a single mistake. This time, the Mysterious Shop’s collaboration with Green City’s nobles once again gave Li De a pleasant surprise. Three days. In just three days, Vina had reached cooperative agreements with five major merchant guilds. Among them was even the Alex Merchant Guild, a behemoth that had dominated Green City for a thousand years. Some of the cooperation terms were particularly interesting, leaving Li De impressed. Two months from now, the Crimson Mage Tower would sell magic scrolls to the cooperating guilds at 9 Gold Pucks each, guaranteeing a monthly supply of no less than 3,000 scrolls. After six months, the quantity would increase to no less than 6,000 scrolls. These guilds were forbidden from selling magic scrolls within Green City. Any existing magic scroll stores they operated had to be shut down. Only the Mysterious Shop of the Crimson Mage Tower could sell magic scrolls in Green City. Of course, non-cooperating guilds were exempt from this restriction. Additionally, the cooperating guilds would provide magical materials to Dawn City at prices 10% below market value. In Li De’s view, this agreement was a small loss for a big gain. He was astonished that Vina had managed to negotiate such terms with these influential figures. External cooperation was an inevitable step. With the recruitment of a second round of mage apprentices, the production capacity of the magic factory would gradually increase. In the future, daily output would reach new heights. Don’t be misled by the current sales volume in Green City. This was because previous demand had been suppressed. Previously, demand far exceeded supply. Other mage towers, due to their low productivity, produced only a few hundred scrolls per month, which disappeared into the market almost instantly. The scarcity drove prices sky-high, often reaching 20 Gold Pucks per scroll. The high prices and limited supply directly caused adventurers seeking scrolls as backup to struggle finding suitable ones. Thus, the market had been suppressed. After the Crimson Mage Tower released sufficient scrolls, the pent-up demand exploded, leading to the current frenzy. However, this state wouldn’t last long. Perhaps in a week or two, when adventurers realized the Crimson Mage Tower still had ample stock, their excitement would wane. Moreover, magic scrolls could be stored long-term, and not every adventure required their use. Thus, a decline in sales was inevitable. With no other commercial channels, cooperating with nobles was a win-win situation. Most importantly, this process granted the Crimson Mage Tower a voice in negotiations with major guilds and nobles—a significant breakthrough. Previously, even with the backing of the White Tower, the Crimson Mage Tower had little influence in Green City. Through this cooperation, Vina had woven a vast network of connections for the Crimson Mage Tower. Magic materials that once required the White Tower’s influence to acquire could now be purchased easily. What impressed Li De even more was that the girl had formed an invisible commercial alliance centered around the Crimson Mage Tower. Though fragile, its potential was limitless. The Crimson Mage Tower’s isolation in Green City vanished after this cooperation. Now, acquiring basic necessities like grain, cloth, and salt was effortless—with partners handling everything seamlessly. Previously, the Golden Wheat Merchant Guild had to exert great effort to procure supplies, often at the mercy of others. But now, with newfound leverage, these partners handled everything effortlessly. Li De couldn’t help but admire Vina’s accomplishments. This little maid had truly grown. Even if he had handled it himself, he doubted he could have done it so flawlessly. Everyone had resources, but maximizing their utility wasn’t something everyone could achieve. Ordinary people might cling tightly to magic scrolls, earning tens of thousands of Gold Pucks daily. Such a golden goose wouldn’t be shared lightly. "Why should I sell to you at a discount when my goods are in short supply?" Such thinking wasn’t wrong—it was simply shortsighted. Vina’s approach was more sophisticated—resource exchange. By seemingly sacrificing short-term gains, she secured greater long-term benefits. This process resolved the Crimson Mage Tower’s longstanding lack of connections and formed a vast network of interests. In the future, if the Crimson Mage Tower encountered issues with magic scrolls, these partners would undoubtedly step in to help. Li De couldn’t help but admire Vina’s growth. While the operation seemed simple—just a few commercial partnerships—it took immense foresight to sacrifice short-term profits amidst daily earnings of tens of thousands of Gold Pucks. Even among Earth’s modern business elites, many clung to their golden bowls and starved to death. Kodak was a classic example of this failure. [T/N: Kodak the camera/film company.] This girl, who had been merely a maid six months ago, now showed glimpses of a future business queen. Though Vina was still young, Li De believed that with his guidance, she might one day become a formidable figure in the business world. At the very least, she wouldn’t fall short of the "most beautiful tulip of Green City," as the leader of the Alex Merchant Guild was known. Li De looked forward to seeing her future. This was indeed a world of magic—but it wasn’t a world of magic alone.