Chapter 40

Chapter 40 This is Myeongjeong tea. Its brewed with medicinal herbs that help clear the mind. Its a specialty of our Mage Tower. Please, have a taste. Radios offered the teacup, carefully observing the countenance of Daebak no, the valuable customer who had returned to the Mage Tower after a long absence. Hes definitely young. If I play my cards right I might be able to reel him in Due to the tight budget for the month more precisely, the situation was so dire that the owner of the Mage Tower himself had to step forward to eagerly court a mere deal of 1.5 million gold. No doubt, artifacts were the highest value products produced by the Mage Tower. But artifacts, which started at a cost of ten million each, were fortunate if they sold even a few units a year due to the lack of interested buyers. Thus, the main products were relatively affordable(?) scrolls, and in this respect, the Earth Mage Tower that he led was slightly less competitive. During peacetime, as opposed to war, the practical uses of Earth Magic were mostly in agricultural development, farming, or large-scale civil engineering. However, very few nobles were willing to use expensive scrolls for such trivial tasks. After all, they could just mobilize the peasants of their domain. As a result, the Earth Mage Tower always struggled with a tight budget. It was not true that the Mage Tower had become inept after he became the Tower Master. It was natural for the Tower Master to use some of the Mage Towers budget for personal research. The rumors that this impacted the competitiveness of the entire tower were sheer nonsense. Of course, the reason the budget was tight this month was because hed overspent a bit, but with the hope hed discovered, it wasnt necessarily a bad thing. If I succeed, the Mage Tower succeeds. Yes, indeed. Hmm. Its a tea that the Tower Master can be proud of. It has a delightful aroma. Haha, as expected, you have quite the discerning taste. But did you say you wanted to buy 150 Collapse Scrolls? Radios himself regretted speaking as soon as the words left his lips. Hed foolishly dived straight into the main agenda, reacting immediately to unexpected praise not the demeanor worthy of a noble. It was a clear mistake. Yes, thats right. Fortunately, the gracious customer didnt seem to react. Maybe, it wasnt too late to try and feel it out. Hahaha. Im excited about such a big transaction after a long time. But theres a bit of a problem, actually. Problem, you say? As you know, a 4th level Circle Scroll can only be produced under the guidance of a 5th Circle mage. And such high-quality manpower is not abundant in our Mage Tower. Radios cautiously baited, watching the buyers reaction. So, what is it? The buyers gaze darkened, and the atmosphere turned chilly in an instant. It was not the response hed expected from an easy mark. But I have to try at least once more. Gulp. Radios swallowed hard and continued cautiously. As you may be aware, scrolls are expensive to produce and cannot just be crafted in advance So, what youre saying is, you cant provide the quantity I want? But before he could even finish his sentence, the buyers voice grew icy cold. No, not at all! Definitely not! I just meant that producing 150 scrolls might take a little time Haha. Ahem. Radios quickly babbled out excuses in shock. Well, theres nothing I can do then. I was planning to purchase 150 scrolls monthly. If you cant even handle 150, Im considering looking into the Royal Mage Tower Wait, please, sir! Yes? Monthly? Radios was stunned, thinking he must have misunderstood. Yes. I need a total of 900 scrolls over six months, at a monthly rate of 150. But it was neither a delusion nor a misunderstanding. Ugh His hand involuntarily shot up, and a cheer almost escaped him. Ahem. What are you doing My apologies. I just needed to stretch a bit due to fatigue He narrowly escaped the crisis with his well-honed acting skills developed over the years, believing he had perfectly managed his expression. Well, if even the first 150 scrolls are delayed, then 150 every month for six months is outright impossible. Thanks for the tea. But no matter what, the determined steps of the wealthy Party () leaving did not stop. When the sound of footsteps thundered in his ears like lightning, Radios had only one choice.Read latest chapters at novelhall.com Only It can be done! It must be done! Really? Of what I said, that is unless I intervene personally Yes, exactly. Indeed. Could it be done? It absolutely must! 150 per month. 1.5 million per month. Thats 9 million over six months. Haha. Such a splendid sum. This better offer was what Logan had been willing to hear. Nevertheless, he almost laughed at the absurdity. It boiled down to sending a few low-ranking mages to put up a front, while still pocketing the money. Im sorry, but Ten of them! As Logan was ready to refuse bluntly, the Tower Master preempted him. Sorry? Nine 2nd Circle mages and one 3rd Circle mage. I have apprentices who are experienced working together on various construction sites. I will send them to you. Logan couldnt resist being interested by such conditions. Employing ten mages, even for lower circles, might even be better than a single 4th Circle mage for a long-term construction project. Especially remarkable was the claim of specialized mages in construction work a notion Logan could scarcely imagine. Hmm. If I can employ mages affordably, that suits me just fine. I came here wanting to expedite construction. At Logans positive response, Radios seized the moment to suggest. How about we compromise at 120 scrolls, and I send those friends for the duration of the construction? 120 scrolls? Effectively trading 30 4th Circle magic scrolls for ten mages. No matter how he looked at it, it was a fair deal. Well, that seems fine. As Logan nodded, smiles bloomed on the faces of both the watching Mage Tower owner and the elder. Each thought they had woven a perfect deal where both sides gained. But since this is such a large and long-term deal, you might be able to offer some discount? How far can you go? Yet Radios expression contorted once more with Logans follow-up question. The Tower Master had played his hand too soon. What will the outcome be? Logan smiled inwardly, waiting for the reaction. They must have surmised that his visit related to ground construction work. Despite the presence of the Royal Mage Tower, which taught classes in multielemental wizardry, it couldnt match the Earth Mage Tower, which held a unique position in this field. Furthermore, mages hated the word discount attaching to their precious magic products, considering it an insult to their pride. But Logan was confident this strategy would work. From the conversation outside, and based on Haha. You need this urgently, dont you? Not particularly urgent. I just want to finish the construction early. Money is no concern. Haha, you are indeed generous. After all, employing peasants in your domain would suffice. This was the common belief among Grandias nobility at the time. Spending a lot on territorial development was an option chosen only in urgent cases. Otherwise, the cheap solution was to grind the peasants of the domain. Thats why the Empire easily conquered us. Every law of the Empire is intended for the peoples welfare. To promote the welfare of the people is to serve the nation. Ensuring the peoples prosperity is the foundation for strengthening the nation. These were the opening phrases of the imperial laws later proclaimed by the Emperor of Ares Empire. Logan, in his previous life, was also shocked by these words. At that time, they were notions he had never considered. What significance was there in treating peasants well just to boost ones reputation within the domain? At least, thats what I thought. But this notion vanished in an instant when faced with the Empires war. When Grandias military forces crumbled, its soldiers were quick to flee. In contrast, Imperial troops fought to hinder the enemys advance, even after a defeat. This difference in mindset always led to outcomes far exceeding the direct difference in military strength. And only after everything ended did he realize that this stemmed from how the monarch treated the people. Many other nobles likely came to the same realization. The country becomes stronger when its people are prosperous. This simple truth dawned on them only after the kingdom had fallen. It was necessary now to cater to their perspective. If the price doesnt suit me, I might just take longer to mobilize the peasant workforce and handle it that way. Logan had no intention of forced peasant labor without proper compensation, but others couldnt know his thoughts. Haha. I see. Naturally. But a discount from the Mage Tower Hahaha. Only a baffled voice and hollow laughter followed. Unable to make a decision, they kept looking for a sign, so Logan decided to prod them further. Is it too much? Then Ill just consult the Royal Mage Tower Wait! Please just a moment Though he didnt actu