Are You Still Hiring?

Just then, Frieren's gaze suddenly sharpened as she stared fixedly at the city wall in the distance.

There, Old Wall, who had left earlier, stood on a raised platform and gathered the young men building the wall. He had the foreman beside him loudly announce the names of the construction team that had contributed the most and progressed the fastest yesterday.

Their reward was an additional ten days' wages for each of them.

Looking at the four young men called forward, Old Wall smiled and waved his hand. The foreman immediately stepped up, pulled several sparkling objects from a bag, and handed one to each of them.

After the awards, the young men cheered and returned to work with enthusiasm, as if this were simply part of their daily routine.

But Frieren was anything but calm inside.

Her eyes widened as the image of that sparkling object kept replaying in her mind—

That was a Magic Crystal, wasn't it?

It had to be a Magic Crystal, right?!

One Magic Crystal for ten days of work—what kind of insane pay was that?!

Frieren finally understood why the people here were so optimistic and motivated, willing to do even such filthy, exhausting work without complaint.

If someone offered her one Magic Crystal for every ten days of work, she would be willing to build city walls too!

Frieren slowly turned around and looked solemnly at Lin Yu. "Lord, are you still hiring?"

Lin Yu: "...?"

Frieren hurriedly said, "Don't misunderstand me. I just think working in such a rich... such a happy town should be very enjoyable!"

Lin Yu could not help laughing.

Flamme rolled her eyes beside them and said irritably, "You think the pay is high enough!"

Lin Yu smiled. "High wages come with high prices, especially for everyday goods here. Outside, they could be considered outrageously expensive..."

Flamme frowned and said quietly, "I know you want your people to live more comfortably, but wouldn't such high wages also create a lot of negative effects?"

"As far as I know, Ridge Peak City is currently trading with the surrounding countries. If large quantities of cheap goods flood the local market, wouldn't locally produced goods with such high prices lose their competitiveness?"

"And if they can earn one Magic Crystal in ten days, aren't you afraid they'll save enough money and run off to enjoy themselves in other countries?"

Lin Yu smiled. "The problems you mentioned do exist, but they have not become that serious yet."

"Old Wall is a capable man to begin with, and I taught him a few economic methods as well. Under his management, the economy of Spine Peak Territory is still developing healthily."

"Although prices are high, purchasing power at fair prices is still far beyond that of the surrounding countries."

"There are also plenty of ways to spend surplus wealth, so life is not particularly stressful."

"Besides, the people of Spine Peak Territory have all experienced war and displacement. They understand very well that without the protection of Spine Peak Territory, no matter how much money they have, they will only become fat sheep in other people's eyes."

"As for those who have already fled, they were never core citizens to begin with. A few Magic Crystals are no great loss. Their names have already been placed on the blacklist, so they will never be allowed back into Spine Peak Territory."

"Based on Old Wall's and my estimates, there is no need to worry about this for at least two generations."

Flamme frowned. "What about after two generations?"

After two generations, the people of Spine Peak Territory would embark on the path of cultivation.

By then, Magic Crystals would not only be currency, but necessities for cultivation as well. There would be even less to worry about!

Of course, Lin Yu had no intention of telling Flamme about any of that yet.

Seeing Lin Yu smile without answering, Flamme seemed to understand something. She nodded. "As long as you're confident."

Half an hour later, the three of them walked out of the most famous restaurant in the city.

The restaurant's ingredients were supplied directly by the Monster Hunting Squad under the Lord's Guard, so it offered many unusual dishes. The three servings of roasted Dragon Beast ribs they had just finished were one of its signature dishes.

Walking along Central Avenue, Flamme muttered softly, "Just three servings of roasted ribs cost three Crystal Coins. These prices really are absurdly high..."

Crystal Coins were the basic local currency of Spine Peak Territory, made from crystals whose Magic Power had been exhausted.

According to the official rate, one hundred Crystal Coins could be exchanged for one standard unit of Magic Crystal.

Of course, market prices fluctuated. For private exchanges, the rate was roughly one to one hundred and ten.

That was why Old Wall's direct reward of Magic Crystals was even more exciting than handing out Crystal Coins.

Hearing her teacher's words, Frieren nodded in deep agreement.

According to Flamme, in the neighboring countries that traded with Ridge Peak City, food bought with one Crystal Coin could feed a family of three for three whole days.

That was with three meals a day and meat at every meal.

If the standard were lowered a little, it could last half a month without issue.

"I've been wanting to ask since earlier. Has magic already become widespread in Spine Peak Territory?"

Flamme asked as she watched a woman in the distance using Weaving Magic.

Lin Yu nodded. "More or less. At least among the first batch of villagers, everyone has already learned magic."

Flamme glanced at him. "Why haven't you developed technology?"

Lin Yu smiled. "We have. They just don't think much of it for now."

Flamme looked surprised. "They don't think much of it?"

Lin Yu sighed. "Trains need tracks laid, and they do not even run faster than earth dragons. Textile machines are less efficient than Weaving Magic, and steam engines have less power than simply attaching a Magic Crystal..."

"I understand."

Flamme sighed softly, then glanced at Lin Yu. "But the technology you possess goes far beyond that, doesn't it?"

Lin Yu shook his head. "Technology that surpasses the era is no different from magic to them. If it cannot be developed from the foundation upward, then it does not have much meaning."

At that, he paused and said seriously, "I know you are still thinking about this, but different circles do not need to be forced together. Over the past ten years, I have seen how the residents of Spine Peak Territory used Magic Crystals to invent and create."

"The magic lamps, magic bellows, and magic forging furnaces you see were all their creations."

"In a sense, this Magic Technology based on Magic Crystals is itself part of science."

"Since this world has resources different from Earth's, why must it develop exactly like Earth?"

Hearing Lin Yu's words, Flamme fell into deep thought.

Frieren looked bewildered. Her gaze drifted between the two of them for a while before she finally decided to give up thinking and stop dwelling on a topic she could not understand at all.

Afterward, Lin Yu took the two women around the city for an hour. Only after tasting the delicacies from the dessert shop and the strong liquor of Sunshine Street did they head toward the Castle in the northeastern corner of Spine Peak Territory.

Before long, the magnificent Castle appeared before them.

When Flamme saw Rolycoly, now over eighty meters long, in front of the Castle gates, she first looked amazed, then happily stepped forward and affectionately stroked its scaled jaw.

Compared to her, Frieren was far less relaxed.

She gripped the Crescent Moon Staff she had instinctively taken out and looked nervously at the giant beast before her.

In her senses, this Monster emitted a terrifying fluctuation of Magic Power. Its reserves even seemed to surpass those of Great Mage Flamme!

"Frieren."

Lin Yu's voice came from ahead.

Frieren turned toward him and saw him smiling. "Your teacher and Rolycoly are old acquaintances. After ten years apart, they must have plenty to talk about. Leave her alone for now and come with me. I'll show you your room first."

"..."

Frieren steadied herself and nodded lightly. "Then I'll trouble you, Lord."