First Endorsement and a Pay Raise

After match day ended, Maël returned to his normal life and immediately began his extra training days.

Just like last time, he still spent about a day and a half recovering, practicing his long shots and coordination more during that period.

Although coordination was physical training, it mostly involved balance work with resistance bands, agility ladders, and the like, so the intensity was relatively low.

After the last match, Maël's social media followers were growing by more than 3,000 a day, with the number slowly decreasing day by day.

When he and Gilbert walked down the street during their usual rest and relaxation time, more people could recognize them too, and they were often asked for autographs and photos.

That feeling was still extremely enjoyable. At the very least, he had not grown tired of it yet. He was still in the fresh stage of "becoming famous."

"Maybe I'll never get tired of it?"

He sometimes thought that, but who could say for sure about the future right now?

Time slowly moved past August and into September.

This month, they had a total of five Championship league matches to play, which counted as a tight schedule.

The Championship schedule was not quite the same as the Premier League's. They had 46 rounds of matches to play each season, so the campaign was very long and very packed.

This was also why Championship teams rarely caused upsets and won the FA Cup or League Cup. The pressure of the league itself was already enormous, and they did not have particularly deep benches either. What were they supposed to use to compete with Premier League teams? Sheffield United's fifth Championship match was on September 11, so there was still time.

Maël was not too nervous. He kept intensifying his training until, on September 9, his coordination finally reached a breakthrough.

Skill: Stability Lv2

Proficiency Progress: (1/800)

Effect: You are slowly learning your body. You are steadier when performing difficult movements, and your bodily balance has greatly improved!

A strange sensation washed over him, leaving Maël standing still on the training ground for a long time. The improvement in coordination, just like strength, gave a person a sense of security.

He felt that he would be more composed when making breakthrough moves, and the impact he suffered when battling with others would become smaller too! These points were not to be underestimated. This was also an ability that would determine his ceiling.

With coordination, the abilities from other high-level skills would become more solid, and when he improved them, he would not have to fear an unstable lower base either! "Next up is speed."

Maël smiled and glanced at his speed progress. By the 15th at the latest, he would be able to raise that ability to Lv2.

By then, his physical attributes would be completely sufficient. All that remained would be to push toward excellence!

While eating in the cafeteria, he took out his phone and checked his Facebook private messages. He saw that someone had sent him more than a dozen messages.

"3,000 pounds! After tax!"

"Can you see this, young star? After tax. The price is still negotiable. You only need to sign the glasses and flasks made from suitable materials, then sign some scarves and hats, and help us put on an event."

"3,500 pounds!"

"4,000 pounds! Young star, this really is the final limit. We're not some chain store."

He still remembered this. It was an endorsement invitation from a bar. Last time, he had even said he would go, but the match had delayed him.

Since he had nothing else to do anyway, after Maël finished eating, he called Gilbert along and took a taxi toward that fan bar.

"4,000 pounds?"

On the way, Gilbert kept asking about it, both teasing and envious. "Just for signing some autographs, 4,000 pounds? Be careful you don't get scammed, Maël. No wonder people worry you'll get honey-trapped."

"We'll know once we get there." Maël looked out the window and replied.

A dozen minutes later, the two arrived at a street of bars.

At a rough count, there were at least several dozen bars on both sides of the street, some big and some small, and many had football elements.

Looking at the message in his private messages, Maël finally confirmed one bar and pointed it out to the driver. "That's the place."

He and Gilbert soon went in together. It was a fan bar of around three hundred square meters, and the inside was covered with Sheffield United's badge logos and group photos.

Looking carefully, there were also quite a few group photos of former Sheffield United stars in the bar, though they were all from some time ago.

"You're here. One moment."

Seeing the two of them come in, a waiter at the bar counter quickly headed toward the back.

Before long, an enthusiastic old man walked out from the back of the bar. With a warm smile, he opened both arms toward Maël. "You finally came, my friend.

"I've been waiting for you for a long time. You played really well in the last match. Everyone in the bar was won over by you."

After Maël and Gilbert exchanged greetings with him, the old man settled them at a table near the bar counter, then turned and left. Before long, he came back with a beer barrel tucked under his arm.

Mm. He looked a bit like the barrel guy from League of Legends.

"My name is Kodall. I've been running this bar for forty-five years."

Kodall busied himself pouring drinks for the two of them while introducing the bar. "The bar has been renovated three times, but after the most recent renovation, there have been far fewer customers.

"That's why I thought of copying other fan bars and inviting a Sheffield United player to endorse us and promote the bar.

"After all, old fogeys like us should learn some new promotional methods too."

After saying that last sentence, Kodall leaned back and laughed loudly. "Thank you for coming, and for bringing this... this should be called..."

Gilbert immediately felt a little awkward and reminded him, "Gilbert."

He felt insulted. Why did other people remember Maël, but not him?

Was his face really that ordinary? After that, Kodall explained the endorsement requirements to Maël.

Broadly speaking, Maël needed to sign around a hundred autographs and help promote the place on his social media, inviting fans to come here to watch matches.

Then he would receive £4,000 after tax.

"Very simple."

Maël smiled and accepted the offer. For him right now, there was no easier way to make money than this.

He immediately started the signing task, working seriously. Every time he wrote a name, his brain gave a faint little tremor.

+£40, +£40, +£40! Gilbert watched eagerly from the side, with nothing left but envy.

Once he had finished signing everything, Maël took a sip of beer and smiled in satisfaction. "Old man, if you've got more work like this next time, make sure you call me."

"Same here." Gilbert raised his head, eager to give it a try.

Kodall excitedly gathered up the scarves and flasks, then said contentedly, "Definitely, definitely. Honestly, part of this was me trying something out too. I hope it works.

"I'm still counting on this bar for my retirement. I still want to watch football here for another twenty years."

He was probably a die-hard fan of the team, someone who had supported them his whole life. Something stirred in Maël's heart, and he said, "When the Off-season comes, we'll definitely come here for a couple of drinks."

"Great." Kodall took out £4,000 in cash and handed it to Maël, saying happily, "Here's your payment. I'll send the tax certificate to your phone later.

"I'll be here waiting for you the whole time. If you come, it's on the house!"

"Thanks." Maël had still wanted to chat a little longer, but he suddenly received a call from Joelson.

Two minutes later, he put down the phone, surprise showing in his eyes. "Gilbert, Arsenal are giving both of us a raise."

"Really?"

Gilbert almost jumped up. "Both you and me? How much?"

"Don't know yet. Let's head back and talk about it."

Maël packed up his things, said goodbye to Kodall, and hurried outside to hail a taxi.

For some reason, why had all the good things these past few days come together at once?