More than half a month had passed since the New Year, and bustling Bunta City had gradually settled back into its everyday rhythm after the holiday festivities.
At the Xinfei Merchant Guild's factory outside the western suburbs, operations had resumed a week earlier, returning it to its busy, intense working routine.
Heinz pushed open the office door and saw Xu Yi standing before a wall, studying a map of the Lampari Kingdom hanging there.
Xu Yi had obtained the map from the city lord some time earlier. He seemed quite fond of it and spent a little time looking at it like this every day.
Heinz noticed that the map had changed slightly again today.
When Xu Yi first hung it up, he had colored a patch fiery red just west of Bunta City.
When Heinz asked why, Xu Yi told him that it marked the Xinfei Merchant Guild's location. He had colored it red to show that this was where the spark of the magic industry had been lit.
Now Heinz noticed another fiery red patch south of Karma City, a short distance northeast of Bunta City on the map. It covered a much larger area than the patch outside Bunta City.
Heinz glanced at the new patch of red and asked Xu Yi with a smile, "So? Have you settled everything?"
Xu Yi nodded. "Yes. I just spoke with Count Anneris's representative and settled the matter of leasing land in Karma. Next, our guild needs to send people there to inspect the site and finalize the arrangements. Given how much attention Count Anneris has paid to this, I think things should go smoothly. Oh, his representative just invited me to visit Karma City for an inspection as soon as possible. I told him I would make time within