A Visit

As soon as Xu Yi finished speaking, the students erupted.

"Ten Gold Coins? That much?"

"Oh my god! What did Olin change to earn ten Gold Coins all at once?"

"If I'd known, I would've looked into it too. I'm confident when it comes to Magic Arrays."

"Exactly! Ten Gold Coins! If I got that reward, I could let my mother take a proper rest for a while..."

After all, these students earned only two silver coins for each Magic Array they drew. To make ten Gold Coins, they would have to draw a full five hundred arrays!

For the other students, whose families were nowhere near as well-off as Olin's, ten Gold Coins was a substantial sum.

As the students chattered, Xu Yi shot Heinz, who stood dazed beside him, a look. Heinz immediately understood and hurried off. A little later, he returned with a hastily wrapped paper bag in his hand and handed it straight to Olin.

"Olin, here's your reward. You can count it."

"There's no need, Chairman. I only studied the Magic Array out of personal interest. This reward... I can't accept it." Olin shook his head and waved his hands, unwilling to take it.

Proud as he usually was, he knew his family background already set him apart from his classmates. If he accepted the reward in front of everyone, it might separate him from them completely.

That would be no pleasant experience.

"Take it. This is company policy, not something meant just for you." Xu Yi took the bag and pushed it into Olin's arms. "Go on, check that there are ten Gold Coins inside."

Seeing Xu Yi's firm stance, Olin could only open the bag with an awkward expression, pour out the Gold Coins, and count them one by one.

Xu Yi smiled faintly and raised his voice again. "Listen up. As I just said, this rule doesn't apply only to Olin. Any one of you who comes up with a way to improve the Magic Fan can earn the same reward!"

"Chairman, does any kind of idea count?" a tall male student asked, raising his hand.

"As long as it concerns the Magic Fan and would improve it," Xu Yi said seriously. "Of course, that's provided it doesn't interfere with your regular work. If you focus so much on these ideas that you neglect your duties and hold up production, I'll dock your pay. Under the terms of your contracts, I might even dismiss you."

He had to play the bad guy first. Otherwise, the students might get carried away researching improvements and forget their most basic work. That would do more harm than good.

The students exchanged glances, then all lowered their heads and got to work in earnest.

Compared with before, their enthusiasm seemed to have surged.

Heinz glanced at Olin, who had returned to his station and was working with his head down, then quietly asked Xu Yi, "Ten Gold Coins? Is it worth it?"

Xu Yi chuckled. "Of course it is. Heinz, remember this: improvements like these matter enormously for any product. We need to keep this policy in place, and it shouldn't be limited to changes to the Magic Array. Eventually, we may extend it to the entire Magic Fan production process. If someone improves the fan's exterior design, we should reward that too and encourage more of it."

Heinz looked puzzled. "Aren't you the one who handles all that? You think you can't come up with anything better than these wet-behind-the-ears kids?"

"No matter how capable I am, I'm only one person. One person's abilities have limits, but the ingenuity of a group is boundless. Don't underestimate these students. One of them might become a great magic machinery engineer someday."

Heinz looked at the students across the room, all working with renewed energy, and shook his head slightly.

He couldn't see it.

Just as Heinz was about to discuss their next steps with Xu Yi, someone called out from the wooden building's entrance. "Mr. Xu Yi."

Both men paused. The only person who addressed Xu Yi so formally seemed to be Viscount Leslie's old butler.

They turned around. Sure enough, the man who had appeared in the doorway was Butler Wenlai.

Xu Yi hurried over to greet him.

"Butler Wenlai, what brings you here? Is something the matter?"

Butler Wenlai glanced around the building before taking a gold-edged invitation from his coat and handing it to Xu Yi.

"Mr. Xu Yi, on behalf of my master, Viscount Leslie, I sincerely invite you to visit his estate at noon today."

Xu Yi froze. He and Heinz exchanged baffled looks.

Why would Viscount Leslie, who had not even shown up when Xu Yi rented his land, suddenly invite him over?

Xu Yi was a little surprised when he met Viscount Leslie.

Since he had rented land from Viscount Leslie, Xu Yi had naturally made a point of learning something about him.

From what Heinz had gathered, Xu Yi knew that Viscount Leslie was well known in Bunta City's aristocratic circles. He had apparently just turned thirty and, thanks to his handsome looks and wealthy family, was said to be popular with noblewomen and young ladies alike. He was a notorious playboy.

Xu Yi had expected a pretty face and an air that passed for charm but was really frivolous. He had also expected arrogance and a man who would be difficult to get along with.

But meeting him in person showed Xu Yi how far off his impression had been.

The man before him was indeed handsome, but his regular features, thick brows, and large eyes gave him an unexpectedly upright look. His skin was not the pallid shade fashionable among nobles; it was bronze, even slightly dark.

He was tall and well proportioned, clearly someone who exercised regularly. He was nothing like the delicate, frail sons of ordinary noble families.

At the first sight of Viscount Leslie, Xu Yi put aside his dismissive attitude.

This Viscount Leslie was probably nothing like the few arrogant, useless young nobles Xu Yi had encountered before.

As Xu Yi studied Viscount Leslie, the viscount studied him in turn. He seemed particularly interested, examining Xu Yi carefully from head to toe several times before gesturing to the small table beside him. "Please, sit."

Xu Yi gave a respectful bow according to commoner etiquette, then sat upright across from Viscount Leslie.

Seeing this, Viscount Leslie chuckled. "No need to be so stiff. I'm not like those old men who insist on all those troublesome formalities. Make yourself comfortable. See, I'm not receiving you in the drawing room, so this isn't a formal occasion. Think of it as a friend inviting you over for a simple meal."

Xu Yi glanced at him, wondering why the viscount was being so courteous.

By status alone, Xu Yi was an ordinary commoner, while the man opposite him was a duly titled viscount of the Lampari Kingdom—a noble through and through.

Xu Yi might be a mage, but mages were hardly rare on this continent, and ordinary ones commanded little attention.

In Bunta City, only a great mage like Camilla earned everyone's respect.

Besides, Xu Yi had not even passed the Mages' Guild's Qualification Certification Examination, making his standing still less noteworthy.

From a business standpoint, Xu Yi had rented land belonging to Viscount Leslie, which put him at the viscount's mercy. If anything, Xu Yi should have been the courteous one.

"My lord, may I ask why you summoned me so suddenly?" Xu Yi finally asked.

"That can wait. Come, let's eat first." Viscount Leslie waved a hand and gave no answer.

After a moment's thought, Xu Yi set the question aside and enjoyed lunch at the viscount's invitation.

As Viscount Leslie had said, he was not entertaining Xu Yi in the estate's drawing room, but in a small wooden building beside a pond. The meal was neither lavish nor formal, consisting of just a few light dishes.

Those dishes, however, were exquisitely prepared, beyond anything any restaurant in Bunta City could match.

Throughout the meal, Viscount Leslie was warmly attentive. He kept up a wide-ranging conversation with Xu Yi without repeating himself once, displaying knowledge far beyond that of the average commoner.

Only after they had finished eating, and the servants had cleared the table and brought two glasses of perfectly chilled fruit juice, did Viscount Leslie bring the small talk to an end. He looked at Xu Yi and said suddenly, "Xu Yi, Butler Wenlai tells me your Magic Fan workshop has started operating?"

Here it comes. Xu Yi felt a stir of anticipation. He sipped his juice to moisten his throat and gather his thoughts, then paused before nodding. "Yes."

"I've also heard your workshop produces a great many Magic Fans each day. Can you tell me how many you're making now?" Viscount Leslie immediately waved a hand. "Of course, if that's confidential, you needn't tell me."

Xu Yi smiled faintly. "It isn't confidential. For now, production is set at one hundred and fifty a day."

"Oh? One hundred and fifty a day... Let me see. You've been operating for three days, so that makes four hundred and fifty."

"If today goes as smoothly as the others, that's right." Xu Yi nodded.

"Then I have a question." Viscount Leslie gave Xu Yi a meaningful look. "At one hundred and fifty a day, wouldn't you produce a full four thousand five hundred in a month? Do you think you can sell that many Magic Fans? Bunta City has only around three thousand households, and I doubt every household will buy several."

"Thank you for your concern, my lord." Xu Yi smiled. "In fact, as you said, the market for Magic Fans in Bunta City is nearly saturated. Selling many more here would be difficult."

"Oh? Then why keep making so many? Aren't you worried they won't sell?"

"People in Bunta City may not need them, but plenty of people outside the city do," Xu Yi replied with a smile. "To be frank, my lord, we already have orders for more than five thousand. Only a small portion come from Bunta City; the vast majority come from villages outside it. And the number of orders rises sharply every day. Just this morning, I accepted an order for a full thousand Magic Fans." Xu Yi paused briefly, watching Viscount Leslie's expression, then added with emphasis, "It's worth mentioning that the order came from Karma City."