Beauty as a Painting

"So, Guild Master, I suggest we open up markets in other cities as soon as possible. I've looked into it. The Magic Fans made by that factory in Sartan City are nowhere near the quality of Xinfei Magic Fans. I'm sure that once we start selling there, we'll take their market," Sebas said earnestly.

"We'll take it, all right, but there's no need to rush. Sartan City is someone else's territory. Even with a superior product, we won't necessarily have an easy time if we barge in. I'm waiting for the right opportunity. And that opportunity actually comes from the very questions you've been asking."

Sebas froze. Xu Yi had led him around in circles for so long that he had nearly forgotten his earlier question. He hadn't expected Xu Yi to bring it up himself.

"But Guild Master, the research you're funding has nothing to do with Magic Fans."

Xu Yi raised his right index finger and wagged it. "No, no, Sebas. In an industrial system, no area of research is completely unrelated to the others. A Magic Fan may look simple, but it involves a great many things. Right now, the research I'm funding may seem to have little to do with Magic Fans. Once it produces results, though, you'll see how closely they're connected. Every project could bring about a dramatic change to the Magic Fan. Besides... who told you the Xinfei Merchant Guild could only make Magic Fans?"

Sebas's eyes widened. Did Xu Yi mean he was going to develop new products?

Sebas wanted to ask, but Xu Yi gave him no chance. He stood and pointed toward the outer room. "All right, let's go take a look. It's been a while. Stille and the others should be finished by now."

Sebas could only follow him helplessly.

As they walked, Sebas mulled over what Xu Yi had said.

An industrial system? What's that? He made it sound important. And what are these new products? Will they cause a sensation like the Magic Fan? The Viscount will probably be very interested. I...

Xu Yi and Sebas had been talking in an inner room. Outside it lay a spacious hall.

Stille stood poised in the center of the hall. Across from her, a Magic Fan had been placed level with her face, blowing a refreshing breeze straight at her.

This Magic Fan was clearly different from the earlier Xinfei model. Its shape was rounder, and it was slightly smaller, giving it a more delicate look.

It was the Second-Generation Variable-Speed Magic Fan, now fully developed and officially in production.

Stille wore a long white dress that day. As the cool breeze swept past, her flowing golden hair stirred gently, while the hem of her dress rose and fell in the wind. She looked almost ethereal.

Stille was beautiful to begin with, and this pose lent her even more charm. Seen from the side, she looked radiant, so dazzling it was hard to look away.

Hearing footsteps behind her, Stille turned and spotted Xu Yi. She flashed him a playful smile that made his heart give two inexplicable thumps.

If she were on Earth, she'd probably become a star, Xu Yi thought.

He gestured for Stille to stay focused, then went to another corner of the hall.

There, facing Stille's profile, sat a painter. The large canvas before him held a nearly finished picture.

"That's excellent!" Xu Yi praised it after one glance.

The picture portrayed both Stille and the Magic Fan in full, against a backdrop of grassy countryside. Its composition was superb, capturing her appearance and charm so vividly that anyone who saw it would be drawn in.

Xu Yi stood beside the painter for a while. When the painter finally laid down his last stroke, he let out a long breath. His face, so animated moments before, turned utterly weary. The painting had plainly taken a great deal out of him.

"Master Anlisos, thank you for the effort." Xu Yi handed him a cold drink that had been prepared in advance.

Only then did Master Anlisos notice Xu Yi. He accepted the drink, gave him a confident smile, and pointed at the canvas. "What do you think, Guild Master Xu Yi?"

Xu Yi gave him an unreserved thumbs-up. "It's fantastic. You truly are the best painter in Bunta City, Master Anlisos. This painting is perfect."

Of course it was perfect. Xu Yi had paid the staggering price of fifty gold coins for this single painting. If Anlisos had failed to do it well, that money would have been wasted.

Master Anlisos laughed. "Guild Master Xu Yi, the real reason this painting turned out so well is Miss Stille. I merely depicted her beauty as it is. Don't you think that just standing there, she's a painting in her own right?"

Xu Yi turned toward Stille, who was walking over, and nodded lightly. "I couldn't agree more."

Master Anlisos and Xu Yi exchanged a knowing look and burst out laughing together.

"Hey, Xu Yi, what are you two talking about?" Stille asked as she came over. "What's so funny?"

"Master Anlisos was saying how beautiful you are," Xu Yi said with a smile.

"Thank you for the compliment, Master Anlisos." Stille gave him a sweet smile, then turned to Xu Yi. "What about you? Don't you think I'm beautiful?"

Xu Yi couldn't help laughing. Young women really do like being told they're beautiful.

"Of course I do," Xu Yi answered with perfect seriousness. "Would anyone in this world dare say you aren't? Tell me who they are, and I'll gouge out their eyes! They clearly have no use for them."

Stille giggled and gave Xu Yi a light punch. "You're exaggerating."

But the look on her face made her delight perfectly clear.

Xu Yi glanced at the canvas again, then turned to Stille. "Stille, I have a strong feeling you're going to be famous soon. Very famous. Will that put pressure on you?"

"Why?" Stille asked in surprise. "All I did was pose for this advertisement you talked about. Why would that make me famous?"

Xu Yi smiled. This was the first advertisement for the Second-Generation Variable-Speed Magic Fan, and he intended to promote it with everything he had. With Stille's looks and presence, it would be stranger if she didn't become famous.

After a little more idle chatter, Master Ansolis and Sebas left to settle the payment and arrange the advertisement's release. Xu Yi and Stille were left alone. They looked at each other, and Xu Yi made an inviting gesture.

"Beautiful Miss Stille, might I have the honor of taking you to lunch?"

Stille deliberately put on a stern face. "I'm sorry, sir, but I don't usually accept invitations. Unless the man asking is a handsome older gentleman."

Xu Yi widened his eyes in surprise and pointed at himself. "A handsome older gentleman? Isn't that me?"

Stille could no longer keep a straight face. She giggled. "So you finally admit you're an older gentleman? In that case, what are you planning to treat me to?"

"Hmm... how about a bowl of noodles as fresh and refined as you are?"

"Oh, come on. How can noodles be fresh and refined? And how are they like me?"

"Ah, you just don't understand. Noodles are slender, supple, and springy..."

Laughing and joking, Xu Yi and Stille arrived at a small restaurant nearby and went straight to a table they knew well.

Work had brought them together for meals often lately. They had already eaten at this restaurant several times.

"By the way, Xu Yi, have you thought about what I mentioned last time?" Stille asked as soon as they sat down.

"What was that?" Xu Yi paused, then remembered. "Oh, your classmates? Didn't I tell you I'd welcome them wholeheartedly? Were you waiting for another answer before contacting them?"

Stille had told Xu Yi that although she had graduated from Lampari Royal Academy, she still kept in touch with many of her classmates. Some had heard that she worked at the Magic Research Institute Xu Yi had recently established, studying the Magic Arrays used in Magic Machinery. A few were interested in the work and had asked whether Xu Yi would take them on.

Xu Yi had welcomed the idea wholeheartedly. His greatest headache now was the shortage of talented people, especially for Magic Array research. Apart from himself, he could hardly find anyone to help.

Stille's arrival had taken a good deal of work off his hands, but she was only one person. It was still nowhere near enough.

Naturally, Xu Yi would be delighted to have a few of Stille's classmates join them.

"Of course not. I've already contacted them, and three said they want to come. But..." Stille hesitated, looking a little embarrassed. "They asked me what terms you'd offer them..."

"Terms?" Xu Yi glanced at her awkward expression and laughed. "Stille, I haven't even met them. I don't know what they're capable of. How could I decide what to offer them?"

"I know that, but... you should at least give them some minimum guarantee, shouldn't you? They'd be coming from a long way away. If they got here and weren't satisfied with your offer, they'd have made the trip for nothing." She looked at Xu Yi hopefully. "You pay me fifteen gold coins a month. You couldn't offer them less than that, could you?"

"Hmm... here's what we'll do, Stille. Contact the three of them again and tell them I'm inviting them here as Guild Master of the Xinfei Merchant Guild. The guild will cover all their expenses for the trip, including travel, food, lodging, and anything else. If both sides are satisfied, they can start with a one-month trial at ten Gold Coins. If we're still both satisfied afterward, they'll become full researchers at the institute, earning fifteen Gold Coins a month, just like you. If the institute produces any results, the guild will award additional bonuses based on what they accomplish. What do you think?"

Stille nodded repeatedly. "That sounds great. I'll write to them in a little while."

Xu Yi smiled and was about to add something when he caught sight of the restaurant entrance. His brows drew together slightly.