As soon as Xu Yi learned that Archmage Arista had left, he went to find Archmage Camilla.
"Grandma, did Archmage Arista agree?" Xu Yi asked eagerly.
"It's not that easy." Archmage Camilla rolled her eyes at him. "He's an Archmage. Everything he does attracts attention. He can't just do whatever he likes."
"So it's still a no?" Disappointment immediately spread across Xu Yi's face.
"Not entirely." Archmage Camilla shook her head. "Arista didn't say so outright, but from what I could tell, getting him involved in this research shouldn't be much of a problem. If you want him to help you with anything else, though, that's essentially impossible. In any case, don't expect fifty thousand gold coins a year to buy his loyalty away from the Malo Empire."
Xu Yi couldn't help laughing. "Grandma, aren't you underestimating me? If fifty thousand gold coins a year could buy an Archmage's loyalty, I'd hire every last one of them."
"But you only pay me ten thousand gold coins a year," Archmage Camilla said, rolling her eyes.
"Well..." Xu Yi glanced at Archmage Camilla and chuckled. "Grandma, you're a different matter. You have a stake in the entire guild. You can take as much as you like. But you have reminded me of something. Your annual salary of ten thousand gold coins hasn't changed in years. That was an oversight on my part. You're an Archmage now. It really isn't right to keep paying you so little. Hmm... how about this? We'll raise your annual salary to fifty thousand gold coins. What do you think?"
Archmage Camilla froze, then quickly waved her hands. "I was only joking. What would I do with that much money? The guild provides everything I need now. Money is no use to me. You'd be better off spending