408 An Important Business

Giving gifts to one another was a new tradition that Baiyi's family adopted recently. This started when Baiyi began spending less time with the girls. He considered them mature and powerful enough to take care of themselves, so he did not bring the girls with him on his journeys. This saved them from experiencing any more mishaps.

Baiyi's penchant to plan for his trips to a tee had rubbed off on the girls. This had to do with why they gave gifts to whoever had to go on an excursion. 

The girls would usually gift confectionaries and other snacks to whoever had to go on an excursion, but in Mia's case, she was gifted multiple items for her protection. This was the reason why Mia was embarrassed by her gifts. 

"Uhm… You got all that because it's your first time going out with Modred. Back in the day, either one of us would go with you, so we were sure that everything would be fine," Tisdale explained. "But, now that our youngest sisters are going on a trip together, well… We got a little worried." 

There was something else Tisdale did not say. Mia was a scholarly mage, just like the Assistant Head of the Faculty of Magic — the Scholar Walker. Due to Baiyi's pampering, Mia did not have actual battle experience. A lack of experience was something Modred also shared. She acted fiercely while at Da Xue, but she had never experienced a real battle. 

"Come on, Big sister Dale, this isn't the first time I'm going out, alright?" Mia grumbled. She was touched by the waves of concerns she was getting, but the way they exaggerated the situation left her disgruntled. The number of scrolls they gifted her… was enough to start a small-scale war. 

Mia had gone on excursions before, but she had been in the company of dependable people, like Mr. Sorry and Mr. Owl; hence, the excursions went smoothly, through and through. However, on this excursion, she would be the one leading a group, which included Mordred. 

The realm they would be visiting was recently discovered; it was called 'Ede'. According to a crew of investigators who visited the realm first, Ede was not dangerous. It could be used as a training ground for the students. This did not rule out the appearance of sudden anomalies. This was unlike other realms that had been fully explored, and the investigators could vouch for them completely. Baiyi only agreed to allow the students to go to Ede because he believed that it could provide something that other fully explored Mirco-realms could not.

"Nevertheless, there is no wrong with being well-prepared, right? That is what our mentor has taught us many times. 'Being well prepared is being well insured', right?" Nota said. She was the only one who understood Mia's feelings at that moment.

"I understand. Thanks, everyone. I'll take care of myself and the others; don't worry," Mia replied, flashing a smile.

"That's right; Don't forget about me!" Mordred said and smacked her chest in confidence. 

Right as Mia and Modred were preparing for the upcoming excursion, Baiyi and the Warrior Walker were stuck in a discussion with nobles. Unfortunately, the nobles that approached him only wanted to talk about the same thing, and the discussions almost seemed to happen the same way. 

"Master Hope, sorry to bother you; please, allow me to introduce to you my nephew — niece or son or granddaughter, etc. He, or she, have dreamed of joining Da Xue for a long time now. In fact, he (or she) have just applied to (insert random Da Xue course here). Would you like to take a look?"

A random kid would be seen standing beside the noble speaking to Baiyi. Baiyi would then scan the kid with his psychic power and say "Not bad" with a feigned expression of approval, 'encouraging' the kid to apply to Da Xue. 

After that, the guardian would try to motivate the kid whichever way they could. "If you manage to get into Da Xue, I'll buy you a horse", or "The seats for sponsors' family members are getting scarce; you must not lose this opportunity", or "Show the world that you did not get into Da Xue just because your family donated some money, okay?" etc. 

For ten years, the same scene had occurred countless times, albeit with different nobles. Baiyi had heard these lines so many times, his non-existent ears were filled with enough wax to make tons of candles. 

Baiyi knew that most of the kids he had met today would not make it into Da Xue. Only the children of the nobles who decide to donate to Da Xue would get in.

For nobles that wished to enroll their kids via donation, they would need to fork over five million gold coins — fifty times the normal tuition fee. When the kid has been registered, the nobles would need to pay an additional ten million gold coins before the kid is allowed entry. Baiyi made the fee for this mode of entry exorbitant, as it was akin to bribery. If one sought to bribe their way into Da Xue, which stood tall as one of the best academies, they would have to go big... or go home. 

However, no amount of 'sponsored students' could be considered enough for Da Xue, as the donations from parents helped keep the academy afloat. Baiyi had even increased the number of spots that Da Xue would allocate to students who wished to enter the academy via sponsorship. There was now thirty slots available for sponsored students, which paled in comparison to the millions of applications that sat for the entrance exams annually; thirty slots was definitely not enough. After each entrance examination, Baiyi always braced himself for a sea of nobles that hurriedly approached him, pleading that Da Xue take their kids in, no matter the cost. 

The Southern Duke, Duke Link, was also guilty of this. With a promise to do business with Baiyi, the duke was able to secure three seats in Da Xue for his sons and his eldest grandson. Baiyi used Duke Link's business ties to market some products invented at Da Xue, netting himself a healthy revenue. This income helped Da Xue partially relieve the financial burden that the dragon knights corps — a black hole that only absorbed money — placed on it. 

Marketing the Instagrand Frock, a new product, was what they planned to do at this event. The steely Warrior Walker went over to mingle with the female attendees, after which she began to use the transformation function of the Instagrand Frock. When the other ladies saw the Warrior Walker's gown transform multiple times, into other elegant dresses and gowns, they gasped in astonishment. The men also enjoyed watching the sequence of transformations. 

"She is absolutely gorgeous," Duke Link, who had inched close to Baiyi unseen, remarked. He had been entertaining his guests all night, but now, like the others, he was admiring the Warrior Walker, who was previously stuck with entertaining his guests, but now he had some time to enjoy the sight of the Warrior, who looked scintillating in everything she wore. "If she was not a Voidwalker, I would go all out to win her over, even if it means I go against you."

"You'll never have the chance," Baiyi replied. "Our relationship is deeper than marriage."

"I know; you talked about it before, didn't you? Memory exchange — the act of exchanging memories without reservation, distortion or deception. Such is the ultimate act of a sacred union," the Duke recited, with a sigh. "This novel invention of elegance is bound to be popular, Master Hope. Have you thought of a good name?"

"Honestly? If the task of naming it falls to me, I'll just call it 'Cloth that transforms', or something like that. I presume that this name is horrible for a product aimed for you nobles," Baiyi said, without hiding his inability to come up with good names. This was a trait he could just blame on his master's terrible naming sense 

"Gwahaha! Horrible, my friend; that is a horrible name, indeed. As expected from you, a name that is straightforward and direct." the Southern Duke laughed out loud. "Fine, fine. I guess I'll just have to help you with this. I'm always ready to help my friends."

"I'm certain this gesture is aimed more at to helping your business. After all, you're involved in this too, aren't you?" Baiyi said, disinterested in playing along with the farce. Although Da Xue invented Instagrand Frock, marketing the product would be done by Duke Link, and thirty percent of the profit would go directly to him. Baiyi considered this deal a fair one. 

"Alright, my perceptive friend. It's true, but this business deal is small compared to something else I have in mind; this is something I am certain will pique your interest. If you're already bored of mingling with these mindless folk, would you like a change of environment?" Duke Link said.

"Oh? Could it be similar to the last one?" Baiyi asked. Without waiting for a reply, he followed the Southern Duke, and they both walked out of the hall.

They deftly avoided the other guests and went to the study within the estate. There, a young man dressed in a sharp tuxedo was already waiting for them. He held a glass of red wine, enjoying the night alone. 

When he noticed Baiyi and Duke Link walking over, the man closed the windows of study and walked over to them. 

The Southern Duke closed the door, and Baiyi cast a Silence barrier around them. 

"Nice to meet you, Most Respected Lord Principal. I'm the sixty-second cohort advanced-class graduate of yours, Geordan King. I am very pleased to meet you here today," the young man said, politely introducing himself. He bowed gracefully while he was doing so. 

"He didn't say it, but this young man is the principal secretary of a general. Indeed, he is here today on the man's behalf," Duke Link added.

Since they were meeting with a representative of the military, the matter looked to be a very important one; it could even involve arms supply to the empire.

At a glance, experience individuals would correctly guess the purpose of the meeting. Baiyi was content with receiving only a small part of the profit, as it would be more than the combined revenue Da Xue currently receives from its main and side businesses. 

Baiyi was, without a doubt, incredibly interested in this business — or rather, he had been interested in it for a long time. Two years ago, Duke Link invited him to talk about this, and Baiyi agreed in a heartbeat. The Southern Duke had invited him over to talk about it two years ago, which Baiyi had said yes in a heartbeat. No matter what weapons or military arms they needed — be it swords and sabers for the army, or magical marionettes for wars, or potions — there would be a Voidwalker with the knowledge required to make them. If just one of Baiyi's inventions was chosen by the army, a sea of gold coins would surely flow into his pockets.

Even the Southern Duke would be unable to influence the terms of this deal, which was why he brought Baiyi into the deal. Unfortunately for Baiyi, as time passed, his relationship with the ruling class took a turn for the worse, so the duke could no longer offer Baiyi such deals in the open. However, it was thanks to this that Baiyi and Duke Link became closer, with more transactions occurring between them, albeit on the down-low. 

None one would have expected Baiyi to get involved in such large deals, seeing as the ruling class considered him a persona non grata. Baiyi was overjoyed with this, but he was also alarmed. 

If the empire was willing to rope him, someone they despised, into such a lucrative business, then what sort of request would they make off him? Judging from the importance and enormity of it all, Baiyi knew that it had to be something very, very dangerous.