82 The Value of a Magic Disciple Part 1 (1/2)
”Nailisi, are you alright?” Saleen did not reprimand her as he helped her down from the platform. After seeing all the snow on her body, his anger had instantly faded away.
He still had his teacher and Sika. Nailisi, on the other hand, was alone. Even if her master scolded her for every small thing she did, no one else in the Myers Mainland would have concern for her.
”I’m hungry.”
Saleen lowered his voice and asked, ”What about the meat we bought along the way?”
”I have eaten all of it.”
Saleen was in a difficult position. Nailisi had a large appetite and loved to eat fresh meat. It was not that he could not afford it, but he was living in the viscountess’ residence and it was difficult to move around. Moreover, buying a large amount of fresh meat would prove to be too strange. A mage and two women, what would they need all that meat for?
”Let’s talk inside.” Saleen pulled Nailisi into the room before asking her, ”Besides fresh meat, what else would you like to eat?”
”Master, I…I have been very hungry recently. My stomach feels empty. I won’t die of hunger, but I think I’m growing a body.”
”Growing a body?”
Saleen thought back to how Nailisi had originally looked. She had indeed been a little skinnier. In the books, it was said that before a magic beast evolved, it consumed a large amount of food. Could it have been the same for a demon? It seemed that Nailisi was maturing and that he needed to think of a way to purchase a large amount of food. This could not wait any longer.
Nailisi had been able to ambush a headless rider even before she had matured. If she were to mature, there were high expectations for her fighting abilities. Moreover, demons could also study magic, and even though it was sparse and their magic was different from the magic of humans, for Nailisi who only knew how to brawl, even an Icicle spell could double her fighting abilities.
”I will get them to prepare more food. Regarding the fresh meat, I will think of a solution,” Saleen comforted her. She nodded and agreed, not resorting to any small tricks like before.
Nailisi was about to evolve, Sika’s weapon had also been restored, and he had gained the twenty-four magic formulas. Saleen felt himself calming down, almost as if Faerun’s words were at his ears.
Earl Sufonso had been attacked by teacher and it seemed that he would need to live in constant fear from here on. He was a swordmaster and could not receive protection from the magic tower forever. The gap between them would be lessened.
However, Saleen felt discontented in staying at the viscountess’ residence doing nothing. Where could he hire an assassin? Even if he could not kill Sufonso, he could at least turn his life upside down. He really should have gotten Aini’s help. Aini would have found a powerful assassin.
Whatever. Sufonso had to be dealt with personally. If the assassin had accidentally killed him, Saleen would not have been able to take it lying down.
The snow fell intermittently for three days and the turn of the new year came. The Qin Empire and Sikeqinya had a similar calendar that had originated from the Second Dynasty. Many customs had been passed down from the time of the Myers Goddess.
The viscountess’ residence was decked out with decorations, the atmosphere was warm, and even Faerun’s courtyard had a festive vibe to it.
Since receiving the badge from Viscountess Lex, Saleen had begun to get closer to the people around him and gained a better understanding of the viscountess’ residence. Contrary to what he had thought, the number of mages at Viscountess Lex’s side was kept below three hundred. The six empty rooms in the courtyard had previously belonged to mages that had already reached grand mage status.
The six of them had followed Faerun in their studies but had not been his students. Since becoming grand mages, they had ventured out to train.
The mages by Viscountess Lex’s side were mostly low-grade mages, and once these mages become grand mages, they would leave the residence. In the past decade, more than thirty grand mages had emerged from the viscountess’ residence.
If danger did not befall Bitter Water Prefecture, it was possible that these grand mages would never return in their lifetime.
Saleen began to admire Viscountess Lex. This was something that other members of the wealthy would never have done. However, he was curious. To nurture this many grand mages, the amount of money necessary must have been horrifying. Even with the number of gemstones he had now, it might not have been enough.
Where did Viscountess Lex get so much money?
Saleen had some understanding of the income of the wealthy and royals. Even though Viscountess Lex was the only daughter of the royal emperor, she would not be specially taken care of. Since she had already been given feudal estates, any income given to her would come from them.
A large city like a prefecture could have ten to twelve other small cities under it, and the radius of control would be less than two hundred kilometers. The entire area definitely could not be compared to a duchy. Moreover, Viscountess Lex was still considered a teenager, and did not have full control of all the taxes of the surrounding cities.
Only after becoming of age would these cities be under her jurisdiction. Before that, any officials in these cities were appointed by the lower house.
It had been said that Bitter Water Prefecture had once been a barren old city, but now it was prosperous, solemn, and had the appearance of a capital city. Where had all this money come from? Even if the viscountess had a sorcerer for a teacher, she could not have been this wealthy.
A high-grade mage was certainly wealthy, but the cost of building a magic tower was much less than that of building a city.
There was something funny going on in this Bitter Water Prefecture.
”Saleen, Saleen!” A clear voice sounded from outside. Saleen opened the windows and saw a female mage, who stayed in a room opposite to him, standing in the courtyard calling for him.