Basically, Duwei had passed the Soccer Gambling business to Mard…although he was free, he was grounded because of the order from his father. He had no way to manage his business as he was not allowed to leave the castle.
But, Mard, who was the former horse groom, had a complete change in his status now! Originally, this follower and the disgraced master were sent to Territory of Rolands Family together but now he became the "General Director", most of the people knew that he was a groom before. The old housekeeper was the highest leader of the servers in this Family. Although to outsider Mard got the highest title, he was just a dummy leader.
But now was totally different! He was Duwei's General Director! He was the person-in-charge for the soccer gambling business over the Rolands Plains and half of the Cote Province!
Now, if Mard had to go out, the bosses of those large casinoswould send people to welcome this General Director. Wherever Mard went, there would be a group of people, who were engaged in the gambling industry, following him.
This group of people were all waiting and hoping that they could gain some benefit from Mard when he was happy. So, if Mard was eating the meat, they would still go and get some soup for him to eat..
Under the authorization of Duwei, Mard has pretended that he accidentally disclosed the betting oddsof several soccer matches, the bosses who operated the illegal soccer gambling really earned some great money from that.
Duwei understood the human behavior all too well. Although there was the exclusive operation right that officially let Duwei to be the monopoly in this industry, unofficially, there were still many people operating in this.
Even in his previous life, the underground soccer gambling could not be stopped.
Duwei just didn't wanted to be the first one for promoting the Gambling over the Rolands Plain. As long as it could not be blocked, then it's better to guide it!
Duwei just thought for a few seconds and come up with this decision! From now on, all the soccer gambling in the cities nearby had to be closed! Duwei needed to fix it!
Duwei just spoke it out and Mard would execute what Duwei ordered.
Duwei had offered an urgent intensive 3-day training for Mard, no matter how much this former groom understood, Duwei continued to give him many materials for study.
If there was anything that Mard didn't understand, he could only self-study on the journey.
First, as Duwei said, Soccer Gambling, the word "Gambling" could not be spoken! The Little master had created a weird thing, which would be sold openly before each match. Although it could predict the same match result, it's a little bit different.
"From now on, we are not the banker of the betting! We are the store selling a product! The things we will sell are called…Soccer Lottery!" Duwei looked serious when he was saying that, it's kind of a holy feeling. After a while, this little master explained a bit, "From now on, "gambling" should not be spoken! We are not a gambling hub, we are….legal betting!"
How legal is it., Duwei had made a very simple definition: Ten percent of the revenue would be donated to the government authority!
OK!
No matter how much Mard understood, he now could just sit in the carriage with a few servants heading to different towns over the Rolands Plain, and ready for the trading of "Soccer Lottery" as Duwei said.
By the way, before departure, Mard could not help to ask one more question, "Little master, if we are planning to open a store for trading…so, our store should be named."
"Soccer Lottery Center!" Duwei answered immediately.
So, our Mr. General Director Mard, in the foreseeable future, he got a new title in his mind: Director of the Soccer Lottery Center!
The second thing Duwei wanted Mard to do was…Duwei was ready to have a significant amendment on the current "League"!
Up till now, in the league system, all the teams and team members were coming from the troop of the castle nearby. Now, the recovery period of the soldiers was almost ended.
If these soldiers kept on playing soccer and stopped the military training, Duwei worried that the old housekeeper would probably report it by writing the letter to the Imperial City.
So…Duwei was preparing to establish the real league!
Now, every troop could only have a team in the system. Duwei requested Mard to go to few cities and establish one team in one city! Now that soccer was very popular over the Rolands Plain, it's was not difficult to find ten to twenty good soccer players in every town.
After that, team from each place could start their league competition…this idea made Mard very excited!
Duwei listed out all the thing, seems like this league competition could bring lots of revenue…Firstly, soccer players from Roland Plains, they didn't request for high joining fee and high salary. Most of them were farmers, craftsmen, carpenters, blacksmiths, miner, even the barbers. They were happy playing the soccer occasionally. One to two golden coins as rewards were already sufficient for them to play in the competition passionately.
The expected high revenue from the soccer lottery was sufficient to pay for these soccer players.
But Duwei didn't give up the target of getting maximum benefit…he even let Mard to go to find the biggest leather merchant in the city nearby…That merchant had been providing different kind of leather products to the Rolands Family for a long time.
Duwei promised, in the future "Soccer League", when the soccer players were in the competition, they would wear uniform…the name of the merchant's shop would be written on the uniforms!
Considering the popularity of this game was still high. Every time when there was a match, there were still many people centralizing in the City Square….this kind of popularity…
This merchants had given five hundred golden coins to Duwei generously as the "Naming Right" fee for the future one year.
So, the team in this city would be named as "Rolands Plain Jade Town Old Clone Leather Store Soccer Team"!
Duwei sold the naming right for the first soccer team in the league in front of Mard. Then next, Mard was responsible for selling the naming right of the twelve teams to the local rich merchants.
With all these things…Mard almost started to admire this little master who was raised up by himself.
Who said our little master was an idiot?
Have you seen any idiot who could earn hundreds of thousands of gold coins?
Mard was so tired. He was busy with going to different cities and towns, from south to north, east to west in the Rolands Plain, he had gone to more than ten cities and towns! The twelve soccer teams were finally established and all the naming rights had been sold out.
Duwei didn't care how weird the names were…He was satisfied with the thousands of gold coins brought by Mard. He earned total five thousand gold coins from these twelve teams.
"This is just the first year, my dear Mard. If we organized the league competition well, you wouldn't be busy with selling the naming right in the future. Those merchants will beg you with the boxes of coins! At that time, I am afraid only few thousand will not be enough for buying the naming right for one team!" Duwei looked at this loyal servant, he felt touched. So, he decided to give more rewards to this loyal servant.
"My dear Mard…are you interested in being the first president of Rolands Plain Soccer Association?"
So, apart from the title of "General director" and "Director of the Soccer Lottery centre", Mard got another amazing title: President of the Soccer Association!
Although he still didn't understand what this title meant, Mard was impressed as this little master esteemed him most, he accepted Duwei's suggestion happily.
Duwei was very happy.
It was because the coins brought by Mard could help him enormously.
The soccer league was not started yet, the revenue from the soccer lottery was still zero, these five thousands golden coins from the naming fee was the only liquidity for Duwei.
God damn it…Solsjaer still didn't have any progress even after he spent thousand and thousand of gold coins.
With the money brought by Mard, Duwei could relax a little bit. With the happiness, Duwei brought our President of the Soccer Association to see his new invention.
At the place, where Duwei had his firework research at the back of the castle, Mard admired his little master much again.
Although he still didn't know what this little master invented.
The thing in front of him was like a huge basket.
Right, this was a huge basket. It was even large enough to let three to five people to stand inside. The fringe of the basket was high that was about the human's waist. When people stood inside, it's like sitting in the carriage with open-top.
Above it….was a gigantic spherical thing that was sewn with a dozen of leather, gently floating above the baskets!
Right, it's was gigantic hot air balloon!
Under it was a stove, which was heating up the balloon, heating up the air inside the balloon.
The color of the flame was very bright. Duwei had used some magic in this step…that's the fire magic he just learnt. Solskjaer made something that could help in strengthening the burning effect of the sulphur.
"This thing is called Hot Air Balloon! My dear Mard." Duwei was very happy.
This was the result after one month of effort! Although within this period, nearly fifty high-quality leather was destroyed…these leather were bought from the merchant, who was the first one to buy the naming right of the soccer team, at a very low price.
Duwei ignored the blankly Mard and briefly introduced his new invention.
Mr. Mard, who was the former groom, the current General Director, the General Director of the Soccer Betting Center and the President of the Soccer Association, was fainted. He looked at this little master and stammered, "Little master…you, you said this thing can fly? You said 'Fly'? Right?"
"Yes, you are right, my dear Mard!" Duwei smiled, "So, I offer you an honor! Have a trial flight with me! This is the historical moment! You will be the first human who can fly into the sky without any magic help!"
After that, it was like a dream for the Old Mard!
Duwei cut the rope tied on the basket, the buoyancy of the hot air balloon brought the basket with Duwei and Mard up!
When the basket was a little bit off the ground and getting higher and higher…every person stopped breathing without making any sound. They stared at Duwei and Mard flying into the sky. They were shocked…
There were even some people who forgot to clean up their saliva!
For those people, who were living in the age without any flying tools, this scenery was too….magnificent!
Until the hot air balloon, where Duwei and Mard were inside, reached the highest point of the castle, the craftsmen on the ground started to scream and cheer! Everyone kneeled down on the floor and praised the great god…
Compared with the cheerful people on the ground, Mard felt that he could not stand up with his legs!
This was the first time for him to fly into the sky, Mard kept shaking since he was off from the ground. He looked pale and the eyes were getting as big as the bovines, his teeth made some weird sound, he kept on clutching the edge of the basket tightly…
"How is it? My dear Mard…" Duwei looked down…the hot air balloon was floating slowly. From this angle, he could see the scenery around the castle, the mountains far away, the forest close by!
"Is this scenery unforgettable…." Duwei was enjoying.
"Little master…" Mard tried to swallow his saliva and asked carefully, "This…I am speechless now…this is so amazing…but, I would like to ask…now that we are flying so high…but, how can we land off?"
"…." Duwei looked pale too, he looked at Mard and said, "Shit…I only know how to fly…but I don't know how to land off."
Matt said, "Little master….you are the most talented genius I have ever seen….. %※%×;※...×;(...※"
Duwei said, "Mard! You spit on me!"
The people on the ground started looking at each other after the excitement, "When will they land off? It's almost dinner time?"
Under the sunset, the hot air balloon was floating higher and higher, further and further under the infinite glow…
How amazing the world was! Right?
Mard was staying in his room for two days after the flying trial. After recovering from his illness, he still felt that he could not walk properly with his legs.
But Duwei still gave a reward to this loyal servant. It was because that day on the Hot Air balloon, when they were struggling how to land off, the panic Mard suggested an idea, he asked if they could shut off the stove in order to land off.
This suggestion inspired Duwei. The energy for the Hot Air Balloon was related to the temperature of the air inside the balloon. If they shut down the stove, the air inside would be cooled down, the balloon could land off then.
But after this poor Mard landed off, he almost spitted everything, and finally he needed to be carried back by the cavalry.
When everybody in the castle was guessing what kind of new thing this little master would make…Duwei simply remained silent..
In these days, Duwei didn't invent any new things. Duwei knew that he didn't has any interest to make so many things that would use up his energy. The fireworks, soccer betting, these were the idea for solving the liquidity problem he had.
Duwei didn't aim to have the costly Industrial Revolution. His target was earning money for supporting the expensive magic experiments.
Now, since he didn't need to worry about the money, he stopped all the thing.
Apart from going to Solskjaer's laboratory to check the progress of this magic alchemist everyday, going to check the research team of the Hot Air Balloon and the Firework afterwards, he spent the remaining time on learning magic.
Every night he would go to the rooftop on the third floor of the magic laboratory alone and spent a night there. He had a tacit agreement with Solskjaer that Solskjaer would use the laboratory in the daytime and he would use the laboratory at night. They could not intervene each other.
Almost a month, but Duwei still could not overcome the first difficulty of the "Star Magic". The concept of the "Star Energy" was still too vague. Without any specific standard and description, even Saimel could not accurately explain what "Star Energy" was… Since this Saimel was not the real Star Reader, she was only a clone and got a part of the memory. This Saimel was not able to answer most of the difficult questions from Duwei
Apart from learning Star Magic at night, Duwei also learned the traditional magic on the ground at daytime…Solskjaer did help him a bit, since he was a magician. Duwei still could learn some low level magic from him.
In this one month, Duwei had learned some low level spell basically, for example, the simple Fire Magic, Fireball, also the Wind Sword from the Wind Magic. Duwei could use these easily. Among the low level magic, Duwei knew the "Vertigo technique" and "Acceleration technique" well.
Finally, Solskjaey also admitted that the magic power of Duwei was better than him…in terms of the magic power or the magic sensitivity. If Duwei were willing to accept the assessment from the Magic Union, he could easily get the qualification of Grade one Magician easily with his current ability.
In fact, Duwei had slightly hidden his real power.
Although Duwei still could not learn the Star Magic, with the spell learned from Saimel, his spiritual power had a great improvement. Now, his magic power reached at the Grade three level already.
For the magic sensitivity…with the "Horn" given by Chris, Duwei's Magic sensitivity was much better than many intermediary magicians!
In the afternoon, Mard was given an important task from Duwei!
As being the General Director of Duwei, Mard would be responsible for preparing the birthday present and going to Imperial City to celebrate countess's birthday.
Duwei had spent a night to write a letter…Duwei had a considerable feeling to this beautiful and gentle countess. Especially when he got sick in childhood, the countess had kneeled for a night, praising and taking care of Duwei…Even after the birth of his brother, every family member has neglected him, but countess didn't and she still kept going to Duwei's bedroom every night, cuddling her little son and singing a lullaby for him.
Duwei was very touched. He could feel the motherly love from this beautiful and gentle woman. Although Duwei felt guilty about his love…as he was not her real son. But because of this love, he always missed this beautiful and gentle mother.
The birthday present was the "Forgiveness from the Goddess of Bright" that was prepared by Duwei.
Duwei was confident that after this unprecedented present arrived the Earl Court, certainly would cause a great shock! Duwei didn't care about the shock, he just hoped that Countess would feel happy in the birthday party.
Mard was heading to the Earl Court by carriage with few servants. The Countess's birthday would be seven days later. If everything's right, they would arrive two days before the Countess's birthday.
After sending Mard away, Duwei was relaxed a little bit, he was actually a bit selfish. He felt bad in the grounding period, he could not leave the castle. He felt bored in this one month. He hoped that this birthday present could make his father felt better about him. He didn't care of the three hundred golden coins. He just wanted his grounding order to be removed if the Earl felt happy about the present.
At the night when Mard left, the sky was very clear. Duwei suddenly got an idea at that night. He ordered the servants to prepare a stove and placed it on the rooftop on the Labratory tower, and ordered the chef in the castle to prepare some sirloin, lamb chops and some vegetable grown in the farmland behind the castle…also a bottle of red wine.
Duwei planned to have an open-air barbecue.
The steak was placed on the hob of the stove, Duwei used the brush he made and dipped the seasoning, smeared on the steak. He did it very carefully. He tried his best to let every part of the steak was evenly spread with the sauce.
The grilled seasoned meat scented, Duwei was enjoying and have a deep breath, he even hummed a ditty.
Saimel looked at the pleasant Duwei strangely.
"Which song are you humming? It seems like the song from bard…but why can i not understand every single word of it?"
Duwei was too lazy to explain, he grunted and flipped the steak by using the folk, then drank some wine.
"Red wine with red meat." Duwei was so satisfied and sighed, "The sky is so clear, with the breeze…such a good evening. Eat some grilled meat and drink some good wine…but it's a pity that there is no music."
"You, little noble, really know how to enjoy life." Saimel sighed and said, "Will you learn Star Magic tonight?"
"I have learned for more than a month." Duwei wry smiled, "The training of spiritual power is very effective, but the star power, I still cannot get it. Not because I am lazy, I just don't understand it. This can not be solved in one or two days. I am tired in this month, I need to squeeze some time for relaxing."
Then, he used to fork and lifted the grilled steak and had a bite, it's so yummy. He smiled and said vaguely, "Yummy! So yummy! Unfortunately, you cannot eat such a yummy food."
Saimel rolled her eyes directly. Since she was a magic creature, technically an object with spiritual power…without a physical body, she was just an illusion, she didn't need to eat or drink or sleep.
Duwei unlocked her seal, her spirit was deeply engraved on Duwei's magic mark, she almost became the shadow of Duwei.
"You don't eat, don't drink, don't sleep…so, is your life boring?" Duwei looked at Saimel and sighed.
Saimel was still wearing the Red gown. After few reminders from Duwei, she finally learned how to pay attention to her appearance, and not swinging her beautiful legs on the fence.
Saimel rolled her eyes again.
"Are you eternal…hm…I didn't ask you about that before." Duwei blinked his eyes, "How long can you live?"
"Same as you." Saimel felt helpless when she said that, "I was released by you, the spell of unlocking the seal let my life linked with your spiritual power. So, how long you can live is the same as how long I can live! If you died, your spiritual power would be gone, then I will disappear as well."
"So, that means we live and die together?" Duwei looked strange.
"Be careful with your words, my little noble." Saimel smiled maliciously, "Don't forget I am your great great grandmother."
Duwei let out a Bah cry and stared at Saimel, "you are only the clone, not the real Saimel. Also…great great grandmother? Have you seen any grandmother swinging her legs in front of her grandson all the time?"
Saimel was angry and looked at the sky.
Duwei was chilling on the chair. He was eating the grilled sausage, looking at Saimel sitting on the fence. The light of the moon reflected on her face, her red gown was floating, her hair was like the snow. Her face looked soft, but with a confused expression…
"What are you thinking?" Duwei asked.
"I don't know. So I am thinking." Saimel answered weirdly with a low tone.
Then, Saimel looked at Duwei, she was confused, "Actually, I feel that I am weird…when I was sealed, I always hoped that someone will unlock me. But after I have been released, I find that I don't know what I can do…I am not human. But…Saimel had given me part of her memory, let me think in the human way. In these days, I kept following you, I felt confused…I don't know what I can do. Although I feel relaxed when I am spending time with you, it's much more free than being sealed in the painting. But I am more confused…You are human, with your current age, you at least can live for few decades or even hundred years…So, is it meant that I have to spend time with you in the coming hundred years and only talk to you and be your shadow? Looking at you every day for hundred years till you die?"
Duwei sat stricter a little bit and he looked serious. He looked at Saimel and sighed, "I am shocked…your thinking style is close to the human. To be honest…I cannot answer your question. It is because your question is the most difficult question that even the cleverest person in the world cannot answer – Meaning of Life."
"Meaning of life…" Saimel was pondering this sentence.
Duwei was looking at the sad Saimel, he suddenly thought of a fairy tale in his previous life: Pinocchio.
Duwei immediately told this story to Saimel.
This magic creature was fascinated, she even didn't said a word when she was listening.
When Duwei said that the puppet "Pinocchio" told a lie, its nose would get longer, Saimel could not stop laughing. She laughed happily and looked a bit…innocent.
When Duwei said "Pinocchio" hoped to become a real human, with the real human body…
Saimel bowed her head, very low, even Duwei could not see her expression clearly.
Finally, Duwei finished his story, at the end, the puppet could turn into a real human…
"I also want to have a real body." Saimel suddenly spoke.
Her voice was very soft. But in her voice, Duwei could feel her hope!
In the past, Duwei didn't have any feeling about this story. But tonight, he was looking at this magic creature sitting in front of him, and said her wishes sadly…
He suddenly felt the compassion, but he didn't know how to comfort Saimel.
"Perhaps…" Duwei thought, "Perhaps we may try….perhaps the magic can…."
"It's late now, I want to have a rest." Saimel interrupted Duwei. Her words were strange because magic creature didn't need to rest.
Obviously, she was escaping, escaping from the impossible comfort from Duwei.
BANG, Saimel disappeared. Duwei sighed as he knew that Saimel didn't want to speak. Although she was the magic creature, when Saimel didn't want to speak, she could attach to anything next to Duwei.
Ring, badge, clothes, even the book. As long as Saimel wanted to, she could even attach on Duwei's belt. Otherwise, she would be floating around Duwei for the whole day, Duwei also felt that someone was following him.
Duwei sighed and he didn't stop Saimel…although he could order Saimel to show up because he was the one that released Saimel and magic creature might listen to all the order from Duwei. But at that moment, Duwei knew that she was sad and didn't want to talk much.
After drinking the wine, extinguishing the fire, Duwei was chilling lazily and looked at the sky.
The sky was still bright, and Duwei suddenly asked himself, "For me….what's the meaning of life?"
He was sitting for a long period of time there. When he started feeling tired and ready to go to bed, Duwei was a bit shocked! He felt there was a strong spiritual power in the air nearby!
The slight fluctuation of the current could not be hidden from the spiritual power of Duwei, he sat and looked around!
"Seems your sensitivity is strong." In the dark, there was a melodious voice suddenly passed over here!
This voice seems old, but the tone was very soft and even with a smile, "According to what I heard of your situation before, you should not have this level of spiritual power…Mr. Duwei Roland."
There was a shadow that suddenly showed up near the balcony!
In the darkness, this man was wearing a white gown, it was a magician gown. He had an old face, long beard, his eyebrows were fine, his smile was very calm. But when he looked at Duwei, his eyes were sharp like needles!
Duwei was uncomfortable about that.
"Who are you?" Duwei puzzled, "A magician? I didn't have any contact with the Magic Union."
This old man flew across the fence and landed next to Duwei. He was still smiling…by the way, although he was old, he had very fine skin and flashing eyes which didn't match with his age!…Duwei never saw anyone that looked like him!
"You made me shocked…before, I thought you are just a little noble boy who knows some tricks." This old magician smiled and looked at Duwei, " But now, seems you got outstanding spiritual power…oh, you know magic too? You don't have to be in the position of using fire magic…don't need to be cautious about me…Because it's useless."
Duwei looked at this guy intensively, "Who are you?"
"Who am i….." The old magician went to the side of Duwei, he bounced and grabbed the bottle on the table, and drank a little bit and sighed, "Nice wine. The wine from Roland Family was always good…you should feel honored as my little kid, you are the first one who treat me wine from the Roland Family in these hundred years."
"You just….looking at me secretly?!" Duwei was worried! The existence of Saimel was a great secret and Duwei didn't want other to know there was an invisible magic creature following him.
"No. I don't do this kind of meaningless thing." The old magician smiled, "I just arrive….hm, I haven't been to Rolands Plain for couple years. I almost got lost. Right…it's so late. You are not at your room but drinking wine in this place…Is it the discipline of the Roland Family so loosened and lax?"
Duwei was wary, "You seems like you know the Roland Family well?"
"No no no…" The old magician smiled relaxingly, "I just know some people from Roland family when I was young. Hm…that happened a long time ago."
"ok…" Duwei spoke carefully and sat slowly. He hid his hands in the sleeves, slightly withheld the magic scroll, "Magician, a night visit, you are not only passing here, right?"
"I….came to see you." Old Magician thought for a while, and suddenly noticed his reason for coming here, "I came to find you to get back a couple of things."
"What?"
"Several things." The old magician sighed, "You had extorted many things from my stupid student…although that kid was innocent, as her teacher, I cannot just stand here and see how she was cheated by others."
Duwei finally understood, "You….you are Vivian's teacher?!"
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