End of the Magic Era

A few days later in another city, the news that the Carter Family became the Gilded Rose’s vassal family spread out too. Posters with Wolkrie’s bounty had been hung in several places. His name was not on the posters. There was only his picture. He was wanted like a bandit…

Seeing the bounty, Wolkrie almost fainted. Whoever caught him would be given 5,000,000 purple gold. One could even claim 50,000 purple gold for any information about him.

He quickly left the city, and snuck into the towns nearby. However, there were posters in the towns too. Whoever provided information about his whereabouts would immediately receive 50,000 purple gold.

Wolkrie prudently hid in the wild, and didn’t dare to enter any city. He was infuriated and desperate…

Everything was back to normal. The Gilded Rose had subdued the Carter Family, and turned it into its subordinate. All of the Gilded Rose’s branches immediately became the safest places in the city. Nobody dared to attack the buyers who had just paid a huge amount of purple gold in the Gilded Rose anymore.

The people who planned to rob the buyers as what happened in League City earlier went missing. Nobody saw them again.

The sales of the Universal Cores had been rising. The Gilded Rose had sold 10,000 more Universal Cores than scheduled in the month, but that couldn’t meet the demand at all. Many families and organizations had sent representatives to stay in the Gilded Rose’s street so that they would purchase the new Universal Cores the moment they became available.

The stores that had obtained the Universal Core three days in advance developed magic tools that used Universal Cores. In fact, not many of such magic tools were sold, but the overall revenues of the stores were doubled in this month. Their profits were even three times greater than before.

That was the advantage of getting ahead. The alchemical items that were of a higher quality than the items with the same prices were very competitive. The potions that were 10% better than those of the same kind could be sold for a price 10 times higher.

As long as there was one great item in the store that other stores didn’t have, the overall sales of the store would be boosted. That was the general situation of the alchemy business.

While the Gilded Rose’s profit from the Universal Cores was catching up to the profit from potions, the Lodney Family, after months of silence, received the first visitor.

“Sir Reynolds, welcome to the Lodney Family.”

Wilder was wearing a smile. His metal arm which was blown up earlier had been restored. He had recovered from his wounds too. He stood there with the pride of the Lodney Family. Although he sounded courteous, everybody could hear that he was proud of himself.

On Wilder’s opposite side was a mage in a white robe. He wore a black hairband, and had green eyes and chocolate skin. He also had a neatly trimmed beard on his cheeks.

With a smile, Reynolds followed Wilder into the Lodney Family’s meeting room.

Wilder walked with Reynolds, his eyes glittering.

Why did Reynolds come to the Lodney family? This cunning man had already become the second most powerful man in the Roosevelt Business Alliance’s branch in the Odin Kingdom, right?

He was responsible for all matters of the Roosevelt Business Alliance in the north of the Odin Kingdom. The Lodney Family had never cooperated with the Roosevelt Business Alliance. Why was this man here?

The family didn’t discover any new planes or resources. Why would this fox, who could smell nothing but purple gold, visit them?

These vampires of the Sten Kingdom would never have even bothered to look at the Lodney Family unless the returns were huge enough. The Lodney Family was in the potion business. It barely had a chance to cooperate with the Roosevelt Business Alliance, which earned most of its wealth from magic tools…

Wilder was befuddled. He had no idea why the Roosevelt Business Alliance, which was in an entirely different business from the Lodneys, would come to him.

The Sten Kingdom was unlike the Andlusa Kingdom and the Odin Kingdom. It was founded in the most desolate place in Noscent. There wasn’t even a royal family when the kingdom was established. It was a union of a few business alliances at first. Then, it swallowed the small kingdoms nearby, and became one of the three biggest kingdoms at this moment.

The parliament held absolute power in the Sten Kingdom. Every member of the parliament was the leader of a business alliance. It was divided into the Upper Parliament and the Lower Parliament. The Lower Parliament consisted of regular businessmen. Although they made a lot of money too, the things that they sold were all for the ordinary people to use, such as food, clothes, and low-level magic lamps.

All members of the Lower Parliament combined weren’t as powerful as one member of the Upper Parliament, which held the real power of the Sten Kingdom. Members of the Upper Parliament sold almost all the alchemy items that mages, swordsmen, and archers needed, which made them the most powerful force. The dozens of business alliances that they controlled had the greatest profit from selling alchemy items.

From basic materials to final retails, those business alliances controlled everything. Therefore, even though the Sten Kingdom’s land was much more barren than the Andlusa Kingdom’s, the Sten Kingdom was much wealthier than Andlusa. With enough gold, the country would grow more and more powerful. Also, the Sten Kingdom was home to many special materials, which made the business alliances even richer.

Even yourself has a price. That was a proverb popular in the Sten Kingdom. It meant that everything and everybody could be sold out, even if they were families or friends, as long as sufficient price had been paid.

The Roosevelt Business Alliance’s leader was a member of the Upper Parliament in the Sten Kingdom. It had been in the magic tool business. Reynolds was one of the top most powerful men in the Roosevelt Business Alliance, or he wouldn’t have been in charge of all affairs of the Roosevelt Business Alliance in the north of the Odin Kingdom.

It was impossible to meet such a man unless there were enough interests. Yet, he had come to visit…

Wilder was baffled. The other elders of the Lodney Family were confused too, not knowing why Reynolds had come.

Wilder prudently didn’t ask anything. He simply chatted with Reynolds on all sorts of stuff for more than half an hour, without asking about the visitor’s purpose.

After the near-death experience, Wilder became less arrogant and much more cautious. It was unlikely for him to cooperate with the Roosevelt Business Alliance anyway, so he simply regarded the visitor as a normal guest and chatted…

After a three-hour-long conversation, Reynolds found it impossible to continue.

Damn it, didn’t they say that Wilder was a reckless, short-tempered genius? Why was he still chitchatting after three hours? Did he not know that this was not a regular visit?

Oh my goodness. Did this guy really not feel anything? Fine. Reynolds decided to cut to the chase. He might have to wait until the next day before the guy asked him about his purpose otherwise.

Reynolds heaved a sigh, and thought that Wilder was an absolute idiot despite his great gift.

“Sir Wilder, I’m here because I hope to cooperate with the Lodney Family.”

Reynolds couldn’t afford waiting any longer. Although Wilder was the current leader of the Lodney Family, the family would be fine even if he was away for half a month. However, if Reynolds left the Roosevelt Business Alliance for three days, bad rumors would definitely pop up.

Wilder was confused. How could he cooperate with the Roosevelt Business Alliance? From materials to alchemy products, there was not any field that they could work in together.

“Sir Reynolds, is the Roosevelt Business Alliance planning to enter the market of alchemy potions?”

Hearing that, Reynolds immediately heaved a sigh in his heart.

As he expected, that guy was a moron. He asked such a stupid question. How could the Roosevelt Business Alliance possibly enter the potion market? The business alliances back in the Sten Kingdom had already monopolized that market. If the Roosevelt Business Alliance intended to enter the potion market, it would have to construct a complete business chain by itself…

To think that the Lodney Family had chosen such an idiot as their leader… But that was great. He would definitely lose his rationality under provocation, and would make the finest cooperator for the Roosevelt Business Alliance…

“Sir Wilder, you must be kidding. The Roosevelt Business Alliance is not entering the potion market. We’re here to cooperate with the Lodney Family in something else.

“I heard that an alchemy store from Andlusa set up a branch in the Odin Kingdom, and unscrupulously stole the Lodney Family’s market share. This time, they’re even trying to dominate the magic tool market unreasonably and control the stores that sell such tools.

“The Roosevelt Business Alliance cannot stand by any longer. Therefore, we’ve come to you, Sir Wilder, hoping that we can work together to kick the Gilded Rose out of the Odin Kingdom.”

Reynolds wore such a confident smile, as if it wouldn’t be a difficult task to crush the Gilded Rose at all.

Wilder looked at Reynolds in shock and fear. Upon hearing the name of Gilded Rose, the right half of his body automatically turned into metal…

Damn it, I knew that this bloody idiot who can only smell purple gold came to us for no good. Just as I expected. It’s not just no good; they’re trying to get us killed!

This bastard really wants me dead, right? Or does he want to destroy the Lodney Family?

No wonder he chatted with me for hours. He simply wants to use the Lodney Family to deal with the Gilded Rose. Then, he can show up and take advantage of our victory.

I remember now. The Universal Cores. He must be doing this for the Gilded Rose’s Universal Cores. Stupid man. You want to get the Lodney Family killed. How vicious.

Mafa Merlin is supported by a Great Astrologian, who is unimaginably strong. Can we afford offending such a man?

Even the ancestor was almost remotely killed by the Great Astrologian. He was then imprisoned in the forbidden land for 100 years. If I’m to attack the Gilded Rose, the ancestor won’t be able to help me even if I’m dying. If he does anything, the Great Astrologian will surely kill him…

Damn you, Reynolds, the vampire that should be purged in the holy light! How dare you speak of that?

Wilder gazed at Reynolds coldly, the whites in his eyes turning black. His right eye was bloodshot and filled with aggression. Examining the man’s strength, Wilder wondered if he should just kill Reynolds so that the man couldn’t cause further trouble to the Lodney Family.

“Sir Reynolds, does anyone else know that you’re here?” Wilder asked aggressively. Reynolds was stunned for a moment. He thought that Wilder was asking whether the cooperation was the Roosevelt Business Alliance’s decision or his own. So, he nodded with a smile.

“Our president has personally agreed with the cooperation.”

What a young genius. He can’t be older than 50, yet he’s already an expert in the fourth level of the Heaven Rank. How remarkable. Still, he’s just a young man. He’s already losing it at the mention of the Gilded Rose. Look at his aggression. How great. I’m sure he’ll work with us to deal with the Gilded Rose as soon as I provoke him more.

If we swallow the Gilded Rose, the Universal Cores will belong to the Roosevelt Business Alliance. Of course, what matters more is the material that the cores are made of. Those idiots who have been using the Universal Cores don’t realize that they aren’t made of alloys, but a new independent material.

The Gilded Rose was truly lucky to discover such a powerful material. After we swallow the Gilded Rose, we will get the source of the new material. Then, we will monopolize the market of magic tools. No, not just the market of magic tools. With the Universal Cores, we can enter the markets of alchemy puppets and all other alchemy products except potions…

How profitable will it be! By then, the Roosevelt Business Alliance will definitely become a top five, wait, a top three organization in the Upper Parliament. If we operate well, the Roosevelt Business Alliance may even grow into the most powerful business alliance in the Sten Kingdom!

As a price, we only need to give away the Gilded Rose’s potions to the Lodney Family. We’ll let them do everything for us so that the Odin Kingdom won’t see us, and the Roosevelt Business Alliance won’t be exposed. We only need to work in the dark…

Reynolds wore a smile, and simply made his offer.

“The Roosevelt Business Alliance will help the Lodney Family swallow the Gilded Rose. In return, everything in the Gilded Rose that’s related to the Universal Core will belong to the Roosevelt Business Alliance. Everything else, including the potions and even the stores, will belong to the Lodney Family.

“To show our sincerity, we will give you five best True Spirit Magic Tools for starters. We’ll even send five Heaven Rank experts to assist you. Four of them are at the first level, and one is in the third level.

“Of course, if you’re dissatisfied, Sir Wilder, you can propose your own conditions. Everything is negotiable…”

Reynolds was quite confident, and Wilder changed his expression quickly opposite of him. He eventually calmed down, and looked at Reynolds with complicated feelings.

So, someone else knew that Reynolds came to this place. If that had been his own decision, then Wilder could’ve just killed him so that he couldn’t cause trouble to the Lodney Family.

Damn it, if you want to die, just kill yourself. Why do you have to get the Lodney Family involved?

That man definitely doesn’t know that a Great Astrologian is behind Mafa Merlin’s back. It’s possible that Mafa Merlin is already the Great Astrologian’s disciple.

Huh, right, your ignorance is none of my business. If you want to get killed, be my guest. I won’t get involved or intervene with anything that concerns the Gilded Rose anyway.

“Sir Reynolds, please go back. The Lodney Family is not interested in the cooperation.”

As he spoke, Wilder stood up, obviously ready to see the guest off. Reynolds was stunned, not having the vaguest clue what was going on.

“Sir Reynolds, something about your intelligence is wrong. There was just a minor misunderstanding between the Lodney Family and the Gilded Rose, and it is no more now that we’ve explained ourselves. We’re not interested in participating in your endeavor at all.

“This meeting never happened. Please go back. I have other things to do. Forgive me for not walking you out.”

After that, Wilder left in a hurry, as if his butt was burning. Reynolds’ smile was frozen. He had no idea what just happened.

It was not until the Lodney Family’s men walked him out of the gate and then closed it that Reynolds finally realized what happened. He sneered, and then walked away.

What a loser. This Wilder was obviously frightened because he had been nearly killed in the duel. He had been scared off upon hearing the proposal of dealing with the Gilded Rose. With such a leader, the Lodney Family would definitely lose all its market share.

Reynolds was quite disdainful. He didn’t even bother to look back. On one of the mage towers in the Lodney Family, Wilder looked at Reynolds’ back pitifully, and spoke to the elders behind him, “Tell everybody that nothing will happen between the Lodney Family and the Gilded Rose. I don’t want to hear anything about the Lodney Family and the Gilded Rose. Understand?”

Wilder was quite sullen. He was truly scared. Both he and his ancestor were almost killed. The Gilded Rose was almost a name that would bring misfortune to him. He didn’t want to even hear it, much less deal with it.

Reynolds spoke to the Lodney Family, but failed to strike an agreement with them. He couldn’t find any other suitable partner, as the Gilded Rose didn’t really have a lot of enemies in the Odin Kingdom…

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