Volume 7 Chapter 11 - Sines Continent Magic Machine Industry Conference
October in the year 3898 wasn’t that different from previous years. Banta City, which was in the south of the continent, had just left the last bit of heat from summer as it entered the cold of early fall, making the weather of the city quite pleasant.
During these bright and refreshing fall days, it was naturally fitting for people to hold gatherings.
There were many places on the continent were people would go on a fall outing with their families, watching the scenery of the green leaves turning red and yellow.
For the people of Banta City, it was time for the annual bicycle race around the city, which had been turned into a festival for Banta City.
Countless people loved the bicycle race and would find some free time to practice, trying to get a good result in the competition.
It had to be known that this year was the tenth anniversary, so the Frestech Chamber of Commerce had greatly increased the grand prize of this race.
According to the «Banta Times», the champion of this year’s bicycle race would be receiving a thousand gold coins alone!
Although the average wage of Banta City had increased over time, a thousand gold coins was still a high prize that was very enticing.
Moreover, even if they couldn’t win, second place was also five hundred gold coins and third place was three hundred gold coins.
Even fourth to tenth place was a hundred gold coins and eleventh to one hundred had a consolation prize of twenty gold coins.
Even if they couldn’t get the prize for the top ten, wasn’t getting twenty gold coins from being in the top hundred equal to a month of wages for many people?
While the people of Banta City were getting excited over the Frestech Bicycle Race, there was another group of people who were getting excited about another event Banta City was holding.
The Sines Continent Magic Machine Industry Conference. This was a strange sounding name, but it was actually a gathering that the Frestech Chamber of Commerce held for the magic machine industry.
The ones that were invited were representatives of various countries and various companies. What they would be discussing and negotiating was related to the magic machine industry and nothing else.
When the Frestech Chamber of Commerce hosted this for the first time five years ago, they invited less than ten countries and twenty companies. The other companies didn’t know what this conference was, so they didn’t place importance on it.
After four years, all the countries and companies of the continent knew that the Frestech Chamber of Commerce would announce some important things about the magic machine industry through this conference. They would also discuss further cooperation with the representatives that came to this conference, so all the countries and companies wanted to send representatives to this conference.
However, even if the Frestech Chamber of Commerce increased the number of participants each year, there was still a limit.
And to be invited by the Frestech Chamber of Commerce, it depended on one’s skills.
So until now, being invited to this conference had become the dream of all the countries and all the magic machine companies of the continent.
The countries and companies that weren’t invited would send their representatives to Banta City, hoping that they could get to know some of the other representatives and get some opportunities from them.
Based on convention, the convention was held from the third to the tenth of October, lasting for a whole week and ending just before the Frestech Bicycle Race began.
So once October came, Banta City would be filled with people from different countries. This extremely prosperous Banta City would become even more lively.
Even if several companies led by the Amrit Chamber of Commerce had already built thirteen hotels in the new part of the city that were at least seven floors tall, it was already filled with guests that came from all over and one couldn’t get a room even for double the price.
So the citizens would open up their homes every year, letting these guests stay overnight in a commoner’s home which solved most of the problems.
However, it still couldn’t handle the large number of people who came each year because of the Sines Continent Magic Machine Industry Conference. When this time of year came, the Banta City’s City Lord Manor had to put aside a new space to the northeast of the city that hadn’t been developed yet, building some simple arrangements.
It could be said that this only temporarily solved the problem. As the conference expanded each year, there would be more and more people that came to participate.
They could deal with it this year, but that didn’t mean they could deal with it next year.
“Chairman Xu, when it comes to this time each year, I don’t know whether to thank you or complain to you……”
The current Banta City’s City Lord Count Seline had a bitter smile as he looked at Xu Yi who was sitting in front of him leisurely drinking tea and he couldn’t help shaking his head.
“Although there are many people that come which greatly helps the prosperity of our Banta City, when this time comes each year, I have to rack my brain just to think about how to deal with the guests. It really is a headache.”
Xu Yi put down his tea and revealed a faint smile, “Lord Count, this is your honour as the Banta City City Lord. Think about it, other than Banta City, would there be another city that would have people come in swarms like this?”
Count Seline clearly didn’t think the same, “If you had put the conference somewhere else in the beginning, I guarantee I wouldn’t have these worries.”
“Then we’ll change the location next year, what do you think?” Xu Yi said with a faint smile, “Anyway, there are many people who have talked to me about this. They said that Banta City is too far from their kingdoms and it isn’t convenient, so they hope that we can change the venue of the conference.”
“Let’s forget about it……” Count Seline quickly waved his hand and said with a full smile, “Although it is troublesome, compared to the benefits our Banta City gains, this trouble isn’t considered anything.”
“You really think so?” Xu Yi narrowed his eyes to look at Count Seline.
“Un! Of course!” Count Seline gave a strong nod, looking very sincere.
What a joke! If the Frestech Chamber of Commerce really changed the venue, then what would the magic machine companies of Banta City that depended on the large orders during the conference do?
If they lost this conference, Banta City would lose at least a million gold coins in yearly tax revenue!
Xu Yi looked at the expression on Count Seline’s face and suddenly shook his head, as he gave a sigh.
“Actually to be honest, Lord Count, even if you didn’t say it, the venue of this conference might need to be changed next year.”
“Ah?” Count Seline was shocked, “Why? Chairman Xu, could it be that there’s something wrong with our Banta City? Why would you change the venue? My complaints just now were just purely jokes, don’t misunderstand!”
“No, it isn’t related to you and there’s nothing wrong with Banta City. It’s just because…..it should change a bit.” Xu Yi said with a serious look, “When I held this conference at first, it was to promote the development of the magic machine industry on the Sines Continent, so always holding it in the same place doesn’t fall in line with this. As for why it was held in Banta City for the past few years, I think……Lord Count should know the reason.”
Count Seline was silent for a bit before giving a sigh, “I understand, chairman Xu is a sentimental person.”
“Right, Banta City is where our Banta City was formed and it has a special place in my heart. When I decided to hold the conference here a few years ago and not near our Frestech Chamber of Commerce, other than to show that our Frestech Chamber of Commerce was willing to cooperate with everyone, it was mainly because I had special sentiment towards this place.”
“Then……can’t it always be held here?”
“It isn’t impossible, but this isn’t the best choice.” Xu Yi said with a faint smile.
Count Seline slightly knitted his brows, “Does her majesty know about this?”
“I told her about this first.”
“Then her majesty……”
“Didn’t you receive any orders?”
Count Seline was silent as he thought for a bit before letting out a sigh and his expression returned to normal.
“Alright, since this is chairman Xu’s decision, I don’t have anything to say. But chairman Xu, can you tell me ahead of time where next year’s conference will be held?”
“If nothing unexpected happens, it should be in Wimbledon City.”
“The Candra Empire Wimbledon City? I thought that it would be the Marlow Empire’s capital Angelo City.”
“That should be the year after.”
Count Seline thought about it and when he was about to speak, there was a knock on the door.
Count Seline couldn’t help knitting his brows. He had told everyone that he was having a private conversation with chairman Xu and no one was allowed to interrupt.
But thinking about it, if someone came during this time, it must be for something important.
Thinking of this, he first looked at Xu Yi with a look of inquiry. Seeing Xu Yi nod, he said in a loud voice, “Come in.”
The door opened and the City Lord Manor’s manager Czech led an elf in the Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s uniform in.
Seeing that person, Xu Yi was a bit surprised, “Cindy, did something happen?”
The female elf named Cindy gave Count Seline a bow before quickly coming to Xu Yi’s side, taking out a document from her bag for him.
“Sir chairman, this is a report that just came in, please take a look.”
Xu Yi doubtfully took the document and after reading it a few times, he deeply knitted his brows.
But when he finished reading it, his expression had returned to normal.
“Lord Count.” Xu Yi turned to Count Seline, “The Yash Duchy seemed to have been invited to the conference this time, right?”
Count Seline was surprised. He took a document from his table and looked over it before giving a nod, “Yes, the Yash Duchy has indeed been invited and they sent a delegation of seven people.”
“Good. Please send someone to inform them that they have lost the right to participate in the conference and our Frestech Chamber of Commerce will cut off all cooperation with their Yash Duchy.”
“Ah?” Count Seline looked at Xu Yi with a surprised look, not knowing what was happening.