Volume 7 Chapter 30 - I Want To Learn Magic!
Rodman looked at Enrique who had a stubborn look on his face and gave a helpless sigh.
Once his youngest son grew up, he began going against his father’s words.
“You really aren’t willing to go?” Rodman anked in a deep voice.
“I won’t!” Enrique loudly said, “What meaning is there learning carpentry from uncle? I want to learn magic!”
“But you don’t have a talent for magic, didn’t magician Musuto tell you in town last time?” Rodman kept trying to change his mind.
“Humph! He was lying!” Enrique waved the newspaper in his hand again, “It even says on here that anyone can learn magic! Why can’t I?”
Rodman looked at the «Candra Times» in Enrique’s hand with a headache and he gave a bitter laugh deep down.
This damn Xu Yi, this damn Frestech Chamber of Commerce, why did they have to give that damn opinion that “everyone had a talent for magic”. Enrique who had lost his passion for magic, now wanted to study magic again.
Magician Musuto had clearly said that Enrique didn’t have any talent for magic at all. He couldn’t even learn the most basic spell in a week, so how could he become a powerful magician?
However, after Enrique had read the report in this newspaper, it was like he had received a decree from god. He wouldn’t change his mind and kept shouting that he wanted to learn magic, not changing his mind about not going to learn carpentry from his uncle like Rodman had arranged.
In Rodman’s eyes, was studying magic useful?
Even if Xu Yi and his Frestech Chamber of Commerce was right, that Enrique really had the hope of learning magic, since magician Musuto had said that he didn’t have any talent for it, then even if Enrique insisted on learning magic, he couldn’t become a powerful magician.
If he couldn’t become a powerful magician, Rodman thought that there was no use learning it at all.
Instead of wasting time on this, it was better to learn carpentry. If he could learn it well, he might not be able to become rich, but at least he wouldn’t have to worry about food and shelter.
However, Enrique still had a look of disdain after hearing what Rodman told him.
“Dad, you’ve fallen behind! Who told you that it’s useless if you can’t become a High Grade Magician?” Enrique patted the newspaper in his hands, “Look, the Frestech Chamber of Commerce is recruiting a bunch of Low Grade Magicians and the requirements aren’t high at all. Moreover, look at what it says. After you enter the Frestech Chamber of Commerce, your lowest wage is twenty gold coins a month, isn’t this much better than learning carpentry from uncle?”
“Is that so?” Rodman narrowed his eyes as he looked at the newspaper, but since he couldn’t read, naturally he couldn’t tell if what Enrique said was true or not.
But he had heard people say that the Frestech Chamber of Commerce always gave their workers a high wage. If it was for magicians, it was natural that their wages would be a bit higher than normal workers, so it isn’t strange at all if it was more than twenty gold coins a month.
“Alright, of course it’s good if you can work for the Frestech Chamber of Commerce after graduating. However, Enrique, it’s a problem if you can learn or not. The more important question is, where will you learn?”
“To……” Enrique was stunned and he couldn’t reply.
Although he had heard that the Frestech Chamber of Commerce had set up a Frestech Academy, specializing in teaching normal people magic and magic machine theory, the Stantine Duchy that the Frestech Chamber of Commerce was based in was two thousand kilometers away from this small village in the Candra Empire. How could Enrique go all the way there to learn?
After thinking a bit, Enrique clenched his fists and loudly said, “I’ll go to the Stantine Duchy!”
Rodman didn’t say anything as he looked at him.
After a while, Enrique lowered his head again.
Because he knew that this was impossible.
Rodman’s family was only a normal family of peasants in the Candra Empire. Although because the empire was focused on developing the magic machine industry, Rodman, his wife, and Enrique’s big brother had all found jobs in factories, their wages couldn’t compare to the Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s. It was only a total of twenty gold coins when it was all added up together.
This money had greatly changed the lives of their family. They no longer needed to worry about food and they could even have some savings, but these savings weren’t enough to support Enrique going to the Stantine Duchy two thousand kilometers away to study.
Then again, Enrique was only thirteen years old. Although he was considered smart, how could Rodman feel assured in letting him go that far away alone?
If someone went with him, it would cost even more and Rodman’s family wouldn’t be able to afford it.
“It would be good if the Frestech Chamber of Commerce was in our Candra Empire…..” Enrique couldn’t help complaining.
Rodman gave a sigh and gave a bitter laugh in his heart.
Right, it would be good if the Frestech Chamber of Commerce was in the empire.
He heard that because of the Frestech Chamber of Commerce, the people of the Lampuri Kingdom and the Stantine Duchy had lives that were countless times better than before. The normal people didn’t need to worry about their daily necessities and even had extra income to pursue a better life.
If the Frestech Chamber of Commerce had appeared in the Candra Empire or somewhere close, how good that would be. Perhaps their lives would already be much better because of the Frestech Chamber of Commerce.
And Enrique would be able to easily enter the Frestech Academy, perhaps he might even have a chance to become a magician like he dreamed.
However…..the Frestech Chamber of Commerce wasn’t here and was over two thousand kilometers away, so it was only a dream……it could only be a dream.
Rodman patted Enrique’s shoulder and said with a sigh, “Enrique, dad doesn’t have the ability to send you that far to learn magic, dad is sorry. You…..be good, alright?”
Enrique pursed his lips and looked at the tired looking Rodman before the stubborn look on his face disappeared. He could only give a slight nod.
Seeing the disappointed looking Enrique, Rodman helplessly shook his head and turned to leave.
Although there was still another hour before he had to go in for the afternoon shift, he didn’t want to stay at home with Enrique, so he could only escape.
When he came out, he found that there were three people coming over.
“Elder Adonis, village head Bradley, why are you here?” Rodman asked in a surprised voice, “What is going on?”
After saying this, he looked at the stranger beside the elder and the village head. He saw that this person wasn’t from the village and looked to be around thirty years old with a capable feel to him. He looked to be some kind of official from a town.
Elder Adonis who was sixty seven this year, but still looked healthy laughed as he waved his hand at Rodman, “Come, let’s go in and talk.”
Rodman doubtfully went back in with the three of them.
Enrique, who was in the room with his head down in a daze, saw that Rodman was back, as well as bringing the two highest ranking people in the village along with a stranger, so he couldn’t help being surprised.
“Hey, Enrique, stop being in a daze and bring some water for the guests. Quickly.” Rodman waved his hand as he said this.
“No need, come back.” Elder Adonis called Enrique back and then had him stand in front of him. He looked him over before asking with a smile, “Enrique, you’re in your teens now, right?”
Enrique looked at him with a confused gaze before turning to look at Rodman.
“Just answer if the elder is asking you a question.” Rodman said.
“Oh, elder, I’m thirteen this year.”
“Thirteen? Un, the age isn’t bad.” Elder Adonis turned to look at the stranger, “Your excellency Sandy, what do you think?”
The stranger who was called Sandy looked over Enrique with a faint smile before asking, “Are you willing to learn magic?”
Enrique and Rodman were both stunned.
They had just been discussing this, so why did someone suddenly arrive to ask this?
“I……”
“Elder, village head, what is going on?” Rodman cut Enrique off and asked the two people he was familiar with.
“He, he, it’s like this……” Village head Bradley said while laughing, “Rodman, do you know the Chimera Chamber of Commerce?”
“Of course I do, that is the largest company in our empire!” Rodman immediately replied, “But…..how is it related to Enrique?”
“It is.” Village head Bradley nodded, “The Chimera Chamber of Commerce is choosing to set up some foundational magic academies in our empire, one of which is being placed in Elnoy City. This academy isn’t just recruiting students from the city, but also the villages outside the city. Our village has been given five spots, so elder Adonis and I remembered that your kid always wanted to learn magic, so we came to see if you’re willing.”
“The Chimera Chamber of Commerce wants to open a foundational magic academy?” Rodman scratched his head and felt confused, “Why did you come looking for our kid? Could it be that he has a high talent for magic?”
“No, this is unrelated to magic talent. The Chimera Chamber of Commerce’s foundational magic academies are for teaching normal people magic, it’s unrelated to their magic talent.”
“Yi?” Rodman looked at Enrique with a surprised look.
Enrique was stunned before bringing over the «Candra Times» that he had thrown to the cabinet.
“Isn’t this what the Frestech Chamber of Commerce has always said? Could it be that the Chimera Chamber of Commerce is doing the same thing?”
“Right, this is the project that the Chimera Chamber of Commerce and the Frestech Chamber of Commerce was promoting together in the Candra Empire, so you don’t need to be doubtful.” Sandy said with a serious look, “Mister Rodman, I am the person who the Chimera Chamber of Commerce has sent to be in charge of the foundational magic academy in Elnoy City for now. If you have any questions, you can ask me.”
Rodman hesitated a bit and looked at Enrique who had an expectant and excited face. After swallowing a mouthful of saliva, he asked Sandy, “I have a very important question to ask.”
“Please do.”
“Does it take money to enter the school?”
“Of course, we aren’t doing this free of charge, so it’s normal to receive tuition.” Sandy replied with a smile.
Rodman’s heart sunk and after pausing for a bit, he hesitantly asked, “Then…..Can I ask how much it’ll cost?”
Sandy revealed a smile like he was very clear on what Rodman was thinking.
“You don’t need to worry that much about this because our company is working with the Frestech Chamber of Commerce on this project to increase the number of talented people in our empire’s magic machine industry. So while there is tuition, because there is support from our Chimera Chamber of Commerce, it’s very cheap.”
Rodman and Enrique looked at him with sparkling eyes.
Sandy raised three fingers with a smile.
“It’s only thirty gold coins per year, what do you think? Mister Rodman, do you think this is acceptable?”
Rodman’s eyes lit up and while Enrique nervously looked at him, he loudly said, “Of course! Of course I can accept this!”