Chapter 145 - Mysterious Dean
Inside the Dean's office, Crawford Royal University.
"Are you sure you want to resign, lass?" An aged old man asked. "Why the suddenness? What are you planning to do after?"
"Yes, Grandpa Wilfred. Thank you for taking care of me all this time." Lina answered with determination as she handed in her resignation letter. "But I want to travel the world and temper myself. I want to become strong."
In class, she would always put on a strong facade to hide her weakness in front of her students, but this was not what she wanted. She wanted to be genuine strong and confident.
"Very well. Since you have decided, I will not stop you." The dean said, before continuing, "However, if you wish to become truly strong, I can recommend you to a place to train."
With her interest piqued, Lina asked curiously, "What place is that, grandpa Wilfred?"
"I take it that you interested." The dean smiled gently and began writing a letter of recommendation. "Head to the far eastern kingdom, the Geyser Kingdom and give this to the City Lord of Blackwater City, he will make arrangements for you. Once you reach that place, you will naturally know exactly how great of a place it is to train there."
"Thank you, grandpa Wilfred." Lina accepted the letter with mild astonishment, but still asks with a trace of doubt, "But I am a wood-user, are you sure I can train there?"
"Wood-users are indeed rare." Wilfred nodded. "But they are not unique to your Greene family. Once you travel far and see more things, you would eventually come to know there are much more wood-users and the world is much bigger than you think."
Surprised, Lina couldn't help but ask, "Who are you really, grandpa Wilfred?"
"Hmm? Lass, you ask a very strange question. Don't you know who I am anymore? I'm just an old man living out the remainder of his days as the acting dean of this university." Wilfred stated.
"Oh...got it." Lina responses with a skeptical expression.
The dean was a very mysterious person. No one knew his strength and origins, not even his true age. He appears to be very advanced in his years, as one could grasp from his long brows and beard.
However, the vitality exuded from the old man was not much different to that of a middle-aged man. It was far from someone with little time left like he had claimed.
Perhaps, he came from the far east kingdom? Otherwise, how would it explain his connections with the people there?
People rarely travel as far, to and from the Geyser Kingdom, thus there weren't many news regarding the place.
It was unknown to which heights the kingdom had progressed, but it never had much tension and conflicts between its borders as compared to the other three kingdoms.
The Geyser Kingdom was also known as the Water Kingdom because it is the only kingdom that has access to the Boundless Sea. All other kingdoms had their access to the sea cut off by the Extreme Misty Forest and Desolate Mountain Ranges.
The only way other kingdoms could procure fresh drinking water was from the inland rivers and water-users. Thus, water families usually have monopoly over the water distillation business in the Human Domain. With their abilities, they could create water or simply separate the clean water from the impurities.
Of course, others could obtain safe drinking water through simple filtering and boiling methods, but it would never taste as good.
...
"Leah, you're still too green. How can try to attract these types of men? Don't waste your time on that poor sook. Judging from his appearance, he probably can't afford our service even if he wanted to." Another hostess mocked.
"Eh~ But I thought he seems quite decent." Leah inserted.
Hearing someone mocking, Leon paused his steps. Here he was, minding his own business, but he is being looked down for it. His pride wouldn't allow him to simply walk without doing anything.
He directly tipped the girl called Leah 100,000 Craws, before walking off. Best way to deal with people that like judging other people by their appearance was to slap them with the cold truth.
His action immediately sealed the hostess's foul mouth as she froze in disbelief.
Impossible! How can he give away so much so easily, while dressed like that? Was this person actually a rich young master in disguise? She immediately felt regret for offending such a potentially big customer.
"This... so much..." Leah was pleasantly surprised. Although the amount wasn't a lot in their line of trade. There would occasionally be a few prodigal young nobles and masters coming to play, but this was the first time someone tipped her so much without receiving her service.
"Wait, young master! I can't take your money without servicing you- ah?" By the time she had realized it, the person was already gone. She felt a faint trace of disappointment.
"Leah, we should split the tip half and half. If it weren't for me goading that young master, he wouldn't have tipped you." The foul-mouthed hostess said as she eyed the money greedily.
Working in the brothel, they get paid a certain amount of commission for the customers they serve, but tips were completely their own income.
"That goes without saying. Thank you for the hard work, senior." Leah handed over 50,000 Craws with a fake smile.
Inwardly, she was disgusted with such a hypocrite. Although she wasn't paying attention, she could tell the myriads of changes the person's expression; Contempt, surprise, regret and now greed. Human selfishness and greed knows no bounds.
It was sickening, but she was just a small-time figure in this big city. In order to survive, one would have to get along well with everyone. Only the capable can keep their dignity and stand proudly, instead of buttering up to others. That is the harsh reality of society.
…
Leon continued his stroll through the streets of the Upper District, unaware of what transpired. He did not pay the brothel any further attention. This encounter was just like a crossroad that intersect once and never meets again. If it did, then it would be called fate.
He stopped at the doorstep of the Cromwell's Real Estate Building. As royalty, the land belonged to them. They can just pick any random empty plot of land to have his pill store built, but it would take too much time.
It was much quicker to acquire an existing building. He would just treat it as the royal family buying back the land they sold.
"Hello young master, how may I serve you?" A young clerk asked politely.
"I would like--"
Before he finished his words, it was interrupted by another person.
"Piss off, commoner." The passing manager insulted, before berating the young clerk "For these types of poor looking people, just drive them away. They can't afford anything even if you talk to them. They are just a waste of breath and time."
Leon let out a sigh as he heard these words. As expected, anywhere he goes, there would be people like these, but if he had to choose between seeing people butter up to him or looking down on him, he would choose the latter. It was easier to see a person's true self and know who to steer clear from.
If he had time, he should buy some noble clothing after. He currently only have royal and common attire.
"Is this how you treat your customers?" Leon said calmly.
"No, this is how we treat wild dogs. Did you think you qualified as a customer? Do you have the money?" The manager said arrogantly. "This was the Upper District. Commoners don't have the right purchase any land here."
"Hoh? Since where do we have such a law? Do you take yourself to be the ruler this land to make up such a law? Do you think you are born more nobly than commoners? Don't forget that commoners are also people and it's because of the commoner's hard work that you get to enjoy such privileges." Leon remarked, before chuckling coldly, "If I wasn't sure this was the Cromwell's Real Estate Building; based on your arrogance, I would have thought this was the Royal Palace, but even if it was, none of the palace maids and guards would dare be so arrogant in front of me."
"You're even more arrogant than me. Who the hell do you think you are? The prince?" The manager sarcastically said, before calling the guards. "Hurry up and kick this troublemaker out. Make sure to break his legs so he can never step foot in this place again.
After hearing those words, the young clerk anxiously said, "You should quickly leave. You can't afford to offend this person. He is someone from the Huckabee family, the distant relatives of the Cromwell family."
"Thank you for your concerns, but I will be fine." Leon said with a smile, as he watches someone approaching from the corner of his eye.
"Y-You! I won't bother with you." The young clerk pouted angrily. She warned him out of good will, but he chose not to appreciate her kindness. She stormed back to her desk, but froze on the way. "P-President."
"What is going on here?" Bromley said with a deep frown.
"Ah! Nothing is going on here, uncle. I'm was just trying to drive away this troublemaking commoner." The person from the Huckabee family pointed.
PA!
"Josiah, you are a fucking idiot!" Bromley slapped his distant nephew, before welcoming Leon warmly, "Hahaha... My dear son-in-law, what brings you here?"
The slap made Josiah dizzy. After recovering, he wanted to complain indignantly, but the words got stuck in his throats. Son-in-law!? Oh shit!
Leon shrugged his shoulders at the question. "I came to see if you have any nice buildings with good locations to purchase, but I was stopped by this person. Tell me father-in-law, what is the punishment for trying to break the legs of royalty?"
The punishment was death.
Josiah paled at once and cried, "Uncle, you have to save me! Boohoo…"
With a wry smile, Bromley and said, "My dear son-in-law, he is after all a distant nephew of mine. How about you spare him? The ignorant is not guilty. Why are you dressed like this to begin with? Isn't this like playing the pig to eat the tiger? Is the royal family that short on funds that you started to eye my coffer as well?"
"I really did come to look for a nice store with good location to buy, father-in-law." Leon said with a helpless smile. "I can forgive your nephew's transgression against me, but the Huckabee family have to compensate me."
"So, in the end, it's still about money!" Bromley secretly cursed, before putting on a smile and said, "The Huckabee family will pay you an appropriate amount of compensation. I guarantee it. Now let's go sit somewhere else to talk about what you want to buy."
His family hadn't gained any benefits from this connection yet they're already suffering losses from it. What a pair of black-heart money grubbers.
"Alright." Leon readily accepted, before complimenting, "Oh right, this person was very good. She did not look down on me, while serving."
Bromley nodded and led Leon to a private room, before turning back to his employees and said sternly, "Not a word of today gets out, got it?"
The guards, the clerks and the agents all nodded rigorously. It was an in-house problem. If word got out, the Cromwell family would lose face.
"Good."
"Josiah, you can go home and rest. No need to come back to work"
"and you; you are promoted to floor manager as of today."
"I…" The unexpected happiness came too abruptly, the young clerk was overwhelmed and did not know what to say. She also had some misgivings as she stole glances at Josiah.
"You don't have to worry; he will not make trouble for you." Bromley assured.
The president's words were worth its weight in gold. The young clerk's heart was at ease with his assurance. She accepted the new role happily. "Thank you, President!"
"Continue the good work." Bromley smiled, before returning to Leon.
"Aren't you lucky, Camila? Directly promoted to floor manager. Ah, I'm so envious. Why don't I have such luck?"
The clerks began gossiping among themselves.
…
In a private room, Leon sat comfortably on a soft couch with a big grin, while waiting for Bromley Cromwell to return.
It was a good idea of him to wear such common attire, when going for strolls around the Upper Districts.
If other nobles provoke and pick fights with him, he would have good reasons to extort them.