A mage? A spell engineer!

Chapter 63 Gold and Money

For the past few days, Rorschach has been resting on the Countryside Avenue, enjoying free meals and drinks at Cano's Starlight Tower every day.

A half-cooked egg is placed on top of bacon, which in turn rests on a crispy bread that has been rubbed in hot butter. Now, it sits on a bed of baby lettuce and white sauce.

Rorschach sliced ​​the layered dish in two, the vibrant yolk flowing down and mingling with the sauce, ensuring each layer was coated with the rich flavors of lecithin and cholesterol. He tried to pick up all the layers with his knife and fork but failed, instead starting by eating the tender fried egg and glistening bacon on top.

"Teacher, didn't you say that it's normal for the publication process to take half a year?" Luo Xia was surprised to learn that his first paper, "Examining the Efficiency Limits of Thermodynamic Conversion and Heat Engines," was about to be published.

In ancient times, mages kept all the knowledge they acquired to themselves. Now, mages keep it to a limited extent; the best knowledge is kept within the magic tower according to lineage and faction, while some basic theoretical knowledge is published in books. Since the rise of the printing industry, more and more books have been self-published. Those that pass the review of the magic guild can be included in the guild's collection and have the opportunity to be published throughout the continent.

Kano had told Rorschach before the Lesser Lord that the Archmage had submitted his paper for review, and with Kano's connections, the chances of it being published were quite high. But Rorschach hadn't expected it to be so fast. Less than three days after the Lesser Lord's visit, and he'd only had five days of "rest," and they'd finished it within a ten-day work week? Was there peer review? Had they really reproduced all the experiments?

"Teacher, you truly have a lot of influence. I'm really impressed by your power within the Magic Guild!"

"What nonsense. I haven't even exerted myself this time." Cano's expression was strange. He scooped up a spoonful of soup, scooped out a few peas, hesitated for a moment, and then pushed the soup to Rorschach: "Your paper was published so quickly because of the efforts of the leading figures in the Stonemasons' Guild under the guild. Hmm, that old man Granor."

"Who?" Luo Xia felt he had heard the name before. But if someone offered help simply because he had heard the name, wasn't there something fishy going on?

"François remembers, doesn't he? His old man, the one who licked His Majesty the King's golden boots and became a lord."

"Why are we bringing up our great King again? What are they trying to do?"

Kano grinned: "You, a citizen of the Empire, calling yourself 'our Majesty'! You want to know?"

"I wonder, why would someone help me for no reason? I can't imagine what a high-ranking mage would ask of me, to thank me for saving his son?"

Kano nodded: "Go ask them if you want to know! I received two invitations that need to be forwarded. One is to invite Mage Rorschach to a banquet at the Granor family tonight, and the other is to attend a small banquet at the royal court tomorrow night. Seeing how lively you are, I might as well accept if you have no objections!"

"The students aren't very keen on going."

"I also find these banquets boring. Let's start writing the report on matters related to the sub-plane tonight."

"But as a citizen of the Empire, I am still very curious about the banquet of the Holy Kingdom's nobles and king. So, please allow me to go and find out what that Grand Mage is thinking. Teacher, I'm a little nervous about going to the banquet alone, afraid of doing something impolite. Will Master Kano also be there?"

"Hmph, guess."

Viscount Granor, who was baffled by Roscia, was in the palace, sitting around a round table with several other nobles. The table was too low for dining, and everyone was hunched over, their elbows resting on their thighs or knees. Only the finance minister, Necker, at the head of the table, had his legs crossed and was leaning back in his chair.

Although Necker was the most carefree, he lost the most. Indeed, the "right brain" of the governor and the king, who owned nearly half of the country's land, was playing cards in the front hall, with bright sunlight streaming in through the stained glass windows.

This was Granor's first time participating in such a game, and with the intellect befitting an archmage, he carefully maintained his balance of wins and losses. The other dukes, marquesses, and a prince all won big, practically taking away Necker's chips.

"Game over, gentlemen." Necker tossed out the last piece and said with a smile, "Varán, exchange your spoils for the gentlemen."

"No, no, no, Necker, we're just playing around, why bother with such a small matter?" A duke was about to push the chips back to Necker's table, but he stopped him: "My lord, please look."

Valen brought out stacks of paper, the most exquisite printing ever seen by any of the nobles.

"Please allow me to introduce to you gentlemen the finest printed matter available today." Necker picked up a sheet with a profile portrait of the XVI, along with various intricate patterns and a gold-stamped number: "The one I have here is the highest denomination. According to its number, it is equivalent to one gold coin, or twenty-four silver coins."

"It's nothing more than a game of exchanging chips!" The prince grabbed a handful of banknotes and crumpled them up. "Outside the palace, who can exchange these for a piece of bread?"

Necker still smiled: "What if you would like to promote this in your own territories and governorates? Starting from the latter part of the month, it will be available to all of His Majesty's direct royal commanders."

Everyone exchanged glances, then slowly shook their heads: "Then let His Majesty and the Minister of Finance set an example first, and we'll follow in His Majesty's footsteps to promote this!"

"Is the Prime Minister aware of this matter?"

"Lord Deplesi has approved the issuance plan. I know you all have doubts, but I want to tell you that this year all of His Majesty's bank creditors have agreed that half of this year's interest will be paid in paper money in exchange for the limited right to issue paper money."

The round table was silent as Granol turned and fiddled with his chips.

Necker calmly continued to add to the stakes: "Most importantly, I guarantee with my own reputation and that of those I serve that the paper money and gold coins will be exchanged at an equal value."

"Excuse my bluntness, but no one in this palace has a reputation worth the entire kingdom! Reputation is no longer worth gold!"

“That’s right, so in the sub-plane, oh, now it’s been named the Sareanna Region by His Majesty,” Necker nodded deliberately to Granor, “the Magic Guild has the good fortune to have discovered a gold mine.”

Valen understood immediately and obediently handed over a velvet bag, inside which lay the gold nugget presented by the apprentice. The heavy, unexplored gold mine was passed around among the group.

Putting away the monocular, the prince asked Granor seriously, "Master, can you guarantee the reliability of the gold mines in the sub-plane?"

"Geologically speaking, where there is one, there must be two. The appearance of this natural gold nugget is purely accidental, but as long as it appears nearby, there must be a rich mineral vein."

"Thank you for your analysis, but we now need assurances from the Magic Guild that the gold mine is real."

"Your Highness, the Magic Guild cannot guarantee this!" Granor thought of his earlier conversation with Neker, and of his impending promotion, and gritted his teeth: "But, on behalf of the seven lords of the Shaleana Plane, as a high-ranking mage of the kingdom, a future earl, and an elder of the Stonemasons' Guild, I assure you that yes, His Majesty the King of the Shaleana Plane's direct territories produce gold!"

The prince nodded and put the banknotes he had won into his inner pocket. The others followed suit, and Necker watched with satisfaction as the banknotes on the table were divided up.

Thank you to readers Tianxia Youzhixiong, Luo-Leiyun, and Huangjin Shewang for their monthly tickets! Thank you to all the readers for your continued encouragement and support with your recommendation votes!

(End of this chapter)