Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Chapter 1451: Chapter 29: Delgado’s Shamelessness

Count Stelter leaned on the armrest of the single sofa, supporting his cheek with one hand, and spoke with interest: “That’s quite good!

Joshua, bring your Grace to accompany Lind more often; our youngest son just loves innocent girls!”

Lind turned to look at his father and showed a particularly innocent smile: “No, Father, I only like playing with peers.

I can’t stand it if they’re too young, unless she doesn’t like crying when something happens~”

Joshua gently took the orange from Lind’s hand, which was exchanged for an adorable, surprised expression that resembled a wide-eyed little deer.

He shook his head with a helpless smile.

Helena slowly spoke: “My dear Lind, you have indeed been lonely for too long; it seems you really need some companions!

Otherwise, even the most innocent child would not seem that adorable if they become too accustomed to solitary time, don’t you think, dear Earl?

I’m not afraid of anything else, it’s just… if that Sage of the Earth, even if he is tempted by the benefits you offer, might not lend his name if he takes a dislike to Lind.

After all, he is a mage with great self-control; his demands for self-cultivation clearly exceed his craving for material wealth!

No wonder, though the Belfran Family’s reputation in our mortal world is not prominent, all the deities are quite familiar with them!

The deities of Aesces always favor strong-willed individuals.”

Lind widened his eyes and looked at his mother: “Isn’t my talent really poor?

Would he be willing to accept such an ordinary student like me… even in name?

Mother, you’ve always said that becoming a Magical Swordsman is my best path, haven’t you?”

“Indeed… your talent isn’t that great.” Helena tilted her head and smiled, “Becoming a Magical Swordsman only requires hard work… sometimes, it’s merely physical exhaustion, but it’s not really hard work.

If you have to learn something beyond your usual capabilities, then… it requires not only a strong will, diligent spirit, but also the open mindset to not give up when you see others accomplish effortlessly what took you painstaking efforts to achieve.

For instance, with the same spell, it might take your sister around half a day to master it, while it would take you ten days to half a month… or even longer, wouldn’t you feel inclined to give up?

If you give up, you wouldn’t have to work so hard… The Stelter Family has enough resources to ensure you’ll live a life of ease and comfort, becoming a happy Magical Swordsman.

Do you believe you can persevere, Lind?

This time, if we can truly persuade the other party, your father and I would be giving away the very last of the Stelter Family’s assets… there absolutely won’t be a second chance.

This is something even your brother and sister don’t know!”

The summer sunlight poured into the parlor through the fan-shaped floor-to-ceiling window behind them, and Lind’s black eyes, identical to his father’s, seemed to reflect a golden glow: “I’ve always been well-behaved, haven’t I?”

Joshua, after peeling the orange in his hand, handed it to him: “Good boy, have some fruit!

Tomorrow, I’ll take Grace to the castle to play with her!

Your Uncle Joshua is quite busy and won’t have time to mind the children.”

Lind was just about to say something when his mouth was stuffed with a slightly green piece of orange, tears welling up at the corners of his eyes from the sourness.

“Bang!” From the open parlor of Delgado came a sudden loud noise, as the scholarly and handsome Yanos, dressed in a gray-blue mage robe, with short golden-brown hair slightly curled but very neat, slammed a black leather pouch on the table.

It should contain some heavy gold nuggets, creating a noise loud enough to silence the hall.

“My… graduation document.” Yanos restrained his emotions and spoke slowly, “And… there’s no need for the recommendation letter for the Alchemist Association in Stein City from the teacher.”

“Oh!” Count Stelter exclaimed in surprise… even showing seldom-seen complex emotions on his face, which usually held little expression even before his youngest son… admiration, disdain, and even a bit of awe.

“Is Stein City so terrible?” Helena asked, a bit puzzled.

“Ah… whether it’s good or bad depends on what you’re planning to do there.

Stein is the only place in Danboro where the Finch Family hasn’t intervened.” Joshua’s expression was also very complex, “Sometimes our army goes there to trade in things that are not suitable for public exposure.”

“Are you referring to the legendary Desert Black City?” Helena asked, lifting her head in astonishment, “Isn’t that not considered Danboro’s territory?

The lawless zone… the vice president of the Danboro Alchemist Association, who has no real power, what use is his recommendation letter?”

“Absolutely useless!” Joshua said firmly, “There’s no need for any recommendation letters; even an Alchemy Apprentice would be very welcome in Stein.

“Exactly, once you go, you can never leave again… Who would send away a cash cow?”

“Delgado, how much do you resent your Chief Apprentice?” Even the always calm Helena couldn’t help but widen her eyes.

“He actually values Yanos a lot.” But Count Stelter, who had been sitting there quickly turning over the idea in his mind, seemed to understand Delgado’s thoughts, “But Yanos’s decision to advance to a Mid-level Mage offended him. Since he must leave, the longer he stays by his side, the greater the threat!

However, he can’t just kill his Chief Apprentice, can he?

His reputation… heh!

Originally, very few children of nobles were willing to follow him to learn. Those who dared to pay for his training were either families like ours or wealthy merchants trying to upgrade their status.

Heh~ If he could only recruit apprentices from merchant families, then the little power he had left in the Alchemist Association would disappear, and his own alchemy legacy might spread everywhere.

We all know… without backing, it’s hard for merchants to thrive, even in small towns.

But, after so many years with Delgado, Yanos must have learned a thing or two from him no matter how much he held back.

If the Alchemical Sub-Association was controlled by the Finch Family, then… unless Yanos had his own private laboratory, he would surely expose something to that President.

So, from the start, I thought Delgado wouldn’t find a good place for Yanos… but I didn’t expect he wouldn’t even want to help at all!

He does have some friends for profit-exchange, and not all the sub-associations of the Alchemist Association are controlled by the Finch Family… but those places, each has one slot, and he must use some past favors to put Yanos in.

However, if he sends Yanos to Stein City, it would be those people who owe him a favor instead.

How could he be so shameless? Especially when taking Yanos’s money right in front of everyone!

“Joshua, how much gold is in that bag?”

“Gold nuggets worth a hundred thousand gold,” Joshua was a bit stunned, “I tied that bag personally, the rope hasn’t even been untied.”

“So, he’s very confident that as long as he gets this Mithril, his reputation wouldn’t matter?” Lind tilted his head and asked, “Father, did you perhaps miscalculate something?”

Thus, Delgado neither cares if anyone else is willing to follow him in the future, nor if he offends military achievement nobles like the Stelter Family.

Reminded Helena’s eyes quickly ignited with rage: “Heh~ What an impressive Count Stelter!

Just a little more! My Ellie was almost ruined by you!”

Count Stelter could only press his lips and endure the gravity on his waist… Helena was truly furious this time, she even used magic to enhance her strength!

He couldn’t help but look at Lind, who had already turned back to eat an orange, his eyes dark and deep as obsidian.

Even those who didn’t know what kind of place Stein City is, upon seeing the surprise on the faces around them and hearing the sound of inhalation filling the room, knew that it must be a big deal, naturally wanting to ask clearly.

So, almost the entire auction hall was openly whispering… the kind that dashes from one sofa group to another.

The instant uproar in the auction hall even drowned out the loudspeaker’s announcements.

The auctioneer, after repeatedly asking everyone to calm down to no avail, had no choice but to pause the auction.

Then he couldn’t help but lean on the auction hammer, looking curiously at Delgado’s box… Even he, who had been in the business market for decades, was seeing such an unconstrained mage for the first time!

Don’t mind how those mage nobles were pressing down the military achievement nobles like the Stelter Family so they can’t breathe, but on the surface, everyone is polite, and their dealings seem decent.

For instance, that Finch Sub-Association President in Basia City, clearly threatening the mage who became Miss Ellie’s teacher yesterday, can turn around and present Ellie with a smile and a Basic Spellbook as a birthday gift today.

Of course, that book is certainly one that the Stelter Family already had.

Delgado cast a proud glance around the venue, sneering as he pulled out a document from his ring: “My student, you see, on the day you became a Level 5 Mage, I had already prepared this document for you.

However, it’s a pity that in the final period of time we had, our interactions weren’t pleasant, so I didn’t take it out at that time.

I always thought, after so many years of friendship, there should be a perfect conclusion.

Sigh!

I know you look down on the Vice President position of the Alchemical Sub-Association in Stein City, but with my lack of standing in the Alchemist Association, this is the only place where I could find a managerial role that fits you!

Elsewhere, I can’t even let you become a clerk.

Sigh, there’s no way around it, maybe in the future, even sweepers in the Alchemist Association will have the last name Finch!”