Volume 2 79 - Why is everything related to him?
Sophia’s group of four went down the road and not only did they see many different Magic Harvesters moving through the wheat with high efficiency, they also saw beautiful houses made of small bricks placed where there wasn’t farmland.
These small bricks were finely made and placed together row by row, forming beautiful little residences.
Other than this, they saw that the fifty meter wide river outside Banta City had countless people working on the banks. They were transferring stone like things to the banks of the rivers, but it was unknown what they were doing.
They saw in many desolate places, there were large factories erected there that also had many people busily working on something.
When the horse carriage finally entered the Banta City gates and they saw the lively crowd outside the carriage, Sophia couldn’t help being surprised. She said in a shocked voice, “Why are there so many people here? Isn’t Banta City just a small city? Why do I feel that there are even more people here than in our Anvilmar City?”
Baron Hannas looked outside the horse carriage before saying with a smile, “For a small city that only had fifty thousand people to suddenly have more than two hundred thousand people, it’s not strange if there are this many people. Of course, being honest, Banta City still has less people than our Anvilmar City. You have to know that according to the last census, Anvilmar City had over five hundred thousand people.”
“But two hundred thousand people isn’t small.” Sophia was still very surprised, “A city with this many people can be considered a large city in the kingdom. Hannas, why are there suddenly so many people in Banta City?”
“The reason is very simple, it’s because there are many work opportunities in Banta City. It could be said no matter who comes here, they can find work that will satisfy them. You have to know that if large companies employ someone without any skills, the lowest wage they will receive is around ten gold coins per month.” Baron Hannas replied.
“Ten gold coins per month?” Sophia thought about it before asking Kennard, “Is that a lot?”
“It’s quite a bit. Even if it is a normal worker in Anvilmar City, they only receive around six gold coins per month as a wage.” Kennard nodded, “So for Banta City to suddenly have all these people, it isn’t strange at all. Sophia, you should know that many people in our kingdom can’t eat their fill. They can fulfil that need with just one job and they can earn a salary of over ten gold coins per month, that is a very satisfying thing for many people.”
Sophia thought about it before finding it a bit strange.
“This isn’t right, Anvilmar City is the kingdom’s capital, so the salary of the workers there should be the highest. How can Banta City’s companies give people such a high starting salary? Do they have too much money?”
“Then you should go ask Xu Yi.” Hannas laughed, “Because that fellow is the first one to give such high wages, so the companies in Banta City had no other choice and had to give their workers the same high wages, or their workers would have all been stolen by the Frestech Chamber of Commerce.”
“Why is it related to that fellow again?” Sophia muttered in a dissatisfied voice, “Is everything in Banta City related to that fellow?”
Hannas laughed, “You’re right. No matter what you see in Banta City right now, it is most likely related to him. Who told the Frestech Chamber of Commerce to have this much influence in Banta City right now.”
“Humph! I don’t believe it.” Sophia pursed her lips and looked out the window, pointing at a store and saying, “Look, that can’t be related to him, right?”
Hannas looked at where Sophia was pointing and found that it was a woman’s clothing store.
Looking at the sign of the store, Hannas broke out in laughter.
“Ha, ha, Sophia, I’m afraid that you’re wrong. Although that store sells women’s clothing, that store sells the Armani Chamber of Commerce’s products. Just a while ago, the Frestech Chamber of Commerce helped the Armani Chamber of Commerce develop a Magic Loom, which all of the Armani Chamber of Commerce’s cloth products are made off. Tell me, is this related to Xu Yi?”
Sophia’s eyes popped out as she stared at the women’s clothing store until it disappeared from the sight of the window. She indignantly turned back and looked right at Hannas and Kennard who were secretly laughing as she said with a cold snort, “This Xu Yi, he really is too despicable! Why is he everywhere!”
Kennard revealed a faint smile, “Sophia, do you really hate him this much? Then let me tell you some unhappy news. If nothing happens, in less than twenty minutes, you will be meeting him.”
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Twenty minutes later, carriage of the four turned stopped at a quiet little alley in the west of the city.
The four of them got out of the horse carriage and Sophia looked up at the beautiful little two floor house in front of her, revealing a surprised expression.
“That detestable fellow’s place is quite good. But since he has that much money, why doesn’t he buy a manor outside of the city? Isn’t it better than living here?”
“Xu Yi is a very frugal fellow. Based on what I’ve seen, he doesn’t care at all about his daily necessities, so normally he lives quite economically.” Hannas said, “He was living in a small rented room before and I think that if it isn’t because of Vivian, he wouldn’t have changed to living in this small house.”
“Who is Vivian? This sounds like a girl’s name. Doesn’t he have young miss Still as his girlfriend? Why would he buy this small house for Vivian? Could it be that he is a disappointing fellow, playing around with this girl named Vivian even though he has a beautiful girlfriend like young miss Still?” Sophia immediately asked.
Hannas didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He couldn’t help tapping down on Sophia’s head as he reprimanded, “What are you thinking? Vivian is a slave that he bought who is fifteen this year, she isn’t even as old as you. Xu Yi has always treated her like a little sister.”
“Humph, he sees her as a little sister now, but it won’t be the same in another two years.” Sophia muttered in a low voice. Seeing Kennard glaring at her, she quickly closed her mouth and didn’t dare say anything else.
But in her heart, she had painted Xu Yi as someone who liked to play with slaves and also trash who liked to cheat.
Hannas ignored Sophia’s thoughts and saw a figure moving on the second floor. It seemed like someone was home, so he called out.
After a while, there were footsteps that came from inside the door. The door opened and a young and pretty face popped out.
“Hey, Vivian, after not seeing you for a few months, you’ve grown quite a bit and you’re much prettier than before.” Hannas raised his hand to greet her.
Vivian looked at Hannas and immediately remembered him. She quickly gave a respectful bow, “Hello Lord Baron. For you to suddenly show up today, do you need master for something?”
“Of course, if I’m not here for him, why would I come all the way here from Anvilmar City?” Hannas replied with a smile. He moved aside and allowed Vivian to see the three people behind him, “Help me tell Xi Yi that I’ve brought three friends to meet him.”
“Alright, Lord Baron. You and your three friends can come in first and I’ll go tell master you’re here.”
Vivian led the three of them into the living room and poured some tea for them before excusing herself, running up the stairs.
Seeing Vivian disappear up to the second floor, Sophia finally turned her eyes that had been staring at her away. She turned to Hannas and said with a voice filled with praise, “She is Vivian? Why do I feel that she isn’t like a slave at all?”
“Oh? Why do you think that?” Hannas was a bit surprised.
“Because she looks so pretty and she has a bit of an aura, like the young miss of a noble family. How could she be a slave? Could it be that she’s the daughter of a poor noble family? That isn’t right, even if they are poor, they wouldn’t let their daughter become a slave, right?” Sophia said in a confused voice.
“I never thought that your thoughts were this complex. Vivian has always been a slave, the reason why she became like this was because after Xu Yi bought her, he had carefully trained her. When I saw her for the first time last year, she was just a normal looking little girl. I never thought that in less than a year, she would become this beautiful and her aura would even change. It has to be said, Xu Yi really is willing to pay to train her.” Hannas said.
“Humph, spending this money on a slave, it’s definitely to satisfy his own wicked desires.” Sophia said with pursed lips.
“Sophia, mind your words!” Kennard suddenly said in a sharp voice,” If you don’t change your attitude, you can go back tomorrow with uncle Hank, you won’t be allowed to stay here.”
Kennard actually pampered his little sister Sophia quite a bit, rarely speaking to her in a sharp voice. Sophia knew that once his tone became like this, it meant that he really was angry.
So Sophia could only obediently stick out her tongue and give an un sound before not making another noise.
After a while, there was a set of heavy and soft footsteps on the stairs.
The soft ones were Vivian who had just gone upstairs and the heavy ones were Xu Yi.
Hannas, Kennard, and Hank all suddenly got up.
Sophia had been silently drinking her tea, but seeing the actions of the three, she woke up and quickly put down her teacup. She obediently stood up and looked towards the staircase.
Although Sophia had heard Xu Yi’s name from Hannas and Kennard countless times and had some understanding of this person from their discussion, even forming an image of Xu Yi in her mind, but no matter what, it couldn’t compare to seeing him herself.
Sophia’s eyes were wide open and her face was covered in expectation and curiosity.
A pair of feet appeared on the staircase first before long legs wearing normal cloth clothes. Then there was an upper body that had a large frame, but was rather thin, wearing an ugly blue linen shirt.
Finally the face appeared.
Sophia looked at it and she felt very disappointed.