novelraw Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Chapter 16. Cooperation Details
“It's not anything too complicated. Let's start with the simplest part.”
With a thought from Kyle, the scene within the light screen shifted again. A standard year-round school appeared in the projection.
“The most serious problem right now is that educational resources are basically monopolized by the nobility. This is also the main crux cutting off the upward path for commoners. After you take control of the Artisans’ Association, you can first establish an academy within the association to cultivate technical talents.”
“Besides ordinary technical professions like chefs and maintenance workers, the focus should be on training professionals capable of becoming Runemasters and Forgemasters.”
At this point, even Kyle felt a headache coming on. In this world, the rules of physics were influenced by supernatural forces, making the transformation of many materials and energies extremely complex.
Substances that did not possess soul, vitality, or magical properties could collectively be referred to as elements.
Under normal conditions, they were relatively stable. But once influenced by extraordinary forces such as mind, qi, or magic, these materials easily transformed into other states of property.
Therefore, any product in this world that had a complex structure and special effects basically required magical materials.
And magical materials were exceedingly scarce. This made high-end technological products difficult to popularize, ultimately causing the entire world to appear stuck in a very backward medieval civilization.
Yet in reality, magical technology was not weak at all. He had even glimpsed, along a causal line, a spacecraft capable of traversing planes—its technological sophistication far beyond imagination.
To popularize magical technology, there were only two options.
Either increase the quantity of magical materials—so abundant they could be freely mined and used.
Or achieve a technological breakthrough that could process ordinary materials into relatively stable magical materials suitable for everyday life.
“These two professions are key pieces paving the way for the subsequent plan. If we can't even cultivate the required talents, then everything is meaningless… Of course, I won’t contribute for nothing. All future research achievements of the Artisans’ Association must be shared with me and must prioritize meeting my needs!”
O’Brien stared at the school blueprint in the light screen.
Kyle had not only neatly categorized every specialty but also detailed the curriculum system for different stages and the required faculty allocation. It was even more refined than noble education.
“No wonder you said no one would dare to do this. Just this set of curricula spreading among the common people would trigger a frenzied backlash and suppression from the noble class.”
“This is only the foundation. Next depends on whether you can withstand the pressure and carve out a path in this chaotic city where ordinary people can grow freely.”
“What I can provide is support in resources and intelligence. Unless absolutely necessary, I won’t personally step in. That would only make the situation more chaotic. After all, my identity is that of a vampire!”
“This is also an attempt for me. Success would be best. If not, I’ll treat it as accumulated experience.”
“Aren’t you afraid of implicating Dean?” O’Brien seemed to have finally found Kyle’s weak point. “After all, you’re the one pushing me to face off against these nobles!”
Caitlin also looked at Dean with worry. She truly hadn’t expected her younger brother to start by digging at the nobles’ lifeline.
“Ha, is a paladin a flower raised in a greenhouse? If he can’t withstand even this bit of growth and storm, he might as well die early and stop dragging my sister down…”
“Bang!”
Caitlin smacked the back of Kyle’s head hard. Kyle showed no reaction and continued looking at Dean.
“I’m not joking. I’ve found you a mentor, and I’ll provide every resource you need without shorting a single bit.”
“If you lack strength, then work hard to become stronger. I’ll give you time to grow—five years! Within five years, I’ll clear away any enemy more than one major rank above you. After five years, if you haven’t reached Elite (Baron), get lost on your own!”
Kyle then turned his gaze to Caitlin, his tone stern. “Sis, rein in that lovestruck brain of yours! Without strength, and you still want to date a paladin? When the time comes, you’ll probably be hunted by both the underworld and the authorities!”
“If you really like this brat, your own strength can’t be low either. If you were a Blood Prince, you could take this brat and roam the world freely and happily. Even a Legendary (Prince) paladin wouldn’t easily trouble you!”
Caitlin’s cheeks puffed up from her brother’s scolding, yet unusually, she did not retort. She had come to find Kyle to avoid being discovered by her clan for dating a human; finding a mentor for Dean had been secondary.
She secretly glanced at Dean and found him looking back at her. His eyes were filled with fighting spirit and confidence—just like when they were children, still unwilling to admit defeat.
“Hahaha!”
O’Brien suddenly burst out laughing, his rough hand slapping heavily onto Dean’s shoulder. “Kid, looks like you’ve got plenty of hardship ahead!”
After confirming Kyle’s attitude toward Dean, O’Brien felt somewhat reassured. It meant Kyle hadn’t treated Dean as a disposable pawn but truly regarded him as his sister’s suitor.
Though he still wasn’t optimistic about the two… well, who knew?
Kyle snapped his fingers in satisfaction, and the light screen dissipated. “Since we’ve reached a consensus, I’ll leave this brat to you. Once you officially join the Artisans’ Association, we’ll contact each other again!”
Kyle tossed a small spatial ring and an identity token to O’Brien. “These contain the resources he’ll need for five years of cultivation, as well as a consecration token from the Silver Moon Chamber of Commerce. I’m handing them over to you together.”
O’Brien swept it with his spiritual power and found it packed to the brim with rare medicinal herbs and a full hundred magic crystals. The corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily. He truly couldn’t understand how this lying-through-his-teeth vampire had received the recognition of Holy Light.
“Then! Good day!”
Kyle gave a slight bow, and he and Caitlin disappeared into the shadows of the forest.
O’Brien turned to look at Dean and found him still staring foolishly in the direction where Caitlin had vanished. At some point, a pendant had appeared in his hand.
————
Meanwhile, in the bustling harbor district of Coral Thorn City.
“Zack, your big brother here has really gone all in this time. If this salvage fails, the two of us brothers will truly have to jump into the sea and feed the fish!”
Old Owen’s rough fingers gripped the pawnshop contract tightly. His wrinkled face was full of anxiety and heartache.
Zack grinned and forcefully patted Old Owen’s shoulder. “Relax! I’ve told you eight hundred times—this time it’s guaranteed profit!”
To ensure safety at sea, Zack had bought the best equipment possible. In the end, even Old Owen had to put in extra money to gather a full set of rune diving gear and magical resistance reinforcement for the hull.
“But I still feel uneasy. I’ve got a bad feeling something will go wrong!”
Old Owen remained worried. “Especially with pirates running rampant lately. It’s said that even the Duke’s Mansion fleet responsible for suppression lost a ship, and the Silver Moon Chamber of Commerce basically only protects its own merchant vessels. We can only rely on ourselves!”
Zack glanced around, then pulled Old Owen into a secluded corner before quietly revealing part of the truth: “Half of the cargo we’re salvaging this time belongs to that mysterious ‘intelligence merchant’!”
“Wh—?” Old Owen was just about to shout when Zack clamped a hand over his mouth.