Viktor calmly looked over the bill, then lightly placed it on the table.
"Liya, what are the sources of income for our territory?"
Hearing Viktor's question, Liya tilted her head, narrowed her eyes, and looked at him.
As if looking at an idiot, she let out a soft laugh, her tone carrying a hint of mockery.
"As a lord, you actually don't know the sources of income for your own land?"
Even though Viktor truly didn't know, that didn't stop Liya from mocking this so-called "lord in name only."
"Listen carefully. Our Clevenna territory mainly earns through the trade of food and ore!"
From Liya's explanation, Viktor roughly understood the situation.
Under the Clevenna family's name, there was a territory named after it, "Clevenna."
The land was fertile, surrounded by lush green forests.
The territory lay about a hundred kilometers from the capital, and even by carriage, it only took a day to reach.
Because of this, the empire's eighth most prosperous town was located there.
Clevenna possessed a rich mineral vein that, even at the current rate, could still be mined for more than fifty years.
Close to the capital, fertile soil, abundant harvests, and a family owning a mine, it would be hard for the Clevennas not to have money.
"But lately, the ore output has decreased a lot, and right now it's not the harvest season for grain either. The food we're selling now is all from last year's stored reserves."
Facing Viktor, Liya spoke angrily. "The food still has to supply our people's needs, we can't possibly sell it all! The territory's income is very low right now, and at a time like this, you still dare to spend money like that!"
Viktor nodded after hearing her, his face completely calm and expressionless.
"Do you not feel even a bit of remorse?"
Liya stared at Viktor in disbelief. She knew her brother was irresponsible, but surely he couldn't be this ignorant, could he?
Viktor thought for a moment, rubbing his chin before replying, "Go hire a few mages. Then, in the most prosperous district of the capital, purchase a storefront and open a magic-tool shop."
Liya exploded the moment she heard that. Her voice grew sharp and angry, "Viktor! Have you not listened to a single word of my advice!?"
"Do you think shops like that are rare in the capital!?"
"Even if you open one, so what!? Do you think your name alone can outshine every merchant!?"
"Viktor, do you even know how to do business!?"
The more she spoke, the more emotional she became.
Ever since their parents died, she had taken charge of managing the territory from a young age, maintaining it for over ten years. Even with Viktor's wasteful ways, she had never once complained.
But now, this man who knew absolutely nothing about business actually wanted to interfere in their family's trade.
What on earth was he thinking?
As she kept speaking, she began to feel even more wronged.
Seeing that words alone couldn't calm her, Viktor didn't want to argue any further. He simply waved his hand, dozens of bottles of blue magic potion appeared on the table before them.
Liya froze.
Looking at the potions, blue as the sea, the anger that had been boiling up inside her suddenly paused.
"What's this?" She blinked.
Up to this day, no one had ever seen such a magic potion.
There were items that could restore mana, but they all shared one thing in common, they were extremely rare and absurdly expensive.
And even then, the only potions ever seen publicly were those for healing wounds, which were vastly different from the Life Potion used by players.
One worked like slow medicinal healing after drinking it. The other restored health instantly.
That was the difference between real-world items and in-game items.
Simply put, placing game items in reality made them outright bugs.
Even a small instant-recovery mana potion could be considered a divine-grade artifact.
So Viktor didn't bother explaining, it would be too unbelievable coming from his mouth.
Seeing is believing.
Viktor said faintly, "Go find a few mages. Have them cast until they're completely exhausted, then give each one a bottle to drink. You'll know what to do after that."
Liya was full of doubt, but she still took all the potions.
"Oh right, do you have any helpers?"
Hearing that, Liya sneered, "Oh? Our great lord finally learned how to show concern for his subordinates?"
Viktor paid no mind to her sarcasm. Truth be told, the strained relationship between them was largely due to his own inaction.
So he simply repeated his question.
"Seriously, does your trade caravan ever hire guards or escorts?"
Liya snorted coldly.
"No. I don't trust outsiders."
Meaning, all the business of Clevenna was handled by Liya alone.
"You don't encounter danger on the road? The territory isn't far from the capital, but it's still a full day's journey."
Liya was surprised that her unreliable brother would show concern for once, though the feeling made her a bit uncomfortable.
Leaning against the table, she twirled a strand of hair around her finger and turned her face away awkwardly.
"Mm… not really. We have our own trade route. If we ever run into bandits, once they see our Clevenna family crest, they usually back off. Nothing serious ever happens."
"At least, it's always been safe so far."
After saying that, she didn't meet Viktor's eyes. Instead, she picked up one of the potions and studied it carefully.
Viktor nodded, then took off his right mage's glove.
"Liya, listen carefully. This trip to the capital isn't ordinary. Such valuable items will easily draw others' greed. Take this, it'll help you handle any unexpected situations."
Liya looked at the glove he handed her, setting down the potion, a little conflicted.
"Don't worry. It's just a mage's little gadget. It'll automatically adjust to your hand size."
What she minded wasn't that, though she didn't say it. She reached out and accepted the fingerless glove, still warm from Viktor's touch.
She brushed her fingers across the gems on it, and a wave of resentment welled up in her heart.
As a merchant, she knew exactly what those were.
Magic-conduction stones, gems capable of channeling spells. Each one worth a million…
And he had actually embedded six of them on a single glove.
She muttered complaints in her heart but, surprisingly, didn't lash out at Viktor this time.
Liya put the glove on, and just as Viktor said, it automatically fit to her hand.
"Now, open your palm and aim it at me. Then focus your thoughts on one of the gems, any one will do."
Following his instructions, she opened her palm toward Viktor.
Her eyes fell on a green gem in the center. 'This one looks pretty,' she thought.
'Is this really all I have to do?'
The moment that thought crossed her mind, the green gem began to glow faintly, and then...
BOOM!
Like rippling thunder, a magic circle instantly formed in her palm.
In just a few breaths, a violent gale filled the entire study, papers flying with sharp crackling sounds.
The whirlwind above the magic circle kept growing stronger.
Viktor tapped his finger lightly on the desk, a teleportation circle formed in midair.
When the gust swelled to a certain point, it was sucked into the circle.
Suddenly, the wind vanished.
A few seconds later, a deafening explosion echoed nearby.
Liya stood there frozen.
"Just now… that was…?"
"Second-tier spell, Raging Tempest. Strong enough to level a mountain."
"Don't look so shocked."
Seeing Liya stunned, Viktor tapped the table again, dispelling the lingering magic array in the air.
How could Liya not be shocked? She wasn't a mage, she'd only ever seen others cast magic.
But just now, that spell had come from her own hand.
Her mind was still spinning.
"So this… is what casting magic feels like…"
She stood there dumbly, even forgetting to lower her arm.
Viktor recharged the glove's mana and continued speaking to the dazed Liya, "Be careful. I had you cast it not just to learn the trick, but so you don't misfire. You saw its power for yourself."
"Use it sparingly. Each gem can only be used once."
"When they're all used up, come back to me and I'll refill them."
Liya understood just how valuable this gift was, priceless, really. She had never, in her whole life, seen an artifact that could let an ordinary person cast spells.
She almost blurted out that selling it would make a fortune, but remembering Viktor's serious tone, she stopped herself.
This thing could very well save her life.
After hesitating a bit, she awkwardly muttered a quiet "Thank you," then hurriedly left with the potions.
After the study door closed, the raven on Viktor's shoulder spoke up.
"You don't feel bad giving something like that away?"
"It's just a tool. I can make more anytime I want. Besides, I don't really need it."
The Mage's Hand didn't have much use for him right now, except in PvP battles. As a multi-instant-cast magic device, it could seize initiative or provide emergency defense.
It was basically an essential tool for mage players in duels.
He simply didn't need it at the moment.
Hearing Viktor's reply, Vega didn't say anything more, but began scheming to himself.
'Gotta find a way to trick him into making one for me…'
———
The next morning, Viktor finished breakfast and was about to leave for the academy. As he was adjusting his clothes, a servant entered.
"My lord, there's a lady outside who says she's your teaching assistant. She says she's here to deliver your notes and speech draft."
Viktor froze mid-motion.
'Henny?'
He didn't remember telling her to bring those to his house.
Still, he told the servant to let her in.
When he saw her, dark circles hung under her eyes, her face haggard.
"What's with that look? Didn't you sleep?"
Henny blinked, startled, and replied, "No, professor. I forgot to sleep last night and spent the whole night writing the draft."
Viktor was speechless at that reason.
"When Erica finished her notes, I remembered you said to send them here, so I brought the speech draft too."
Seeing the sleepy Henny, Viktor couldn't bring himself to scold her.
Should he say she was a bit foolish?
After a moment of silence, he asked, "Have you eaten breakfast?"
Henny shook her head. She'd rushed over early, without sleep or food.
Viktor gestured for the servant to take her to eat breakfast and then arrange a room for her to rest in.
Startled, Henny made a flustered "Eh?" sound, about to refuse, but Viktor's firm tone left no room for argument.
"Fill your stomach. Then rest."
Henny immediately wilted. She didn't dare resist him, hung her head like a scolded cat, and followed the servant away.
As for Viktor, he had originally planned to go to the academy that morning, but seeing Henny arrive changed his mind.
His class was in the afternoon anyway, so he decided to spend the morning in his study, reviewing Erica's homework and his own speech draft.
While correcting Erica's papers, without looking up, Viktor asked Vega, "What do you think of that girl?"
Vega paused for a moment, realizing Viktor meant Henny.
"What do you mean?"
"You told me to start recruiting believers, didn't you?" Viktor stretched lazily, tapping his fingers on the speech draft. Turning his sharp, half-lidded eyes toward Vega, his expression carried both cunning and danger.
"This kind of simple, sweet fool, she's perfect to fool."
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