Chapter 27: Aftermath

Several days later, at the Governor’s Office of the Lons Administrative District, Governor Earl Jerry Sloan was carefully reading a document. Although he wore reading glasses, Earl Jerry Sloan was actually only one hundred and sixty years old. On the Amelia Continent, where the average life expectancy was three hundred years, he was still in the prime of his life.

The officials of the Lons Administrative District all knew that this Earl was a power ful figure even in the royal court. It was said that His Majesty Jerry Sloan III was considering promoting him to a Marquis. If the Council of Noble Elders agreed, the Earl would face a new peak in his career.

His brows were tightly furrowed, appearing as if the Earl was not satisfied with the document in his hand. Just then, there was a knock at the door. Earl Jerry Sloan glanced toward it and said casually, “Come in.”

The door opened, and Earl Jerry Sloan’s secretary, Viscount Mendy Rudolf, walked in. He reported respectfully, “Earl, we just received news that the new Moonlight Battle Aura talent in Hall City chose his own Director to be his sponsor.” As he spoke, he handed over a document.

Hearing Mendy Rudolf’s words, Earl Jerry Sloan blinked in surprise and said, “You mean that new Moonlight Battle Aura talent gave up many generous offers and chose his own Director as his sponsor?”

Mendy Rudolf nodded slightly and said calmly, “Yes, Governor. According to the information we have, this Isaiah Thomas is an orphan. His sponsor, Luo Pei, became the Director of Talim Village a year ago. He is a level three Swordsman. Since taking office, he has taken great care of Isaiah Thomas and treated him like family. Additionally, Luo Pei’s son, Luo Yan, was also recently found to have magic talent.”

Having narrated the information he possessed very calmly, Viscount Mendy Rudolf well understood the boundary a secretary should maintain—to only state the facts without adding personal commentary.

Tossing the document aside, Earl Jerry Sloan held his glasses with one hand and picked up the document delivered by Mendy Rudolf with the other. He scanned it carefully, a thoughtful light appearing in his eyes.

After a moment, a smile appeared at the corner of the Earl’s mouth: “On one side, he would rather refuse shocking wealth that was within reach, and on the other, he repays it with complete sincerity…”

Nodding slightly, Earl Jerry Sloan said nothing more, but Mendy Rudolf noticed that a faint smile remained on the Earl’s lips.

…This meant the Earl seemed to be in a good mood?

…

Around the same time, sitting in his office, Viscount Kalon Adafil, the Chief of Security of the Lons Administrative District, looked at a piece of intelligence with a strange expression. He remained silent for a long while.

“The Li Clan offered five thousand Gold Plang per year plus a large estate of about fourteen hundred and eighty acres in the Philly Mountains? The Brown Clan offered eight thousand Gold Plang per year plus a medium-sized trading firm in a prosperous area of the Imperial Capital? The Hays Chamber of Commerce offered fifteen thousand Gold Plang per year… Have these guys gone mad?” At this point, Viscount Kalon Adafil laughed: “However… haha, it is fine. Since no one succeeded in recruiting him, I didn’t expect that little fellow to have such a personality. Truly interesting.”

As he spoke, he tossed the intelligence onto the table. It seemed that Viscount Kalon Adafil was not angry about Isaiah Thomas’s refusal and simply let the matter go.

He was just a potential talent; regardless, the Viscount had enough magnanimity for that.

…Anyway, he didn’t join any other faction!

…

However, not everyone possessed the same magnanimity as Viscount Kalon Adafil. At roughly the same time, Domannon Alezer, the President of the Hays Chamber of Commerce in Hall City, was flying into a rage.

“What? Failed again? What was the reason this time!!”

“What? He chose his own Director as a sponsor? Which family is that Director from? Did he offer better conditions than us?”

“What? Just a poor boy? Damn it!! A poor boy can outdo us! How are you doing your jobs!!”

With every question Domannon Alezer asked, the anger on his face grew thicker. By the time he found out that Luo Pei was just a “broke man” and the conditions offered were almost empty promises, he exploded. He threw the document directly into the face of the subordinate standing before him!!

“Idiots! You idiots! How do you do your jobs!!” Domannon Alezer was absolutely furious, waving his hands and roaring, spittle flying onto the subordinate’s face: “The first time, you said the rival faction was too strong, and I accepted it; the time before that, you said we were one step too late, and I accepted that too; the time before that, you said you lacked experience, and I still accepted it… Damn it, what is your reason this time? You couldn’t even handle a country bumpkin! Are you all eating feces? What kind of efficiency is this!! Why is it so hard for our Chamber of Commerce to recruit a few experts!!”

Seeing that his boss was truly enraged, a man dressed as a scholar nearby became nervous. His eyes darted around and he thought of a plan. He immediately leaned in and whispered to Domannon Alezer, “President, I have an idea. Since this Isaiah Thomas is so ungrateful, why don’t we…”

At this point, a sinister smile appeared on the scholar’s face. But before he could finish, Domannon Alezer interrupted him with a harsh slap across the face: “Idiot, did you let your education go to waste? How someone chooses is their freedom. If we attacked him because of this and it got out, the Hays Chamber of Commerce would immediately become an enemy of the continent for breaking the rules. What are you fantasizing about!”

The scholar was left dazed by the slap and fell heavily to the ground. Domannon Alezer didn’t even look at him and turned away in a huff with his hands behind his back.

This did not mean Domannon Alezer was very generous. It was just that the Hays Chamber of Commerce was now quite famous across the continent, and there was truly no need to bicker with a country youth over such a small matter. If Isaiah Thomas ever fell into the hands of the Hays Chamber of Commerce in the future, Domannon Alezer wouldn’t mind teaching him a lesson, but there was no need to take the initiative to act now.

…Domannon Alezer knew very well that hidden rules were still rules. Once there were rules, one had to play by them. The end for those who broke the rules was usually very miserable.

…

In Doriel City of the Lons Administrative District…

In Sedan Province…

In Flax City…

And even in Saia City, the Imperial Capital of the Davoma Empire…

More and more people had heard about the new Moonlight Battle Aura talent, Isaiah Thomas, and his “poor” sponsor. However, most people just treated it as a story and laughed it off.

Yet, even when the wind passes without a trace, there are always falling leaves. In an ever-growing circle, Luo Pei always stirred a few small, weak ripples…