"Of course it's difficult. You need to be in the top ten to have all your tuition fees waived, and only the top twenty get half off. However, I must achieve the best results. If I come in the top three, there are substantial scholarship awards!" Winny clenched her fists firmly. "I will definitely get the highest marks! The tuition is so high."
Ruby's eyelashes trembled slightly. With over two hundred students in a year, getting into the top ten was indeed no small feat. But when she thought of the high tuition fees, she realized she could make an effort.
Hesperia offers seven courses: Alchemy, Magic Patterns, Magic Spells, Potions, Rune Studies, Swordsmanship, and Horsemanship, with one class per day. Ruby has already taken Potions and Magic Patterns once, which weren't too hard. And after witnessing the scientific nature of Magic Patterns, she had already mentally translated the names of each subject. Potions became Biology, Magic Patterns became Mathematics, Magic Spells seemed like a foreign language, while Alchemy was Chemistry. Rune Studies was ancient astronomy, thus belonging to Physics. As for the last two subjects, Swordsmanship was P.E., and Horsemanship was Driving; they just didn't issue driver's licenses at school.
Math, foreign language, science, and P.E. This school was clearly a STEM-oriented institution. Fortunately, she was a scientist in her previous life, and except for Swordsmanship and Horsemanship, she could easily score high in the other subjects. In that case, she needed to sell the wool essence weaving recipe as soon as possible. After selling it, she would first buy a good horse. Not only would it help her better conceal her identity, but it would also ensure she got a high grade in Horsemanship class.
"Winny, do you know which is the biggest wool weaver merchant in Hesperia?"
"...North of the church is the castle of the Lord of Hesperia, and west of the mountain is where the market is. You can't miss it. This street may not look like much, but every day merchants from all over come here to exchange goods. You name it, if you want it, you can find it here."
"That's our shop right there," Barclay Harris pointed to the two adjacent shops in front of them. "Although we're not the number one wool weaver merchant in Hesperia, we're not far behind. Our wool fabric prices are fair and honest!"
Barclay Harris, the son of a wealthy wool weaver merchant in Hesperia, was walking beside Ruby. He was a lively young man with symmetrical freckles and a wide smile that revealed his big front teeth. Although he was from a humble background, his family had been merchants for generations and was quite well-off. His attire was more refined than Ruby's. When Ruby asked Winny about the wool weaver merchants in Hesperia, Winny immediately thought of Barclay and introduced him to Ruby.
Ruby urgently needed money, so whether or not it was the biggest wool weaver merchant wasn't important to her. She directly told Barclay that she had a secret recipe for wool weaving and wanted to do business with him. She also mentioned that if he didn't want to do the deal, she would approach other merchants in the city.
Barclay panicked when he heard this. He was determined to develop his family business and become the number one wool weaver merchant in Hesperia. How could he let a potential business opportunity slip away? He quickly sent a message to his father, inviting Ruby and Winny to their shop to discuss the details. Such a significant matter couldn't be decided by him alone.
Bartholomew Harris had been waiting in the store and was eager to meet Ruby. Although he didn't think a noble lady would have any good recipes, since it was his son who invited her, he was very willing to meet her. Moreover, she was a noble lady! If Barclaw could gain her friendship or, even more boldly, her affection, their family could finally enter the upper echelons of society!
Bartholomew was so excited that he walked back and forth in the store. He had sent his son to Hesperia Magic Academy to make connections with nobility. After a whole year, his son had finally invited a noble lady to their home. Bartholomew was ecstatic.
"Father!" Outside came Barclay's happy voice.
Bartholomew hurried to the door to greet the noble lady's arrival. He saw his son leading the way in front, followed by two teenage girls. One girl stood out with her striking appearance: she had beautiful black hair and dark eyes, smooth white skin, a long neck supporting a beautiful head, and seemed like a noble swan! Her features were so delicate, her face so enchanting, her figure slender and upright, and even her walk had a unique rhythm. Bartholomew looked down at her feet and noticed that she gently lifted the golden-threaded hem of her dress, stepping delicately on the wet cobblestones. Yes, this must be the noble lady his son had mentioned! Only the female relatives of noble families would walk like this when going out.
"Welcome, welcome in!" Bartholomew greeted warmly, leading Ruby upstairs. He ordered the store clerk to light incense and serve fresh fruit. Ruby had covered her nose earlier, so he assumed she must have found the downstairs area smelly. They settled in the second-floor reception room and began friendly negotiations.
"Ruby, did you say you have a secret recipe for wool weaving?" Bartholomew inquired. Although the noble lady hadn't given her surname, he didn't dare call her by her name. Instead, he awkwardly referred to her as "Miss Ruby."
"Yes, it's our family's recipe. Normally, we wouldn't share it, but Hesperia's woolen fabric is so rough and prickly, it makes me uncomfortable." Ruby touched her neck as if complaining about being scratched by the collar of a woolen shirt, frowning.
"Indeed, our woolen fabric here is somewhat coarse." Bartholomew smiled apologetically, though he secretly thought Ruby might be looking for trouble. Who would wear woolen fabric next to their skin? Wasn't she deliberately causing trouble?
"So, I want to make a deal with you," Ruby continued after her complaint, entering the main topic. "You will use my recipe to weave woolen fabric that satisfies me, and make it into clothes. I will pay you a generous reward."
"This..." Bartholomew hesitated. "How much woolen fabric do you need?" If he set up a production line just for her, it wouldn't be cost-effective.
"If you make one woolen shirt a day, you'll need about fifty yards of fabric," Ruby replied.
"One yard is... Forty yards is... You need fifteen pounds of wool," Ruby raised her chin, "I can pay you a hundred gold coins as a deposit. For the woolen shirts, I will pay you ten silver coins each."
She had learned that currently, woolen shirts sold for around sixty copper coins apiece. Her offer was more than ten times higher. Bartholomew would surely be tempted.