At the server's insistence, Charlie finally agreed to meet the boss. He ascended a floor and entered a reception room by the window.
As soon as Charlie stepped in, a middle-aged man began clapping and praised, "Mr. Charlie, you truly have an exceptional demeanor!" It seemed he had witnessed the scene downstairs.
Charlie understood the implication behind his words, "While time is of the essence, we must still use our brains a little. Everyone is busy, so it's best to consider problems from others' perspectives to get things done!"
Caught off guard by Charlie's direct words, the middle-aged man's expression soured. He turned to the server and said, "You can leave."
Once the server closed the door, the middle-aged man, with an air of arrogance, introduced himself, "I'm Pisk, Fili's uncle, and this restaurant is essentially mine."
Pisk felt a growing unease as he did not sense any emotional response from Charlie, making him even more displeased.
"The recipe for the medicinal cuisine is good; I'm interested in acquiring it. Charlie, name your price!"
Charlie smiled, "I've never expressed any intention of selling the recipe! Is this your idea, or is it Fili's?"
Pisk rubbed his temples. Despite the brief exchange, he already sensed that Charlie was not like an ordinary student; he was somewhat difficult to deal with. "Fili is unaware of this; it's my personal thought. I've never believed that there's nothing in this world that can't be sold. If there is, it just means the price isn't high enough!"
As he spoke, he gestured around, "Look at this restaurant; it has been in the Arcane Circle for over twenty years. Twenty years ago, this was still a garden, and the academy hadn't opened the trade district to external shops. We were among the first to set up here, and the cost at that time was not small. We managed to take down this tough nut.
Charlie, I sincerely want to purchase this recipe. You don't need to waste time in the kitchen every day; as a mage, your priority should be your training. I'm sure your mentor wouldn't want to see you neglecting your studies."
As expected of a businessman, Pisk was adept at reading others and quickly grasped Charlie's mindset.
"Mr. Pisk, you really are quite wealthy! If that's the case, let me calculate this for you," Charlie smiled and articulated his thoughts, "You see, the profit from selling the recipe to Leon and Fili's group would basically be 200 points per person, and that's just the cost of the recipe, not including the raw materials.
As you've seen, once this kind of recipe is released, almost every warrior will find a way to experience it at least once; after all, there's the 'cliff diminishing effect' at play here—no one can afford to miss any opportunity to strengthen themselves.
The Warrior Academy has over 100 students, and I'm not thinking about the next few generations. If Mr. Pisk sincerely wants it, I'll sell it for 20,000 points."
Clang!
Pisk's coffee cup crashed onto the table with a loud noise. He almost burst out cursing, thinking, how dare he ask for such an outrageous price! 20,000 points wasn't the same as 20,000 gold coins; it was equivalent to 100 million gold coins! Was this guy out of his mind?
"Mr. Charlie, are you joking with me? How can you calculate it this way?! Demand changes with the market! Sometimes, it's not just about what you want to eat; you may not be able to get it.
You might not have noticed, but the price of the Angoro Magic Rhino has already risen by 50% in the points market these past few days. If we continue to acquire this type of magical beast, it could cause its price to soar again. The supply and demand will directly reflect in the market.
This way, its cost will exceed 200 points. Once we raise the price, its sales will undoubtedly be limited, with the most obvious consequence being that some poorer students will abandon this enhancement plan since they can't afford it!"
Charlie shrugged and replied, "Then so be it; I never intended to sell the recipe anyway. Over the next three years, I can sell it slowly. Who knows, I might still sell it at this price—think long-term!"
Pisk was furious! This young man was so astute despite his youth. Even though he had countless negotiation skills, he felt unable to exert them on Charlie.
It was truly a headache! The most difficult customers to deal with were those who seemed uninterested in anything!
"Charlie, this price is simply outrageous! It's not something an apprentice could propose. Many students studying at the Arcane Circle for three years don't earn that many points! You think you can sell a recipe for such a high price?"
"Maybe I'm just a special case!" Charlie chuckled, preparing to stand up and leave. "Didn't Mr. Pisk notice that I'm the top scorer in this generation? My ability to earn points is quite decent!"
Pisk helplessly replied, "Charlie, for Fili's sake, give a reasonable offer! Don't be too greedy; it's better for us to be friends in the future."
Charlie tapped the table and said, "First, I'm not familiar with Fili; I've only met him once. Second, this isn't about being greedy or not; I have no intention of selling the recipe. You're the one making a purchase request and must be prepared to pay the price.
I can make some concessions on this price, but don't expect too much. I think you should consider how much you can offer and then come back to tell me. After that, I'll consider it."
After saying this, Charlie stood up to leave, and Pisk couldn't keep him from going. Of course, Charlie didn't expect any response from him either.
After Charlie left, Fili came out from a side room.
"I told you! Uncle, it's unwise to covet the recipe; don't think about it—we don't need those points."
Pisk shook his head, "That kid is too greedy! He isn't someone worth trusting!"
Fili smiled, "Maybe he just doesn't want to sell it!"
"Fili, what if I used some technical means to pry into his recipe?"
Fili immediately shook his head and warned, "Uncle! You'd better abandon this idea, or it might affect my relationship with Leon and Qianjue."
Pisk furrowed his brows, "Is it that serious?"
Fili spoke sternly, "Absolutely. Leon once told me that his biggest regret was not bringing Charlie into his team! If he had, he would have been confident about achieving the academy's highest honor, 'Legendary Squad'."
"Is he really that impressive?"
"I don't know; I'm questioning that too. And he's just a first-year student, yet he gets such high praise from Leon!"
For a moment, the room fell silent.
Having an inexplicable business discussion with a businessman that was destined to go nowhere left Charlie feeling somewhat disheartened.
Thinking of Qianjue and Leon, Charlie felt it was time to put some of his ideas into practice.
Charlie logged into the points system platform, spent 2 points, and sent two messages to arrange a meeting with Qingtong and the Gosta brothers at a café in the trading district.
Moments later, Qingtong arrived gracefully.
She was dressed in a grey robe with no embellishments, yet she exuded a natural and refreshing beauty. Her long black hair framed her slender, fair neck, and her full bust made anyone's heart race.
Charlie couldn't help but notice that she seemed to intentionally avoid him. But if she was avoiding him, why come to meet? It was truly contradictory!
The atmosphere in the room felt slightly awkward.
Qingtong glanced to the side and gently asked, "You… invited anyone else?"
"Besides you, there are the Gosta brothers," Charlie quickly responded, and he sensed Qingtong visibly relaxed.
Next, Colin arrived just in time.
Seeing the empty private room, the three of them exchanged glances.
Colin curiously asked, "Charlie, did you only invite us?"
Charlie added, "Also your brother. In the Arcane Circle, you're the only friends I trust, so of course, I only invited you."
Qingtong smiled slightly, "What about Qianxue? Aren't you worried she might be upset?"
"She ate the medicinal dish I made and is still sleeping. You should try it too; it's good for enhancing physique."
Colin questioned, "Why does a mage need such a high physique? High mental power is enough!"
Charlie, being a good friend, would not hide his experiences.
Charlie pondered, "Colin, your understanding of mages might be flawed. A truly combat-capable mage not only needs to know some spells but also requires a strong physique, keen perception, and incredible computing ability. They need to judge what kind of magic to use in what situations on the battlefield, remain unaffected by their environment, and be able to effectively cast spells even when targeted. They must have enough physical strength to endure a tough battle.
This is my understanding of a battle mage. If someone just stands there reciting spells, I'm sorry to say that's a court mage—not suitable for the battlefield and has little combat power."
Colin hesitated, "But why do we need to go to battle? Even if we do, shouldn't there be a large number of knights to protect you? I believe a powerful mage only needs to master high-level magic with great destructive capability. Isn't that why magic masters are sought after by various factions? Isn't it because of their extraordinary destructive capabilities?"
Colin was another apprentice trapped in traditional thinking, and Charlie found it difficult to change his perspective unless he experienced it firsthand.
Charlie sighed and said, "I just want to tell you how to maximize a mage's abilities. As for whether we will encounter war in the future, I can't make any judgments."
Qingtong interjected, "Charlie is right; my teacher has also placed such requirements on me."
No matter what effect this conversation would have, Charlie felt he had fulfilled his duty as a friend.
"By the way, why didn't David come today?" Thinking of the purpose of today's meeting, Charlie asked.
"My brother? The secret crush prince of Hainei has finally taken off his hat and made the first step in his life—he's pursuing a girl!"
"Oh? That's quite rare!" Charlie said with interest, "Your family is quite open-minded; don't they restrict your romantic relationships?"
"Our family is quite humble; what's there to fuss about?" Colin paused and then laughed, "It is indeed quite unusual. My brother has had several crushes over the years, but he never dared to take action. This time, he finally made a move!"
Qingtong couldn't help but say, "He must be feeling especially excited!"
"What kind of girl is she?"
"She's a girl from a common background, in her first year, from Twilight City. I've seen her once; she really is quite lovely and adorable." Colin sighed and continued, "My brother has become somewhat infatuated; he writes her love poems every day, sings to her, and has even started learning sketching, saying he wants to draw her at her most beautiful."