Having unexpectedly obtained fire medicine, what could it possibly do in this world?
Create guns and cannons? Lead a revolution, propelling this age of cold weapons into the era of firearms with a single stroke?
What a joke!
Duwei was certainly not foolish enough to believe that mastering fire medicine could lead to the creation of modern firearms. First, why would he even want weapons? Was he planning a coup or waging war? Duwei had no interest in such matters. Second, was it truly that simple to create firearms? Forget guns—after the invention of gunpowder in ancient China, it took centuries before it was used for anything beyond fireworks.
Would firearms be so easily made? Whether a gun or a cannon, Duwei could not even craft a simple gun barrel, let alone a full weapon.
Moreover, this was a world of magic! Even if you had guns and cannons, they might not be as effective as magic.
Consider the simplest of low-level mages: someone who could cast basic wind-based flight magic and throw a fireball spell…
Such a mage could soar through the skies, hurling fireballs down upon their enemies, effectively becoming a human Apache attack helicopter!
In such a world, would fire medicine, crudely used to craft rudimentary cannons, offer any real advantage?
What could be done with fire medicine?
Duwei's thinking was simple: make money!
Having adapted more and more to this world, Duwei had slowly begun to take a genuine interest beyond magic. After his somewhat mischievous creation of the McDonald's Fleet and the Black Pearl, led by the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow, he had begun to entertain ideas outside the arcane.
Since returning home was no longer an option, why not indulge in some creative mischief?
Unable to return, Duwei had essentially given up on the idea. Now, with a heart unburdened, his mischievous instincts began to stir, and it was impossible to predict what sort of chaos he might unleash.
For now, however, his mind was teeming with "ideas" so outrageous they could probably give the poor old steward a nervous breakdown.
Back at the castle, Duwei summoned his most trusted servant, Mad, who was responsible for managing Duwei's personal treasure trove. When Duwei had been unceremoniously kicked out of the capital, the Countess had secretly given him a thousand gold coins, which Mad was holding onto.
"How much do we have left?" Duwei asked succinctly.
Mad quickly responded, "Eight hundred and ninety-two gold coins." After a brief pause, the loyal servant added, "Because of the costs for the small building you had constructed and the purchases we've made, we've already spent several months' worth of pocket money in advance. Starting this month, though, your allowance has been suspended, so we've had to make up the difference ourselves."
Mad's tone carried a hint of frustration, mostly aimed at the old steward, Hill. It seemed that the former coachman was feeling the pressure from the steward's demands.
"And we can't expect a single copper coin from Hill for the next year," Duwei sighed.
"Indeed!" Mad muttered, somewhat discontent. "Master, I believe you should find a way out of this situation. The Count is being too harsh on you. You're still a child, and you're not to blame for what happened. Would you have willingly been kidnapped? I do have an idea…"
"What's that?"
Mad's eyes flickered as he lowered his voice. "In two months, it'll be the Countess's birthday. If you send her a gift and write a letter, pleading with her on your behalf, perhaps she could intercede with the Count and lift your restrictions earlier."
Duwei nodded thoughtfully. "Good idea, dear Mad. It's a brilliant suggestion. Even if we don't plead for mercy, I should still mark my mother's birthday… But what can I buy with just over eight hundred gold coins?"
Mad fell silent. This was well beyond the former coachman's ability to comprehend.
Duwei, however, did not intend to push the matter further. He patted Mad on the shoulder. "Alright, I have my own ideas, but thank you for the suggestion. Now, I need you to do something for me."
Duwei quickly handed Mad a list.
"Buy everything on this list for me… and also, I've written down the names of the artisans I need."
Mad took the list and scanned it briefly. After a moment, his eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Master… if we buy all these things and hire all these craftsmen… we won't have much left in our pockets…"
Mad's statement was already quite conservative—what he meant to say was, "We'll probably be left with not a single copper coin!"
Duwei smiled confidently. "Mad, do as I say. Trust me, we'll be very wealthy in the future, extremely wealthy! It's just that… I have a large sum of money tied up elsewhere, and I can't access it for another two months. Since my mother's birthday falls within that time, I need to come up with something. Now, go on!"
What to do? If only Duwei could wait three months, the McDonald's Fleet's pirate scheme would be completed, and he would have a large influx of gold.
But right now, he had no liquid cash!
As for the secret chamber beneath the study… Duwei had already visited it the previous night.
Can you guess what's inside?
It wasn't gold, nor was it jewels… but rather, items that made Duwei dizzy just looking at them! There was no doubt that these objects were incredibly valuable. However, selling them immediately would be difficult.
For instance, a set of samurai armor crafted from over three hundred high-quality gems, sewn together with gold thread! It had no practical combat value, but as a piece of art, it was worth a fortune!
Such an item would likely never sell in the small towns on the Rolyn Plains—only large cities like Walker's Port or the capital could have buyers for it.
Of course, if Duwei really needed money, he could always dismantle the armor and sell a few gemstones. But doing so would destroy a priceless work of art, and Duwei would never make such a foolish sacrifice.
Another example was a ceremonial crown sculpted from a single flawless piece of natural amethyst! Four hundred years ago, during the Empire's golden age, the emperor had gathered the finest artisans to craft it, inlaid with twenty-nine high-grade magical gemstones, and adorned with thorny silver flowers and a large diamond at the center.
Duwei wasn't unfamiliar with this crown—it had appeared in a book he'd once read.
Legend had it that this priceless crown had been a gift from the emperor to the newly-appointed pope of the Church of Light when he was crowned.
But tragically, during the northern wars, when the Rolyn family rose to prominence, the crown was mysteriously lost! The Church of Light regarded the loss as one of its greatest humiliations. The pope's coronation crown had vanished, and for hundreds of years, every pope since had vowed to recover it.
Would Duwei dare to sell such an item for money?
He feared that if he did, the knightly order of the Church would be knocking on his door the very next day!
There were a total of nineteen such invaluable but unsellable treasures in the secret chamber. Each one, worth a fortune, yet all of them, like hot potatoes, could not be sold.
In fact, when Duwei first saw these treasures the night before, his mind wandered. What kind of woman was the former Semel, who had left such a collection?
Where had she obtained these items?
But when he asked the replica of Semel who stood by, she knew nothing about them. Her memories didn't contain any information on these treasures.
Thus, although Duwei now possessed nineteen priceless treasures, he still found himself struggling for cash.
It wasn't that he lacked wealth—it was that he was short on ready cash for emergencies.
After a little reflection, Duwei decided to hand over the remaining eight hundred gold coins to Mad for purchasing the items.
For the next three months, Duwei, the eldest son of the Rolyn family, would have not a single copper coin to his name.
And with the upcoming magical experiments, the alchemical potions, and the constant need to procure ingredients, Duwei would need to find a way to raise one or two thousand gold coins urgently.
Throughout lunch, Duwei pondered various ways to earn money. The meal was quite excellent—tender pieces of seared foie gras, golden-brown baked bread, and a fragrant bowl of seafood soup. Clearly, despite imposing house arrest and an economic blockade, the old steward had not skimped on Duwei's meals. He still ensured that Duwei's favorite delicacies, such as foie gras and seafood, were provided.
After lunch, Duwei sipped a bit of tea. This world lacked coffee, but instead, it had tea—though the tea-drinking customs were quite different from those of Duwei's former world. The nobility liked to add a bit of honey or gum to their tea, and some more eccentric individuals even added mustard or other unusual ingredients.
Of course, the tea here was far stronger in flavor than the one Duwei had known.
After finishing a cup of honeyed red tea, Duwei looked up and saw the old steward, Hill, hastening toward him.
Hill was now thoroughly disgruntled with his young master. He had destroyed a priceless painting that had been in the family for two hundred years! Good heavens! Did Duwei not understand that the painting was a portrait of the Rolyn family's ancestors? Did he not realize its historical significance?He actually burned it!
Hill, the old steward entrusted with the duty of safeguarding the Rolyn family's ancestral estate, was deeply displeased with the young master's reckless and wasteful behavior. He had already prepared himself to make a scathing note about this incident in his letter to the capital.
"Master, may I inquire if you have any further instructions?" The steward's tone remained respectful, though his words were laced with a certain chill.
"Let me guess," Duwei began, "as long as I stay within the castle and occupy myself with other matters, it's perfectly fine, isn't it?"
"...Indeed," the steward replied, though a sense of unease stirred within him. What was this young master plotting now?
"Excellent," Duwei continued. "I require a maid skilled in sewing. And also… bring my horse to the front gate."