"Headmaster."
"Your Highness Ron."
Vosbites rose from his chair and gestured for Ron to sit on the nearby sofa.
"What did you want to see me about today, Headmaster?" Ron got straight to the point.
Vosbites wasn't one for beating around the bush either. He said directly, "Your Highness Ron, yesterday you mentioned that your flower shop could provide that special Nether Orchid each month. If possible, I'd like to arrange a long-term purchase."
Ron nodded knowingly.
He had already seen yesterday that Vosbites had a strong interest in the Nether Orchid imbued with divinity.
It was just that Commander Webster had barged in unexpectedly, interrupting their negotiation before it could go further.
Now that Ron had returned to the Magic Academy, Vosbites immediately sent someone to bring him over—clearly intending to resume the discussion.
The two of them talked for just a few minutes and quickly reached a deal that satisfied both parties.
Vosbites had originally assumed that for such a rare and divine plant, Ron would ask for something equally valuable in return—
—like the Starweave Robe produced by the Dwarven race,
—or resin from the Tree of Life in the Elven Kingdom,
—or even a rare, Legendary-rank Spell Scroll, with an extremely low success rate.
But Ron didn't ask for any of those.
He simply set the price at 2,000 gold per flower, one hundred times the normal price of a regular Nether Orchid.
To Ron, these divine orchids were nothing special—just something he could grow using the Title Badge, along with the Seed Acceleration Spell and Plant Manipulation Spell. Easy.
So charging 2,000 gold each was already quite ruthless in his eyes.
But to Vosbites, this was practically a charitable price!
Compared to the rare items he had expected to give up, paying 2,000 gold coins per flower felt like a bargain.
Right then and there, Vosbites signed a contract with Ron and even handed over a Gold Reserve Bank note for 10,000 gold as an upfront payment.
The terms were simple:
Five divine Nether Orchids per month.
Ron happily accepted the note and chatted a bit longer with the Headmaster before taking his leave.
After leaving the Magic Academy, Ron picked up some ingredients on his way, but didn't head straight back to the shop.
Instead, he made his way down Aikley Street, turning toward the Jade District, and entered the local Gold Reserve Bank branch.
As soon as he stepped into the lobby, Guy, the goblin manager, who had already been alerted by the guards, hurried over to greet him with a respectful smile.
"Your Highness Ron, what can I do for you today?"
Ron pulled out the 10,000-gold bank note along with his Black Gold Card, handing them over with a smile. "The usual."
Guy had clearly grown used to handling Ron's high-value transactions. Though he still raised his eyebrows at the amount, his expression quickly returned to normal.
"Please have a seat, Your Highness." He waved to a receptionist elf and instructed her to process the transfer.
As the elf hurried to the back office, Guy was about to launch into his usual investment pitch, but this time, Ron beat him to the punch:
"Manager Guy, you've been working at the Gold Reserve for a long time, haven't you?"
"Hm?" Guy was surprised at the sudden interest in his work history, but quickly responded, "Ah… yes, quite a while—over ten years, I'd say."
"You've worked your way up to manager. I imagine the pay's not bad?"
"Being a manager does come with perks—ten gold coins base salary per month, plus performance bonuses," Guy said with a smile. "But I only got promoted in the last couple of years. Before that, my income just about covered settling down here in the City of Chaos, and the workload was much heavier."
Guy wouldn't normally speak so candidly with regular clients, no matter how friendly.
But this was His Highness Ron, one of his most important clients. Naturally, he answered everything truthfully.
"I've noticed how you often recommend investment opportunities to me. You seem to know a lot about the business world?" Ron asked.
"Of course," Guy replied earnestly. "All the projects I present to you are ones I've personally vetted. Absolutely reliable. If I had the money, I'd invest in them myself!"
"..." Ron was speechless.
Even now, you're still trying to pitch me something? That's dedication…
But Ron hadn't come today to invest in Gold Reserve-backed projects—he had another goal entirely:
Poaching talent.
"Have you ever considered switching to a higher-paying job?" Ron asked casually. "To be honest, I need a trustworthy manager—someone who can oversee my funds and help me handle various matters."
"That's actually the main reason I've never invested in the Gold Reserve projects."
"I've been lacking a trusted 'insider.'"
He emphasized the word "insider", his tone slow and deliberate.
Guy wasn't stupid—he instantly caught the deeper meaning behind Ron's words.
And he was stunned.
Wait a second… isn't this supposed to be the part where I try to convince you to invest?
Why does it feel like you are the one trying to poach me instead?!
And seriously, Your Highness, you're just casually poaching someone in the lobby of the Gold Reserve Bank? Bold much?
"I've always pictured the ideal manager as someone like you, Guy—plenty of experience, capable of handling complex tasks," Ron continued.
"Base salary: 20 gold coins a month, plus performance bonuses—just like now."
"I don't suppose you know anyone qualified for a job like that?"
"If so, I'd love for you to make an introduction."
Ron hadn't come out and directly said, "I want to hire you," but his intent was crystal clear.
And his offer—double the base salary plus bonuses—showed real sincerity.
It was clearly a better deal than Guy's current post.
Guy was visibly tempted.
Still, he'd been working in the Gold Reserve for over a decade—he wasn't about to just leap at the first offer. He was too experienced for that.
"Your Highness Ron, that's an incredibly generous offer," Guy replied with a polished smile. "I'll ask around among my friends in the field over the next few days. I'm sure someone will be interested, and I'll be sure to send them your way."
In other words:
Great offer. I need time to think. I'll get back to you soon.
Guy remained professional. As a bank manager, and during work hours, he couldn't say too much.
But Ron easily understood the message between the lines. He smiled and nodded. "Then I'll be waiting for good news."
Guy smiled and stood respectfully to the side—but this time, he didn't try to push any investments.
His mind was still spinning from the earlier conversation.
That 20-gold monthly salary echoed in his thoughts.
At the same time, he recalled the steady stream of high-value deposits Ron had made over the past month.
Over 40,000 gold…
Maybe it's worth considering?
Guy silently contemplated the possibilities.
Before long, the elven receptionist returned and handed Ron his updated Black Gold Card.
Ron took it, exchanged a few final pleasantries, then left the bank.
Leaving behind Guy, who stood at the door of the Gold Reserve, watching the young noble fade into the distance—eyes a little dazed, mind racing.