Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 362 Celebrating Success
Every word in those words echoed in her mind like the resounding tones of a great bell, leaving her completely numb.

The booklet, which she had just held in her hands as if it were a precious treasure, was now being thrown back by the little girl with all her might. It was as if the thin booklet was as hot as a branding iron and as stinging as a snake or scorpion.

Zhang Yuan, who had expected this to happen, was not surprised at all. He casually grabbed the manual, put it away, and walked towards the door.

The scene was a little awkward, with the bewildered little girl, the Bryce couple looking troubled and helpless, and a group of onlookers who looked like geese with their necks stretched out.

But none of this mattered to the mage who had strolled to the exit of the hall. Seemingly having left everything behind, he paused at the threshold and stepped away.

Dreams are nothing but daydreams if you don't have the determination to work hard or even sacrifice for them. My achievements today are all due to my own hard work.

Fortunately, it was an innocent little girl who came to us. If it had been someone with perseverance and a stubborn temper, she would have inevitably become the villain and wouldn't have been able to put on such a pretentious act like a famous teacher from Haidian District.

Edmont was quite dutiful, escorting Zhang Yuan to the academy gate with his two henchmen. He didn't pry into what had just happened, and Zhang Yuan didn't bring it up either. After a few pleasantries, they prepared to leave.

"Wait a moment, Sir Edmund, there is something I would like you to witness."

Zhang Yuan called out to the jazz who was about to leave.

"Witness? Is it for the sake of your companions? It's my honor."

Having some knowledge of the matter, Edmont roughly understood the other party's intentions and readily accepted.

Zhang Yuan simply nodded slightly in thanks, but Bard beside him couldn't hide the joy on his face.

"Boss, everyone's waiting over there!"

As they were speaking, they saw the Canaan team members coming over, all of them looking like they had been waiting for them for ages.

"You're so impatient." The mage chuckled and turned to look at Edmont:
"This is my first time doing this, please excuse my poor performance."

The latter didn't take it seriously at all, and instead said earnestly:

"Countless mercenaries and adventurers of humble origins wander and live a life of dancing with danger and death, hoping for nothing more than a decent and comfortable later life. Even so, few achieve it, and most become obscure obituaries or simply numbers."

"It is their good fortune, and something to rejoice in, to be able to follow a leader like you and escape their bleak future, and even reach a level that was previously unattainable."

Wow, a master of rhetoric is a master of rhetoric indeed. After such a round of flattery, not only did Mr. Zhang himself feel comfortable, but his teammates who gathered around also frequently cast grateful glances at him while being delighted.

Fortunately, he went all the way and played the straight man to the end, and Edmont then dropped a bombshell.

"Lucky lads, there are six knighthoods up for grabs right in front of you. Nancy's title was given by the Mandaen family, and your captain gave up his request for a viscount title in exchange for two additional opportunities for investiture."

These words carry much more weight: sacrificing one's own chance to advance in rank for the sake of a subordinate's promotion is not something that can be dismissed with a casual "oh."

“Elder, no, sir, why bother? If you were promoted to the rank of viscount, not only would your honor be even greater, but you would also have access to more titles and honors.”

Lawrence stepped forward and asked.

"Alright, I'll be more comfortable with how you address me as before. As for the title..." Zhang Yuan frowned, then chuckled.

"Wu Dong also had his own concerns. In their view, promoting someone to viscount right away was a bit too much, so I simply didn't bother arguing about these pointless things and asked for two extra spots."

“This is no trivial matter. Different ranks of nobility have different levels of influence in the council of nobles, and it also affects certain other interests and the division of power.”

Edmont, who was standing nearby, offered a few words of explanation, but when he noticed that the other person was listening politely and smiling without saying a word, he said no more.

“Sir Edmond, I have no reason to doubt your statement; it’s just that different positions inevitably lead to vastly different perspectives.”

The mage, who was inviting the other party to sit down and also had his teammates sit down, slowly began to speak:
“I have no intention of joining the power games of the Neverwinter High. For me, truth and rights are only within the range of magic.”

Even someone as eloquent as Edmont was stunned into silence by these words, and it took him a while to compose himself and force a smile:

"Your Excellency the Mage is truly courageous, but establishing a territory is not something that can be accomplished overnight, especially that mess in the northwest of High Cliff. Farming, roads, population, and trade—each of these requires a massive investment of resources."

"Even if the academy's resources are sufficient to support the rise of a territory, I think,"

The jazz paused:
"Your Excellency Chanem, I doubt the Academy would agree to use such vast resources to develop a secular territory."

Now it was Mr. Zhang who remained silent, as Edmund's words had hit the nail on the head regarding his current predicament.

There were titles and ranks conferred, official hats were even assigned, but this still couldn't change the fact that all of this was just empty talk on paper.

The reference picture is drawn, and the pancake chef has been invited, but without flour, oil, or scallions, even a skilled cook can't make a meal without ingredients.

He had considered taking out loans for development, and after seeking help from his teachers and the college, the result was not much different from what they had expected: research projects, fine! But investing in land development, no way!

Feeling the time was right, Edmund decided to strike while the iron was hot and said:
"Unless one can be free from desires and wants, who can escape the snares of this world? Since allies are needed anyway, why not befriend the strongest and most reliable one?"

This couldn't be clearer, and the one of the Nine Guards of Neverwinter made no attempt to hide it, looking directly at the mage with sincere and fervent eyes.

Zhang Yuan seemed somewhat tempted, falling into deep thought without uttering a word.

Edmont's words were not without reason, and could even be considered the truth. Lord Nash's reputation was not something that could be fabricated or faked, but rather something that had been accumulated and witnessed day after day over the decades.

Although he was sometimes involved in power struggles and conflicts, the nobles of the opposing camps called him an old stubborn fool or an old idiot, but he was completely unrelated to the words "cunning" and "cruel".

The experiences of the protagonist of Neverwinter Nights II, the hero of Westport, also corroborate this point.

He was framed by Luskan's conspiracy, but was rescued by Nash's help. As his "loyal subject", even after he disappeared and had no direct descendants, his territory was not reclaimed.

However, Zhang Yuan was not that Westport orphan either. As a member of the academy's elite, he could not completely side with Nash. His background would inevitably play an important role in their relationship, which he had to consider carefully.

(End of this chapter)