The Frugal Mage

After their discussion about his business and Gene, Albert finally reached into his satchel and pulled out five pouches containing the gold coins that they had received from the Velthams as compensation.

The faint clinking of coins inside it echoed in the room…

Rayven couldn't help but smile after seeing this result.

"You've earned this…" Albert said, placing the pouch firmly on Rayven's desk.

"One thousand gold coins. Your reward for defeating Cedric."

"All of it? I don't mind even if you only give half of it. I heard you spent a lot to sponsor the Competition as well." Rayven said.

"Don't worry about it. Now that the Velthams are gone, we can restart our business. It'll just be a matter of time before we can get back on our own feet." Albert said as he recalled how they were only left with half of their previous employees. Once they're back on track, he was sure that they'd become even richer since their largest competition had already left to another city.

Rayven finally accepted the pouches and held one of them.

Even though he had already anticipated a reward, seeing such a large sum in one place still stirred something within him. He untied the pouch and peeked inside.

The golden shine was as attractive as ever.

'A thousand… This is something that not even an average family would earn in their entire lives.' Rayven thought as he realized that the world of magic could really become so expensive…

Of course, he didn't deposit them in his system yet, but he was already excited to do it.

"Thank you, Uncle," Rayven said sincerely.

Albert only waved his hand. "Spend it wisely."

Just like that, the two finally left his room.

Suppressing his grin, Rayven touched the coins lightly, and with a subtle thought, he deposited the entire amount into his system…

[ 1,000 Gold Coins deposited. ]

[ Current Balance: 1,145 Gold Coins ]

"I'm rich!" Rayven couldn't help but celebrate a little after seeing this.

Then, after some thought, he also took out his other savings, the 95 gold coins that he had decided to keep for his emergency fund.

'Ahh… Wait…'

He wanted to deposit in his system as well, but he suddenly remembered his business. If he wanted to start operating, he must have some money, and these 95 gold coins should be a good start.

With that in mind, he just brought the pouch and decided to visit Gene.

***

Gene was working in the archives room…

As soon as Rayven arrived, he realized this place wasn't as dusty as he had imagined it to be. It seemed that Gene was taking care of it.

Inside this room, there were thin rays of sunlight passing through narrow windows.

The smell of old parchment, ink, and oiled wood filled the room, and it was not uncomfortable at all. This was indeed the place for those who dealt in records and ledgers.

Rayven could tell that it was indeed well taken care of.

Soon, Rayven found Gene seated at a wooden table. There was that quill in his hand as he neatly copied numbers into a ledger.

The young man's dark hair fell slightly over his brow, and despite his youth, there was definitely some sharpness in his eyes…

"Young master…" Gene said immediately as soon as he noticed Rayven.

He then rose to his feet and bowed slightly.

Rayven gently nodded at the formality… "You can sit… I just came here to discuss something… important."

Gene resumed his seat but he stopped working and listened attentively. "Of course. What is it that you have in mind?"

Rayven placed his rolled sketches and lists on the table, spreading them out. "This."

Gene's eyes scanned the papers, taking in the crude design of the mechanical pen, the notes about ink mixtures, and the list of his business plan.

It wasn't perfect, but Gene only needed a few minutes to understand what Rayven wanted to happen.

His brow furrowed slightly, but not in doubt… He was simply curious where Rayven had gotten his idea.

"A pen… not like the ones we use now…" Gene murmured as he studied the drawing of the barrel and ink container.

"If this functions as you intend, it won't need to be dipped repeatedly in an ink pot."

"Exactly…" Rayven confirmed. "It's faster, cleaner, and convenient. Something scholars, merchants, even clerks like yourself would appreciate."

The risk of using ink pots was obvious. They might spill if not careful. In front of many documents, that was the last thing you wanted to happen.

Furthermore, with this new design, they might even be able to write while moving! That would be more efficient when logging inventories.

Gene nodded slowly as he understood what Rayven wanted to happen...

"Then this is more than a luxury. It's a tool for efficiency. That means demand won't only come from nobles or the wealthy, but also from institutions, guilds, academies, and temples. Even the government…"

He was really impressed by this idea. However, he wasn't sure if they could really make it. After all, the ink was very important since it must not dry up within the container. He still needed to know how good it was.

However, assuming that it would work as Rayven intended, then this was definitely an innovation.

On the other hand, Rayven smiled as Albert and Rennard were right… Gene was indeed impressive. "It's so easy talking to someone talented. You see the value quickly." This was Rayven's genuine thought.

"Thank you for the praise, young master." Gene replied as he continued analyzing the paper.

"What do you think? Is it possible?" Rayven asked. Of course, he knew that it would work but he wanted to hear more about Gene's opinion.

"Mhmm… For this, we'll need several things. First, the design must be completed by a skilled craftsman, likely a metalworker with knowledge of fine mechanisms. Carpenters or bone carvers could fashion the outer casings for cheaper variants, while goldsmiths could create premium versions for nobles."

Rayven was stunned… Just from these words, he knew that he had indeed found the right person.