Volume 5 Chapter 17: It would be good to be a normal person

"I've heard that you met with the chairmen of the six Magic Fan companies?"

"Yes."

"I guess that other than them, you are planning on selecting a few companies from the other household magic machine companies and meeting their chairmen, right?"

"I did have this plan."

"You are really planning on entering the market of other countries with those companies?"

"I've always planned on doing this, you should be clear on this."

"Un."

Seveni gave a nod and didn't keep asking. She lowered her head to write something on her desk.

Suddenly the large room fell into silence.

Xu Yi bent over to look at Seveni who was seriously writing and found that compared to last time, she was a bit thinner.

Her face was thin and although she wasn't an absolute beauty, it made people feel that she was quite kind.

Now that she was thinner, based on her appearance, she was actually a bit prettier than before.

But this destroyed her kind and gentle appearance. Adding in the dignified, but not angry look in her eyes, it no longer let people feel that she was very kind, rather she became more dignified.

Actually, it wasn't hard to understand.

After taking the throne of the Lampuri Kingdom for two years, she would have the dignity of a queen.

Of course, in front of Xu Yi, Seveni was still as relaxed as before. The way she had Xu Yi call her in private was the same as before where she had him call her by name.

After a while, Seveni stopped writing and gave a piece of paper to Xu Yi.

"What do you think about this?"

Xu Yi was a bit confused as he took it and found that it was a decree.

The decree wrote that in the name of her majesty Seveni, the Lampuri Kingdom's magic machine industry management department would support the various Lampuri Kingdom magic machine companies in researching new technology. They would urge those companies to invest more in developing new magic machine technology.

Moreover, in Seveni's name, the royal family would take out fifty thousand gold coins to set up a special award for making progress to the Lampuri Kingdom's magic machine industry. They would give this award to any company or person that made a breakthrough in any technology related to magic machines.

Xu Yi finished reading this decree and fell into thought for a bit before saying, "Fifty thousand......isn't that a bit too little?"

Seveni rolled her eyes at Xu Yi, "I'm not rich like you. That fifty thousand is taken out by the royal family, I can't take out any more."

"Then.....How about I take some money out and increase the award?" Xu Yi suggested.

Seveni shook her head, "No, this is the official award set up by our Lampuri Kingdom. A private company like your Frestech Chamber of Commerce participating will destroy the nature of this award, so it isn't right."

Xu Yi thought that it was correct, so he suggested, "Then I should also set up an advancement award in the name of the Frestech Chamber of Commerce....."

Before Seveni replied, Xu Yi shook his head to deny this idea.

"No, we're all engaged in the magic machine industry. Although the Frestech Chamber of Commerce has an advantage now, doing this will make the other companies dissatisfied and the result wouldn't be good."

Seveni revealed a smile, "It's good that you know. Actually, you don't need to think this much, the way you are handling it now is good. If you can let those other companies understand that as long as they are willing to invest in technology, they will gain the favour of your Frestech Chamber of Commerce and bring them to the markets of other companies to gain large profits, I think that those companies will attach great importance in developing technology."

Xu Yi laughed, "That's right, I understand merchants better than anyone. Other than benefits, there is nothing else that can truly move merchants."

Seveni took a deep look at Xu Yi before suddenly giving a sigh, "Speaking of this, I still haven't thanked you yet."

Xu Yi was stunned, "Why are you suddenly thanking me?"

"I have to thank you for finding a new path of development for the companies of the magic machine industry in the kingdom, letting the kingdom develop even faster." Seveni said with a serious look, "Actually I already considered this problem. Our Lampuri Kingdom is after all a small kingdom and while the magic machine industry is developing quickly in our kingdom now, it will be limited by the kingdom eventually, which will make it hard to develop. Now that you can bring our Lampuri Kingdom over, it will be of great help to the kingdom."

Xu Yi revealed a faint smile and shook his head before saying, "Even without me, those companies would leave the Lampuri Kingdom eventually. I am just bringing them out ahead of time, it isn't anything."

"If there wasn't you, there wouldn't be the magic machine industry at all, alright?" Seveni said.

Xu Yi gave a shrug. Then he said with a smile, "I say, Seveni, with our relationship, you don't need to say these things, alright?"

"Our relationship?" Seveni's eyes lit up as she looked at Xu Yi, "Xu Yi, what do you think is the relationship between us?"

Seeing Seveni's serious look, Xu Yi slightly knit his brows. After thinking about it, he honestly replied, "At least in my mind, I have always treated you as a friend."

"Since we're friends, why aren't you willing to see me?" Seveni asked back, "If it wasn't for me sending you a letter this time, would you have not come to Anvilmar City to see me?"

Xu Yi gave a hollow laugh, avoiding Seveni's questioning gaze.

Seveni was right. If it wasn't for Seveni having Count Will give him that letter, he might have only stayed in Banta City for two days before returning to the Stantine Duchy, he wouldn't have come to Anvilmar City at all.

Although it was important to meet with the chairmen of those six companies, those things didn't need him as the chairman to come out.

With the Frestech Chamber of Commerce's current position, with just a few words, those six chairmen might even run all the way to the Stantine Duchy to discuss with the Frestech Chamber of Commerce.

Seeing Xu Yi avoid her gaze, Seveni gave a sigh.

"Actually I know that you feel that since I've taken the throne, you should keep some distance with me, right?"

Xu Yi gave a cough and turned to look at Seveni. After hesitating a bit, he said with a serious look, "I do indeed think of this. After all, you are now the Lampuri Kingdom's queen, it's impossible for us without caring about others like before. I am keeping this distance because I want to protect the friendship between us. If we come closer, it might not be good."

Seveni fell silent and looked at Xu Yi for a bit before slowly nodding.

"Actually I also know about this. I represent the Lampuri Kingdom and you represent the Frestech Chamber of Commerce. Although our Lampuri Kingdom has a close relationship with your Frestech Chamber of Commerce, so that both sides are very friendly with each other, no matter what, there are conflicts of interest. For example.....there are many people who are opposed to building combined investment factories with your Frestech Chamber of Commerce?"

"They're against this?" Xu Yi had a look of ridicule on his face, "They want to expel our Frestech Chamber of Commerce from the Lampuri Kingdom and do it themselves? But have those fellows thought that without our Frestech Chamber of Commerce, the Lampuri Kingdom doesn't even have the ability to produce more than five kinds of magic machines by themselves?"

"I'm clear on this, but those people aren't." Seveni gave a sigh and she revealed an exhausted look, "I am the Lampuri Kingdom's queen, I have to consider the benefits of the kingdom. Choosing to continue building joint investment factories with the Frestech Chamber of Commerce looks like betraying the interests of the kingdom to those people."

Xu Yi couldn't help giving a cold smile, "Hei, the ideas of those idiots, there's no need to consider them."

Seveni gave a bitter smile, "The problem is that those idiots you speak of represent a large portion of the kingdom's people."

Xu Yi looked at Seveni for a while and seeing the exhausted look she had, he couldn't help feeling a bit of pain in his heart.

Actually Seveni wasn't even twenty five yet and she was bearing the important responsibility of the entire Lampuri Kingdom. All the other members of the royal family were dead or living in seclusion, so there was no one to help her. She could only do this herself.

"Actually, you don't need to worry. As long as the kingdom keeps developing, no one in the kingdom will dare oppose me." Seveni suddenly revealed an expression that was filled with dignity, giving off an aura that couldn't be ignored, "If there really is someone who can't account for the entire situation, I wouldn't mind teaching them a lesson."

Xu Yi couldn't help being surprised.

Seveni rarely gave off this bone chilling appearance before.

Did she become like this after taking the throne for a long time?

But this was a good change for Seveni.

If she stayed as kind as before, it wouldn't be a good thing for her to take the throne.

Looking down at the surprised look on Xu Yi's face, Seveni suddenly gave a laugh. It was like her face was like a flower blooming as it lit up like the sun.

In an instant, she suddenly changed from the cold and serious queen to a normal neighbour girl.

Seeing this quick change, Xu YI expressed admiration in his heart. No matter what, girls were existences that he couldn't understand.

Seveni looked at Xu Yi before suddenly pressing a button on the side.

Not long after, two royal maids came in with some dishes and some wine.

Xu Yi looked out the window in surprise and found that it was already dark outside.

He had met several people in Anvilmar City this afternoon, so he accepted Seveni's invitation after having dinner. Now that they had chatted for a bit, he never thought that it would be this dark already.

Xu Yi quickly stood up and prepared to leave, but Seveni pulled on his arm to have him sit down.

"After not seeing each other for so long, how about we talk a bit before you leave?"

Seeing the pleading look in Seveni's eyes and thinking about how Seveni had talked about their relationship, Xu YI's heart turned soft before he nodded and sat down.

Seveni revealed a look of joy. She waved her hand and had the two maids leave before personally pouring a cup of wine for Xu Yi. Then she poured one for herself and raised it in a toast to Xu Yi.

"Come, Xu Yi, let's forget about our statuses tonight and just chat like friends, alright?"

Xu Yi revealed a faint smile, "Alright, it's rare for you to have this interest, how could I not accompany you?"

The two drank their wine all at once.

Xu Yi was fine, but Seveni's face immediately turned a bit red. It was clear that she didn't have much tolerance, but it also made her face more charming.

"Xu Yi, do you still remember when we met for the first time?" Seveni asked in a soft voice.

"Of course." Xu Yi replied, "It was my first time in Anvilmar City and I was planning on selling the agricultural magic machines......"

......

The night became darker and with the wine, the two drank while chatting about the past.

They didn't know if it was because of the wine or because of their past, as they drank, Xu YI's head became dizzy. After a while, he leaned back in the chair and couldn't move at all.

Seeing Xu Yi fall asleep, Seveni who had been drunk suddenly had her eyes light up. Although her face was a bit red, she didn't seem drunk at all.

She looked at Xu Yi with a complicated look for a while before giving a clap and the two maids came back in.

"Take him to the bedroom, follow the plan."