18 Suits Business and Serious Business

"It's too early to start going to the academy. Let's do it when I turn eleven. Just like other students. And since you mentioned your close relationship with grandfather which is probably not a secret, and taking your today's appearance at my assessment it would be too obvious of preferential treatment. I mean letting a five-year-old enter academy, how often does that happen? I'll just wait for the official admission process." Aaron replied.

"I must say Aaron you are a very precautious person," Headmaster said.

"It never hurts to be careful, although I don't care about what other Families or Nobles think about me I still have no reason to become a thorn in their sight, just yet. Having a high talent is only worth something when you can reach its limits. Before that, it is only a worthless medal or certificate given for participation. The people who say 'Participation is more important than winning' are basically saying 'if there are not enough people losing to the winner then winning would mean nothing'. No one can brag that they came first when no one else was competing with them, right? I only want to win! If it takes a longer route to get there I don't mind taking that route at all." Aaron said.

"Interesting way of thinking, but it sounds full of overconfidence. What if you lose?" Headmaster asked.

"Like I said losing is for the people who just want to participate. For me, it's all about winning." Aaron said.

"I can't wait to see you at the Academy. Alan, he is a gem that the empire has never seen before. Although he doesn't have fire magic in his arsenal like you, he definitely has the fire to deal with his competitors that is stronger than yours. Train him well till the day he comes to my Academy, I will create opportunities for him to make all the other nobles bleed. Hahaah... I want to see him shine!" Headmaster said to Alan.

"I'll do my best!" Alan replied.

"I go back now. Aaron train well. I hope to witness more miracles in the future." Headmaster said as he patted Aaron's head. Then he left.

Aaron took a seat in front of his father who was looking at him with a proud smile. He swiped his storage ring and a sword appeared in his hand.

"Aaron this is a High grade enchanted weapon, it's name is 'White'. From now it will be yours. It was given to me by my father, your grandfather after my assessment just like I'm giving it to you. It's like a family heirloom. Take it." Alan said as he passed the sword to him.

This sword was not full-sized, it was only forty centimetres long. It had a white handle made of leather of some beast. The scabbard was also made out of the same material as the handle.

Aaron was too familiar with this sword. He unsheathes the sword, a shiny silver blade of the sword shined dazzlingly.

He pours in a bit of mana, the sword shows no change. He then conjures water elements around the sword through mana circulation. The sword's hilt turns topaz blue in colour.

Unsheathing the sword Aaron looks at his father.

"Thank you! It's a good sword. It will do for now." Aaron said.

"Just good? This is amongst the best swords one could have as a child and you are saying it's just good?" Alan said.

"It is still a High-grade sword, not a top-grade sword. So it won't be anything more than 'good'. Yes, take these and find someone to create this to be sold amongst the nobles just like the stockings." Aaron said as he brought out several rolled papers.

"What are these? A design for a new product?" Alan said as he glanced through the designs.

These were the designs for the three-piece suits that he had drawn with the help of the system.

"It's very detailed. Did you make it?" Alan asked after he finished his inspection of the designs.

"Yeah, I need you to find someone who is capable and renowned in the empire just like Mr Steve. The contract can be similar." Aaron said.

"I'll look for someone, but do you want the same deal you made with Mr Steve?" Alan asked.

"Not really, around thirty per cent should be a good deal for this one," Aaron said.

"How is the previous one going on? Any issues?" Alan asked.

"Well, I'm getting my share of the profits on time. Don't know if there are any on Mr Steve's side. You should probably ask him for more information." Aaron said.

"How much do you get?" Alan asked.

"A few thousand gold coins in a week. During the early period, it was higher but now it is stabilizing at around 3-4 thousand. I have a total of around 750,000 gold coins over the three years it has been on sale." Aaron said.

"Really that much? That's a lot of money already. Why do you need more? What for?" Alan asked.

750,000 gold was easily profit earned by some nobles and military officers as an annual salary.

"I'll be starting making Array formations, the materials for it are really expensive. This will last for like 10 to 12 Array formations at best. You should know it's not easy to make Array formations. I'll need more in future, that's where these designs will come in." Aaron said.

"Alright, I'll look for someone who is qualified for this deal. What did you come here for? Just these designs?" Alan asked.

Aaron looked at his father, he said in a serious tone.

"No, there is more but its more important than all of these. Ask everyone to leave" Aaron said.

There was currently no one in the room other than Alan and Aaron. That's what others would think. But Aaron knew that Uncle Josef was somewhere hiding his presence.

Alan looked at Aaron's serious face. After a while lifted his hand gestured to leave.

"Alright, speak Aaron," Alan said.

"I will tell you a short story. Once there were two wild cats, they were fighting for a piece of meat or bread. Not far from them was another wild cat. Who observed this fight between them. The third cat didn't enter the fight instead it instigated the fight. While the other two were busy the third cat took the meat or bread and left quietly." Aaron said.

"That's a common story what do you want to convey?" Alan asked.

"There will soon be a situation similar, but on a larger scale. Infinitely larger than the one in the story. You don't have to pretend. You are also gearing up for this fight. And I want to make sure you don't enter the fight because it is unnecessary." Aaron said.

"How do you know that I am making preparations for the fight?" Alan said.

It was indeed true, recently all the families were making preparations for a war-like scenario. This was a top secret and the commoners and even many of the noble families might not be aware of this.

"Father, I can also tell you that the thing that you are hoping to be your trump card will not do well or at least won't be enough because others are also creating something similar to what you have in mind. Right now, it is still in the early stages so I want to stop you from making it. I have a better plan that will keep us on top. Also, all of these is being instigated by someone. You should know, who will gain the most benefit it a war breaks out." Aaron said.

"How do you know all these things? You haven't left the mansion, so how do you know what is happening? How do you know about the secret project?" Alan asked still calm and composed.

"There are situations similar to these happening every few decades, father. How many wars do you think have happened in the empire? Who do you think is gaining most out of it? Let's just talk about our family, although our losses have been minimal they are not necessarily to be ignored. Every time these wars erupt they are targeted to towards at least two families. I want to use this opportunity to come out on top. And I mean come out top with the most benefits than all the other families." Aaron said.

"And what plan do you have?" Alan asked.

"The plan is simple instead of creating that thing which will probably eat up all out funds. Let's train a few tens of thousands, new soldiers. What I mean is to recruit more soldiers. Train them extensively and exclusively for the purpose of war. They will be the true trump card. Of course, we have to make it a low profile as possible. That's where our twelve generals come in. It would be them who would recruit these new soldiers. But in the dark. Not as main regiments, but a hidden one. The war will happen after ten to twelve years from now. We have plenty of time to train them. As for how these people are to be trained, is as mercenaries." Aaron said. "Till the time they are required to come out these mercenaries will be scattered in groups of different sizes across the Avron province."

"But training the soldiers will cost a lot, also training camps will be needed in different hidden locations. Not to mention equipment." Alan asked.

"That's the thing, dad, we won't be the ones training them nor will we be the ones to provide equipment for them. They will join the guild, it will be the guilds in different locations that will train them. We will only provide for the registration fees. Once they have the experience I take over their training." Aaron said.

"It is indeed possible to make use of the guilds, although independent in commoners view guilds are still under our jurisdiction. With large numbers of people joining it should be easier to hire veterans to train them. With that their training won't be an issue. For equipment, they could work themselves by completing guild missions and upgrade their own equipment. But why would they serve our purpose if it is them doing the work?" Alan asked as he stated his thoughts.

"Slums are a great place to recruit new men, these people are dying so they would take this opportunity to save themselves or their family. As for why they would obey orders, that's with a special contract or oath that they will have to take upon joining. I'll start creating a special contract that binds them to obey and serve. It will be a bit like the slave contract that's very common but this one will be modified by me. To not leak any the of information it must bind them from revealing anything even when forced or harshly treated. I make these contracts with no loopholes to be exploited." Aaron said.

"How long will it take? A month or more?" Alan asked.

"You are underestimating me. A week at most, with completely tested results. I have already started the plan in motion. Also, I'll be creating a lot of defensive Array formations in the coming future. We will get the funds for this special force completely from outsourcing it. Once I have completed the contract, you order for the recruitment process to start." Aaron said.