Chapter 15: Advancing to the Finals (Part 4)_1
Ye Yinzhu was startled, "What did you say? Austin is Roland's older brother? Do you mean he's going to seek revenge on me? But the freshman competition is a fair one."
Sura shook her head and said, "I can't be sure, but it's possible. Thankfully, our academy maintains a neutral status; I reckon Austin wouldn't dare to go too far. It seems that I need to introduce you to Roland's background. In the Milan Empire, there are three major families, each of which holds a significant position. The Zi Luolan Family to which Roland belongs is one of them. The clan leader of the family is one of the two marshals of the empire's military, as well as one of the two Purple Star Dragon Knights, Martin. Martin has a brother named Matlachi, who is the Vice Chairman of the Milan Mage's Guild, and it is said that he has just reached the Zi rank level."
Ye Yinzhu furrowed his brows. He truly hadn't expected Roland to have such a powerful family force behind her. However, his expression quickly returned to calmness.
"Do you know what being a Purple Star Dragon Knight represents? It's one of the most powerful existences on the continent, apart from Faran's Seventh Tower. A Zi rank War Master paired with a rank Nine Giant Dragon can earn the title of a Purple Star Dragon Knight. Matlachi dedicated his life to the study of magic and never married; naturally, he doesn't have any descendants. And Martin's only son died in battle against the Beastmen, leaving behind four children. The youngest of them is Roland, and she has three older brothers. The eldest is Austin, who also happens to be the least talented of the third generation within the Zi Luolan family. Roland's second brother, Okaful, is the youngest Venus Dragon Knight on the Ryuzakinus Continent, possessing an adult eighth-rank Earth Dragon. Her third brother, Oliveira, is also at our Milan Magic Martial Academy, a fifth-year student and considered the top disciple of the Martial Arts Department with his mount— a water attribute growth-type Giant Dragon, currently advanced to the eighth rank. It's said that after graduation, he will immediately become a Silver Star Dragon Rider, with the opportunity to break the record as the youngest Venus Dragon Knight on the continent. Being the youngest, Roland is undoubtedly the most doted on. Unlike her three brothers, she chose the path of magic. With no children of his own, Matlachi's most beloved is this niece, and at her request, he even became the chief mage of the Zi Luolan Mercenary Group established by the four siblings. You know, having a Zi rank Mage dignifying themselves by joining a mercenary group is an extremely rare occurrence on the entire continent. You've offended Roland quite seriously, and you'll have plenty to suffer for it in the future."
After listening to Sura's words, a contemplative look appeared in Ye Yinzhu's eyes. Remembering the scene at the Mercenary Guild, obviously, that Zi rank Sorcerer should be Roland's great-uncle Matlachi, and the other young warrior could be either her second or third brother.
Seeing Ye Yinzhu lost in thought and silent, Sura mistook it for worry about his situation and said with a bitter smile, "Although you've only been in the academy for a few days, the people you've offended are not limited to the Zi Luolan family alone. That Dark Demon Sect chief, Yue Ming, the first-year freshman, is a member of another one of the three major families—Yue Hui's Family. Moreover, her status in Yue Hui's Family is almost the same as Roland's in the Zi Luolan family. Yue Ming's grandfather, Yue Hui, is the symbol of the family's rise, the President of the Milan Mage's Guild, a Dark Demon Sorcerer of Fifth Rank Purple rank, said to be the most powerful mage outside of Faran's Seventh Tower, even more fearsome than Matlachi. He's on par with our academy's headmaster, Spiritual Attribute Fourth Rank Zi rank Sorcerer Fergerson, the Mage Minister of the empire, in charge of all the mages in the Milan Empire."
Raising his head, Ye Yinzhu's eyes were still clear and serene. With a faint smile, he said, "So what? Let's go."
"Ah? Aren't you worried about your own situation?" Sura asked in surprise, looking at Ye Yinzhu, who seemed as if nothing had happened.
Ye Yinzhu smiled slightly and said, "Aren't you supposed to be taking me to work? If we don't hurry, we'll be late, won't we?"
"It seems I'm casting pearls before swine. You really aren't worried at all?" Sura felt defeated by Ye Yinzhu; he appeared indifferent to everything she had just said. However, she couldn't help but be impressed by Ye Yinzhu's composure. Faced with such a situation, she admitted that she could not maintain the same level of grace.
As Ye Yinzhu strolled along with Sura, he spoke calmly, "What's there to worry about? What do those big shots have to do with me? Surely, they won't trouble a mere ordinary student from the Milan Magic Martial Academy just because their granddaughter was fairly defeated in a competition." Having grown up surrounded by Zi rank powerhouses, both his grandfathers possessed such strength. Moreover, the cultivation of Zhu Douqi had given him a naturally calm yet unyielding spirit.
The two walked for a full hour within Milan City before Sura finally led Ye Yinzhu to their destination. It was a three-story building of understated elegance amidst the hustle and bustle of Milan City, not particularly striking. Furthermore, it wasn't located on a main thoroughfare but on a branching street that seemed somewhat deserted.
The architecture of this three-story building was quite distinctive. It didn't cover a very large area and was about the same size as the Divine Music Department's teaching building. The octagonal eaves, dark green glazed tiles, and the overall fresh color of the building provided a comfortable sensation. Surrounded by green trees, large and towering, the trees remained luxuriantly green despite the chill in the air. The trees and the building complemented each other, filling the three-story structure with a natural ambiance. Most curious was the giant tree sprouting from the center of the building, as if the whole structure was built around this tree. The tree's crown poked out from the rooftop, adorned with light blue flowers that emitted a delicate fragrance like musk or orchid, ancient and elegant, inviting one to immerse in the atmosphere. Perhaps because of his origins from blue sky and sea, Ye Yinzhu felt a sense of familiarity upon seeing this small building.
"What do you think? Nice, isn't it? After careful selection, I chose this place to work. The environment is pleasant, and the pay is good. This is a teahouse, and a waiter can earn about ten silver coins a day, and there are tips too. If you do a good job, the salary can be even higher. Let's go inside," Sura said, tugging at Ye Yinzhu's sleeve as they made their way to the teahouse.
Approaching the teahouse, Ye Yinzhu looked up and saw three large characters on the sign above — Floating Orchid Villa. The name seemed familiar! But before he could think further, Sura had already pulled him inside.
"I'm sorry, sirs, but we haven't opened for business yet," a waitress, looking about twenty years old, stopped them. Her blue outfit seemed to be a uniform, and while she had an ordinary appearance, she exuded a serene quality that made her quite likable.
"We're not here for tea. Yesterday, I saw that you were looking to hire staff; we came for an interview," Sura quickly explained.
The waitress smiled and responded, "I'm sorry, you're too late. After we posted the job notice yesterday, more than three hundred applicants arrived in the afternoon, and we've already selected the suitable candidates."