Chapter 6 : Chapter 6
Chapter 6. Purchasing Resources and Hiring Teachers
Early the next morning, William walked through the palace corridors and found the chief steward in charge of logistics.
He handed over a list worth three hundred thousand gold coins and said in a deep voice, “Use this money to purchase cultivation resources for seven people—magic scrolls, body-tempering potions, swordsmanship manuals. Buy the best quality available.”
The chief steward did not dare to delay. He quickly bowed and replied, “Please rest assured, Your Highness. Everything will be delivered before noon.”
After settling these matters, William turned and headed toward the side hall.
Just as he reached the entrance, he heard the low voice of Knight Tos.
“Inside the royal palace, you must keep your head lowered while walking. When you encounter members of the royal family, you must bow in greeting. In areas where silence is required, you must not make noise…”
When the door opened, seven youths were standing straight with focused attention.
Seeing William enter, they immediately bowed together.
“Greetings, Your Highness!”
William waved his hand.
“You must memorize the rules Tos mentioned.”
“The palace is not like the outside world. One wrong step here will bring consequences you cannot bear.”
His gaze swept across the group.
“Starting at noon, cultivation resources will be distributed one after another. You do not need to conserve them, but you must absolutely not waste them. Every bit of resource must be used where it truly matters.”
The boys and girls responded in unison, “Yes, Your Highness!”
“Also,” William added, “new people will be joining in the coming days.”
“Kyle, A'gu, the five of you take your things to the western side hall. It is more spacious there and suitable for practical combat training.”
He then looked at the two sons of the Vice Principal.
“You two will stay here for now and first become familiar with the basic etiquette.”
A trace of excitement flashed through the eyes of the five who had been named. They could sense that this was the prince’s trust in them.
Although the two sons of the Vice Principal felt somewhat unwilling, they did not dare to say anything. They could only bow and accept the order.
Knight Tos stepped forward. “Your Highness, shall I send someone to escort them?”
“No need,” William shook his head. “Within the area of my residence, nothing will go wrong. Let them walk there themselves. It will help them familiarize themselves with the route.”
Kyle and the others packed their simple belongings and followed a guiding attendant toward the western side.
A'gu walked at the back. As he passed by William, he paused slightly and said in a low voice, “Your Highness, we will not disappoint you.”
William looked at the seriousness in his eyes and nodded faintly. “I will be waiting.”
After the five left, the side hall became much quieter.
William looked at the two remaining youths.
“The money your father gave you will last you a long time. But whether you can make proper use of those resources depends on you.”
“Starting this afternoon, train your physical strength with Tos. First build a solid foundation. After that, those who should cultivate magic will cultivate magic, and those who should temper Dou Qi will temper Dou Qi.”
The two youths hurriedly acknowledged the order. The complicated expressions they had yesterday had faded, replaced with a grounded seriousness.
William did not say anything further. He turned and walked out of the side hall.
Sunlight streamed through the carved window lattice, casting a grid of shadows across the floor like a chessboard slowly unfolding.
He knew that the first batch of pieces had already been placed. What came next was to ensure that they could truly establish themselves on the board.
Over the following days, the western side hall of the palace became unusually lively.
Kyle and the others trained their fundamentals under Knight Tos. A'gu’s punches and kicks grew sharper by the day, Ling’s archery became increasingly precise, and the improvement of the five could be seen with the naked eye.
But William knew that relying on Tos alone was far from enough. He needed more specialized guidance to match the talents of these youths.
He first approached Bach, a Sky Knight from the Royal Knights.
This knight was famous for his exquisite swordsmanship but was notoriously proud. When he heard that he would be mentoring a few commoner slaves, he immediately frowned.
“Your Highness, my time should be spent protecting the royal palace.”
William had already prepared for this. He handed over a contract.
“Ten thousand gold coins per month. In addition, I will propose to my father that your fief be expanded by another ten miles.”
His tone remained calm.
“These children may come from humble origins, but their talent is no less than that of any noble’s child. Guiding them will not disgrace you.”
Bach looked at the conditions written on the contract and then at the certainty in William’s eyes. After a moment of silence, he finally accepted it.
“Since Your Highness has spoken, I will obey.”
He understood clearly in his heart that although the Fourth Prince appeared young, he possessed remarkable judgment. Anyone he valued so highly might truly possess extraordinary potential.
Immediately afterward, William went to the palace Mage Corps and found a Sky Mage named Irene.
This female mage was obsessed with research and had always been indifferent to mundane affairs. When she heard his request, she did not even lift her head.
“I do not have time to teach children playing house.”
“Ten thousand gold coins per month. In addition, I can have the chief steward prioritize supplying your laboratory with the rare materials you require.”
William smiled. “Have you not been searching for ‘Stardust Sand’? I know where it can be obtained.”
Irene finally raised her head, a trace of surprise flashing in her eyes. “You know where Stardust Sand can be found?”
“As long as you agree, the materials will be my responsibility.”
After a moment of contemplation, Irene put away the magic staff in her hand.
“Deal. But I will only teach the boy named Kyle. The others… are not qualified to be my students.”
“That is acceptable,” William agreed readily. He knew Irene’s temperament well; persuading her to agree at all was already difficult.
Thus, two Sky-level powerhouses were ultimately “invited” by William to the side hall.
At first they were somewhat perfunctory, but when they saw Kyle’s keen perception of the elements and A'gu’s extraordinary affinity for Dou Qi, their attitudes gradually became more serious. The talents of these children truly deserved their guidance.
Tos observed this and privately said to William, “Your Highness, hiring a Sky-level instructor for ten thousand gold coins… is that not a bit too—”
“It is not expensive.”
William shook his head, his gaze resting on the youths sparring in the training ground.
“A piece of jade can only become a treasure when carved by a skilled craftsman. These gold coins will return to me many times over in the future.”
Sunlight filtered through the railings of the training field, shining upon the sweat-soaked faces of the youths and reflecting their vibrant energy.
Bach’s sword shadows flowed like water, Irene’s magic aura shimmered, and the sounds of the youths’ shouts intertwined together, forming the most distinctive scene deep within the royal palace.
William stood beneath the corridor, watching this scene as the corners of his mouth unconsciously lifted.
He knew these investments would not be wasted.
Given time, these carefully polished youths would eventually become the most reliable force in his hands.
Meanwhile, throughout the palace, discussions about the Fourth Prince “spending money like water” began to circulate again, but William paid them no mind.
He knew clearly that in this unpredictable kingdom, without sufficient strength as a foundation, everything else was merely empty talk.