Reborn: Imperial Officer Promotion Guide

Just when Dean Vilena took a stern attitude and was about to scold Ling.

Hull coughed slightly a few times and took over the conversation.

"Director Vilena, I took a quick look after entering the door. It seems that the orphanage you manage is not running smoothly. It must be difficult to get funds, right?"

After hearing what Hull said, Dean Vilena put away her stern look and looked a little ashamed instead.

"Ling is a very smart girl. Maybe she took the risk to trade with the Kumins in order to reduce your burden and help you alleviate the financial difficulties of the orphanage."

Dean Vilena looked at Ling: "Is that so?"

Ling still lowered her head: "Grandma Vilena, I'm sorry..."

"Director, Ling will be 16 this year. Even if she wants to continue staying in the orphanage, it is not very realistic. Moreover, with her special physique and lack of systematic education, it will be difficult for Ling to gain a foothold in society no matter how smart she is, right?"

"This world is not so gentle. I believe you are well aware of this."

"..." Dean Vilena remained silent, and Ling also lowered her head and said nothing.

Perhaps this is why she tried to attract Hull's attention after hearing that the military was looking for a translator.

Seeing that the two were silent, Heer spoke again.

"I don't mean to look down on Ling by saying this. On the contrary, I cherish her talent very much."

"——Please accept this as a token of my sincerity."

He reached into his bosom and pulled out a handkerchief, then spread it out in front of Dean Vylena.

"This...this is too expensive!"

There was a gold dragon coin in the handkerchief.

In other words, one gold dragon coin is enough to buy... uh... adopt ten children from an orphanage.

"This is just my sincerity money. My current second lieutenant rank can earn me three silver deer coins a month. In addition to this gold dragon coin, I will pay one silver deer coin to the orphanage every month as Ling's salary for working with me."

"...That doesn't need that much..."

As she spoke, Dean Vilena looked at the orphans playing in the courtyard.

One silver deer coin is equivalent to half a month's living expenses for the children in the orphanage.

"Of course, I will also plan for Ling's future. As you can see, I am just a commoner, and I am currently only a second lieutenant."

"But I have passed the general officer examination held by the Central Government after all, and it won't take much time for me to be promoted to lieutenant. After I am promoted to lieutenant, it will be a natural thing for me to obtain the status of a lower noble."

"..."

Dean Vilena stared at Hull's face, but Hull remained expressionless.

Even the lowest-ranking [Yu Cang] among the lower nobles is treated very differently from the common people in an empire that values ​​class.

If Hull is willing to register Ling as a blood relative at that time, then Ling can become a noble and completely bid farewell to the world of the lower class commoners.

This is indeed a very bright future for Ling.

Hull also deeply understands the importance of household registration.

Four years ago, when Heer just woke up, he lived in the flea market of the imperial capital for more than half a year because he had no household registration.

Those who have no registered permanent residence are even lower than slaves.

No one will show mercy even if you are beaten to death in the street.

Even slaves could be protected as property, but illegal immigrants were worse than street rats to the empire.

They don’t even have the right to get a job and can only work illegally.

In order to obtain a household registration, Hull had to interact with slave traders.

Another half a year passed before he found an opportunity and kidnapped a female slave owner with imperial household registration. After some coercion and inducement, Hull obtained imperial household registration as the other party's adopted son.

After a long time, Dean Vilena took her eyes away from Heer's face and looked at Ling.

Her eyes were full of reluctance, and there were tears in Ling's eyes as well.

Dean Vilena squatted down slightly, then gently hugged Ling.

"Ling... I am willing to respect your wishes, but I would rather you have a worry-free life and a bright future from now on."

Ling buried her head deep in Dean Vilena's arms and cried silently.

After a while, Ling raised her head with red eyes, looked at Dean Vilena and nodded heavily.

Hull breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Ling had finally agreed to go back to the fortress with him willingly.

Ling also looked at Heer at this time, and then slowly said: "Heer..."

"Well, just say whatever you want to say."

"...Not enough. If you want to use me to do things for you, you have to give the orphanage at least 2 silver deer coins every month."

"..."

"I will translate the language of the Kumin people for you. And I don't understand the magic you mentioned, but since you like me, it proves that I have enough value. One gold dragon coin plus two silver deer coins per month, I think this price is appropriate."

After hearing what Ling said, Hull was stunned for a moment, and then he couldn't help laughing out loud.

This little girl is really eloquent, no wonder she can trade with the Kuming people.

"Okay, I agree to your request."

Ling nodded, then looked at Dean Vilena.

"Grandma Dean, I have another request."

"Well, Ling, go ahead."

"This may be the last time we meet in this life... So, mother-in-law... Can you hold me for a little longer?"

"Well... of course, my child..."

Ling threw herself into Dean Vilena's arms and burst into tears. At this time, she was just an ordinary child.

I left this initial safe haven and my family who had always treated me well.

In the future, she will have to face the cruel world alone.

Thirty minutes later, Hull completed the adoption procedures, took the document signed by Dean Vilena, and led the team back from the Valley of Ashes.

Unlike when she came to the orphanage, this time Ling sat obediently in front of Hull's saddle.

"Ling, you take the reins and drive the horse forward."

"Huh?! But I've never ridden a horse before. I don't know how to control the reins."

"What nonsense are you talking about? Didn't we ride horses before when we went to the orphanage?"

"No way! You took me there by force. How can that be called riding a horse?"

Ling protested, but her hands timidly grabbed the reins that Hull handed to her.

Under Hull's guidance, after some trial and error, Ling finally mastered some control techniques.

But still struggling

"By the way, about what we just talked about."

"You...! You did it on purpose! Can't you see how busy I am right now? Why did you have to pick this time to talk to me?!"

"Even when you are trying your best, you must also distract yourself and consider other things, such as controlling the reins. Also, I chose this time to talk to you. It is all training for you."

"You! Are you a devil?! You're so annoying! Why did I agree to go back with you? No, I regret it now! Come and save me! I've been kidnapped by bad guys!"

"..."

Ling showed superb acting skills. If you didn't know the whole story, you would really think that He had kidnapped him.

But despite Ling's cries, the members of Team 8 pretended not to see anything.

Seeing that there was no effect, Ling changed her expression and acted like a spoiled brat again.

"Are you done crying? If you are, let's continue talking about money. I plan to let you take on some negotiation-related tasks in the future. Your eloquence needs to be improved. In fact, you can still ask for a higher price before. Reflect on it after you come down."

"Eh?! You mean, the value of what I own is more than 1 gold dragon coin plus 2 silver deer coins per month?"

Ling was obviously a little surprised, but she had begun to gradually master how to operate the reins.

Hull was convinced that Ling was the kind of child who would thrive the more he was hammered.

"Of course, I won't buy anything that's not valuable enough."

"Buying something? The way you talk is really annoying... Then tell me, what was your bottom line price?"

"5 gold dragon coins as a token of sincerity, 3 silver deer coins per month, and as you get promoted, continue to give out one-third of your monthly income. If you exceed this bottom line, I may have to think about it carefully."

"Wha...wha...what?!"

Ling suddenly began to stutter, and her hands unconsciously loosened the reins, almost falling off the horse. But Hull grabbed the reins in time and helped Ling up.

"Ling, you should remember what I said, you have a reserve of magic power beyond that of ordinary people. You just need to control it a little bit. One day you will grow up to be a magician and your body will be the same as that of ordinary people. By then, even if you don't follow me, you can earn a good income on your own."

"So, when I said that it would be difficult for you to gain a foothold in society in the future, this statement was actually inaccurate."

"You...! You're a big liar!"

"I'm not lying. Saying that you won't be able to gain a foothold in society in the future is just my inference. I was just raising questions to Dean Vilena and guiding her to think in the direction I want."

"Aren't you just lying?!"

"This is not a lie. If I knew the magic of foresight and could accurately see your future, then I would be lying. On the contrary, I just put forward a hypothesis that is not very likely. At most, it can be considered a fraud."

"Fraud... Fraud?! Isn't this worse than lying?!"

"I told you - I won't lie. I hope you can believe that I am a trustworthy person, so I have not lied from beginning to end."

"Wow!! I really don't understand your train of thought. Is there anyone who can translate what he just said for me?"

Ling shouted at the top of her lungs, but as expected, the members of Team 8 around her tried their best to pretend they didn't hear anything.

Only Sergeant Bass and Private Etan lowered their heads with barely perceptible wry smiles on their faces.

Ling cried for a while, and after a heart-wrenching cry, the black-haired girl demonstrated her face-changing stunt again.

It took less than a second for her to calm down from crying, and then she spoke again.

"So, what do you intend to say by telling me this?"

"I'm telling you this now to remind you that you must hone your negotiation skills in the future. You can't show your true emotions at the negotiation table. You need to do your best to touch the other party's bottom line. At the same time, after touching the bottom line, you need to lower the bottom line price by at least 20%."

"I don't quite understand this. If you want to lower the price, why don't you lower it to the lowest possible price?"

Interest is the best teacher. This strong curiosity may be the source of this child's future growth.

"The highest price and the lowest price are often separated by only a thin veil. If handled improperly, the negotiation table may be overturned. Instead of striving for the greatest benefit, it is better to reduce this unnecessary risk."

"Then...if Granny Vilena demands 100 gold dragon coins, not even one less, and has absolutely no intention of negotiating, what are you going to do?"

"It's simple. Trading with the Kumin barbarians and secretly colluding with foreign races is a serious crime. Since you are still a minor, you will be exiled first. I will redeem you as a slave later, and the result will not be any different."

"You?! You...how can you be so shameless as to say such evil things so openly!"

"You yourself admitted that you made a deal with the Kuming people. Who can rule out the possibility that you colluded with the Kuming people? It is better to kill the wrong person than to let him go. Even if I do this, there will be no problem in the law."

“Of course, if we negotiate with the Kumin people under the jurisdiction of the army in the future, this problem will not exist.

"...People like you are really hard to believe."

Ling lowered her head and murmured softly as if she was deflated.

"Why am I making it hard for you to believe me again? I'm not lying."

"Do you think you can do and say anything as long as you don't lie?"

"I am just following your hypothesis and talking about the alternatives I am considering. Besides, I don't want to use such a time-consuming method. If possible, the best option is to solve it properly as soon as possible with money."

"You just think it takes more time...? You have a really bad personality..."

Hull tilted his head. He put efficiency as his top priority. Is there anything wrong with this way of thinking?

How did it become a character issue?

Hull didn't want to dwell on this issue either.

"I specifically tell you this for another reason. Do you know why I want to emphasize your value?"

"...I know it without even thinking about it. There's no good reason anyway."

"Because you underestimate yourself. The price I offer is only the lowest price corresponding to your actual value."

"..."

"You will continue to grow in the future, and you will be able to reach at least ten times the price I offer you."

"..."

Ling was silent for a while, and soon raised her head and looked at Hull.

"Heer, you..."

"Huh? What's wrong?"

"I was wondering, when you said this, could it be that..."

"Is it what?"

"Are you praising me and cheering me up?"

"..."

"..."

There was a brief silence between the two.

"You think too much."

Hearing Hull's answer, Ling was stunned for a moment, wondering if she had heard it wrongly.

"Ah? Isn't it?"

"Did you listen to what I said before? What I wanted to say is that you are worth more than this."

"After that, you have to create for me a value that is 10 times greater than my actual worth."

“That’s what I meant.”

Ling's pupils suddenly dilated and she screamed again.

"Someone, come! Is there any kindhearted person who can save me? If there is no kindhearted person, a slave trader will do! Take me away from this evil man!!"

On the way back to the fortress, Ling kept pushing the limits of her acting skills. Her crying expression and the sound of venting all showed a performance that was like true emotion.