Volume 7 Chapter 2 - The Importance Of Literacy (1/2)

Although Kompany’s small hut was as small and crowded as before, the decorations inside were completely different from before.

Not only had the wall been repainted, there were also new planks above their heads. It seemed quite decent and didn’t seem as poor as before.

After entering the room, Kompany looked at Sai who was gnawing at the sweet on the table and after knocking him to the side, he invited Winnie and Joshua to sit down.

“Where’s your big sister?” Kompany sat down as he asked Winnie this.

“Big sister said that she wanted to prepare a delicious meal for us, so she went to get some groceries.” Winnie replied.

“Nonsense!” Kompany knitted his brows, “Leaving the guest at home and going out to buy groceries? Doesn’t she know to wait for me to come back before going?”

Winnie waved her hand with a smile, “Alright, brother in law, it isn’t like you don’t know big sister’s personality. No one can stop her if she wants to do something. I already told her that Joshua and I aren’t guests and there was no need to be this polite, but she insisted on going even though there’s no need.”

“No, it’s your first time back after several years and this time, it’s brother in law……It’s Joshua’s first time here, so we have to properly take care of you.” After saying this, Kompany looked at Joshua’s high end clothes and he revealed an awkward look, “Only…..our place doesn’t have anything to treat you with, so I hope that Joshua doesn’t mind.”

“Brother in law, you’re too polite.” Perhaps it was because it was their first time meeting or they had the same status, Joshua stopped talking in that polite tone and spoke in a more friendly tone, “Winnie and I don’t care about what we eat. Then again, you and big sister are Winnie’s closest family members, so you’re my family members as well. Between family, there’s no need to be this polite.”

Kompany scratched his head and gave a few laughs, not knowing what to say.

Seeing him like this, Winnie couldn’t help laughing.

“Alright, brother in law, let’s not waste words. Answer my question, what are you planning on doing with Harvat?”

Hearing that the topic went back to his eldest son, Kompany gave a sigh in his heart. He thought for a bit before saying, “There’s nothing to arrange, right? That kid can’t become a magician, so I’ll have him study some magic machine skills and he’ll enter the factory I’m working at once he grows up, that’s good enough.”

“That won’t do.” Winnie shook her head, “I talked to big sister earlier. Brother in law, your idea doesn’t seem that bad, but you can’t guarantee that this factory will last in this town, so you can’t place your hopes on it.”

Kompany was surprised, “Why wouldn’t this factory be here anymore?”

“This……” Winnie knitted her brows to think for a bit before poking Joshua beside her, “I can’t explain it properly, you can tell brother in law.”

Joshua revealed a smile. After thinking for a bit, he said, “Brother in law, I heard that this factory only produces the Magic Fan and the Magic Stove and it hasn’t changed in the past few years. Is that right?”

“Un, it’s always been these two. What is it? Is there a problem?” Kompany asked back.

“There’s no problem right now, but that isn’t certain in the future.” Joshua seemed to be considering what he should say and after hesitating a bit, he continued, “The Magic Fan and the Magic Stove are two of the lowest end products of the household magic machines, so while it can sell well in the area around Arafat Town right now, it might not be able to do the same in a few years.”

“It’s because all the countries of the continent are working hard to develop their magic machine industry, the Falk Kingdom isn’t an exception. If nothing unexpected happens, there will be more and more factories and companies that produce household magic machines. For low end household magic machines like the Magic Fan and the Magic Stove that aren’t that complex, there will be many factories producing them. That means that there will be a lot of competition for this factory in the future, so it would be hard for it to maintain the same profits as it is making now……”

“You mean……the factory won’t be able to sell its products in the future?”

“I’m not certain, but there is this possibility because there will only be more and more competition.” Joshua said with a nod, “Our company’s chairman said that there will be more competition on the continent in the future, so it will be a competition when it comes to technology. If there’s nothing special about your technology that suppresses the others, it will be eliminated in the end.”

“Your chairman?” Kompany was surprised.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you. Brother in law, Joshua works for the Frestech Chamber of Commerce. The chairman that he’s talking about is the Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s chairman Xu.”

“Oh, oh, it’s Xu Yi, I know him, I know him.” Kompany kept nodding, “Since an important person like chairman Xu is saying this, it must be right.” After saying this, Kompany knitted his brows again, “But Joshua, based on what you said, this factory might go out of business…...What do I do……”

“I never said that it would go out of business, there was only this chance.” Joshua gave a cough, “Of course, it’s better to be prepared ahead of time. This goes back to the problem of planning for Harvat that Winnie was talking about earlier. Brother in law, you wanting Harvat to learn some skills related to magic machines is the correct idea, but you can’t place your goal on a factory in Arafat Town, you should go a bit further.”

“You mean……”

Joshu turned to Winnie and seeing her give a nod, he turned back to Kompany with a serious look, “Brother in law, Winnie and I discussed this with big sister earlier. I have a better arrangement for Harvat that I hope you can agree to.”

“Tell me.”