Gloria, who had been watching silently at the side, stepped forward gradually with a smile and said to Rachel, “I have seen Miss Rachel’s sewing skills. They have already reached the level of a master. I have specially come to sign a new contract with her today. Furthermore, I have great hopes for her. I believe she could have a very respectable life with her own hard work and skills.”


  The surroundings quieted down immediately. Everybody was looking at Gloria in disbelief.

  All the masters in the factory were old masters with at least 20 years of skills. Even if they were not famous master tailors, their skills were impeccable.

  But Rachel was just over 20 years of age, and she had only done some sewing-the-corners work previously. Although her skills were slightly better than the usual female workers’, she simply wasn’t senior enough to become a master now, right?

  How…… could this be! Cynthia was full of disbelief. Becoming a master meant having a minimum salary of 10,000 copper coins, and the job was much easier. A female worker only earned 3,000 copper coins despite working much harder. Although they were both workers, she had joined one month earlier than her, so how could Rachel become a master?

  Rachel also looked at Gloria in a shock. She felt she must have heard it wrongly.

  Benjamin was a little stunned too. His kind boss had just said something that he didn’t comprehend fully. Smiling, he said hesitantly to Gloria, “Miss Gloria, are you saying that you want Rachel to be a master?”


  “Yes.” Gloria nodded.

  Benjamin shook his head rapidly, and said, “No, this simply will not do. She is just a little girl, how can she be a master? Her skills are not accomplished yet. If she mishandled the clothes, it would damage Blue Suede’s reputation. This simply isn’t feasible at all. Furthermore, she is so junior, how could she be a master?”


  All the masters were looking at Gloria too. Promoting such a young girl to their level had indeed made them feel a little uncomfortable.

  “In Blue Suede, all I care about is your capabilities. I don’t care how long you’ve joined the company for. I will pay you according to how capable you are and how much value you can generate for Blue Suede.This is a fair deal,” Gloria said to Benjamin and the other masters before landing her gaze on Rachel. “For someone with Rachel’s capabilities, it’s a waste of talent to let her remain as a worker. Hence, there’s nothing wrong with me promoting her to the rank of master, because I believe she can generate more value for Blue Suede.”


  Gloria’s gaze turned to the female workers, and she smilingly said, “Of course, if anyone of you is as outstanding as her, please continue your good work. Let me see your capabilities, and you will be the next new master.”


  After a moment of silence from the female workers, a round of applause erupted from them, and an unusual sparkle glowed in their eyes.

  There were tears glistening in Rachel’s eyes. Choking, she said to Gloria, “Miss Gloria, I……”


  “Believe in my judgement and your capabilities.” Gloria looked at Rachel smilingly before looking at Hada. “I shouldn’t have interfered in your family matters, but someone told me before that as long as I am capable, a woman can make a living by herself and doesn’t need to obey anyone.”


  “Mm-hm.” Rachel nodded with conviction. She held Hada’s hand tightly, and said to Benjamin, “Father, I will have a respectable life with my own capabilities. I want to marry Hada and I believe we can make our lives respectable together. We will not be impoverished.”


  “Uncle, I am a blacksmith. I can support both my father and master with my hands. I will not drag Rachel down,” Hada promised to Benjamin solemnly as he held Rachel’s hand tightly.

  “That’s good enough, old pal. Your daughter will be earning more than you in two years’ time. She alone can let her whole family live respectably.”


  “That’s right. We, the old fogies, had worked for our entire lives, and were no different from this little girl now. This young man is not bad, either. He will be nice to your daughter.”


  The old tailors had changed their attitudes, and began to talk him out of his disagreement.

  Benjamin looked at Hada and Rachel, who were holding theirs together tightly, with a frown. He sighed loudly after a long period of silence. “Since you are so stubborn, I shall not bother with you anymore. But you have chosen this yourself today, don’t ever blame me for not stopping you in the future.” Then, he turned and went straight into the workshop.

  Surprised smiles appeared on both Rachel and Hada’s faces simultaneously. Then, they hugged each other tightly.

  The crowd also smiled before they dispersed. This seemed like a rather good ending.

  Angus, who was standing at the side, also had a relieved smile on his face.

  Gloria also walked toward the workshop with a smile. She didn’t disturb the couple who had just gone through their biggest obstacle. She thought, If Mr Mag knew about this incident, would he think that I have done a good job?……

  Under the Boundless Sea Realm at the south of the Demon Islands, there was an area of sunken ruins.

  In the middle of that ruin was an altar.

  A sorcerer in black robes was holding a blue crystal ball as he piously chanted, “Supreme God, please guide our tribe out of the fog and create a new era……”


  There were numerous merfolk below the altar. They had a human upper body, but instead of legs, they had a tail like a fish. They used seashells and seaweeds to cover their abdomens and breasts. They all gazed at the altar piously.

  Right at this moment, a strong blue light burst out of the crystal ball, and scenes began to play out right above the altar.

  That was a scene on the land. It was a huge city, a big square, massive crowds…… The scene finally stopped at a restaurant and a man standing in front of it.

  “It has been 1,000 years! The Supreme God has finally answered our prayers again! This is the opportunity for our Lantisde to return to the Continent! And this place and this man are the crucial clues to lifting the curse on us, the Merfolk!” the man in black robe said agitatedly as he stared at the frozen scene.

  The entire ocean seemed to be excited too as sounds of cheering could be heard.

  The man in black robe kept the crystal ball slowly as he said in a deep voice, “Wake Gina up. She will bear the hope of Lantisde and proceed to the continent to seek out the method to undo the curse.”


  A crystal coffin raised up gradually from the middle of the deep ocean. In it lay a beautiful mermaid.

  A merman stepped forward, and worriedly said, “Great Sorcerer, Gina is still not able to survive on the land for a long period of time. If we let her go on the land now, she could die.”


  “It will be her utmost honor to die for Lantisde.” The man in black robe’s voice reverberated through the ocean. He waved his hand lightly, and the crystal coffin’s cover disappeared. The mermaid in the coffin opened her eyes gradually too.

  The man in black robe pointed at the disappearing scene, and shouted, “Gina, find him. Find the method to remove the curse!”