Cyril shivered after hearing Jeffree, and regained his wits instantly.

  If he was deposed as a board member, that would mean he was completely abandoned by Jeffree and removed from the successors’ list.

  That would be the most bitter pill for him to swallow.

  Meanwhile, his gaze swept across those people below the stage—who always buttered him up, but couldn’t conceal their disgusted and disappointed expressions now—and his heart sunk even lower.

  Cyril smiled awkwardly before saying, “My apologies. I’m too impulsive. Seems like everyone recognizes Gloria. As her uncle, I am happy about that, and I hope she would be a good board member and contribute to the Chamber of Commerce.”


  Cyril’s flowery speech didn’t receive any positive feedback. Instead, boos erupted in the banquet hall.

  Gloria smiled at Cyril. “Thank you for removing everyone’s misunderstanding of me, Uncle Cyril. I hope you, too, could do a part for the children together with me.”


  “I-I will donate 1,000,000 copper coins to that foundation today. It will be used to build school buildings.” Cyril nodded even though he looked as if he had just eaten poop.

  Gloria continued smiling. “Then I shall thank you on behalf of those children. I will let Mars assist with the donation matters in a moment. He is the person that goes between Blue Suede and the foundation. You only have to send the receipt to him, and he will settle everything for you.”


  “Alright.” Cyril nodded with a dark expression before quickly getting off the stage.

  Today was a huge humiliation to him, and he had suffered a double loss. The problem he had to consider now was no longer how to kick Gloria out, but how to maintain his position in Jeffree’s heart.

  Gloria didn’t hurry to get off the stage, nor did she react ecstatically over her win. Instead, she earnestly said, “Thank you for giving me your votes of support, board members. I accept this result with gladness and trepidation. However, making sure of this year-end celebration, I would like to appeal for the children who still couldn’t go to school yet.

  “The students of Chaos City are going to have their term break soon. This means a brand-new school term is about to come soon. Now, there are at least 50,000 children of school-going age who are not able to go to school in Chaos City. And currently, the funds that the foundation has raised and the new school buildings that Chaos School has extended could only accommodate 5000 new students. Furthermore, there is a great shortage of teachers.

  “For those children who cannot go to school, apart from those who have great talent, most of them will have to do the most basic menial work because they’ve never had a basic education. This is very unfair to them.

  “If the members of the Chamber of Commerce present today have the intention to provide some assistance to these children within your means, you can approach Teacher Luna directly or look for me. I hope we can all do our part to ensure more children can go to school and learn like your own offspring so they can obtain knowledge and change their destiny.”


  Resounding applause went on in the banquet hall for a long time. People were chatting softly among themselves about the donations.

  “Thank you.” Gloria bowed before moving off the stage gracefully.

  Very soon, businessmen began to approach her. Mars was following Gloria with a pen and notebook, and writing down names and amounts of money.

  “A person like she who cried out the problem of the children’s education has never appeared in our Roth Empire before,” the duke Abraham, who was sitting in the VIP area, lamented as he looked at Gloria.

  “Royal Father has once said that the ordinary folks need not be too smart. They won’t be easy to control if they are too smart. And those who think they are smart are an even bigger headache,” Vanessa whispered. After pausing for a while, she continued, “But, I think this doesn’t seem very right.”


  Abraham nodded with a smile. “We just have to kill a bunch of those fellows who think that they’re smart every once a while. Those who follow them are simply a bunch of clowns. However, I don’t think making more peasants smart is a bad thing. The real smart people are civilized, law-abiding, and courteous. They will instead take the initiative to defend law and order, like most residents of Chaos City.”


  “Law-abiding and courteous.” Vanessa was thoughtful. After a while, she asked Abraham, “Uncle Abraham, then why don’t you suggest to Father and have him rectify the situation?”


  “His Majesty naturally has his own ideas. Maybe what he believes is right.” Abraham shook his head with a smile before picking up an exquisite piece of pastry and popping it into his mouth. He continued, “I only like to eat, play, and enjoy myself, so I’m only spouting nonsense for the other stuff. Tell me, who is going to believe me?”


  “What about Brother Sean and Brother Josh?” Vanessa pursued the topic.

  “Sean resembles your father more, while Josh is more interested in magic than education. They, too, prefer obedient and not too smart people.” Abraham smiled. “You know very well that interacting with smart people is much more tiring than interacting with uneducated people.”


  Vanessa smiled at Abraham with conviction. “I believe in what Uncle Abraham said. A civilized empire built by smart people is the future of the Roth Empire.”


  Abraham paused his chewing and looked up at Vanessa with astonishment in his eyes, but he soon popped the other half of the pastry into his mouth, and relaxedly said, “You can say this in Chaos City, but don’t ever mention it back at Rodu, especially not to His Majesty. Otherwise, he would think that I have led you astray after bringing you to Chaos City.”


  “Father said women shouldn’t be involved in politics, but I think it’s great to let children go to school. I’ve decided I will set up a school after I return to Rodu so ordinary people’s children can go to school too.” Vanessa smiled.

  Abraham nodded with glowing eyes. “I think that is great. I will support you if you want to set up a school. I will provide you with the land and money, and you can build the school as big as you like.”


  “Then, are you going back with me to set up the school with me, Uncle?”


  “No way. Wouldn’t I take the limelight away from you then?” Abraham smilingly waved his hands. “I think I will spend my days eating hot pot in Chaos City.”


  “You’re too much, Uncle.” Vanessa looked at Abraham aggrievedly. Her passion to contribute to the education back home was largely diminished instantly.

  “Ahem. You see, I’m already old. How could you make an old man like me travel back and forth?” Abraham said as a matter of fact.

  ***

  Mag was invited to Michael’s private room, where he was alone.

  Michael smiled at Mag as he entered the room. “Boss Mag, I’m hereby informing you that the emissary from the Falk Tribe is going to arrive at Chaos City tomorrow. He will be inviting you to the Twilight Forest to provide the catering for Gary’s conferring ceremony banquet.”