The day after the selection, the children went to school.
Tuition fees naturally have to be paid, two semesters a year, one gold coin each semester.
According to the courses set by Roland, they have to study for at least five years before they can barely be considered a 'master' and become a magic apprentice of some use, or an official mage.
Children from poor families naturally couldn't afford the money, but Roland made them sign a fairly loose written contract. They can use their own labor and help the magic tower to exempt some or all of the tuition fees, depending on how much work you have done.
Moreover, the repayment period is as relaxed as thirty years, and no interest is charged.
In other words, if the apprentice is willing to stay in the magic tower for a few more years after graduation and help with some work, he can pay off the tuition soon. After all, it is easy for magicians to make money, which is almost equivalent to teaching and training them for free.
All the civilian apprentices have signed. Although they are still young, they know very well that this is their only chance to break away from the current class and climb up. Even if the conditions are ten times more harsh, they will still sign.
There are also some businessmen from less well-off families and children of down-and-out nobles who also signed.
I encountered some minor troubles on the first day of teaching. Most of the aristocratic children were literate, but none of the commoners were literate.
How can a magician be illiterate!
Therefore, the last two classes were adjusted. Those who can read will be temporarily divided into one class, and those who cannot read will be placed into another class.
In essence, it is a class division.
Roland waited for a year to let the civilian children learn all the words, and then divided them into mixed groups.
Because there is already a clear distinction between nobles and commoners, and there is a huge class gap. If they are taught separately, then the two sides will definitely form two groups that have no contact with each other, and may even be hostile to each other.
So when the common people became literate, the two classes had to be mixed again.
It is also necessary to provide ideological and moral guidance.
After dividing the classes, Roland and Vincent left it alone for the time being.
After all, they are only teaching literacy and basic magic knowledge, such as how to perceive elements.
Vivian and others can teach this knowledge, and it is not the turn of Roland and Vincent to take action.
At this time, the two of them were sitting in the laboratory, drinking fruit wine and chatting.
"I have a question." Vincent took a sip of fruit wine and asked, "Will our organization accept players in the future?"
"Of course I accept it."
Vincent frowned and said: "But the players are too out-of-touch and too noisy. We are also players ourselves, and we know the virtues of people like ourselves. I'm afraid that the two of us can't suppress it."
"What you said makes sense." Roland thought for a moment and said, "Then only players who have been approved by us are allowed in. If the number is not large, there should be no problem."
Vincent stood up with the wine glass. He walked to the window, looked at the teaching building not far away, and smiled: "Do you think we can see these children grow up?"
"It sounds like we are going to die soon." Roland found it a little funny.
"No, I'm worried about the server shutting down." Vincent sighed and said: "It has been more than a year since the game was launched. It is said to be a test, is there such a long test? The game cabin has not been built for more than a year. For one thing, the recharge system has not been opened, and many rich people cannot do it even if they want to make money. What’s even more outrageous is that the virtual cabin on the market has been sold to 5 million, which is a hundred times the original price. The official still has not leaked more A virtual cabin is still expensive but not marketable.”
Roland also fell silent.
He knew Vincent was telling the truth.
Capital is born to make money, but until now, except for the initial 500,000 virtual cabins sold for some money, no game official has ever made even a penny.
Even if it is a free game, even if it does not sell krypton gold props, it should at least open a few advertising spaces.
However this didn't happen either.
500,000 virtual cabins were sold for 25 billion, but anyone with some common sense knows how much money such an unprecedented large-scale technology project will cost.
How long will 25 billion last
The maintenance of servers, the installation and maintenance of communication equipment, and even the wages of maintenance personnel should not be a small amount of money.
Roland estimated that the 25 billion should be almost burned by now.
After another year and a half of burning, it will be the end.
Roland thought for a while and said, "Maybe when they are short of money, they will find ways to make money."
"I don't think it's possible." Vincent shook his head: "As I said before, capital companies must make profits. Now this game and this virtual cabin are perfect. Why don't they make money? Why? Krypton will be launched one day later. If they don’t use the financial system, they will make less money for a day, which is completely inconsistent with the character of a capitalist.”
"So do you think there is some reason why the game company cannot open the krypton gold system?" Roland asked: "You are a rich second generation, have you heard any inside information?"
Vincent raised his eyebrows, looking a little surprised: "Your intuition is quite keen!"
"It seems so."
Vincent nodded.
"Can you tell me?"
"I dare not say it outside, but here, I think it doesn't matter." Vincent said: "Many people already know what the virtual cabin represents, which is second life. Some people with more background... you Understand, their children used to sneer at this thing, and now it’s too late to regret it. But they can’t take it hard, what kind of society is it now, a society of public opinion! One thing that’s not good is cheating their parents, so they convinced their parents , join forces to put pressure on game companies, and want to change some local policies related to games. This is a very reasonable approach, and no one can say anything."
Roland frowned.
"Then there are bald eagles, white elephants, cock-legged chickens and other countries outside that jointly put pressure on the game officials to hand over their technology. It can be said to be internal and external troubles." Vincent said very troubledly: "But the game officials don't know Why, the special alloy materials are not enough, but they are unwilling to build another virtual cabin, and I don’t know why!”
After hearing this, Roland also felt that something was wrong.
He doesn't understand either. It would be enough if the government just makes more virtual cabins. Why not
Do you have to go against so many forces? So stubborn
Are you afraid that if there are more than 100,000 or 200,000 people in the game world, it will collapse
What are the game officials thinking
Roland felt that he could not understand the official game circuit at all.
Vincent continued: "Anyway, if this continues, I'm not optimistic about the official future of the game. Unless they announce to the outside world that they will build more virtual cabins."
Roland felt a little sad. He liked this world and this game very much.
Now his future is tied to this game.
If the game is gone, his bright future will have to be shattered and started again.
It makes me feel uncomfortable just thinking about it.