My Muscle System in the Mage World

Strengthening his body wasn't an instantaneous process; while the attribute increase from his muscle system didn't require external energy, regular exercises to boost his muscle attribute still necessitated additional energy, which could be swiftly converted.

Shaking his head at these thoughts, Aur glanced at his young maid.

At this moment, Lucy's expression was one of disbelief, as if she couldn't fathom how Aur could consume ten kilograms of tier one beast meat. For an ordinary person, such an amount of meat could last for several months, yet Aur devoured it effortlessly.

"Is he a reincarnation of a taotie or something?" Lucy pondered, her gaze filled with speculation and calculation.

Aur remained expressionless as he allowed his maid servants to draw their own conclusions.

To him, these women were now entirely dispensable. With his status as an elder, he held the power to dispose of them without consequence. There would be no repercussions for eliminating her; at most, a cursory investigation would be conducted, swiftly ending without any substantive findings. Her value to him had diminished significantly, save for the potential use as a distraction for his enemies.

Rising to power inevitably attracted countless adversaries. Even aligning himself with the second elder's faction had made enemies of the first elder and the third elder's fractions.

For Aur, it was a simple equation: one man's fortune often came at the expense of another's misfortune. The resources allocated to the second elder's faction weren't gained from thin air; they were sourced from the shares of resources belonging to other factions.

Aur was acutely aware of these dynamics, understanding them as an inevitable part of the factional power struggle. Standing idly on the sidelines would only expose him to greater peril; in the tumult of factional conflicts, an unknown factor like himself could easily become a target for all sides.

"Sigh, I haven't even visited my own family for a long time," Aur mused, a fleeting warmth flickering in his otherwise cold gaze before extinguishing into icy resolve once more.

"Elder Aur, the dealer has arrived," Cameron's respectful voice interrupted Aur's thoughts, drawing his attention back to the present.

Nodding impassively, Aur rose from his seat and followed Cameron to meet the dealer. Upon arriving, he was greeted by a lean man sporting sunglasses and a golden coat, exuding an air of luxury.

Flanking him were two attractive women, also wearing glasses and holding pen and paper wearing tight clothes that highlighted their curvy body.

His eyes flickered with a calculative gaze and a hint of haughtiness.

"Are you the one?" Aur asked in a nonchalant tone, his demeanor exuding an air of authority.

"Please don't be angry, Elder Aur," the man replied with a bitter smile, introducing himself as Richard.

Aur simply glanced at him, his gaze unreadable as he took his seat.

"Since you know that I am an Elder already..." Aur trailed off, his silence hanging in the air.

Richard felt a strange chill run down his spine, despite Aur's lack of further words.

"Elder Aur, please forgive me. I wanted to sell you the best slaves possible while also making a business deal," Richard hastily apologised, bowing deeply.

Meanwhile, Aur calmly took sips of his tea, prepared by Lucy who had followed him into the room.

"Elder Aur?" Richard's anxiety grew as he received no response from Aur, wondering if he was being ignored or disrespected.

"What is he doing? Drinking tea? Am I invisible to him, or is he ignoring me because of disrespect?...." Countless thoughts raced through Richard's mind, fueling his growing unease.

Richard, a person who had inherited his wealth from his father, had initially believed that everything would go exactly as planned. However, as he observed Aur's calm demeanour, he couldn't shake off the growing discomfort and anxiety that gnawed at him.

He had invested a considerable amount of money to cultivate friendships with the young masters of prominent landlord families, a strategy that had helped him deceive Cameron into believing he had powerful backing.

When Aur finally spoke, poking into the conversation with a simple question, Richard's eyes brightened with hope. Perhaps there was still a chance to salvage the situation.

"What business?" Aur's inquiry was straightforward, prompting Richard to regain some of his confidence.

"The business is about gambling," Richard replied, a smile returning to his face as he elaborated, "The gambling industry yields substantial profits, as there are countless individuals willing to squander their wealth in pursuit of entertainment."

"Oh?" Aur raised his brows.

Seeing the raised brows of Aur, Richard grew even more excited, interpreting it as a sign of interest in his proposal.

"These gambling ventures will target the descendants of the authorities rather than common people," Richard continued, gauging Aur's reaction as he spoke. "These individuals possess significant wealth, but due to their lack of talent or complete absence thereof, their resources remain largely unused."

Richard's gaze flickered towards Aur, awaiting his response as he outlined the terms of their potential partnership.

"You won't have to lift a finger, Elder Aur. All we need is permission to use your name, and in return, you'll receive ten percent of the profits," Richard explained eagerly. "As a new elder, you naturally lack resources, and this venture could provide you with a substantial sum."

Aur regarded Richard with a simple glance, but the man felt a cold sweat break out on his skin as Aur calmly resumed drinking his tea.

"No," Aur stated firmly, his gaze unwavering as he met Richard's eyes.

"But... but..." Richard stammered, caught off guard by Aur's refusal.

"I said no," Aur states, his tone resolute. "Show me the servants."

Richard could only grit his teeth helplessly and hand Aur a list of people.

However, Aur's gaze wasn't on the list at that moment, but instead on the two women behind him.

"How much for these?" Aur inquired, his eyes brightening with interest as he looked at the two.

"These," Richard was speechless when he heard, "Elder Aur, these are not for sale." Aur was demanding his two personal assistants, whom he had worked so hard to nurture. Not only that, he hadn't even tasted the fruits of his labor yet. How could he let Aur enjoy them?

Richard felt indignant after investing so much effort in nurturing them from childhood.

As Aur's brows knitted in response, he glanced at Cameron, who nodded in understanding. Suddenly, Cameron directed a fierce gaze towards Richard, his presence bearing down on the man.

Gulp!

An audible gulp sounded from Richard as he felt the air thicken and his courage and bravado instantly vanished, replaced by a strange chill.

With a forced smile, he looked at Aur.

"Elder Aur, I was just joking. How could someone as discerning as you be fooled?" Richard coldly glanced at the two women with blond hair.

"From now on, go to Elder Aur. He is your master," he commanded them.

The two women seemed a bit dazed at first, but upon seeing Aur's commanding presence, they happily approached him with smiles on their faces.

"Master Aur," they said in unison, bowing respectfully.

Aur simply nodded in response and proceeded to review the list, marking several names.

After finishing, he handed the list back to Richard.

"I need all these people. If you dare to make any modifications or send spies, your life is over," Aur declared casually as he finished his cup of tea.

"You may leave now."