Chapter 77: Gaining Fame

“There is definitely enough Gold Thales. The question is how much you can take away.” Ace raised his chin slightly, speaking with intentional arrogance.

“As for what I am capable of, I am the city-state’s youngest scholar, skilled in linguistics and mathematics, the creator of Logic, and also an excellent physician and an outstanding painter.”

Solon stared at Ace, somewhat dumbfounded. Although he hadn’t had much contact with scholars, he had heard that most scholars were relatively humble. A scholar who bragged so openly was truly a first for him.

However, a paying customer is king. He still had to figure out how to satisfy the patron.

“Do you want to gain fame among the common people, or among the Nobles?” Solon asked.

“What would the approach be for the common people, and what would it be for the Nobles?” Ace countered.

Solon sincerely grabbed a handful of mutton, chewed it vigorously, washed it down with a gulp of Shaojiu, and swallowed.

“If it’s the common people, advertise your medical skill. Find people to act as decoys to demonstrate your skill. As long as you can cure the illness in the end, you will quickly become famous. If it’s the Nobles, they favor art and superficial things. All you need to do is create a masterpiece that shocks the world, and we will build the momentum for you. The Nobles will then fawn over you like lapdogs.”

Solon spoke carelessly and with great bombast. He suddenly leaned forward, his eyes fixed on Ace.

“The key is what you truly desire.”

“I want everything! Fame among the Nobles and the common people, I want it all! My objective is actually quite pure: to establish a trustworthy hospital with superb medical skill to save more patients!” Ace stared back at Solon, speaking with overwhelming conviction.

Solon found Ace’s words somewhat absurd. A scholar comes to the desolate Northern March and spends money to gain fame, just to save more patients?

If Ace is telling the truth, could he be a saint?

Solon dispelled the extraneous thoughts in his head and stared at Ace. “Then let us start by building momentum for you. We will advertise you as the most outstanding painter, attracting the Nobles’ attention. Then, when the expectation among the Nobles reaches a peak, you will create a truly outstanding painting, completely establishing your fame.”

“The foundation for all of this is that you are truly an outstanding painter.”

“Haha, you may advertise it. Just say that Ace, the painter who created the Bonfire Festival fresco in Cimali Port, has arrived in the Northern March!”

With that, Ace tossed down over 10 Gold Thales, turned, and left, his words drifting back to Solon.

“This is a down payment. I hope you do not disappoint me. Otherwise, what was gained might be returned double.”

Solon picked up the Gold Thales one by one, inspecting them carefully. He muttered to himself: “I’m going to be rich! I’m going to be rich!”

That evening, Solon exchanged the Gold Thales for Silver Thales and summoned all his creditors to his home.

“Clink, clank!”

Thousands of Silver Thales clattered down, forming a small mountain.

The creditors, men and women, young and old, had their eyes turn red and tried to rush forward.

Solon clapped his hands a few times, and a squad of soldiers appeared, surrounding the mountain of Silver Thales.

“Solon, what is the meaning of this? Do you think you can skip paying your debts even when you have the money?” a muscular man holding a large hammer asked aggressively.

“Don’t be agitated, everyone! I will pay back every penny I owe you, plus interest. And I also want to give you all a great fortune.”

Solon said, keeping them in suspense.

“What great fortune? I don’t want it. I just want the money you owe me, plus interest. Not a single coin less,” a woman with a cleaver said fiercely.

“Don’t worry, I will give you everything, plus interest. But, don’t you want more? This is the best opportunity. As long as you help me, each of you can get an equal amount of Silver Thales from me. The task is simple: help me hype up one person.”

“Hype up who?” someone asked.

“Scholar Ace, the city-state’s youngest scholar and most outstanding artist. Focus your praise on the latter. Use every means possible to get everyone around you to join the hype. I will ensure you gain even more.”

A few days later, various rumors about Ace began to circulate in the Northern March Fortress.

Daina complained to Ace: “Teacher Ace, look at the rumors! What are they saying? Some say you were born with three eyes and three hands, which is why you are so good at painting. Others say the Sea God personally blessed you at birth. I think this Solon is a rogue, and all the Gold Thales given to him are being wasted.”

“A rogue’s methods are not necessarily useless. If enough people say it, even falsehoods can become truth. The more genuine and false these rumors are, the more they pique people’s interest. Solon actually knows his business very well.” Ace said to Daina with a smile.

“Why don’t you tell me about your experiences at the Monster Hunter camp?”

“I have investigated very thoroughly these past few days. I have a thick stack of parchment. I will tell you this: the Monsters in the Northern Marches are mainly distributed in…”

Thus, Ace spent his days wandering the Northern March Fortress, learning about the local customs and occasionally painting. He watched the rumors about himself spread throughout the Northern March. Daina spent every day investigating the Monster situation in the Northern March, striving for complete data.

He wasn’t idle at night either. He spent his evenings researching the knowledge gained from the bizarre ritual and the small Demon he had captured and transformed. Ideas were beginning to form in his mind.

More concrete plans required building a specialized laboratory and conducting more experiments. The future hospital was the perfect laboratory setting.

Half a month later, many people began to spread rumors that a young painter with exceptional skill had appeared. He was elusive, and anyone lucky enough to receive a painting from him was considered extremely fortunate.

Gradually, Ace’s paintings gained wider recognition. Many tried to imitate his work but failed to capture the essence and realism.

His paintings became highly sought after, fetching a thousand gold coins. A month later, the Nobles’ enthusiasm for Ace’s paintings was ignited. Many tried every means possible to find Ace’s residence and ask him to paint a portrait.

Finally, the prominent Grand Noble of the Northern March Fortress, Hero Kent Rona, personally came to visit. Kent was the commander of the Northern March Legion, the son of the Great Hero Moore, and possessed a deep background.

The two chatted happily at the inn. Ace personally escorted Kent to the door and publicly presented him with a painting.

A few days later, the Northern March Public Office announced that it would fully support Scholar Ace in establishing a hospital in the Northern March. Simultaneously, Ace was invited by Kent to paint a fresco in the Northern March Frost Temple.

After two months, the sequential frescos in the temple were complete. They were stunningly magnificent, depicting the miracles of frost and overflowing with praise for Rona, the God of Frost.

Great Hero Moore Rona personally attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony and awarded Ace the Northern March Legion’s First-Class Medal of Honor.

“Scholar Ace, I see that you are favored not only by the Goddess of Wisdom but also by her subordinate god, the God of Art. I used to not believe in genius, but now I must. Your frescos us the descendants of the frost with honor.”

Ace received the medal of honor. Moore Rona raised his hand high. In an instant, Ace became the hottest commodity in the Northern March.