"A ring?"
Jude was taken aback by Nate's mention of a "trillion-scale" business, and his gaze landed on the ring, which looked somewhat familiar.
"It's a login device for Internet Magic—the second-generation Magic Net Ring. You may not be familiar with Internet Magic yet," Nate explained.
"Internet!" Jude's eyes lit up in surprise as he raised his head. "I heard about it just the other day! So, you're the creator of this magic?"
Nate was a bit surprised. Unlike Lucy, Jude wasn't a mage; he was a super-rich ordinary person.
"I didn't expect you to know about it. That makes things easier," Nate nodded and got straight to the point. "The first-generation login devices could only be used by mages who could control magic, but this second-generation ring on the table can be used by anyone—even non-mages."
"Mr. Jude, why don't you try it on?"
Without hesitation, Jude picked up the ring and put it on. Just a few days ago, he had attended a gathering of the wealthy, where several mages from legal guilds were hired as bodyguards. During the event, he saw those mages using the internet, which attracted considerable attention.
From their conversation, Jude learned about the existence of the internet, created by some genius from Fairy Tail. He never expected that genius to be his daughter's... boyfriend!
Jude's previously weary demeanor changed dramatically, and his eyes shone with newfound vigor.
"How do I use it?" Jude asked eagerly after putting on the ring.
"See that lacrima on the ring? Just press it gently," Nate instructed.
Following Nate's advice, Jude pressed the lacrima, which released a small burst of magic power. This activated two spells simultaneously. The first was the Internet. The second was a mind magic spell: Mind Imprint.
This simple mind magic only served to extract a small portion of the wearer's mind to bind the ring to them. The effect was mild, causing no harm beyond a few seconds of lightheadedness.
Jude felt a brief dizziness, like standing up too quickly after sitting for too long, but the discomfort quickly faded. Soon after, a registration screen appeared before his eyes.
"You'll need to choose a username for the Internet. I'd recommend not using..." Nate started, but Jude had already typed his name.
[Jude Heartfilia!]
'Well, that's straightforward,' Nate thought, but he shrugged it off. As a wealthy man, using his real name might actually help promote the ring.
"That's the one I saw before," Jude remarked, staring at the forum with its constantly updating posts. "I heard that mages can now take jobs through the Magic Net. Is that true?"
Jude looked up at Nate, already sensing the vast potential.
Nate nodded. "Let me walk you through the main features of the Internet."
Moving behind Jude, Nate guided him step by step through the system. As the developer, Nate was intimately familiar with everything, and under his guidance, Jude quickly grasped how it all worked.
The more Jude used the Internet, the more astonished he became, his mouth opening wider as he processed the possibilities. Has the world of magic evolved to this level? This was revolutionary!
Jude looked at Nate, realizing the immense gift his daughter had brought him. Although he wasn't a mage, Jude was a successful businessman, and it didn't take long for him to see the Internet's enormous potential.
"That's about the basics of the Magic Net as it stands now," Nate said confidently after the tour.
"Next, I plan to develop a feature called 'Magic Net Delivery,' which will allow users to transport small, lightweight objects through the network."
"Like a teleportation spell?" Jude asked, intrigued.
"Something like that," Nate nodded. He had mastered the 'Flying Thunder God' technique, and by embedding it into the Magic Net's core, small objects could be teleported effortlessly.
In fact, it would be possible to teleport people as well, but the energy cost would be too high. For now, the network couldn't handle it. Only when the user base was vast enough would Nate consider enabling that feature.
Suddenly, Jude stood up, gripped Nate's shoulders, and exclaimed excitedly, "Son-in-law, you are the greatest mage I've ever met!"
'Son-in-law?' Nate was taken aback.
Jude, brimming with excitement, asked, "The business you mentioned is..."
"The production cost of this second-generation ring is quite high—about 50,000 jewels each."
"I'm hoping to work with you to lower the costs and mass-produce these rings so they can reach every corner of the continent. In the future, Magic Net rings will be a necessity in every household, revolutionizing the world!"
Nate outlined his vision. Compared to this, Jude's railway empire seemed like small potatoes.
Jude's entire body trembled with excitement.
'This is it!' The opportunity to save the Heartfilia company!
Lucy, if only you had told me your boyfriend was this amazing, I wouldn't have bothered with the Treniar family. Forget the marriage alliance. I wouldn't want my son-in-law to get the wrong idea!
Jude laughed heartily and said, "Don't worry. The materials used for this ring are high-quality. If we make a few adjustments and scale up production, we can easily lower the cost to below 10,000 jewels."
'That efficient?' Nate thought. 'No wonder he's a pro.'
"I'll leave the business side of things to you. I'll give you a 50% cut of the profits. Just one concern—what about quality control?"
Jude chuckled. "It's better if the quality isn't too good. That way, people will buy replacements."
Nate blinked. "..."
He glanced outside the window. Too bad there weren't any streetlights to make a point.
"Mr. Jude, you're truly a shrewd businessman. Your mind works fast," Nate said in mock praise.
'Capitalists should be hanged from lampposts!'
'Wait, does that include me now? Never mind, then.'
Jude, mistaking Nate's words for genuine flattery, grinned and said, "Hahaha, son-in-law, why don't you stay for dinner tonight? I'll have the kitchen prepare something special!"