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“Sure. You just have to rest well now.”

“Um… I’m sorry. I don’t know if I’m worthy of receiving this kind of treatment…”

“This kind of treatment?” Davey asked.

All the beastfolk that were in the seigneur palace’s treatment center flinched.

“Yes… Our village is a very small one in the south of the Central Continent. We have less than a hundred people in our village, so…we can’t afford to pay for this kind of treatment…” said the rabbitfolk girl anxiously.

Looking at the frightened rabbitfolk girl who was worried about being sold as a slave again for not being able to pay for treatment, Davey gently tugged at her ears and said, “Pay it off your entire life.”

“W-What?!”

“Do nothing but breathe and work to pay this debt off until you die.”

“...Y-Yes!!” The rabbitfolk girl tensed up and answered shrilly.

“What if you work like that?”

“Pardon?”

“Do you think my livelihood will become better or improve if you give me everything you earn?”

The rabbitfolk girl’s eyes widened as she asked timidly, “What does…?”

“I’m rich. I have enough money that you don’t have to worry about my livelihood.” Speaking calmly, Davey let go of the rabbitfolk girl’s ears and rose from his seat. He said, “Your treatment is finished. I have nothing more for you, so go back to your hometown. Go on, run away when I’m giving you the chance.”

“...”

Leaving the surprised rabbitfolk girl behind, Davey then called on one of the ladies-in-waiting who were standing by. He ordered, “Give them relatively ordinary clothing as well as a robe. Get some soldiers who are trustworthy, too.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” The lady-in-waiting giggled as if she was delighted and nodded. Then, she took the rabbitfolk girl’s hand and led her away. She said, “Now, let’s go. I will give you some fresh clothes.”

“H-Huh?! Wait! I have already gotten more help than I’m worthy of! I cannot get more…”

“I told you,” said Davey to the rabbitfolk girl, who was now silent and at a loss for words.

‘It doesn’t make any difference even if you give me all your life earnings. Do you think that would mean anything to me when I use a kingdom’s annual budget on my territory every quarter?’

“Let me ask you one thing,” said Davey. When all the beastfolk stared at him, he continued, “Did you ask for my help? No, you didn’t. I just rescued you guys. I wouldn’t have cared about you guys in the first place.”

To be honest, if it wasn’t for what Perserque had said, Davey would have stopped after rescuing the citizens of the Heins Territory and destroying the black market.

“So, take it when I’m offering it to you. And stop making me repeat myself.”

—You’re unnecessarily considerate. There’s another way to ease their burden if that’s what you’re trying to do.

Perserque giggled as she sat on top of Davey’s head. As she gently stroked his head, Davey snatched her up and quietly put her into his pocket.

—Ugh?! Handle me gently!

‘Be quiet. You’re being loud.’

Davey criticized Perserque before saying to the beastfolk, “I’ll send the people whose hometowns are in the same direction together. It’s just a sudden change of heart so there’s no need for you to repay me.”

“No way! Us Black Wolves never forget our debt!”

The muscular man with wolf ears peeking through his navy hair stood up. He rushed over to Davey and laid his crutches on the ground.

He had broken his leg from resisting fiercely when he had first been captured by the black market. Davey had fixed his leg, which was now limp due to the lack of early treatment.

“I… I am one of the forest kind. The ability to run through the forest is our specialty and pride. Unlike other humans who broke my leg, you fixed it,” said the muscular man as he knelt on the ground and bowed his head. “I will run like a dog if you tell me to do so! I will die if you tell me to do so! I will not be able to go back to my hometown and live comfortably unless I repay my debt to you. You rescued and saved me when I was dying!”

Everyone else began to murmur among themselves.

“M… Me too! I will do anything you want! Cleaning, laundry! Cooking! Uh… If not, I can even be of service to you at night!”

Not long after, the short rabbitfolk girl who Davey had just treated walked over to him and twitched her ears. She looked up at him in earnest.

“Are you all crazy? Do you remember where you came from?”

The rabbitfolk girl tilted her head in confusion. “What does…?”

“It’s the slave trade, you stupid. You got out of there, and you want to be a slave again? Are your slave instincts at it again? Are you insane?”

The beastfolk frowned slightly as Davey bombarded them with criticism.

Although they had stronger instincts, beastfolk were very similar to humans. They had a variety of instincts like sexual desires, anger, happiness, and hunger, but they had a different way of life than humans, who pretended to know nothing even after receiving help. That was why humans were so eager to enslave beastfolk.

“Even if you guys save up hundreds of dollars and give it to me, it won’t make much of a difference. So, go back.”

“I cannot! Please… Please kill me instead!” The wolf man shouted, almost begging. “What will I say to my family if I go back like this?! What would I say to them if I received your help but did not repay you?! Please do not let me live as the shame of the Black Wolves!”

Listening to the wolf man’s desperate shout, Davey couldn’t help but sigh.

‘It’s the hardest to deal with these damn stubborn dogs.’

“...M-Me too! The older sister who raised my siblings always said! She said that there are bad humans, but there are also good humans like you, Your Highness! She said that we must know how to repay the kindness we received! Please let us work!”

“T… That’s right! Although it may not be much, I will help, too! What should I do first?! Laundry? The dishes? I can do all of them! I don’t care if you don’t pay me a lot either!”

As the rabbitfolk girl also started to beg Davey, the beastfolk who had been silent also began speaking up.

‘Ah… These guys are hopeless.’

Davey, who couldn’t help but frown, slowly backed away.

—You are actually quite weak against people like this.

Davey could easily and confidently refuse those who would do anything for him, like pushovers and spineless people. However, it was hard for him to reject these beastfolk who were begging him to let them work for him.

At last, Davey turned away and said, “Ah, whatever, you bastards! Do whatever you want then!”

Crash!

Davey clicked his tongue as he slammed the door behind him.

“Chuckle… Big Brother.”

Winley and Tanya were staring at Davey, and so was Princess Maria through her blindfold.

“I told you, Sis. I told you he was definitely going to do that,” Winley said.

“Chuckle… Aw, Big Brother. You haven’t changed one bit from before.”

“I see him quite differently now that I know that he’s like that.”

“Come here, you.”

“Kyahh!”

Tanya and Winley ran away from Davey playfully like they were mocking him, and a chuckling Princess Maria followed them. Not having the strength to chase after them, Davey simply shook his head and frowned.

—It’s the sign before mana deprivation. Why don’t you take a break now?

‘No way that I’m deprived.’

—If the Sage had used the amount of mana you used in real time, he would also die of exhaustion in an hour.

‘What I have leftover is spirit mana, so don’t worry about me.’

The amount of mana Davey recovered per second was on another level. The quick recovery of mana was strictly based on one’s level of power, and one would possess an unhuman rate of mana recovery upon reaching the level of Assimilation.

Right now, a large amount of spirit mana was flowing out of Davey’s body. It didn’t matter for the skeletons who never got tired, but the dwarf craftsmen were different. As such, it was crucial for him to maintain the Spirit Kings Gnoass and Elliam to reduce the amount of stress on the dwarves. This way, he could also achieve the most effective speed of construction.

“Big Brother, has it been too long since you have summoned a Spirit King?”

“It comes one by one… Anyway, yeah, what’s up?”

Davey could see Royal Attendant Bernile and Baris approaching him.

“With all due respect, Your Highness, I think that you may have to pause the construction.”

When Attendant Bernile said that, Davey paused for a second. He then commented, “Are we out of materials? We should have enough money.”

“Yes, we have more than enough. The money from selling the jewels you have was so unexpectedly large that the finance department was sweating over it.”

This was unsurprising, because Davey had sold dozens of precious jewels that were so rare that treasure hunters who devoted their lives to finding hidden treasures in ancient ruins would only chance upon them once or twice.

As vampires were quite particular in their taste for jewels, most of the jewels that Davey had found were quite expensive.

“From what I know, the Alioui Merchant Company should be sending us materials nonstop.”

“That is also true, but… Please take a look at this.”

Royal Attendant Bernile pulled out a small envelope from his pocket. It was an invitation sealed with a wax seal in the shape of a two-headed dragon. The contents were simple: it was a request for Davey’s presence at an upcoming banquet.

However, it was not a collectively sent letter from the Lyndis Royal Palace’s banquet department. It was a handwritten letter from the emperor.

“Well, publicly, I am the chosen Crown Prince. It’s embarrassing when you are present, but I have received an invitation as well. I will escort you, so let’s go,” Baris said.

Davey silently stared at the letter.

* * *

Davey, who was on his second journey to the Lyndis Empire, skipped the tiring and labor-intensive physical route. He jumped through space while holding Baris by the neck. Where they ended up was right in the center of the Lyndis Royal Palace, three hundred meters above the ground.

“Huh! Ahhhh!!!”

Of course, Baris, who had jumped through space with Davey in complete oblivion, flailed around and screamed as he fell through the air. “Brother!! I’m falling!! I’m going to die. I’m going to die!!!”

As he ignored the screaming Baris, Davey stared at the quickly-approaching ground. When they were just a few meters above the ground, he released his mana without hesitation.

[7th Circle]

[High Reverse Gravity]

A gravitational magic spell that fully controlled their force of falling surrounded them. Then, Baris stopped flailing about and stared at Davey with wide eyes.

“Who said I’m leaving you to die? Stop acting weak.”

There was no way someone would see them fall because the night sky was so dark.

—And your meticulousness for silencing the surrounding, too.

“Ugh… I’m dizzy… B-Big Brother, why did you teleport to such a high…?”

“The Lyndis Royal Palace has three defense magic barriers from three wizard towers.”

It wouldn’t be difficult for Davey to break the barriers if he wanted to; he had broken the barrier of the World Tree, so how hard could it be for him to break the barriers created by a few boring men? However, he just chose not to do that since that would only cause a huge incident.

“Phew… I thought it would at least take a few days even if the Lyndis Empire was close to the Rowane Kingdom… But to arrive in less than an hour…”

“Welcome.”

While Davey brushed his clothes lightly to get rid of any dust or dirt, an old gentleman appeared in front of them. As if he had been waiting for them, the old gentleman bowed and said, “I have been waiting for you, Prince Davey O’Rowane. I am a servant of the royal palace. Please call me Gordon.”

“Baron Gordon. Did you know that I would come here?”

Baron Gordon looked a little surprised that Davey had figured out his rank, but he did not show it.

In fact, the old gentleman was rather easy to read with the Abyss’ Authority.

“Just a coincidence. However, all I heard from His Majesty was that you would arrive around this time.”

“Alright,” answered Davey calmly.

Baris, who was stumbling about, quickly got up with wide eyes as he was here as a representative of the Rowane Kingdom. It was different for Davey, who was here on a personal invitation and not as an envoy.

“Ahem! T-Thank you for greeting us, Baron Gordon. I-I am Baris O-Rowane. I received an official invite from the empire.”

“I was waiting for you, Prince Baris.”

“Ugh…” Baris groaned as Baron Gordon’s respectful and formal demeanor was too much for him to bear.

“The banquet has already started. Would you like to enter?”

“W-We cannot ignore the sincerity of the empire. Please, lead us there,” Baris said in a formal tone that did not suit him well.

Baron Gordon quietly nodded before lightly clapping his hands. When a few men wearing black suits showed up at once and bowed toward them, he explained, “They are the highest ranking servants of the royal palace. They will be able to escort you there comfortably.”

When Baron Gordon nodded, the servants respectfully took the coat that Baris was wearing.

“We will help you in getting ready.”

“T… Then, please. Brother? Let us go.”

Baris had lost a lot of his playful attitude as he was here for diplomatic reasons.

“Ah, Prince Davey O’Rowane, please enter a while later.”

“Is there something wrong?”

As for Davey, he acted no different than his usual self. After all, he was here personally and not diplomatically.

“His Majesty would like to meet you alone.”

“Please lead the way. Baris, sorry, but go to the banquet first.”

“A… Alright, Brother. I will be waiting.”

As he wondered what His Majesty the King would have to say to him, Davey left Baris to follow Baron Gordon. They walked past the royal palace halls in silence. Only after they entered a quiet but enormous meeting room was he able to see the man who was looking for him.

“Your Majesty, Prince Davey is here.”

“Let him in.”

Listening to that serious voice and feeling its strength, Davey walked into the meeting room. He could see Emperor Deorte dressed in formal attire. He understood that the emperor was getting ready to head to the banquet.

“Welcome. Would you like to play?”

Emperor Deorte pointed at something on the table as he sat in his chair, waiting. It was a game of Olde, a board game very similar to chess.

“From what I hear, you are very good at Olde. So? Would you like to play a game and place a bet? I will give you a good gift if you win.”

“It’d be a problem for me regardless of whether I win or lose. My opponent is unfortunate.”

“I didn’t think someone like you would say that, Prince Davey. I thought you never go easy on anyone, whether that be an emperor or a God even. I hope you don’t refuse as I have something to discuss with you.”

Davey smiled. “Of course, I will take that present with gratitude.”

‘You’re going to try to win against me?’

This was where Davey could fully make use of his incredible memory. There were more than a few people who had brains faster than computers in terms of calculating possibilities, and he was one of them.

‘No way can he win.’