Royal Capital of the Human Empire.
Inside the Imperial Study.
"That's the general situation, Your Majesty. Do you have any further questions?"
Commander Webster sat calmly at one side of the desk.
Across from him was a middle-aged man with short, light brown hair. He wore a set of black nightclothes trimmed with golden thread. His dark eyes scanned the documents before him as he sat casually, his fingers tapping lightly on the desk—tap tap tap—filling the study with a rhythmic sound.
His features were sharp and commanding, though faint wrinkles had begun to trace the edges of his eyes. Rather than weakening his aura, they only added to his gravitas.
This was Emperor André III.
He flipped through the documents, asked a few questions, and Commander Webster responded to each one with precision.
"That's enough," André III said at last. "You've worked hard. Stay in the capital for now and rest up. Once things escalate up north, I expect I'll need your help again."
"Understood." Webster stood and gave a respectful bow. "Then I'll take my leave."
André III waved him off. "Go on."
Once Webster exited the study, the emperor leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes with one hand.
Webster had just reported on the current status of the Radiant Mercenary Corps, including troop deployments in the north and mobilization plans for other regions.
These were routine matters—nothing out of the ordinary compared to previous years. André III listened mostly out of formality.
What did catch his attention, however, was a new piece of information—
His seventh son, Ron André, had recently been chosen by the Goddess of Harvest — Hervesta, becoming her Chosen One.
In this world, no secret stayed hidden for long.
The very morning Ron received the goddess's blessing, the news had already spread like wildfire, reaching the desks of many powerful figures.
As one of the few individuals on the continent who wielded absolute power, Emperor André III naturally received the information almost immediately.
Webster's report today merely served to confirm the details.
"The Goddess of Harvest's Chosen One... A mysterious flower shop…" André III's gaze flickered, his thoughts unreadable.
Knock knock knock.
A knock came at the door.
"Enter."
The door opened, and a plain-looking middle-aged man walked in respectfully.
He approached the emperor's desk, bowed deeply, and stood beside the chair where Webster had sat earlier. Slightly bowed, he said:
"Your Majesty, we've completed the investigation into Prince Ron."
André III gave a slight nod and picked up another stack of documents from his left, placing it over Webster's report. "Let's hear it."
Still in a low bow and avoiding direct eye contact, the man began:
"On the third day of September, you ordered Prince Ron to leave the palace. Commander Webster personally escorted him."
"On the tenth of September, Prince Ron arrived in Chaos City. He declined the pre-arranged villa and instead requested to live in a storefront."
"A few days later, his flower shop officially opened. It initially sold only one type of plant—Nether Orchid—which is known to attract elemental energy and enhance a mage's meditation efficiency."
"Mason, a dwarven assistant at Chaos City Magic Academy, was the first customer. From there, Nether Orchid began to spread throughout the academy."
"Later, Professor Hicks personally visited the flower shop and entered into a partnership with His Highness Ron, agreeing to purchase Nether Orchids in bulk."
"On the twenty-third of September, the flower shop introduced a new plant—Crimson-Gold Chrysanthemum. Its leaves and petals, when brewed into tea, significantly boost a warrior's Battle Aura activity and even raise the chances of forming a Battle Aura Vortex."
"The petals can also be consumed directly, which yields even better results than tea."
"Jasper, the local representative of the Radiant Mercenary Corps, was the first to purchase Crimson-Gold Chrysanthemum."
"Subsequently, the Radiant Mercenary Corps also entered into a bulk purchase agreement for both Crimson-Gold Chrysanthemum and Nether Orchid."
"On the twenty-fourth of September, Prince Ron hired an employee named Nora. After a thorough background check, we confirmed she is a half-beastkin with Catfolk ancestry. She's a local orphan in Chaos City, with a clean record and no known offenses."
"On the same day, Prince Ron began attending the Magic Academy, studying dual-element Water and Earth magic, as well as Wood-element magic, under the guidance of Edith, the elven saintess."
"In mid-October, Prince Ron visited the local temple of the Goddess of Harvest to perform a routine prayer. The goddess manifested a divine sign and officially chose His Highness as her Chosen One."
"On the night of the sixteenth of October, an assassination attempt was made on Prince Ron in the eastern district of Chaos City. However, before the attacker could strike, the Goddess of Harvest enacted divine punishment, instantly draining the assassin's life force and transforming them into a tree."
"On the morning of the seventeenth, the temple's ceremonial delegation from the Royal Capital departed for Chaos City. Archbishop Ulysses used a spatial teleportation array to arrive there ahead of the group to ensure Prince Ron's safety."
"Currently, the ceremonial team is nearing Chaos City. The festival ceremony is expected to take place at the end of October."
As he finished, the man pulled a detailed document from his robe and placed it on the desk, still bowing low.
"This is a full report on Prince Ron's activities over the past two months, Your Majesty."
André III gave a nod and casually flipped through the document.
It was thorough, with detailed and organized entries. The information matched Commander Webster's briefing, with no discrepancies.
"Send someone to purchase a few of the flower shop's plants and bring them back for me to examine," André III said after a pause.
"Yes, Your Majesty," the man replied. "Any other orders?"
"For the upcoming festival ceremony at the end of October, send Princess Mia to represent the royal family," André III added. "Have her set off early and pay her brother a visit while she's there."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Also, have Chaos City organize a patrol unit specifically responsible for Ron's day-to-day security. Archbishop Ulysses can't stay there indefinitely, and it's unseemly for a prince to go without proper guards."
"Understood."
"And arrange for someone to stay close to Ron in secret. Make sure he doesn't notice."
"This..." The man hesitated, then asked cautiously, "Is this to... monitor—"
He didn't get to finish the sentence before André III gave him a sharp look.
"Don't make it sound so unpleasant," the emperor cut him off coldly. "It's for his protection. With the patrols in the open and this person in the shadows, we'll ensure his safety more effectively."
The man dared not speculate further and simply asked, "Then who shall we assign for the task?"
André III tapped the armrest of his chair thoughtfully for a few seconds.
"Didn't he have a thing for beastkin? Send Yuna."
"Yuna... you mean the fox lady?" The man's mind conjured up a sultry figure, and he felt a strange chill creep through a certain vital organ. "I... I understand."
André III ignored his reaction and tossed the document back onto the table.
"If that's all, you may go."
"Yes, Your Majesty."