After obtaining the information on the material for the Seven Color Rainbow Ring from the woman with red hair…

“If you don’t want to be thrown into the lake again, stay quiet in the prison.”

Woohyuk sent her to Heidelberg, the capital of the Rhine Kingdom.

Afterward, he called upon his personnel, who had been scattered around the area and taking a break, to gather together.

“Asura~! It’s been a long time!” Aris, who was researching various things in Inotia, happily greeted.

“How far have you progressed on the Qliphoth Fruit research?”

“It’s almost done. Only the last hurdle remains.”

The research was able to proceed relatively quickly thanks to the Fruit of the Living Water that Woohyuk had given Aris.

In the first place, the Qliphoth Fruit was the result of imitating the Fruit of Living Water’s principle but reversing it.

Woohyuk nodded and looked at the people gathered around him.

‘Fortunately, no one is missing.’

The attack on the Great Sage Arcane’s Tower was not mandatory.

Since the main purpose of this gathering itself was focused on nurturing talent, the mental condition and will of his talents were important.

Possibly because everyone felt the chaos of these times, everyone responded to Woohyuk’s call.

“I wonder what will be in the Great Sage Arcane’s Tower. Will a legendary artifact come out?” Sieg excitedly said aloud.

Some of those who were gathered weren’t included in his original plan and weren’t privy to the knowledge of possibly obtaining a legendary artifact.

Woohyuk turned his head and stared at the excited Sieg.

“What do you plan to do if we find it?”

“Oh, well… in principle, the person who found it first is the owner, but it should be handed over to the person who needs it the most. Since Brynhildr and I are joining to keep Tinia and Silvia safe, we have no intention of taking the spoils.”

With the partic.i.p.ation of Sieg and Brynhildr, the tactical force of the raid was further strengthened.

Thanks to this, Woohyuk was glad that he didn’t have to worry about an unexpected emergency.

Losing so many talents at once would inevitably hurt Woohyuk’s efforts.

“Hmm… it’s going to be a fun adventure. I’m also lucky to be able to follow in the footsteps of Great Sage Arcane,” Allen said aloud.

“I don’t really care, to be honest. I just want to gather things to exchange for money. Then, I can enjoy lemon jelly and black tea anytime,” Reina followed up.

When the story of the tower came out, Allen and Reina, from the Princ.i.p.ality of Croix [sic Croa], each said a few words.

Woohyuk first asked Allen,

“Is your physical change tolerable? I hope it was a decision you made without regrets,” Woohyuk asked with bated breath. For a male to lose his precious…

“I haven’t felt anything different. I’m not interested in women anyway. Rather, I’m happy to be able to increase my sensitivity and handle high-level magic.”

Previously, Woohyuk handed Allen the Spirit of Immortality.

It was a hidden reward received from Nakron in Dreadlore.

If one drank the Spirit of Immortality, one would enjoy eternal life and greatly enhanced magical powers. However, one would also have to give up one’s s.e.xual reproductive capabilities.

Reina, who overheard their conversation, looked at Allen in amazement.

“What? Then you can’t make a second-generation!?”

“I am interested in the path of a lonely sage rather than building a harmonious family. Just as some clergymen turn their backs to the world and practice their faith with their mind and body.”

Allen was truly a natural eunuch.

As Reina made an exasperated expression, someone hugged Woohyuk’s arm.

“Ho, ho, ho! It’s been a long time, my Lord. I’ve heard you’ve been fighting again recently. Is your body okay?”

The ident.i.ty of the speaker was Tinia, who was wearing plate armor.

Woohyuk shook her off with an annoyed expression.

“I just briefly lost consciousness. I’m okay now.”

“But I heard that you recently became engaged to a beautiful princess? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t hug a girl until the turbulence was over…”

“Of course. Thus, I plan to only be engaged and not actually wed. Even if I just hold them to an engagement, I’ll be able to control the Holy Aperia Empire.”

However, in order to make things easier, it was necessary to bring down Tiberius, the current Emperor, and put Eleonora, whom he had nurtured, onto the throne.

While Woohyuk was thinking of an appropriate method to achieve this end, a gray-haired old man approached them on horseback and came right up to their side.

‘He came a little later than the agreed-upon time.’

The newest arrival was the Empire’s Swordmaster Granver.

Woohyuk greeted Granver with an appropriate level of respect,

“You’ve come a long way, Swordmaster Granver.”

“On the way, I kept seeing crowds of Awakeners, so I was delayed.”

Recently, as the Qliphoth Fruits’ side effects kept popping up, the Holy Aperia Empire had been experiencing internal chaos and challenges.

The same went for other kingdoms.

As the demonic camp calmed down, new problems arose, causing trouble to continue throughout the continent.

At Granver’s worrisome words, Woohyuk nodded, as if sympathetic to the Empire’s concerns,

“Nothing is too strange in the end times. Everyone must be strong and remain vigilant in order to regain the peaceful days. This excursion schedule was also prepared in that sense.”

“It is only a great general, who is fondly referred to as the Hero King, who can say such magnanimous words with ease. The rulers of other small kingdoms are interested only in keeping their place.”

Granver’s praise was filled with a tinge of truthful regret.

It was because Emperor Tiberius, whom he currently served, was also pa.s.sive in working for the universal cause.

Thus, he believed that Woohyuk would be the perfect spouse for the Empire’s next successor, Princess Eleonora.

As Granver stared at him with a friendly glance, Woohyuk looked satisfied.

‘It seems he hasn’t noticed that I’m using Eleanora.’

Woohyuk wasn’t like Rasputin of Russia. He was the official fiancé of the princess, so it would have been rather strange for anyone to notice his true intentions.

Anyway, Granver was the best swordsman in the West.

The best results would come out if he entrusted Granver with talented knights.

After having a moderately social conversation with Granver, Woohyuk called Aris, who was waiting nearby,

“Aris, take us to the shuttle.”

“Oh! Okay!”

Their destination was a heavenly island in the air above the Princ.i.p.ality of Croix.

If there were only one or two people, it would be fine to ride a Pegasus to their destination, but since a considerable number was gathered, the newly invented shuttle was the most suitable means of transportation.

When he arrived at the outskirts of Heidelberg, Granver’s eyes widened.

“This, what the h.e.l.l is this? It looks like a structure that mimics a dragon…”

“It is a shuttle. You can just think of it as a s.h.i.+p flying in the air.”

For the present-day Eeth Continent people, a flying shuttle was a vehicle that seemed to come out of a dream.

However, Yoo Kayoung and Song Anna, who came from the same world as Woohyuk, boarded the shuttle without showing any surprise.

“Does the horsepower come from crystals? It’s very eco-friendly,” Yoo Kayoung said pa.s.singly.

“This is my first time taking a shuttle, sister!” Song Anne exclaimed.

Even though they spent more than 40 years in the training hall, the two were still young in the mind.

This was also the case for Lia and Canelian.

“Wow! Dad, how many people can ride this?” Lia asked excitedly.

“It’s a large sailboat that looks good, but it’s really amazing because it doesn’t need a sail,” Canelion added on.

The shuttle quickly became the object of everyone’s discussion and envy.

Woohyuk looked over the seats to make sure there wasn’t anyone missing before giving Aris the order to take off,

“You can start now.”

“Alright! Here we go!”

As Aris manipulated the b.u.t.tons on the board, the power source was activated, and the shuttle began to accelerate down the runway.

Eventually, as the shuttle climbed into the vast expanse, Leifina stared at Woohyuk and asked,

“My Lord.”

“Yes?”

“Where do you intend to go first after our group enters the Arcane Tower?”

There were currently two options available for Woohyuk after sending off his talents.

One was to go to the Krobaichen Isthmus to find the Alchemist of Death, Cadiz, or to go to the East to find the material for the Seven Color Rainbow Ring.

Woohyuk thought about it for a while and answered,

“Legendary quests have no fixed deadlines. Also, no one knows how long it will take.”

However, he roughly knew the whereabouts of the Seven Color Rainbow Ring material, so it was probably wise to deal with that objective first.

Leifina nodded her head in agreement and added,

“I think securing the material for the Seven Color Rainbow Ring is more important. Of course, you have to keep in mind the possibility that this also is Aleister’s trap.”

“Don’t worry about me, Leifina. Now is the time to take care of your own growth.”

“But I’m worried. I’m worried what may happen if you fight against the mighty enemies, like last time…”

After seeing Woohyuk’s memories last time, Leifina’s heart burned with compa.s.sion and desire.

Her awareness of their relations.h.i.+p in the past life became an impetus for her to be honest with her current emotions, which often led her to act beyond the limitations of the normal master-slave relations.h.i.+p.

Woohyuk made a slightly puzzled expression after seeing this different, more direct side of Leifina.

‘Leifina has been very open and direct recently.’

Of course, he didn’t hate it, but he was at a loss on how to treat her in this case.

Additionally, he was officially the fiancé of Princess Eleanora, and the Empire’s Swordmaster, Granver, was in their presence.

Woohyuk delivered a non-verbal thought message to Leifina,

[Leifina.]

[Yes?]

[If you’re worried about me, become stronger through this opportunity, and come back to my side. Once you’re strong enough, you can be by my side anytime, anywhere.]

He had said something similar before, but this time, his words were unambiguous.

Leifina stared at his face for a moment and then nodded vigorously.

[Yes! I will protect the Lord! No matter what happens!]

There were too many stories to tell and too many things to explain.

The shuttle flew toward the east sky, carrying two people who carefully tiptoed around each other’s hearts.

After the raid party safely entered the Arcane Tower…

“I have a request for you, Queen Elf.”

Woo-hyuk went to the Imperial Palace of the Princ.i.p.ality of Croix [sic Croa] and secretly met Elven Queen Ophelia.

“What kind of request did you have to personally come back and ask me, Hero King? Before we continue, I’m going to talk while having a cup of warm lemon tea.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m strapped for time. I’d be grateful if the elves around us could leave us in private.”

Woohyuk stared at the slender elf maids who were attending Ophelia.

Ophelia granted his request and sent off the elf maids. She then asked,

“Now, tell me what’s wrong. You are the benefactor of me and my people. I will try to help as much as possible.”

“I am trying to infiltrate the Eastern kingdom of Aize via the northern sea pa.s.s,” Woohyuk stated directly.

Ophelia was startled and covered her mouth.

“Oh, why are you going to go there? Rumor has it that the Aize Kingdom has awakened the Surry Giant Race and is using them to oppress and enslave humans.”

“The items I must obtain are being transported there. I must get my hands on them, no matter what.”

He had three remaining ingredients for the Seven Color Rainbow Ring.

Woohyuk had no idea how the Witch Clan was able to obtain the remaining materials for the ring, but they had gathered the materials in a secret place and were planning to move.

‘Obviously, Aleister and Golden Rose Society members will be present in the location they’re moving to.’

Hopefully, it was a chance to get rid of Logan as well, someone who had the power to become a large headache in the future.

Woohyuk eyes became lively as he listed the specific requirements for Ophelia.