Chapter 610: A Favor

The residence assigned to each Prince was less a manor and more a fortified settlement. Towering stone walls enclosed vast grounds, reinforced by battlements and watchtowers from which soldiers could monitor the surrounding territory.

Smaller cottages, barracks, supply buildings, and checkpoints filled the space between the outer walls and the main manor, housing the hundreds of soldiers and attendants who accompanied each Prince to the Imperial Capital.

Anyone attempting to reach the main building would have to pass through several layers of security, each manned by soldiers loyal to its owner.

The arrangements made the residences feel like independent military communities, and with seven Princes gathered within the capital, the Imperial Palace had effectively created seven fortresses inside its own territory.

Damian sat on the window frame of his manor, one leg stretched along the broad stone ledge while the other hung loosely over the side. From there, he could see the soldiers marching along the inner walls in orderly patrols, their weapons and armor catching the light whenever they passed beneath the lanterns.

Those relieved from duty gathered in small groups near the barracks, chatting, drinking, and exchanging stories about the day’s events. A few had already begun speculating about the Council’s discussions, though none seemed eager to approach their Prince with questions.

Damian preferred it that way. His mind was occupied with matters far removed from the soldiers’ conversations, and the more he considered the day’s meeting, the less he liked the position he had found himself in.

His gaze shifted toward the Council Chambers in the distance, its towering structure still visible above the surrounding buildings. The discussion about the Dark Continent had complicated his plans considerably.

"I know you won’t tell me what’s bothering you, so I’ll ask something else," Elsa said from the couch not far away.

She had been watching him for some time, though she had wisely refrained from interrupting his thoughts until now.

She swirled the wine in her glass before continuing, "So tell me about your plans tomorrow. I have a lot of money that needs to be spent."

Damian lazily turned his gaze toward her. "Shouldn’t we be saving money for the auction?" he asked.

Elsa chuckled lightly, but her amusement faded when she realized he was being serious. She lowered her glass and regarded him with the peculiar expression of someone who had just discovered that her husband possessed a significant blind spot.

"Honey, how wealthy do you think Gildreach Vault is?" she asked.

Damian blinked in surprise and adjusted his sitting posture to face her properly. He had taken control of Gildreach after killing Lazarus, inherited its treasury, and forced its noble clans to submit to his authority. He knew the realm possessed immense mineral deposits and had spent thousands of years accumulating wealth under its previous ruler, but he had never devoted much thought to the scale of its economy.

"I have never really considered it much," he admitted.

Elsa crossed her legs and leaned back against the couch, evidently pleased to have found an opportunity to educate him about his own possessions.

"Well, Gildreach Vault has all the gold mines in the realm and several rare stone minerals. Wealth flows from our realm down to other realms, and for that reason, we aren’t allowed to spend more than 300 million Gold Tales during auctions. That is more than most realms generate on a yearly basis."

Damian’s eyes widened, and for a moment he struggled to find an appropriate response. He had understood that Gildreach was wealthy, but he had not expected it was to be this wealthy.

"I came here with a total of 500 million Gold Tales. Two hundred million are for spending, and I have the remaining three hundred million for the auction. You shouldn’t be bothered about finances." Elsa smiled proudly, clearly expecting him to praise her foresight.

Instead, Damian rubbed his chin thoughtfully. The initial surprise gave way to calculation as the pieces fell into place.

He turned toward her, his gaze becoming decisive.

"I need your help," Damian admitted.

Elsa immediately sat upright, her earlier relaxed posture replaced by alert interest.

"With what?" she asked.

Damian explained everything that had happened during the Council meeting, including the growing threat from the Dark Continent, the appearance of demigod level Totems, and Astaroth’s proposal to consider a truce with Heaven. He described the possibility of the Princes and the Ten Commandments turning their attention toward the same threat, then explained why he intended to vote against peace.

"I intend to vote against peace with Heaven, but I need money to fund massive demonic expansions in the mortal realms while I explore the Dark Continent alone," Damian said. "The Abyss believes the Dark Continent is a place where I can find the remedy to my broken soul. However, if all the Princes are present alongside the Ten Commandments, who and what will be their first target?"

"The demigod with two inheritances," Elsa murmured thoughtfully.

Her eyes narrowed as she considered the implications.

"Exactly!" Damian nodded. "I need everyone’s attention elsewhere while I solve the problem of my damaged soul. Even if I fail to fix it, I am certain I will come out of it a God. So I have nothing to lose."

Elsa slowly nodded, her gaze growing distant as she considered the resources and arrangements his plan would require.

Financing military expansion across several mortal realms was no small undertaking, but Gildreach’s wealth made it possible.

"I can definitely do that. It shouldn’t be much of a problem. Don’t worry about it," she said.

Damian smiled, releasing a sigh of relief he had not realized he was holding. "Thank you."

Elsa accepted his gratitude with a small nod and tipped her glass in his direction, carrying herself with the effortless elegance of a noblewoman accustomed to managing wealth and power.

"If you want to thank me, then you will let me help you train while we’re still here. It’s just like you said before. A mixture of God vein crystals and a God realm sex partner can be beneficial to you immensely," she offered.

"Sure. Why not?" Damian agreed without hesitation.

Elsa released a loud exhale as a smile bloomed across her face. Damian, however, had already turned his attention back toward the window.

"I’ll be back soon," Damian said.

Before Elsa could ask where he was going, fierce green flames erupted around his body. The fire engulfed him in an instant, and his figure shot out of the room, leaving a brief trail of heat in its wake.

The flames swept through the open window and curved around the manor, moving rapidly toward the rear courtyard. Damian’s robes fluttered violently in the air, his disheveled hair whipping around his face as he crossed the distance in a few breaths.

In the courtyard, Shin and Malachi stood facing each other with their swords pressed together. Their boots had carved shallow grooves into the ground as each tried to force the other backward, their arms trembling under the strain.

The moment they sensed Damian approaching, both disciples disengaged and leaped backward. The purple flames descended between them and smashed into the ground, scattering dust and small fragments of stone across the courtyard.

The fire quickly receded, revealing Damian standing in its center, his loose robes settling around him while his disheveled hair fell across his forehead. He appeared entirely unbothered by the abrupt landing, though the ground beneath his feet had cracked from the impact.

"Master?" Malachi muttered in surprise, lowering his sword as he tried to understand why Damian had suddenly appeared in the middle of their training.

"Teacher?" Shin rose to his feet with a stiff expression, his blindfolded face turning toward Damian.

Neither disciple had expected their master to visit them personally, especially when he had spent much of the day attending the Council.

Damian opened his palm, and a cluster of God vein crystals materialized above it. Their surfaces shimmered with concentrated energy, the faint radiance reflecting across the faces of his disciples.

Both men immediately recognized the value of what he was holding. Even a single crystal could provide a substantial boost to their cultivation, while several could save them months or years of effort, depending on how effectively they absorbed the energy.

Damian allowed them to see the crystals for a moment before closing his fingers around them.

"This can help speed run your growth, but I’m only giving it out if you guys can take it from me," he said.

Buzz!

Shin and Malachi exchanged shocked glances. The prospect of receiving God vein crystals was tempting enough, but the condition attached to them was another matter entirely. They had both witnessed Damian’s power, and neither needed to be reminded that their master could overwhelm opponents who would crush them without effort. Still, neither disciple wanted to back down after being offered such an opportunity.

"Don’t tell me you are scared. My powers are already nerfed by these stupid arrays. This is the weakest you’ll finally find me, so stop bitching and come at me with all you’ve got!" Damian declared coldly, spreading his arms as he waited for them to make the first move.