Spending My Retirement In A Game

Roughly around sundown, Eisen was able to see the islands getting closer and closer. He started flying as quickly as he could to properly get to Prototype soon, since he really didn't want to waste any time throughout all of this. He now had to help capture two more islands, something that had a higher priority to him at the moment than heading over to the gates leading to heaven and hell. And only after that would he go to the Giant Country.

It was still a fair bit away, despite already being so close. Either way, soon, Eisen was able to land in Prototype again. He placed the wooden box, or rather room, down right in front of the castle and let everyone out, before two guardians appeared right in front of him. One, Serio the Town Core Guardian, and two, Girland the Country Core Guardian.

"Welcome back." They said at the same time while Eisen removed the straps that he used to connect the box to his body while looking at the two guardians, "I'm back." He replied, and then quickly shrunk down before standing in front of the two of them.

"Good that you're here, Girland. I need to ask you a few questions later. But let's do that in the Guild Room." Eisen suggested while he got out the items that Komer's bodyguard Golems were stored in to hand them back to the merchant, and Girland slowly nodded her head.

"Of course, my King. But please, inform me of how your ordeal in Melroe went." She suggested, and Eisen slowly nodded his head, "Right, I should. Wait a second, I'm just calling everyone to the Guild room, I guess."

"My King." Girland said, and Eisen looked at her while turning away from the Chat Screen that he wanted to use to let the others know that theye're back, "Yes?" He asked, and the country core guardian lightly smiled.

"I have a slightly better suggestion right now, my King." Girland pointed out, and Eisen slightly raised his brows with curiosity, "Is that so? Alright, then let's hear it." The old man replied, and Girland actually slightly started to smirk. Eisen wasn't entirely sure if she was even capable of doing so sometimes, but apparently it wasn't actually an issue. He thought he might have messed up or missed something while repairing her.

Either way, Girland quickly turned around and then started walking up the steps to the large entrance to the castle, swiftly followed by the others. The wooden room that was used to transport everyone was brought to a whole other place by Serio while that was happening.

Eisen followed Girland into the castle, which was now actually brimming with life compared to before and at the same time it became neat and clean, no rubble or dust could be seen anywhere. And that was because of the people that were now working here. 

Numerous monsters from the town were taught by the First Generation Guardians what they were supposed to do. Most of them even evolved to fit their role better. So now they had maids, butlers, cleaning personnel, chefs, repairmen, anything that might ever be needed inside of such a large-scale castle.

Eisen wanted to see if he could properly greet everyone that was now working here, but it seemed like that would take a couple of hours at the very least. Instead, Eisen chose to just follow Girland for now. Maybe once things settled down a bit a gain he could take the time to do it, but for now he just had to do what was necessary instead of wasting his time like that.

And so, the group soon reached a new place. It was the throne room, and on the other side, Eisen could see a giant throne made for someone roughly 15 meters tall. It was roughly the size of his current height-limit without making use of the Draconic Demon King form, so it made sense for it to be like that. But really, Eisen wasn't entirely aware that this place even existed. He didn't explore the whole building yet, and rather than trying to focus on the things that may be found in here, he wanted to look at the things that could be found out in the town and help fix them.

"Here, my King. Please, take a seat." Girland said as she stood next to the throne, and the old man turned toward her with his brows slightly raised, "You want me to sit on that throne while talking to my friends about what happened while I was in Melroe?" Eisen asked with a light frown, and the Country Core Guardian, without a moment's hesitation, nodded her head.

"Of course. You are a king, this is how it was supposed to be, was it not?" She replied, and Eisen slowly shook his head accompanied with a deep sigh, "Did I act pretentious like that before as well? Or did I at the very least realize that it's something very... uptight to do?" The old man asked with his arms crossed as he looked at Girland, who just stood there holding her own hands together in front of her body, without actually replying.

"If I may." Serio suggested as he appeared right on the other side of the throne to where Girland was standing, "You barely, if ever, used this throne. Or this room, even. Of course, it may have had to do with the fact that you were barely here in the first place, or maybe just because you never truly felt like a King even in the past, but there were the occasions when you did indeed choose to make use of that title. While speaking to people of importance from all over this world, basically." Serio explained rather quickly.

"Personally, I think Girland may have just taken a liking to seeing you act King-like, which is why she is trying to make you sit on this. It always made you feel a bit more... intimidating, if you will." The Town Core Guardian added, all the whilst Girland slowly turned her head toward him with nothing but a deep glare.

With a light smile, Eisen looked at the two of them and sighed, "Thanks for the offer, Girland, but I think speaking inside of the Guild Room where we can really make sure we aren't being observed might be the better option." The old man pointed out, although Girland quickly stopped Eisen.

"My King, then at least, will you do something else of importance to you as a royal? I think at least while you are in this town, you should carry yourself like the King you are." Girland suggested, and Eisen looked at her before slowly nodding.

"Sure. What is it?" He asked. While forming another light smile, Girland disappeared for a few moments, although it seemed like she re-appeared behind the throne. Before Eisen knew it, she came back holding a few different items.

"Here, my King. This is your Royal Armor, Cape, Scepter, and Crown. Please, wear this from here on out." Girland suggested with a light smile. Eisen looked down at the items and then turned toward Serio, hoping for an explanation.

"Items you made exclusively to increase the effect of your royal blood. The armor is ornamental, so despite being of Divine Quality it only has the same defensive value as a simple set of Rank 7 Armor. Instead, it heavily increases your royal blood and charisma when it comes to actions related to you being royalt. The same could be said for the other items, as they do not hold any sort of special properties otherwise. You created the cape and scepter purely to complete a high-quality set to increase the effect's potency even more." Serio explained quickly, and Eisen slowly nodded his head. It was roughly how he thought it was.

So, without minding any of the other things, Eisen chose to just take the crown, the one item that wouldn't bother him even if he was wearing it constantly like this.

He should put the others into his item storage later, once he put proper storage opportunities in there, but for now it was good enough like this. The old man looked down at the crown for now. It was a rather classic crown, and didn't actually look too bad as far as Eisen was concerned. It seemed to be made of an alloy of platinum and gold, and its edges were lined in special crystals. The gems set into it were most likely inscribed with the properties that caused the special effects that Serio mentioned. After all, it didn't really seem to be enchanted.

That was what Eisen thought at first, at least. But when he tried to figure out why exactly the crown was so rough on the outside, thinking that maybe it somehow wore down over the years of not being used and just laying around there, the old man realized that this very much was not the case.

Instead, he started seeing patterns on the crown. Carvings so intricate and small that they seemed like they were the grain of sandpaper instead of actually carvings. It was incredible, really! Eisen really had to admit that this was the work of a master craftsman actually tiers above himself. It still seemed a little bit narcissistic to think this, considering that it was technically himself that made it, but still. He had the puzzle box in his hand before, and it didn't necessarily seem this intricately made. Sure, it was amazing, but the quality of the boxes was something that Eisen could easily achieve now. The amazing thing about the puzzle box was the effect of it changing its shape numerous times. Maybe it just seemed so otherworldly to Eisen with his current mindset anyway, that he could just never appreciate how amazing it was.

But now, holding this piece of fine craftsmanship in his hand, he really could just admit that the flames in his heart spiked up once more. Eisen already realized the excitement of growing beyond what he was capable of in the past 70 years of his life. 

It was just that he never knew what place he could reach. The fact that he was now holding this literally Divine item in his hands was exactly something that showed Eisen the goal. The height he was capable of reaching. The place he wanted to, and was going to go. It was purely beautiful, amazing, masterful, and that wasn't even the best that it could be called as far as Eisen was concerned. It was simply all that came to his mind at the moment.

With a light smile, Eisen placed this small treasure onto his head, where it simply fit perfectly, and then turned back around to leave the throne room again.