Indeed, King William II was furious and ordered a thorough investigation into the assassination attempt. The entire capital of Kamarlon was turned upside down by the royal guards. They arrested numerous criminals and escapees, found plenty of stolen goods and evidence, but the assassin who attempted to kill the Prince of the Night vanished like a shadow. King William II's anger led to the execution of many thieves and escapees who could have otherwise escaped with bribes, as well as some officials and related personnel involved in cover-ups.
Anyone not blind could see that King William II used the investigation as a pretext to tighten security in Kamarlon.
To give an account to the Prince of the Night, the King decided to meet and console him personally. The previously unpublicized alliance document was officially signed, compensating for the Prince's unpleasant experience in Kamarlon.
During this time, the Temple surprisingly did not intervene in King William II's actions and remained silent on the trade and alliance cooperation between Kamarlon and the Abyss. The assassination attempt on the Prince of the Night sent shockwaves through the capital. Who dared to infiltrate the Marshal's residence to assassinate the Prince of the Night? Without inside help, how could the assassin know the Prince was with the Duchess in a secret chamber?
Besides King William II, Marshal Goten also expressed strong anger. He publicly accused certain malicious individuals of orchestrating the terror attack as a provocation against the entire Kamarlon Empire. If the supporting force behind this was identified, Kamarlon would unite with all its allies to retaliate.
As for the Prince of the Night, he expressed gratitude to the Duchess for calling the guards at the crucial moment. He gifted her a large bottle of 'Dark Magic Spring,' which could restore youth, and planned to award her the Abyss's Purple Diamond Badge, appointing her as a First-Class Loyal and Brave Lady of Darkness.
The world ignored the title of First-Class Loyal and Brave Lady of Darkness, as it would have been strange if it were 'First-Class Loyal and Brave Lady of Light' for an Abyss appointment. The Purple Diamond Badge was also disregarded, but when the news of the youth-restoring 'Dark Magic Spring' was reported, all women were shocked and went crazy.
People didn’t have time to doubt the effects of the Dark Magic Spring, as the first to try it was not the Duchess, but the Queen. The beautiful Queen, upon hearing about the Dark Magic Spring, sent an envoy overnight with her diamond brooch as a small gift, hoping to exchange it for the Dark Magic Spring.
The Prince of the Night didn’t disappoint her; he reciprocated with a bottle of Dark Magic Spring and gifted her a hundred 'Fairy Fruits' that could maintain a fairy-like beautiful figure. The Cardinal of the Temple, upon hearing this, reportedly tried hard to dissuade her. He said drinking the Dark Magic Spring violated the devotion to the God of Light and suspected that the Dark Magic Spring and Fairy Fruits could be harmful rather than beneficial to humans.
The Cardinal's view was that the human body, a gift from God, should not be altered at will.
However, when the Queen saw her own obese cook transform from nearly three hundred pounds to a seductive, stunning beauty in just three minutes after eating a Fairy Fruit, she ignored the Bishop's advice to dispose of the Dark Magic Spring and the Fairy Fruits. Instead, she asked the Bishop to leave the palace. She assured her devotion to the God of Light and stated she would never change her physical appearance. However, for the first time, she decided to ride in a magnificent magic carriage to parade through the capital, comforting the citizens shaken by the assassination attempt.
Even a blind person could see that today's Queen was remarkably different from usual. She was more beautiful, her figure ten times more voluptuous, radiating an enchanting aura that had every man in the capital swallowing their saliva.
The Queen's great deed of rising early to console her subjects was questionable, but everyone had to admit one fact: the Queen was in an exceptionally good mood today, her smile brighter than the morning sun...
That day, all magical newspapers reporting on the Prince of the Night sold out. Magicians were exhausted from repeatedly magically duplicating the papers, which were snatched up by the public before they could even be packaged. Especially the reports written overnight by the Prince's lowly servant, Ivan Yev, saw their prices increase tenfold, and still, there was a high demand.
Through Ivan Yev's firsthand report, the people of Kamarlon learned that in the Abyss, where the Prince of the Night resided, there were no ugly women. Not only did the Abyss lack ugly women, but it also had no incompetent men.
Besides producing Dark Magic Spring and Fairy Fruits, the Abyss boasted many other astonishing specialties, particularly one that made all the men of Kamarlon feel rejuvenated.
This item was called the 'Giant Fruit.'
Of course, eating a Giant Fruit wouldn't transform one like the Fairy Fruit does; it wouldn't literally turn someone into a Titan. However, it was said to awaken a man's strength, giving him the power of a giant. According to Ivan Yev's report, even the weakest and most incompetent coward could become a powerhouse within a day of consuming the Giant Fruit... Ivan Yev warned that overly robust men should not consume the Giant Fruit, and one should ensure they have at least two female companions nearby when deciding to eat it, or else it could be a very painful experience.
At noon, the Temple issued a decree, strictly forbidding devout followers from purchasing Dark Magic Spring, Fairy Fruits, and Giant Fruits, or any other dark specialties. The reason given was that consuming these dark fruits would harm the human body and corrupt their devout faith.
The Temple introduced 'Angel's Holy Spring,' supposedly also rejuvenating, but only the most devout followers could obtain it. Everyone who hoped to acquire the Angel's Holy Spring had to publicly renounce any connection with the dark and donate a significant amount of money. Many bishops visited King William II of Kamarlon, requesting the prohibition of dark specialty sales within Kamarlon, as it contradicted the teachings and laws of the light.
King William II was visibly annoyed by this but agreed to the Temple's request, consenting to the prohibition of public sales of dark specialties.
Upon learning this, the Prince of the Night merely laughed it off, unconcerned.
"I never intended to sell them... These things cannot be bought with money, and to me, money is as abundant as stones on a mountain and sands by a river, never lacking." The Prince of the Night's words made the people of Kamarlon feel as if the end of the world was near. He possesses such wonderful things, yet he chooses not to share them with the world. How selfish is that?
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"The Prince of the Night, I know him to be a generous man, his greatness shining as bright as the entire night sky," said Finance Minister Mack in the midst of the nobles, awakening them from their reverie. He said, "The Temple opposes Kamarlon selling dark specialties, and His Majesty agreed. The Prince of the Night is not in need of money, so why do you all crave to purchase? Is there no other way than this lowly merchant behavior? I think you should display the manners of nobility and visit the great guest from the mighty nation, the Prince of the Night."
These words enlightened the nobles.
Almost all nobles prepared their finest gifts and visited the Prince of the Night. Despite the crowd, everyone didn't mind squeezing together. They weren't there for the drinks but to get through the door. Whether the Prince of the Night came out to meet the guests was not a high expectation... Each person desperately handed their gifts to the steward Nicholas or the maids.
Of course, when they left, they didn't forget to receive the Prince of the Night's generous return gifts from the demon generals and dark knights.
That evening, at the salon hosted by Finance Minister Mack, everyone realized that each man's companion was radiating beauty, unrecognizable from their usual selves. Some noblewomen, who usually avoided such events, graced the occasion in elegant dresses, introduced by Mack.
Without Mack's introductions, no one would believe that these women, once considered suicide-inducing at sight, had become so enchanting.
Almost every nobleman puffed out their chests with pride.
Only those who were loyal to the Temple looked gloomy and insecure, hiding in the crowd. Their companions, in contrast to the radiant noblewomen, seemed even more lackluster. Some of these women wept in sorrow, while others sought help from familiar friends...
That night, the arrival of the Prince of the Night was met with a storm of applause, with the Duchess eagerly throwing herself into his arms. Kissing the Prince of the Night's hand was a luxurious act, coveted by numerous noblewomen and ladies. Only those personally introduced by Finance Minister Mack had the privilege.
Only noblemen of duke rank and above could shake hands and embrace the Prince of the Night. Even marquises and earls had to be outstanding individuals to approach him.
With the red-robed Bishop of the Temple declining to attend, everyone unhesitatingly invited the Prince of the Night to sit in the Bishop's reserved seat.
"Before wishing everyone good health, I'd like to say a few words to my dear friends," the Prince of the Night raised his glass, prompting everyone to stand and join him in a toast. As he began to speak, the banquet hall fell into silence. The Prince of the Night smiled, "Some may have unnecessary worries, and others may have many accusations, but my dear friends, if you wish, you can drink the holy water along with the spring water; you can rinse the fresh fruits with holy water. The Gods have given us light, which is true, but they have also given us the night. This is not my greatness, but the gift of the Gods. So, what else can I say, other than wishing everyone health and happiness in life..."
"To your health and happiness, dear Prince!" The excited crowd couldn't help but raise their glasses to the Prince of the Night. The Prince had subtly made it clear that, although products like the Dark Magic Spring and Fairy Fruits are specialties of the Abyss, they are not evil products opposed to the light. On the contrary, just as day and night coexist, they are gifts from the Gods.
The people were not at all worried about their faith being affected. The nobles believed that finding a truly devout follower amongst them was harder than finding a virgin in a brothel. The only concern was the duration of effects of the Dark Magic Spring, Fairy Fruits, and Giant Fruits; they couldn’t last forever. How long would their effects last?
No one was foolish enough to ask the Prince directly, so the steward Nicholas and lowly servant Ivan became the focus of the nobles.
It was soon clear to everyone.
The Giant Fruit's effect was the shortest, lasting only a day. The Fairy Fruit lasted a bit longer, varying from person to person. The more perfect the original form, the longer the effect lasted. For a 300-pound individual, the effect would fade in less than two days. The advantage of the Fairy Fruit was that its effects could be stacked and didn’t wear off as quickly as the Giant Fruit, which lost effect quickly after use.
As for the Dark Magic Spring, its effect was quite durable, although it only worked on women. A small cup could prevent aging for two months, and the more one drank, the younger and more radiant they appeared...
The subsequent concern was whether the Prince could continue supplying these products, as people realized they couldn't live without them. No man wanted to return to weakness after experiencing strength, and no woman wanted to return to an aged and overweight form after tasting youth and beauty.
Steward Nicholas reassured everyone: the territories of the Abyss were far larger than the human lands, with Dark Magic Springs as abundant as lakes and magical flowers and trees fruiting continuously.
When asked how the Abyss managed its own consumption, Nicholas explained that besides the royal family, the Abyss was a world of magical creatures, all serving as slaves to the Abyss. The few humans like Nicholas, dark wizards, dark knights, and demon generals, were either war captives or slaves. There were no commoners in the Abyss, only royalty and slaves... The Prince's gaze upon humans, as if they were mere insects, made sense as he didn't perceive equality.
Everyone envied Ivan for being a lowly servant to the Prince, considering him extremely fortunate.
The Temple's spies were shocked; the Abyss was not to be trifled with, for it was immensely powerful.
Before the banquet, the Prince offered the ladies a drink of water, earning applause for his generosity. The Giant Fruit secretly placed in the figs surprised the men, who toasted the Prince thrice at Mack's suggestion. Although a few clerics from the Temple were present, they did not refuse their companions from drinking the 'Dark Magic Spring' and even sneakily consumed the 'Giant Fruit' themselves, either eating it on the spot or pocketing it.
Regarding the clubs among the nobility, the Prince of the Night expressed his willingness to join, regardless of whether he had heard of them or not. Of course, no one dared to charge him a membership fee. His joining was considered an honor, a glory even more exciting than a personal audience with Emperor William II.
Some club chairmen secretly passed notes to Ivan, indicating various activities planned for the next few days and inviting the Prince of the Night to attend. Of course, they also slipped in some gold coins.
The gifts given to the Prince of the Night by the nobility were never in the form of gold coins. That would be considered vulgar and insulting. Was anyone richer than the Prince of the Night? No, there were rumors that Emperor William II was even planning to borrow three hundred thousand gold coins from the Prince to address the national deficit caused by tax exemptions. So, giving gold coins directly to the Prince was tantamount to a death wish. To please the Prince, the nobility had to resort to art pieces, and thankfully, the Prince had a high appreciation for art.
The noble families had many art collections, and as a result, previously undervalued professions like poets, singers, and painters suddenly became popular. Even street clowns and magicians were being brought into noble households.
At the magic academy, students in the arts, who used to be the poorest, were now receiving substantial support. Funding for the arts had reportedly increased to levels near those of the clergy, ranking second only to the magic department. The nobles were clever; although the Prince was wealthy, he surely wouldn't turn his gold coins into patterned bricks to build castles, right? That would also count as art.
The Alchemy Guild designed five types of gold coin castles. One prototype, hastily completed, was already presented to the Prince by Finance Minister Mack. Though the Prince wasn't interested in gold coins, he was pleased with the ingenious design of the castle and admired the exquisite patterns on it.
Minister of Finance Mack deeply regretted not having the alchemists' guild engrave the portrait of the Prince of Darkness on the coins. He believed if he had that idea earlier, the Prince of Darkness would have been much happier. Nonetheless, Nicholas, out of joy for his master's happiness, secretly added a bottle of Dark Magic Spring as a gift from Minister Mack.
For this loyal butler, his sole purpose in life was to bring more joy to the prince. Minister Mack clearly understood this. He knew that if his loyalty to Emperor William II was even one-thousandth of the butler's devotion to the Prince of Darkness, the emperor would probably entrust him with half the kingdom. Pleasing the Prince of Darkness was challenging as he lacked nothing, but appeasing Nicholas, the steward, was easy. All he needed to do was put more thought into making the prince happy…
“Dear Prince, I know that on the 10th of next month is the annual horse racing festival in Bourse. But I was thinking, maybe we could also hold a horse racing event just among us nobles, racing with our fastest horses. What do you think? Would you be interested in participating?” Minister Mack planned to spend a week preparing for this horse racing event. He was confident the Prince of Darkness would join, as the prince owned a nightmare beast, making his chances of winning incredibly high.
“I don't have a horse, but if a nightmare can participate, then there's no problem,” the Prince of Darkness seemed intrigued.
“Great Prince, your horse can be prepared by the servants, this is absolutely not an issue, even if you need it by tomorrow,” Nicholas replied respectfully. “Just give the order, and tomorrow morning, the finest horse in the world will appear before you.”
“No, I want to buy a horse, it’s more interesting to buy one myself,” the Prince of Darkness laughed heartily. “I’ve decided to participate, and I’ll compete using a horse.”
“Prince, I’d like to have a private word with you…” The Duchess couldn't wait any longer. Although it seemed there were many others waiting to discuss important matters with the Prince of Darkness, she really couldn't wait.
“Hahaha, a beauty's appointment is most important. Prince, we can talk about the event later, there's no hurry,” Minister Mack prepared to congratulate the Duke in the distance, who seemed to be about to strike good fortune. The old Duke looked particularly rosy today, his white hair appearing especially spirited in contrast, having just returned from a rest not long ago. He was now having a lively conversation with the Baroness and the Countess, seemingly turning back time by forty years.
“A beauty's appointment…” The Prince of Darkness smiled slightly, seemingly looking forward to what was to come.