"So I do not need to become a butcher at all. I can just relax and eat things? They give same level of experience and I feel my stomach is not a stomach but a hole." asked Aeron. If not working was possible he would take it. His stomach was still empty after eating that.
Not really master. You are just in level 0. There are many levels, can you eat thousands of mice? Besides mice just provided you with 6 CP. If you depend on eating that soon you will hit a bottleneck.
"Oh well, but at least- Wait a second! I can eat magic cores of beasts!" said Aeron now he had thought of that! If he ate cores he would improve swiftly! But there were only one concern, they were expensive. Aeron had checked his house and found hundred gold. In fact, one gold was enough for a middle class family and he had hundred!
With this it should be possible to go to market and look for some magic cores and other parts of body of beasts. When he was powerful enough he could join the Blazing Sun Academy. He wanted to compete with talents and make friends. Of course when he joined the academy he could have bounty hunts or missions.
Bounty hunting literally killed four birds with one stone for him. First he would be able to kill, second he would be able to increase his own power, third he would get money from government, fourth he could loot their hideouts!
Bandits would eventually would have gathered quite a lot of wealth. Wealth that he would need. For him they were wery convenient targets.
He also could go on a hunt for magical beasts. With more people he could wander in to areas he could not go alone, kill things he could not kill alone. His speed of getting magical cores would be faster.
Also he might find out what ghosts were and where he could find them. Every kind of knowledge in the entire country was gathered there. He had a rough idea but not the exact details.
But if he wanted to gain entrance he must show talent. Talented enough to actually gain entrance. He was already 18. If he could not gain admittance by the time he was 20 he could forget about entering it.
To advance the best way he could come up with was hunting and eating magical beasts. Killing bandits and outlaws was also fine, so was killing corrupt people. Evil done unto evil would be considered good.
Probably from cicada's eyes mantis was evil and oriole was good. For mantis cicada was food and oriole was evil. For oriole mantis was food and cicada was not even in his sights.
For common citizens bandits were evil and bounty hunters were good. There really was a food chain among living people. So long as someone was on the top of that chain he could make even the emperor bow before him.
Now that he thought about food chain, as ridiculous as gaining power from eating something may have seemed, each and every part of food would come from something which was once alive. Act of eating was consuming life of something else to prolong his own.
Especially in earlier cultures there was a great importance in eating. One who eats tiger will take tiger's power inside him and it would be the truth. Tigers every part could be considered a medicine and would improve body. In a way they did consume tiger's strength along with its body.
It was also the truth. Meat is highly nutritious and filled with proteins good for development of bones and muscles. Which is the benefits everyone could get.
Also all of the animals and some plants possessed mana. Most of these were used to make countless potions. His ability just allowed him to use unprocessed ingredients to get the processed result!
Aeron's stomach again growled like it wanted more. Aeron could only sigh, he still was feeling like he was starving. He felt like he could eat an entire feast and could go on eating again.
He decided to go out now and changed his clothes to new ones. If his strength increased really fast and he was seen buying magical cores it would raise suspicions. There would be some who would believe he had gotten some treasure.
Belief did not really even needed some proof and he did not know what power levels in this world were. He had to proceed with caution. If a careful person measured twice and cut once, he would measure dozens of times.
He was not afraid of anything, but if such a thing happened this could invite calamity to people he loved. It was better to think twice before acting.
For now he should simply go out and check out the places that sold those cores and potions. He could act like a prodigal person and he would not stand out one bit. His infamy had already spread to four corners of the world.
As he just opened his door, Valeria was going to knocking on the door and was not paying attention. Her hand unintentionally touched Aeron's nose.
"Oh my! Sorry about that Aeron! Were you going out?" said Valeria. Aeron looked at her. Why did she came?
"Yes, mother. I was thinking of having a stroll in the garden or going to market, maybe buy little Zara one or two toys" said Aeron. When he said little Zara his eyes lightened up with a soft expression, his mouth formed a little smile when he remembered her.
Even he himself was suprised at his change. Zara was a little child and he rather liked children but, he never liked one this much.
He liked children for their purity. They would be untarnished by the world, a blank page. It was because this was beautiful that he liked children. He was a doting brother, huh? There were a lot of new sides to himself, even he did not know.
"Hmph! Don't buy her anything, she is still grounded! You dote on her too much." said Valeria with a strict expression. Zara was like herself, how would she not know of her habits?
Valeria remembered her mother. Who knew she had done so much trouble for her? She now could say karma existed. Zara since when she was a baby, was a little imp. She would sleep when Valeria was not there and when Valeria dared to come to sleep, she would begin to cry two hours straight.
"So mother why did you came?" asked Aeron. Valeria whose thoughts wandered off thinking of those long sleepless nights opened her eyes again like she was awakened from a sleep.
"Oh, we were going to eat breakfast, since you did not show up I came to get you." said Valeria. Valeria was thinking that all the family should be united for meals, so they would talk. Normally Xander would be in his garden closed off from the people or in academy giving a class, which was all too rare.
Erwin would train day and night and would go to the court in place of his father. So this was the time for family members to be united, much of their discussion would be while eating meals. She was taught that it was the duty of the mother to bring the entire family together.
"Okay, mother." said Aeron and followed Valeria. He thought he should use this family gathering to announce he was going to join military and would be under Xander's tutelage. So him swiftly advancing would be considered natural.
*****
"Everyone may I have a moment of your time? I have decided! I want to train under grandfather and join the military!" said Aeron when everyone sat down for dinner.
"O The Great heaven! Great ancestors! O, The Great Sol! You all finally have opened your eyes and saw me! You have finally heard the pleas this descendant!" said Xander before everyone could even speak and he fell on his knees, raised his hands and head to skies and began to weep.
With my gramps teaching me I can say that I made improvements while hiding the fact that I am eating those cores. I should also hide my identity. There is no one in this world who cannot tell who I am. If I go to market like this I would be exposed.
Aeron intended for Xander's teaching him to be his cover, so he proposed that Xander teach him. He would eat cores and mana gathering potions to advance while using training as his cover. Who knows maybe it might even help him. He could not improve himself by doing meditation but nothing was said about training.
Aeron looked at Xander who was so moved that he was crying. No matter how much you are happy, aren't you exaggerating it gramps? I just merely said I wanted to join the military.
Xander, ever since Aeron was young, would think about him joining military. He went to court and saw that it was a nest of vipers! Nothing good would ever come from messing with that place! He looked down on court so he would not appear there at all.
There would be factions who would babble on endlessly while the right thing to do was in front of their eyes! They would all talk behind his back, but would not even dare to openly challenge him.
Aeron might have been a prince, but he carried surname Victor! Only thing he worried about was this, sooner or later they all would die. It is the course of nature! When they die what happens then? Who would look after him? Power meant everything in noble's world.
Besides that was only for nobles. There were also elements like mages and other cultivators if he was weak he would be used, bullied. No matter how much royal family would avenge him, what good was vengeance if he was dead?
If Aeron died with the rest of his grandchildren being female, Victor name would probably be history! Aeron was the only male among his grandchildren so he would inherit this name. If he raised an incompetent heir and family name was lost to time, he would not dare show his face to his ancestors!
"Are you sure Aeron? Being in military is hard. Why don't you become a scholar instead and leisurely spend your time? You can learn from your uncle. Is there any need to go to battle? I would worry day and night. Please do not let your mother have worries." said Valeria quite soft with his words with a begging expression.
"Yes, mother I am sure. My family is great and all of you has accomplished so many things, if I cannot I would not have the face to call myself Aeron! I do not want to become scholar. It is too boring to stay cooped up at one place! I also will never be defeated or die! I will ride under the sun to battle! Corpses like mountains, blood like rivers! Ride until end of the world, conquer both the world and the heaven!" said Aeron, with a heroic looking figure and a deep ambition in his eyes blazing like sun!
When he said "I want to ride under the sun to battle! Corpses like mountains, blood like rivers! Ride until end of the world, conquer both the world and the heaven!" a profound emotion welled up setting a blaze in Xander and Erwin who just heard this. Xander trembled, his grandson had so deep ambitions!
Erwin who heard those words conjured up a dream he had when he was young. He imagined he would be a general who would ride under the sun, killing thousands with one slash, followed by an army of millions, shaking earth and heaven!
He looked to his son with a knowing smile and hope! Perhaps he would be the one who would complete his dream! Tears came to his eyes, but did not roll out. His heart trembled with this emotion. He certainly had talent as a general! A generals most important quality was to raise morale of soldiers with one speech!
"Yes Aeron! Forgive this foolish old man! I could not realize you possessed so deep an ambition! Of course I will train you! I will train you until you are called peerless! I will teach you all that I have learned!" said Xander tears flowing from his eyes still, his eyes ablaze with emotion, he was smiling as he looked at his grandson. He never expected to hear those words.
"YOU-YOU- YOU IDIOT! What if you get injured? What if you die? I-I-I wont even know whether or not you will come back alive?! Do- DO YOU WANT YOUR MOTHER TO DIE OF WORRY EVERY TIME SHE THINKS OF YOU?! If you go join the military, I WILL NOT SEE YOU, EVEN IF I AM ON MY DEATHBED!" said Valeria who began bawling uncontrollably. She fell down to her knees, tears flowed out like a flood dismissing the formerly hot blooded mood.
Aeron felt like he was hit by a truck. No a truck would be too light, a plane! Valeria's words "I will not see you, even if I am on my deathbed!" echoed in his mind. With each and every drop of tears that came out from her eyes, he felt like he was hit by one plane more!
"Mama don't cry! Mama don't cry!" said little Zara who was nervous seeing her mother cry, to no avail. She began crying too. Aeron felt like stabbing himself in the heart! He was simply a despicable bastard who had given no thought to how she would feel! He felt like he was drowning in those tears.
"Mother please do not cry! I'd rather break every bone in my body one by one than to break your heart! Please forgive this foolish son who caused mother sadness! I will become a scholar instead! I will go learn from uncle this instant!" said Aeron with guilt. He then began kowtowing, blood flowing from his forehead.
For now he should calm Valeria then he could do this negation once more. He was not going to be a scholar and be cooped up at home all day. He would not be able to take boredom and would likely throw himself down from the mountain!
Valeria seeing her son kowtowing with blood on his forehead immediately ceased crying, held Aeron's forehead before it touched to ground again and said :"What a fool you are! Why would you harm yourself like this?"
She quickly used her sleeve to wipe Aeron's blood. She remembered when he was a child he would also fall like this and would cry. Now she looked at this Aeron who could not raise his head to look at her.
On the background Xander and Erwin was amusing Zara who now had ceased to cry. Zara was laughing instead now and everyone gave them some personal space.
"Why are you not looking at me? You think you can ignore common courtesy?!" said Valeria with a scolding tone and forcibly raised his head and gently flicked his forehead.
"I did not consider mother's worries. I caused mother to cry. I do not have the face to look at mother." said Aeron. with a guilty expression. Valeria sighed he still looked so cute. Perhaps in her eyes her son would never grow.
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"Why do you want to be a general? " said Valeria asking to Aeron. Aeron looked puzzled before answering:"I simply want to be strong to protect all that I hold dear." without any hesitation in his voice.
"Then wouldn't it be okay so long as you are strong? Why do you want to join military?" asked Valeria. Aeron was tongue tied. He was a prince. His family was the imperial family, his family WAS the empire. Why shouldn't he join the military?
"Of course not! There are many peasants who give tax to our empire. I grew up on their money. In exchange for that money, government should provide them safety against all kinds of harm. I am a prince it is my duty to defend my people." said Aeron with gleaming eyes, passionately.
"My grandfather is the emperor, my grandmother is the empress, next ruler will be my kin. Empire is my family how can I not seek to defend it?"
"I will allow you to join military, but you must first graduate from the Blazing Sun Academy! Now swear to me that you will never die! If you die then I won't forgive you even unto death!" said Valeria strictly saying her conditions. Even if she knew that there was absolutely nothing will happen at all, her heart did not listen to her mind.
Valeria thought about Aeron's words he spoke properly as a prince of the empire. She was proud. She decided to trust him, for he was her child. She would support him all the way.
Human children would grow slow but this did not change the fact that they would leave the nest one day. She had to come to the bitter conclusion of last night, her son had grown.
She then bitterly smiled. She herself had once left home in search for adventures. Her mother had pleaded with her in tears to not go, but she selfishly decided to go anyway. Her mother had not forgiven her until she brought baby Aeron to her.
"Aeron! I forgot to mention because you dropped a bomb on me! My mother and father was coming!You now you have a bleeding forehead, go get it treated! Are my eyes red?" said Valeria turned to Erwin who nodded.
"I have to hide it. I have to wear some make up!" said Valeria and immediately got up, running to main house. Zara who jumped off from Xander's arms followed her saying:"I wanna makeup too!"
*****
"You are not to let anyone inside and disturb me. I have to bandage up my forehead." said Aeron to Sinah. Sinah nodded and assumed her position watching over the gate.
"Sophia, did you do what I requested? I believe now is the time." said Aeron. He had asked Sophia to analyze the purple jade necklace he acquired. Also he was fairly sure there was a major dragon vein here.
Master you are right, this whole place is like a major artery. It seems Ebonguard is not the capital of the empire for nothing.
"I see, it seems the reasons for founding an academy here is revealed, it is really a good place to train. Well, according to their methods anyway." said Aeron sighing. This news was not really important, since he could not do meditation to advance.
"But that does not mean I cannot use it at all" said Aeron smirking. He closed his eyes and spread his arms. He began to deeply breathe imagining a green flow in his right hand and an orange flow in his left hand.
He then began to rotate right hand clockwise and his left hand counter clockwise. This method came from Tai Chi Chu'an. In this case right hand had energy of the earth, while the left hand had energy of the sky.
It was a way to heal oneself quickly without needing potions. The practitioner would focus on his injury and would send waves of mana into it. Rotating hands would eventually meet at the core, which was his body.
Two would fight each other and he would grasp these weakened energy to replenish himself. [Energy Absorption] was the skill's name.
He looked at the mirror and wiped away the blood on his forehead. He grinned when he saw the result, total recovery!
He opened the door and told Sinah to return to her duties. He moved to the main house. Where family gathered and went to the gates to welcome them.
*****
"Aeron when you see your grandparents you must bow until your head is slightly above your waist! Also you must call them with 'your majesty'!" said Valeria teaching Aeron manners. Since she learned from this one week of living together Aeron knew nothing about manners.
Some half an hour or so later two servants opened the gates and bowed their heads as low as humanely possible. Male servant cried:"His majesty, Erich Solaris has arrived.". Female servant cried out:"Her majesty, Zoe Solaris has arrived!"
Aeron looked in astonishment! The man they called the emperor had black hair and blue eyes. He had sharp features and he was about two heads bigger than Aeron. Simply giant of a man. Each of his limbs were thick as trees and his chest was filled with muscle, his belly surging like the sea with every step.
The woman they named the empress had white hair and blue eyes. She had soft features and was one head shorter than Aeron. She was slender, unlike her husband. They simply were opposites.
"Greetings to your majesties" said Aeron and quickly bowed as he was taught with everyone else. Only Zara ignored them all running out calling:"Grandpa!"" Grandma!" and she jumped into the empress's arms. Then was given to the emperor when she saw Aeron.
She quickly rushed to him and said:"Oh my poor boy! Did you have difficulties when you were healing? I have prepared madicines and potions. Oh my poor boy! You have grown thinner!"
"What are you waiting for! Bring Prince Aeron's medicine, bring the food!" said Zoe turning in a strict manner. Aeron looked stunned when he noticed the carts following the servants. There was four cartloads of food, medicine and potions!
"What were you doing when Aeron had an accident? I should take him with me now, at least he would be safe there!" said Zoe admonishing her daughter.
"Dear, they say accidents are invisible. Who would have known he would have such an accident? Calm yourself, doctor's said the stress is bad for you." said Erich who was playing with Zara. Zara simply looked like a toy in those huge hands.
"And doctors told you to cut down on fatty food! You still eat them, even though you have this magnificent belly!" said Zoe.
"But honey I do not eat fatty foods at all! I tried, but even if I drink water..." said Erich in helplessness as he looked down to his belly.
"Grandpa's belly is soft and fun!" said Zara who was pushing her little hand poking her grandfather. She was toying with her grandfather's belly making it endlessly surge like seas. Servants who saw this felt like fainting! No one would dare touch the person of emperor, this little girl was daring to poke his belly!
Zoe's admonishment began again. Valeria was silent even though she wanted to retort. Her position did not exactly allow her to retort to Zoe's admonishments. It would be seen as very rude as Zoe was both her mother and empress.
"Come Aeron, I had a sand drake hunted for you! If not for our traditions I would order them to hunt dragons, but alas. I had doctors process it's every part! It's every part is a medicine useful for you! I personally cooked it! Eat and get better, okay?" said Zoe and clapped her hands. Two maids brought a huge slab of meat. Aeron could not handle smelling it, he simply must devour it with abandon!
"Delicious! Grandmother your culinary skills are superb! Delicious! Simply the best thing I have ever eaten1" said Aeron who was attacking food like a swarm of ravenous locusts.
"Of course! Your grandmother used the best of best for you!" said Zoe apparently very pleased with Aeron's flattery. She then said:"Eat as much as you want!" and ordered maids to bring every piece of drake until Aeron was satisfied.
Aeron had already finished the food and was already drinking soup like one would drink water. After that he began to attack every food that was put in front of him. His mouth was akin to a hole they did not even see him chewing food!
"Hahahah! Good! Good! You have a healthy appetite! Eat more, drink more!" said Erich and laughed with his belly wobbling with every laugh.
"Say Aah!" said Zoe to Zara. Spoiling her by feeding her by hand and wiping her mouth every time her lips are covered in sauce. Since Zara was being spoiled she was deliberately eating it messily.
Valeria, Erwin and Xander was looking at Aeron, who by now had already eaten food enough for dozens of men and was going for more. They wondered where he stored everything he had eaten. Sooner or later drake was completely eaten.
"Ahh! Satisfaction!" said Aeron wiping his mouth and stretching. Servants and family members except for Erich, Zoe and Zara was looking at him with awe.
He had finished the entire sand drake almost alone... Sand drake was a lesser dragon beast! Tough a mere lesser dragon, not worth mentioning to the experts here, this beast's one steak should have been enough for an adult man for a day. He had eaten entire sand drake!
Sand drake was as big as a cow! But this prince was able to eat it like it was nothing. He was only now satisfied! Even champions of contests of eating would faint or throw up after fourth plate! With the amount he had eaten they could feed hundred people!
"Good! I came here worried but I will go now without worries! If your appetite is good everything is good! Don't forget to drink the medicines and potions your grandfather brought you!" said Erich as he got up and held Aeron who bowed with his huge hands.
Then he hit Aeron's back laughing and left with Xander chatting away with him. Of course Erwin followed them like a shadow, escorting his "honorable father-in-law".
Zoe too got up with Zara in her hands. Valeria insisted she was grounded, but Zara had already found an impenetrable armor! Valeria could only watch her leave with Zoe.
"Grandma! Can I eat some sweets? Can I play in the gardens?" asked Zara with upturned eyes.
Zoe's answer to this cute girl was:"Of course you can! There is nothing you can't do! Don't fear your mother, your grandma can handle her!"
Zara hugged her and pulling her eyelid down, she stuck out her tongue to her mother. Valeria simply felt like fainting from anger. Zara added insult to injury. She was certain to get some spanking when she came home.
Aeron followed this merry family while he rubbed his aching back. He was thinking that he should share his secret with Xander so he could make a better training program. He himself had never trained, so really did not know much.
*****
"Grandfather I wish to tell you a secret! But this is incredibly important for me! This is the kind of secret that can bring calamity if it gets out!" said Aeron.
Xander frowned. Now he understood why Aeron dragged him here. What was his serious secret? It was better for him to not know. If only Aeron know secret would be safe.
"Then you should keep it! A secret is only a secret because only one person knows!" said Xander. Secrets were things that must be sealed in the heart. There should be no knowledge of it. That was why his most important moves he would do himself. Even if there was a spy it would not get out!
"But grandfather this affects my training! If you are to train me you must know!" said Aeron with a serious voice.
"Then tell me what is this important secret?" asked Xander. What secret can Aeron. who literally barely has more than one week of memory?
"Grandfather it seems when I had an accident my body had changed. I cannot take in one bit of mana to advance. Let me show you!" said Aeron and immediately closed his eyes. He sent one hand to Xander who listened to the pulse.
Xander frowned, pulse was steady, Aeron was doing a basic meditation, there was no distraction and around there was a shroud of mana, But the mana that entered his body was coming out after a time.
"What is this? How can you train if your body is like this?" said Xanders frowning, he did not see any way he could train Aeron.
"Grandfather, do you remember how I ate that sand drake?" said Aeron. Xander thought back to the scene of Aeron eating like a ravenous beast and nodded his head, furrowing his brows.
"Upon eating that drake I immediately grew stronger and stronger, I was filled with a great hunger. With each and every bite I was filled with more and more vitality." said Aeron explaining.
"Of course you did her majesty prepared it with special methods it was as much a medicine as a meal." said Xander, not understanding Aeron's point.
"Grandfather open your palm and catch my one punch!" said Aeron and threw a punch and Xander who received it opened his eyes. This strength, far surpassed his original one!
"I think eating magic beast cores and flesh makes me stronger and allows me to recover faster!" said Aeron. Now Xander was staring, eyes wide open, his face colored with astonishment.
If this kind of secret went out, there would be many people who would kill Aeron out of jealousy. Hell, he himself simply felt like he wasted his life! This kind of body was surely a divine body!
Forget about experts and mages if this news went out, he would be target to assassinations by kingdoms. Right now no matter how much potential he had, Aeron was still a cub.
"Hmm, change of plans!" said Xander he changed the training method for Aeron. He had a strong body that would recover no matter what if he ate some cores and that was simply monstrous. So his training had to be equally monstrous too.
Aeron also needed an expert to watch him day and night. He himself would move him out of his house and into his own. Everything must be done with stealth. Since he was given this cub he would raise it to be a great tiger!
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Thank you all for your encouragement, really those "thank you for the chapter" makes you want to continue writing for those people!