In the castle chamber, a month had passed since the Aetheria Pavilion was opened. Maximus sat in a throne chair, surrounded by a few ministers.
“How has the Aetheria Pavilion fared in its first month in terms of profit?” Maximus inquired with a serious expression, trying to maintain his regal composure despite his excitement.
Maximus refrained from asking about the daily profits of the Aetheria Pavilion in the past month, trusting that his ministers had everything under control.
“Your Majesty, we have accumulated over 2 million gold coins in profit,” Tristan exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement as he reviewed the list.
“However, this amount is slightly lower due to the initial opening and the lack of popularity among the people about the Aetheria Pavilion, at the beginning” Tristan carefully explained.
Hearing the profits for this month the eyes of the ministers widened in shock upon hearing such a huge sum of money.
They were well aware that the previous Faerie Kingdom only managed to generate monthly profits ranging from 20,000 to 30,000 gold coins. Moreover, those profits were achieved by depriving the people and leaving them hungry.
But under Maximus’ rule, the entire population was well-fed and prosperous and still multiplied the kingdom’s profit to a hundred.
“Very good. After a few more months, we will have enough funds to procure the necessary magical materials for building the kingdom,” Maximus stated, suppressing his excitement.
You may wonder why other powerful mages or knights don’t venture to remote locations and become rulers, earning similar fortunes.
The reason is that while gold can be exchanged for magic crystals, the main currency in this world, it is not unlimited.
According to the standard exchange rate, 1,000 gold coins are equal to 1 magic crystal but that is in the system mall.
In this world, who would willingly exchange lower currency used by mortals for magic crystals used by powerful beings?
Thus, the exchange of crystals is limited and exorbitant, requiring at least 3,000 to 10,000 gold coins just to obtain a magic crystal.
The system mall accepted gold coins because it is this world currency and that is what gives it value.
Even if it’s paper money the system would convert it to different rates of gold points as long as it is used as a currency by many people.
After a while of discussion of the events that happened in the past month, the problems they encountered, and the upcoming plans, they concluded their meeting.
…
A few months had passed since the last meeting. Maximus sat with his family, having their final dinner before his departure.
“Tomorrow, I will be heading to the central continent,” Maximus announced between bites.𝓞𝑣𝐞xt.𝗰𝑶𝑚
“Will it be dangerous?” Erica asked, her voice filled with worry.
“No, I will simply purchase the necessary magic materials and return home immediately. I will be safe given my strength,” he reassured them.
“Are you not coming back, Daddy?” Layla cried, misunderstanding that he would be leaving them forever.
Lily and Lydia, on the other hand, eyes redden with sadness, as their father had never left them since their birth.
“No, sweetheart, I will be back in just a few months,” he said, standing up to embrace them.
“Daddy, please buy me a flying sword when you’re there,” Max, the heartless one, said, indifferent to his father’s departure.
“Alright, alright, I’ll buy you gifts,” Maximus responded with a smile.
“Are you going alone?” Rose inquired.
“Yes, it would be quite dangerous if someone accompanied me,” he replied.
Well, it was indeed dangerous if someone accompanied him, but the main reason for his solo journey was how he intended to acquire the necessary materials through his system rather than from the central continent.
…
The next morning, as the sun rose, Maximus bid farewell to his wives and children, preparing for his journey ahead.
Activating his speed-boosting spell, he soared through the air, breaking the sound barrier at a staggering speed of 500 meters per second.
After a few minutes, he arrived in a remote land and retrieved his flying boat, resembling a space shuttle, called the Aurora Spectre.
[Aurora Spectre(Tier 3): A Shadow Aircraft, taking the form of a flying boat capable of both offense and defense. Its main strengths lie in speed and stealth. Price: 2,500,000]
Earlier, Maximus refrained from summoning the Aurora Spectre, as he wished to avoid drawing unnecessary attention.
While he could take out large objects like carriages and magical weapons into thin air without arousing suspicion, a flying boat of this size and with obvious luxurious high-tier materials would undoubtedly raise doubts.
Flying boats were somewhat legendary in this mana-deficient environment, exclusively owned by rich and powerful people.
The Aurora Spectre stretched at least 10 meters in length, adorned with intricate runic patterns covering its body.
This magical vessel cost him a huge amount of money worth nearly the kingdom’s monthly profits, which still pained his heart to this moment.
Admiring the smooth black color, as if it were absorbing light, Maximus couldn’t help but smile, feeling as if he were looking at his new car.
Entering the boat, he noted its minimalist design, featuring only three rooms: the control room, meditation room, storage room, and a hidden viewing deck.
In the control room, he activated the automatic flight and set the destination to Elnor Island, a gathering place for people in the cursed continent before venturing to the central continent.
Since the ship didn’t possess information about that specific location, Maximus allowed it to scan a map in order to identify the destination.
Flying several kilometers above the ground, the ship turned on stealth moded to hide in the eyes of people.
In a flash, the ship accelerated, reaching a cruising speed of 1 kilometer per second.
At this rate, it would take a few days to reach Elnor Island, exemplifying the vastness of the world he inhabited.
…
From the view deck, Maximus caught a glimpse of the Sunburn Plateau as the ship passed by. Despite knowing that it was remote and barren, he still couldn’t help but let out a sigh.
He understood why the strongest individuals he had encountered so far were only Tier 4 Sky Knights. Looking at the sparse forests and desolate land, who in their right mind would come to such a place?
The strong knights here were mostly born in this land or found themselves lingering here for survival, unable to thrive in other regions and having no other choice.
After more than an hour, the ship passed by Berunn City, a gathering place for mages and knights in Sunburnt Plateau to start on their journeys to other parts of the continent.
Maximus slowed the ship down to take a closer look, ensuring that the ship remained in stealth mode to avoid attracting attention.
Observing the lively streets and the ocean ships coming in and out of the harbor, he couldn’t help but smile at the bustling scene.
Based on his mana readings, a Tier 3 Nascent Mage was the strongest individual present. He was likely in charge here, given his strength.
Although the Sunburn Plateau was remote and seemingly insignificant, some weaker factions still stationed themselves there to recruit fresh blood or search for unique mana-rich plants and resources.
After observing for a while, Maximus continued his journey. The ship passed by various lands, like the Sunburn Plateau, but the scenery quickly bored him, leading him to engage in meditation to pass the time.
…
After a few days of meditation, the ship’s alarm sounded, indicating that the ship was nearing its destination.
Heading to the viewing deck, he looked at the vast expanse of forested land– the cursed woodland. It was the heart of the cursed continent, it was larger than all of the scattered lands in the cursed continent combined.
Looking at the lush forest, one might assume it to be a desirable place to live. However, the truth was quite the opposite, as hardly anyone inhabited this region.
As previously mentioned, the cursed continent was the battlefield of the gods in the past, giving rise to its corrosive mana attribute.
With such a concentrated amount of mana, the central land of the cursed continent was undoubtedly vast and filled with resources, but it was also home to a huge amount violent and uncontrollable beasts.
This was also why Elnor Island was situated nearby.
In this world, there are four continents, each with its own distinct mana attributes.
The Curse Continent is known for its corrosive mana attribute, a lingering effect from the battles of the gods in the past. It is a treacherous and barren land.
The Beast Continent, on the other hand, is characterized by its violet and fierce mana attribute. This mana compliments and strengthens the beasts that inhabit the land, making it a dangerous and wild territory.
The Divine Continent stands as the main continent for believers of the gods. It is blessed with holy attributed mana, radiating a sense of purity and spirituality throughout its expanse.
Lastly, there is the Central Continent, also known as the Arcane Continent. This continent contains the purest and most abundant mana in the world. It is a hub of magical energy, attracting mages and knights. All of those seeking to harness the power of arcane arts.