Ben began to regret not having purchased more land now. He only had five acres to work with and it was quickly being filled with Farms and Orchards. He had also wanted to place down a few ranches but he worried the noise from the animals may draw the attention of people in the city.
He wanted this Farm to remain a secret and this is why he had not left his noble crest anywhere on his land. If people were to find out that the spirit food they loved was growing just outside the city walls they would be no end of people trying to scale the farm walls to pick the crops.
Back once again in the store Ben went down into the basement and began to build. There was now wheat growing on the secret farm and it would not be long before it began to stockpile in the store's warehouse.
With wheat now growing, Ben could now build a [Mill] to turn the wheat into flour and a [Bakery] to make bread, pastries, and other baked goods.
[Mil]: Used to grind grains, oats, and nuts. [Locked until: built wheat field]
[Bakery]: Bakes bread, pastries, cakes, pies, cookies, and donuts. The interface allows for custom creations.[Locked until: built mill][consumes: flours-sugar-fruits-berries-nuts-cocoa-jelly-peanut butter-honey-eggs]
The Mill would grind the wheat into flour and the Bakery would use the flour to bake bread. The Bakery could also use the flour and sugar from the Sugar Cane Fields to make pastries, cookies, cakes, and donuts.
Ben set up the bakery to begin making these various baked goods. He had been taking pastries from the fortress warehouse to sell in the city up until now. If he were not around then the store may run out of these sweets.
This was no longer a problem with the store making them, he only had to go upstairs and add the new veggies, fruits, and sweets to the market menu so that Cordelia or Baynard could remove them for restocking.
Once he had finished rearranging the market menu options he went over to the front food department. From his store menu, Ben purchased refrigerated displays like those used in grocery stores.
These new refrigerated displays were placed along each wall with enough room behind them for the employees to remove or add the food goods.
This would help keep the variety of fruits, vegetables, meats, and sweets fresh after they were removed from the market. The one good thing was the food did not sit around for long everything on display would be sold off within 2-3 days at most.
One thing they would never need to worry about was having to throw out food from going bad because it was constantly in demand.
Now that there were shelves of canned foods, tables filled with different types of bread, and refrigerated displays filled with food it began to look like a true grocery store in the food department.
Satisfied for now with the new food additions and display arrangements Ben went up to the roof once again.
Instead of sitting in the dark basement he enjoyed sitting on the roof and feeling the cool night air as he cultivated. Ben also enjoyed the nighttime city ambiance all around him over the ringing in his ears from the dead silence of the basement.
He spent the night up there cultivating until the city began to wake up for another new day Ben left the store before anyone showed up and made his way over to the palace. It was still a little early so he took his time and walked around the palace gardens.
After his tour of the gardens, Ben went into the palace. Outside of the throne room, he found one of the king's assistance preparing to a stack of parchments. Ben interrupted his preparations to ask when the King usually woke up and went to the throne room.
The assistant recognized Ben and jokingly told him of how early the king had to wake up every day to deal with stacks of documents concerning everything to do with the kingdom. Once he was done with those forms he would go to the throne room to receive his subjects by the time the sun was beginning to rise.
The king would often eat his lunch on his throne while addressing the nobles and his assistants. At the end of the day, the king would be presented with another large stack of documents that needed his approval after he had finished his dinner.
Ben shook his head in amazement and said.
"I thought being the king would allow you to do whatever you wanted. I guess it isn't as fun and carefree as everyone would think. It sounds like our king is actually the hardest working person in the kingdom with a schedule like that." Ben replied with a wry smile.
"I am glad that someone around here has finally recognized how much I have to deal with. These damn assistants of mine are forever bringing me stacks upon stacks of records, documents, and forms on everything and anything without a care of how much it burdens me!"
Ben and the assistant turned around to find the king was actually standing right behind them as they spoke.
"Good morning your majesty. I have a slight idea of how you feel. I have continuously been busy preparing for the opening of my store. I have to teach the employees about the merchandise, make preparations to have enough foods and products always available when needed, and inform the people of the city where my store is located. I can't even imagine what you must have to deal with to keep a kingdom running." Ben said shaking his head in amazement.
The king began to laugh. "It sounds like you have your own share of problems as well Marquess King. I am actually running a little behind today. I would normally be in the throne room at this time but there were a few disconcerting reports from the borders that needed my attention which were involved with the actions of the neighboring Trareniel kingdom. But enough about that you must have a reason for showing up here so early in the morning."
Ben looked around them to see if there was anyone else besides the King and his assistant. When he noticed that the people who were following the king were occupied with their own discussion over a report and were currently not paying attention to their surroundings he decided to speak up.
Ben stepped toward the king and spoke in a hushed voice. "I know it isn't my place to advise the king, but you should be wary of the Trareniel kingdom. The land I come from isn't as peaceful as this continent here and we are not strangers to subterfuge and surprise attacks. There have been many large-scale bloody wars throughout its history. From what I had heard during the last nobles meeting it sounds like the Trareniel Kingdom is preparing to invade your kingdom. I have seen and read about this type of behavior many times. A nation will often secure its borders while increasing their military size and activity right before it declares war and begins attacking its neighbors."
Ben said with a serious look and then continued. "Like I said though this isn't my place to say and I only came today to have the Royal Cultivator test my cultivation rank once again. I am now a stage five level one and qualify for the title of Duke."
The king had a sour expression on his face while he had listened to what Ben had told him. He never would have imagined the Trareniel Kingdom would be so bold as to invade his kingdom. They both had cultivators of similar strengths up until Ben had joined his noble ranks. When Ben continued to talk and mentioned he had advanced his cultivation the king was stunned.
He momentarily forgot about what Ben had just said about the neighboring kingdom. It was such a shock that a nineteen-year-old young man was now going to be the same noble rank as his Royal Cultivator.
The king laughed excitedly, this was a good thing for him and his kingdom. They had a young cultivator that could grow to stand above every other cultivator on the continent in a couple of years.
The king had the assistant that Ben had been speaking with earlier set off and find the Royal Cultivator. When the assistant took off the king informed the entourage following him to wait outside until he was finished with Marquess King.
The King brought Ben into the throne room and they were joined by the Royal Cultivator a few minutes later. The test was then performed to check Ben's cultivation stage by the Royal Cultivator as the king silently watched.
The Royal Cultivator spoke up after administering the test.
"It is true sire Marquess King is now a stage five level one and he is even beginning to progress toward stage five level two."
The Royal Cultivator then let out a long sigh before speaking again.
"If only I had never injured myself while attempting to forcefully break-through to the next level a few years back I may have been able to provide you with a little cultivation rivalry. It seems you may catch and surpass me by the time this lingering injury is healed."
This was the first time Ben had heard the Royal Cultivator was injured and had to discontinue his cultivation until his injury healed.
Ben stood silently as his right hand raised to grip his chin as he looked between the king and Royal Cultivator.
He quickly made a decision and turned to speak to the Royal Cultivator.
"I think I can heal your injury. If you trust me enough to give it a try. The worst thing that can happen is your wound is too severe for me to heal and you will be in the same state as you are now." Ben explained without giving them too many details.
The king spoke after hearing what Ben had just said to the Royal Cultivator.
"Marquess King even if you are skilled in the arts of medicine we have had the best medical healers on the continent secretly attempt to heal Royal Cultivator Duven's injury and none have been successful."
After hearing the king mention it was done in secret he thought it must be a guarded secret from the people and the other kingdoms. If they knew the Royal Cultivator was injured the people would worry and other kingdoms would know that he wouldn't be at his normal strength and could use this to their advantage.
This may be why the Trareniel Kingdom was becoming so aggressive if they had learned of this injury they may decide to take a chance to pit their Royal Cultivator who was of equal strength against the Aregard's during an invasion. If they could remove the Aregard Kingdoms Royal Cultivator they would then only need to deal with a few cultivators who were of lower stages.
These thoughts had passed through Ben's mind but he decided not to mention them. He turned toward the king and spoke again.
"I will not be using any medicines, your majesty. My technique only requires me to place my fingertips on the Royal Cultivator's chest. If he wishes to give it a try and I find I can't heal him then there is nothing lost, but I am confident that I can at least lessen the seriousness of his injury even if I can't completely heal it." He said raising his hands while shrugging his shoulders.
He then remained silent allowing Royal Cultivator Duven to make a decision.
"I would like to give it a try as you said if you can't heal me I will just remain with the same injury and lose nothing, but if you can heal me I could once again continue to advance my cultivation and properly use my strength to support the kingdom."
Ben just smiled and walked over to stand in front of cultivator Duven. He reached out and placed the fingertips of his right hand on his chest and cast [Mending Touch].
A soft white glow began to extend from Ben's hand toward the Royal Cultivators damaged meridian. Ben stood silently with his eyes closed as he felt his mana slowly being used.
The [Mending Touch] spell was what he had gained from his First Aid skill evolving. He had used it extensively for a week on the injured guards that he had rescued from the bandits and had advanced it to [Apprentice: level 7].
It was much stronger than it was when he originally received it and had used it to bring the guards back from death's door. This made him confident that he could at least decrease the amount of damage in cultivator Duven's body.
Ben began to feel his healing spell rebuild the damaged meridian and could tell only after a few seconds he could use his spell to heal this injury.
The Royal Cultivator was stunned speechless at first when he felt his injured meridian was slowly improving. The problem was he could tell why it was being healed, but he just couldn't bring himself to believe it at first.
After a minute had passed of having Ben heal him he finally spoke up.
"Is..is this...magic? It must be magic I can feel and see this is a type of healing spell, but how is this possible? You are a high-level cultivator and you are now casting a high-level healing spell. From the speed at which I can feel my injury healing, this is the most advanced healing spell I have ever come across. There are mages of the kingdoms that can use attacking and defending spells but only a handful can use spells to heal"
Ben kept his eyes closed and did not respond only focusing his spell on the injury. He was even able to feel other injuries that the Royal Cultivator had sustained throughout his long life that had never healed properly.
After five minutes of focusing Ben had healed the damaged meridian and was now healing injuries in the cultivator's right shoulder and left knee.
Ben opened his eyes ten minutes later to see tears running down Royal Cultivator Brom Duven's face as he looked at Ben in bewildered amazement.
The king was equally stunned over what had just occurred but recovered before Brom. The king staring at Brom with unmasked anticipation and asked how it went.
"How was it, Brom? Was your injury healed or is it still the same?"
Royal Cultivator Brom tried to speak and his mouth only moved at first until he gradually found his voice again.
"Healed...totally healed...even the injuries I sustained from that battle against the rogue cultivator from seventy-five years ago have been fully healed. I can once again feel my Qi properly circulating through my meridians. But...how? How is this possible it takes daily cultivation training to reach the mid stages of cultivation..."
Royal Cultivator Brom trailed off, but Ben knew what he wanted to ask. How was it possible that a nineteen-year-old could be such a high staged cultivator and a powerful mage as well.
"I would appreciate it if this secret stayed between us. I am not only a cultivator but I am also a competent mage. I have not made it general knowledge that I can also use magic. This is one of the trump cards I keep hidden to save my life if I am ever forced to battle. I only wished to help the Royal Cultivator to walk the path of cultivation once again. By doing this I am helping strengthen the kingdom, but I am also healing an ally that can help me to defend my property and people in the city if war comes to the Aregard Kingdom."
The king then stood up from his throne with a smile and spoke."
"Marquess King for reaching the cultivation level of Stage Five; Level One I bestow upon you the noble title of Duke. From this day you will be known as Duke King and receive all the benefits that come with this rank. Also for your outstanding service to the kingdom in healing the Royal Cultivator Duke Brom Duven, I wish to reward you with an estate befitting a Duke."
Ben smiled and said. "This is too extravagant of a reward sire, how about rewarding me with a property that is the size of a Duke's estate and allowing me to build the structure in any architectural style or size of my choosing."
"Hmm, I have heard from my daughter that your store was remodeled in a foreign architectural style, but it was still a beautiful design even if it was different from the other building on the city square."
Nodding his head as he thought over Bens statement he then agreed.
"I see no harm in it I know that you are from another land and must enjoy certain styles that you are more familiar with. I will have one of my assistants take you over to the Land Management Office to find a suitable property for you after you finish completing the appropriate noble records."
The Royal Cultivator gratefully thanked Ben for healing him and swore that his secret would remain between the three of them. He even had more respect for Ben knowing that he thought this far ahead to keep some of his strength hidden for emergency life and death situations. If he had done that in his younger years he may have had an easier time with the battle he was forced into with the rouge cultivator who caused trouble in Goldcrest in the past.
Ben finished signing the document for becoming a Duke and was given a new noble badge and ring with the Duke rank engraved on them. He was then escorted over to the Land Management Offices by an assistant to find a new property.
They did a bit of searching through the records and were able to find a property in the noble district where most of the wealthy nobles lived.
There was once a huge Mansion on the property which was owned by a wealthy Viscount. Somehow a candle had fallen from a table during the night and It set a rug on fire that spread through the entire home. The family managed to get out and survived the fire, but without any type of firefighters in this era, there was no way to save the home.
The wealthy family lost a large portion of their wealth to that fire and were forced to leave the property and move into a smaller yet still nice estate in the district.
Today this huge chunk of land stood empty of any structures. The kingdom had the burnt home demolished and had taken care of the property since the fire. It was decided that one day they would build another home on the land to resell it or gift to some up and coming noble of the kingdom.
Ben signed off on the deed without even seeing the property and prepared to return to his store. It had now been open for over an hour and a half and he was sure that they would need his help.
His employees would also be wondering where the refrigerated display had come from during the night and how they were able to remain cold. Ben thanked the assistant for his time and handed him a couple gold coins and left the Royal Palace walking at a fast pace toward his store.