Looking at John's gobsmacked expression as he perused Dante's financial records, Dante chuckled and spoke, "As you can see, I currently hold the equivalent of 10 million aurei in Valorian gold. For the past ten years, I've been secretly operating a gold mine. What did you expect?"
"Still, that's approximately twenty thousand kilograms of gold... Even if you've been running it for nearly a decade, it's implausible that you could have excavated such a vast amount in secret," John exclaimed in disbelief, repeatedly examining the paper as if searching for an extra zero that might have slipped in.
"Don't dwell on it too much right now. You'll learn more about managing an economy from Oberon later. So, you don't need to worry about these matters for now. I'll handle the economy until I believe you're ready to take charge," Dante reassured him, retrieving the paper from John's hands and neatly folding it before placing it in his coat pocket.
"Yes, sir," John replied after a moment of reflection, realizing that he lacked the knowledge necessary to oversee a growing economy. He decided that focusing on acquiring that knowledge would be more significant at the moment.
Once the discussion about the economy concluded, John and Dante continued their conversation about the trip and the sights John had witnessed. Although John mentioned the items he received from the chief, he didn't delve too deeply into that topic, uncertain of how they functioned. After they finished talking, John adopted a serious tone and looked at Dante with a hint of anxiety. "Sir, there's something I want," he began.
"Go on. If it's within my capabilities, I'll certainly consider it," Dante replied with a slight nod.
"I want to operate a separate elite troop of soldiers. I wish to train and work with them for the upcoming invasion," John stated, his hands fidgeting as he anticipated Dante's response, well aware of the unlikelihood of his request being granted.
"No way, absolutely not. I won't allow a repeat of what happened during the barbarian invasion. However, I can permit you to form your own separate unit of 100 soldiers if you wish. But you won't be accompanying me in this campaign. It poses too great a security risk, especially now that we know there's someone out there willing to interfere in the war just to kill you," Dante firmly declared, causing a conflicted expression to cross John's face. Although he was delighted at the prospect of having his own unit to train and work with, the news of not being allowed to join the upcoming campaign was disheartening.
Nevertheless, being an adult meant compromising between desires and the possibilities in the present. John fully understood that everything Dante had just said was undeniably true. If he were to enter the battlefield, it would only lead to an early grave, a fate that held no allure in John's opinion.
"I understand. If you permit it, then I would like my unit to serve as reserves for the city's safety during emergency situations," John replied with a nod of acceptance.
"That I'm okay with. You can select any 100 men you want from the existing army, using whichever method you prefer," Dante stated as he rose from the couch and made his way to his desk.
"Thank you, sir. I won't disappoint you," John responded, bowing lightly as he stood up and headed toward the door.
"Don't start recruiting troops today. It's already getting late, and I'm sure the long journey must have left you tired. For now, go to your room and rest," Dante advised, focusing his attention on a paper lying on his desk.
"Yes, sir," John replied, dashing out of Dante's office.
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John exhaled deeply, finally sinking into his own bed after three long months of being away. He lay there for a moment, absorbing everything that had transpired up until now, before delving into his subconscious.
As he entered, John began to speak, "So, what is it that you wa--" but his words trailed off, interrupted by an unexpected sight. Three colossal white eggs sat right in the center of his consciousness. Pallas and Kostas, in their human forms, stood beside them, exchanging curious glances and engaging in conversation.
"What are those?" John exclaimed in surprise, his eyes fixed on the unfamiliar objects occupying his subconscious space.
"You're here. Well, to be honest, we have no idea either. These things appeared one by one after you acquired those new gauntlets and sword... We suspect they might be the eggs of the spirits of the weapons, but it's hard to say for certain," Pallas replied, noticing John's arrival in his own conscience.
"I assume they'll hatch once they've absorbed enough energy, but it'll probably be some time before that happens. For now, just ignore them. Even without the spirits and their unique abilities, those new weapons of yours are remarkable tools," Kostas chimed in, taking a seat at the circular table where John and Pallas had already settled.
"I see. Is that all? I thought you wanted to discuss something with me," John inquired, shifting his gaze between Pallas and Kostas.
After an awkward pause, Kostas spoke up, "We want to talk more about chaos energy with you. We've noticed that while the chaos has been relatively subdued since you formed your energy heart, it's begun devouring divine energy and mana at an alarming rate."
"Wait, what? Why didn't you mention this for the past three months? And why didn't I notice anything?" John asked, his face displaying a mix of confusion and concern.
"To be honest, we're not entirely sure ourselves. As for why we didn't inform you sooner, it was because we wanted to have some understanding of the situation before alarming you," Kostas explained.
"So, you have some idea of what's going on?" John furrowed his brows, seeking answers.
"We suspect that since you formed the energy heart, all the energies started interacting more frequently, providing more opportunities for chaos to consume the other energies. As for why you didn't notice... we have no explanation," Pallas replied before continuing, "What you need to do now is focus on gathering more divine energy and mana. Additionally, you must learn how to utilize these two forces properly. Humans have barely scratched the surface of their potential. It's rather disheartening to witness how poorly you utilize mana, especially when compared to how religious figures harness divine energy." Pallas couldn't help but express his disdain, being a dragon lord and an expert in such matters.
"Damn it, one problem isn't solved before another one emerges. Argh!" John cursed, frustration evident as he tugged at his hair.
"Rest for today. There's no use stressing over this right now. We can begin addressing these issues tomorrow," Kostas advised, promptly dismissing John from his own subconscious space.
Once expelled, John stared at the ceiling for hours on end, unable to find his voice. To a certain extent, he felt exhausted. Two lifetimes was a long time, especially when survival was a constant concern. However, those thoughts didn't linger for long before John remembered that he had completely forgotten to inquire about the Chief Elder High Dwarf and the source of his knowledge.
"Forget it. I'll ask them tomorrow," John muttered, wrapping himself in his blanket in an attempt to find sleep.
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The next morning, John awoke early and was greeted by Hans entering his room, carrying John's new training clothes. The set had been meticulously tailored by a high dwarf to ensure that John's arm wouldn't move around during training. The trousers remained the same, but the jacket had a unique feature: belts along the left side that automatically tightened when mana was infused into them. The tightness would persist until another burst of mana was directed, effectively securing John's left arm during training.
"Your Highness, the Grand Duke is waiting for you at the training hall," Hans informed him. John responded with a smile, saying, "I'll be there in a minute."
Eager to begin his training, John quickly dressed in his new attire and made his way to the training hall.