A month later, Maximus sat in his study, meticulously processing the documents of Moonshadow City.
Thanks to ample funding, Moonshadow City had returned to its previous state of tranquility.
Now equipped with sufficient funds, he diligently oversaw repairs and improvements throughout the city, fortifying its foundation.
Maximus also made sure to look over the training of his wives.
With abundant resources at their disposal, their progress was nothing short of astonishing.
As he immersed himself in the documents, his butler Gerald entered the room.
"Young master, a messenger has sent a letter," Gerald informed him.
"Oh, hand it over."
Taking the letter, Maximus read its contents.
"An Evening Entertainment."
Upon reading the entire letter, he realized that it announced an annual banquet to be held in the imperial capital.
In the past, his father had despised such gatherings, considering them a waste of time amidst his training.
However, as the sole representative of his family now, Maximus was obligated to attend.
This event was hosted by the king of the Faerie Kingdom, and failing to attend was tantamount to treason.
"A month later..." Maximus sighed upon noting the date.
But upon reflection, he considered the possibility that this could be an opportunity.
His venture into the salt trading business is not viable, perhaps he could use this time to introduce new ventures.
Selling salt in the imperial capital was not feasible as his tier 1 alchemy masks can only deceive mortals.
With the capital brimming with tier-1 mages and knights, he can't take his chances.
"Very well, send a letter confirming my attendance," Maximus instructed.
"I will see to it, young master," Gerald bowed and exited the room.
"Now, what should I sell?" Maximus pondered.
...
Two weeks later, as he prepared to depart, his wives bid him farewell.
"Take care, dear, and stay safe," Erica said.
"Safe travels," added Hazel.
"Don't worry, nothing can happen to me," Maximus reassured them.
Erica couldn't resist teasing, "By the way, feel free to bring home a sister or two."
With their pregnancies, they were unable to fulfill their marital duties, and they hoped Maximus would find companionship elsewhere.
Maximus playfully responded, "We'll see,"
He comes to accept the norms of this world.
Having multiple wives was commonplace as long as one possessed wealth and status.
He even heard of women choosing a bunch of men as casually as picking out clothes.
After exchanging hugs and kisses, Maximus boarded his carriage.
He had specially acquired this carriage from the system.
[Celestial Chariot (Tier 3): An emulation of the divine chariot, capable of withstanding tier 3 attacks. Enhanced by magic crystals for escaping tier 4 threats. Price - 300,000]
After all, the original body and his family died while traveling, so he had a bit of a phobia.
Although it's expensive it's a necessity, who knows what danger he will encounter on the way?
He also purchased a tier 3 protection ring for 10,000 gold, a relatively modest cost compared to the carriage.
For a weapon, he chose an Arcane Rifle.
[Arcane Rifle (Tier 1): A mechanic rifle that uses very little mana to fire arcane bullets. Price - 300]
Maximus had acquired the rifle primarily for its aesthetics; he was captivated by the wand designed to resemble a rifle, finding it impressively cool.
Additionally, he could use arcane bullets that were already engraved with a spell for entertainment.
Of course, this arcane rifle is equivalent to a wand, so it can also be used for normal casting.
Unfortunately, with his poor aptitude, he can only dream of casting spells for now.
At this point, he could barely manage tier 1 spells, forcing him to rely on external aids.
"Is everything ready, Edwin?" Maximus queried his head guard.
"Every detail is in order, my lord."
"Then let us proceed."
...
Three days later, they had covered half the distance to the imperial capital.
"We're approaching Death Forest, stay vigilant," Edward warned the other soldiers.
"Death Forest?" Maximus murmured
A memory resurfaced.
Death forest is where his father usually hunts, it is said that there is a tier 3 beast hidden in the forest.
Passing through this area, he couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Fortunately, the carriage provided a sense of security, even in the unlikely event of encountering the tier 3 beast.
...
A few hours later, they found themselves deep within Death Forest.
Aoooo!*
Suddenly, the howl of a wolf pierced the air.
"Prepare for defense," ordered the vigilant Edwin.
Soon, a massive pack of wolves, numbering hundreds, encircled them.
The reason they didn't attempt to escape was their inability to do so.
Only Maximus knew the carriage's capability.
To others, it appeared nothing more than a luxurious and imposing vehicle.
Moreover, the carriage couldn't accommodate all the guards even if they had known its secret.
"A wolf pack?" Maximus murmured, cracking open the carriage window.
"Be cautious, my lord," warned Edwin upon seeing Maximus peering out.
Edwin had been raised by Maximus's father since childhood, owing to his talent and dedication.
Now, Edwin had ascended to become a tier 2 Great Knight.
"A Wolf King!" shouted a guard suddenly.
A Wolf King possessed the strength of tier 2 and commanded a pack of at least three hundred wolves.
Yet, Maximus's guard numbered merely a hundred.
"Defend!" Edwin shouted, his uncertainty apparent.
The wolf pack lunged forward, launching an assault.
Despite their disciplined formation, the guards struggled to hold their ground.
Meanwhile, the Wolf King remained cautious, sensing Edwin's strength.
"Hmph, you beast," Edwin snarled, wasting no time before launching his attack on the Wolf King.
The clash of swords and claws reverberated through the forest.
However, it became evident that the Wolf King held an advantage in strength.
Observing the dire situation unfolding, Maximus lifted the top of the carriage and assumed a stance with the arcane rifle, providing support.
Realizing that Edwin was on the verge of defeat, Maximus retrieved a tier 1 frost bullet and aimed it at the Wolf King.
Boom*
The frost-enchanted bullet hurtled towards the Wolf King, but due to Maximus's inexperience with the arcane rifle, his aim was off, causing the bullet to miss its mark.
Aooo!*
The near miss infuriated the Wolf King, which perceived the attack as an affront.
"How dare a mere tier 1 ant attempt to assail this king," raged the Wolf King in thought.
This surge of anger provided Edwin with an opening to launch an attack against the Wolf King.
Slash*
With lightning reflexes, the Wolf King narrowly evaded Edwin's strike, sustaining a deep gash on its shoulder.
"It's seemed that I'm shitty even when it comes to shooting" Maximus muttered.
Unwilling to accept defeat, Maximus recalibrated his aim while Edwin kept the Wolf King occupied.
This time, Maximus's luck seemed to favor him, as the bullet hit the center of the Wolf King's forehead.
Unfortunately, being a mere tier 1 bullet, it barely grazed the Wolf King's skin.
Fortunately, as a frost bullet, it induced a momentary freezing effect, though incapable of inflicting substantial damage.
Seizing the opportunity, Edwin capitalized on the split-second pause, slashing at the Wolf King's neck with all his strength.
Splat*
The Wolf King's head was sent hurtling from its body, a gruesome conclusion to the battle.
Witnessing this, the remaining members of the wolf pack hesitated and quickly retreated.
Exhausted, Edwin panted heavily, grappling with the intensity of the experience.
The other soldiers, though battered and wounded, found solace in the battle's end, sitting down to recover.
Despite the injuries sustained, there were no fatalities among their ranks.
All eyes turned to their lord, who had fired the frost bullet that signaled the battle's conclusion.
"Swiftly clean up the area!" Edwin regained his focus and promptly issued orders.
"Understood, Captain!"
Aware that they still lingered within the dangerous confines of Death Forest, the soldiers diligently cleaned up, wary of potential threats.
Observing their disciplined and orderly conduct despite the chaos, Maximus couldn't help but feel deeply moved.
"It seems it's time to intensify the training regimen for the guards," Maximus contemplated.
Previously, he didn't dare to take out the products on the system to be used in the army as it may expose the system.
Now seeing their loyalty, he thought of compromising and starting vigorously training his army.
Anyway, he still had more than five hundred thousand gold.
"Let's go!" shouted Edwin as he dragged the wounded soldier, urgently guiding them away from the danger zone.
"let's not hurry, it's too dangerous to leave like this." Maximus cautioned as he disembarked from the carriage.
"But my lord—"
"No need to worry, it won't be long. First, have a healing potion," Maximus offered, presenting a storage bag filled with tier 1 healing potions.
Edwin looked at him, puzzled.
Where had his lord acquired such a rare commodity?
Potions were scarce in this desolate land, as it lacked the fertile environment required for potion-making alchemists to thrive.
The sole source of potions was Berrun City, located at the edge of the Sunburnt Plateau.
Backed by formidable forces, the city held access to other regions, making the procurement of potions relatively easy.
However, traversing the vast distance from Berrun City to their current location was not a simple task.
The journey would take close to a year, not to mention the inherent dangers.
Without the strength of a tier 3 individual, the journey would be a perilous one.
"I acquired them from a passing merchant who also sold salt in our city," Maximus explained.
"So that's it," Edwin nodded, enlightened.
He heard a rumor about this mysterious merchant that sold more than 30 tons of salt.
"Hurry, take these to the soldiers."
"Thank you, Lord," Edwin said excitedly, he also didn't want to see his soldier injured.
"Hmm"
Soon they took and drank the tier 1 healing potion stopping their bleeding injuries and scabbing the wound.
Seeing that everything is ready they continue with the journey.