Seongjin demonstrated the [Aura Concealment] for Dasha, who found it hard to believe even after seeing it with her own eyes.
“How can this even be possible…”
She couldn’t recover from the shock for a while.
“Selective trainees usually take an average of 3 to 4 years for this process. How did you manage it in just one day…”
Seongjin casually shrugged his shoulders, keeping his aura inactive.
Is that so?
Well, that’s decent. I’ve managed to build up to the 5th layer of aura in just a few weeks, a feat that takes others an average of 7 years.
But even then, my father still treats me as a commodity to be sold.
“Your Highness, can you move in that state?”
Upon Dasha’s question, Seongjin cautiously took a step forward. However, his efforts were in vain as his previously faded presence snapped back into its original form.
“Hmm…”
This is not going to be easy.
Seongjin focused his mind, constantly recalling the image he had been meditating on.
In fact, he was thinking of a memory from his Hunter days to make manipulating aura easier.
A day from long ago when he had been isolated in the nest of a venomous creature called the Fire Caterpillar. Amid the floating poisonous particles in the air, he had focused his vital energy to protect his respiratory system and skin.
Unable to breathe properly and at risk of his skin melting at any lapse in concentration, Seongjin had survived two whole days in that poisonous environment before finally returning to his unit.
“Right. [Aura Concealment] isn’t simply tying up your aura to your body.”
What needs to be visualized is a seamless barrier of aura, continually circulating within the body while maintaining a dense concentration to prevent any external aura from infiltrating.
And then he just had to move his body as he did back then.
“Is that really possible? This is insane!”
Dasha’s voice, filled with awe, echoed beside him.
After several trial-and-error attempts, Seongjin finally succeeded in taking his first step without any fluctuation in his presence. After that, everything became smooth sailing.
In no time, Seongjin managed to move around the room with his presence perfectly concealed. He even demonstrated hopping in place while manipulating some aura in his legs.
“How did you do that? Why does [Aura Concealment] look so easy when you do it?”
Dasha, appearing almost desperate, asked him.
Seongjin kindly explained his method, albeit with some creative liberties.
“So, Dasha, imagine you are a poison dart frog. Imagine that you’ve fallen, unfortunately, right into the nest of venomous ants. You lack an immunity to their venom, so you have to constantly exude a mucus to protect yourself. However, if you exude all your venom, you won’t have any more protection, so you’ll need to absorb the exuded venom back through your skin. Just like how the poison dart frog…”
Listening to his long-winded explanation, Dasha muttered.
“Is this for real…”
She looked at Seongjin with a devastated face and soon dropped her head, whispering softly.
“Is that how it works, even with such a messy method? In this damned world where geniuses get everything?”
“…”
Seongjin, whose senses were heightened due to the intricate aura manipulation, couldn’t help but hear her. However, he decided to let it pass for now.
He did feel a certain sense of guilt for having achieved in a short time what took others years of bloody effort.
“…I’ll find a stealth suit that suits Your Highness by tomorrow.”
Dasha, who had been panicking for a moment, finally composed herself and spoke.
“We absolutely cannot get caught, under any circumstances.”
Her face, clenched in a tight fist, looked exceptionally grave.
“Can’t I just sneak out now?”
“What are you talking about! You’ve certainly grasped the most important techniques, but assassination skills aren’t just about [Aura Concealment]. You haven’t even started practicing controlling sound, breathing, or consciousness.”
According to Dasha, there’s still a long road ahead.
Depending on the situation, you’ll have to learn several evasion techniques, weapon skills for assassins, how to handle sleeping drugs, and various ways to handle unexpected situations.
“To make full use of all these techniques, you’ll need a lot of practice. You also have to make various preparations. Above all else…”
“Above all else?”
“I can sense it. You still lack trust in me.”
Ah, that elusive trust.
“You see? Your Aura Concealment might work on ordinary people, but it’s not yet sufficient to completely ward off other Aura users. So, don’t carelessly go outside and risk strengthening the palace’s security.”
Seongjin slowly lifted his arm. His existence seemed a bit blurred, but it was clearly not enough to fully deceive the palace guards like Dasha could.
“Your Highness, please keep this in mind. Your safety should be the top priority. If you intend to go outside covertly, you must, absolutely must, go with me. Understand?”
“Yep, got it.”
Avoiding Dasha’s intense gaze, Seongjin replied casually, prompting her to let out a deep sigh.
“Sigh, am I digging my own grave? I thought you’d give up within at least 3 years if I taught you moderately…”
So, you were just trying to kill time, huh?
“Absolutely do not attempt to go outside the palace alone. You hear me? You hear?”
Ignoring her, Seongjin obediently lay on his bed. Dasha continued her earnest cautions before leaving.
Of course.
The moment her presence fully disappeared from the Pearl Palace, it was only natural for Seongjin to spring up and slightly open the terrace door.
Shall I take a brief walk around the vicinity of the Pearl Palace?
What’s the problem if I’m caught while walking around my own palace?
***
“Asein introduced it as a new mineral.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
In the pitch-dark imperial palace on a moonless night.
The Emperor was receiving a report from No. 21, Enrique, in a dimly lit room.
“Asein has named it ‘Red Gold,’ due to its reddish-gold color.”
“Red Gold, huh…”
“Yes. Asein is confident that its value will soon surpass that of gold due to its rarity. It’s slightly heavier than gold and has a beautiful red luster. It’s quite hard, like platinum, which makes it difficult to work with, but this makes it even more popular among the wealthy.”
The Emperor tilted his head and said, “But breaking into Asein’s gold craftsmanship market won’t be easy.”
“Asein is actively taking the lead in opening that market. He plans to make some of the relics for the church from Red Gold, and is preparing all gifts for the birth celebration from Red Gold as well. He’s mobilized all the craftsmen in the workshop, and they’ve never seen Asein spend so generously.”
“I see. He probably aims to gain credibility for its value through this birth celebration…”
Suddenly, the Emperor stopped speaking and looked out the window.
“…”
No. 21, puzzled, also looked out. The pitch-black imperial garden showed no signs of patrolling guards, remaining silent.
“What is he up to this time…”
“Your Majesty?”
“…No, it’s nothing.”
The Holy Emperor soon faced No. 21 again with an expression as if nothing had happened.
“So, what about this [Red Gold]? Is it an alloy?”
“Yes, our guild’s technicians tried to melt it down but failed to separate anything from it. Surprisingly, it seems to be a single metal.”
“How peculiar. I had assumed it was an alloy, given that Asein is known for deceiving people with copper, claiming it to be gold.”
21 looked carefully at the Emperor’s face and cautiously asked, “Your Majesty, do you believe it’s not a new mineral?”
“New mineral at this point? Isn’t the timing just too perfect? Especially considering Asein has scoured every available resource in our territory over the past decades. However…”
The Emperor paused and stroked his chin, lost in thought for a moment.
“…What if the [Red Gold] vein extends from the western mountain range triangle to the direction of Carthago?”
21 flinched.
“How did you know…?”
“Indeed.”
Although it was pitch-dark, 21, who had night vision, clearly saw a slight smirk on the Emperor’s lips.
“Then, even if it really is a new metal, it wouldn’t matter much. The amount available won’t sustain long-term mining.”
“Yes?”
“By now, the grandson of Archduke Carthago must have grown up. Asein must be getting anxious.”
“…Yes?”
“Same as ever, an old fool.”
“…”
How did you know? How far can you see?
If this had been the 21 of the past, he would have asked the Holy Emperor directly. But now, he just looked at the Holy Emperor with a slightly uncomfortable expression and soon bowed his head quietly.
“Enrique.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Investigate the current situation of Carthago’s supply of rock salt. Compare it to the trade trends mediated by Asein.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Ah, also prepare the newly-mined Red Gold ore. I’ll make a brief visit to the Asein branch soon.”
21 slightly nodded and disappeared as if melting into thin air.
After he left, the Holy Emperor alone turned his head to look out of the window. There was a silvery light in his eyes, seemingly shining in the dark room on their own.
“I told him to do whatever he wants, but I really can’t predict where this fellow will jump next…”
The Holy Emperor couldn’t take his eyes off the window until dawn broke.
***
Swoosh…
Even though there was no wind, the flowers in the garden were suddenly shaken.
Swish…
A branch that was suddenly shaken rubbed its leaves, making a small friction sound.
“…?”
This sudden disturbance caught the attention of a patrolling knight. However, after scanning the garden for a while, the knight found nothing unusual and disappeared toward the armory.
If he had known what was happening in the Pearl Palace garden, he would have been shocked.
The prince, dressed in his pajamas, was testing the limits of his agility, literally running around the garden freely.
‘Ahahahaha!’
[You’re totally excited. So exciting.]
Even under the Demon King’s reprimands, Seongjin merely laughed joyfully inside.
When he first cautiously ventured into the garden, the resident knight who was guarding the door outside didn’t notice Seongjin slipping onto the terrace at all. This knight was, based on aura activity, a mid-level knight at the medium stage!
‘Is it working? Should I try other places?’
So, Seongjin also wandered around the servants’ quarters.
Edith, who would usually swoop in like an arrow even if she sensed a slight anomaly, was now deep in sleep, completely unaware. Having confirmed her even breaths and light snoring, Seongjin gained confidence.
‘Will this work on the guards or resident knights too?’
Although Dasha had mentioned he needs to learn more skills.
Seongjin also had some know-how related to stealth from his past Hunter days, infiltrating monster nests and wreaking havoc.
Above all, a solid resolve.
-‘If I get caught wandering in my palace, so what? What are you going to do?’
This unshakeable resolve, stemming from his robust self-confidence, wasn’t something the ambiguous belief effect Dasha pointed out could match.
And shortly after.
After verifying against a few resident knights on patrol, Seongjin was now freely running around the garden as he pleased.
‘Hahaha! I feel alive!’
He must’ve been somewhat stressed, maintaining his prince-like demeanor all this while. Reminiscing his Hunter days after a good run felt nostalgic.
Seongjin pushed his aura to its limits, moving his body as high and as far as possible. It was a fruitful time to properly adapt to his rapidly increasing aura.
However, he soon reached the limits of his aura, now on its 5th layer.
Thud. Thump. Thud.
Filling his legs with aura for one last leap, Seongjin landed on the roof of the Pearl Palace and sat down to catch his breath and released his aura concealment. Immediately, depleted aura and scarce oxygen started to replenish swiftly in his body.
‘This is better than expected? Maybe it’s not too much to go outside the palace alone…’
If only he wasn’t wearing these clumsy pajamas, he might’ve stepped out of the palace right away.
The Demon King seemed especially anxious.
[Isn’t it enough that you’ve made this much of a fuss? Let’s go back, Seongjin. It’s already dawn. Kids grow well only when they sleep well.]
‘…Shall I?’
Come to think of it, he had skipped meditation today because he was learning aura concealment.
If he wants to proceed with tomorrow’s morning training without a hitch, it’s best to go to bed now.
‘Who knows when I’ll get another chance.’
Fortunately, today was the day Sir Masainhad returned home.
Although he almost lived in Pearl Palace these days, he also had a decent home in the capital, with servants of his own.
If Mason had stayed in Pearl Palace, he wouldn’t have been so reckless. He wasn’t confident enough not to get caught by a Decalon Knight or a high-ranking knight.
‘Alright, let’s go all out today. It’s just for today.’
[Really?!]
Seongjin, after finalizing his decision, quietly returned to his room with his aura concealment activated. He gently opened the door; the escort knight, still unaware, yawned and started to doze off.
Perfect.
‘I should find some decent clothes to cover up…’
Opening the dress room, he found only flashy clothes that obviously suited a prince.
‘…I should ask Dasha to find some comfortable clothes later.’
Reluctantly, Seongjin wore his sword belt with Nutcracker over his pajamas and put on boots.
[Are you going out like that?]
‘Let’s stop by the knights’ quarters on the way. Perhaps I could borrow a coat there?’
Doing his best to move silently to avoid waking any sleeping knights, Seongjin started walking towards the knights’ quarters. But he soon realized that there was no need to be so cautious.
A boisterous drinking game was taking place in the brightly lit knights’ quarters.
