White Raven was still striving towards a higher standard and was far from achieving it.
Yet, the speed at which it was approaching the benchmark was unprecedented. It wouldn't be long before the big leagues start vying for a piece of this city all to themselves. Some of them had already started.
Dangers and opportunities were omnipresent around and inside the city. The cocktail of these two things was certainly adding spice to the city's lifestyle, making it livelier with each passing day.
"Have you explored the city yet?"
Agatha asked, looking at Eren with a gaze that said "I am head over heels for this bastard but I won't directly admit that." the latter shook his head in denial before responding.
"I came straight to meet you to find out what's going on. But I guess now's as good a time as any."
Eren said and released another lungful of smoke through his nostrils. He stretched his arms and legs before letting lightning streaks cover him.
"See you around, Miss manager.
Time to explore."
***
Eren wandered the streets of his own city with a curious gaze.
The region he was visiting at the time hosted many food courts and restaurants. They contained a range of cuisines meant for rankers and mortals alike.
People were busy exploring the city just like Eren. Most of them were rookie adventurers who had come here to explore Minerva's Utopia. Some stayed behind for the growth the city had to offer.
People who couldn't afford to leave the city built habitations outside its walls. Eren knew such slum-like dwellings were part of any popular city's reality.
So instead of trying to prevent these dwellings, Eren had decided to use them for his own means. Renar was instructed to strategically place the spies in the slums he could count on and use them. This was so that the city's dark side wouldn't remain dark to Renar and Eren by default.
People who caused more trouble than the importance of the roles they served would, of course, be dealt with immediately. However, he let the city's dark side grow as per his invisible rules. He even participated in illegal import and export transactions within his own city, profiting from shady deals. Controlled chaos held unimaginable benefits.
Eren had put many things like these in place that he had integrated covertly and overtly with the city's very fabric of existence. As such, it was now working like a well-oiled machine. And he was now seeing the fruits of his labor.
Most people had only heard Eren's name at this point but hadn't put a face to that name in their minds. The butcher had prevented Agatha and others from creating any statue of him inside the city.
It was better if he stayed a mystery for the most part. It was better if rumors about him proliferated to an absurd degree. So much so that people would not believe it was him even if he shouted his identity to everyone present at the city square.
Eren wouldn't mind staying unrecognized as the city's founder if it could allow him to roam its streets freely. Something he was doing at this point without people approaching him. But that was about to change.
"Eren, is that you?"
Eren was just above getting inside a lavish restaurant meant for rankers when he heard a question thrown at him. He raised his eyebrows, surprised at the fact that somebody had managed to identify him.
"Hm? Ju…"
Eren stopped himself from casually talking to this person. He touched his face with his hands to confirm who he was at the time before continuing.
"Ace Julia. What a surprise!"
Eren was surprised to find Jules waving at him and calling his name. The last time he had seen her was when he had come out of Purgatory. But all his previous interactions with her were done using his fake identity Ron Damien, which he had discarded a long time ago.
As such, he held himself back from addressing her casually. He realized that he was meeting her as a student in LA. He waved her back before quickly glancing at the people that were walking behind her.
There was Tara, whom Eren had never seen before. Then there was a mature woman with distinct feminine curves who also seemed to be with Jules. It seemed that they were about to leave the city when they came across Eren.
'That woman!'
Eren's eyes shone with cold light when he identified who the mature lady following Jules was– Lady Zee. The butcher had decided to pay a quick visit to the duchy of Lionheart to meet this woman. Unexpectedly, it was her who approached him without knowing his burnt identity.
"What a surprise indeed."
Julie greeted Eren with a smile and an incredulous look in her eyes as she stopped only a few steps away from him. She looked at him from head to toe one more time before commenting.
"I could have never imagined the student who we had escorted from the city of Laurel to the city of Lionhearts would one day grow up to establish White…"
Julie Ekheart froze when she realized something after getting close to him and sensing his presence subconsciously. No matter whether Eren implied it knowingly or unknowingly to her, she felt a subtle suppression of higher rank.
"You… you broke through the Adept rank already? H… how?"
It seemed that the shock she received from Eren being an Adept was greater for her than coming to terms with the fact that he was the founder of the city she and her team were in.
Lady Zee joined the duo before Jules could express her surprise with words.
"Jules dear, would you mind making introductions?"
Lady Zee looked at Eren keenly as she said to Jules. Eren flashed a gracious and welcoming smile to all three ladies who had come to meet him before turning back. He spoke while heading towards the restaurant he wanted to enter.
"Let's get to know each other over a leisurely meal, pretty ladies. My treat."
