Investing in the Reborn Empress, Rewarded With 10x Returns

Three days later.

At the entrance of Valerius Manor, the carriage that had brought them stood waiting. The porridge stall was still open. Many members of the Valerius family came out to see them off.

"Kaelen, make sure to train diligently under Theo, understand?"

"If you lack anything, just send word home."

Patriarch Valerius stood at the gate with his hands clasped behind his back. Every wrinkle on his face creased with kindness. Now, he no longer seemed as imposing as when they first met. He looked like an ordinary old man.

"Understood, Grandfather."

Kaelen nodded earnestly.

Glancing around, he scratched his head. "Where is Theo?"

"I am here."

A voice drifted over with the wind.

Before the sound fully reached them, the man himself had already arrived.

Kaelen turned to find Theo standing atop the carriage. His robes fluttered gently in the breeze.

"Phantom Step?"

He blinked in surprise.

How did Theo know their family’s secret, high-tier movement technique?

"I gave the manual to him only three days ago."

Valerius could only sigh in amazement now.

He could clearly tell. Theo’s display showed he had already mastered the technique to a minor degree.

It seemed the young man was naturally suited to this movement art and possessed extraordinary comprehension to begin with.

"Theo, have you been studying Phantom Step all these days? No wonder I barely saw you."

"Not entirely."

Theo shook his head slightly.

He had reached major proficiency in Phantom Step on the first day.

His talent in movement techniques was actually quite average. He simply exhausted the insights he gained from aiding the Valerius disciples in their martial pursuits.

"Oh, right, you were also training." Kaelen nodded, though not entirely following.

Theo toyed with the ring in his palm, smiling without a word.

Over the past three days, most of his time had been spent figuring out how to imprint the aura of the World Seed onto the Ancient Brass Ring.

It was no simple task. It required immense focus and energy.

Theo had consumed numerous high-grade recovery elixirs just to replenish his expended vitality.

Fortunately, he succeeded in the end.

Now, through his guidance, the Ancient Brass Ring bore a backdoor left by the World Seed.

The coachman readied the horses.

"Grandfather, we are leaving now."

"Patriarch Valerius, let us keep in touch."

Theo waved from the carriage.

The carriage slowly began moving.

Along the road, refugees and beggars who had come to receive food looked up at the passing vehicle. Their numb expressions suddenly flickered to life.

They all knew.

Theo promised that even after his departure, the charity kitchen would continue operating.

"Benefactor Theo, take care!"

"When I make something of myself, I will build a shrine in your honor!"

"May your martial path flourish!"

...

Listening to the gratitude pouring from both sides of the road, Theo felt an unfamiliar emotion stirring in his chest. This was the first time so many looked to him as a beacon of hope.

He exhaled deeply and let the carriage curtain fall.

"Let us make a stop at Mudhorn Alley first."

"Right away!"

The coachman hurriedly complied.

Now, he wouldn’t dare disregard Theo’s words. Even the young master of the estate deferred to him.

...

Mudhorn Alley.

The ramshackle houses still stood. Cluttered with broken belongings. But the air no longer carried the same lifeless despair.

Over the past three days, Theo visited daily.

Each time, he would cook for them.

"Has Theo not arrived yet today?"

"Will he bring candied fruit today?"

"I want roasted meat."

"All you think about is food."

The little urchins bustled about the courtyard.

Suddenly, the mute child began making excited noises. His ears were the sharpest. The other children rushed to the courtyard entrance.

Sure enough, the sound of a carriage approached.

"Theo!"

"Today, I will teach you how to make lotus-leaf chicken and roasted meat. Simple dishes. You will be able to make them yourselves later."

Theo entered, chatting with them as usual. By now, he was thoroughly familiar with this group of little rascals.

"G-good morning."

Elara greeted him timidly.

Her face was still smudged like a stray cat, making it hard to gauge her complexion. But her voice carried more strength than before. Proof of her improving health.

She even had enough energy to help now.

"I... I will help chop the vegetables."

"Sure."

Theo flicked water droplets from his hands.

But after a long pause, Elara still hadn’t moved.

Her hesitant voice came again.

"I don’t... don’t have a knife."

"Here."

Theo casually handed her the Crimson Edge from his waist.

Strangely enough, the usually aloof Crimson Edge had been unusually restless these past few days. Around Elara, it acted like a cat intoxicated by catnip.

In her hands, the blade became docile. It sliced whatever she directed it to without complaint.

Thus, the precious supreme artifact temporarily served as a kitchen knife.

"Y-you... you are using that to chop vegetables?"

Kaelen stammered in disbelief.

"It is... not very convenient."

"This blade... is not good."

Elara replied haltingly.

"..." The princess’s sense of value was truly peculiar.

A sack of rice was a treasure to her. A silver note could leave her gaping for half a day.

Yet when faced with supreme artifacts or phoenix feathers, she treated them as utterly ordinary.

Theo had once asked her about it, leading to the following exchange:

"People... will die without food."

"What about silver notes?"

"Silver... can buy food."

"Don’t you realize this blade could fetch a lot of silver?"

"Could it? But I have seen... many better ones before."

Pills, supreme artifacts. Things most considered precious, she regarded as commonplace.

Likely, such things had been abundant in her past life as royalty, leaving her with no grasp of ordinary people’s realities.

Yesterday, she found a broken rattle drum. After Theo repaired it, she cherished it like a priceless artifact.

It was baffling. A strange kind of sheltered ignorance.

Soon, the meal was ready.

But this time, Theo didn’t eat with them.

Instead, he called Elara aside and first pulled out a piece of paper.

"This is the deed to this abandoned courtyard. From now on, you are not refugees or squatters. You are its rightful owners."

"Owners?"

Elara accepted the deed in a daze. She carefully folded it before tucking it into her pouch.

"And this."

Theo produced the Ancient Brass Ring from his robes.

Without hesitation, he slid it onto her slender finger.

Elara: "!"

Her mother had once told her. Rings were tokens of betrothal.

When a man gave one to a woman, it symbolized devotion. Accepting it meant binding their fates together.

It also meant babies would come soon.

In Elara’s mind:

Accepting a ring = soon having babies.

Theo was handsome, gentle, told wonderful stories, and could cook.

But... but she wasn’t ready!

Yet if she refused, he would surely be heartbroken.

"Elara?"

Across from him, Elara seemed to have short-circuited.

Even through the grime on her face, her blush burned crimson.

Theo waved his hand in front of her eyes, puzzled.

"Theo... this... this is..."

"Oh, this item was entrusted to me by someone to deliver to you."

Theo promptly shifted the blame onto Liana.

If it was something from Liana, she would probably accept it, right?

"So... that is how it is."

Elara relaxed slightly, yet a trace of melancholy lingered in her expression.

With the ring now on her finger, her previously calmed heart suddenly felt hollow. As if something vital was missing.

"Well, I will be on my way now."

"Where are you going?"

"Back to the Silent Thunder Sect. But do not worry, I will return in a while."

As Theo reached the doorway, he turned to bid her farewell with a smile.

Elara pressed her lips together. She watched him take step after step away from her.

Then, driven by an inexplicable surge of courage, she called out.

"Theo... wait."

"You... you have not seen what I really look like yet."

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