Top Tier Perversion: Dual Cultivate Secretly

Larry was still standing near the tables when Vincent came down from the watchtower.

The royal meeting had mostly dispersed by now.

Clerks remained behind with stacks of papers while messengers repeatedly entered and left the square.

Soldiers gathered fresh supplies before returning to their positions, and the distant bells continued ringing whenever another section of the migration moved through the Valley.

Larry, however, had somehow accumulated his own small crowd.

Two merchants were speaking to him. A White Apricot Kingdom official waited nearby with documents under one arm, while another man seemed to be explaining something about future grain shipments.

Larry looked completely overwhelmed, but somehow still managed to see Vincent walk toward him.

The crowd immediately made way.

Larry straightened so quickly that Vincent thought the man might injure his back.

"Y-yes, Your Lordship?"

Vincent stopped before him.

"Larry, what’s your most prized possession?"

Larry blinked.

"My what?"

"Your most prized possession. The thing you value most, my man."

Larry looked around as if hoping somebody nearby understood what Vincent was saying.

He also wondered why Vincent was suddenly talking to him in such a casual tone as if they were really close.

"Might I ask why, Your Lordship?"

Vincent softened his tone some more.

"I saw you working hard for my house already, and I feel you deserve to be rewarded. Tell me, what is it that you value the most so I can surprise you properly."

For a second Larry’s hopes went up, but he still found something odd happening with the conversation. However, he couldn’t exactly point out what it was.

"Um... Your Lordship, I don’t deserve any more reward."

"Haha, you definitely do, my man." Vincent lightly slapped his shoulder. "Just answer the question."

Larry thought seriously about it and said, "My savings—"

"No, not money."

"Then... my house?"

Vincent frowned. "You value your house more than anything?"

"Well, I live there."

Okay well, Vincent couldn’t argue with that. "No, Larry, not your house. Think deeply, something more personal, something you value, something you wouldn’t let go even if the world ended."

Larry became even more confused and began thinking deeply.

A small crowd had gathered around. People tried to guess what Vincent was going to surprise Larry, and they were also curious to know why this young lord was suddenly interested in a random villager’s valued possession. The bigger question however was: what was Larry’s most valued possession?

Standing beside Vincent, even Anastasia had no idea what he was trying to do and calmly watched her young master interact with the villager. Though, her one hand was always close to her sword and her eyes were periodically glancing at the people nearby.

Eventually, Larry scratched his cheek and said, "Well... I didn’t think my most valued possession would be ’that’ but, I guess, it really is that."

"What is ’that’, my good man." Vincent’s tone was even gentler, almost soothing to Larry’s ears.

Larry smiled and said, "There is a little wooden horse in my room, Your Lordship. My father carved it for me when I was a boy. It’s poorly made. One leg is shorter than the others and the ears don’t match, but I’ve kept it all these years."

"Now that I look back... hm... yes... indeed, I would be willing to lose my house if the world ended but not that."

Vincent became quiet.

Very quiet, in fact.

He didn’t think this guy would speak of something so sentimental, and he almost felt bad for what he was about to do.

Well...

"I understand. I’ll take it then."

Almost.

"Huh?" Larry’s jolly face suddenly displayed confusion.

"What, My Lord?"

The gentle expression from Vincent’s face was gone. He calmly said, "The horse. It’s mine now."

Larry’s expression dropped. He stared at him as if Vincent had suddenly announced he was confiscating one of his organs.

"Your Lordship, that thing isn’t worth anything."

"It’s absolutely worth everything, don’t worry."

"Your Lordship, I can give you money instead. Here..."

As he was rummaging through his pockets, Vincent was visibly offended and snorted.

"Do I look like I need your money?"

Larry stopped.

The villagers nearby gasped softly and broke out in chatter, wondering just what this young lord was trying to do by snatching something so sentimental from this young, unmarried man.

"My apologies, Your Lordship," Larry said with a sigh.

"Larry, I think you’re not understanding something."

Vincent clasped his hands behind his back and returned to the arrogant attitude he had maintained around the Valley officials.

"Let me get this straight. You surely didn’t think I’d appoint you as the bridge between three kingdoms and House D’Arc for free, did you?"

Larry’s mouth went slightly agape. He looked at Vincent with an absolutely dumbfounded expression.

Vincent continued. "You were a random villager this evening. Now kings, ministers, merchants and officials know your name."

Vincent glanced toward the people who had been surrounding Larry a moment ago, then returned to him.

"That kind of thing gets to people’s heads."

Larry hurriedly said, "I would never—"

"Everyone says that before it gets to their head."

Vincent interrupted him with the shake of his hand.

"So I’m taking something you actually care about. Every time you remember your father’s poorly made wooden horse, you’ll remember that your position didn’t fall from heaven because you’re some incredible genius."

Larry looked mildly wounded by the description.

"My father tried his best."

"I’m sure he did. He must’ve put a lot of love behind it, but that’s not the point."

Vincent continued, "The most important thing is — Stay humble. Do your job properly. Don’t abuse the position, don’t start acting like you own the three kingdoms, and don’t make House D’Arc regret recognizing you."

His expression became more serious.

"If you change for the worse later, I’ll take something much more expensive next time."

Larry swallowed.

"I...I understand, Your Lordship."

"Good."

Vincent reached toward him.

"Horse."

"I don’t have it with me."

Vincent lowered his hand.

"Oh. Right."

Larry lived in a house like a normal person. Of course he didn’t carry his childhood wooden horse around in his pocket.

Vincent’s tired mind had somehow skipped that detail.

"Bring it to me now."

Larry nodded and left.

Vincent activated Karmic Thread Perception.

The blue thread connecting Larry to him was still there.

He waited.

Larry eventually brought the wooden horse. He was hugging it so tingly, as if afraid he’d never see it again.

He was right.

He most likely wouldn’t.

Larry lowered his head and eventually still felt reluctant to hand the horse, but Anastasia snatched it anyway.

A tear almost leaked through his eye. He seemed to think about everything Vincent had said. The promotion was enormous, but the price he paid was likewise similar. Even if Larry had been made a slave for ten years, he wouldn’t have felt as heartbroken.

He would’ve still felt that ten years of slavery was nothing compared to the post he received!

But now?

Larry’s heart was strangely in shambles but also at ease.

The blue thread visibly weakened, and eventually disappeared.

Vincent checked again.

There really was nothing. No red, no blue, nothing.

He looked around and found no threads connecting him to the kingdom’s people.

’Finally. I’m starting to understand how it works.’

His karma in the Valley was clean.

Vincent smiled.

"Congratulations, Larry. We’re even."

Larry had no idea what that meant.

"Thank you... Your Lordship?"

Vincent patted him on the shoulder and walked away.

After several steps, he yawned.

It was long enough that his eyes watered afterward.

Anastasia followed beside him.

"Young master."

"I’m fine."

"I didn’t say anything."

"I know what you were going to say."

Vincent rubbed his eyes and continued toward one of the tables that had been left mostly empty.

There was still one more thing he wanted done before leaving.

He sat down and asked for paper and pen.

A clerk quickly brought it and placed it on the table.

Vincent thanked the man and began writing.

The letters he was writing now were for future reference for the three kingdoms.

The monster tide would only worsen from here onwards. He didn’t know for how long, but it would start soon and it surely would not be as easy to deal with as it was now.

Vincent wrote the first half of one letter, and his eyelids felt really heavy. His eyes half closed.

The pen was still touching the paper, leaving a large black spot where his hand had stopped moving.

"Shit."

He moved the pen and continued.

Anastasia placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Young master, please stop."

"I can’t," Vincent said while biting his lip to stay awake. "You told me to save these people, I will see it to the end."

Another yawn followed just as he finished saying so.

Anastasia had a pained expression on her face.

She could roughly tell that he did not know the importance of this place, but he was willing to go this far just for her.

"Young master, stop writing."

"I said no—"

"I will write for you. Just speak what it is."

Anastasia placed the wooden horse on the table and sat beside him.

Vincent stopped protesting. This was doable.

He handed her the pen, paper, ink and said, "Tell them that there will be more devastation and..."

Safe evacuation of people should be made a priority.

Farmlands and crops might be ruined by the stampede, but it would just be the upper surface. The soil beneath would still be fertile, so they mustn’t worry too much.

Food and safety first.

Then they could focus on making better diversion routes for the beasts, and livestock would have to be kept hidden or it might attract some monsters.

Vincent spoke as much as he could with the intelligence he possessed.

He was not sure if it would be enough, but tomorrow—

Vincent looked up. He could see the moon’s silvery brilliance.

It was likely midnight already, so the monster tide won’t happen tomorrow, but today itself.

Vincent corrected himself and continued speaking.

Eventually, the accumulated fatigue took the better of him and he passed out on the table.

His morning started with meeting Agnes, then he had a chat with his mother over cultivation, then he met Leona, travelled with her on the train and worked on reports and wrote some instructions for the Railguards for today’s monster tide, then met the Northern Commander and ventured into the Highlands, then fought his way to these valley kingdoms, and eventually dealt with them and helped them protect themselves.

So much had happened throughout the day, and he was showing signs of passing out from the watchtower itself.

He barely held himself back from totally collapsing, but couldn’t do so anymore.

Anastasia folded all the letters she wrote and handed it to Larry, asking him to give it to the White Apricot King.

The soldiers nearby were instructed to escort Larry to the King immediately.

Once the crowd from nearby scattered, Anastasia picked Vincent up in a princess carry. She also held the wooden horse and left for the house near the town square given to them by the King.

Doors opened on their own and a servant guided Anastasia to the bedroom.

She placed Vincent on the bed, closed the door, then changed him into something comfortable from the bedroom’s closet.

She then shifted him in a proper position on the bed and snuggled beside him.

Pulling the blanket cover, she watched him for a moment.

His breathing had already become deep and steady.

She brushed his black hair away from his forehead, and leaned down to softly kiss it.

"Sleep well... honey."

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