For the sake of one more full day of training, sleep was a necessity for Richard to ensure his condition was truly at its best.

Only after a satisfying rest did he begin his practice, entering the Dragon Hall directly from his room without bothering to eat or bathe first.

He had planned to train without pause, perhaps until the next morning.

By his estimation, that would be enough to push his Aether to nearly its maximum.

Naturally, training in the capital—in an inn with extraordinary magical formations, inside the Dragon Hall—his ability to absorb Aether increased dramatically.

That night, in the middle of his training, Richard received a notification from the System.

(Your mastery of the Codex of Endless Flame has increased from 16% to 29%!)

Codex of Endless Flame (29%)

And when morning came, Richard—who had trained relentlessly through the night—finally ended his cultivation with a wide smile he could not suppress.

[Aether: 9998/10,000 <Tier 3>] +1315

[Aether Accumulation: 14,998 <Tier 3>]

He only needed two more before advancing. He could practically advance whenever he wished. After all, he still had his Aether Bottle filled with stored energy.

Whoosh!

He exited the Dragon Hall, returning to his room where he sat upon the bed.

His mind was still immersed in the sensation of power within his body. At the very least, he felt his strength had increased by a full Tier.

Defeating a Tier 13 Beast—he was confident he could do it now without even relying on Mind Attack.

As for Tier 14, he might still need Mind Attack if he wanted quick results.

'But if I advance, I'll truly become much stronger. For an ordinary Magus, advancing usually means an increase of five Tiers at once—and for someone like me, it would be even greater,' he thought.

It sounded like a lot, but the truth was that Magi in the Realm of Life Aether could reach Tier 25 in strength, sometimes even higher for extraordinary talents.

Reaching Tier 20 wasn't considered all that impressive, since from Tier 21 onward, every increase was said to be monumental.

'Basically, even Rebecca and Lilith are no longer my opponents, since they're stuck at Tier 14.'

Richard was deeply satisfied with his progress.

Even without Mind Attack, he was certain he had already reached their level—thanks to his many elemental affinities, each over 90%, combined with his mastery of three High-Class Codices for his current Realm.

Richard relaxed in his room for quite some time and eventually fell asleep again, drowsiness overtaking him.

But he woke at midday, heading straight to the bath for a cold shower.

Even the water used for bathing in this inn came from a particular mountain spring, granting a powerful refreshing sensation.

For the day, Richard chose to wear a robe—a slightly luxurious one of pure white.

It was enough to give him an elegant and scholarly appearance.

After tidying his hair, he finally stepped out of his room and into the third-floor corridor.

At the far end of the hall, there was a balcony for leisure, with a servant stationed nearby ready to serve food and drink to guests.

Richard went there after spotting Sister Lisa sitting by the balcony.

As soon as she saw him, Sister Lisa immediately gestured for him to come, while Richard could feel the curious gazes of others already seated there.

"You know, you've become very famous now. Everyone's looking for you, and many nobles are sending invitations," Sister Lisa said, her voice trembling slightly.

Richard showed no surprise upon hearing that. He only smiled and sat down.

Then, he waved at the servant waiting by the door.

"Bring me a cold, refreshing drink," he said.

The servant immediately nodded and left to fetch what he wanted.

Sister Lisa froze a little at his calm demeanor.

"Why do you seem so indifferent?" she asked.

"How should I look, Sister? Should I dance in the streets out of joy?" Richard replied, causing a few listeners nearby to laugh while Lisa grew slightly awkward.

Not long after, the servant returned, carrying not only the drink Richard requested but also snacks—fried potatoes and roasted corn.

Naturally, Richard, who hadn't eaten for more than a day, accepted the snacks. He ate leisurely, though he wasn't too hungry, having already suppressed his hunger by absorbing energy from Nature Spirits.

His gaze swept over the city below.

From that balcony, the view was clear, as the inn itself stood at one of the city's highest points.

Whoosh!

He released a soft wave of perception, observing the distance, curious about who had been watching him. After all, he had sensed many eyes on him.

Perhaps they meant no harm, but it still made him uncomfortable.

To his surprise, the same man from yesterday—the one who had spoken to him in the Monster World—was also spying on him, watching from another room through the blackened glass of a closed window.

'This is the risk of becoming famous,' Richard thought with a wry smile. Even if he felt uneasy, there was nothing he could say about it.

He pretended not to care, continuing to enjoy his snacks.

"Ohh..."

His eyes couldn't help but be drawn when he spotted two familiar figures—Gray and Laura—arriving with ten large carriages, each drawn by sturdy, powerful horses.

To his surprise, they too chose this very inn.

'So, the lockdown on Apple Town has been lifted,' Richard thought.

If Rebecca still had Apple Town under lockdown, he knew they wouldn't have been able to leave.

'But… Gray seems to have grown stronger.'

Richard's perception was sharper now. Compared to the last time he saw Gray, he could sense some sort of transformation in the man—a transformation that had boosted his power even further.

The difference was clear to him, though he couldn't pinpoint what had caused it.

A large increase of Aether seemed unlikely, since Gray couldn't absorb Aether nearly as fast as him, and sources that allowed such massive growth in so short a time were extremely rare.

Whether Gray or Laura, neither noticed Richard's presence.

They were far too occupied with the acquaintances who had been waiting for them in the capital.

"Richard, do you have a plan?" Sister Lisa asked.

Richard nodded in response.

"I'm going back to the Monster World," he said.

"What?" Sister Lisa looked startled.

"I didn't finish last time, and now I'll fight with everything I've got. Do you think I can't surpass Lilith, who defeated Tier 14?" Richard replied with absolute confidence.

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