The man in the black robe instinctively took a step back when he saw Lilith.

And the latter smirked at him.

"Have you become a tyrant now, Austin?" she said with a soft chuckle.

"Your Highness!" The man immediately greeted Lilith with respect.

"Richard is my friend, you'd better not try anything strange with him," Lilith said.

Hearing that, the man glanced back at Richard, his expression difficult to control.

However, in front of Lilith, he clearly didn't dare to argue.

He could only nod before leaving.

Richard drew even more attention.

Being friends with the princess at the very least showed that he was not someone who could be oppressed by just anyone.

Lilith gestured for Richard and Lisa to follow her, and they did.

"Boy, you really know how to stir up trouble," Lilith said to Richard.

"I only followed the challenge," Richard replied casually.

"Sister Lilith, who was that man?" he then asked.

"First, remember not to call me that in the capital. Call me 'Your Highness' like everyone else, or you'll face punishment from the Kingdom."

Richard: "..."

Hearing her words, Richard could only fall silent.

Considering they were already familiar with each other and he was used to calling her sister, it felt awkward for him to suddenly call her Your Highness.

"But boy, you really didn't hold back," Lilith continued.

"The power you revealed—too many precious things were shown. Not to mention, there's news you inherited the legacy of the Dragon Knight. Many forces will definitely target you because of this. How will you handle it? Just so you know, if this involves outsiders, it's hard to say anyone in this kingdom could protect you."

Richard, of course, understood that he was in trouble.

However, everything had already happened. Even if he went back to the past, he would still do the same thing.

And he didn't say anything in response, so Lilith, waiting for an answer, simply rolled her eyes.

Sou! Sou! Sou!

Suddenly, a group of Sky Armor Knights on horseback arrived.

They wore armor covering them from head to face, not removing it even when not in battle.

In front of Lilith, they dismounted from their horses.

"Your Highness!" They all greeted Lilith, and then their captain said, "Your Highness, the King wants you to bring Richard to the palace. The King wishes to hand him the city certificate."

The captain's words slightly surprised Richard. It seemed everything he had done couldn't escape the King's eyes—even though barely ten minutes had passed.

"Well, boy, do you want to go to the palace now?" Lilith asked Richard.

"Of course!" Richard nodded.

He was somewhat curious about the palace, and naturally, he wouldn't reject a city being granted to him.

He just didn't know where that city would be located.

For that, he didn't expect too much.

After Richard nodded, the knight captain suddenly pulled out a large silver carriage adorned with a star emblem.

Two knights then harnessed horses to the carriage.

"Get in," Lilith said to Richard.

She boarded the carriage first.

Following behind her, Richard was left astonished by its interior—far too luxurious.

Though closed off, the inside was lit by crystal lamps, furnished with two sofas facing each other, and between them stood a small table complete with a variety of fruits.

Richard sat on the back sofa with Lisa beside him, while Lilith sat opposite them, crossing her long snow-white legs.

As he sat, Richard was preoccupied with his own thoughts, so he wasn't distracted by Lilith's rather tempting posture.

His eyes fell on his statistics, realizing it was better for him to advance right now to be more prepared for whatever sudden challenges might come.

He only needed two Aether, and he could even absorb them himself.

Lilith seemed like she wanted to speak again, but Richard had already begun absorbing Aether.

In this city, the time he needed to absorb two Aether was astonishingly short.

[Aether: 10,000/10,000 <Tier 3>] +2

[Aether Accumulation: 15,000 <Tier 3>]

DING!

(You have successfully accumulated 10,000 Aether and possess a complete Aether Framework, allowing evolution for your Aether!)

Richard received the notification, and transformation immediately began within his body.

All of his Aether trembled violently, yet his body itself remained calm, only starting to exude a more oppressive aura.

Lilith raised her eyebrows as she watched, while Lisa began to struggle to breathe.

Sitting beside Richard, she was unintentionally suppressed by the aura.

Lilith quickly released her own power to envelop Richard's body, preventing the aura from spreading further.

(Status:)

[Name: Richard]

[Magic Realm: Life Aether]

[Aether: 0/20,000 <Tier 3>]

[Aether Accumulation: 15,000 <Tier 3>]

[Soul: Black Heart Soul]

[Black Heart Hidden Power: 10,000/25,000]

Richard's statistics had changed, though the process itself was still ongoing.

His Aether began to live within his body. They were still bound to him, but controlling them no longer required constant effort. He only needed to give orders, and they knew what to do.

It was much simpler.

Of course, Life Aether was three times stronger than ordinary Aether.

Even though he had only gained two Aether, the increase in his strength was drastic—as though his Aether had tripled.

If he were to fight the Primordial Demon again, he could practically defeat it with a single strike.

'I might already be close to most Peak Life Aether Magi,' Richard thought.

With no overwhelming phenomenon marking his advancement, he remained calm, as though nothing had happened.

However, when he opened his eyes and looked at Lilith, he found her gaze complicated.

Who knew what she was thinking?

Perhaps, for her, it was simply too hard to believe—that a boy could reach the Life Aether Realm.

DING!

(To advance to the next Realm, the World Realm, you must not only accumulate Aether but also become one with the world!)

Richard received another notification from the System.

This time, he slightly furrowed his brows, even though he already knew this was the requirement to advance to the next realm.

Becoming one with the world meant that afterward, a person was no longer just a being living upon it.

They would be part of the world itself.

This was a truly monumental transformation.

By becoming part of the world, one's power reached a completely different level—an overwhelmingly immense level.

One could fly or live within water. In fact, there would no longer be a need for air or even food. Even sleep would no longer matter, as long as energy remained within the body.

But how exactly did one become one with the world?

It was something extremely complex, requiring a deep understanding of both oneself and the world.

The difficulty was unimaginable. Countless geniuses were ultimately trapped for decades in the Life Aether Realm, unable to become one with the world.

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