Chapter 33: Good Times Are Here
Leona had never felt this happy.
As a princess of the Western Empire, she had never experienced financial hardship. Her allowance had been generous, and she could purchase anything she desired, within reason, from her father’s treasury. But after being resurrected as Abyss’s follower, her standard of living had plummeted. Although battling formidable opponents was exhilarating, the constant lack of funds had been a source of frustration.
But now, everything had changed! Abyss’s newly resurrected follower, Rebecca, wasn’t just a genius alchemist, but a wealthy heiress! Her massive gold cube could fund Leona’s extravagant lifestyle, endless feasts of roasted meat and her favorite drinks, without ever running out! Gold was the universal currency in Hai-Teweru. Possessing so much gold meant a stable and secure future.
And Rebecca was a shrewd businesswoman. Entrusting her with this fortune wouldn’t just prevent it from dwindling, but would likely increase it.
This sense of security was second only to the feeling of Abyss stroking her head!
Wait, why did she think that? Leona shook her head, trying to banish the thought.
She had felt like she was dreaming when she helped Abyss store the heavy gold cube in his magical catfish’s belly. Rebecca had thoughtfully had Abyss break off a small piece for them to exchange for immediate expenses. Even that small piece was incredibly heavy, likely worth thousands of imperial coins.
“This gold is now our shared property,” Rebecca said, tossing the gold nugget Abyss had given her, the metal clinking pleasantly against her palm.
“You’re giving away your personal fortune just like that?” Abyss asked, amused. Rebecca was truly extraordinary. Handing over a hundred million imperial coins worth of gold was as effortless for her as donating a few coppers.
Rebecca skipped towards him, grabbing his arm. “How can one be stingy with money when it comes to love? Wealth is fleeting, but my destined prince charming is irreplaceable.”
“Thank you. I have some assets, but they’re mostly burial goods, difficult to sell, especially in large quantities,” Abyss said. Although he didn’t care about money, Rebecca’s contribution was a welcome relief. He wanted to purchase a large plot of land, build his grand graveyard, and construct a comfortable and peaceful underground palace. Having gold would make the process much easier. As a gesture of gratitude, he stroked Rebecca’s hair.
Her hair was incredibly soft. She giggled, leaning her head against his shoulder.
Leona, still basking in their newfound wealth, didn’t feel jealous this time. She was busy daydreaming about all the fun things she could do now.
Flora chuckled, her composure unwavering. Although Rebecca’s clingy behavior could charm most young men, Abyss seemed oblivious to her advances.
…
Lannis, despite her joy at Rebecca’s return, didn’t linger by her side. She had no reason to stay in Lavoisier City any longer. She immediately began packing her belongings, preparing to leave. Since Abyss and his companions needed to meet with Princess Givia, she bid them farewell, returning to her crumbling house—Abyss’s magic was still holding the structure together, despite its numerous holes.
They agreed on a meeting place and parted ways.
Abyss led the three girls back to the Black Hats’ secret base. Flora insisted he change out of the dress, which now had a hole in the chest from the necromancer’s attack. It wouldn’t be appropriate to return to the Black Hats dressed like that.
Rebecca approved of his return to his usual attire. She had only seen him in a dress, looking like a girl, since her resurrection. Now, back in his male form, he seemed more handsome, closer to her ideal image of a prince charming—after all, no prince in any fairy tale wore a dress.
They met with Givia in a guest room at the secret base. She had just finished giving instructions to her men.
Rebecca didn’t know this “Princess Givia,” but her eyes kept darting towards Givia’s chest, comparing their sizes, sometimes feeling confident, sometimes feeling inadequate.
“You’ve caused quite a stir in this city,” Givia said with a wry smile, gesturing for Abyss and the girls to sit down. “I’ve been hearing nothing but shocking news since this morning. First, you and Titus raided the Goat Eyes Gang’s factory, and their leader is furious, vowing revenge. Then, the two gangs started a war, the entire city filled with Black Hats and Goat Eyes. Even our soldiers didn’t dare venture outside.”
“You should ask Titus about that. I came here to find her,” Abyss said, placing his hand gently on Rebecca’s shoulder. “I simply accomplished my goal. Titus orchestrated everything else.”
“You haven’t introduced this lovely lady,” Givia said, smiling.
“This is Rebecca, a very important person to me,” Abyss replied.
“His fiancée,” Rebecca added, her voice serious.
“Ah, your fiancée,” Givia said, raising an eyebrow. She hadn’t expected someone like Abyss to have a fiancée, but her upbringing prevented her from prying. And Abyss didn’t seem to object.
“Where’s Titus? We didn’t see him when we arrived.”
“He captured the Goat Eyes Gang’s leader and hasn’t returned yet,” Givia said with a smile. “It seems things will finally calm down in this city. With their leader captured, the Goat Eyes won’t dare make any moves.”
“He actually did it,” Abyss said, nodding in approval. “He must be busy. I’ll visit him later. What are your plans now? Are you leaving Lavoisier City immediately?”
Givia shook her head. “The city is still in turmoil. We’ve decided to wait for two days. We’ll use our remaining funds to purchase some high-quality materials. Our men discovered that Lavoisier City has many resources suitable for crafting weapons and armor. Acquiring those materials would be beneficial for our army.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful. Rebecca has some plans for us, so we won’t be leaving immediately either. We can travel together when you’re ready. And I can arrange for Lannis to meet with you, so you can see if that fortune teller’s prediction was accurate,” Abyss said.
Leona, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly perked up. Rebecca’s “plans” involved exploring Lavoisier City as locals, her favorite activity.
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