I left the infirmary with Daphne and returned to my room. After taking a quick bath, I changed out of my training clothes into something more appropriate for going out. Daphne’s cheeks flushed crimson as her breathing subtly quickened while she watched me change, but I forcefully suppressed the urge to pull her into my arms and devour her on the spot.

  Now was not the time.

  I reached for a new sword resting against the wall. It was a gift from my sister, Marielle, given to me just yesterday.

  As for what I was wearing—

  The coat had been a present from Sylvia, while the handkerchief tucked neatly into my pocket was from Daphne.

  Once ready, I left the palace and headed into the city.

  The capital of the Eldoria Imperium was breathtaking. It carried a distinctly medieval fantasy aesthetic, yet it was remarkably clean. Thanks to the widespread use of magic tools—and the fact that even commoners could manipulate small amounts of mana—maintaining basic hygiene was effortless.

  Daphne and I soon arrived at our destination.

  Before us stood a luxurious three-story building, exquisitely decorated and situated in the most prestigious district of the city. Well-dressed nobles and wealthy merchants entered and exited at regular intervals.

  A golden plaque hung proudly above the entrance.

  Cyclebound Auction Hall.

  Two men with fierce expressions stood guard at the door, carefully scrutinizing every visitor. The moment they noticed me, however, they immediately bowed.

  “Welcome, Your Highness.”

  I gave a slight nod and entered with Daphne.

  The clerks inside reacted similarly, bowing deeply as we passed. Without stopping, I headed straight for the third floor.

  The Cyclebound Auction Hall was one of my personal properties in the capital. I had received it from my mother’s family on my fifteenth birthday.

  At the time, it had been on the brink of closure. Poor sales had caused significant losses, and my maternal relatives were already prepared to abandon it. Because of that, they didn’t hesitate when I asked to take it over. Everyone assumed I would play around with it for a while before shutting it down entirely.

  Instead, it had become one of the most reputable auction houses in the city.

  But this place wasn’t merely an auction hall.

  It was the headquarters of my business empire.

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  Beyond this establishment, I owned numerous ventures throughout the imperium. I had started most of them out of sheer boredom, yet they gradually evolved into something far greater than expected.

  I swear I didn’t intentionally rely on knowledge from my past lives.

  It was just that business practices in this world lagged far behind those of other worlds I had lived in. Even ideas I mentioned casually were enough to generate tremendous profits.

  Because of that, my reputation among commoners was excellent. Unlike the nobles, they viewed me as a capable and benevolent prince—someone with sharp business instincts and respectable mana talent.

  Perhaps that was why the Empress was so wary of me.

  After all, if I ever gained the full support of the common people, combined with my immense wealth, I could become a serious threat to her son’s claim to the throne.

  When I reached the third floor, a beautiful middle-aged woman was already waiting for me.

  “Edric!”

  She rushed forward and wrapped me in a tight embrace, her face glowing with joy.

  I smiled and returned the hug.

  “Aunt Valeria, how have you been?”

  “Silly boy. Of course I’m fine,” she said, pulling back slightly before frowning with concern. “I’m worried about you.”

  I smiled wryly. It seemed news of what happened at my birthday banquet had already spread.

  “Don’t worry, Aunt. I’m fine,” I said, trying to reassure her.

  “That cursed man!” she snapped, her voice trembling with fury. “How dare he do this to my nephew?! Was ruining my sister’s life not enough? Now he wants to destroy yours as well?!”

  The hatred in Valeria’s voice was unmistakable. She despised the Emperor from the depths of her heart, firmly believing him to be responsible for my mother’s death.

  “Calm down, Aunt,” I sighed, gently holding her hand. “It wouldn’t be good if someone overheard you insulting His Majesty. Besides, I still have five years. I’ll think of something.”

  She looked at me with pained eyes before pulling me into another hug, softly patting my back.

  “My poor Edric… I’m sorry you have to endure all this.”

  “Aunt,” I said helplessly, “I’m already an adult.”

  She froze, then blushed slightly and released me.

  Aunt Valeria was a stunning woman in her early thirties. Petite at around 1.65 meters tall, she possessed jet-black hair and deep black eyes—features she shared with Marielle. Though modestly endowed, her gentle temperament and refined elegance were more than enough to captivate any man.

  She was married and had a ten-year-old son. Her husband, Marcus Kainridge, worked with another auction house and spent most of his time traveling across the imperium in search of rare goods. He only returned home once every few months.

  As the youngest of four sisters, Valeria was also the director of this auction house. When I took control, she had personally offered to manage it for me, an offer I gladly accepted.

  “How are the businesses doing?” I asked once she had calmed down.

  Her expression instantly turned professional as she retrieved several documents from a nearby table.

  “Very well,” she said. “Your idea of packaging ordinary wine in ornate bottles and selling it as a premium product was genius. I still can’t believe people are willing to pay triple the price for the same wine just because of its presentation.”

  I smiled inwardly.

  Branding and perceived value—simple concepts, yet revolutionary in this world.

  Valeria continued briefing me on the state of our operations. I listened carefully, interrupting only when I noticed potential issues.

  After an hour, I offered several suggestions. She nodded thoughtfully, jotting them down for later consideration.

  Once we were done, I finally ate breakfast. Valeria didn’t ask why I hadn’t eaten at the palace—likely assuming it had something to do with the Emperor.

  Just then, one of the guards rushed in, his face pale and flustered.

  Valeria frowned sharply and glared at him.

  “What are you doing here?! Don’t you know you’re not allowed to enter without permission?!”

  “I-I’m sorry, Director,” the guard stammered. “But someone is causing trouble at the entrance.”

  I frowned and immediately activated Akashic Sight, extending my perception downward.

  …Oh?

  So it’s him.