Luca Holystar was the tournament's shining star, predicted to win because his advantage over the others was substantial.

He had long since reached the Life Aether Realm, and even before that his power had been terrifying—strong enough to defeat a Primordial Beast Tier 12.

Richard was wary of him because Luca was part of the Dark Star Legion and possibly a member of the Order of the Crimson Veil.

Still, Richard had grown far stronger now, so he did not fear him.

Curious what he wanted, Richard walked to the door, removed the crimson eye and put it away, then opened the door.

Of course, he pretended to be surprised when he saw him, maintaining a confused expression.

"Who are you?" he asked.

He naturally had to feign not recognizing him, since they had never met face to face.

"Greetings, I'm Luca Holystar," the man replied respectfully, even bowing slightly to Richard.

Richard was taken aback—he had not expected this man to show him such deference.

After all, Luca's identity was notable. He was not merely talented but also the king's nephew.

Among the younger generation of the royal family, he would rank just below Lilith in status.

Richard gave him an odd look.

"Is something the matter?" Luca asked in a softer voice.

Richard didn't fully understand the man's personality. At the auction he'd seen Luca angry, but that had been a reasonable reaction to being pressured; Luca wasn't the hotheaded type like Bear. Still, such an attitude from someone who might become his enemy made Richard more alert.

When questioned, Luca smiled.

"I came to pay my respects after hearing about all your achievements," he said.

"Oh…"

As Richard's gaze went blank with confusion, Luca suddenly produced something: a black diamond shaped like an egg, flickering every so often.

Richard didn't know what it was, but it felt as if it contained life.

He suspected it was an egg, though he wasn't certain.

"Accept this—my gift," Luca said, handing the diamond to Richard.

Though hesitant, Richard accepted; the man seemed too serious to refuse outright. It would be improper to decline.

"What is it?" Richard asked.

Holding it, he found it quite heavy and genuinely felt life within.

"An Ancestor Night-Eagle Egg," Luca answered.

"You mean an egg of a Primordial Beast with Ancestor Bloodline?" Richard exclaimed.

Athena only had Royal Blood. Above that were Imperial Bloodlines, which were even stronger.

Of course, the mightiest were Ancestor Bloodlines.

Royal Bloodlines could reach power comparable to Rulers.

Imperial Bloodlines could attain Peak Ruler strength, rivaling Ancient Sovereigns.

Ancestor Bloodlines were rumored to surpass even those—though such things were the stuff of legend.

"Yes… though the chance of the egg hatching is very small, it might hatch in your hands. If it does, it will take the first being it sees as its parent," Luca replied.

"Are you sure you want to give this to me?" Richard asked in wonder.

The egg was extremely precious. He wondered where Luca had gotten it, and most of all why Luca would give it to him.

What was his intention?

"It's common for Magi to give gifts to those they admire. If it were a simple present, you wouldn't care. I wanted to give you something impressive, even if it might not be useful," Luca answered.

"All right, that's all I wanted to do. I'll be off, then," he added, turning and leaving, leaving Richard alone with an uncertain expression.

Richard examined the egg, his mind full of doubt because everything wasn't what he expected.

'Surely he doesn't want to become my follower, right?' Richard wondered with a strange look.

Great prodigies are often followed—especially those who might become Grand Sovereigns; many would bow to such geniuses.

Richard now was no longer the same as when he first arrived in the capital. He was becoming someone others might wish to follow, waiting for his growth and hoping for rewards in return.

Before Richard could return to his room, he was surprised by the arrival of another person: the elderly palace servant who had greeted him and Lilith at the palace.

"Sir Richard!" the old servant greeted respectfully.

Richard wondered who had sent the old man— the King or the Empress?

"What is it?" Richard asked softly.

"I come at the Empress's command to invite you to dinner with Her Majesty at the palace," the old man said, smiling.

"The Empress said she will present you with a gift. She also guarantees that Aldous of the Dark Star Legion will not take revenge on you over his son's death, and that Aldous's elder brother will not retaliate for his defeat by you," the servant added before Richard had a chance to react.

An invitation to dinner from the Empress, a gift, and assurances of no reprisals.

Richard found himself momentarily frozen, struggling to react.

How had so many good things come all at once?

But going to the palace and meeting the Empress—he wasn't entirely confident about his safety there; he couldn't simply trust that the Empress's intentions were wholly sincere.

What if this were a scheme?

Of course, refusing an Empress's invitation would be very improper for a subject. Even asking for time to think would be rude.

"All right, please wait a moment—I'll wash first," Richard said after a brief pause.

He could only hope the Empress harbored no ill intent. If she did, at worst he could incinerate the palace with the Knight-Dragon power stored in his wooden branch.

In the bathroom, Richard unconsciously took a long bath, his mind weighed down by too many thoughts.

He was beginning to feel uneasy staying in the capital, yearning instead to return to his village—where safety and peace had always been within reach.

Watching the tournament? He no longer saw it as anything significant.

To him now, it was nothing more than a battle among juniors.

After all, his original purpose in coming to the capital had only been to broaden his horizons.

By the time he finished bathing, the sky had already darkened.

He then put on the finest clothes he owned—a pair of trousers and a shirt, layered with an open robe that resembled a long coat.

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