"Extravagant beyond belief!" Muria silently complained in his heart. What could be more embarrassing than having people think you are a well-traveled and wealthy individual when in fact you are just a naive newcomer? Of course, with Muria's knowledge, he couldn't be considered naive, but hearing about a demi-plane used for hunting and entertainment was a first for him. He never imagined a demi-plane could be squandered this way.
For a nation, a demi-plane is a strategic resource of utmost importance, used for breeding formidable mounts, growing rare magical herbs, secretly training hidden armies, and preserving legacies in times of crisis. The uses are numerous.
But here, what did Muria see? A royal with inheritance rights could treat a demi-plane as a playground. And it seemed that in the empire, this kind of behavior was not uncommon. To Muria, this was unimaginable.
Although Muria's status was higher than that of Princess Gladys, the resources he controlled were overwhelmingly outmatched by hers. This seventh princess surely controlled more than one demi-plane.
This realization frustrated Muria. Despite his efforts, he only managed to acquire one demi-plane, and that was due to a combination of luck and strength. Otherwise, he would feel even more disheartened.
However, upon further reflection, Muria understood that the resources controlled by the Titan race couldn't possibly be less than those of an empire with only one epic-level guardian. The resources of the Titan race were mainly controlled by the epic-level elders, while the younger generation like Muria received fewer resources, making it seem like they had less than the royal family of an empire.
This wasn't due to stinginess on the part of the Titans. In fact, each Titan received precisely the resources needed for their growth. No more, no less—just the right amount.
Every Titan had access to a demi-plane arena for sparring with other Titans and powerful beings, as well as public demi-plane battlefields and the Abyss training ground. Additionally, upon reaching the Soul Intent stage, every Titan received enough legendary metal to forge their own exclusive weapon. This was something the imperial royal family couldn't match. Muria doubted any royal member received such treatment.
Enough legendary metal to forge a weapon for a hundred-meter-tall adult Titan—how many people would be shocked to hear that?
The Titan race provided resources for young Titans to fight and grow, with no resources allocated for pleasure. For more resources, they had to rely on their strength and weapons, acquiring them through battles.
...
"Muria, if it's not necessary, you should conceal your eyes," Gladys said. Now that they had reached a preliminary agreement, she dropped the formal title of "Your Highness" to sound less distant.
"Alright, that's easy." Muria blinked, and his golden eyes turned deep black, identical to his disguise in the Evil God Paradise.
"There's one more thing," Gladys said, frowning slightly. "I can sense a special connection with you because we share a similar bloodline."
As she spoke, a blush appeared on the face of the princess, who looked like a blossoming young girl. She felt a natural closeness to Muria, an effect of their shared but incomplete bloodline. However, she didn't dislike this feeling.
"I don't feel anything towards you," Muria said honestly. He felt no bloodline reaction towards Gladys. On second thought, he did sense a very faint reaction, but it was so weak it was almost negligible, likely due to her diluted bloodline.
Hearing this seemingly meaningful statement, the blush on Gladys's face vanished instantly, replaced by a stiff, slightly dark expression. However, she quickly composed herself; after all, this was a routine matter for her.
"It doesn't matter if you don't feel anything. What matters is that I can sense you. Other royals will also be able to sense you. During the hunt I'm organizing, some of my siblings might show up uninvited. If they sense you, it could be troublesome."
"Uninvited? Aren't they embarrassed?" Muria rubbed his chin.
"What's there to be embarrassed about? We're all loving brothers and sisters," Gladys replied with a smile, clearly not believing her own words.
"Buzz!" As they spoke, Muria's Nine King Weapons vibrated slightly, sending out ripples that sealed his bloodline. Muria's already faint aura became nearly undetectable, resembling an ordinary human teenager.
"Can you still sense it?" Muria asked.
"Just a very faint trace," Gladys frowned. "But this should be enough. No one will associate it with your identity. I'll say you're a royal with a regressed bloodline. There are quite a few like that in the capital, and no one will pay much attention."
"A royal with a regressed bloodline? That works," Muria nodded in satisfaction.
"Actually, if you enter the capital openly as a Titan, you'll automatically receive the status equivalent to a marquis, with all the rights except for a fief," Gladys said gently. There was no need to hide this; Muria would find out eventually.
"A marquis!" Muria's expression turned complicated. He didn't yet know his parents had given up on him completely. "It's a pity. If it weren't for that trouble, I would've liked to try being a marquis in the empire."
"You'll have the chance in the future," Gladys said, her eyes flashing. She knew Muria had issues. No normal Titan would sneak into the capital. He must have other reasons besides finding his dragon.
Although curious, she wouldn't ask directly. That would be too presumptuous and would only annoy Muria.
"Gladys, during the hunt, try to arrange for me to have a private moment with the Dragon Princess. I'll talk to her first, though it's unlikely we'll agree. I might have to take action, and it won't be quiet."
"I'll do my best, but if you fight, avoid doing it in the demi-plane. The commotion would be too big," Gladys advised.
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