Chapter 371: The Imperial City's Elite

Chapter 371: The Imperial City's Elite

As Ren slowly maneuvered the Gryphon to land, he noticed the road leading to Hammerstone Fortress was bustling with caravans and travelers.

It was evident that since his last visit, the subterranean lava monsters within the tunnel had likely been eradicated by the empire, otherwise, such a large number of caravans wouldn't have appeared.

Thus, Ren and Anna smoothly passed through Hammerstone Fortress.

After several more hours of flight, the majestic and familiar Hossag Mountains finally came into view.

The city of Minster, built along the mountains, naturally caught the attention of the two.

Minutes later, they arrived at Ren's mansion.

"Brother, you're back!" Mint, Ren's younger sister, was the first to notice the Gryphon's landing as she played with her spirit hound, Cookie, in the mansion's front yard.

However, the first person Mint hugged was Anna.

Within the boundaries of Minster, as long as she set her sights on an auction item, most of the time, she could operate behind the scenes, placing advanced bids. Of course, other shareholders also had this privilege.

The butler, Owen, respectfully reported.

It was common knowledge that Soul Energy Crystals were extremely precious, and even at the Swordswielder branch, they were not available for exchange.

Ren picked up a Soul Energy Crystal, thought for a moment, and then used it.

Fundamentally, only a Duke could have a seat at the table.

This was the reason why the Dram family, with its century-old legacy, continued to thrive and grow stronger.

[You have learned a new skill - Linen Coat Production]



The effect of the Soul Energy Crystal was to promote the speed of Psychic Condensation and Liquidation.

The beautiful woman, with her big, watery eyes, looked at Ren, who understood her intentions.

When the tall, muscular, and handsome young Ren entered the tailor shop, all the female shop assistants and several female tailors were astonished.

However, he hadn't expected to receive such a positive response so soon, which was an unexpected joy.

The Draconian Empire's royal family had a thousand-year-old lineage, with numerous offspring and a vast territory. Each provincial duke needed a mansion in the Imperial City, not to mention the high-ranking church officials and the various Guardian families. Even the iconic Cohen Cathedral was located here.

"My suggestion is that you can still start with a simple yet slightly more complex piece, like the linen coat," Elis suggested.

(Omitted: A 10,000-word intense battle in the study...) After the battle, the beautiful woman leaned against Ren, exhausted, and panted in his embrace.

Ren knew that even with advanced bidding, the cost of gold coins would still be significant. Additionally, there was the competition with other shareholders.

"Regarding the matter you asked me to handle, I've taken care of it. Also, I acquired something I think you'll definitely like," Jennifer said as she gracefully entered the room, smiling.

The Inner Ring was even more impressive.

The battle only ended when the beautiful woman showed signs of exhaustion.

Ren took the wooden box, opened it, and indeed, inside were three neatly arranged Soul Energy Crystals.

"Of course, the elf girl that Sam mentioned in his report should be sent over," Duke Dram thought for a moment and said slowly.

But ever since she had clung to Ren, she realized that the view from the top was truly breathtaking.

Previously, Ren had used Soul Energy Crystals during the first stage of Condensation, but after advancing to the second stage of Liquidation, he hadn't used them once. Naturally, he wanted to understand the effect of the Soul Energy Crystals during the second stage.

"Hehe, the ingredients for the Arcane Elixir are rare, but this time, I've collected thirteen portions. There's more, my dear, take a guess?" Jennifer took out a brown wooden box from behind her, shook it, and said.

"By the way, the tailor master you were looking for was called Elis, right? Ask her to close her shop and come to the mansion to teach me some formal tailoring techniques," Ren said, feeling refreshed.

In the Second Ring, apart from the church officials, the residences were at least of the Earl rank.

Inside Elis' tailor shop.

Minutes later, the white-haired old man slowly asked, "So, have you confirmed that Sam's group was annihilated by a young Swordswielder named Ren from the Minster Province?"

Regardless of whether it was Crowley or Ren's side, their foundations were too shallow. Cultivating extraordinary knights or wizard apprentices from a young age was not something that could be accomplished overnight.

When she saw the Soul Energy Crystals on the auction list, she immediately realized that they might be of great use to Ren. She halted the auction and directly acquired the item with a 40% premium.

"After you get familiar with it, you can learn to make linen shirts. Although shirts with collars and buttons are a bit more complicated, the variety of colors and styles make them perfect for improving tailoring skills."

This mansion in the Inner Ring belonged to the Dram family, one of the top noble families in the empire.

Huh? Ren's perception sensed a faintly familiar aura coming from the wooden box.

The beautiful woman seemed to be caught off guard. Shouldn't her dear husband be practicing extraordinary combat techniques or wizardry?

"Oh, my dear, in that case, the more Soul Energy Crystals you have, the better," the beautiful woman said, her eyes suddenly lighting up as if she had realized something.

[Ding! Detected Soul Energy Crystal that can enhance Psychic Liquidation. Accelerate absorption? (Note: System absorption can eliminate impurities and complete absorption in one go.)]



The Third Ring and beyond were the trade and civilian areas. For a commoner, owning a house in the Fourth Ring was the ultimate affirmation of a lifetime of hard work.

Instantly, Ren felt the silver liquid in his mind begin to increase, but this growth lasted for less than a second before stopping.

When Ren had promoted Mint to the position of shareholder in the Minster Province branch of the Arcsen Auction House, it was not only to utilize her commercial talent but also to accumulate enough wealth to acquire rare resources and support his path as a wizard.

That left only items related to enhancing psychic power.

This was the first time they had seen the chamber of commerce's big boss, Viscount Ren, and they were surprised to find such a young and handsome noble.

However, the beautiful woman, thinking that Ren might have taken a liking to the gentle Elis, mustered her strength and shook her slender waist.

Due to Ren, her status in the Minster Province had risen significantly. Before, as a baroness, she was merely a well-off widow.

Seeing this, the beautiful woman standing next to her was taken aback. As a shareholder of the Minster Province branch of the Arcsen Auction House, her horizons had broadened, and she had learned many wizardry secrets she had previously been unaware of.

"Don't worry, my dear. I'll take care of the business matters," the beautiful woman assured.

"Okay, my dear," Ren responded.

"Elis, I want to improve my tailoring skills as soon as possible. Which part should I practice making?" Ren asked directly, without further pleasantries.

"I'll go to her shop and learn from her tailoring skills," Ren decided after some thought.

"By the way, in a while, a mercenary group called Frostclaw Bears will arrive in Minster. Please make proper arrangements for them. They are quite capable and have a good reputation in the North. I believe they will be a great help to you."

"Really? That's wonderful!" The beautiful woman exclaimed with delight.

"Yes, Your Grace. I'll contact Sir Greenwood right away and head to Minster immediately!" Owen, the butler, bowed respectfully.

"Only a 1% increase in a single attempt?" Ren frowned, thinking to himself.

In an instant, Ren absorbed both of them completely.

"This young man doesn't have a significant background, but he is gifted and improves rapidly. He is already a Diamond-grade Swordswilder in the Minster Swordswilder branch."

"Yes!"

However, the situation was not as simple as the beautiful woman had described.

Accompanied by the beautiful woman Jennifer, Ren arrived at the tailor shop of the renowned tailor, Elis.

Although Sam's group was an elite mercenary group, or rather, one of the ten groups working for him, Sam himself had earned Ren's favor. Now that he was dead, Ren naturally wanted to look into the matter.

The elder was none other than Duke Dram, the man behind Sam's group.

The unedited version is available on Book 69! 6=9+3, the first release of this novel.

"However, from another perspective, even a second-stage wizard with varying talents would require months to years to increase their liquidation level by 1%. Three Soul Energy Crystals can boost the progress by 3%, which is already quite impressive."

"Hmm? Jennifer, where did you acquire the Soul Energy Crystals?" Ren asked, unable to hide his surprise.

A noble with white hair tied back in a bun, a noble with an imposing presence, sat behind a large red desk, listening to Owen's report.

Compared to enhancing his strength, the closure of the tailor shop was a minor issue.

Due to the Imperial City's population density, the entire city was divided into multiple ring structures, including the Inner Ring, Second Ring, Third Ring, and Fourth Ring.

"A Swordswilder?"

Therefore, anything that could improve her man's strength was something she had to pursue in business.

The reason for the delay in reporting Sam's group's annihilation was precisely this.

Why Ren wanted to learn tailoring was not her concern.

The solution was simple: by increasing the tailoring profession level, he could not only gain a substantial amount of attribute points but also increase his skill point reserves.

In his opinion, if Ren only had some strength, there would be no need to report to the Duke. He could easily handle it himself. It was because of Ren's official background as an Imperial Swordswilder that made the situation more challenging.

This was one of the privileges she enjoyed as a shareholder of the Arcsen Auction House.

The tailor shop was located in a bustling area of the trade district in Minster. With Elis' exceptional skills, the shop was always bustling with customers. However, today was an exception, as a 'Closed' sign was unusually hung outside the shop.

Unlike the apprenticeship, formal tailoring involved a considerable amount of tools and materials.

Regarding skill points, Ren considered that upon arriving in the Imperial City, he would need them to advance the second layer of Advanced Steel Heart Meditation or learn new wizardry.

With Elis' guidance and Ren's exceptional learning ability, the system prompted: 【You have crafted a Linen Coat, gaining related insights.】

"Good day, Viscount Ren," Elis greeted Ren with a respectful curtsy.

Ren admired this quality of his Duchess the most.

Following the principle of 'A well-stocked home brings peace of mind,' Ren planned to spend the next half-month dedicated to improving his tailoring level.

"My dear, you're finally back."

"Viscount, your presence here is our honor," Elis bowed again.

"Alright, let's start with the Linen Coat, as you suggested," Ren nodded in agreement.

Ren looked around and noticed that the tailor shop was not very large, approximately 70 to 80 square meters. Inside, there were separate sections for garment making, fitting rooms, and more.

"Oh? The ingredients for the Arcane Elixir are almost ready?" Ren thought for a moment, then realized, "You could guess that, my dear?"

The beautiful woman's watery eyes widened as she stared at Ren, surprised that he had figured it out.

Huh? This wasn't enough to satisfy her. Another intense battle ensued.

"Sister Anna, I miss you," Mint said as she rubbed against Anna's chest, coquettishly.

Therefore, many of Jennifer's business ideas had to be temporarily abandoned without the support of military strength. If a powerful mercenary group joined the Warhammer and Rose Chamber of Commerce, she could pursue new business ventures, transport precious resources, and more.

Scissors and other tools were readily available.

Occasionally, at major auctions, they would fetch a sky-high price.

Ren suddenly thought of the Frostclaw Bears and shared his thoughts with the beautiful woman.

The next morning, at dawn:

"Mint, I miss you too," Anna said, kissing Mint affectionately.

After encountering Hela, Ren realized the significance of having surplus attribute points for someone with his thick skin.

Before heading to the Imperial City of Tamriel, there were some matters and preparations to organize.

"Come in."

Why did he suddenly start learning tailoring again?

As Ren entered the crafting area, he saw various materials on the long tables: common materials like linen, linen rolls, silk, silk rolls, and various types of thick and thin threads.

As the door opened, Jennifer, whom he hadn't seen in a while, appeared at the study door with a smile.

"Good day, Viscount," the female clerk and tailor greeted Ren after regaining their composure, following Elis' lead.

【You focused on crafting a Linen Coat for 10 minutes, gaining 1 experience point in tailoring.】

—Imperial City Tamriel.

"Forget it, tailors probably need a lot of materials, and might even require dyeing. You should tell Julis to close her shop for a week starting tomorrow."

"But Viscount, you've already tried making simple garments like underwear before." At the mention of underwear, Julis's face turned slightly red.

However, in the box, he clearly didn't sense any related aura.

On the panel, the mental attribute was displayed as: 90 (Liquidation 30%).

Secondly, she had also coincidentally seen an auction list once, and had spent a large sum to obtain it.

"I highly appreciate talented young individuals, and I'm willing to give him an opportunity. If he's willing to work for me in place of Sam, I can let bygones be bygones regarding the Sam Corps."

Soon, the mansion became bustling with activity.

"Additionally, if you're interested, you can also learn about fabric dyeing." When it came to tailoring, Julis spoke with great enthusiasm and knowledge.

"Pfft~" The beautiful woman's alluring red lips pressed against Ren's cheek, and Jennifer, dressed in a light blue silk skirt that accentuated her voluptuous curves, took the initiative to sit on top of him.

The list was submitted by a branch in Dorn County, detailing the auction list of a fallen Earl family from Dorn County, who planned to auction off their family treasures at Arcsen Auction House.

[Your skill in making linen coats has improved. Experience +3]



In the lush, low-density Inner Ring, there was a luxurious standalone mansion with a scorpion-tailed lion pattern carved on its door.

After some thought, Ren took the remaining two Divine Energy Crystals from the box and activated the Advanced Steel Heart Meditation.

"Additionally, the individual has been involved in multiple imperial actions and events, and is highly regarded by Admiral Edward, the head of the Minster Swordsman Branch. Moreover, our investigation reveals that even the Minster Duke seems to hold him in high esteem."

"Darling, I need a little reward."

A shared glory, a shared loss.

Ren smiled and nodded, "Greetings. Julis, this time we might disrupt your regular business."

The Duke, as a superior, considered the matter without letting his personal emotions interfere. He clearly recognized Ren's talent and extended an olive branch.

Ren's return was naturally a significant event.

"Yes, Your Grace, it's Lord Greenwood. He's currently a Mithril-grade Swordsman at the Swordsman Headquarters, second only to the highest Golden-grade Swordsman rank."

However, Ren hadn't intended to make a big deal out of it.

He was surprised that the beautiful woman could obtain such an item, which was beyond his expectations.

"Are there any other surprises?" Ren also smiled.

"Well, since the individual is relying on their Swordsman status and feels invincible, let's send Lord Greenwood to handle it."

Huh? Isn't it said that the Divine Energy Crystal can only be absorbed once, and then there's a long downtime required to expel impurities? How could his beloved absorb three crystals at once? "My constitution is special, allowing me to absorb more crystals than an ordinary wizard." Ren explained, noticing the confusion in Jennifer's eyes.

The last time he made elastic underwear, it was a necessity for transformation, but this time? Could it be that Ren had developed feelings for Julis?

"Fell for a beautiful woman?" Ren instantly thought of many possibilities.

"Yes, it's a bit of a surprise."

First, this Soul Energy Crystal was beyond what Ren had previously instructed her to pay attention to.

However, Jennifer was certain about one thing, that she was very clear that all of this was tied to Ren.

The beautiful woman was wearing an off-the-shoulder light blue silk dress that showcased her curvaceous figure. The off-the-shoulder design also revealed a large expanse of her fair and towering chest.

As for profit? That was almost negligible. "Okay, darling." The beautiful woman naturally wouldn't have any objections.

The Third Ring was where one could purchase identity, mainly for nobles, church members, and top merchants.

On her swan-like neck, there was only a string of bright pearl necklace, but each pearl was large and round, indicating their exceptional quality. The dress and pearl necklace combination was perfectly matched, giving an overall sense of elegance and nobility.

"Tell this young man that since he could defeat Sam, it proves his strength. You also mentioned he's very young."

"Yes, but won't this affect the Chamber of Commerce's liquidity?" Ren nodded and patted Jennifer's fair hand.

"Yes, we've also investigated his resume and background in these past few days."

The business world is like a battlefield, exactly like that.

Additionally, there was another important matter, perhaps the top priority, which was to accumulate some attribute points first.

He remembered that he had once asked Jennifer to use the top channel of Arcsen Auction House to collect dragon-related items like dragon bones and dragon blood.

After dinner with his mother Anna, father Old Ren, and others, Ren went to the study.

"During the Psychic Condensation stage, a Soul Energy Crystal could increase my stats by 5% at the start and 3% later, which was still quite impressive. I didn't expect the increase to drop so much during the Psychic Liquidation stage."

This surprised Ren.

As for asking the tailor to close their shop, it was a minor matter for Ren, as he knew these tailor shops were under the Chamber of Commerce.

Regarding the Swordsman Branch, he planned to discuss it tomorrow.

"Knock knock knock!"

"I'll immediately have people pay attention to this Soul Energy Crystal, and if it appears in the auction, I'll do my best to obtain it." Jennifer's face turned serious as she spoke.

Ren glanced at the system panel: Psychic: 90 (Liquidation 28%)



"Currently, the highest-ranked member of the family in the Swordsman Branch should be Lord Greenwood, right?" The white-haired elder frowned.

In Owen's view, his task was simple.

Inviting Lord Greenwood to come along, showcasing the strength of the Dram Family as an imperial top-tier noble family, and after the other party understood the gap between them, he would extend an olive branch.

At this time, as long as the other party wasn't a fool, they would firmly grasp this opportunity to serve the Dram Family.

As for the elf girl, she would naturally give her up.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end