บท 18: Preparation

"Davis, since you have a powerful soul, it's also a must for you to become an Alchemist, or else your heaven-blessed talent will just be wasted." Claire urged her son.

"Eh?" Davis had both a stupid and crying expression on his face.

'That process where people make pills from a cauldron? It looks effortless to read in a novel, but is it really easy to do in reality?'

Claire noticed his expression and reprimanded, "What? Do you even know what alchemy is? Do you know how easy it is to cultivate with pills in your arsenal? Do you how much respect the alchemists' command in this Grand Sea Continent?"

"Alright, alright, Mother doesn't have to explain all this... Just let father teach me, alright?" Davis replied as he already knew what kind of bullshit respect those alchemists have, those misers.

Claire immediately glared at Logan while he just looked around and started whistling as if he hadn't heard anything.

Claire then said to Davis with a not so smiling expression on her face. "Davis, your father was the fifth in line for the throne and wasn't interested in anything other than women and cultivation. He was moderately arrogant, so he didn't train in Alchemy at all, and as a result, you see a failure of a father who can't teach you Alchemy."

"Claire!!" Logan's face was red in embarrassment.

This was a dark history that he didn't want anyone to know about. If his people knew that he, as an Emperor, didn't know a dime about Alchemy, they would probably laugh till they die.

Davis gulped as he realized that his mother's sharp words could kill people sometimes.

'Screw the Death Book, I should have the Mother Book!'

Seeing his embarrassed expression, Claire felt that she went too far and said, "He stopped flirting with other women when he started loving me. At least, your father is very upright in this regard..."

Logan regained his bearings as he gained some face with that statement.

"No worries, even though many Alchemists command respect, they can't compare to an Emperor of a Sky Grade Empire such as me, and your talent is very high, which makes even me jealous. Alchemists will probably flock to have you as a direct disciple if they know how powerful your Soul is!" Logan explained with a proud expression on his face.

Suddenly, he narrowed his eyes, "But the problem is, it is not a good thing to reveal your talent in front of the public. We have just recently survived a disaster, and our overall prowess has dropped. Even though we are a powerhouse, we must be careful enough to not fall into the plot of others, such as assassinations."

Claire pondered and moved her lips, "Then we should just invite a high-tiered, trustable alchemist to teach Davis in the Royal Castle. We can secretly invite him using various proxies so that even if the invite failed, he would not be able to trace it back to us."

"That's doable too." Logan nodded, listening to his wife's idea.

"Does that mean that I am not allowed to roam the Royal Capital?" Davis didn't want to bring out the Death Book here, as his parents may know about it. As for why he didn't bring it out in the Redemption Tower, he thought that place was monitored as well.

"Obviously, you're not getting one step outside the Royal Castle without your father or me accompanying you. It is too dangerous." Claire scoffed.

"Even though the Imperial Capital is our home field?" Davis expressed his doubts.

"On the surface, the Imperial Capital may look calm, but many dangerous undercurrents are lurking unbeknownst to us." Logan said with a serious expression on his face and added, "Ever since the rebellion, we have been severely weakened, which made the other Empires send their spies, assassins, and whatnot. There's no telling that a random person with powerful hidden cultivation, might approach you from somewhere, only to kill you and die himself."

Davis audibly gulped, 'I've underestimated this world too much.'

Even though he already knew that he was constantly under protection, he just thought it was a royalty thing. All these years, no attempts on his life had been made. Hence, he became rather relaxed in this life even though he was hardworking.

"And I will still know where you are as I have placed a soul mark on you."

"Where?" Davis panicked and immediately checked his soul for any foreign entities.

A bright golden talisman-like symbol shot out from Logan's Soul to Davis's Soul.

"Here..." Logan smugly smiled while Claire laughed.

Davis knew that he was played the fool right now. He glared at his father and secretly swore that he would take revenge for this.

"Davis, let mother also mark you so that I can immediately react to any emergencies." Claire sweetly echoed.

"Go ahead, mother." Davis could only give up.

One had already marked him. Hence, two wouldn't make a difference, and if he said otherwise, although they might retract their soul marks, it is also possible that they would turn suspicious of him, which he didn't want for the time being or any time in the future.

"Hehe, silly." Claire was very happy that Davis didn't put any restrictions or limitations in front of her. She also gave him a Low-Level Sky Grade Protective Treasure, and it was in the shape of a locket.

"Father, I now want to train in Body Tempering Cultivation." Davis seriously declared.

"No! First, you should stabilize your Soul Forging Cultivation."

"My Soul Forging Cultivation is already stable." Davis quickly answered.

"Then you have to wait for your body to get used to pain."

"Father, I am used to pain," Davis smirked.

Logan's eyes twitched, 'At this rate, won't he punch a hole through the heavens and ascend quickly?'

He sighed, "Alright, let me get you a tutor for Body Tempering Cultivation first, Claire will arrange you the resources that you need to achieve a breakthrough."

"Won't you teach me, father?" Davis asked sincerely.

"I'm sorry, Davis, I don't have time for everything." Logan produced a difficult expression on his face.

"I understand" Davis knew that his father, as the Emperor, must have a shitload of work to do, so he didn't let it bother him.

"Father, what about the Esse…"

"I know, once you complete your Body Cultivation, Claire will see to your Essence Gathering Cultivation." Logan clearly had enough of his bullshit.

Cultivating so fast, was their son Davis going to war with the heavens?

"Or should I just assign you anoth…"

"No thanks..."

Davis was more than happy to be with his mother together.

Logan laughed, "Haha, alright, it's getting busy for me. My subordinates will be getting anxious if I go missing for a long time. Hence, I must return. You and Claire should rest for today. Don't make Claire teach you too much a day; let her rest for more period of time."

"I know father, at that time, I will be either be with Clara or in the Imperial Library, so no need to worry. I will take care of my mother!"

Logan and Claire both smiled, satisfied by his reply.

Logan then left, princess carrying Claire to her room.

Davis smiled at their display.

'Maybe one day, perhaps I would also princess carry a woman who likes me...'

He smirked at his own imagination and headed towards the Study.

'Phew, looks like I can't even sneak out of the Imperial Castle. Then I will just have to get even stronger! So as to let father and mother acknowledge me enough to let me out!' Davis had flames gushing out from his eyes.

He understood that he was just five-years-old but still wanted to explore this world!

Well, at least the neighboring streets for now...