Chapter 85: Secret Outing (1)

The Crown Prince of the Apple Kingdom, Oliver Apple, was finding each day more unbearable than the last. Why? There was no need to elaborate; it was all because of Damian.

"Your Highness, it's time to study."

Every morning, at a fixed time, he would wake Oliver up.

"Your Highness, sitting still will make your body stiff."

He would even make Oliver do physical training regularly, which Oliver hated.

"Your Highness, you cannot drink. Think of each drop as poison."

He would forbid Oliver from drinking, even though Oliver couldn't sleep without it.

Among all these, the most painful was this:

"Your Highness, I think your willpower has become lax from not being disciplined. Today, let's start with a light ten lashes to strengthen your resolve."

Even without any fault, Damian would periodically call Oliver out for a beating. Each time, Oliver would feel a surge of anger, but he had no choice but to endure it. The beatings left no marks, and without evidence, no one would believe his words.

"Damn it! I can't take it anymore! Today, either you die or I do!"

"Ah, how can you behave like this? I asked you to show respect to your teacher."

"Shut up!"

Once, he rebelled and ended up getting beaten all day.

"Your Highness, if you do this again, it will be double next time."

It was the most chilling warning he had ever heard. After that, Oliver Apple had no choice but to completely suppress his defiance against Damian.

"Damn, this bastard."

That evening, Oliver Apple sat reading a book without even touching alcohol, as Damian had forbidden it. Damian had also ordered him to memorize ten more books by the next day, all of which were boring and outdated etiquette manuals.

"Why the hell do I have to read this crap?"

Despite his grumbling, Oliver Apple didn't stop reading. If he concentrated, memorizing ten books wasn't too difficult. It was just incredibly tedious, and he doubted he would ever use the information.

The biggest reason he didn't dare to ignore Damian's orders was the fear of what might happen if he did.

Suddenly, there was a knock on something. Oliver Apple turned his gaze. Outside the window, a crow was tilting its head.

Tied to the crow's leg was a small cylinder. Oliver Apple's face lit up when he saw it.

"Finally, it's here!"

He immediately opened the window. Inside the cylinder was a rolled-up piece of paper. Oliver Apple fed the crow some seeds and then unfolded the paper to read it.

"Tonight at 10 PM, right?"

A bright smile appeared on Oliver Apple's face.

"This isn't the time to smile. I need to get ready to go."

Oliver Apple quickly changed his clothes and put on a robe to conceal his identity.

"With this, even Damian won't recognize me. I'm going!"

* * *

"The moon is especially bright tonight."

Damian muttered to himself as he sat on the roof of a building, gazing at the moon. The sky was clear, and the moon was unusually bright, making it a perfect night for stargazing.

"It's a good night for this too."

Damian took out three vials he had received from the king. These peculiar vials, which looked like they were carved from stone, contained the royal jelly of the giant wasp called Alekto.

"Supposedly, eating this greatly enhances regenerative abilities."

The most useful effect of Alekto's royal jelly was the significant boost in regenerative capabilities. It was said that the first person to eat it could regrow a severed body part like a lizard's tail within a few days. However, that person had eaten so much that his stomach burst. With only three vials, it was unlikely to achieve such results.

"Still, it's an impressive item."

Damian opened the vial and drank the royal jelly. The viscous liquid slid down his throat, tasting bitter and astringent. Although it wasn't a pleasant taste, Damian forced himself to drink the remaining two vials.

Three vials in total, equivalent to a glass of water, filled Damian's stomach.

'It's not being absorbed easily.'

The elixirs he had taken before were absorbed immediately upon consumption. However, Alekto's royal jelly was different. It clumped together, resisting absorption.

'I'll have to force it to absorb.'

Damian channeled his mana, breaking apart the clumped jelly and dispersing it. He absorbed every piece.

'This is amazing.'

As soon as he absorbed the royal jelly, his muscle fibers began to change, becoming tougher and denser. He could feel the immediate physical transformation.

Damian clenched his fist, and the stone vial crumbled into powder.

"I like this."

He had crushed the stone vial with pure physical strength, a feat impossible without innate dragon power. He had gained this strength from the royal jelly.

However, this was just a minor change. Damian took out a dagger and lightly cut his fingertip. Blood flowed, but after a moment, the wound healed completely.

"I really like this."

Alekto's royal jelly was indeed as impressive as rumored. There was one more test to conduct. Damian closed his eyes and activated the Bulechengzhi Elixir.

His body temperature rose sharply, his senses sharpened, and the sound of the wind grew faint. The movement of leaves in the wind slowed.

The Bulechengzhi Elixir temporarily activated the body, maximizing physical abilities and senses. It was an excellent elixir, but the strain on the body was significant, so Damian only used it briefly when necessary.

However, after consuming the royal jelly, his body was holding up.

'I can probably push it a bit more.'

Damian intensified the effects of the Bulechengzhi Elixir. His body temperature soared, and his senses became even sharper. The world, which had been moving slowly, came to a complete stop. The sound of the wind disappeared, and the leaves in the wind were completely still.

"Cough."

At that moment, Damian spat out blood, suffering internal injuries from pushing the Bulechengzhi Elixir to its limits.

"Damn, I won't use this often."

As he spat out the remaining blood, steam began to rise from his body, evidence that the enhanced vitality from the royal jelly was healing his injuries.

"I'm satisfied."

Just as Damian was feeling content, he noticed something.

"Hmm?"

Someone was sneaking out of the building where he was sitting.

"It's the Crown Prince?"

Despite the robe, Damian's keen eyes could not be fooled.

"Breaking my orders again? Was the beating not enough?"

Damian grabbed the bat he had placed nearby. Then, a thought crossed his mind.

"But where is he going at this hour?"

Curious, Damian secretly followed Oliver Apple.

* * *

Oliver Apple had secretly left the castle with the help of some bribed soldiers.

"Hmm, the smell of freedom."

Walking through the capital's streets, Oliver Apple savored the sense of liberation.

"Yeah, this is life. Not being caught by a madman and beaten."

Oliver Apple walked down the main street, gradually moving into a more secluded area. He stopped in front of a tavern guarded by two large men.

"What is it?"

One of the guards spoke rudely. Oliver Apple clicked his tongue.

"These idiots still don't recognize me."

"Wait, could it be Your Highness?"

"Yes, it's me!"

"Please come in! The boss is waiting for you!"

The guards opened the door wide. Oliver Apple entered with a broad smile.

The interior was spacious and elegantly decorated, almost like a café.

"Your Highness, you've come."

Inside, a woman in a red dress greeted Oliver Apple. The dress clung to her body like it was wet, revealing her figure and making it hard to look away.

"Carmen! Why did you call me after so long? You know how much I've been looking forward to this gathering!"

"The items didn't gather well, so I had no choice. But I've only selected the prettiest ones. You won't regret it."

Carmen smiled. Oliver Apple spoke in a low voice.

"Carmen, I'd like you to sit next to me instead of the others."

"Oh, thank you for choosing me."

"Will you do as I ask?"

"I have a lot to do today, but there are many prettier girls waiting for you."

"You always say that. They're all worse than you."

They continued their conversation as they moved deeper inside. A VIP room appeared.

Inside the VIP room, other men were already seated with women, drinking.

"Your Highness! You've come!"

As Oliver Apple entered, the men stood and bowed.

"Hey, why are you standing? Sit down. Sit down."

Oliver Apple gestured for them to sit and took a central seat.

"Your Highness! You look even more handsome!"

"Ah, look at this man. Your Highness always looks like this. Why are you saying it's new?"

"Haha, you're right. Your Highness, I made a mistake."

The men flattered Oliver Apple, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

"Stop with the nonsense... Let's drink. Drink."

Oliver Apple lifted a bottle. The men did the same.

"What is the rule of our 'Real Men' club?"

"We must drink the whole bottle to be real men!"

With that, Oliver Apple and the men began to drink heavily.

"Ah, now I feel like living again."

He hadn't touched alcohol for so long due to Damian's restrictions. The alcohol now felt like honey to him...

-You bastard! What are you doing here? Get out... Gah!

-Stop! That's not allowed! Block him! Who will stop him?

Suddenly, there was a commotion outside. The group stopped drinking and looked towards the door.

"What's going on? It's ruining the mood."

Oliver Apple said, annoyed. A man sitting next to him bowed and said,

"Your Highness, shall I go and handle it?"

"Ah, what are you saying? It's a waste for Sir James to do it."

The 'Real Men' club was a gathering of nobles led by Oliver Apple. Members included the Crown Prince, children of officials working in the castle, and knights. Among them, Sir James John was a Middle-Class Knight.

Using a Middle-Class Knight to quell a tavern disturbance?

It was like using a butcher's knife to swat a fly...

Bang.

The tavern door burst open, and someone entered. The moment Oliver Apple saw the face, he was shocked.

"Your Highness, I found you."

Damian Haksen smiled and looked at him.

"I clearly told you to think of alcohol as poison... Yet you ended up causing trouble and drinking."

Damian Haksen shook his head in disappointment.

"I can't let this go. Two hours tonight."

Oliver Apple froze. After a moment, his body began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Come on, let's go."

Damian Haksen walked towards Oliver Apple, making his trembling worse.

Suddenly, someone stepped in front of Damian.

"What are you doing?"

The only Middle-Class Knight in the 'Real Men' club, Sir James John.

"How dare you lay a hand on Your Highness while I'm here."

Sir James John glared at Damian with a fierce expression. Damian's interest was piqued.

"Hmm."

Seeing the confrontation, a thought crossed Oliver Apple's mind.

Only a monster can stop a monster.

Similarly, only a Middle-Class Knight can stop another Middle-Class Knight.

"Sir James!"

The Crown Prince called out immediately.

"That man is a heinous criminal! Beat him up right away! You can hand him over to the guards if you want!"

Damian Haksen's interest grew even more at the Crown Prince's words.

"Hmmmm."