That night was a long one. There was nothing that he could do to overcome a problem like this other than bear it, so Yi Qiang clenched his jaw and let the waves of doubt and fear wash through him.

He trembled, he shook, and did all he could to bear the full force of everything that washed through him.

When day broke, however, Yi Qiang felt much better. His wounds were still open, but they had started to scab. In a few days, they would be gone, buried under new layers of rock laid by time.

He glanced outside the window. By the sun's position, it seemed to be around four hours before noon, so Yi Qiang sat back down into his bed and started to think.

Should I make any preparations for the upcoming battles...? I'm not sure just how talented the top geniuses of the kingdom are, so I don't know if I'm strong enough to take them on just yet. Hopefully, they're nothing like Maria - that was just unlucky.

A kingdom is vast, though, so I can't expect too little. Huge, like the area of a few large countries from Earth... And there are hundreds of kingdoms besides this one.

How am I supposed to mean anything in such expansive lands? ... I'm nothing. Did I really expect myself to be able to kill those four animals, who rose to the top of the world? Am I that foolishly proud? How could I ever think that was possible?

Doubt resurfaced in Yi Qiang's eyes. Overwhelming pressure crushed down on him, and the archer cowered before it. He couldn't cope with the force of everything he had to do as it bore itself upon him all at once.

His eyes firmed once more, however. I don't have to do everything all at once. All that is required from me, all I have to focus on, is improving step by step. For right now, I just need to improve my level. If I can acquire special items to improve myself in the meantime, all the better. But that's all at which I need to look.

Yi Qiang began to calm down. Using all of his self-control, he turned the force of his mind away from all of his responsibilities, knowing that dwelling upon them would be useless. He redirected his thoughts to the present and the near future.

His chest rose and fell, the beat steadying with every second that passed.

Finally, Yi Qiang fully affirmed himself, and seeing that he had time to spare before the Second Prince came knocking, he pulled out his briefcase from his inventory, setting it onto the sturdy floor of the room and opening it. Yi Qiang assumed that was what would happen - the man had appointed himself as the controller of the two, so that naturally placed the responsibilities upon himself.

He couldn't do everything all at once, but he could use every waking minute he had to improve himself.

The expected call to attention came around an hour before the banquet was scheduled, at which Yi Qiang effortlessly popped up, winded from his exercise, and a few stat points the stronger and answered the knock.

Upon opening the door, Yi Qiang found himself face-to-face with a boy dressed in a servant's uniform. Before Yi Qiang could say anything, the boy spoke.

"The Second Prince of Halith wishes to speak with you in his room as soon as possible. Goodbye."

With that short remark, he bowed and swiftly left, leaving a bemused Yi Qiang in his wake.

Finally playing the part of a prince, then. But isn't this a little over the top? His room is right next to mine.

I guess I can't expect much else, Yi Qiang thought to himself as he headed out and knocked on the Prince's door.

It opened quickly, revealing the Second Prince standing there with a massive grin on his face.

Yi Qiang sighed.

"Was that necessary?"

The Second Prince nodded furiously and responded.

"You never get tired of the perks of royalty. Especially here - they're so rich in the capital that even their bare minimum of service is greater than back home."

Yi Qiang raised an eyebrow.

"The capital?"

Hearing the archer's question, the prince seemed to be mildly surprised.

"You don't know? Well, I guess I never told you! Yeah, right now, we're in the capital of the kingdom. That's why we left at noon and arrived late in the day - we're so far that the time is different. Anyway, that doesn't matter. Come in, come in. We need to talk about the banquet."