The first thing Reivan noticed once he woke up was that he couldn't see. Next, he noticed how his face was smothered in two very soft and fragrant objects.

'Mother...'

He put two and two together, instantly deducing that he was being embraced — very tightly at that — by his beloved mother. Struggling a bit to free himself from Vianna's bosom, Reivan regained his ability to see.

That was when he noticed how bright it was. The sun was brilliantly shining down upon the world outside of his room, with clouds drifting along in the skies.

'Damn. Guess I was more tired than I thought...'

Reivan took out his dream crystal — which was apparently called a "Broadcasting Crystal" by most people — and used it to check the time, only to be shocked.

"I guess we missed breakfast, huh..."

Since he'd fallen asleep before dusk, that meant he slept for more than twelve hours.

"My baby..." Vianna muttered while nuzzling her cheek against the top of his head, still asleep. Her arms tightened around Reivan's body like a vice.

"Ugh." Reivan groaned, feeling like his back was at risk of snapping like a twig.

'I can't get out...!'

Reivan struggled fiercely — but just enough so he wouldn't wake his mother. His valiant efforts were moot though. After a while, he was forced to reluctantly accept his fate.

'This is impossible... Whatever. Guess I'll chill here for a while. Since I'm already awake, I may as well do something.'

From Zoro's stomach, he pulled out a book containing knowledge that his senior otherworlder left behind. Reivan used [Formless Will] to levitate the book behind his mother, which was the perfect spot for him to read it.

Even though freedom from his mother's embrace was unattainable, he managed to get the sleeping beauty to ease her hold on him, so all in all, his current state was actually quite comfortable.

Still, he would greatly appreciate some freedom.

'Hopefully, she'll wake up soon.'

Vianna did, in fact, not wake up soon. The sun was already at its highest by the time she awoke, freeing Reivan from her unbreakable embrace.

And even after that, Vianna practically snuggled Reivan to death for a few dozen minutes, saying that she couldn't really enjoy her time with him when she was asleep — which made a lot of sense to Reivan since they were both unconscious after all.

Unfortunately for his beautiful warbeast mother, Reivan had to prepare for his lessons. Valter had sent a message that Reivan could have the morning off, provided it was spent reading the first king's records. However, there was still Donovan's lesson right after lunch.

Unfortunately, Reivan couldn't spend too much time with his mother at the moment.

"Oh, don't mind that old coot." Vianna rolled her eyes and flipped her snow-white hair behind her. Reivan did not miss how the wolf ears atop her beautiful white hair trembled though. "He's nothing!"

[Lie Detection] has activated!

"Uh, right..." Reivan nodded with a stiff smile, hiding the fact that he'd seen through the lie even without the pop-up. "By the way, everybody's been talking about a present you were preparing..."

His mother's ears and tail shot up as her eyes widened. "Did anyone tell you what my present is?"

The young prince shook his head. "Nothing specific."

"Good." Vianna nuzzled her face against Reivan's crown of grey hair and took a good whiff before looking up. "As long as nobody said anything, all's well. Anyway, about the present... I think it'll take a while. I'm having more trouble than I thought. Oh, and take a bath, okay? You smell."

"I was already planning to." Reivan pushed his mother's face away and freed himself from her grasp. "I don't really care about a present or whatever. You don't have to trouble yourself over it."

"It's not that hard. Don't worry." His mother assured him before gently chiding the young prince. "That aside, aren't kids supposed to love presents? I know I did. And you can stand to be a bit more selfish, you know..."

'I am being selfish.'

Only by ensuring the safety and happiness of his loved ones could Reivan be truly happy. In a strange sense, Reivan was being selfish by seeking to ensure his family's well-being instead of himself.

He didn't really want to explain that though, so Reivan just shrugged. "If you want me to be more selfish... then I want an allowance."

"Allowance...?" Vianna tilted her head, brows furrowed. "You mean money?"

"Well, yes. That's normally what an allowance is."

As the prince living in the most secure location in the entire nation, Reivan did not want for much. Only the best of the best cuisine was placed in front of him. The most comfortable furniture filled every room in the palace, naturally including his own. His wardrobe was bursting with tailor-made clothes, each crafted with the best materials money could buy. If he ever wanted something, all he normally had to do was ask.

This was why he didn't have a need for money until now.

'But still... not having any money feels weird.'

Because of how wealthy he was in his past life, Reivan knew more than most people just how easy life was if you had a lot of money. After all, most problems disappeared if you threw enough money at it — something he did a lot while he was stuck in a hospital bed.

Do you want a limited edition item, but can't line up or wait for it? No problem! Invest a crap ton of money in the company and tell them that you want one as a gift!

Your favorite web novel author went on hiatus because he was too burnt out from juggling a job and writing? Worry not! Just hire the poor fellow to write stories! Give him a fat monthly salary!

The nurses or doctors assigned to you are a bit annoying? No worries! A not-so-subtle message to the hospital director will solve the problem! Your family's a major shareholder after all!

Just like that, Reivan had solved most of his problems with his family's wealth.

'I just wish it solved my biggest problem too...'

Sadly, the strained relationship with his parents, his virginity, and his own mortality were not problems that could be solved with money. Luckily, he had no issues with them in this life. Reivan's bond with his family was great, he didn't suffer from chronic bouts of pain so his reproductive organ could hopefully remain erect for more than a few seconds, and eternal life was attainable by becoming an Ascendant.

Still, he felt strange not having any money at all. He'd like to at least have enough to buy a mansion, just in case something happened. What that something was, Reivan wasn't sure yet. But it was always better to be prepared.

Vianna merely tilted her head at him though. "Why would you want something like that?"

"Why...?" Reivan echoed. His mother looked so genuinely confused that even he was beginning to second-guess himself. "I mean... you can buy stuff with it, right? That seems pretty cool."

"Oh. Well, I suppose that's true." The queen bobbed her head in understanding before pulling out something that looked a lot like a credit card. "If you just want to buy stuff, all you have to do is get one of these. Money's cumbersome and heavy. Plus it's annoying to keep counting them up when you buy things."

"What... is that?" Reivan frowned as he examined the object. It was a rectangular white card, with gold and blue engravings. In particular, Reivan gazed at the blue parts, mesmerized by their rhythmic glowing.

Frankly, it looked like an object straight out of a sci-fi movie or something.

"This is something your father gave me. It has a magical function that stamps a document with a special mark." Vianna smiled as she showed it off, her tail wagging from side to side. "I just have to stamp a receipt with it and the business will put it on the Royal Family's tab! I don't have to actually pay anything!"

'Wait, so it is a credit card...? And the one who pays the bills is Father.'

Or more specifically, the people of Aizen. Since Vianna's expenses were likely being paid for with taxpayer money.

'That... is something that the people should never know. Or maybe it doesn't really matter? I mean, how much could Mother possibly spend?'

Feeling curious, Reivan asked, "What do you usually buy with it?"

The wolf-eared woman took a moment to think about it, tapping her chin all the while. "Meat, mostly. I eat at restaurants from time to time, maybe twice a week...? Oh, and the sweets I give you too. Hmmm... what else... I guess that's it? Wow. I never realized how little I actually spend. Maybe I should eat out more often."

Reivan nodded in understanding, realizing why his wise father would give his mother a card that could potentially empty the national treasury.

'He probably knew she'd only spend it on food.'

From what Reivan knew, food was quite cheap in Aizen. He didn't really understand why that was the case though — something that would hopefully be remedied by his lessons with Valter. All in all, that meant Vianna's expenses weren't too extravagant, even if she ate at the fanciest restaurants.

'Considering how much she contributes to the nation with her strength, it's a really cheap price to pay.'

Vianna, as a queen, wasn't some decoration after all — she actually went out and fought stuff. As an Ascendant Warbeast, she was amongst the most powerful people on the Sentorale continent, aside from the Transcendents.

'It's like buying a ballistic missile in exchange for a handful of cookies...'

In exchange for a couple of steaks, Aizen received protection from a force of nature like Vianna. In fact, Reivan felt like his mother was being severely underpaid. He almost wanted to voice his complaints about it, but he realized she was basically working for the family business.

'Let's be nicer to her from now on. She's working so hard for free...'

Reivan felt like he already was treating his mother in the best possible way, but he resolved to take it up a notch.

"Mother."

"Hm?"

The young prince looked into his mother's eyes and spoke with a serious expression. "You're really pretty."

Vianna's eyes widened before she grinned. "I know. Every time I look in the mirror I see a pretty face. But what's all this...? Were you trying to tease your mom? You little rascal..."

As his mother ruffled his hair, Reivan shook his head. "I was just telling the truth."

"Well, your welcome to tell me 'the truth' more often in the future." Vianna covered her mouth to stifle her giggling. Her ears and tail were practically dancing as she stood up. "Enough of this. Come here. It's a bit late for breakfast so let's have brunch. If I know that bald bastard, you'll need to stock up on energy or you'll collapse before you reach the end."

Reivan let his mother pick him up and they disappeared from his room, leaving cracks in space behind.

Reivan rubbed his slightly bloated belly while walking out of the dining room. Outside, he found Valter waiting to escort him to where he would be training with Donovan. As for his dear mother, she had sprinted off — teleported, actually — to continue preparing her mysterious present... but not before smothering his face with farewell kisses. If she'd been wearing lipstick, Reivan would have been troubled with cleaning his face up.

'Wait, does lipstick even exist here...?'

Digging up something from one of the many web novels he'd read, Reivan remembered that noble ladies in medieval times usually used some sort of paint made from crushed berries or insects to color their lips. However, due to the church's teachings against vanity and whatnot, people were discouraged to use makeup of any kind.

'Well, that's what the novel said anyway. Since it's a web novel, the author may have been talking out of his ass, so I don't really know if it's true.'

In any case, it was fortunate that the church in this world wasn't as overbearing. Or rather, they didn't seem to have any power over Aizen's royal family.

'Well, it's not like Mother would have a need for makeup anyway. She's pretty enough as is.'

Shrugging off his idle thoughts, the young prince excitedly smiled as he looked up to meet his guardian knight's gaze. "Are we walking there, Sir Valter?"

"No, Your Highness." Valter shook his head. "We'll teleport to the base of the mountain like last time, then we'll walk for a bit more."

"Oh..." Reivan's smile fell off his face. He did not look forward to another hike, especially since he'd eaten such a hearty meal — though he did admit that it would be great for digestion. At his mother's behest, he'd eaten quite a lot after all.

The knight grinned as he gazed at his prince. "Do not worry. There is an underground facility beneath the mountain. The entrance is at its base, so we won't have to travel very far."

Reivan heaved a sigh of relief before letting himself sink into the puddle of black muck — Valter's preferred mode of transportation it seemed.

'I feel like I've been getting teleported a lot lately...'

It was making him think that teleportation was more accessible than he thought, but he shook off such thoughts. The Sword Star, his mother, and Valter were all formidable people. They weren't entities one could easily ask for a ride.

'Like Uber or Grab!'

While he'd been thinking idle thoughts, Reivan's head completely sunk into the dark sludge.

After teleporting, it had only taken the prince and his knight a few minutes before they arrived at their destination. On the face of the mountain that the Sword Sanctum was on, there was a stone gate. The path was made of stone, the walls were made of stone, and even the guards were made of stone.

"Golems?" Reivan unconsciously blurted out while staring at the sculptures.

"I'm afraid not. They're ordinary statues. Guards aren't needed here, being so close to the Sanctum."

'Oh. That's true. Guards are pointless in this place.'

Reivan inwardly chuckled at the irony that he still had a guard despite being so close to the Sanctum. Being royalty had its perks, though depending on how you look at it, the lack of privacy could be quite stifling.

Valter raised an eyebrow as he looked at Reivan. "I'm surprised you know about golems. They're the Republic's replacement for the common soldier, but golems aren't as well-known here... At least, I don't think so."

Even the cool breeze that seemed to perpetually surround the mountain could not stop Reivan from bursting into a cold sweat. He then blurted out his favorite excuse. "I read it in a book."

This time, he really wasn't lying. All of Reivan's knowledge about golems came from books.

'E-books, web novels, and light novels, that is.'

"I see." Valter nodded, not pressing further. If the knight doubted Reivan's words, it could not be seen from his expression at all. "His Highness is truly well-read. I'm in awe."

"Yes... Anyway, let's go. I'm eager to start training." Reivan briskly walked forward, eager to steer the subject toward something else.

"Understood. It's a straight path, Your Highness." The purple-haired guardian knight followed behind, torchlight and his dependable form casting a large shadow over the young prince.

The passage was straight as an arrow, with wooden doors interspersed on both sides. One could faintly hear the howling of the wind as it seeped in from the entrance, snaking its way into the chambers within. Reivan continued to make his way forward, simply assuming that Valter would inform him when they'd arrived.

And arrive they did. After ten minutes of walking down the dimly lit corridor, that is.

"Is this it...?" Reivan glanced behind him and asked for confirmation. He'd just kept on going until he eventually ran into the end of the path.

'I though for sure it would be in one of those doors...'

His assumptions were wrong, however, since Valter nodded at his inquiry. "Indeed."

Reivan turned away from his knight and looked around in wonder. "So this is where I'll be training..."

It was a massive stone room, illuminated by what looked like a shining glass ball half-buried in the middle of the ceiling — instead of torches or the magical implements normally found in the royal palace. What stood out the most was the circular lake of crystal clear water smack dab in the middle of the floor. In the center of the lake, directly below the shining ball, was a stone platform.

"You're late."

And in the middle of the miniature island in the middle of the miniature sea, was a very grumpy-looking old man.

Valter stepped forward and explained in a respectful tone. "The training with the Sword Star yesterday exhausted His Highness more than expected. Prince Reivan woke up a bit late because of it."

"I don't remember asking," Donovan responded drolly. He rolled his eyes and shooed the knight away. "Now, begone."

"Ahaha..." The guardian knight awkwardly chuckled while scratching his cheek. He then turned toward Reivan. "I'll be close by, Your Highness."

"Alright." Reivan nodded. He watched Valter walk down the passage they came from before turning his gaze toward his very snarky instructor.

"You've come prepared, at least," Donovan commented, eyeing Reivan's clothes, which were designed for ease of movement. "Now, since we don't have all day, let's get on with it. For the first test, make it to this platform without getting wet."

"Okay..."

The young prince walked over to the edge of the stagnant lake. With how clear the water was, one look down was enough to reveal just how deep the lake was, making Reivan gulp in anxiety. There was nothing else in the vast room — no platforms or steps to hop toward the central platform; no vines or chains dangling from the ceiling to swing around with; and no materials to ride on.

Reivan's gaze flitted back and forth between the stone platform in the lake's epicenter and the lake itself, a feeling of helplessness creeping into his heart.

'How the hell am I supposed to get there...?'