Two Years Later

  It has been two years since we dealt with the indirect invasion of the East Empire through the Masters Corporation.

  We’ve had no direct contact with Management.

  When I say “direct,” I mean they still occasionally used some of our staff. Whenever we noticed strange behavior, we investigated immediately.

  For example, one of the younger maids stopped showing up for work. The head maid went to check on her at her family’s house in town. The girl refused to leave—even when threatened with termination.

  When pressed for a reason, she asked the head maid to summon me.

  The report reached me through Felmina, and I went myself.

  As it turned out, Management was involved again.

  The girl presented me with a bottle of expensive whiskey. Management had instructed her to give it to me. I was to drink it at some point within the next six months—but only when a direct request was made for it by name:

  “Jonas Brothers Whiskey, Fifteen Years.”

  She also told me that if she did not return to work within two days, her mother would be hospitalized—and would never recover.

  That was when I received my first **Level Down** notification.

  I realized then that I needed to actively maintain my level.

  I noticed a sharp increase in appetite when I dropped to Level 205—well, 204 now. My Level Up notifications were gone, obviously. That meant I needed to store spare level-ups for emergencies.

  Here’s how I handled it.

  My wives and I began training together three days a week. Running, weightlifting, sword combat, and hand-to-hand. We also took monster-slaying missions to raise their levels. They’re both around Level 150 now.

  I started dragging heavy concrete slabs for strength training. The laboratory was completed, and I split my time between research and fieldwork. My schedule became… full.

  We also began minimizing level-up notifications from Level 90 onward. They manually tracked their levels, just like I did. It helped more than once.

  The three of us are closer than ever.

  We replaced half the crops with HP, MP, and SP flowers, using my harvesting methods to produce potions. The workers always pull long faces when HP harvest season arrives.

  They hate being poisoned.

  My level is back up to roughly 300 now. I feel noticeably lighter.

  As far as I can tell, my body developed muscle mass to support roughly three hundred kilograms—but since I’m currently Level 205, I only weigh 205 kg. That makes me faster. Almost twice as fast as I was during my time at the Shadowfall Kingdom’s capital, Vincent—something I only realized recently.

  To explain it in Earth terms:

  If a heavyweight boxer fights a featherweight, the heavyweight hits far harder—assuming he can land the blow. It’s like being struck by a speeding truck.

  Now imagine that truck only weighs ten kilograms instead of a thousand.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  That’s the difference.

  Within six months, the potion factory was operational. When we began exporting to the East Empire, a gang of delinquents showed up—at least two hundred of them.

  They demanded to see the lord of the region.

  They called me out by name.

  Cindy and David were already there when I arrived. They pledged their loyalty and asked for work. Some of the others weren’t impressed. They challenged me.

  David told me he would stop them if he could—but men like that only speak violence. He said:

  “Make an example of one to warn a hundred.”

  So I did.

  The first man went down in five seconds flat. I held back as much as I could—just a clean strike to the jaw, sending the shock straight to the brain.

  After that, I put the gang to work as security for our trade wagons heading east.

  When Felmina and I returned the next day to divide the forces, a few women started talking trash about her—quietly, indirectly. One looked like she was about to say something outright.

  Felmina glared at her.

  If she ever looked at a canary like that, it would probably die.

  There were no labor issues after that.

  Felmina instructed them to recruit strong individuals from the Empire. She said we’d need them soon. We were building a trade road eastward, but progress was painfully slow.

  Roka started designing a sewer system for the town and sent word to the Shadowfall Kingdom requesting earth-magic specialists.

  I also made some discoveries through discussions with local business owners.

  Monster magic cores are left soaking in MP potions overnight. They absorb the liquid until saturated, then are dried, crushed into powder, and mixed with ink. That ink is used to create magic circles—anti-gravity, encryption, and seals.

  The circle on my hand was imprinted using the same method as the Loyalty Seal.

  The ink pulls into the skin like a tattoo.

  I need to investigate how that works.

  Recently, I had tailors produce stretchy, long-sleeved clothing. I turned them inside out and stamped a Gravity Increase seal onto them—an improvised training suit.

  It failed completely.

  I couldn’t get it to activate.

  I shelved the project.

  Today was my day off.

  Felmina was managing town affairs, and Roka was busy on-site.

  I was eating in the living room when Sebastian approached.

  “Pardon the interruption, sir.”

  “Yes?”

  “There is a messenger here from King Raymond.”

  “Send him in.”

  “As you wish, sir.”

  He bowed and vanished. I didn’t even hear his footsteps.

  Do all butlers receive ninja training?

  “Lord Kaijuu.”

  I jumped.

  Sebastian was behind me.

  I hate when he does that.

  He handed me a sealed letter.

  “To Kaijuu Ryu-sama, Kaijuu Roka-sama, and Kaijuu Felmina-sama

  From King Raymond Shadow-Wolf

  URGENT”

  Shadow-Wolf.

  That’s a cool surname.

  Wait—focus.

  “Fetch my wives.”

  “Immediately, sir.”

  When I looked up again, he was gone.

  My wives arrived within the hour.

  We opened the letter together.

  Dear Kaijuu Family,

  I will be arriving in one week.

  We need to talk.

  Sincerely,

  King Raymond Shadow-Wolf

  Shadowfall Kingdom

  “One week?” Roka said.

  “He said one week, right?” I confirmed.

  “That’s not enough time!” Felmina cried.

  They immediately panicked—running in circles, arms flailing like headless chickens.

  “Stop.”

  They froze.

  “What’s the problem?”

  “You don’t know,” they said in unison, collapsing to their knees.

  I grabbed Roka when she tried to bolt again and dragged her back.

  “Sit. And talk.”

  They knelt.

  I stood.

  “NOW.”

  “YES!”

  Roka spoke first.

  “Children.”

  “…What children?”

  Felmina clutched my pant leg.

  “He’s going to ask why we don’t have any yet.”

  Roka hugged her tightly.

  “And we don’t know what to tell him.”

  I thought for a moment.

  Then I helped them up.

  “Kids, huh? If it’s meant to happen, it will. It’s not like we haven’t been trying.”

  They both turned red.

  Adorable.

  I pulled them close and whispered:

  “We can try again tonight.”

  They squirmed—but eventually melted.

  “Now get back to work. It’s still my day off.”

  “Yes…”

  ---

  The Next Day — Mid Afternoon

  Laboratory Beneath the Mansion

  “Lord Kaijuu.”

  I flinched.

  Damn it, Sebastian.

  “What is it?”

  “The King has arrived, sir.”

  “…Wait—what?”