After finishing his bath, Ron walked into the bedroom.
As usual, he lay down and pulled Nora into his arms. Lowering his head, he realized the girl wasn't asleep yet—she was blinking up at him.
"What's wrong? Can't sleep?" Ron pinched her soft cheek.
Nora shook her head and snuggled obediently against his shoulder. Half her body draped over him as she buried her face in his chest, clinging to him in quiet dependence.
Gently stroking her long purple hair that now reached her back—
"Cough…" Ron awkwardly looked away, pretending nothing was wrong.
"Still not sleepy?"
"Mm." Nora rubbed her cheek against his chest twice. "I've gotten used to it lately… I don't feel very tired."
Now that she had grown accustomed to handling various affairs—and with daily resin water and Ron's nightly wood-element healing spells—
Nora was full of energy every day. Even at night, she didn't feel fatigued. Her stamina had already surpassed that of ordinary people.
"In that case…" Ron probed carefully.
"Hm?" Nora lifted her head from his chest and tilted it, looking at him with confusion. "Boss, what are you thinking?"
"Uh…" Ron hesitated, trying to phrase it in a way that wouldn't sound strange.
"..."
"Boss, you—?"
"Okay."
When they lay down again afterward, drowsiness finally crept in.
Nora quickly fell into a deep sleep.
Ron, meanwhile, immediately entered a meditative state and continued his cultivation.
The Next Morning
After breakfast, Nora hurried off as usual to the Moonview Street arena to oversee operations.
Ron, on the other hand, lounged on the living room sofa, sipping pine-needle tea while playing a couple of rounds of Legendary Kill with Husky.
Based on Husky's recent matches against teaching assistants from the Royal Capital Magic Academy, Ron took the opportunity to tweak several character card skills to improve balance.
Watching Husky skillfully hold his cards steady with his wolf claws, Ron chuckled.
Looks like he's really getting used to life here.
If he were sent back to the Frozen Tundra…
Would he even be able to adapt anymore?
Around 9 a.m., Jorina's voice called up from downstairs:
"Husky! Time to go shopping!"
Husky froze mid-action and looked toward Ron.
Glancing at the board—
Ron's character had only one health left, while Husky's Werewolf Ancestor was still at full.
Ron decisively tossed his cards aside and slapped his knee as he stood up.
"Go take care of your stuff. I've got things to handle too."
Husky nodded, quickly tidied up the cards, and dashed downstairs.
Watching Husky and Jorina head out together, Ron leaned on the balcony railing and shook his head with a smile.
Originally, purchasing supplies was the bar staff's job.
But since Husky had nothing to do, he volunteered to help.
The problem was—
The staff wasn't familiar with him.
So Jorina stepped up and took him along.
To Ron, it looked suspiciously like someone taking a dog out for a walk…
Stretching lazily, Ron went downstairs, boarded a carriage, and headed toward the eastern district—where the Divine Tree stood.
Since the Divine Tree had fused with the parasitic wood and evolved into the Emerald Cypress, the leaves it produced—club-leaves—had gained powerful healing effects.
And…
The ability to alter one's faith.
Because of that second effect, Ron had been extremely cautious.
He instructed the convent priests to collect fallen leaves daily.
If believers requested them, they could be sold in moderation.
For followers of the Goddess of Harvest — Hervesta, the leaves had no side effects—
And they were far more effective than ordinary ones.
Even if those leaves were later used on non-believers—
And caused a shift in faith—
It wouldn't raise much suspicion.
After all—
Being healed by Hervesta's sacred leaves and converting out of gratitude?
That wasn't strange at all.
And such cases were rare anyway.
After learning about the leaves' effects, Bishop Morris of the Harvest Church frequently came to the Divine Tree, casting the sixth-tier spell Soaring Timber to the Heavens.
Under his long-term cultivation, the convent had accumulated a massive stockpile of club-leaves.
Some were regularly collected and distributed
Some remained within the church for clergy use
Only a small portion entered the public market
Yet even that small portion brought in enormous revenue.
As news of the Divine Tree spread, believers from distant regions began flocking to the City of Chaos.
Gradually—
The city was becoming the second most influential center of the Harvest Church, after the Royal Capital.
If not for the fact that the City of Chaos lay outside the Human Empire—
It might have already surpassed the Royal Capital in the hearts of believers.
After all—
This was the first time in history that the Harvest Goddess had manifested a miracle and chosen a Chosen One.
The last recorded divine favored individual in the Empire's history…
Was Emperor André I himself.
As for the Harvest Goddess—
Aside from vague records about the church's first archbishop—
There had been no confirmed Chosen One.
So even though the Harvest Church once had little influence in the City of Chaos—
Everything had changed after the miracle.
Existing believers grew more devout
New believers emerged
Faithless individuals converted
Devotees from other regions relocated
Notably—
Property around the Divine Tree skyrocketed in value.
Originally, the eastern district had been a poor, rundown area.
Now?
Housing prices had doubled or tripled—
Some even increased eight- or ninefold.
When Ron heard about this, he couldn't help but laugh.
Stepping off the carriage, he looked up at the towering Divine Tree, its branches full of shimmering club-leaves.
Thinking back to the assassin who once tried to kill him—
Ron sighed.
"Well… not a bad death."
"At least he contributed something to society."