"Boss, how about this?" Nora hesitated for a moment before suggesting, "At the beginning, when only the first floor is open, we won't let commoners participate in magic battles."
"Then once the upper floors open, we can set the first and third floors as commoner zones, and the second and fourth floors as noble zones."
"And by the time we reach the fifth floor, we can try letting commoners and nobles compete together?"
"Would that be better?"
Ron listened quietly to Nora's proposal, his eyes gradually lighting up.
He couldn't help reaching out and pinching her small nose. "Not bad—that plan works. We'll try it when the time comes."
Nora smiled shyly, happy that she could be of help.
"Boss, then how will this shop make money?"
"That's simple." Ron thought for a moment. "The most basic way is selling drinks like beverages. We can also provide private rooms for nobles and charge for them."
"On top of that, the shop can hold regular events and release a series of special edition Element Cards for limited-time sales."
At that moment, countless pay-to-win game models from his previous life flashed through Ron's mind.
The boy who once slayed dragons… had now become the dragon himself.
Ron sighed inwardly, thinking how ironic fate could be.
Still, the idea of getting others to spend money like this… was oddly exciting.
For a brief moment, he felt like he understood his shameless system a little better.
But where he needed to be stingy, he would still be stingy.
"Oh, right," Ron suddenly added, "while the renovations are going on, you can start recruiting staff and begin training them in advance."
"Right now, most people who know how to play magic battles are nobles. We can't exactly hire nobles as employees."
"So we need to recruit a group of staff early and have them learn the basic rules of magic battles."
"They don't need to be highly skilled, but they must memorize all the rules. When customers have questions, they should be able to answer immediately."
"Mhm." Nora took out her small notebook and carefully wrote down each of Ron's requirements.
"For this, you can go to Kiel. The people on his side understand Element Card magic battles very well—they can help train the staff."
Nora nodded seriously, then looked up and asked curiously, "Boss, what will this place be called?"
"Hmm… that…"
"Let's call it… the Magic Battle Arena?"
…
January 30th.
As winter gave way to spring, the Royal Capital was graced with another light snowfall.
The snowflakes were tiny, like grains of white sand. They melted into icy water as soon as they touched the ground, unable to accumulate.
That same afternoon, the first batch of soldiers returning from the three great northern passes arrived at the northern gate of the Royal Capital.
Many citizens gathered along Triumph Avenue, craning their necks, cheering loudly.
But some stood with clenched fists, anxious and uneasy.
Some were parents, some were wives, some were children.
The soldiers began entering the city in formation.
Their faces carried weary smiles as they waved to the cheering crowds.
Amid the noise, the falling snow concealed many cries and sorrows.
The teams that had come to participate in the Spring Martial Tournament also gathered at a nearby street corner. Watching the soldiers' upright figures, they seemed to glimpse their own future.
Of course, given their ability to compete in the tournament, their future achievements would likely surpass those of ordinary soldiers.
At this moment, Ron was overseeing construction at the future Magic Battle Arena. Upon hearing that the northern army had returned, he climbed to the rooftop terrace and stood in the snow, looking toward Triumph Avenue in the distance.
From afar, he couldn't make out much—only a sea of moving heads.
Even from this distance, the cheers still reached his ears, leaving Ron with mixed emotions.
This world was far less peaceful than it appeared.
On a broader scale, armies in the northern frontier defended against the beastkin.
Closer to home, Sylvie and the others—and Yuna—protected his safety from the shadows.
If he weren't the Seventh Prince, if he weren't a Chosen One, who knew how much hardship he would have faced?
As Ron was lost in thought, he suddenly felt a faint sting on his face.
Startled, he focused—and immediately noticed a figure on horseback in the middle of the distant formation.
The figure was tall and upright, clad in light black armor, with sharp brown short hair. At this moment, he was looking in Ron's direction.
Though Ron couldn't clearly see his face, the memory of the original owner allowed him to recognize him instantly—
The First Prince, Eli André.
The one who had beheaded the young chief of the Tiger Roar Tribe and used his head as a chamber pot.
This First Prince, already a peak sixth-tier powerhouse, had spotted Ron from afar and even gave him a gentle smile.
At least… it looked like a gentle smile.
From this distance, Ron couldn't be sure.
Given the current situation of the Empire, the First Prince—favored by the military—and the Second Prince—favored by civil officials—were undoubtedly the strongest contenders for the throne.
Next came the Fourth Prince, who held great influence in the southern region.
The Third Prince had died young.
The Fifth Prince had died in indulgence.
The Sixth Prince lived a carefree, indulgent life, never building his own power.
As for the Seventh Prince, he had been withdrawn and melancholic since childhood. This autumn, he had even been sent away from the palace to the distant City of Chaos, effectively exiled without even a territory.
Originally, everyone believed the struggle for the throne would be between the First, Second, and Fourth Princes.
But who could have expected that in just a few months, the Seventh Prince, Ron, would rise from the City of Chaos—
And by the end of December, return to the Royal Capital as a Chosen One, completely transformed.
The Nether Orchid and Crimson-Gold Chrysanthemum alone had already drawn countless eyes.
With the support of the Goddess of Harvest — Hervesta and one of the three great churches, Ron had instantly secured a place in the Royal Capital.
All in less than a month.
Naturally, this drew the attention of the other three contenders.
Ron looked at the figure within the procession on Triumph Avenue, nodded lightly as a greeting, then turned and headed downstairs with a slight headache.
Seeing him come down, Nora gently brushed the snow off his head and shoulders.
"Boss, I've already explained the construction requirements clearly. The recruitment notice for staff has also been posted. Is there anything else to pay attention to?"
Ron stood still, letting her small hands brush away the snow. Then he took her hand, leaned down, and lightly kissed it before looking up with a teasing smile:
"Thanks for your hard work."
"So, beautiful Miss Nora—may I have the honor of inviting you to dinner?"