Although Raiden didn’t stay in the village for more than a year, he felt pretty good seeing it again after two months... traveling was fine and all, but few places could give him that sense of peace and quiet.

The whole group began to split up once they crossed the gates and they confirmed that nothing had happened when they arrived while they were away. A bunch of people welcomed them back right there.

When Raiden returned home, he felt like all the exhaustion he had got in the last two months had come down all at once... it was probably because he was one hundred percent sure that nothing would happen there as long as he slept under the roof of his home. Still, he soon got his mind on the game again when his parents unpacked and soon left home.

"They have a lot of stuff to consider; don’t worry about it," Iri said while stretching her body. "I am going to take it easy for a few days since we earned some decent money."

Although the money was split among more than four thousand people, even the students received quite a sum of money. Raiden received six gold coins for those two months of work, and he also got nine more for his achievements during the fights. One would usually feel a bit troubled for paying their kid for the number of enemies they had killed, but that was how the share was calculated among the whole group. All in all, Raiden had earned 150 thousand fortune points.

"What are you going to do with your money, Raiden?" Iri asked.

"I am going to save it for now, and depending on Mother’s choice, I might change how I invest the money," Raiden replied.

Raiden could use his money to purchase various items and then improve them with his power. This approach would offer immediate benefits, as he could quickly gain enhanced items that provide short-term advantages or he could sell them. However, this strategy might not be as sustainable in the long run, as the benefits are primarily tied to the specific items he acquires and enhances.

Raiden was also considering investing in acquiring more plants from the Lunaria kingdom, which would enable him to create health-restoring potions. This option would take longer to yield results but would be more effective in the long term. By focusing on potion-making, he could ensure a steady supply of health-restoring items, which would provide ongoing support and sustainability for his endeavors and the village.

"How old are you again?" Iri furrowed her eyebrows. "Are you trying to make me lose face or something by being this level-headed?"

"Even if I didn’t try, that would be pretty easy to happen," Raiden grinned.

"Whatchusay?" Iri said while pulling Raiden’s cheeks. "It is time to let you know about the chain of command of this family, little man."

The second option, investing in plants from the Lunaria kingdom to make health-restoring potions, was particularly appealing to Raiden not just for its long-term benefits but also because of his personal experiences and observations. Raiden had seen firsthand the immense effort his sister and mother had put into their work during the war. Their dedication and skills were crucial in saving countless lives.

However, despite their best efforts, they often faced harsh criticism when they couldn’t prevent every tragedy. Families and loved ones of the deceased sometimes blamed them, accusing them of not trying hard enough. This constant pressure and the emotional toll of dealing with such blame were profoundly taxing for their mental well-being.

Knowing this, Raiden felt that investing in a sustainable solution like potion-making was more meaningful. It wasn’t just about immediate gains but about creating something that could continually support and protect people, alleviating some of the burdens and criticisms his family faced.

"I feel like this can make their skills less valuable... maybe making magic potions to restore their force would be a good idea, too," Raiden thought. "I will have to talk with Mother about this and see what she thinks."

"Why are you suddenly so quiet?" Iri asked.

"It is nothing. I am just thinking about what will happen now," Raiden replied. "I am going to take back my stuff from the healers."

"Do you want some help?" Iri asked.

"I will be fine," Raiden replied. "Just rest properly. If things change now, the students won’t be affected as immediately, but those on your level will, so you need to rest as much as possible."

Iri showed how valuable her skills could be; she was a skilled fighter, too, so she definitely will move around a lot more from now on. So, she deserved as much peace and quiet as possible while she was at home.

It took a while for Raiden to gather all his stuff at home again, but at least he also gained some more coins as well since the healers were able to use some of his plants to make some medicine... taking the costs and their skills, just having the herbs granted Raiden two gold coins per month, so he got forty thousand more fortune to his account.

Raiden - Lv 29 (0/2900)

HP: 500/500

MP: 500/500

STA: 450/450

Strength: 105

Vitality: 50

Endurance: 45

Magic: 45

Spirit: 50

Wisdom: 50

Dexterity: 96

Quickness: 56

Perception: 50

Fortune: 193.200

Skills: Money is Power (MAX), Lightning Stance Lv 23,

Magic:

Passive: Pickpocketing Lv 01, Sword Mastery Lv 01, Spear Mastery Lv 28, Alchemy Lv 15, Martial Arts Lv 01, Aura Force Lv 44

"I guess I can also invest all of this in myself and try to graduate from the middle level of the tower of mastery with some years," Raiden thought. "Still, I only have one technique developed... my foundation is still lacking."

When night came, Raiden finished setting up his workshop and then went to prepare dinner since Hearth hadn’t returned yet. Iri spent the rest of the day sleeping, but she woke up when she began to feel the smell of dinner. Eventually, food began to get cold and there were no signs of their parents returning.

"They could have at least warned us..." Iri said and then sighed. "Well, it can’t be helped. They will have to eat the food later if they return today, that is."

That was unusual unless they had some work outside of the village, but they just returned from a long mission, so... it looked like they were truly preparing for the alliance.

In the end, Harth and Lenore only showed up every late in the night and then they left early in the morning as well. As the days went by, Raiden observed a difference in the intensity of Harth and Lenore’s work. They were putting in long hours, often staying late into the evening and even working through the weekend. The increased pressure and responsibilities made it clear that they were more overloaded than ever before.

The office, where they handled their duties, became a hub of activity. Raiden frequently heard about the steady stream of visitors they were receiving. These visitors included various officials and individuals with pressing matters that required their attention. The influx of visitors was a clear sign of the high demand for the critical nature of their work.

This constant flow of people and the mounting workload meant that Harth and Lenore had little to no opportunity for rest. Their schedules were tightly packed, and the idea of taking any time off seemed increasingly remote. The relentless pace and the strain of managing so many responsibilities left Raiden with the impression that his parents were fully consumed by their roles, leaving them with scant opportunities to unwind or catch their breath.

Eventually, lessons in the towers of mastery resumed as well, so he didn’t have that much free time to try to help them either.

"It seems that some of you mastered your techniques in the last two months, so I want to see your progress," Altria said as soon as the lessons started. "Step forward and show me what you have accomplished."

Raiden wasn’t surprised when he saw half of the students at the journeymen level showing their skills... times of war usually make people try hard in their respective fields, after all.

In any case, he saw a large number of techniques that differed from each other, but it didn’t look like that was enough to make them graduate from the journeymen level.

"Congratulations, Lars, Unia, and Phoebe," Altria said. "From tomorrow onwards, you can join the adept level in this tower of mastery. Your skills showed the necessary results to grant you this opportunity."

Raiden noticed that the skills of the three students who had graduated from their current level appeared to be somewhat sharper compared to their peers. While their abilities seemed more refined, they didn’t exhibit overwhelming power on their own. This observation puzzled him initially, as he expected the advanced graduates to demonstrate a more formidable level of strength.