Evan D. Sherden, Reinforced Fighting Power (2)

The next morning, Evan brought the members to the training camp to eat dragon steaks and check exactly how much their abilities had risen. Of course, that included himself.

‘I’m sure they’re stronger, but I don’t know how strong they are…I miss the Yo-Ma games at times like this.’

Starting from the Junior group, he checked their weapon and magic skills to confirm the improvement from yesterday. The result was astonishing.

“I’m light! I’ve never felt this before!”

“Now, I’m not afraid of anything!”

“We’ll start with those guys who just spoke, so get ready.”

Using artifacts to measure the impact amount, mana volume, and skill level as precisely as possible, it was confirmed that their physical status had grown by more than 5% without any exaggeration. Their weapon skills had improved by more than three levels. All the people who ate the dragon steak had grown immensely!

“Oh, I made a mistake…”

However, because the increase in ability was proportionally the same regardless of the target, Evan finally realized that he had made a mistake yesterday. He realized a trap of ‘relative figures’ in the dragon steak, which he had just eaten, thinking that their ability would be significantly improved.

“Was his ability increased in proportion to his previous status? If that’s the case, I should have fed them after a while……!”

“How long should they wait? It’s enough now, Master.”

Shine soothed him, but the disappointment didn’t go away. Then, Belois spoke carefully.

“Master, I feel the energy of the food I ate yesterday is continuing to go through my body. Maybe it’s not a temporary effect, but a lasting one.”

“Huh? Really?”

When he heard that, Evan immediately closed his eyes and checked his body; then, he could feel scorching energy that he had never had before, circling around his heart. He didn’t feel it because he had such intense energy circulating in his body normally, but once he recognized it, the power was clearly emitting throughout his body to match his heartbeat.

“Hooray…”

“Oh, it’s true. It’s similar to the blessing I received from the ghost lady, but it feels different…shut up, it’s true.”

Already more than seven years ago, there had been a blessing from a ghost lady who had relieved her resentment after Evan, Shine, Belois, and Serena had enjoyed a dinner in the capital under strict orders and form. It was a fraudulent buff that added 10% to the level of existence and the pace of growth of all skills. That power had been supporting the four of them still seven years later. Even though they got the game’s cheat code equally, the blessing also significantly impacted their growth rate.

“Oh, I remember you mentioning it.”

“I remember it. It was about a ghost girl.”

Raihan and Arisha might feel it unfair, but it was before they encountered Raihan and long before they even met Arisha. That wasn’t important now, though. The energy that started from the heart and spun around his body, amplifying all his abilities quite a bit…

“If this is a blessing that is constantly applied…”

“It could be applied to our ability to gain and grow in the future.”

Yes, if the ability to increase 5% of all the status was consistently applied, it wasn’t the time to talk about food intake timing efficiency. It meant that his current ability and future ability to increase would grow depending on the dungeon and existence level. This 5% increase would be applied to his status, which would steadily increase the benefits!

“It’s the best. I didn’t expect that it could cause a permanent blessing… no, of course, it was possible because of the owner’s cooking skill.”

He experienced significant capacity amplification in the Yo-Ma Great War Zero, but he didn’t get such a permanent blessing. This miracle happened because the owner, who had devoted himself to magic cooking, made it with all his might.

“It was an excellent idea to bring the meat……!”

He was so moved when eating the meat that he overlooked it, but maybe the hallucination of the dragon he had seen the moment he ate the steak yesterday was a symbol of this blessing.

When he remembered that moment, Evan’s mouth began to water. He was desperate to eat the steak again. Shine turned Evan, swallowing his saliva.

“Is there anything to eat again?”

“I’m deeply sorry, but there’s no overlapping effect, so give it up. It only permanently increases your ability the first time you eat it.”

Although temporary increases in abilities might not be known, the effect of permanent capacity increases due to food consumption was limited to the first intake. There was little room for trickery because it was recognized only after eating more than a certain amount.

“Now that things have come to this end, the meat is a great help in fostering the capable…”

“The more you grow, the more you’ll be encouraged. If you say so, Master…”

“Yes.”

Evan spoke out about the plan he had made since he brought dozens of kilograms of dragon meat.

“The meat is limited, and there are many candidates. Let’s choose and bless only those who I can completely trust.”

“It’s like you’re giving them a blessing.”

There wasn’t much difference. Evan was the Master who contributed more than anyone else to hunting the dragon.

“Diona!”

“Yes, Master.”

At the end of the demonstration of the Astray members’ abilities, Evan called Diona over when the verification of the effects of dragon meat, or perfectly cooked dragon steak, was completed. Diona, who roughly sensed what she had to do, quickly came to his side with a writing instrument.

“We need to make a list, right? A list to distribute the meat…”

“You are so quick-witted. Let’s start right away. Oh, and the owner has to go on a business trip for the time being, so tell him to keep quiet about the dragon meat.”

“Master, you are also a nobleman, given how bold you are to treat people.”

“If someone else hears it, they’ll misunderstand. The owner promised to be my exclusive cook.”

When Diona giggled, Evan replied with a laugh. Of course, the owner would complain about not being able to cook for Evan but instead cooking and feeding others. However, Evan decided to ignore such minor complaints.

“The rest of the dragon meat was cut to the minimum level of effectiveness, about two-hundred servings. Two-hundred people…first of all, it’s my family, Grandpa Bernard, the Ironwall Knights, and the Bloody Apple…”

Offering dragon steaks to witches was a bit doubtful because they were likely to notice the identity of the meat. However, it wasn’t the time to worry about such a trivial matter. All of the Bloody Apple Guild members were allies who could never betray Evan. Even if they found that he had killed the dragon, they would only end up bothering him to study the Dragon Heart together.

Evan tried to hide it because he didn’t want to be bothered, but it was an infinitely fair price compared to increasing their power.

“Oh, it’s hard to supply the meat to all the Ironwall Knights. Let’s take the top thirty percent, including the Commander.”

“Okay. And then?”

“We should give some to the large guilds that are fully cooperating with us. Instead, we will select only a small number of the representatives of the guilds who have already sacrificed for the dungeon city more than twice. Someone like Eloa.”

“Yes, sir. I think I know how to sort it out.”

“You’d better throw some bait. For example, if you’re good to me, you’ll get a chance like this again, and then we’ll be able to stimulate those who haven’t been paid.”

Dragon meat’s power was so strong that anyone who was a member of a large guild representing the dungeon city would notice it. There were few foods in the world that permanently increased a person’s ability. Still, the only known thing among them was a potion like the Elixir, and only a senior alchemist like Evan could produce it.

“And then…all right. I can trust Serpina and Hannah. I’ll give it to you, so you don’t have to look at me with such pitiful eyes.”

“Thank you, Master!”

Evan was about to give some dragon meat to both. Serpina would be the most crucial figure in the temple of the dungeon city in the future, and Hannah had a teacher-student relationship with Evan, serving Bernard as her teacher. Raihan was worrying about something useless. He wouldn’t give it to Diona if he didn’t want to give it to both of them.

“Who else is there to take care of? Oh, yeah. I’ll take care of my father-in-law and mother-in-law. Three servings for Pellati…no, about a portion for ten people, considering the Dungeon Knights.”

“Don’t do it, Evan.”

As he considered the relationship between relatives, he thought about it naturally, but Arisha shook her head.

“My father and mother aren’t very dependent on individual force. You don’t have to take care of my dorky brother, and the Pellati Dungeon Knights aren’t Sherden’s in the first place. I’m a member of Sherden now, so you don’t have to worry about them.”

“…”

Indeed, there was a point to Arisha’s words, but Evan flatly denied what she said.

“Arisha, if it’s just about efficiency, I shouldn’t give it to my parents either. Shall we do that?”

“Uh, huh? No, but they’re Evan’s parents and in charge of Sherden…”

“Your parents are like my parents now. What’s more, they’re allies who can always help Sherden. That’s why I’m giving it to them.”

“Evan…”

Of course, Arisha knew it. However, it only bothered her that Evan, obsessed with efficient growth theory and resource distribution, released some valuable dragon meat outside of Sherden, which he couldn’t wholly control. However, Arisha concluded that it was against his character. If Evan were to invest in another knight of the Ironwall Knights, the city would have gotten a little more robust, but Arisha couldn’t believe Evan was going to give that up.

“…Thank you, Evan.”

“I’m engaged to you, so I should do this.”

“Huh, hahaha.”

Even though he knew it wasn’t efficient, taking care of his parents (in a real sense, it was good for the body) couldn’t have made him feel inadequate as a child. It would also serve as a natural reminder that Evan’s relationship with her was good. Above all, Arisha was grateful that Evan made this decision without hesitation.

‘I want to kiss Evan right now.’

The gratitude and affection for Evan united and rose in Arisha’s heart. In the end, she only hesitated with her cheeks blushing uncharacteristically. Adorably cute, but as the eyes around him were growing stinging, Evan decided to put off his flirting with Arisha.

“Well, in that sense… I’m sorry, Ray. I don’t think I can take care of the royal family. There are too many holes over there. I don’t want to create a risk factor.”

“I understand; I’m satisfied if you take care of me.”

Serena nodded as if she had been waiting for the words. Today as well, there was the dragon egg in her arms.

“What’s more…unlike the Pellati family, who will always come to help Sherden, the Silk Line doesn’t want to come here.”

“That’s what you were thinking.”

Serena’s comment forced Evan to smile bitterly. She was right. Evan wasn’t just taking care of her because it was his fiancée’s family. It wasn’t empty words to say that the Pellati family was an ally that would always help Sherden. The partnership between Sherden and Pellati was much stronger than expected. If there were an immediate request for aid from Pellati, Marquis Soline would run barefoot, and vice versa. Therefore, it wasn’t foolish to invest in Pellati in preparation for a situation where the two cities should join forces.

‘But the royal family is a little different.’

If Evan and Arisha’s engagement started with a good relationship between their parents rather than political reasons, Evan and Serena’s engagement began with the Silk Line royal family’s desire to suppress Evan. The Silk Line royal family was wary of Sherden, which had a substantial presence independently. It was a little cruel, but even if something terrible happened to Sherden, it was more likely to be left unattended because it was a chance to undermine Sherden’s power. That was the relationship between the Silk Line royal family and the dungeon city of Sherden.

“Never mind the royal family again, focus on me.”

Perhaps she was still worried that her family would stress Evan mentally. Evan smiled and stroked her head gently.

“You don’t have to worry about it; I know you’re on my side.”

“Yes, I’m a Sherden person.”

Serena said so with a gaze aimed at Arisha. Arisha must’ve been considering her words carefully. The two women went straight into a snowball fight. Evan thought it was fortunate that the two were good to each other. It was a blatant escape from reality.

“Well, I think there’s still some meat left.”

“Yes, Master. If long-term storage is possible, you can take your time to think about it.”

“Yes, but more people who should be given…”

When Evan was about to continue, there was a sound of the door opening from above. They heard a small conversation and soon saw Louise coming down the stairs.

“Sir!”

“I guess you’re not an aristocrat anymore.”

When she found Evan and ran like a puppy finding its owner, Evan laughed. It was even more pleasant to think of Louise’s party’s surprise after eating the dragon steak. Evan’s plan to foster sub-parties was becoming more and more perfect by the day.