Chapter Summaries

Ron, Mia, and Irene found that someone had bought each shop they had considered for the Flower Shop branch, and Ron spotted the middle-aged man he suspected was behind the interference. They set aside the setback to eat at the successful hotpot restaurant branch, where Ron introduced new seasonings and Mia cheered up.

• At Peace Square, Ron found that the shop Mia and Irene had chosen had already been bought, and he told Mia not to ask Andre III for help yet.
• The group went to the last shop near Impaxiu Lake and learned that it, too, had just been sold to someone else.
• Ron spotted the middle-aged man in crimson robes across the lake, and the man smiled, bowed, and disappeared into the crowd.
• Ron took Mia and Irene to the hotpot restaurant branch on Moonview Street, where they sat by the window overlooking the lake.
• Ron brought out three new seasonings prepared by Nora, and Mia enjoyed them before asking why none had a spicy flavor.

Ron accepted Irene’s invitation to the Christine residence, hoping the family’s head might explain the forces acting against him. After every shop on his list had been bought in advance, Irene revealed that her family might seek a marriage alliance with him.

• Mia suggested adding three new seasonings to the hotpot restaurant, but Ron said they should wait before expanding its menu.
• Irene invited Ron to the Christine residence at her father’s request and warned him not to agree to any excessive demands just to spare her feelings.
• Ron and Mia found that all the blue-grade and yellow-grade shops on their shortlist had already been acquired, and Ron told Mia he would handle the matter.
• Irene and Ron left in a carriage sent by the Christine Family after Mia returned to the palace.
• Irene told Ron that her family often used its women to forge marriage ties with investment targets and that her father might have the same intention toward him.

Ron visited Count Hodge Christine’s residence, where Hodge offered him support for his flower shop and asked to cooperate. Ron asked what price Hodge expected, leaving the terms unresolved.

• Irene explained that the Christine Family arranged marriages with promising talents in exchange for resources and support, and said she would marry Ron if her father proposed it.
• Hodge welcomed Ron to the Christine residence and hosted him and Irene for dinner.
• After Ron joked about missing his six unseen wives, Hodge asked about his difficulties finding shops in the Imperial Capital.
• Ron said someone had bought up the shops Irene had found for him, and Hodge offered a shop, business connections, help cultivating plants, and protection from further interference.
• Ron asked Hodge what he wanted in return.

Ron rejected Count Huo Qi’s proposal to take a share of the Flower Shop’s profits and control its plant selection, then returned to the convent and contacted Nora through the Doll. He left Nora reassured about the nobleman’s marriage offer, though he had secretly used the conversation to get her to kiss the Doll.

• Count Huo Qi proposed that the Christine Family receive forty percent of the Flower Shop’s profits and decide which plants it sold in exchange for opening his resources to Ron.
• Ron asked for time to consider the offer and left Count Huo Qi’s residence with Irene, who gave him an apologetic look at the gate.
• After returning to the convent, Ron entered the Doll in Chaos City and asked Nora whether anything had happened at the shop.
• Ron told Nora that a noble wanted to marry his daughter to him, then said he had refused the proposal and vented his anger at Count Huo Qi.
• Ron persuaded Nora to kiss the Doll, secretly experiencing the kiss through its senses.

Ron rejected the factions seeking to control the Flower Shop and decided to wait them out while choosing allies who could protect his independence. After sending plants to two academies, he went ice fishing and hot-potted fish as watchers observed him.

• Ron concluded that Count Huo Qi wanted control over the Flower Shop’s plant prices and resolved not to leave the Imperial Capital until the standoff was settled.
• Sylvie told Ron that the Archbishop offered him a shop, but Ron asked her to keep it available for later.
• Ron received invitations and letters from numerous factions, then narrowed his choices to letters from the Imperial City Magic Academy, the Imperial City First Military Academy, and two military divisions.
• Ron sent 100 Nether Orchids and 100 Golden Red Chrysanthemums to the Magic Academy and First Military Academy, respectively.
• Ron went to Impaxiu Lake, cut a fishing hole in the ice, and cooked his catch in a hot pot while ignoring the watchers around him.

Ron turned Impaxiu Lake into a makeshift fishing teahouse, drawing visitors with his pine needle tea while refusing to discuss shop offers. The Sixth Prince, Soven Andre, arrived and began fishing in an unexpected way, leaving Ron stunned.

• Ron ignored the factions seeking his allegiance and spent days fishing on Impaxiu Lake, serving pine needle tea to visitors who caught fish.
• Ron bought live fish and penned them inside a net in the lake so he could catch them more easily.
• Soven Andre joined Ron at the lake and asked for tea, but Ron insisted he catch a fish to earn a cup.
• Soven stripped down to his underwear and plunged into the icy lake to fish.

Soven visited Ron at the frozen lake, where Ron made him fish soup brewed with tea leaves. Soven invited Ron to join a group hunting trip at the Royal Jungle the next afternoon, and Ron agreed before hooking a powerful fish.

• Soven leaped out of the lake with twenty-three fish, and Ron cooked one in pine-needle tea while returning the rest to the water.
• Soven drank the fish soup and remarked that Ron had changed, then asked if Ron had been having trouble.
• Soven invited Ron to join a group hunting trip so he could pursue a girl, and Ron agreed after learning Betty would be there.
• Ron continued fishing, and his rod bent under the force of a fish taking the bait.

Professor Simmons learned that Ron had stopped selling Nether Orchids after forces blocked his efforts to open a Flower Shop, while Felton prepared the Imperial City First Military Academy to act alongside the Royal Magic Academy. The academies took Ron’s gesture of goodwill as bait, and Ron waited in Soven’s carriage as pressure continued to build.

• Simmons discovered that the Nether Orchids were running low, and Majori explained that Ron had stopped selling plants after others obstructed his plans for a Flower Shop.
• Angered by the shortage of Nether Orchids and Golden Red Chrysanthemums, Simmons left to confront the dean and, if necessary, petition His Majesty Andre.
• Felton ordered the military academy to investigate those who had targeted Ron and to hold back merit awards for cadets connected to the offending forces.
• Felton planned to consult the Royal Magic Academy’s dean and involve the military if they agreed that the dispute could be turned to their advantage.
• The two academies began acting on Ron’s gesture of goodwill as other forces kept testing him, while Ron rode in Soven’s carriage and waited for dawn.

Betty joined the hunt at the Royal Jungle because she wanted to meet Ron, and she became smitten with him on the carriage ride. After Ron and Soven discussed their contrasting views on romance, Soven prepared a drugged horse to help him win Penny over.

• Betty rode with Ron and imagined their meeting was fate, but Ron told her she was squeezing him.
• At the Royal Jungle, Soven teased Ron about Betty’s interest and explained that Serena was helping him pursue Penny.
• Ron said he preferred love that developed naturally and mentioned that he had someone waiting for him at home.
• Soven offered to teach Ron to become a seasoned womanizer, but Ron said he liked the dish waiting at home.
• At the riding grounds, Soven revealed that he had drugged a horse so it would tire quickly and planned to get Penny to choose it.

Ron helped Soven arrange for Penny to share a horse with him during the hunt, allowing Soven to grow closer to her. After the group ate hotpot and parted at the Royal Jungle, Ron saw Penny and Soven leave alone in a carriage.

• Betty missed a squirrel with her arrow and chased it off with a fireball, while Soven reminded her not to use offensive magic casually.
• Soven claimed Penny's tired horse could not continue, and Serena ruled out having Penny share a horse with another lady.
• Ron avoided Penny's hopeful gaze, so Penny accepted Soven's offer to ride with him, and he held her as they rode.
• Several noble ladies accused Penny of tampering with her horse to get close to Ron, while Ron kept the truth to himself.
• The group hunted, ate hotpot together, and said goodbye at the Royal Jungle entrance.
• Ron saw Penny and Soven board a carriage alone and wondered whether Penny could handle the situation after Soven had drunk a pot of pine needle tea.

Sylvie reported how Imperial City First Military Academy, Imperial City Magic Academy, and the Criminal Detention Department had taken action against forces involved in the recent incident. Ron rewarded the Goddess of Harvest’s church with flowers, arranged visits to both academies for the next day, and went fishing.

• Sylvie told Ron that Imperial City First Military Academy had confirmed only some students for its merit list, favoring talents from forces connected to the incident.
• Sylvie explained that Professor Simmons had requisitioned Magic Academy laboratories and elemental arrays, pushing the involved forces to the end of the access schedule until at least February.
• Sylvie reported that the Criminal Detention Department had arrested people tied to assassination orders and rumors, using evidence uncovered by the two academies.
• Ron gave Sylvie Nether Orchids and Golden Red Chrysanthemums to deliver, then asked her to arrange visits to Imperial City First Military Academy and the Magic Academy for the next day.
• Ron announced that he was going fishing.

Ron fished at Impaxiu Lake while checking on Nora, who planned to visit her late grandmother’s grave, and joked with Soven about his romantic exploits and Ron’s schemes. As Soven left, a crimson-robed man arrived, and Ron’s fishing rod suddenly bent as a fish took the bait.

• Ron spoke with Nora through the Doll and learned she planned to visit her late grandmother’s grave, promising to visit after he returned.
• Ron told Nora to notify the patrol and take Yuna with her when she went to pay her respects.
• Soven joined Ron at the lake, bragged about his time with Penny, and discussed Ron’s plans and Irene’s position.
• Soven left to see Penny after failing to catch any fish and jokingly promised to repay Ron for two fish.
• A middle-aged man in deep crimson robes approached Ron, whose fishing rod began to tremble as a fish took the bait.

Ron negotiated with a middle-aged man who wanted to sell him three shopfronts, but the man refused Ron’s offer of 1,000 gold coins for all three. Ron ended the discussion by ordering him to leave and warning that the shops would soon be worth even less.

• Ron caught a fish and cooked it while the middle-aged man waited nearby.
• The middle-aged man offered Ron shops on Central Street, Moonview Street, and Meng Lisi Street, and Ron asked about their prices.
• The middle-aged man agreed to sell either the Central Street shop or the Moonview Street shop for 1,000 gold coins.
• Ron clarified that he wanted all three shops for 1,000 gold coins, and the middle-aged man rejected the offer.
• Ron smashed his bowl and angrily told the middle-aged man to leave unless he would sell all three shops for 1,000 gold coins.

After negotiations with the churches failed, Ron met with First Military Academy Principal Felton to propose a partnership between the academy, the Magic Academy, and his Flower Shop. Ron offered event sponsorships, awards, priority purchasing, and exclusive rights to buy two kinds of plants, leaving Felton to consider the terms.

• The churches' representative left angrily after Ron refused to buy back the Flower Shop on their terms.
• Ron spent the day fishing while his consciousness visited the Doll in Chaos City to spend time with Nora.
• Ron and Sylvie traveled to First Military Academy and met Principal Felton in his office.
• Ron proposed free Scale Vine-based prizes for academy events and set aside one-tenth of the Imperial Capital Flower Shop's annual profits for student scholarships and financial aid.
• Ron offered First Military Academy and the Magic Academy priority access to new plants and exclusive purchasing rights to Nether Orchids and Golden Red Chrysanthemums.

Ron negotiated cooperation with Principal Felton, who explained that the military academy needed a legitimate reason to oppose the powerful factions exploiting the conflict. Ron agreed to become an honorary cadet, and after lunch he went to meet the Magic Academy’s dean.

• Felton rejected exclusive purchasing rights for Nether Orchids and Golden Red Chrysanthemums, asking only for priority purchasing rights and inviting Ron to become an honorary cadet.
• Felton explained that Ron’s honorary status would give the military academy grounds to act against the factions, as part of a broader effort to curb their influence in the Empire.
• Ron thanked Felton for explaining the political situation, and the two discussed the details of their cooperation.
• Ron had lunch with Felton at the military academy before heading to the Magic Academy to meet its dean.

After receiving honorary positions at the First Military Academy and the Magic Academy, Ron got three shops for free and chose a quiet one on Meng Lisi Street for Nora’s flower shop. While wandering Queen Street, he ran into Soven, who brought him to a magic club where nobles played Elemental Cards.

• Ron received honorary student status at the First Military Academy and a specially appointed teaching assistant position under Professor Simmons.
• Three shop transfer contracts arrived for Ron at no cost, and he chose the quieter Meng Lisi Street shop for Nora’s flower shop.
• Ron wandered through Queen Street while looking for the shop and encountered Soven at a magic club.
• Soven explained that the club attracted noble ladies curious about magic, then introduced Ron to the other people in the room.
• Ron declined female company, noticed the group playing Elemental Cards, and asked Soven whether the game had become popular among nobles.

Ron opened the new shop on Meng Lisi Street and unlocked spatial transmission between the Imperial Capital and Chaos City. The renovation began, and Ron considered who else should receive access once it was complete.

• Ron left Soven's gathering after playing cards and receiving a mouthful of dog food.
• Ron followed Soven's directions to Meng Lisi Street and opened the shop with his key.
• The system announced that the branch-shop quest was complete and that renovations would take twelve hours.
• The system unlocked free spatial transmission between the Flower Shops in Chaos City and the Imperial Capital through the Dimensional Plane.
• Ron learned that Secondary Spatial Transmission Access cost 50,000 Wealth Points per person and decided Nora should receive it first.
• Ron explored the shop to check whether anything needed improving.

Ron finished inspecting the shop and settled into a routine of visiting the Imperial Capital while living mostly in Chaos City. After the renovation, the system gave him an upgrade quest requiring him to grant someone a secondary spatial transmission permission and complete a transmission.

• Ron inspected the four-floor shop on Queen Street and decided it needed few changes before the system finished renovating it.
• Ron led prayer services for more than a thousand followers at the Church of the Goddess of Harvest.
• Sylvie told Ron that the military academy and college had begun acting, then asked whether to continue recruiting nuns for Chaos City.
• Ron told Sylvie to keep bringing available nuns to Chaos City and said he would arrange things for them.
• Ron went to the renovated shop on Meng Lisi Street, where the system triggered an upgrade quest requiring him to grant someone a secondary spatial transmission permission and complete a transmission.

Ron returned to the Chaos City Flower Shop through the Dimensional Plane and found Nora had kept the place spotless while he was away. He planned to sleep, but Yuna confronted him, learned how he had secured the Imperial Capital shops, and guessed he had returned in time to accompany Nora to a grave.

• Ron entered the Dimensional Plane, visited the Cultivation Space, and chose to exit into the Chaos City Flower Shop.
• Ron found Nora’s books, reading reflection, and carefully maintained rooms, then quietly checked on her while she slept.
• Yuna was waiting in Ron’s bedroom and demanded to know how he had returned and what had happened in the Imperial Capital.
• Ron told Yuna how he had obtained the shops, and she regretted not joining him to provide information through the Dark Division.
• Yuna guessed Ron had returned because Nora planned to visit an old granny’s grave the next day and expected to go alone.

Ron returned and reunited with Nora, then promised to accompany her to pay respects to Grandma. He left Yuna behind to watch the shop.

• Nora spoke to Ron through the Doll while getting ready, unaware that he had returned in person.
• Ron surprised Nora in the corridor, embraced her, and told her not to pull away when Yuna came downstairs.
• Yuna pretended to be surprised to see Ron and watched him follow Nora into the bathroom.
• Ron learned that the golden resin had softened Nora’s hands and told her not to conserve it.
• Ron said he would make breakfast and take Nora to visit Grandma, then told Yuna to stay and watch the shop.