Richard's mind was filled with countless thoughts as he walked, eventually finding himself at the edge of the city, where the land met the sea.

But there was no beach there—only a towering cliff that rose sharply above the waters below.

From that height, Richard could still see enormous fish swimming in the ocean beneath him.

If only he had a modern fishing rod, fishing from this cliff would be an incredible experience.

He sat down at the edge, relaxing as the sea breeze brushed against him, bringing a rare sense of peace.

That was until he noticed a white crow flying rapidly from the distance.

In just a blink, the white crow was already before him.

"White Ancestor." Richard was startled.

"Why are you here?" he asked.

"Why can't I be here, boy? I like taking walks," the white crow replied casually.

Richard squinted at him, not quite convinced.

"Boy, your father came to this city as well," said the White Ancestor.

"What?" Richard was so shocked he rubbed his ear, thinking he'd misheard.

"What's he doing here?" he asked.

"Perhaps just passing through. But well, truthfully, I came to capture him."

Richard, "..."

"It's not what you think. Edward got his hands on something valuable. He might've intended to give it to your mother, but I think it would be better suited for you," the White Ancestor continued.

"What kind of item?" Richard asked curiously—it had to be something extraordinary if it made the White Ancestor come all this way.

"A kind of Aether Skeleton, but far stronger. Once used, it will greatly enhance your physical strength—or more precisely, elevate it to the level of your strongest power right now, the Titan Skeleton. It can even merge with your Aether Skeleton to push it to a new level," the White Ancestor explained.

"So there are other skeletons besides the Aether Skeleton that can merge with humans?" Richard said, surprised.

"Of course. There are many kinds of skeletons with various innate abilities—some even more terrifying. At the pinnacle lies the kind that can grant power equal to a Grand Sovereign's without actually becoming one… a skeleton that can rival the World Magic Aether itself," the White Ancestor said, his tone laced with yearning.

"Is it really possible to reach Grand Sovereign-level strength without World Magic Aether?" Richard asked in awe.

"Certainly. Take me, for example. With my Ancestral Bloodline, I could reach that level if I were to awaken its true power," replied the White Ancestor, leaving Richard even more astonished.

He hadn't expected this seemingly ordinary white crow to possess an Ancestral Bloodline.

"By the way, have you ever heard of the giant corpse beneath the capital, the one whose skeleton is guarded by the royal family?" Richard recalled the rumor Sister Lisa had mentioned.

"How could I not know about that?" the White Ancestor replied.

"Can that skeleton also help someone reach Grand Sovereign-level power? I heard it's as large as the capital itself."

"If it could grant Grand Sovereign-level power, do you think it would still be here? Other factions would've stolen it long ago, even if it requires the royal family's special bloodline—modified by the Holy Star Grand Sovereign himself. At most, merging with that skeleton could make someone reach my current level, or less if their foundation is weak. The main requirement is reaching Peak Ruler. And doing so would strip one of the qualification to obtain World Magic Aether."

"So even that can't reach Grand Sovereign-level power?" Richard sighed after hearing the explanation.

It seemed that was exactly what Lilith was after—no wonder she wanted to kill the young prince.

The King must have intended for the prince to inherit it, but now he was a slave to Lilith.

The Red Star Empress likely sulked over that shift of inheritance.

"There might still be a chance if something else is added to it," said the White Ancestor.

"Ohhh…" That piqued Richard's interest.

"It doesn't matter for you. What you must pursue is the World Magic Aether. You mustn't use anything that would make you lose that qualification. The Titan Skeleton, of course, is fine. Now, let's go find your father. I suspect he's here to make love to his mistress."

Richard, "..."

He followed the White Ancestor as it flew leisurely ahead.

His mind wandered—just who was his father's mistress, anyway?

Even here, he had one.

Their destination wasn't the city center but rather a seaside district filled with luxurious castles.

The surroundings were quiet, but every person Richard saw looked unusual—strong, refined, or dangerous.

Still, the high walls surrounding each castle made it difficult to see what lay within.

"Boy…" the White Ancestor called out, suddenly flicking a small light that expanded to envelop Richard's body.

"What's this?" Richard asked in confusion, noticing that the White Ancestor was also shrouded in the same glow.

"So we won't be detected or seen. It lets us blend with the light," explained the White Ancestor.

Moments later, they stopped at a crossroads.

"That's your father—probably waiting for his mistress to return home," the White Ancestor said, glancing to the left.

Although Richard didn't care much about his father and felt no emotional bond, he was still somewhat curious to see him.

He turned his head and spotted a man who appeared to be around twenty-five. The man had wavy gray hair, a lean build that wasn't too thin thanks to his broad chest, which was partly exposed because the top buttons of his shirt were undone.

Though slim, his arms showed powerful muscles upon closer look. His face reminded Richard of himself—it was strikingly similar, except older and more mature.

With a sharp nose, reddish lips, and deep violet eyes that gleamed faintly, Richard wasn't surprised that this man could charm any woman.

He had the kind of face women adored—one they could hardly bring themselves to hate, no matter how badly he might treat them.

Some people simply had that kind of gift—just like those celebrities on Earth who were adored no matter what kind of personality they had.

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