Though their intention was for him to not be alone, Richard knew that the capital would be too dangerous for even him, to talk more of the trio.So after much deliberation, they had no choice but to stay back while he soldiered on alone.It was merely for their safety so though it was slightly upsetting, they didn't try to pursue the matter more than necessary.With that sorted, Richard began to make his final preparations to head to the capital.Firstly, he reached out to a certain company that sold airplanes and asked for a specific model, one that looked exactly like his own and was AI-controlled.Though they didn't have the exact model, they were able to refurbish another to make it exactly like his own.Satisfied with it, he promptly paid and was handed the remote control for the plane.Then he reached out to the airport authorities for a little favor which they were quick to accept as that meant Richard Smith was now in their debt.With all that sorted, it was now time to take h
Queen Mother had never been in a situation where she found herself one-upped by an opponent, especially when it came to a battle of wits.It was her brilliant mind that her who she was now, a ruler that lorded over the lives of millions.Perhaps this was why she was more pleasantly surprised than anything else upon finding out that Richard had outsmarted her.It was a novel feeling and it also made her realize that Richard was nothing like his mother.He didn't plan to run and hide like a coward.No, instead he schemed and fought just like she would and it made her all the more interested in this man who called himself Richard Smith.Of course, it also made her vigilant towards him as it meant that he was not an opponent to be taken lightly.“As expected of the Legacy. He is a true man worthy of respect.” Queen Mother praised, earning a confused look from the Elder who expected her to be angry considering her plan had failed.She chuckled. “Let it be for now. We can try again at anoth
The hall was filled with an oppressive aura the moment Richard stepped in.He guessed this was a tactic from the audience to test his mettle but he didn't mind.It gave him more ways to prove himself greater than they thought.Shrugging off the pressure, he calmly made his way forward, only stopping when Elder Wu had done so.Seated at the seat with the most authority was the Emperor and beside him, his most important wife, Queen Mother.Richard sent a glance her way and for a moment, their eyes met.He noticed something within her gaze but was unable to discern it quickly enough as she turned away.Then Elder Wu intoned. “Your majesty, I have brought the Legacy.”“Good work. You may retire for now.” The Emperor replied, his expression impassive as he waved his hand dismissing the Elder.Elder Wu took a few steps back, unwilling to stray too far from Richard.The Emperor caught this but didn't bother to say anything as he shifted his attention to Richard who was waiting.“So you claim
Richard frowned at Elders Wu's comment though he understood where the old geezer was coming from.For him, the capital was indeed the most dangerous place he could be. Powerhouses that wish for nothing but to see him dead and gone abounded in their numbers and so one wrong step could lead to a slow and painful death.Common sense dictated that under such circumstances, it was best to flee, perhaps even to another country but Richard hadn't done so.Richard had also once wondered why his mother hadn't done the same.Even if she couldn't leave on her own, surely his father would have been able to do something but that didn't happen and she died in Metro City.Now he understood why based on his own experiences.She didn't wish to just abandon everything and leave.Zion was her home and it was the same for Richard.The only difference between him and her was that she chose not to fight back, for reasons unknown but for him, no, Richard swore to take down anyone who tried to go against hi
“So is there anything else you'd wish to say or do I take my leave…” Richard trailed off before adding in a mocking tone. “Your majesty.”The Emperor let out a sigh. “It would seem in an attempt to get you to understand your place, the reverse ended up occurring. You are a bold one, Richard Smith. Do you not fear that for your insolence, I could have you cut down right where you stand?”“Would you order the man hiding by the shrubbery over there?... Or the one hiding in the pool or perhaps the 5 others that are hidden all over this bedroom?... Though I am curious to know how you sleep at night, I am only willing to say this much; you could try but I doubt you would be successful in that attempt.” Richard confidently replied causing the Emperor to flinch though he was quick to recover.“Truly the Legacy and wielder of the Black Book. Fine then, prove yourself worthy of the crown and I'd be more than happy to hand it over.”“I don't care about the Crown, I only want to get justice for m
As Gina led the way for Richard, taking him to the dining hall, she remained silent only speaking when spoken to which made sense considering her father was similar.Soon, they arrived at the dining hall with Richard taken aback at the sheer size of the structure.It was enough to fit at least a hundred at a time making it seem more like a hall for a feast than a room for casual dining.“Is this where meals are had?”Gina nodded. “Though each Queen has their dining halls and the Emperor has his, this hall is utilized once in a while for the whole family to eat together.”“I see. My room doesn't have a personal dining hall?”“Unfortunately not, the room was made for guests and not for royalty.”“I see, in that case. It's fine. What's on the menu?” Richard inquired jocularly only to pause as Gina did indeed pull out a menu and hand it over.“Ahem… I see.” Coughing awkwardly, he quickly placed an order after which Gina took the menu and left for the kitchen.Just then, Richard couldn't h
Of course, it didn't take long for an answer regarding the third prince's attention to arrive.He along with the first, second, and fourth princes, including the first second, and third princesses were all children of Queen Mother and so held major sway in the race for the Crown.“I see,” Richard muttered. “And the party is this evening?”“Yes, Your Highness.”“I see, then there's much to prepare for. Would you be willing to help me get ready?”“Of course, Your Highness, please leave it to me. I will make sure you are the talk of the party.”“Then I look forward to the results,” Richard replied in amusement.***Due to Richard's demeanor and actions, Gina saw no reason to drill him on social etiquette as he had enough experience in that regard which also greatly reduced her workload.Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for attires for the occasion.Richard hadn't planned to walk around so much so he got more casual as he did not believe in overly expensive clothing.Alas, in the
After the short incident at Threads, Richard stepped out of the establishment with Gina following closely behind, as silent as when he'd returned from teaching a certain arrogant prince a lesson in humility.“If you wish to say something, do so and don't overthink.” He finally remarked, breaking the silence that persisted.Gina hesitated before ultimately remarking. “You handled the situation incredibly well, your highness, it's almost like you've been in such situations before and so have experience in the best way to handle them.”“I do have experience.” Richard calmly replied, recalling the number of times he'd had to put people in their place.It was unfortunate that there were people on the planet that treated others like crap.Richard naturally knew that he hadn't met with even half the population of those people which meant they'd continue in their reign of terror but he hoped that there would be others like him willing to uphold the rights of the innocent.“I see, but your High