The Return Of The Exiled Villain

The princess noticed the strange look on his face.

”You look like you’re reconsidering something.”

”Not reconsidering...” Gray rubbed his chin in thought, ”...but more like calculating how much faster I need to grow in such a short span of time.”

She raised an eyebrow.

”You are already thinking about cultivation?”

”Of course.”

”You’ve barely finished your first day.”

”My cultivation is too low compared to other students.”

She gave him a sideways look.

”That surprised you more than I expected.”

”Not because Rulers are impressive or anything like that.”

”Then why?”

”Because I had underestimated how quickly the students here progress.”

The princess was quiet for a moment before finally speaking:

”The academy gathers the best young demons from the entire Underworld. Bloodline heirs, old clan descendants, geniuses who were given rare resources since childhood, people with ancient physiques, people who have instructors personally guiding them. You aren’t walking into a normal school.”

”I noticed that already.”

”Most of the students here have been prepared for this place since they were children.”

Gray looked down at his hand.

”Unfortunately, I’m not one of them.”

”That is true...” she nodded with a strangely pleased tone.

Gray noticed and asked directly:

”You sound pleased...?”

”I am.”

He glanced at her.

”Why?”

”Because if you had grown up with the same resources as them, I doubt you’d know how to act like a normal person.”

”I don’t act like one now.” Gray gave her a faint smile.

”Exactly.”

For a few seconds, they remained silent.

Then the princess suddenly asked,

”Are you buying cultivation resources?”

Gray looked at her, and nodded lightly.

”Eventually.”

”Eventually?”

”I’m going to need quite a lot.”

She studied him.

”How much is ’quite a lot’?”

Gray thought about how to explain it.

”My cultivation is much slower than that of an ordinary cultivator.”

She frowned.

”How slow?”

”More than ten times.”

Her expression changed immediately.

”Ten times?”

”At least.”

”Why?”

Gray leaned back against the tree.

”My foundation is too complicated.”

She waited for him to continue, but unfortunately for her, he didn’t bother to continue, causing her to frown.

”That’s not an explanation.”

”It’s enough of one.”

”It really isn’t.”

Gray smiled.

”Alright... The answer is that I have too many things that need improvement at the same time.”

”Such as?”

”Body.”

He raised one finger.

”Soul.”

A second.

”Demonic Energy.”

A third.

”Techniques.”

A fourth.

”And several other things I’m not going to speak about.”

The princess looked at him.

”So every breakthrough takes far more resources than it does for other people.”

”Exactly.”

She thought for a moment.

”Then you’re wasting time staying in ordinary markets.”

Gray’s eyes sharpened.

”What do you mean?”

”There is an auction house in the eastern commercial district.”

She looked toward the city beyond the academy walls.

”The best one in the capital for cultivation resources that don’t normally appear in ordinary shops.”

Gray immediately became interested.

”What kind of resources?”

”High-grade pills, rare medicinal plants, bloodline materials, monster cores, ancient cultivation items, weapons, defensive artifacts, strange treasures recovered from ruins, and occasionally things that don’t have a proper classification.”

”How high?”

”High enough that you’ll stop complaining about the price after seeing the first item.”

Gray smiled.

”That’s interesting.”

The princess laughed quietly.

”I knew you’d like that answer.”

”When is the next auction?”

”Three days from now.”

”Three days?”

”They hold major auctions twice every month during the normal season. During academy enrollment periods, they increase the number because there are more wealthy clans and families in the city.”

”That is quite convenient.”

”It is.”

She paused.

”I was planning to go since I received a special invitation.”

”Really?”

She shrugged.

”The royal family doesn’t need to wait in line like ordinary customers.”

Gray gave her an amused look.

”Of course.”

She narrowed her eyes.

”Don’t say it like that.”

”Like what?”

”Like I’m abusing my status again.”

”You quite are, to be honest.”

”I am using a benefit given to me by my position.”

”That is a very polite way to say the same thing.”

She ignored him.

”I need to look at a few items anyway. Some materials from the northern territories are being sold, and one of my clan’s alchemists wants several of them.”

Gray nodded.

”So you already have a reason to attend.”

”Yes.”

She looked directly at him.

”You should come with me.”

Gray was quiet for a moment.

”You’re inviting me?” he raised an eyebrow in surprise.

”I am.”

”Why?”

She looked mildly irritated by the question.

”Because you need resources, and I know how the auction house works. You don’t.”

”That’s practical.”

”It is.”

”Only practical?”

She stared at him.

Gray smiled.

”All right. Don’t look at me like that.”

”I am beginning to understand why you survived so long without getting yourself killed.”

”How?”

”You annoy people so much they lose their patience before they finish killing you.”

Gray laughed.

”That might actually be true.”

The princess shook her head.

”The auction isn’t like a normal shop. Some things are sold publicly, but some items are placed into private bidding rooms. Some clans send representatives. Some items never even appear in the public catalog.”

”Private bidding rooms?”

”Yes.”

”How do you gain access?”

”You need a sufficient status, a verified amount of wealth, or a recommendation.”

Gray looked at her.

”And which one are you giving me?”

”None.”

He raised an eyebrow.

”You’re coming with me, so my invitation gives you access.”

Gray smiled.

”That’s even more convenient.”

”Don’t get used to it.”

”I wasn’t planning to.”

She leaned slightly forward.

”There is something you should understand before you go.”

”What?”

”Don’t bid carelessly.”

Gray looked almost offended.

”I don’t.”

”You are the sort of person who sees something interesting and immediately starts thinking about how useful it would be.”

”That’s not carelessness.”

”It becomes carelessness when you forget how many powerful families are sitting around you.”

Gray nodded slowly.

”Fair.”

”Especially during academy season.”

She lowered her voice.

”There will be heirs from old clans at the auction. Some will arrive with strong guards. Some will have enough money to buy an entire street without thinking about it. Others will deliberately compete over items because they don’t want someone from another family to obtain them.”

’...She really is explaining this to me like I don’t know it at all? Do... deserted races really have no knowledge about the stuff in the city?’

”Mhm...” he nodded.

The princess looked toward the city.

”There is also a chance that something interesting will appear because of the academy.”

”What do you mean?”

”Every year, the academy attracts people who bring treasures with them.”

She counted off several points with her fingers.

”Students sell things they obtained from their families. Clans send resources to their heirs. Traveling merchants bring rare materials because they know young geniuses are willing to spend heavily. Even instructors sometimes sell things privately.”

Gray’s eyes narrowed.

”Meaning the auction could have something related to the academy...’

”Exactly.”

’...That’s quite interesting.’

The princess glanced toward him.

”You’ve become much more attentive,” she tilted her head in surprise.

”I like useful information.”

”I know.”

She paused.

”And there is one more reason you should come.”

”What?”

”Your student status will make some things easier.”

Gray looked at her.

”The academy is respected throughout the Underworld. Once your student badge is recognized, merchants will treat you differently. You won’t be treated like an unknown outsider anymore.”

Gray looked down at the black academy badge hanging from his coat.

”That’s useful.”

”It is.”

She smiled faintly.

”But don’t rely on it too much.”

”Why?”

”Because the moment people realize you’re the same student who created that sword during the entrance examination, the badge won’t be the first thing they notice.”

Gray laughed.

”Still talking about that?”

”The entire academy is... they even created new nicknames for you.”

”Such as?” he raised an eyebrow.

The princess hesitated.

”Do you really want to know?”

”Yep.”

”’The Hollow Incubus.’”

Gray’s smile instantly twitched at the title.

”...What else?”

”The Black Blade Saint.”

”Better.”

”The Crater Maker.”

Gray stared at her.

”That’s fucking terrible... and simple.”

”Right? There’s one more, though,” she added.

Gray looked at her and waited.

The princess looked strangely amused before she finally spoke the so-called title.

”The Princess’s Incubus.”

Gray froze for a moment before turning to her with a perfectly twitching face. She held his gaze with a perfectly straight face.

”...Who came up with that?”

”I don’t know.”

”Do people actually call me that?”

”Some.”

”Wonderful...” Gray sighed.

’Mhm... that identity can be useful. If people do recognize her as her incubus, I might have a free entrance into some private places...’

”You seem bothered...?”

”Of course... that name sounds like I belong to you.”

She tilted her head slightly.

”And that bothers you?”

”Not... really,” he shook his head.

Her eyebrow rose.

”No?”

”It makes people misunderstand the situation.”

She looked at him for a moment.

”And what is the situation?”

Gray smiled.

”I’m an independent incubus who happens to know a troublesome princess.”

The princess’s lips curled upward.

”Troublesome?”

”You heard me.”

”I heard you.”

”And?”

”I’ll remember it.”

Gray laughed.

The princess stood and brushed a few leaves from her uniform.

”The auction opens to registered guests tomorrow for private viewing. The actual auction begins three days from now.”

She looked down at him.

”Meet me at the eastern gate after breakfast.”

”Alright.”