Chapter 4.2

The lady proprietress of the store switched on the lights, started propping up her chin, and muttered indolently to Mi Ao: "Two sets, seven silver coins per set, no price negotiations. 20% off for those coming from the Golden Lion Empire, and 10% off for Leiyin City."

Mi Ao was clutching two sets of clothing, one large and one small, and blinked her eyes: "Why?"

The proprietress replied: "Due to generally the customers' overall appearance being pleasing to the eye."

M Aio suddenly got excited: "Look at me, yes, with my face, how much discount can I get?"

The proprietress was very shameless: "I dislike natural rolls. I do not appreciate the nonsensical talk. If you persist, I will increase the price for you."

Mi Ao remained silent as: "..."

The little lion beside his legs followed suit and asked: "Sister, look at me, can I get a discount?"

The proprietress glanced at him askew, saying: "Firstly, tidy your appearance, then perhaps I may offer you a 30% discount for the sake of addressing you as 'sister'."

When the proprietor saw Kevin, she said enthusiastically, "Please come have a drink, there's no need to negotiate. I'll give you a 50% discount just because of your face."

I turned to Oswald and smiled, saying, "You can also get a 50% discount if I can touch your muscles. And if not, I'll still give you a 30% off."

Oswald remained silent.

Kevin laughed and remarked, "Can't you treat him like an adult at least?"

"Stop it, I'm just recently coming of age!" Oswald responded with annoyance.

Mio interjected, "Your Majesty...he's twenty-one!"

Kevin casually replied, "Oh, he's quite matured."

"Shut up!" Oswald grabbed the clothes Mio had chosen and handed them to Kevin forcefully. "Hurry up and change into these rags, or I'll rip them apart."

Kevin rolled his eyes at him and entered the fitting room with the clothes in his hands.

Mio handed over the money, his expression indescribable. He couldn't help but roll his eyes at the emperor, finding it hard to believe his audacity.

While Kevin changed, Oswald instructed Mio to buy a vulture.

Mio almost thought he had misunderstood. "You weren't planning on buying one before?"

"I'm planning now," Oswald replied casually. "He destroyed the carriage door like a ghost! Oh, and yes, just buy one. If he refuses to pay for the door, we'll tie it with a rope and make him run back to St. Antis."

As Kevin emerged from the fitting room, the emperor's displeasure was evident on his face.

Mio felt that a fight could break out between the two at any moment, so he hastily grabbed the money bag and ran away with the little lion without looking back.

Kevin couldn't help but mutter, "Since when did that kid get along better with Mio?"

"People lose their inclination for violence when they can't make sense within three sentences," Oswald mockingly remarked, glancing at Kevin. "What's the story with that kid, anyway?"

Pretending to be unaware, Kevin replied, "Huh?"

Kevin's mouth slightly curved, and he grasped Oswald's arm while he questioned: "I must applaud your sense of aesthetics, accompanying me to an apparel store and not compelling me to remain outside, did you loosen your rules?"

Oswald sharply withdrew his arm, tapping it as he haughtily replied: "If you, along with the young child beside you appear before me clothed in that which is tarnished with numerous layers of mud, I shall order for your public display on the city wall for no less than two weeks."

Kevin muttered under his breath: "It seems amazing to be an emperor, does it not?"

Oswald curtly agreed as he motioned for Kevin to enter through the door. He must have possessed a true aversion toward the clothes since he even withdrew his hand after an initial push as though it would decay if left for mere seconds.

Oswald and Kevin walked towards the abandoned temple of Crow's Nest. Oswald scanned the houses and shops on the side, his eyes narrowed. "You don't need to repeat the nonsense you made up to fool Mi Ao," he said. "I heard that brat muttering about it. If you want to find someone, it is still a family member, and what you made up is completely incompatible."

Kevin had also heard the little lion mention this, but he had not bothered to ask about the specifics. After all, he did not expect the follow-up development to be like this. As he was thinking about how to answer Oswald, he overheard a group of people walking towards a shop nearby.

Their conversation faintly reached his ears.

"Is it okay? After all, it is a gift to be sent to the Golden Lion Kingdom."

"You care so much, Dian... the young master is willing, besides, that old thing is missing an arm and a leg, do you take it as a gift?"

"There were so many emperors before in the Golden Lion Kingdom who are obedient. What is a new emperor afraid of? He will accept whatever we give..."

Kevin listened to those conversations intently, and Oswald did not miss much either. His face sank immediately after listening.

Kevin doesn't come to places like Diaspora much, yet he possesses familiarity with them. He is capable of identifying the majority of the establishments and understanding their intended purposes, accommodating to engage in any form of gambling, and being unafraid to play.

Kevin and Oswald exchanged glances tacitly and trailed the group of individuals into the store.

"Northern Emerald Country denizens," Kevin observed the individuals nearby for a brief moment before whispering to Oswald, "I am at a loss as to what they are talking about—"

Before he could finish speaking, the people gathered in the casino suddenly made a fuss, shouting and whistling.

Kevin and Oswald took advantage of their height and looked over a row of heads.

Surrounded by the crowd, a vast circular iron cage loomed, within which a wolf with a steel ring clasped around its neck. Its fur bristling with excitement paced incessantly. Its eyes gleamed red, and its formidable fangs were bared, portraying a menacing spectacle.

The creature possessed a remarkably robust physique, towering over two average people when standing upright, and its appearance alone indicated that it was no ordinary beast at first glance.

On the opposite side of the iron cage, a certain someone was prodding a filthy male lion into the cage.

That person was one of the people who spoke at the door just now, and the reason why he pushed was that the male lion that was "sent to the Golden Lion Empire as a gift" was disabled.

It has a terrifying long scar on its face, running from left eye to right eye, and is completely blind. One of its front paws was also injured, and it limped so badly that it couldn't even stand up.

It was half-kneeling and pushed into the cage.

Oswald, upon witnessing this, displayed a frigid complexion and contempt through a sneer.

What a gift!