Another week passed.

Before Tyler’s compound, a group of guards in bright red armor stood in formation, their polished breastplates catching the light filtering through the forest canopy.

"Who are you?" Kei asked, stepping forward with cautious curiosity. Kei, Fred, Volks and Wei are now working under Tyler as Guards.

"We are Royal Guards of the Human Kingdom," the man at the front replied. He appeared to be their captain, his posture straight, his hand resting near the hilt of his sword. "We are here by order of the Princess."

Before Kei could respond, Tyler’s voice echoed calmly from inside the compound.

"Let them in."

The gates were opened.

Fred, Volks, Kei, and Wei stood outside, their expressions filled with a mix of awe and quiet pride. They were the first ones who had encountered Tyler deep in the forest, the first to strike a deal with him when he was still an unknown presence. From that single choice, everything had changed.

Now they worked for him.

Looking at the flourishing land beyond the gates and recalling the past, they couldn’t help but marvel at their own fortune.

The Royal Guards exchanged uneasy glances as they stepped through the opened gates.

According to the Princess, the one who lived here was an overwhelmingly powerful individual, someone who had slain two Demon Generals. They had imagined many things: a towering warrior, a fearsome mage, perhaps even a legendary beast in human form.

What they did not expect was the first thing they saw.

A severed head hung near the gate, bound in layers of spider silk, swaying gently. Its eyes were open. Its lips curled into a grin. They immediately took their weapons out.

"Hahaha! Kneel before me, humans—"

Slap.

The laughter cut off instantly.

The head spun slightly, stunned into silence.

"Stop scaring the guests,"A cow beast folk woman said sharply, folding her arms as if scolding a misbehaving child. It was Chole.

The guards stiffened. A few of them instinctively tightened their grips on their weapons, staring between the demon head and Chole with open disbelief. None of them dared to say a word.

"Please follow me... This way..." Chole guided them inside.

They followed.

The deeper they went, the more surreal the scene became. Vast fields stretched out before them, bursting with healthy crops that glowed faintly with natural vitality. Giant butterflies drifted lazily overhead, and oversized bees hovered near flowering plants without a trace of hostility. The air itself felt alive, rich, and heavy with mana.

This... was not what they expected from the residence of a man tied to war and demons.

Finally, they reached the house.

The door slid open.

A young man stepped out, looking more like an exhausted farmer than a legendary powerhouse. His hair was slightly disheveled, dark circles hung beneath his eyes, and he wasn’t even wearing a shirt —only a pair of loose pants.

"I can’t anymore..." Tyler muttered tiredly, rubbing his face.

From inside the house, a strand of spider silk suddenly shot out and wrapped around his wrist, tugging insistently, as if trying to drag him back inside.

"That’s enough. No more. You already sucked my DNA dry," Tyler said flatly. He snapped the silk with a sharp motion and shut the door behind him. "I have guests."

He exhaled and muttered under his breath, "That Dia is definitely a succubus in real life."

Then he turned back to the Royal Guards, straightening slightly.

"Ahem. Welcome," he said, offering an awkward smile.

The guards stood frozen.

This was the man who killed Demon Generals?

This exhausted-looking farmer, standing barefoot in his own field, surrounded by monsters that behaved like harmless wildlife?

The captain swallowed hard.

The Princess hadn’t exaggerated at all.

If anything... she had undersold him.

---

A few minutes later, Tyler was seated comfortably in a wooden chair near the field, one leg crossed over the other. The afternoon light filtered in through the vines and hanging leaves, casting a calm glow.

Around him, several girls moved quietly, serving freshly squeezed fruit juice, herbal drinks, and neatly arranged snacks placed on wooden trays.

The Royal Guards standing nearby felt their expressions twitch uncontrollably.

For a brief, dangerous moment, they wondered if they had accidentally walked into the King’s private harem palace rather than the residence of a so-called forest guardian. The relaxed atmosphere, the easy smiles, the casual intimacy— none of it matched what they had expected from a man rumored to have slain Demon Generals.

The captain of the Royal Guards cleared his throat, forcing his posture straight.

"It was... very difficult to meet you, Mr. Tyler," he said carefully.

Tyler accepted a cup of juice, took a sip, and sighed softly.

"Yeah. I asked the Fruit Tribe villagers to check outsiders before letting anyone near the compound. Too many strange faces started showing up lately," he replied. "Rumors spread fast in the forest. Somehow this place became... famous."

The guard captain nodded, though his eyes wandered briefly to the fields outside— rows upon rows of healthy crops, glowing herbs, and mana-rich soil that no ordinary farmer could ever cultivate. Even he could feel the dense natural energy lingering in the air.

And that fame had not appeared out of nowhere.

It had started small.

At first, it was just whispers among wandering tribes and travelers passing through the woods.

"Hey, did you hear? That new druid built a proper house on the very first day."

"Really? I heard he already claimed ten magic fields."

Then the rumors grew louder—and stranger.

"What?! No way! Someone said the new druid arrived with a fully furnished estate and fifty enchanted fields!"

"Breaking news! The druid unlocked a hundred magic plots and reshaped the land in the time it takes for a single incense stick to burn!"

Each retelling added new details, growing more ridiculous by the hour.

"Unbelievable! They say the druid owns a celestial palace floating in the clouds!"

"Apparently, there are a hundred acres of mana-rich land, guarded by giant insects and mythical beasts!"

"I heard they even captured two legendary monsters and turned them into pets!"

"No way! That’s impossible!"

"But what if it’s true?"

Curiosity soon overwhelmed common sense. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

And so, one after another, they tried to meet Tyler.

Which was exactly why the Fruit Tribe villagers now stood guard near the compound, carefully filtering who was allowed to pass.

Sitting calmly in his chair, surrounded by juice, snacks, and quiet hospitality, Tyler could only shake his head.

"Let’s talk about my story some other time," Tyler said, leaning back slightly in his chair. "Did the princess send any message?"

"Yes, Mr. Tyler," the captain of the Royal Guards replied at once. He stepped forward respectfully and placed two storage rings on the table between them.

Tyler reached out, infused a trace of mana, and checked their contents. His eyes lit up almost instantly. Inside were neatly organized bundles of seeds and herbs—rare grains, mana-rich root plants, medicinal leaves, and even several varieties he had only seen mentioned in old records.

"With this," Tyler muttered, unable to hide his satisfaction, "I can farm experience even faster."

A genuine smile tugged at his lips, one that had nothing to do with politics or royal engagements. This was the kind of gift he truly appreciated.

The guard captain then produced a sealed letter and presented it with both hands. Tyler broke the seal and read through it carefully. As his eyes moved down the page, the smile slowly faded, replaced by a thoughtful, serious expression.

"You’ve been busy," Tyler said after a moment, glancing up. "Multiple missions running at the same time." He tapped one section of the letter with his finger. "This one— scouting the salt mines. You suspect a demonic presence there?"

"Yes," the captain answered. "Our scouts reported disturbances, but we lack manpower to investigate properly."

"I’ll ask the nearby tribes to check it for you," Tyler said calmly. "They know the terrain better than anyone, and they’ll notice if something unnatural is lurking there."

The guard visibly relaxed.

Tyler continued reading, then shook his head lightly. "Looks like food shortages are becoming serious because of the war." He closed the letter and waved the concern aside. "That won’t be a problem."

He clapped his hands once.

At the sound, Kristina stepped forward with practiced ease, carrying a flat wooden tray. On it rested several storage rings, each engraved with simple markings. She placed them on the table without a word and stepped back.

"Take these," Tyler said. "They’re filled with preserved crops, grains, and dried produce. Distribute them in the princess’s name. Send as much as you need. I can replenish it faster than you can empty it."

The guard captain picked up one ring and checked its contents.

His breath caught.

Enough food to supply entire towns. High-quality produce. Long-lasting rations. Some items even carried faint traces of mana, meaning they were more nutritious than ordinary supplies.

So this was the man the princess had chosen.

The captain straightened, his respect now bordering on awe. No wonder, he thought. With a single gesture, Tyler had solved a crisis that had been haunting the kingdom for weeks.

Meanwhile, Tyler’s attention drifted back to the letter. There was one final line he had avoided rereading, but it refused to leave his mind.

The King and Queen request your presence at the royal palace.

He exhaled slowly.

Meeting Kaeya was one thing. Fighting demons was another. But meeting her parents—the King and Queen of the Human Kingdom—was an entirely different matter.

Tyler leaned back, staring at the sky.

"...Do I really have to go meet her parents now?" he muttered under his breath.