[Silver-Iron Pine]:
["A tree reaching up to 40 meters in height."
"Prefers moist conditions, relatively drought-tolerant, thrives in deep loamy soil, and can endure poor soil."
"After its leaves fall, they transform into a special type of silver ore with excellent mana conductivity."
"The soil where it takes root is gradually altered by its roots, forming a unique iron ore layer. When combined with the silver ore, it can enhance mana effects."]
Inside the dimensional plane, Ron planted the Silver-Iron Pine seed into the newly exchanged 20-square-meter cultivation space.
Half an hour later, the tree had fully matured.
Ron used his mind to retrieve a leaf of silver ore, then took some iron ore from the soil and briefly tested their effects.
At first glance, that was all this plant seemed to offer. Ron couldn't immediately think of any major use for it.
Maybe it could replace some magic array materials?
If Devouring Bamboo were combined with Silver-Iron Pine, could they directly inscribe a fully functional magic array without needing other materials?
With that thought in mind, Ron also cultivated a new Parasitic Tree and tossed it into the Silver-Iron Pine's cultivation space, wanting to see if it could enhance its effects.
What happened next was… unexpected.
Although the Parasitic Tree was usually extremely "enthusiastic," rushing forward like a creep spotting a beauty the moment it saw a target, this time it charged forward—
—and failed to pierce through.
Its roots went limp and drooped weakly to the ground.
"…" Ron's eye twitched. He hadn't expected the Parasitic Tree to fail to even break through a single layer, losing instantly.
[System: "Upgrade task completed. Rewards have been distributed."]
[System: "Retrieving and generating main quest…"]
At the same time, inside the private experimental zone—
"…Does this have any specific use?" Puppet Ron asked Illya.
Hearing this, Illya immediately replied, "Your Eminence Ron, didn't you previously feel that the Element Potato was too valuable to sell directly, and ask me about the feasibility of building an element station?"
"Previously, due to various limitations, the cost-effectiveness of an element station was far lower than directly using Element Potatoes, and there were still many magical issues to solve."
"But now, if we use this magic array as a foundation and combine it with the excellent mana conductivity of Devouring Bamboo, the idea of an element station might actually be worth trying."
As she spoke, the system's voice sounded in Ron's mind.
[Main Quest] — [Construct the First Mana Element Station]:
["Requirement: Build a mana element station capable of supplying at least one city's mana needs and successfully operate it."]
["Reward: Real-World Lotus Seed and its cultivation method."]
Ron raised an eyebrow. The system was surprisingly considerate.
They had just been discussing element stations, and it immediately issued a related quest.
Puppet Ron said, "We can try building an element station. If you need anything, just say it—I'll fully support you."
"I was only speaking hypothetically," Illya replied. "In reality, there are still many challenges to overcome."
"The current magic array is only a preliminary version. If we want to build an element station, we'll need to test various stacked configurations."
"Additionally, the structure of the station itself has to be designed from scratch, and determining the right materials for each component may take a long time…"
"Wait," Ron interrupted. "Speaking of materials, I have some new magic materials."
"I'll have them delivered this afternoon. You can check whether they're useful for the element station."
At the mention of new materials, everyone present lit up with excitement.
Especially Illya, Edith, and Harper.
They all knew that any plant Ron brought out almost always had extraordinary properties.
The previous Devouring Bamboo had already replaced most materials used for inscribing magic arrays, becoming the primary material in magic device assembly lines.
It had saved Ron an unimaginable amount of gold.
Who knew what this new material would do?
By mid-May, the First Prince and Second Prince arrived at the Royal Capital, specifically to mourn their younger brother, the Fourth Prince.
Once news of their arrival spread, the atmosphere in the Royal Capital became even more tense and mysterious.
Nobles began interacting more frequently.
Undercurrents surged.
Diplomatic envoys from other races continuously sent information back to their homelands.
Meanwhile, relations between the beastfolk and humans grew increasingly strained.
It felt as though a single spark could ignite everything.
During this time, Ron visited Emperor André III once more.
He noticed that the Emperor's complexion had improved significantly.
Though still aged in appearance, his spirit had recovered considerably.
If the Fourth Prince hadn't truly died, Ron might have suspected that Emperor André III had orchestrated everything to provoke conflict with the beastfolk.
Because from Ron's perspective, the beastfolk's current strength didn't justify taking such a reckless action.
Killing a single prince wouldn't truly weaken the Human Empire—
—but it would enrage an increasingly powerful lion.
However, as time approached the end of May, another piece of devastating news struck the Royal Capital—
The Second Prince had been assassinated.
Dead.
The assassin was once again suspected to be from the beastfolk.
This time, officials even invited envoys from other races to inspect the scene.
Even legendary-level figures could clearly tell—the assassination had indeed been carried out by a beastfolk individual.
Based on the evidence, even if this were staged by the Human Empire, the beastfolk couldn't clear their name.
After all, even legendary experts found no evidence suggesting otherwise.
And if it truly were a scheme, sacrificing two princes would be an unimaginably ruthless move.
At this point, other races began to wonder—
Could this really have been done by the beastfolk?
Or perhaps something had gone wrong internally among them?
Regardless, for Ron, this period felt surreal.
He hadn't been particularly close to either of the victims, but they were still his blood-related older brothers.
In just one month, he had attended the funerals of two brothers.
That thought alone was unsettling.
As a result, Yuna barely slept, relying entirely on syrupy resin and her secret techniques to stay awake and ensure Ron's safety.
Because of this, Ron could only retreat into the dimensional plane daily, giving Yuna some time to rest.
Of course, he could have stayed there permanently—but that would only make others anxious.
So he kept his real body in the flower shop, within Yuna and Sylvie's sight.
Even when he bathed, Yuna would silently remain in the bathroom, hidden as a shadow in a corner.
Truthfully, Ron himself wasn't too worried.
So far, each assassination had been carried out by a single individual.
And Ron's title passive skill, Vital Bloom, made him least afraid of one-on-one situations.
If the beastfolk were truly responsible and the assassin dared target him—
Ron would only need to consider where to plant his next divine tree.
While keeping an eye on the situation, Ron devoted most of his attention to the private experimental zone.
By early June, a new structure had been built beside the Mana–Element Reaction area.
Countless cable-like lines connected the two—some as thin as hair, others as thick as steel pipes.
This was the prototype element station that Illya and her team had spent over twenty days constructing.
Most of its structure was made from silver and iron produced by the Silver-Iron Pine.
All mana transmission materials were processed from Devouring Bamboo.
Despite being nearly as large as the reaction area, its cost was negligible.
After all, most materials were produced for free in Ron's cultivation space—aside from the cost of unlocking that space, there were no additional expenses.
Puppet Ron followed Edith inside and toured the station before arriving at the control center.
Illya, Harper, and the other researchers were already waiting.
"Your Eminence Ron?"
"Mm. Begin."
"Activate the switch. Start the array," Illya ordered.
The researchers got to work.
There was no dramatic noise, but Ron could clearly sense the surrounding mana stirring.
Various elements were extracted from large quantities of Element Potatoes, converted into mana through storage arrays, and transmitted through Devouring Bamboo cables into the adjacent reaction zone.
Ron and the others quickly moved to the reaction area to inspect the receiving devices.
These devices were built using Illya's mana-to-element reversal array.
They received the incoming mana, rapidly converted it back into elements, and stored them in sealed chambers.
Since mana couldn't be stored outside arrays or a mage's body, storing elements was far more practical.
The magical community had long mastered this, making element storage far more cost-effective.
For now, the experiment was a success.
Though Ron had an unlimited supply of Element Potatoes, making the station unnecessary for him personally, supplying an entire city would be a different story.
Directly distributing Element Potatoes would create issues—regulation, usage standards, and more.
As magic-based devices became more integrated into daily life, demand for element stations would inevitably rise.
So while it seemed unnecessary now, it would become something monumental in the future.
However, Ron's main quest remained incomplete—the current station couldn't yet supply an entire city.
"I plan to build a larger element station in Tansen City. I'll need your help then," Puppet Ron said.
"No problem," Illya nodded.
"Your Eminence Ron, the Water Generator and the refrigerator you mentioned—production lines are ready. You can send someone to collect them."
Ron raised an eyebrow. "Got it."
Back at the flower shop, Ron instructed his guards to drive an Element Vehicle to retrieve the production lines.
He himself stayed in the study, idly reading, when he opened the system panel—
—and saw a 3D projection appear before him.
It was the Goddess of Harvest — Hervesta, previously just a panel skin.
After completing recent tasks, he had unlocked the virtual 3D skin reward.
She appeared as a gentle, elegant woman floating before him.
When he interacted with the system, she even spoke in a soft, mature voice.
Fortunately, only he could see her—otherwise, Yuna would probably have confronted him immediately.
After unlocking this feature, Ron found himself oddly interested in the system shop's various animation options…
Things like "pouting" or "arching pose."
Unfortunately, there was no "undressing" option…
Of course, he had entertained certain thoughts—but ultimately suppressed them with sheer willpower.
Meanwhile, new developments unfolded in the Royal Capital.
One of the Three Great Generals, General Moen, led troops toward the northern frontier.
More troops and supplies were being mobilized.
The implication was obvious.
Upon hearing the news, the beastfolk softened their stance—but still refused to admit responsibility.
At the same time, they hastily formed a Beastfolk Royal Court to unify their tribes.
Clearly, they were preparing for conflict.
After hearing this from Sylvie, Ron rubbed his temples.
He had no idea when this situation would end.
If a large-scale war broke out between humans and beastfolk, other races might also make moves.
Unable to discern Emperor André III's intentions, Ron could only observe and continue his own work.
Meanwhile, Tansen City had undergone massive changes.
Streets were widened.
Taller buildings were being constructed.
Factories equipped with production lines appeared one after another.
The number of buses increased to five.
Private troops successfully repelled a small beast tide, protecting farmland.
Silver-Iron Pines were transplanted into abandoned mines, revitalizing the mining industry.
If one ignored the turmoil in the Royal Capital, no one would believe that just over a month ago, this city had been poor and underdeveloped.