The worse you are, the stronger you become: My summoned beast is a photographer.

The palace was more magnificent and quieter than Ming Luochen had imagined.

Passing through archway after archway and along corridor after corridor, the walls on both sides are adorned with portraits of emperors from past dynasties, framed in gold. In the candlelight, those abstract and majestic faces seem to be watching over everyone who passes by.

Every ten steps, a guard in golden armor stood upright, his eyes fixed straight ahead, the halberd in his hand gleaming coldly in the candlelight.

Ming Luochen held Aura's hand and followed behind Fitz. His steps were steady, his back straight, and his dark blue liberal arts gown gleamed subtly in the candlelight. Aura walked beside him, looking down at him slightly, a gentle smile on her lips—the angle from looking down to looking down was now strange, both unfamiliar and familiar.

Fitz stopped in front of a huge oak door and knocked three times gently.

"Your Majesty, Mr. Ming Luochen and Miss Aura have arrived."

"Come in," came His Majesty Leonhardt's steady voice from inside the door.

Fitz pushed open the door and stepped aside to make way.

This was a side hall of moderate size, simply furnished yet exuding royal grandeur. A map of the empire hung on the wall, a deep red velvet cloth covered the long table, and several magical lamps illuminated the entire room warmly and brightly.

His Majesty Leonhardt sat in the main seat, having changed out of his royal robes and into a dark gray casual outfit. His golden mane was casually draped over his shoulders, making him appear less imposing and more approachable.

"Sit down." He raised his hand and pointed to the chair opposite him.

Ming Luochen and Aura sat down awkwardly, their eyes darting furtively at the supreme ruler of the country.

The servant brought out black tea and snacks, then quietly withdrew and gently closed the door.

Leonhardt picked up his teacup, took a sip, and stared at Ming Luochen for a moment.

"You've changed a lot."

Ming Luochen looked down at his body, a slight, embarrassed smile playing on his lips: "Lady Benuna's medicine is indeed amazing."

"I've heard of that medicine too; the Empire has only one bottle." Leonhart put down his teacup, his fingers gently tracing the rim. "The fact that Benuna offered it as a reward shows how much she values ​​you."

Ming Luochen didn't reply, but waited quietly.

Leonhart paused for a moment, then spoke, his tone much more casual than in the auditorium: "Ming Luochen, I wish to recruit you as my subordinate. The Senate, the Treasury, the Interior Cabinet—the choice is yours. With your talent, becoming a minister within ten years will not be a problem."

Aura's hands clenched slightly under the table. Although they were both civil officials, she knew how great an honor and power this was—a summoned beast from another world being personally recruited by the emperor was something that had never happened before.

Ming Luochen shook his head.

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. I am deeply grateful." His tone was sincere, but it carried a hint of resistance and difficulty. "But I do not wish to enter the palace as an official."

"Why?" Leonhart wasn't angry, he just raised an eyebrow slightly.

"I'm not very familiar with this world, and I just married my wife. She's the only person in my heart, and I don't want to be apart from her for even a moment." Ming Luochen glanced at Aura, who was looking at him nervously, her amber eyes filled with worry. He smiled slightly and tightened his grip on her hand. In this situation, he had to tell the truth; who knew if there were mind-reading guards in the palace? "But I'm willing to follow my wife's family and swear allegiance to His Majesty. However, I don't want to be tied to piles of official documents in the capital and suffer; that's not what I aspire to."

These words were spoken sincerely, and Leonhardt nodded with a smile, showing that he was not just making empty promises.

Ming Luochen paused, his tone becoming more serious: "The key is that my wife and I have another wish—to have a child. To do that, I need to work hard to earn a large amount of crystals."

Leonhardt's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Crystallization?" His voice held a hint of barely perceptible interest. "Why do you need to earn a lot of crystals? What does this have to do with having children?"

Ming Luochen nodded earnestly: "I read in ancient books that during the era of the fourth generation of gods, divine beasts had enormous crystals inside their bodies. The gods grew stronger by absorbing these crystals and also reproduced by consuming them. The reproductive isolation that exists between species today is probably a result of the dilution of the original crystals."

Leonhart remained silent for a long time.

His fingers tapped lightly on the table, and Ming Luochen's figure was reflected in his golden pupils.

The imperial palace's secret treasury contains some ancient texts about crystals, which record that absorbing crystals can make one stronger and prolong life. However, these are secrets that most people do not know. Yet Ming Luochen was able to deduce these things based solely on those publicly available texts. He is indeed very clever.

He paused, a slight smile playing on his lips, conveying the understanding and tolerance of an elder: "One of you is a human from another world, and the other is a centaur from the Glass race. It is indeed not easy for you to have offspring."

Ming Luochen nodded in agreement with His Majesty's words and explained his difficulties without hiding anything, as there was no need to conceal such matters.

Leonhart leaned back in his chair, his gaze sweeping between Ming Luochen and Aura before finally settling on Ming Luochen: "I understand your desire for children. I also have offspring and know that longing. If you do not wish to enter the palace as an official, I will not force you."

Aura quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

"However," Leonhardt changed the subject, "I cannot let you come to the capital for nothing. It would be a real waste to leave your talents in Herma. I intend to elevate Count Valerius to the rank of Marquis and bestow upon you the title of Knight of the Holy Feathers of Osvilia. In this way, you will be my personal guard, which will also make it easier for you to travel within the Empire."

Upon hearing the title of Knight of the Holy Feathers of Osville, Ming Luochen was filled with trepidation. It was a title personally bestowed by the king, with only 36 fixed positions available in the entire empire. The bestowal of such a title was not approved through elections in the Senate and the House of Representatives, but was directly granted by the king.

"Sacred Feather"—is derived from the feathers of a griffin. The griffin is the imperial totem, and its feathers symbolize the protection of imperial power and divine blessings. The word "Sacred" signifies that the knight's rank is endorsed by a deity (or a goddess), placing him above ordinary noble titles.

Ming Luochen knew that His Majesty was trying to win him over—by promoting his father-in-law's rank, he was essentially adding another layer of protection to his life. He quickly stood up, bowed, and said, "Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty."

"Sit down, sit down." Leonhart waved his hand with a smile, his tone as casual as if he were chatting with a junior. "I haven't finished speaking yet."

Ming Luochen sat down again.

Leonhardt picked up his teacup, then put it down, leaning slightly forward like a curious elder asking a junior, "I'd like to ask you, how do you plan to collect the crystals?"

Ming Luochen was taken aback. He hadn't expected His Majesty to ask so directly.

But he quickly realized that His Majesty was trying to curry favor with him and wanted to understand what his subordinates were going to do so he could be mentally prepared. However, His Majesty still adopted an attitude of "I don't know, I'm asking you for advice," which was to give Ming Luochen face and to build a closer relationship.

Having figured things out, Ming Luochen honestly replied, "I have two plans. One is to hunt exotic beasts and directly obtain crystals; the other is to make money and buy them directly."

"Make money?" Leonhart raised an eyebrow. "How?"

"Open a shop." Ming Luochen's eyes lit up. "Open a restaurant, make ready-made meals, and build a food processing factory. I've already tried it in Herma. Many nobles really liked the dishes served at wedding banquets, so I'm preparing to open a high-end restaurant."

Leonhardt nodded: "I've heard of it. Marquis Leonardo da Vinci and Lord Caron both raved about your wine and food."

"I'm confident I can make a success of my business in the capital." Ming Luochen became more and more excited as he spoke, leaning forward slightly. "The capital has a population of one million, and wealthy people are as numerous as hairs on a cow. As long as the food is good, the service is good, and the marketing is good, I won't have to worry about not having customers."

He paused, glancing tentatively at His Majesty: "However, I am alone and lack the resources, and I don't know much about the capital. I'd like to find a partner to open a shop together."

After speaking, Ming Luochen stared expectantly at His Majesty.

Leonhart chuckled, a smirk playing on his lips: "You want me to be your backer?"

"I dare not," Ming Luochen quickly waved his hand. "What I was thinking was—could His Majesty invest? The royal family would provide the money and land, and I would provide the technology and personnel, with profits split. With the royal family's name on our side, no one would dare to cause trouble."

Leonhart fell silent.

He knew, of course, that this was a good deal. Although he hadn't personally tasted Ming Luochen's cooking, judging from Da Vinci and Karen's reactions, Ming Luochen's culinary skills were absolutely unprecedented. Opening a restaurant using otherworldly cuisine, if it could be turned into an industry, could indeed bring the royal family an extra income every year. Moreover, Ming Luochen was so clever that this income would definitely be substantial, and he clearly wanted to use benefits to please him or bind him to his side, so why not?

But as the ruler of a country, it wouldn't look good if he directly engaged in business.

"It's inconvenient for me to personally intervene," Leonhart shook his head, "However—"

He turned and whispered something to the attendant beside him. The attendant nodded and quickly left.

A moment later, the door to the side hall was pushed open again.

A tall figure walked in.

Ming Luochen looked up and his pupils dilated slightly.

It was a young female griffin orc. She was nearly three meters tall, a head taller than Aura. Her long, golden hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, gleaming brilliantly in the candlelight. Her face was refined and spirited, her brows bearing a seven-tenths resemblance to Leonhardt's. Her golden pupils were bright and sharp, like two polished amber beads. Behind her folded a pair of enormous golden wings, each feather gleaming with a metallic sheen, the wingtips rustling softly as they fluttered slightly.

She wore a simple white long dress, cinched at the waist with a gold-threaded belt, and silver high heels. Her steps were light and confident, each one exuding an innate nobility.

"Father." She walked up to Leonhardt, bowed slightly, and spoke in a clear, melodious voice.

"This is my eldest daughter, Victoria Griffiths." Leonhart looked at Ming Luochen and Aura, his tone carrying a hint of pride, "Her title is Princess of Dawn."

Victoria turned around, her gaze falling on Ming Luochen. Her golden pupils lingered on him for a moment before moving to Aura, and she nodded slightly: "It's an honor to meet you."

Aura quickly stood up to return the greeting. Ming Luochen also stood up, but his mind was racing—Princess, Victoria, Dawn. The names were long, but very beautiful.

"Please sit down." Leonhart gestured for Victoria to sit as well. "I summoned you here because there is something I want to discuss with you."

Victoria sat down beside Leonhart, her hands folded on her knees, her posture elegant and dignified.

Leonhart briefly explained Ming Luochen's business plan. After listening, Victoria's golden eyes flashed with surprise, and her gaze towards Ming Luochen became more scrutinizing.

"You mean you're going to open a high-end restaurant in the capital?"

"It's not just restaurants," Ming Luochen corrected, "it's the entire food service industry chain. Restaurants, prepared meals, food processing, and delivery. A complete system."

"Takeout?" Victoria didn't understand.

"It's like customers order food, we prepare it, and deliver it to their door," Ming Luochen explained. "They don't need to go out; they can enjoy restaurant food at home."

Victoria's eyes lit up slightly, and she turned to Leonhardt: "Father, that's a good idea."

Leonhart smiled and said to Ming Luochen, "My idea is for Victoria to represent the Royal Family in this collaboration. She will provide the capital and land, while you will provide the technology and personnel. You can negotiate the profit sharing yourselves."

Victoria looked at Ming Luochen, a hint of curiosity in her golden eyes: "How do you plan to divide it?"

Ming Luochen quickly calculated in his mind. The royal family provided the money, the land, and even the brand name, which was the biggest resource in itself. But the technology and management were in his own hands; without either of them, the business couldn't function.

"The royal family gets 40%, I get 60%." He held up two fingers. "What does Your Majesty think?"

Leonhart didn't speak, he just looked at Victoria.

Victoria thought for a moment, then shook her head: "Fifty-fifty."

"Four or six," Ming Luochen insisted.

"Fifty-fifty," Victoria refused to back down.

The two looked at each other for a moment, and Ming Luochen smiled first: "Your Highness, I'm contributing more than just technology. I need to personally oversee menu development, staff training, and supply chain management. The royal family only needs to provide the money and land; they don't need to worry about anything else. 40/60 is already very fair."

Victoria paused for a moment, then nodded: "Four or six it is. But I have one condition."

"What are the conditions?"

"I'm sending someone into your team to learn management," Victoria said firmly. "They can't just be there for show; they have to actually learn something."

Ming Luochen thought for a moment and nodded: "Okay. But you can't interfere with my decision."

"Deal." Victoria held out her hand.

Ming Luochen grasped her hand—her palm was warm, her fingers were long and slender, and the grip was just right.

"It's a pleasure working with you."

"It's a pleasure working with you."

Leonhardt watched from the side, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Aura sat beside Ming Luochen, quietly watching everything unfold, a surge of pride welling up within her. How long had it been since her husband, once a despised F-rank summoned beast, had become a business partner negotiating with a princess?

Dinner was served in the dining room next to the side hall. The royal chef had prepared a table full of dishes: roasted lamb chops, stewed venison, cream of mushroom soup, honey bread... The dishes were plentiful and tasted quite good, with a very natural flavor. But Ming Luochen put down his fork after only a few bites.

"What's wrong?" Aura asked herself quietly.

Ming Luochen muttered to his wife in his mind, "The lamb chops are too raw, the venison isn't tender enough, and there's too much cream in the mushroom soup."

[As expected of a dish favored by carnivores, it's incredibly greasy, like raw meat coated in sugar.]

Aura couldn't help but chuckle and gently patted his leg.

Victoria noticed their subtle interaction, and a slight smile appeared on her lips, but she didn't say anything.

After the meal, Leonhardt kept Ming Luochen behind.

"I really like your painting," he said. "Could you paint one for me too?"

Ming Luochen was taken aback for a moment, then nodded: "If Your Majesty doesn't mind, I'm naturally willing."

The servants quickly brought over the easel and paints. Ming Luochen sat down in front of the easel, mixed the colors, and began to paint.

Instead of painting a portrait of His Majesty, he painted a scene of dusk in the royal gardens.

The golden sunset casts its glow on the garden's stone path, the distant clock tower appearing and disappearing in the twilight. A white dove perches on the edge of the fountain, bowing its head to drink. The scene is warm and serene, carrying a sense of tranquil peace.

Victoria stood to the side, watching the colors gradually accumulate on the canvas, her pupils slightly dilated.

She had seen the works of countless painters—court painters, folk masters, and academic professors—but none of their paintings gave her this feeling—not realistic, yet more real than realism; not dreamlike, yet more moving than dreamlike.

The colors seemed alive, breathing, flowing, and singing on the canvas.

"How did you do that?" she couldn't help but ask.

Ming Luochen didn't even look up: "Put your heart into it."

Victoria choked for a moment.

Leonhart chuckled, "Don't ask. He doesn't talk to anyone when he's painting. I asked him three questions just now, and he didn't answer a single one."

Victoria didn't ask any more questions, but simply stood quietly to the side, watching the man's focused profile. His eyes and brows appeared exceptionally deep in the candlelight, his fingers holding the paintbrush, gently applying paint to the canvas, every movement exuding a composed confidence.

She turned to look at Aura: "Is he like this all the time?"

Aura nodded: "He's very focused when he's working. He doesn't hear what others are saying."

Victoria nodded thoughtfully.

An hour later, the painting was finished.

Leonhardt stared at the painting, speechless for a long time. His golden eyes reflected the twilight in the painting, and a slow smile curved his lips.

"Okay." He only said one word, but in that word there was appreciation, recognition, and a trace of indescribable emotion.

Victoria approached the canvas, bent down, and examined it closely. Her gaze swept over every corner of the canvas, finally settling on the white dove.

"This pigeon..." she said softly, "seems to be really drinking water."

Ming Luochen put down his paintbrush and stretched his wrists. "It's finished. Is Your Majesty satisfied?"

"Satisfied." Leonhart stood up, patted Ming Luochen on the shoulder, and said, "Very satisfied."

Victoria straightened up and looked at Ming Luochen, a hint of something indescribable appearing in her golden pupils. It wasn't admiration, nor worship, but more like—curiosity.

"What else can you do?" she asked.

Ming Luochen thought for a moment: "I know a lot of things, but I'm not an expert in any of them."

"That's already quite sophisticated," Aura whispered a reminder from the side.

Victoria glanced at Aura, then at Ming Luochen, and a slight smile curved her lips.

Night had fallen. The palace bell tower struck eleven.

Ming Luochen and Aura rose to take their leave. Leonhardt did not try to stop them, and had Fitz see them out of the palace.

Victoria stood by the window in the side hall, watching the two figures disappear outside the palace gates.

"Father," she turned to Leonhardt, "this man is not simple."

"Of course he's not simple." Leonhart sat in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest. "He can deduce the secrets of crystallization from a few ancient books, devise standardized governance strategies, paint these kinds of pictures, and cook those dishes—if he were simple, there would be no extraordinary people in this world."

Victoria paused for a moment, then said, "I want to know more about him."

Leonhart glanced at his daughter, a meaningful smile in his eyes, and a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth: "Then get to know him better. He's your partner, it's normal to understand him."

Victoria didn't say anything more, but turned around and glanced out the window again.

The moonlight, like water, spilled onto the stone-paved streets of the palace.

Ming Luochen and Aura had already gone far away, but their figures were etched into her mind, impossible to shake off.