Sanctuary: Safe Haven

The king was genuinely listening to Canna's plan until Canna mentioned "The Forever Weed." The king and his grand mage's eyes widened, and the warm, lively atmosphere in the room suddenly shifted.

The king eyed Canna suspiciously. "I don't know how you knew of that plant, but it is too dangerous. Those seeds almost caused our downfall during the reign of the third king."

Canna didn't back down from the king's stare. "Perfect, isn't it? I'll take it off your hands, and you won't have to worry about it anymore."

The king looked at his grand mage again, clearly questioning where Canna would use the seeds. Kael, who seemed unaware of what the Forever Weed was, had to ask Canna for an explanation. After he heard it, Kael turned to the king. "Don't worry, my king. The seeds will not be used in this kingdom nor in any other. It's just something that will aid in Canna's travels."

The king nodded to Kael. "Let's go after dinner, then. No need to prolong this."

After a few moments, the king, the grand mage, Kael, and Canna were on their way to the kingdom's treasury. Once inside, they saw heaps of gold, various equipment, and armories. This wasn't Kael's first time here, so he wasn't shocked. However, the king expected Canna to be surprised. Yet, when he looked at Canna, he found no reaction at all.

In Canna's mind, he thought, "What a puny collection." The king's treasure was only a drop compared to Tonitrum's collection. Canna was used to seeing literal mountains of gold and legendary weapons, so he wasn't fazed one bit.

The king cleared his throat. "This is the treasury of Avaloria, housing some of our most prized possessions."

Canna nodded politely. "Impressive."

After walking for a bit, they reached a podium secured by a barrier. The grand mage undid the barrier, revealing a sealed wooden box. The king cast a spell, the chains fell off, and Canna could see 15 black seeds that looked like watermelon seeds.

The king looked at the box for a good minute before extending his arm and handing it to Canna.

Canna read its stats, which confirmed the same details about the weed's relentless growth. He happily stored the seeds in his storage ring and was about to leave when he heard the king's voice.

"I can let you pick two more items from my treasury, be it gold or anything else," the king offered.

"Thanks for your generous offer, but I won't need much. I just need a bag of gold, and I'm all set," Canna answered.

The king was surprised. He had offered his kingdom's treasury, yet Canna declined in a heartbeat and only wanted a bag of gold.

The king and his entourage stood there, puzzled by Canna's modest request. The grand mage couldn't hide his curiosity. "You're certain you only want a bag of gold? We have rare artifacts and enchanted items that could aid you greatly."

Canna smiled and shook his head. "I appreciate the offer, but my needs are simple. Gold will suffice."

As the grand mage fetched a bag of gold coins, the king couldn't help but feel a mix of admiration and confusion. Most people would have seized the opportunity to claim the finest treasures, yet Canna remained humble and focused.

Handing over the bag of gold, the grand mage said, "Here you go. If you ever change your mind, our doors are always open to you."

Canna nodded in gratitude. "Thank you. Your generosity is appreciated." Stay updated with m-v l|e'm,p y r

As they exited the treasury, Kael looked at Canna with newfound respect. "You never cease to surprise me."

Canna chuckled. "It's not about the treasures, Kael. It's more like, nothing there can help me anyways."

With their business concluded, they made their way back to their respective places. Meanwhile, Canna immediately went to his domain to try out the seeds.

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Canna dug a small pile of dirt and inserted one seed. After covering it up and watering it, nothing happened.

Only after 15 minutes did a small weed pop out from the ground and slowly but surely increase in height. Canna observed it more, and after two hours, the weed was almost at his waist. He didn't waste any more time and planted all the other seeds.

"Mortem, summon some smart undead to take care of this. I want someone to continuously cut them once they're at waist level and have it stored for the groundhogs' consumption," Canna ordered.

Mortem then summoned two figures that Canna vaguely recognized. Mortem answered his unspoken question, "These two were from the group that tried to attack you earlier, master. They were the ringleaders from the Veiled Order, Seraphis and Darius."

With his curiosity now sated, Mortem gave orders to the two undead. Canna would have to check back on their progress later.

Now it was time to resume his travels. Staying in a kingdom was fine, but he still had a mission to get in touch with races that specialized in nature magic to revive his domain.

The next morning came, and a knock echoed through the door. It was Kael, informing Canna about some people who wanted to meet him.

"There are people still waiting to meet you. At least hear what they have to say. If it would be beneficial, why not use their help?"

Currently, three kingdoms and several mercenary groups had stayed long just to see Canna. They had invested a lot already and did not want to return empty-handed.

Canna sighed. First thing in the morning, and he already had to socialize. "Fine. I don't like multiple meetings. Inform them of one place where I will see them all."

This time, it was Kael's turn to sigh. Getting multiple offers from different groups should have been a good thing, yet Canna only found it troublesome. Canna was just too unpredictable.

Kael left to arrange the meeting, leaving Canna to prepare for the influx of visitors. Canna took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come.

Canna didn't appreciate unnecessary flattery. If people wanted to talk to him, they should do so directly. He formulated a plan in his head for handling the people, determined not to waste any more time than necessary. His mission was his priority, and he intended to keep it that way.