"Ahem! I would have you know that I like older women! My wife is twenty years older than me! My mistresses are all older than me! So I don't appreciate it that sort of implication!" The nobleman tried to recover any semblance of face he could in this situation. However, it was as it his own expense as he overshared and overexplained his side.
"..." An awkward silence once again enveloped the scene as no one knew how to reply to that.
'Wouldn't that mean you have motherly issues...?' Dylan thought looking at the man quite pitifully. Meanwhile, Scarlet looked clueless as to how that relates to what she said while Victoria was trying her best not to laugh behind the wooden gate.
Dylan broke the silence as he tried to recover the situation, "Ahem, apologies for my sister's behavior but I do hope you understand where my sister is coming from. These are lessons I instilled in her for her safety from maligned individuals."
"I-I understand that the circumstances. A child could have really interpreted it that way. It is great that you have instilled great values to the young miss. It is for her safety and discernment after all!" The nobleman straightened his robes as he tried to cover up his embarrassment.
"Thank you for your understanding." Dylan nodded as he sighed in relief.
Since the misunderstanding has been seemingly cleared, the nobleman introduced himself in more dignified manner. "Young miss, I understand why you must have thought of me that way. To resolve the matter of strangerhood, allow me to introduce myself. I am Patrick Edmund, an elder of the prestigious Edmund Clan of the Soaring Cloud City. I will be your main contact for today onwards. Any sort of request you may have will be swiftly resolved by yours truly."
"Mhm, my name is Scarlet." Scarlet succinctly introduced as she nodded.
"I will work hard in order to build a friendly connection with you, moving forward. As a sign of my sincerity, here is one of the famous chocolate treats in Soaring Cloud City. I gift it to you, young miss." Patrick bowed as he offered a fancy and luxurious bag of sweets to Scarlet.
"..." But Scarlet was still to shy to receive it.
"If you allow me Sir Patrick, I can represent my sister and accept it in her behalf. She is quite introverted and does not do well in front of other people. At the very least, I think she accepts your good intentions." Dylan offered a compromise to help Patrick.
Patrick hesitated due to the instructions of the City Lord, "But the City Lord specifically instructed me to..."
The City Lord's words of "You must bring her over to our side no matter what! Make her feel like she can rely on you like a Big Brother!"
"Scarlet did witness the gifts being given to her. Think of me as her proxy. I believe that over time you can win her over, Sir Patrick. I hope you understand." Dylan maintained a good-natured smile.
Patrick then looked intently at Scarlet who still looked scared. He could only exhale defeatedly as he accepted the compromise, "I suppose that I must also consider the young missus personality."
"Young miss, I will not impose myself even further. But I will do my best to come by everyday and forge a genuine connection with you!" Patrick softly said with determination.
Scarlet looked at him for a few seconds before eventually nodding, "En."
Patrick then, handed both the Spatial Bag and the box of chocolates over to Dylan. Dylan graciously accepted the two gifts before.
"I shall take my leave, now." Patrick bid his farewell as he turned around to leave
"Sir Patrick, before you leave," Dylan took this opportunity to point out one thing. As Patrick looked at Dylan, he expounded, "I believe that next time it would be best if you hand it over to Scarlet in another medium since she still has not cultivated yet."
"Oh, how careless of me. How could I forget the you are both not cultivators yet. I should take out the gifts first." Patrick then proceeded to extract all the objects from the Spatial Bag while he put it inside a linen cloth sack to hide its contents.
He also included the Spatial Bag in the sack. He pulled out bundle after bundle. There were heavy pouches of stones, clanking steel weapons, stacked manuals, and an absurd mountain of plush toys. By the time everything was crammed inside, the linen sack was stretched to its absolute limit, bulging awkwardly like an overstuffed boulder that threatened to tear open at the seams.
Dylan thanked Patrick while receiving the sack. "Thank you very much, Sir Patrick."
He rested the bottom of the bulky sack against the floor, pulled Scarlet close, and guided her small hands to hold onto the top edge. The sack was nearly as tall as she was, "These are gifts from the City Lord and Sir Patrick so make sure to say thank you!"
"T-thank you." Scarlet hugged the massive, plushie-bulging sack with both arms, peeking out from behind it as she looked at Patrick to say her thanks. She knew that she had to say thank you whenever she receives a gift.
Patrick looked at Dylan who intentionally did this so he should not have to lie to the City Lord. He had to reevaluate the man before him who he looked down on just because he did not have cultivation. He looked at him and nodded, "I shall be off then."
"Goodbye, Sir Patrick." Dylan waved as he encouraged Scarlet to wave as well.
...
After Patrick left, the three went inside.
They gathered around the dining table as they looked over the gifts. The reason why the sack became so bulky was due to the various gifts of toys.
"Waaah! They are all so fluffy!" Scarlet was so happy as she immersed herself with the handful of stuffed animals that were given to her.
While Scarlet immersed herself with playing, Dylan was busy counting the cultivation resources.
There were an astonishing number of two hundred low-grade Spiritual Stones and ten mid-grade Spiritual Stones. It was also accompanied by various steel weapons for Scarlet to choose from, and cultivation manuals as well.
Spiritual Stones is a basic necessity of cultivators in gathering the necessary amount and volume of Innate Energy in their Spirit Cores. They are crystallized version of natural energy or qi that can be easily absorbed by cultivators.
It is also used as a form of currency between cultivators. Similar to how the conversion rate of one gold coin is to one thousand silver coins, one Low Grade Spiritual Stone is also worth one thousand gold coins.
Spiritual Stones are divided into four grades: low grade, mid grade, high grade and top grade. The conversion rate of each stage one hundred the higher the grade is: one Mid Grade Spiritual Stone equals one hundred Low Grade Spiritual stone, so on and so forth.
'Good heavens, we're rich!' Dylan could not believe it but then he immediately realized. 'No this is Scarlet's. She should use it for her future.'
Dylan also looked at the various cultivation methods that are stacked here. They were all tied together in batches. There were various methods of cultivations like the [Soaring Cloud Cultivation Technique], [Four Thunders Cultivation Technique], [Hundred Beast Refinement Technique], [Heavenly Sword Technique,], [Great Qi Refining Technique], etc.
These were all popular and mainstream cultivation techniques that citizen all over Rainbowcloud Kingdom use. All of which were top-tier cultivation techniques that geniuses of the city will be able to enjoy.
Dylan surmised, "I guess they were not sure what Scarlet's martial spirit will be so they just sent a bunch of top-tier cultivation techniques."
Since he also studied the same things that Ford studied, he was now well-versed in cultivation theory as well, "To the City Lord's credit, he has organized and categorized offensive, defensive and movement techniques that compliment the top book which is the cultivation technique."
Scarlet, then asked after she was done playing, "Big bro, what are these for?"
"These are resources you can use to cultivate! To become stronger!"
"Really?! I can start cultivating?!"
"Yes, you can!"
"I want to start immediately!"
"Calm down, you're tired from helping around the house. Awakening your Spirit Core is safest when you are fully rested and in your best condition." Dylan calmed Scarlet down and explained to her.
"Oh, that's fine. Then we can do it after tomorrow!" Scarlet thought for a second before speaking.
"Why after tomorrow?" Dylan was confused.
"Didn't I tell you that I want to help out tomorrow! Hmph!" Scarlet pouted.
"Oh right, my little sister is just the best!" Dylan once again hugged Scarlet tightly. He really did not know what he did to deserve Scarlet.
...
Before leaving, Victoria had used her Spiritual Sense to move the treasure to the Spatial bag. She also also bid her farewell while saying, "It's a good thing that everything went well. I'll be going then. When Scarlet decides to train, I will help her train as well!"
"Thank you for coming! See you tomorrow!" Dylan said his goodbye as well.
After Dylan stored the Spatial Bag into somewhere safe, he tucked Scarlet in bed and also went to sleep.
...
In the Cosmic God Space...
"Sir Ford, I have finished all the tasks that you've given me. The restaurant is ready for the grand opening tomorrow just as planned!" The moment he entered the Cosmic God Space, Vastocean immediately reported. He was very happy to report what had just happened.
Strangely, Ford did not reply immediately. He simply stood in front of the gates of the Cosmic God Mansion. Ford seemed to be holding something that was illuminating.
"Sir Ford?" Vastocean called out as he got nearer. He saw that Ford seemed to be holding what appears to be a book.
Yet, there was something very peculiar about this book. It was only the book cover and it contained just a singular page. The entire book was emanating divine energy.
"Divine Energy?"
Yes, divine energy! It was the only description that Vastocean could describe the aura that this book was exuding. Just simply looking at it was compelling him to kneel and prostrate for the book. The book was constantly being orbited by miniature stars, planets, moons, and comets.
"What is that?" Vastocean asked slowly as his face was completely focused on the book.
"Ah, I'm sorry, Mister Vastocean. I was too immersed in this." Ford finally got out of his dazed and closed the book as it revealed the words:
[Cosmic God Manual]
"T-the... COSMIC GOD MANUAL?!" Vastocean was understandably shocked by the name of this book. If it is as the name implies, this book hosts the cultivation technique of the Cosmic God, a supreme expert who not only attained divinity but also stood at the very top of the known universe!