Back in the royal capital, seeing the wave dissipate, some people cheered. Everyone already knew this wave would be used as a training ground, so seeing it last so long didn't bother them at all.
Instead, some citizens watched the knights hunting monsters, amazed by their strength.
As the wave dissipated, Motoyasu and Itsuki glanced at the cheering crowd and silently left the wave's area.
Takeru, watching the disappearing Glass and Yui, had Esdeath, Akame, and the others gather all the knights and had everyone collect the loot.
Then, after a short time, everyone gathered. Takeru first stored all the monster corpses in his portable space, then cast Purification and Healing on everyone.
Feeling the two spells envelop them, everyone noticed their fatigue and injuries quickly disappearing. They were overjoyed, looking at Takeru with even more admiration.
Then, Takeru directly used a mass teleportation spell, sending everyone back to the royal capital.
"Alright, everyone listen up. You have two days off starting today. As a reward for repelling the wave, each person can receive two hundred silver coins. Squad leaders receive three hundred." After returning to the royal capital, Takeru spoke directly to everyone.
"Yes! Thank you, Your Majesty!" Hearing this, many soldiers knelt on one knee and spoke to Takeru.
"Alright, dismissed!" Looking at everyone, Takeru shouted again.
"Yes!" A synchronized voice rang out, and then they respectfully left.
"Naofumi, this is your reward." As the knights left, Takeru took out one hundred gold coins and tossed them to him.
"I don't need this, do I?" Catching the coins Takeru threw, Naofumi quickly said.
"Just take it. Although you're a Hero, you still have various expenses. I'll be relying on you later." Hearing his words, Takeru spoke directly.
"Eh?" Hearing this, Naofumi was stunned, 'What did Takeru mean by his last sentence?'
"Leaving that aside, do you want to stay for dinner?" Then, Takeru asked directly.
"No need. We got quite a bit this time. We'll be leaving now." Hearing Takeru's words, Naofumi took his leave.
"Alright, I'll get busy too." Hearing this, Takeru didn't insist. He led the group towards the palace.
"Takeru, is this alright? Giving everyone so much silver coins... the expenditure seems quite high, right?" Looking at Takeru, Melty couldn't help asking.
Although she had been a princess, she also knew the kingdom's treasury wasn't very large. Spending so much at once probably wasn't easy.
After all, when Takeru and the others first arrived, each had only received six hundred silver coins. Naofumi only got slightly more, eight hundred.
"Do you know how much the empire's daily income is now?" Hearing her words, Takeru said with a light laugh.
"What do you mean?" Hearing Takeru's words, Melty was stunned.
"Roughly calculated, the empire's current net income is about five thousand gold coins per day. Of course, to improve citizens' quality of life, high national income alone isn't enough. Only by rapidly circulating the empire's gold coins can the people's living standards improve."
"Therefore, besides income, the country also has many expenditures, such as building roads, recruiting workers and soldiers, renovating the royal capital, investing in education, and so on. So, don't use your old perceptions to judge the current empire. It's different." With a confident expression, Takeru explained calmly.
Hearing Takeru's words, Melty was stunned.
Although she didn't fully understand, it seemed the current empire wasn't short of money? Not only that, the people's lives seemed better than before.
Thinking this, she had many more questions, 'Was it really possible for everyone to prosper together?'
"Takeru, good work." As Takeru returned, Emilia, Chelsea, and the others came to him.
"Takeru-sama, welcome back from your victorious triumph." Diablo also looked extremely respectful.
"No need to be so formal." Seeing this, Takeru shook his head gently.
"Takeru-sama, would you like dinner now?" Then, Ram and Rem came over, asking him.
"Master, I'm hungry!" Hearing mention of dinner, Filo's eyes lit up, looking at Takeru with immense expectation.
"Good grief, didn't you just eat a lot over there too?" Hearing Filo's words, Takeru rubbed her head.
"Hee hee, it's already digested!" Hearing Takeru say this, Filo continued.
Besides Filo, Akame, Kurome, Raphtalia, and Rifana also had bright eyes. The four were food lovers and naturally very enthusiastic about eating.
"Since that's the case, let's have dinner early." Looking at everyone's expectant gazes, Takeru said with a light laugh.
"That's great! Thank you, Master!" Hearing this, Filo exclaimed excitedly.
Then, at the dining table, Rem directly took out a large box. Opening it, inside were plates of steaming hot food. She had prepared them in her spare time and preserved them in her item bar.
As dish after dish was brought to the table, until it was full, everyone sat down together and began to enjoy.
"So delicious!" Holding a huge Red Hair Boar's trotter and gnawing on it quickly, Filo showed an extremely satisfied expression.
"Aren't these gems?" Looking at the crystal clear shell of the Ruby Crab, Melty was surprised.
"Yes, the meat is very delicious. Takeru-sama says it's a high-grade ingredient called Ruby Crab." Hearing Melty's question, Raphtalia explained excitedly.
Also nearby, Akame and Kurome each held a Crab Pig's trotter, gnawing on them quickly. Although they looked petite, they seemed to have dimensional stomachs. The huge trotters were devoured completely, without their stomachs showing the slightest bulge.
"Filo, eat slowly." Watching Filo beside him eating with oil all over her face, Takeru took a towel and helped her clean up.
"Thank you, Master." Feeling Takeru's careful wiping, Filo was very pleased, showing a satisfied smile.
"Takeru, what about me?" Seeing Takeru help Filo, Beatrice quickly spoke to him.
"I see." Hearing this, Takeru picked up a piece of Pudding Bird and brought it to her mouth. Beatrice unceremoniously opened her mouth and ate it.
Feeling the soft, smooth, melt-in-your-mouth Pudding Bird, Beatrice's heart felt sweet.
"Takeru-sama, you eat too." Seeing Takeru feed Beatrice, Raphtalia picked up a piece of Tunalobster and brought it to Takeru's mouth.
"Thanks, Raphtalia." Looking at the somewhat nervous Raphtalia, Takeru smiled at her and nodded, then slightly opened his mouth and ate the Tunalobster.
"Takeru-sama, please try mine." Seeing this, Rifana quickly picked up a piece of Chicken Tiger Omelet and extended it to Takeru.
"Okay."
"Takeru, ah!" Seeing everyone's actions, Chelsea directly picked up a dish made from Ruby Crab and handed it to Takeru.
...
Then, with everyone taking turns feeding him, Takeru quickly became full. Soon, the entire table of delicious food was completely devoured by everyone.
"Really delicious. I wish my mother could taste this." Sitting in a chair, Melty said with a satisfied expression.
"Melty-chan, to you, we are enemies, aren't we?" Hearing Melty's words, Chelsea said with narrowed eyes.
"Eh, well... Mother would never be your enemy. Please don't harm my mother." Hearing Chelsea's words, Melty just realized, then spoke nervously.
Actually, living leisurely here and fighting alongside everyone today had made Melty forget that she was originally the second princess of Melromarc, and the first heir to the throne.
But thinking of having to fight Takeru and the others, she felt deep fear. Having been here for a while, she knew even more clearly how terrifying Takeru and the others' strength was.
Besides, Takeru and the others weren't vicious people. So, she didn't want to fight them.
Not being able to defeat them was one aspect. Another was that she had long regarded Filo and the others as good friends.
Also, because Takeru and the others had never rejected or bullied her due to her identity, she also didn't want to become enemies.
"Perhaps. Our treatment of you depends on your thoughts towards us. If you are our enemy, we won't go easy. If you are friendly, we won't harm you." Hearing Melty's words, Takeru said calmly.