Chapter 37: A Quiet Return
When Anshul reappeared, the environment around him changed instantly.
The biting cold vanished.
The howling winds disappeared.
The frozen silence of the abandoned city was replaced by the soft, warm atmosphere of a hotel room in San Francisco.
For a moment he simply stood there, letting his body adjust to the sudden change in temperature. The warmth felt almost strange after hours spent in the frozen wasteland.
He removed his gloves slowly and placed them on the table.
His fingers were slightly stiff from the cold, but otherwise he was fine.
The expedition had been successful.
Anshul walked toward the desk and sat down while opening the storage interface. Inside the storage space, countless items were neatly stacked together—gold bars, jewelry, diamonds, luxury watches, rare coins.
The total value was already enormous.
And that had only been the first exploration of the frozen city.
If he continued visiting that world regularly, the amount of wealth he could accumulate would become absurd.
However, Anshul didn't plan to flood the market with precious metals immediately. That would only create problems. Instead, he would convert small portions gradually while using the rest as long-term reserves.
Gold could be sold slowly.
Diamonds could be processed through luxury dealers.
Rare coins could be sold through collectors.
Each category required a different approach.
Anshul leaned back slightly in the chair.
Money would no longer be a problem.
Now he could move forward with the next part of his plan.
Building something real in this world.
Later that afternoon, Anshul left the hotel and walked through the streets toward Mia's neighborhood again. The city was alive with activity as usual—cars moving through intersections, people walking along sidewalks, the distant sounds of music from nearby cafés.
Compared to the frozen ruins he had just visited, the contrast felt surreal.
When he reached the familiar street near Mia's house, the black limousine was already parked nearby.
Princess training must have just finished.
A few moments later, the door opened and Mia stepped out.
She looked slightly tired but far more composed than she had been during the first day of training. Her posture was straighter now, and even the way she walked looked more confident.
When she noticed Anshul standing across the street, her expression immediately changed.
"You're back."
Anshul crossed the street casually.
"Looks like training didn't kill you."
"Very funny," Mia replied, though she was smiling slightly.
"How was today?"
"Walking lessons again. And something called 'royal conversation etiquette.'"
"That sounds complicated."
"It is," she said, sighing. "Apparently there are rules for how to greet people, how to sit, how to respond to questions, how to speak during formal events…"
She paused and looked at him carefully.
"So where did you disappear to today?"
"Exploring."
"That's your answer to everything."
"Not everything."
Mia narrowed her eyes slightly.
"You definitely went somewhere dangerous."
Anshul shrugged.
"Nothing I couldn't handle."
She studied his expression for a moment, clearly trying to decide whether she believed him.
Finally she shook her head.
"You're impossible."
Joseph stepped forward beside the limousine.
"Miss Thermopolis, Her Majesty is waiting."
"Coming!" Mia replied.
Before getting back into the car, she turned toward Anshul again.
"You'll be here tomorrow?"
"Probably."
"Good."
She gave him a small smile before entering the limousine.
As the car drove away down the street, Anshul remained standing on the sidewalk for a moment.
The next stage of his plans was already forming in his mind.
The wealth he had collected would soon allow him to move forward with the business project he had started earlier.
And if everything went according to plan—
This quiet city in the Princess Diaries world would soon become the foundation of something much bigger.