Chapter 96 Varasima
Behind the bar counter, a lively atmosphere reigned, filled with vibrant conversations and unrelenting music that flowed throughout the space. Amidst the noise, Adam savored sips of wine, his eyes closed, and his mind immersed in deep contemplation. Alexander, seated beside him, stared into the void as if lost in profound thoughts.
More than ten minutes had passed since a silence settled in the room, and another ten minutes before Alexander finally mustered the courage to speak.
"You know, Adam, you're an unusual person," he began, catching Adam by surprise. Adam opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow, looking at his human friend in astonishment. "I mean... you excel at changing your facial expressions and shifting your attitude toward others by 180 degrees. I couldn't do that the same way," Alexander continued.
Adam replied with a smile, "Well, it's a matter of habit. For a politician, such a skill is normal."
Shaking his head, Alexander continued his thought, "No, you didn't understand me." Twirling his glass in his hand, he said, "At times, it's noticeable that your behavior changes abruptly. Do you get it?"
Adam's eyebrows raised in confusion. Clutching his glass, he genuinely didn't understand what Alexander was talking about. What was he referring to?
Alexander noticed his bewilderment, sighed and shook his head as if addressing an inexperienced newcomer. With a slight smile, he added, "I noticed this too recently. It's like you're indifferent to everything. You observe everything as if it's child's play."
He demanded a small mirror from the bartender and handed it to Adam. "Tell me, what do you think about the war between Avalonia and Elfheim?"
Taking the mirror, Adam raised an eyebrow and replied, "Well, it's a terrible thing, I suppose. Too many combat units are perishing, and is this dubious war worth it?"
As he finished the sentence, he caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye as his own eyes turned black, as if absorbing all light. Surprise engulfed him.
"Alright, that was a banal question, but we felt that you genuinely perceive all this with indifference. Isn't that right?" Alexander laughed and patted Adam on the shoulder. "Perhaps the demon lineage is starting to manifest. Usually, during this period, it becomes difficult to control emotions. Be careful."
"Awakening?... Hmm, I've heard about it in passing. But there are different types of awakening," Adam pondered seriously, closing his eyes, which returned to normal once he opened them again. "Since we're on the topic of my character and such... how would you describe me?"
Looking at Adam's face, Alexander grimaced and sighed, "Smiling bastard-handsome, whose smile doesn't reveal true intentions."
"Hey, the 'bastard' part was unnecessary."
***
Quiet night sky stretches out before Adam, peaceful and serene as always, but within his mind, doubtful thoughts wrestle, rocking his anxieties and questions about how long this "peaceful light" will endure. Throughout the day, as he went about his business, news reached his ears that Avalonia was beginning to retreat. Elves from Elfheim and the Fairy Kingdom had joined forces, and in this symbiotic alliance, their military power had doubled. Underprepared Avalonian soldiers were forced to withdraw.
"But that's not the only thing that concerns me…"
The Chaos Empire – a source of worry for high-ranking officials. More and more of them were leaning toward the idea that demons were preparing for something significant. Princes of Chaos had become more active, and their presence on the borders hadn't gone unnoticed. According to the scouts' reports, they seemed to be searching for something, but their objective remained unclear.
For Adam, all these events led to unsettling associations. His instincts told him that something more serious might be at play here, something that posed a threat to him and the world. But he had no arguments or evidence yet – only one thing remained: to stay vigilant.
Returning to the castle with Alexander, Adam bids him farewell and heads home. By the time he gets back home, his mind is occupied not only with the upcoming events. One of them – Awakening.
"They say that demons, upon reaching a certain age, like a hundred years, begin to realize their true power." Adam immerses himself in thought as he finally falls onto his bed, closing his eyes and embracing his wives, relishing their touch.
His consciousness gradually enters the space of the system. His profile appears before him.
[Name: Adam
Race: Demon
Class: Casanova (Level 26).
Attribute: Darkness, Seduction.
Level: Supreme Demon (D-)
Sin: Lust (100%), Gluttony (100%), Envy (89%)
Seduction Points: 1437
Partners: Claire, Maria, Iliantra, Elara, Elyra, Amarantha...]
"Damn, my age isn't here," Adam mutters and sighs. "Well, I'll just have to wait until it happens. There's no other choice."
Either way, he had a lot to do today. Opening the Lucky Block menu, Adam looks contentedly at the number of possible spins.
[Available Lucky Blocks for today: 50]
[Open x1] | [Open x10]
"With the reward I got for reaching level 26, it has accumulated quite nicely…" Adam smiles and clicks on [Open x10].
Familiar animation appears, and the cards brightly shine with different colors until they flip and show text above them. Along with this, a small notification screen appears.
[Congratulations! You have received: 20 experience points (x2), 15 experience points (x5), Sapling of the Elven Tree of Wisdom (x1), Egg of a Random Pet (x2)]
Adam takes a deep breath, feeling a warmth in his chest from satisfaction and the diversity of items that couldn't help but please him. The sapling and the egg impressed him the most.
"The Elven tree bears fruits of wisdom used in Elven elixirs, which are worth more than 100 Platinum depending on the quality. And the egg…" Adam grimaces, puzzled, "If I can get a pet that helps in battles or something similar, it would be perfect."
It was somewhat like a surprise box where you aren't quite sure what you'll get. But Adam hoped he'd get a good and powerful pet. Another batch followed.
[Congratulations! You have received: 5 experience points (x7), 10 Seduction Points (x3)]
And another one…
[Congratulations! You have received: Pork (x10)]
"What the hell?"
And another one…
[Congratulations! You have received: Sapling of an Oak Tree (x10)]
"Well…"
And the last one…
[Congratulations! You have received: Pork (x10)]
Following this were many curse words that shouldn't be heard. But one thing was clear – Adam was angry.
***
The next function was Wikipedia. Honestly, Adam didn't expect this at all, so he was greatly surprised and decided to give it a try. The interface was just like Wikipedia on the internet.
"Amazing… if they add YouTube, Discord, and the Internet, life will be sweet indeed," Adam admired, browsing through human anatomy. "Well, definitely Wikipedia. Everything leads to philosophy…"
But what surprised him the most was that he could even search for information about countries in this world and races accordingly.
[Chaos Empire – an empire established in ancient times. 100% of the population is made up of demons.
Population: over 1 billion.
Religion: Queen of Demons
Current ruler: Veronica Chaos
Predecessors: None.
Royal family: First Prince of Chaos, Azaroth. Second Prince of Chaos, Lucius. Third Prince of Chaos, Azazel, Fourth Prince of Chaos...]
Adam's eyes brightly lit up as he smiled excitedly, feeling that this would make his life much easier. Here was superficial but necessary information that could help him in the future.
***
The next day brought a new shift, but before that, Adam carefully reviewed the city reports and issued instructions. He declared a day off, which led to joyful expressions on the faces of many workers who happily went out to enjoy the streets.
Through a portal, he returned to the castle and, walking with Alexander, headed to Elizabeth's office. As expected, she was already there. Adam greeted, "Good morning, Your Majesty."
Darkness still dominated the streets, but the first rays of the sun were starting to illuminate Elizabeth's beautiful face, and her long silver hair was tied up in a high ponytail.
In response to Adam's greeting, Elizabeth turned her gaze toward him, nodded slightly, and returned to her work. Adam also decided not to burden her with conversation. However, he noticed with surprise the orbs flying around her.
"Is she… happy?" A question flickered in Adam's mind, but he didn't delve into that thought at the moment and took his place at work.
Piles of papers were in front of him again. A deep sigh escaped his chest, but work couldn't wait. He took one of the papers and began studying the reports. Mostly, these were messages from lords of various lands. It was clear that not all of them were giving due attention to this routine task.
The reports included information about land revenues, taxes, and sometimes personal requests. Among the multitude of papers, one caught his attention. This letter wasn't from just anyone but from the king of the vassal kingdom Varasima.
[Since becoming a vassal of the great Avalonia, I, Shizurana von Varasima, have daily thanked the Goddess of Light for this opportunity. Years and decades have passed, and my opinion hasn't changed…]
"Damn it," Adam cursed upon seeing three pages of paper.
If we summarize the letter, excluding the flattery from the king, we can gather the following information:
1. Demons are at the borders.
2. Hero Leonid's group is with them and is in critical condition. Possibly cursed.
3. They're short on money.
"It feels like the most important part is the third point," Adam thought, rising from his seat and addressing Elizabeth, "Your Majesty, we've received a letter from King Varasima requesting assistance and financing."
"Oh? Pass it to me." Elizabeth reached out, and Adam, approaching her, handed over the letter. The queen began to read attentively, occasionally emitting small scoffs.
Twenty minutes later, Elizabeth put the letter aside, deep in thought, gazing out the window, and then turned to Adam, asking, "What do you think about this?"
"Well... firstly, the demons' actions are not surprising and rather expected considering their recent activity. We need to immediately send troops to the borders. As for the curse on the heroes... I think it's possible, given that they encountered a powerful demon. Usually, after reaching the 'Superior demon' level, demons can inflict curses that aren't so easy to get rid of, even with holy magic."
To be continued…