《Grand Lust Sovereign》 Before You Begin Chapter -1: Before You BeginDisclaimer: All characters, places, and names in this novel are purely fictional. This work aims solely to entertain and does not intend to harm or offend anyone. It has no political agenda. Due to mature content, reader discretion is advised; not suitable for individuals under 18. Things to know: -No, this is not a sequel/prequel to VSOL. I just used the title like that because it is a tribute to my first book, and also because it fits well with the story and kinda cool tbf. -If you are here for the Chapters with lemons, you might not find them initially. In the first 50 Chapters, the plot is moving and characters are being developed with an introduction to world building. -The protagonist is a broken person, hence it took around 40 Chapters for him to be somewhat stable and not act like a typical denser-than-blackhole Isekai protagonist who gets nosebleeds from watching women''s ankles. -The novel will explore all genres of hentai with the exceptions of the darker ones like Netorare, Netorase, R*pe, Amputation, Necrophilia, Mind Break, Beastality, and so on. -There is no Yuri in the Chapters published on "NovelFire". -Netori will be there but it''s a good version of it and not a bad one. The main character won''t give green hats to good husbands who love and care for their wives and family. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. -In case the Yuri point was not cleared, I''ll repeat again that there will be no Yuri in the Chapters published on NovelFire. Yes, the Chapters published on NovelFire, meaning there is Yuri in Chapters published elsewhere as a form of unofficial/non-cannon Chapters (More detail about it available on my discord). -I understand that not everybody has the money to pay. Once upon a time, I had no money on me either and used to just stare at the locked Chapters of my favorite authors and dreamed of going behind the paywall to read more Chapters. Thus, for you guys, I recommend staying up to date with the novel until it gets a contract and stacking your fast pass to read for free every day whenever the Chapter is posted. -I am writing this novel because I love it. Please do not suggest that I change the storyline or the things in it. Constructive criticism is always welcomed, but don''t be an entitled prick and trash talk as if I owe you something. -Please remember, authors are humans too and have feelings. Your negative comments will impact the story, so please be gentle and refrain from doing it. -I hope you enjoy reading this novel as much as I love writing it. -Lastly, I love each and every single one of you who''s reading this novel. Please feel free to comment your thoughts. As long as they are constructive criticisms or proper comments related to the novel written in a normal tone, I would reply to them! Things to know about the novel: -As mentioned above, the lemon Chapters are not available right away. One of the major reasons for it is that I don''t want to restrict this story simply for the smut. -While I may be the author, I am also the first reader of this novel. I want to explore the politics, world, and everything the story has to offer and I would be diving deep into it. I dislike stories where the protagonist is just grinding and leveling up or is always in a peril. It feels like someone is sprinting, except, a novel is not a 100 meter race but a long marathon. -There''s going to be mythology elements in the novel. They may/may not be lore or real world accurate. Treat them as fiction instead of original mythologies. I am not going to write religious elements so as to hurt anyone''s sentiments. If you find any, then I apologize in advance. -There will be heartwarming and fluff-filled moments in the novel while at the same time, there will be a lot of tragic and dark stuff too. Be prepared to smile, cry, laugh, and go through a roller coaster of emotions. -Oh yeah, I forgot to mention this, but I am not a pro like other writers. I have a lot to learn and improve, so do criticize me if I make any mistakes. -Back to the novel topic: The novel''s main world is a mix of medieval and Victorian fantasy, one filled with sword and magic. There will be cultivation and modern elements too, but they are all going to be within the Tower. -The novel''s main genres are Tower, Fantasy, Slice of Life, Smut and Adventure. -This is a light read, and as mentioned before, I am not a pro writer so please do not have high hopes while reading. It''s best if you switch off your brain and have fun. -The novel has Dragons, Elves, Demons, Witches, Wizards and all the fantasy species. There''s also MILFs, GILFs, and beautiful young ladies. The lolis are all legal, and there''s a little something for everybody! -Smut Chapters start from Chapter 45 or so onwards, it may vary, do check for the title containing (*). -I do not recommend skipping the first 40 Chapters. If you don''t wanna read them, just skim through them so you have a general idea. -Release schedule is 7 Chapters/week. +1 bonus Chapter(upto 7), if there''s a powerstone goal/donation achieved. For every 200 powerstones, I''ll publish one extra Chapter(up to 7/week). For every $25 donated, I''ll publish one extra Chapter(up to 7/week). Note: The Chapter publish rate is 14-16/week max. If there''s additional donation or powerstones that week, I am grateful for it, but I can''t fish out more Chapters than that, really sorry :( -Anywho, I do suggest you to not donate so much money. Please save it, money''s precious. You''re already supporting a lot by unlocking the Chapters! -That''s about it for the novel. If there''s any more questions, feel free to ask me in the comments. Character Illustrations available on Patr*on for free. I do not own the copyright so they''re only for reference. I am not making any money from it. If I have any copyright illustrations, I''ll let you know. Discord server is the same as VSOL''s. If you find yourself in any other, you have been scammed! Chapter 1: Suffering Chapter 1: SufferingIn a damp, dark alley, a child in tattered clothes walked slowly. His unfocused eyes rested on a dumpster twice his height as his frail legs carried him forward. The pungent, foul odor of garbage did not bother him; his nose had long grown numb to it. Climbing atop a heap of refuse, he searched the dumpster for food. What greeted him was a chaotic mess of decayed scraps, none of it edible. If the child''s vocabulary had been rich, he might have described the sight as something worse than vomit. His dim eyes grew duller as his stomach grumbled, yet he found nothing. Still, he did not give up; the will to eat burned strong within him. He climbed down from the garbage heap and shuffled further along the alley, eventually spotting a spilled plastic container in a corner. Rice, mixed with bits of meatballs, had spilled halfway onto the grimy ground. Unbothered, the child grabbed a slightly dirty meatball and began gnawing on it. The taste of week-old refrigerated meat filled his mouth, but he didn''t flinch. Any sane person would have thrown such a thing away, but to the child, it was the best thing that had happened to him in the past five days. He didn''t know how or when it had happened, but five days ago, he found himself alone in an alley. Scared and crying, he called out for his mumma and papa again and again, but no one answered. The lost child, who had yet to develop a true sense of self, wandered aimlessly, driven by instinct. Over time, harsh reality forced him to mature¡ªno one was coming to help him. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. No adults stopped to aid him. To them, he looked like a beggar, reeking of the dumpsters he scavenged. They averted their eyes, leaving him to fend for himself. Days passed slowly. The child never stayed in one place, roaming the city in search of food and water. He slept on cold, hard cement and covered himself with rags salvaged from dumpsters. On the tenth day, his suffering eased¡ªhe was found by the police and taken to an orphanage. In the orphanage, the child received three warm meals a day, clean clothes, and a proper bed to sleep in. He no longer had to fear rats nibbling at his toes while he slept. For the first time in what felt like forever, he slept soundly. A month later, the child began to feel at home. He had companions¡ªbrothers and sisters in the orphanage¡ªand a kind caretaker. Slowly, the horrors of those ten days started to fade. He even began attending elementary classes. But this fragile peace was short-lived. A fire broke out in the orphanage one night, caused by a gas leak. The firefighters arrived late due to traffic, and the flames consumed much of the building. Many children lost their lives, their cries and screams echoing in the chaos. Somehow, the child survived. Horrified by the nightmarish scene, he fled into the darkness, once again condemned to a life in the dumps. This time, the trauma was worse than the ten days of wandering. The memory of burning screams left him shaken to his core. For two days, he couldn''t eat a single bite. But as time passed, he adapted once more. He learned that different parts of the city had different kinds of waste. Near restaurant dumpsters, he could find discarded vegetables, meat, and occasionally, food that was still edible. He also learnt that if he stood in front of a food place late at night, someone was bound to give him something. The child adapted himself once again and learnt about the various types of garbage disposal. At a very young age, he learnt about making money when he saw a person selling scraps and imitated him. Gradually, the trauma of the orphanage was being forgotten as he had other things to worry about. A year passed. While roaming around, the child was outside a fertility clinic where a couple who couldn''t conceive found him. He seemed pitiful to them and in need of a child, they adopted him. His new parents were lovely and took good care of him. The aloof child learnt to speak properly and with manners. He learnt to write as well and now knew how his name spelled. Five years went by. The orphanage''s trauma seemed like a distant past. The boy''s life was turning for the better, but like before, this happy time came to an end as well when his parents died in an accident. They were coming home from a trip when a truck that broke the signal rammed them from the side. The boy was not as injured by some stroke of luck and taken to the hospital. He was given insurance money and inherited his dead parents'' property. He lived alone in a major city and went to school with what little amount of money he had. The money was sufficient and the boy knew how to use it well. Living in the dumps had taught him things that no one ever could. The boy soon turned eighteen. He was an aloof child who did not talk to anyone. He was afraid of hurting the people he talked to, and for some reason, developed an idea that wherever he went, bad luck followed and destroyed the lives of the ones he cared for. Being alone taught the boy many life skills, but the loneliness was slowly catching up and deteriorating his mental health. One fine day, while alone in his room, the young boy discovered porn after going through a series of sexual content. The gratification he found from it was nothing he had ever felt before. And thus... from this fateful day onwards... he became an addict. The boy had university entrance exams which he could''ve aced, but did not do so due to his porn addiction. He joined a third-tier college and just passed his days until his funds were exhausted. Due to being broke, the boy took a part-time job. He had his adoptive parents'' house as his, and being smart when it came to money, he put it up for rent and had roommates. This turned out to be a horrible decision as his roommates bullied him and used his house as if it was theirs. They did not pay rent either and eventually threw him out. The boy got his house back after a series of lawsuits and police complaints, but the condition of it was so bad that to accumulate money to renovate would cost him an arm and a leg. The boy''s mental health worsened completely and he lived in this dumpster of a house while working a part time job. His university finished a year later, but he was so dead from the inside that he did not have the motivation to do anything. In a weeks'' time, the boy''s house was in worse condition than a dumpster in an alley. He did not seem to mind it as he watched porn, ate junk, and slept. He stopped going to the part time job as well once he felt he had enough money to survive for a few months before needing to work again. This... was another huge mistake... This time, it cost him his life. The boy''s physical health deteriorated along with his mental health, and in only a fortnight, he died due to severe dehydration and cardiac arrest. The suffering had finally come to an end. Or so the boy thought... Chapter 2: Limbo Chapter 2: LimboMy head hurts. It feels like I''m getting crushed under a boulder, and if any more force was used, my head would actually burst apart. Ah... so painful... Did I not die? As far as I remember, wasn''t I in my room, waiting for the premier of that ecchi anime... ah, what was it called again?... tsk... I seemed to have forgotten... But, where am I? And how am I able to think? "You are currently in limbo, child." A melodic voice spoke to me. I couldn''t see who it belonged to, but it seemed feminine and pleasing to hear. "Limbo?" I asked, unaware of what my current circumstances were. "Yes. It''s a realm where the souls who cannot reincarnate are at. The limbo shows them their happy times until their consciousness slowly fades and they dissipate permanently, becoming one with the cosmos." "I see." I was surprisingly calm despite hearing such a horrifying thing. I mean, I was already dead and expected that I wouldn''t live again. So in a way, this was one and the same thing. "You don''t seem to have a will to live." "Yes." I said. "With all that has happened in my life, I don''t think I would want to repeat it again. It''s better if I die completely. I''ll get some proper rest that way." "Huhuhu... what an adorable thinking..." The feminine voice seemed to be giggling heartily. "But I''m sorry to say, that won''t happen. You won''t get to die like other souls." "Why?" I asked out of curiosity. Honestly, now this was scary. "It''s because you are cursed." The feminine voice dropped a bombshell on me. "You are cursed with immense misfortune. And your misfortune would not allow you to die. Your fate is to suffer for eternity and you will have to serve it." "Huh!?!" "What did you just say!?!" "You heard it right. You will suffer for eternity. This is your fate." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. My thoughts were in a disarray as the shock I just got was immense. I wasn''t able to digest the information easily and began asking questions like why, what, and who caused it, and as such. The voice did not answer me and turned silent while I panicked and slowly broke down as I realized there was no end to my suffering even in death. I did not know how much time had passed, but when I felt my mind go blank due to the shock, I heard the feminine voice again. "I never said there''s no end to your suffering." My broken mind was slowly coming together and listening to her. "Let''s change the setting up a bit. It feels too congested to talk this way." Snap! After I heard the snap, I could actually see as my vision returned. I was in the dark expanse of space, standing on a bed of clouds. When I looked at my hands, I could only see a blurry outline. The clouds beneath me were moving and took me towards a giant red lotus. Nestled within the red lotus was a veiled woman. I couldn''t see her face properly. Only her raven hair and seductive figure resting on the lotus was visible. "Do you like what you see?" The feminine voice asked me. I had no answer to that as I felt nothing from watching her. I had no raging hormones or a physical body to actually feel attracted to anyone. I was just a soul. A pitiful soul in the vast expanse of the cosmos. "Huhuhu... you sure have some interesting thoughts..." the lady''s body shook as she giggled. "In any case... we do not have much time for idle chatter as your soul is soon going to be taken out of the limbo." "Taken out?" "Yes. As I said, you are cursed and won''t die. You''ll only suffer." I wasn''t fazed by this comment anymore. "Okay. And?" The lady giggled. "And what? You''re just going to suffer. That''s it. There''s no other thing behind that." Did she just bring me to this place to repeat the things I already know of? "No. I brought you here to make you an offer." "An offer?" "Yes." The lady got up from her resting state and sat in a lotus position. "I will tell you exactly what caused you to be cursed and how you can remove it. Not only that, I will also ease some of your suffering initially and let you have a peaceful life." "Don''t forget though. My ways are going to be temporary as your curse is just too strong. It could come back anytime, so you have to fight it yourself and eradicate it." I nodded my head in understanding. "Since you understand this much, then let me tell you what you have to do and what''s the offer." "It''s quite simple, actually." The lady raised her hands up and stretched. "All you have to do is conquer the Tower and give me one thing I ask you to." "The Tower?" What was that? "You''ll know once you reincarnate." The lady said in a leisurely voice. If that''s the case, then what about her request? Assuming if I do conquer the Tower, what then? "Don''t worry. My request won''t be something absurd." "Something absurd?" "Yes. I won''t ask you for your life or your happiness or your wealth or anything dear to you. What I want is something that goes beyond these things. I''ll let you know when the time comes." I stayed silent and listened. The lady yawned and went back to her lying down state. She looked at me and continued, "I''ll repeat the offer again. You''ll conquer the Tower and give me one thing I ask you, and in return, I''ll tell you the reason for your misfortune and how you could end it. I would also be helping you reincarnate properly and in living a peaceful life initially." I nodded my head. I didn''t have much of a choice, so I accepted her offer. The lady was not amused by my acceptance and just congratulated me. Then, she said, "...since you''ve accepted the offer, I''ll now let you know about your curse..." Chapter 3: The Curse Chapter 3: The CurseThere was something called the Tower within which resided Gods. Next, there was something called Arcana Cards and they were the cause of everything. This was what the woman told me in the span of a minute. I didn''t understand much, but I continued to listen. "...there''s levels to the Arcana Cards and long story short, there''s cards that only the Gods can wield or experiment with." Okay, this was easy to understand. The lady yawned and continued, "The Gods managed to create a card that would give someone immense fortune and luck, but as everything in the Tower is balanced, it came with a card of immense misfortune. During the creation of these two, there was high instability in the Tower, and for reasons unknown, these slipped out of it." If I had a heart right now, it would be palpating as severe anxiety was slowly creeping up on me. The lady stopped yawning and laid her gaze on me, seriously this time. "Nobody knows where the cards went, but I believe you were the one that got hit with the misfortune card." "..." S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ...shit. I did not have a physical body, otherwise I would''ve definitely fainted from knowing this fact. Whatever worst outcome I was thinking of, the end result came out even worse than that. The lady smiled at me, seemingly amused by my thoughts and emotions. "You''ll be suffering so much in the Tower if you go on your own, huhuhu. You won''t die, but oh my... the Tower is the last place a Jinx like you should go. But do you even have a choice? To cure your curse, you need to climb the Tower." Did she just call me a Jinx? Somehow, I felt more offended at that than actually feeling bad about myself due to my misfortune. "You are a Jinx, there''s no denying that." The lady smiled and shook her head. "In any case, I''ll make your life a bit easier and help you somewhat as I do want to see you conquer the Tower." The lady surely seemed nice, but I don''t understand... Why was she being like that to someone she just met? "I have been watching you since you were a child. If it wasn''t for that, I wouldn''t be as nice. Do you get it?" "Really?" "Yes." This makes me wonder... how did she even find me? No, a better question would be, if she could find me, did she also find the other guy with the good luck card? The lady got up and shook her head. "The other person is blessed with immense fortune. They would get whatever they want and if I try to go close, they would simply vanish as my intentions don''t seem good." "Your intentions aren''t good?" What? Was I getting scammed here? "Don''t sweat the small things. Focus on conquering the Tower and everything should slowly fall into place. I will be there in your journey, so don''t be afraid and live a little." "Wait. These words are good and everything. But what do you mean by bad intentions?" The lady checked her wrist and had a look at her non-existent watch. "Oh. It seems like the time is up. We''ll talk about everything else later. For now, enjoy your reincarnation and take some time to heal yourself." "Wait..." I had so many questions to ask her, but I felt a strong pull towards the unknown and found my vision go blurry. I felt like I was a piece of iron getting pulled towards the world''s strongest magnet. If it was a physical body, it definitely would''ve turned into meat paste the moment it felt the pull. I don''t exactly know how much time has passed, but in my dark vision, I could see some faint light. Then, I could feel something... And then another thing... And another... Ooooh the sensations. I could feel some bodily sensations again! So this was what reincarnation was! It felt like waking up from a very deep sleep on a cold morning. I felt warm, comfortable, and slowly... I could see a tinge of red as sensations of my eyes returned. As I opened my eyes, I found myself in a dimly lit room. The ceiling was not the same. Instead of cracked paint smudged with leakages, it was pristine white and adorned with multiple chandeliers that I had only seen in the movies. Those chandeliers were reflecting the soft warm light from oil lamps burning in the corners of the room. As I soaked into my new reality, I found myself under a thick quilt, on a bed large enough for five people to sleep in. I got out of bed and walked towards the mirror in the corner of the room. As I took a few steps, my head suddenly felt heavy and the world around me seemed to be revolving. Bam! Crassshhhh! "Oww..." I hit my head on something and fell down on something else entirely. A stinging pain assaulted my arms and legs while I lay in a weird position on the floor. Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap! I heard a rhythmic clatter of footsteps shortly after falling down. Click! Slam! "Master!" I heard a feminine voice, and was then flashed with a blindingly bright light, making my eyes shut on their own. "Master!" The voice sounded panicked this time. The footsteps got louder and in the next second, I felt someone holding my body. "Master, are you alright!?" The owner of the voice sounded genuinely concerned with that hurried question they asked. I was lifted up and made to sit on something soft, probably my bed. I opened my eyes again and now, I could see the person before me. It was a young lady, probably in her early twenties. Her brows were knitted and she seemed really concerned with the way she was intensely staring at me. "Master. Master, are you alright?" She patted on my face and asked, seemingly trying to make me conscious. Wanting to say something, I opened my mouth. "I¡ª pucchii¡ª" "Master!!" Blood spewed out of my mouth. The sense of vertigo returned and my vision darkened, before I finally couldn''t see or feel anything anymore. Chapter 4: Telling The Truth Chapter 4: Telling The TruthI felt groggy and my head was heavy as I slowly tried to wake up. My movements had perhaps alerted the people around me as I heard: "Lady! Lady Eleanor! Master is waking up!" As I opened my eyes, in my hazy vision I saw somebody rushing towards me. A gentle, calming scent of lavender hit my nose as the person came close, making me feel really comfortable. Pat. Pat. Pat. They patted my face and asked in a worried voice, "My dear! My baby! Are you alright!?" Pat. Pat. Pat. "Open your eyes. Look at mommy!" ''Ah... so this lady is the mother.'' I thought to myself as my eyes regained clarity. It had been nothing short of a roller coaster ride ever since I had a heart attack. I thought I was dead, but no, I was in limbo apparently, and then I met some lady who made me reincarnate, and now here I am, listening to the cries of a beautiful lady who called herself as my mother. "Julien! Julien! My baby!" The lady held my shoulders and shook me vigorously, snapping me out of my daze. I saw a beautiful face. One that made me forget all worries. It was so gentle and delicate that it felt even a slight touch could harm it. The jewel-like clear blue eyes that resembled the ocean, they were teary and screamed of concern. The golden locks of hair brushed against my face as the lady was quite close while patting my face. Everything seemed to have slowed down as I was watching her, that''s how mesmerizing her beauty was. "Julien!" The flow of time was back to normal as my eyes regained their focus and locked onto the clear blue ones of the lady in front. "Yes?" I asked. "Julien!" The lady exclaimed once again. This time, her shout was that of relief and not panic. She hugged me tightly and said while rubbing my back, "Oh my dear, you don''t know how scared mommy was. You weren''t responding for two whole days!" "Hm?" I tried to make sense of the situation. "Oh god, I am so relieved. So very relieved!" The lady broke the hug and said while looking at me. She kissed my forehead repeatedly and said, "Don''t scare mommy like that again! Please, my dear, I beg you!" The sudden shower of love was warm and wholesome, but my heart was numb and I did not feel anything. My mind rejected this and I knew I was not worthy of love to deserve all of this. My misfortune had killed many around me ever since I was a child. Even after my death, it continued on, and I seemed to have caused the death of this person called Julien whose body I had acquired. The poor mother in front... she just lost her child and doesn''t even know that she''s showering a complete stranger with love and concern. Sigh... this won''t do. I have to tell this lady the truth. She deserves to know it. This is the least I could do for Julien and pay my respect and gratitude. Plus, if I don''t tell her the truth now, things would only get more problematic later on. If she gets attached to me and continues to love me, my misfortune would get her and may end up killing her. It was best if I kept my distance. "Julien, say something." The lady urged me. Getting an opportunity, I looked at the lady, dead in the eyes, and said, "Ma''am, I am not Julien." "..." The room was deathly silent after my hoarse voice said something. It took a solid few seconds for the lady to process what I had just said. Thinking it was just her ears ringing, she said, "What did you say, baby? Mommy wasn''t able to hear it clearly." I took a deep breath and shook my head. Gently pushing the lady away from me, I got down the bed and had a look at the two people in my room. One was the young girl whom I saw before collapsing and the other was Julien''s mother, the beautiful lady with golden locks of hair radiating like sunshine. I looked at the two and said, "This may sound strange, but please hear me out." The two ladies stared at me with knitted brows, as if they were looking at something really weird. "Julien, my dear, what are you trying to do? You should be resting, not roaming around." The beautiful lady said with a sad, motherly frown. "Please, can you listen to me first?" I urged them. "What''s there to listen?" The lady argued. I distanced myself from them a bit and pointing at myself, said, "This, the person you''re talking to right now... I''m not your Julien." "Huh?" "Huh!?" The two ladies were visibly surprised by my words. "Yes. I''m not Julien. My name''s... hm? What... what''s my name?" Something''s strange. I can''t remember my name. Shit, what was my name!?! What do I tell these ladies now!? "Baby, you''re still very sick. Get back to bed and rest." The lady got up and walked towards. "You''ve been muttering strange things from the moment you woke up." "M''lady... I think something has happened to master''s memory. It''s probably related to the poison." The young girl, in a conservative maid uniform, gave her two cents on this matter. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hm... could be the effects of poison, yes." The lady seemed to agree with her. "Wait. I haven''t lost my memory." I hurriedly stated and distanced myself from the two. "I am actually Jack. Yes, my name''s Jack, and I hail from a world called..." Fuck! What world!?! I can''t even remember that now! "...m-m-mockingjay world! Yes, I hail from a world called the Mockingjay world. Please don''t confuse me with your son Julien." The two ladies knitted their brows as they heard that. The motherly lady rubbed her temples and said, "Sophie, close the windows and door. Then go outside and keep guard. Make sure nobody enters the room until I say so." "Understood, M''lady." Snap! Snap! Snap! With just the snap of her fingers, all the windows of the room were closed shut, blocking the sunlight and dimming the place. The girl called Sophie walked out of the room and closed the door. I have no idea how she was able to close everything so swiftly and with just the snap of her fingers like it was magic, but I had a feeling that I was going to be in trouble right now. "Julien." The blonde lady looked at me and said, in a completely serious tone. She was about to say something again, but I shook my head and interrupted. "No. I''m not Julien. I''m Jack from the Mockingjay world." I made false names, but it was alright. At least it was enough to distinguish myself from this body''s previous owner. The blonde lady looked at me for a few seconds, then sighed, as if really tired. "Have a seat first. I''ll listen to what you have to say." She walked towards the study table and picked two cushioned wooden chairs, bringing them close to me. She carried them as if they were as light as feathers, shocking me. "Sit." She pointed at the chair opposite to hers and instructed. I seem to have no other choice than to listen, which I did, and sat down obediently. "Now tell me. What were you saying?" The lady asked in a gentle, unhurried tone. Her lavender scent hit me once again, calming me down significantly. I collected my thoughts and said, "I... I am not your Julien, ma''am. I am someone else and my name is Jack. I hail from a world called the Mockingjay and..." "And?" And what? What was I going to say next? Shit. What has happened to my memory!? Why can''t I remember anything? Let alone remember, I am unable to recall what I was doing in my previous world. My memories... they were slowly fading away. No... this can''t be... This can''t be happening! "...and what, Jack? Say something." The lady seemed to have accepted my name and was calling me by that. I looked at her and shook my head, honestly saying, "I am unable to recall much things." "Figures." The lady said. I sighed and continued, "However, what I do know is that I''m not your son. You shouldn''t have any attachment to me and abandon me somewhere." I saw a flicker in the lady''s eyes and her hands trembled. "Why is that the case, Jack?" The lady''s voice was somewhat hoarse as she asked that. "Well... if I were to tell you the truth, I am a curse. I bring misfortune to everyone around me. I have already died once, and this is my second life. In my past life, my misfortune had caused..." Chapter 5: Mother Chapter 5: MotherI told the lady everything that had happened in my past life. She patiently listened and did not interrupt even once. The tales I recited, it made her tear up. She was genuinely sobbing as I continued on, and after who knows when, I finished with my story when I told her about the heart attack. "Oh my baby..." the lady sobbed and wiped her tears with a handkerchief. "...it has been so hard on you..." Those words were really comforting and exactly the ones I needed right now. However, they did not belong to me. This was not my mother. I had to stay firm. For the sake of the life of this lady. "...so as I mentioned, I''m quite dangerous and not your son. I am really thankful for the care you''ve shown, but from this point onwards, please let''s part ways. I''m sorry for your loss and that your son is no more... but it''s just what it is... I''m sorry..." I said apologetically with the most polite tone possible. I was a transmigrator and in all the fantasy books I had read and the movies I had watched, it warned about not revealing your identity to anyone in the new world. It would only cause trouble. I broke one of the unsaid rules of the transmigrators, and perhaps, due to this, I may even get killed by this very lady. But it was okay. Death was not the end. At least for a Jinx like me who was not allowed to die. Having heard everything, the lady got up. In response, I stood up as well. She took a step towards me and looked down on me. I was a head shorter than her and had to look up to meet her gaze. "How did you look in the past?" "I don''t know. I can''t remember anything. Not my name, not my looks, nothing. I only remember the experiences." I said honestly. "What do you know of Julien?" "Nothing." "Then how could you say he died?" The lady was serious when she asked this. I sighed and replied without getting intimidated, "Isn''t my existence enough proof? If I exist, then he has certainly died. There cannot be more than one soul occupying a body at a time." "Is that so?" The lady asked calmly. Her calm demeanor and the current look was completely different from the gentle, motherly appearance she had when I saw her initially. I was starting to get terrified and she was so tall that she was casting a shadow on me. Still, I did not waver and said, "Yes." The lady then extended her hand out, showing me her palm. It was right in front of my face. Her skin was smooth and seemed really soft to touch, just from appearance alone. This was my first time ever coming in such close proximity of a woman. Honestly, my heart was beating fast as I got these new experiences. "Watch." I heard the lady''s voice, and in a few seconds, on top of her palm, something bright came slithering like a snake. It seemed to be coming from behind my shoulder, and once it reached the lady''s palm, it coiled itself and formed a sphere. So this was a world of magic. If I had any doubts before, now they are all gone. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "What do you think is this?" The lady questioned. "I do not know." I shook my head and answered honestly The lady''s eyes turned gentle as she answered, "It''s a soul strand. Not just any soul strand, it''s your soul strand." "..." I frowned and stared at it, then turned my head up to look at the lady, then back down at the strand. What? What the fuck!? A soul strand!?! Meaning a strand of my soul!? How was this lady able to peel it from my soul without me feeling anything? What magic was this? "Now that you''ve looked at your soul. Look at this..." A similar strand slithered from behind the lady''s shoulder and formed a sphere beside mine. "They look the same, don''t they?" The lady asked with a soft smile. I gave her a slight nod in response and wondered where this was going... to be honest, I wasn''t paying much attention to this as I was still thinking of how she could peel a strand out from my soul. "Now look..." the lady grabbed my attention. This time I was looking. The two spheres on her palm began moving closer. They did not collide, but seemed to be blending together. The small smile on the lady''s face was slowly broadening as she watched the spheres along with me. In no time, they fully blended and there lay only one sphere on her palm. "Do you see this?" She asked. "Yeah?" The lady bent down to meet my eye level while keeping her palm still. "This is your answer." She said softly. "Your soul strand perfectly blends with mine." She moved her hands and pulled the soul strands, changing their shape from a sphere to a straight string. The bright string illuminated both our faces and the lady in front seemed as beautiful as the moon. Her clear blue eyes turned to mine and she continued. "Souls are unique and incompatible with others. However, when a child is born, a small imprint of the mother''s soul is left on the child''s soul as a natural part of the birth process. This imprint allows their souls to recognize and connect with each other in a way that no other souls can." My anxiety was flaring. I felt as if someone''s palm was lingering on my heart, ready to crush it any minute. I was breathing heavily and my heartbeat quickened. The lady let go of the string and it flew back into my body, disappearing. She then gently held my face and said as softly as she could, "I understand your past, my dear. With the whole universe against you, it has been really hard on you." Ahh... this is the absolute worst. Don''t show me such gentleness. Don''t show me such care. Don''t get attached. Please stay away. Please stay away... "You are my child." The lady said with absolute conviction. "There is no denying that." "But¡ª" "No." She shook her head and stopped me from speaking. "If you think you replaced my Julien, then why do you not have memories of his life? All sorts of possession arts allow for memory retention. How do you not know anything then?" I knitted my brows. What was this? How do I even answer this? Looking at me not knowing anything, the lady smiled and shook her head. "I''m sure you don''t even know what you look like or whom your face, eyes, hair, nose, ears, and lips resemble." She then looked at me with a teasing smile and asked, "Guess what your hair color is?" I was a bit baffled. The mood was changing and the tense atmosphere didn''t seem as tense anymore. I shook my head and said, "I don''t know." "You can guess anything." She gave me a lot of leeway. I saw her golden hair and asked, "Yellow?" She smiled and plucked a strand of my hair, then showed it to me. It was black. "Come with me." She got up, held my wrist, and pulled me towards a certain corner of the room where a lot of picture frames were hanging. Pointing at a raven-haired toddler she held in her arms, she said, "Have a look." I did. I had a look. The toddler seemed bored while in her arms. She then pointed at another picture, it was of the same boy, but roughly ten to twelve years of age. The boy seemed bored and had a lifeless look in his blue eyes. They weren''t as clear and bright as the lady''s. They were quite dim. When I finished having a look, she pointed at another picture, this time the boy seemed older and undergoing puberty. "This was you, just a month ago." She said in a soft voice. The eyes... they were still lifeless. The boy seemed to be zoned out, no, he seemed like a living corpse with the way he appeared. The lady turned to look at me and raised both my hands in front of her chest, then held it. "My dear..." She took a step close to me, then bent down to meet my eye level. "Ever since you were born, you have had this lifeless look in your eyes. You seemed to be in the present but were so distant. You were..." She carefully chose her words. "...you were acting like a pre-programmed machine. If I asked you to sit, you would sit. If I asked you to play, you would play. You did not have any reasoning or logical thinking whatsoever. You were alive..." The lady felt a lump in her throat. She closed her eyes, trying to make the tears disappear, and opening them again, said, "...yet not so much at the same time." I was silent. Completely silent. I may be broken, but I was not stupid or irrational to not understand what was happening here. Listening to the lady speak reminded me of the lotus lady''s words, which went: "...I will also ease some of your suffering initially and let you have a peaceful life..." "...I would also be helping you reincarnate properly..." I see. Now I understand what she meant by easing my suffering and helping me reincarnate properly. I did not replace Julien like I thought I did. No, the situation was completely different. "...two days ago... Sophie said you moved on your own and fell down." The lady''s words brought me back to the present. "I was so happy to have heard this, but then we found out that you were poisoned. You were on the verge of death. I was so heartbroken that I couldn''t sleep or eat." When she said sleep, I unknowingly looked at her eyes, under which I saw heavy dark circles which I had previously ignored. She did seem tired from the way her face was. The lady then shook her head. "Anyway... coming to the present, I could not express the happiness I felt when I saw you speak on your own accord. However, it was short-lived as you kept saying you weren''t my child." She gently cupped my face with her palms. "But now..." I took a deep breath. I could figure out what she was about to say. Every piece fell into place and the puzzle was finally solved. "...everything points at you being my child, my baby, my Julien. And you, my dear, just had your awakening." Sigh... That''s right... The identity I kept rejecting all along... ...was my own. Chapter 6: Arcana Cards Chapter 6: Arcana CardsStanding in the same corner, I was staring at the blonde lady who called herself my mother. "...this... this still doesn''t change the fact that I''m a Jinx." I tried to reason. Even if I may have been perfectly reincarnated, it doesn''t change the fact that I would bring calamity and hurt the ones around me. Instead of giving me an answer, the lady began giggling. She held my hand, interlocked her fingers with mine, and took me to a different section of the room where there were just walls. She tapped on a particular wall and a cabinet opened up, revealing five rectangular cards with sharp corners. They were all soft gray in color with blue accents and had various symbols etched on them. The most peculiar thing about them all was an eye in the middle of the card. Picking one of the cards up with the tip of her index and middle fingers, as if they were chopsticks, she showed the back of the card to me. "What is this?" She asked. "Card?" "Arcana Card." "Oh." So this was the Arcana Card. It sure looked unique and ominous. "Your misfortune comes because of these. Previously, you had no way of protecting yourself because that world had no idea of the Tower and..." I was given a long explanation on where exactly my misfortune stemmed from and how I could tackle it. No, it wasn''t ''I'', but ''we''. This lady, she was giving me assurance and saying everything will be fine. Her confidence stemmed from the fact that my misfortune came from a card which had ways to be tackled. She took me out of this room and went back to the bedroom. We both sat on the chairs again and she continued to explain about the cards. The Arcana Cards had various categories and to solve my problem, we first had to identify which category my misfortune card belonged to. "...you would know the details of your card after your awakening. It looks something like this..." The lady swiped her hand in front and a blue system panel manifested in front. On it were letters written in white. + [General Stats] Name: Eleanor Von Lichtenstein Level: ¡ª XP: ¡ª Title: Duchess of the Kingdom of Silverose. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Trait: ¡ª Affiliation: ¡ª [Arcana Cards] Inferno Wyrm (Rare); Glimmering Aegis (Rare); Azure Serpent (Rare) [Attributes] Health: ¡ª Essence: ¡ª Strength: ¡ª Agility: ¡ª Endurance: ¡ª Intelligence: ¡ª Charm: ¡ª [Special Abilities] ¡ª [Items] ¡ª [Achievements] ¡ª + Once again, I was truly taken aback. I thought this place was a medieval aristocratic setting given how there were oil lamps and chandeliers, but the system panel made me rethink. This was more advanced than the world I hailed from. The system panel had a lot of dashes, and perhaps this was there for anonymity. The lady only showed me the important information, which were the cards. "You''ll have your card''s name written like this. The category should be there as well." She said. I nodded in understanding. She raised her palm vertically and showed me the edge of her hand. Then, she turned it and a card appeared in between her index and middle fingers. I was looking at the back of her smooth, unblemished hand, and at the card she held. It had a deep blue color with gold accents on it. "This is one of my cards." She handed it to me. "Revealing your cards is a big no-no, but this situation is an exception." I took the card and had a look. The front of the card had information and many different things written on it. There was a blue serpent''s image on it, and touching it felt very real, as if I was touching a real snake''s mushy scaly body. Turning it, the back had some changes. The eye was open and had a glowing core in it. It felt real and scary. I handed the card back to the lady and contemplated my life from this point onwards. The words of the lotus lady once again resounded in my ears. "...focus on conquering the Tower and everything should slowly fall in place..." "...live a little." I do not understand how she was able to predict the emotional turmoil I would go through in the future, but I''m glad that someone understood me and was there to advice. "So, what now?" I asked the lady. I had not the slightest idea on what I should be doing from here onwards. "Nothing." "What?" "Yes." The lady said and got up. She walked close to me and pulled me up, then held my face again and looked at me with an intimate gaze. Shit... this is bad... While I may be broken emotionally, this current body of mine was physically fit and exactly how a young boy''s body should be. It was raging with hormones and influencing my mind to think of all the weird stuff. Plus, the blood was starting to get sent to a place I didn''t want it to! My eyes helplessly looked at the lady. I don''t know what she was thinking, but she seemed to be smiling. "You are my baby and nothing''s changed. I am not letting you go anywhere, and as your mommy, it''s my responsibility to look after you." "..." Curses. Why was this lady speaking like that! Please keep a distance and speak normally! I wanted to shout this, but my head was spinning. Everything felt fuzzy. She shook her head and continued, "You do not know, my baby, how long I''ve waited for you to recover." Okay!? I get it! But why speak in such a tone and in such a way!? Anyone would, including me, think something wrong was going on here! A flicker flashed in her clear blue eyes. "You don''t know how much I''ve missed you." What''s with this tone and words!?! "Your sisters have missed you. And how much our hearts were in turmoil." She sighed and patted my face. "Anyway, all of that aside. Since you don''t remember anything from your childhood or anything about mommy or your sisters, we''re gonna have to recreate everything. We''ll take it slowly, for your sake, okay?" Kiss~ I felt something soft, wet, and warm on my forehead. My body heated up and my head began spinning. Soon, I passed out. ..... I don''t know how long has passed, but as I opened my eyes, I found myself staring at the same ceiling as before. "Did you sleep well, baby?" I heard a familiar, gentle voice. Turning my head to the side, my eyes widened in shock. In front of me was a breathtaking view of the most alluring woman I''ve ever laid my eyes upon. The moonlight shone on her smooth, pristine skin, casting a soft glow, and highlighted her otherworldly beauty. All of this was fine, but what bothered me the most was how she only wore a thin nightgown, unknowingly giving me a look of two heavenly peaks and a deep valley. "W-w-what are you doing?" I stuttered and asked, covering my face and trying not to look. Blood was starting to rush to my nose and it felt like I would bleed any minute now. "Hm?" The lady tilted her head and wondered what was wrong. "Why are you covering your face, baby?" Noooo! Don''t talk to me like that! The blood rushing towards the nose decided to change its course and moved down the body at the speed of light, making something rock hard. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! This was the absolute worst! "Are you alright, my dear? You seem to be having a fever..." She said and touched my forehead, making me tremble. I distanced myself from her and turned around. "W-w-why are you in my bed, lady? And what''s with those clothes?" "This?" She held the strap of her nightgown. "What''s wrong with these?" "So many things!" She sighed and shook her head. "Understanding you sure is a challenge. But it''s okay. We''ll work things out." After she said that, I felt a hand wrap around my abdomen. "Hiiiii¡ª!" I was startled and shivered. My first instinct was to run away, but the hold on me was firm and I couldn''t budge even an inch. I heard some rustling, and a second later, something soft pressed against my back. A sharp thing landed on top of my head, and then I heard, "Mommy will help you sort your mess, so don''t be afraid. It''s night time, I''ve used a food card on you so you shouldn''t be hungry. Go to sleep, good night." The top of my head was kissed tenderly by her, and she slept while holding me tight, as if afraid that I would run away. My heart was beating really fast. This was the most interaction I''ve had with someone of the opposite sex. I honestly wouldn''t have minded if it was someone else, but this person... Wait, I haven''t accepted our relationship yet. I''ll just pretend there''s no connection between us for now and try to sleep. "Hmm... by the way... tomorrow we will go to the Tower and have you awaken. You need a lot of energy so make sure to rest properly." She was resting her chin on top of my head and spooning me. This was definitely not normal... As everything was quiet and I was under a warm quilt, in the tender embrace of a beautiful lady... my eyelids soon felt heavy and droopy. My breathing eventually evened out as I slowly sunk into the dreamland. Chapter 7: Dilemma Chapter 7: DilemmaThe next day. I woke up to a sight that a man could only dream of. A cute young lady and a seductive, mature beauty were by my sides, looking at me with smiling faces. They were happy over the fact that I had a good sleep, which felt quite odd to me. The cute young lady was in a conservative maid outfit and was called Sophie. She was here with our breakfast and morning tea. The majestic blonde lady, still in her nightgown, looked at me and said with a smile, "Up and at ''em, baby!" "..." I had no idea what to say to that. Honestly, I was quite baffled. I sat upright and gave her a curt nod. She smiled and ruffled my hair. "Good morning, my dear." "Good morning." I said plainly. "Our goal today is to have you finish the tutorial in the Tower. Okay?" "Okay." "I''ll be briefing you about the Tower and tutorial in the carriage, okay?" "Okay." "We''ll also have breakfast while we''re on the way to not waste time. Okay?" "Okay." "Good. Now let''s go take a bath then." "Oka¡ªwait. What!?!" I was alarmed. What did she say!?! The blonde lady looked at me with a confused gaze and asked, "Is something the matter?" "Yes." I said straightforwardly. "I can''t take a bath with you." "What? Why?" She seemed shocked. "What do you mean why!?" I covered my chest with my hands and tried to distance myself from her. "Look at yourself, then look at me. We both are grown adults, we can''t do this!" "..." She looked at me with a contemplating gaze, truly not understanding what I meant by all that. "You''ve just had your senses returned. I''m sure you might not know how to clean yourself properly. Let mommy¡ª" "No! No!" I shook my head vigorously. "This can''t be happening." "Why??" She didn''t scold me, and genuinely tried to understand the reason. It''s because I''m a virgin and would jizz myself the moment I see more of your skin! I can''t possibly say this to her, can I!? Lord, help me... I tried to keep myself composed this time around and said, "See... didn''t you say we were mother and son?" Her eyes lit up. She clasped her hands and asked, "Are you finally accepting mommy as your mommy, baby?!" "No¡ª" Wait a minute. I stopped myself from speaking. If I say yes, it would mean I am accepting her as my mother. If I say no, then she isn''t my mother, so what is the problem with bathing together? What a fucking dilemma... fuck! I trapped my own self with this question. The lady was staring at me with stars in her eyes. She was really hoping I called her mommy. Sigh... what to do... "Can we skip the bath and go to the Tower immediately?" I asked. She shook her head and crossed her arms, making an ''X''. "You are stinky, mommy is stinky, so we both need to bath first." She argued. I closed my eyes contemplated. My ears were turning red from imagining the scene that would play out if I said yes. Crap! Stop thinking that! Stop thinking that! Think of old naked men dancing! No! Nonononono! That''s too gay! Sheep. Yes, think of sheep. Sheep. Sheep. Sheep. "Please let''s go to the Tower first!" I exclaimed, surprising her and the maid in the room. "Ahem, my apologies." I cleared my throat and said. "Please let''s go to the Tower first. If we do that, I think I might be able to come to a decision of whether to accept everything that''s happening or not." "You mean..." the lady raised her eyebrows. "Yes." I sighed and nodded. "I''ll give you an answer after we come out of the Tower." "Ah, that''s good!" She smiled ear to ear and beamed with joy. "Let''s not waste time then and leave at once!" She held my wrist and made me get out of bed. "Sophie, get the carriage ready. We''re leaving for the Tower!" "Yes, M''lady!" The girl bowed and ran to get the things ready. I was taken to the wardrobe room attached to my bedroom by the blonde lady. She held the hem of my shirt and immediately took it off. "Whaaat!?!" I was shocked and took a step back. "What are you doing?" "Honestly, Julien, mommy''s getting annoyed by your shenanigans." She knitted her brows and said. "Get back here and let me dress you up." "I can do it myself!" I argued. "No. Let me do it, it''ll be faster." She argued back. "No!" I said sternly and stood on my ground. She frowned and was about to say something, but then stopped herself from doing so. She placed her hand on her hips, which stressed the two heavenly peaks in front of her, and said, "Actually you know what, go ahead. Do it. Let mommy see how you''re able to put on the many layers of clothing." Oh, she agreed. Surprising... I gave her a slight nod and said, "Yes. I''ll do it. Please go out." "No." She was stern this time. "Mommy will be watching." I could''ve argued with her on this, but I know that she wouldn''t budge. For some reason, this lady was really stubborn when it came to these small things. She was so understanding and mature when I was explaining to her about my past life. She actually listened the whole time and didn''t interrupt or ask questions, letting me vent all the frustration out. She also accepted that I had reincarnated so easily and still didn''t mind accepting me as her child. Such an understanding lady was acting so childishly right now. It amused me quite a lot. In any case, I went ahead and opened the doors of the wooden wardrobe. The moment I saw the clothes, I felt dizzy. So many damn clothes! There were two rows, one above the other, and in both, possibly a hundred shirts were hanging! I could only see the side and not how they look. This meant that I would have to pick something randomly and wear it. This was just the shirt wardrobe. I think there was another wardrobe for pants, then another for inner wear and so on. While just looking at the shirts, two minutes were spent. I turned to the lady to ask for something, but she was staring at me with an expression that read: ''I told you, let me do it!''; ''I told you, didn''t I?!'' I shook my head and went back to select the shirt. I picked one randomly and it seemed to be a knitted woolen shirt. Well... I can''t be wearing this... it didn''t look good for outings. I put the shirt back and fetched another one. This shirt was too colorful and not proper. I put it back and grabbed another. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Enough!" I heard a frustrated voice, then felt a hand on my bare shoulder. "You do not even know what type of clothes you wear, and you have the audacity to reject mommy''s help." I got flustered and my ears turned as I saw her so up close. "I-I don''t want you to see me naked!" I yelled out unknowingly. "..." She knitted her brows and placed her hands on my shoulders, then looked into my eyes and said seriously, "Darling, there''s nothing on you that mommy hasn''t seen. There''s no need to be embarrassed or ashamed." "..." Was she hearing herself? Was she hearing what she was saying!? "Stand quietly. I''ll dress you up in a minute." The lady said and walked into my shirt closet. She didn''t even look as she picked a shirt and moved to another wardrobe and picked pants, belt, boots, and so on. She then walked towards me and made me raise my hands and dropped a tunic. A leather jerkin was then draped and I don''t even know how and when my hands went inside it and it fit me properly. In no time, my pants were taken off too. And then underwear... The lady''s hand movements were swift and it only took her a few seconds to put another set of underwear and pants on me. I was in shock and stood still like a statue. Half a minute was taken for putting on boots and in another minute, she made me wear a belt, crest, and a lot many smaller accessories. Pat. Pat. "There you go, my handsome boy." She said and kissed my head. I didn''t respond and stood quietly, trying to pretend that whatever had just happened, didn''t really happen. Once done here, she held my hand and took me to the washroom. "Since you so want to do things on your own, wash your face and brush your teeth. Mommy will be back soon." She left after saying so. I stood hopelessly in a spacious, luxurious washroom, in front of a mirror, contemplating life and wondering what''s left of me... Chapter 8: Tower Chapter 8: TowerThe Tower stood at the heart of the world, a colossal structure that pierced the heavens with no visible end. From the ground, it appeared as an impossibly tall spire with its smooth, dark surface shimmering with an otherworldly glow. The Tower''s base was so wide it vanished into the horizon, and was surrounded by swirling mists that obscured its lower levels. No windows or doors were visible, only a series of intricate, glowing runes that spiraled up its length, hinting at the immense power and secrets contained within. The sheer scale of the Tower dwarfed everything around it, making it seem like a monolith left by gods. It was visible from everywhere despite the world being round. I was in awe when I saw it and couldn''t take my eyes away from it. It was so magnificent! "You can stare all you want after we come back, baby. Hurry up now." I was pulled inside the Tower and couldn''t admire it for more than a few seconds. To go inside, one simply had to enter a blue oval portal present at multiple locations around the world. I was taken into one such and after a moment, I felt nauseous , then found myself standing in a grand, circular hall whose walls stretched endlessly upward, vanishing into a shimmering haze. The ceiling was a mosaic of shifting constellations, casting a soft, ambient light across the room. Scattered throughout the halls were towering runestones, each inscribed with glowing symbols that pulsed rhythmically, as if alive. These runestones seemed to hum with an ancient energy, resonating with the Tower''s power. Other than them, what caught my attention more were the floating platforms and bridges drifting through the air, connected by beams of light. They led to various doorways and pathways, each marked with arcane symbols representing different challenges and paths within the Tower. Holographic interfaces projected floating screens showing various tutorials, instructions, and system information. These displays hovered in mid-air, awaiting interaction. An otherworldly energy charged within the atmosphere. The air felt both heavy and exhilarating, and the potent mix of magic and technology was riling me up. I couldn''t wait to get started. "This is the lobby ¡ª Floor 0." "Let''s get your tutorial started." I was taken to a runestone pillar at the base of which was a rectangular stone. On it were carved some strange glowing symbols. "Trace your hand over the letters, top to bottom, right to left, and your tutorial will begin." The lady then gave me a firm hug and kissed my head. "Good luck, sweetheart." I gave her a curt nod and began tracing my fingers over the symbols. [Ding!] I heard a soft chime. [New user detected...] [Registering...] A voice resonated within my mind as I saw a translucent system screen in front of me and the lines of words on it. "Bye-bye~" I turned to the side and saw the blonde lady waving at me. She soon faded as the reality around me crumbled into bright pixels, and I found myself standing in a dark place. [Ding!] [Registration complete!] + [General Stats] Name: Julien Von Lichtenstein Level: 1 XP: 0/500 [Attributes] Health: 10 Essence: 3 Strength: 7 Agility: 5 Endurance: 5 Intelligence: 9 Charm: 11 Luck: N/A Arcana Cards:(0/3) (More tabs will be added upon tutorial completion.) + [Welcome, Player!] [Your journey through the Tower begins now. The Arcana System will guide you through your ascent.] The reality around me crumbled into pixels once again and I found myself standing on a never ending grassland. [Ding!] [Please choose any three cards to add to your initial deck.] + -Flame Poke(Common):Deals minor fire damage to a single target. -Minor Heal(Common): Restores a small amount of health to a single ally. -Quick Strike(Common): Performs a basic melee attack with increased speed. -Shield Bubble(Common): Provides a small protective shield to absorb some damage. -Speed Boost(Common): Increases the user''s movement speed temporarily. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. -Light Slash(Common): A basic attack with a slight light-based effect. + In front of me were six cards floating in the air. All had sharp edges, soft gray color with light blue accents, denoting them being common cards. The names were written on them along with their details. I thought about it and decided to go with one attack, one movement, and one defense card but found that Quick Strike had speed in it as well. So my final choices turned out to be Flame Poke, Quick Strike, and Shield Bubble. I tapped on the three cards to make a selection and heard the system''s voice. + [Initial card selection complete.] [Adding cards to slots...] [Error detected ¨C Card slot #2 already occupied.] [Attempting to resolve conflicting data...] + What? What was happening here? Why was there an error? + [Error detected ¨C Card slot #2 already occupied.] [Scanning existing card in slot #2.] [Unregistered card detected in slot #2.] [...Unable to analyze card. Level data not available...] [Glitch detected ¨C Overriding slot restrictions.] [All card slot rarity restrictions removed.] [Cards of any level can now be assigned to slots. Proceed with caution.] [Glitch resolution in progress...] [Recalibrating system parameters...] [Restoring slot restrictions...] [Error.] [Restoring slot restrictions...] [Error.] [Restoring slot restrictions...] [Error.] [Recalibrating system parameters...] [Notifying Administrator...] [¡ªAdministrator override.] [Error fixed. System stable.] + What? What!?! Did I end up alerting the administrator due to this? How fucked am I now? Are my days numbered? "No." Who!?! "Relax. It''s me." I heard a soothing feminine voice. "Huh?" I looked around and found nobody. "Pretend to be in the tutorial. Stop gawking around." The voice instructed. I stopped in my tracks and looked ahead of me, not turning around anymore. "Good boy." The voice said. "Now, do you know what just happened? Don''t say it out loud, think. I can listen to your thoughts." That''s scary. "It is, I know." ''...'' It took me a moment to calm down and accept what was happening. So, what exactly happened? "Remember when I mentioned the Misfortune Card created by the gods?" Yes? "Well, you naturally possess it¡ªit''s already in one of your card slots. However, because a card was already there, the system glitched, removing all restrictions on your card slots." What!?! "Yes. This thing makes even me envious. Oh if only I had such a thing when I started..." Wait. Wait. What do you mean restrictions removed? Does it mean I can have any card in it? "Yes. It is exactly what it means. You can have any card added to your slots, even the forbidden ones." I sucked in a cold breath of air hearing that, gasping out loud. Crazy. It''s totally crazy. "Yes, it is. Your reaction is still quite mild. If it were me, I would''ve passed out from happiness. Anyway, count yourself lucky, boy. This time your immense bad luck ended up helping you." Yeah, I''m actually glad. I was actually thinking that my bad luck might lead to one of my card slots disappearing. "Oh it already has." What!? "Card slot #2 will never be available for you. It''s permanently occupied by your misfortune card." ''...'' Fuck. Why did I jinx myself!? "Huhuhu... the Jinx saying why he jinxed himself..." It''s not funny. Sigh... "No need to be disappointed. The removed restriction more than makes up for it. Even the good luck boy did not get such a privilege." My ears perked up when I heard that. Shouldn''t his good luck get him such a benefit? "Yes, it should, but it didn''t. I mean, this was a result of my intervention." You intervened? "Not during his tutorial, but yours." "When he was undergoing tutorial, the system glitched, and due to his immense luck, the system added another slot, and later fixed this glitch. When you arrived, the system glitched again because it could not analyze the card as the rarity of the card went beyond its parameters. Thus, it glitched." "The system tried to fix this glitch, but failed, and ended up notifying the admin. And at this point, I pulled some strings and marked the glitch fixed, without actually fixing it. You should be thankful." Thank you. "This won''t do. Say thank you, Daddy, for thine blessings." ''...'' Aren''t you a woman? And why would I call you Daddy of all things? "Don''t question the almighty Daddy. Just say thank you." I''m not saying it. It''s so weird...! "Say it quickly or I''ll notify the admin." ''...'' Seriously? "Yes." ''...'' ...t-thank you... Daddy, for thine blessings. "Huhuhu... good boy, good boy. Anyway, a last additional piece of information. In case you''re wondering why the good luck boy did not have a card rarity glitch problem, it''s because the system detected the occupied slot problem first. The system thinks that there can only be one glitch at a time. Thus, after it was fixed, the card''s rarity went undetected because there was already a third slot present." I see. Thank you for this information, truly. "Don''t sweat it." "And yeah, before I leave, I have this one last thing to say." Please do tell. "You whine too much." ''...'' "And you''re too big of a virgin." ''...'' "And you literally are so bitchy, damn, my eyes and ears were bleeding when I saw your interaction with your mother." "Haven''t you read novels and watched anime? Didn''t they always say to not reveal your identity? Why did you so stupidly say it out?" ...sorry... "No, seriously. Hats off to that lady for being so patient, gentle, and understanding. If it was someone else, you would''ve been buried six feet under." "Something seriously has to be done about your virgin personality that stems from years of porn addiction. It''s unbearable. You''re putting this goddess Daddy''s name to shame. Tsk. Tsk. I''ll give you this gift, utilize it well and become a man." "Goodbye, may destiny favor you." + [Ding!] [Obtained ¡ª Eternal?Lust pack] [Adding to the interface...] [Addition complete!] [Ding!] [Noticed ¡ª Player engaged in Tower Tutorial.] [Starter pack can be accessed after tutorial ends.] [Gifts and letters from Daddy can be accessed after tutorial ends.] [Quests will begin shortly after tutorial ends.] + What? Whatttt!?! Whaaaaatttt!?!! Chapter 9: Forest of Valor Chapter 9: Forest of Valor[Please take ten steps ahead to start the Beginner''s Guide.] The system voice distracted me from my shock. Honestly, the level of tomfoolery that had just happened to me was insane. I so very much wanted to curse right now, but had to hold back and focus on this tutorial otherwise it may get suspicious. I took ten steps ahead and the tutorial began. The system gave me a brief overview of what Arcana Cards were. They were mystical cards that represented different aspects of power and destiny. As per the system, they were divided into four categories: Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Legendary. However, from the words of the lady who spoke a while ago, I could make out that there were definitely more categories than this. After the Arcana Cards, it told me about the most important thing in the world ¡ª Essence. Essence was the core of everything and was present in everyone to a varying degree. It was energy that could be channeled and amplified through Arcana Cards, artifacts, spells, and so on. A person could thus throw a fireball or a water bomb or even heal due to this Essence. Then, I was briefed about Relics, Runes, Arcana Shards, Upgrade Crystals, Artifacts, and a lot more things. Finally, the system came to the main topic, and said that there''s quests on every floor and monsters too. There''s floor bosses on all floors and every 25 floors would either have an Overlord Boss or a puzzle or some other difficult challenge altogether. The tutorial did not state how many floors there were. If a floor is cleared, it would not have the main quest anymore. However, there would be many side, and hidden quests left to finish, so a Player should keep seeking things out. Fighting floor bosses on most floors was optional. Only the boss at every ten and twenty-five floors was mandatory for ascension to higher floors. However, one should always try to finish the boss. Lastly, the number of floors cleared in this world''s Tower were 37 and there was a list of top ten Players shown to me. Once all explanations were done, the system stated: [Please unleash your card''s power in slot #1 to continue.] I was taught how to channel Essence into the card and use it. It was concentrated in your gut and to use it, one was supposed to make it flow out from the gut and channel it towards the glabella which contained the cards. I did just that. I felt tingly all over my body, but successfully managed to send the Essence into card slot #1 and activated Flame Poke. A small line of fire spewed out from thin air in front of me and got extinguished after flowing for a few meters. It was quite impressive to see. I was wielding magic and it felt pretty good. [Please unleash your card''s power in slot #3 to continue.] The system skipped slot #2, interesting. In slot #3 I had Quick Strike, and due to the glitch, I lost the defensive Shield Bubble card. I channeled the Essence to the card once again and my body swiftly moved five steps ahead and threw a front kick as it was activated. [Beginner''s guide complete.] [Teleporting player to the tutorial lobby...] This wasn''t the tutorial? The reality around me crumbled again and I found myself standing in a grand hall. It was similar to Floor 0. The lights dimmed and a screen, as big as a football field, appeared in front of me. I took out a black cloth mask from my pocket and wore it. I was briefed during the carriage ride that I would see a screen and was asked to wear it at that time. Hiding my identity was important, they said. [Welcome to the tutorial, Players.] A deep voice came from the screen as a man in a fine tuxedo walked into view. His neck or face was not visible. [Trials await those who wish to climb the Tower. This tutorial will be your first of the many you will be undergoing.] I silently listened to what was being said. [The tutorial is not easy by any means. You may lose your life. If you do not possess any combat or logical abilities, there is still time to back away. Once into the trial, there is no guarantee of coming out unscathed.] As the man said that, a blue screen prompt was projected in front of me. [Do you wish to exit? (Y/N)] I chose no. I have arrived here, I must see it till the end. There was a slight anxiety of my bad luck flaring up and messing with the trial, but I had to man up and face it. Climbing the Tower was my destiny. [The tutorial trial spans over one week and consists of three sections: Combat, Logic, and Teamwork.] [You will be informed when you achieve the minimum score required to either exit or continue for a higher score.] [Greater scores yield greater rewards.] [Note that you cannot exit mid-trial and remember¡ªfailure could result in death.] [Proceed with caution.] When he was done with the speech, the curtain of pixels scattered down and I found myself standing in a forest, under the canopy of tall trees. [Beginning the trial ¡ª Forest of Valor.] sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 10: Forest of Valor (2) Chapter 10: Forest of Valor (2)[Beginning the trial ¡ª Forest of Valor.] [Trial: Survive against the waves of monsters until the timer runs out. Gain points by defeating monsters. Additional points will be awarded upon completion of hidden tasks. *Points breakdown* -Grunt Golems: 20 points each -Fire Slimes: 25 points each -Land Gremlins: 30 points each -Sky Serpents: 30 points each -Frostbears: 35 points each -Ice Bully(boss): 100 points Obtain a minimum score of 500 to pass the trial.] Once the system screen displaying this disappeared from my front, a timer appeared in the corner. [06:00:00] [05:59:59] [05:59:58] I was feeling nervous, I wouldn''t lie. In the novels I read, in the movies I watched, the protagonists were always able to adapt immediately and become fearless. But me? I was just a normal adult with crippling misfortune. I would be lying if I said I didn''t fear myself dying here. Shaking my head and taking a deep breath, I put all these emotions and things to the back of my mind. Now was not the time to think about such stuff. I first needed a weapon. Two cards were definitely not enough to defeat waves of monsters. And I''m quite sure that I wouldn''t be able to deploy the attack at the right time. I took my first steps into the forest and moved while taking cover. From the names of the monsters, I got a hint of their habitats and kept a watch on the trees and bushes so as to not accidentally encounter any gremlins or snakes. Two minutes into the trial, I finally saw a monster. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hngh. Hngh. Hngh." It was a set of rocks piled together, grunting and moving. This was probably the Grunt Golem. I had a feeling I could take it down simply by kicking it, but let''s not be hasty. I quietly moved away and found a nice stick along the way. It was thick enough to not break in one hit and also somewhat flexible. Moving further, I found a flat rock. Perfect! I could use it as a shield. "Hnggggg..." ...or so I thought. I dropped the rock which I hadn''t even picked up due to how heavy it was and quietly left the area, pretending I didn''t just do what I did. I hope nobody was watching... Moving further, I heard the sound of running water and made my way towards it. There was a river in this place and it was quite wide while also having a decent shore. The flow of water was steady and I could see fishes leaping up and down. Wait. Fishes? I backed away slowly. *Crunch* *Crunch* Stepping on a twig, I generated a loud sound, alerting every monster in the vicinity. Shit... My hands were trembling thinking about the monsters and I clutched the stick tightly, making my way towards a tree to take cover. *Rustle* *Rustle* Something moved in the bushes. I held my breath and backed myself against a tree. The rustling sound continued for a few more seconds and stopped when a small, wiry creature with moss-green skin and glowing yellow eyes appeared out of it. This thing had sharp claws and jagged teeth which gleamed in the dim light, hinting at its predatory nature. It jumped around, agile and elusive, and moved with the stealth of a shadow. I was somewhat relieved after watching it because the unknown was more fearsome. And also it was due to this creature being small in general. Sure it looked scary, but its size was similar to a normal-sized house cat standing on two legs. I watched it for a bit and this monster, the Land Gremlin, sneaked towards a giant protruding rock. It made some strange sound and summoned three Land Gremlins. Together, the four looked around, then hid themselves under the rock, in its shadows, waiting for someone to pass by. I was amazed by their intelligence and if I hadn''t seen them, I would''ve definitely been attacked. Okay. I can do this. I can take those four out. I thought and looked at my sturdy stick. Along with the stick, I prepared to activate my Quick Strike card and slowly moved in a roundabout way towards the Land Gremlins. I reached behind the rock they were in as quietly as possible and moved towards the side. I stopped when I was at a proper angle¡ªhidden from the Gremlins and also in a striking distance. I channeled the Essence into my Quick Strike card and yelled in my mind: Quick Strike! The sturdy stick in my hand moved like an extension of my will. When it touched the Gremlins first I felt a soft sensation followed by a rigid and firm feeling. "Kkkkkreeeeeeaahhh!" Four ear piercingly loud screeches sounded from the rock and made my heartbeat quicken. I didn''t let go of the stick and pressed further downwards. I then immediately took it out and hit the same spot again. "Kkkkkreeeeeeaahhh!" "Kkkreeaahhh!" "Kkrraaa...eaahhh... ahhh..." Holy fuck! Holy fucking shit! I screamed internally and ran away from the sight when I noticed four bloodied, disfigured Gremlins with thick dark blood oozing out from their bodies moving out of the rock. Their bones were protruding from their small bodies and they were letting out helpless screeches. I had never seen such a grotesque sight in my life. My legs moved without even me having to think and I ran towards the place I was previously hiding at. From the distance, I hid behind a bush, near a tree and gasped profusely while watching the four disfigured Land Gremlins wander around limply, crying in pain and screeching for help just like a beaten up human. Shit. Shit. Shit. Why is this like this... Why is this so real... Why doesn''t this feel like a game where I hunt monsters!? How are these monsters showing such human emotions! I had really mixed feelings about this. + [Ding!] [Land Gremlin killed.] Points: +30 Essence: +1 XP: +5 Total Points: 30 Total Essence: 3 (Tip: Monsters may drop loot upon death.) [Ding!] [Title obtained ¡ª Wavering Novice!] [+5% agility when facing new or unfamiliar enemies.] [Ding!] [Trait obtained ¡ª Reluctant Slayer!] [+5% damage to enemies when Health is below 50%.] (New tabs are available on general stats panel.) + One of the Land Gremlins stopped screeching. It died and I immediately got a notification. I did not pay much attention to the rest of the information as my entire focus was on the slow dying Gremlins. If only I had hit them harder would they''ve died a quicker and less painless death. It sucked. It really sucked to watch those things struggle, cry, and claw the ground in pain, as if it would help them get better. Real life is not a novel or movie. I do not know how protagonists could be cold and watch monsters die mercilessly when they let out such emotional struggles. Shit... I had a lot to learn and a long way to go... Me being emotional right now would only get me killed. I should remember that those Gremlins would''ve attacked me had I not attacked them. I would be the one on the ground, struggling like them, had I not made a move. Sigh... I understand now. I understand why protagonists turn cold. I really had a lot to learn... Chapter 11: Forest of Valor (3) Chapter 11: Forest of Valor (3)[Land Gremlin killed.] [Land Gremlin killed.] [Land Gremlin killed.] Points: +30 Points: +30 Points: +30 Essence: +1 Essence: +2 Essence: +1 XP: +5 XP: +5 XP: +5 Total points: 120 Total Essence: 7 (Tip: Monsters bones make great weapons!) S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. I sighed and watched the last Gremlin die. Unlike games, these monsters did not vanish and just left their loot. They had turned into corpses and I would need to search through that to collect the loot. I steeled my heart to do this and looked around first to see if there weren''t any monsters nearby. These fellows had screeched loudly enough to alert the whole forest. I needed to be careful here. I looked to my left, then right, and at all the places where something could hide, and made my way towards the dead Land Gremlins. The four were half a meter''s distance from each other and looked like badly mashed sweet potatoes with skin on. The putrid stench stinged my nose despite wearing a mask. I used my stick to move the corpses and searched for the loot. I found the sharp claws of Gremlins intact. To harvest it, I would need a knife to cut it out. I did not have that. I bent down and put my stick to the side, about to hold the claw and pluck it out. Suddenly, I do not know why, but I felt a great chill down my spine. Reflexively, I picked my stick, ducked and jumped ahead, right on the dead Gremlins'' corpse. *Fwwiiipppp* Something struck the ground I was previously at. "Kkkrrrreaaaahhhhhh!" I heard multiple loud screeches. Without even turning back, I began running as fast as I could, there being no thought in my head as of now. "Kkrraahhh!" "Kkrreeahh!" "Kkrreeah!" In my peripheral vision I saw small cat-sized Land Gremlins running agilely on the ground. I did not have the courage to look back and see exactly how many Gremlins were following me and I kept running, hurdle jumping over the Gremlins that came charging from the front and even using one as a stepping stone. I did not know what I was doing. My head was blank, I was just running. And running. And running... The adrenaline did not go down despite lactic acid forming on my legs and screaming at me to give them rest. As I ran, at the side I could see the river again. But this time, instead of hearing the running water''s sound, what I heard was a deep, guttural growl. "Grrrrraaaaahhhhh!" Something giant. Something twice my size came running from the river''s side. My heart sank and pupils dilated. My numbing, aching legs were the least of my concerns now as I ran as fast as I could. "Grrraaaaahhhhh!" "Kkkrrrraaaahhhhh!" Oh, I knew these screeches. They were painful sounding and similar to how it was when the Gremlins were helplessly dying. I could not see the bear chasing me in my peripheral vision anymore and it probably meant that it was behind me and attacking the Gremlins on the way while chasing me. This did give me some additional distance from them but my mind was blank and I had no clue what I could do to save myself. In the midst of running, I suddenly saw smoke. At this point, I genuinely didn''t care if there was danger there. I just ran towards it. The smoke was coming from behind a line of bushes and as I ran through it, my spine tingled and my stomach dropped with the view I saw for a split second. In front of me was a pond of fire and I was at a height of roughly a story tall building. I couldn''t be more fucked because I dived right down in the pond of fire. I was aware of some parkour I used to see on social media in my past life and instinctively, my first action was to roll when I landed, which is exactly what I did, but wasn''t exactly what happened. "Ahhhhhhhhh!" I howled in pain as I rolled in a pond of fire. It burnt. It hurt. It sizzled. I got third degree burns immediately due to how it was here. I did land on something soft so I didn''t break my bones but the fire was too hot! I ran as fast as I could even while bleeding and getting burnt. [Fire Slime killed.] [Fire Slime killed.] [Fire Slime killed.] . . . [Fire Slime killed.] Points: +25 Points: +25 Points: +25 . . . Points: +25 Essence: +1 Essence: +1 Essence: +1 . . . Essence: +1 XP: +4 XP: +4 XP: +4 . . . XP: +4 Total points: 295 Total Essence: 14 I did not know what the system was shouting in my mind. I just kept running and running without thinking of the consequences. Soon, I heard running water again and my first instinct was to jump into it, so I ran towards it. "Grrraaaahhhhh!" I heard a loud growl from the side and... "Hnggggg..." I tripped on something and fell face down. "Hhnnnggg¡ª!" + [Grunt Golem killed.] Points: +20 Essence: +2 XP: +3 Total points: 315 Total Essence: 16 + My eyes were closed and I did not see the system notifications in front of me. My head felt numb and it stinged like a bitch every damn where on my body! I heard the guttural growl again and knew I had to move or I''ll be shredded into pieces and suffer a fate worse than the fucking Gremlins! I held whatever I could that was in my hands and tried to get up. My eyes were still closed and suddenly, my hand slipped and I fell face down again. *Splash* *Creakkk* "Ahhhhhhhh!" My stomach dropped as I was freefalling somewhere. It only lasted for a split second before I fell face down again. + [Ding!] [Hidden Quest triggered!] [Hidden Quest ¡ª Finding Memo.] [The ancient document "Memo of Valthor," crafted by the Tower''s architects, was last seen in the Forgotten Library before vanishing along with its Keeper. Could this be the location where it remains hidden?] [Find the Memo before the timer runs out.] [Reward: Surrender the Memo to the Floor Guardian and get sent straight to Floor 30 or keep the Memo and lose 500 points.] [Inability to complete the quest will result in no penalties.] + "Haaah... Haaah..." I was dying here and this fucking system was giving me quests. I was never more annoyed in my life. Lying limp like the Gremlins I killed, I found myself in a dark place. It was literally and figuratively both. It hurt everywhere on my body and I am sure I was bleeding from many and might also have pus oozing out from the burns. Honestly... it was only now did I understand how fragile a human body was, and how easy it was to get oneself killed. I was hot-blooded and a fucking idiot to have thought that this tutorial would actually be a tutorial like the games where you understand the controls and everything. I was a colossal moron to have thought that I could do it. I should''ve taken my time, adapted and learnt some martial arts before coming here. But no, I was more embarrassed by that sweet lady and wanted to run away from her. "Haaaa..." Why do I keep calling her ''that lady''? The goddess was right. I really whine and bitch too much. I should''ve accepted the lady as my mother. In the morning, I was more worried about my pants and underwear being taken off and now... I am half burnt to a crisp and have scratches everywhere. When I am healed, I would look disfigured and have an appearance that even a mother would not want to look at. Sigh... Tears unknowingly leaked from the corner of my eyes. I really am a whiny unbearable virgin porn addict, huh? The pain is too much. I don''t know whether I''ll make it out from here or not. It was the first time I cried in years. The last time I remember crying was when my past life''s adoptive parents died in a car accident. I never cried no matter how tough it got from there onwards, but now... Now I had no idea why I was crying. I was just hurt. It was physical pain. There was no need to cry over it. Then why? Why was I crying? I failed to understand my emotions and my state of mind. Everything felt depressing right now and with how badly it was hurting physically, I chose to not think about anything for a while and rest. [05:35:12] [05:35:09] Only a little over half an hour has passed... To think that in twenty-five minutes, I went through so much shit and almost died. The man initially didn''t lie. He did say that getting out unscathed was no guarantee. "Sigh..." I took a deep breath and decided to sleep for a while. I already had too much time on my hands and sleeping was like teleporting to the future time, so this was the best thing I could do. It was really difficult to sleep with the unbearable pain, but after a period of time, I was able to wander off to the dream world. Chapter 12: Forest of Valor (4) Chapter 12: Forest of Valor (4)[02:47:12] "Ughhh..." I woke up when I turned in my sleep and felt a sharp pain all over my body. It hurt like a bitch and I wanted to cry, but the salt from my tears would probably seep into my wounds and fuck me up further. I did not know where I was. I just knew I was in a dark place. I somehow pulled myself up and began walking. + [Hidden Quest ¡ª Finding Memo.] [The ancient document "Memo of Valthor," crafted by the Tower''s architects, was last seen in the Forgotten Library before vanishing along with its Keeper. Could this be the location where it remains hidden?] [Find the Memo before the timer runs out.] [Reward: Surrender the Memo to the Floor Guardian and get sent straight to Floor 30 or keep the Memo and lose 500 points.] [Inability to complete the quest will result in no penalties.] + I saw the quest and was baffled. The system was clearly trying to make me surrender the Memo. This meant it was important and would be of use. However, I would lose 500 points. I didn''t even have 500 points on me, so what would be my final score? I was intrigued. There was nothing that stated failure in the tutorial would disqualify you from participating in future. It would probably be worth it to find the Memo in that case. Having made up my mind, I moved around the dark place again. It was eerily silent around here and I had not the silghest clue of where I was heading. I kept a watch on the timer to check how many steps I''ve taken in how much time and also kept moving my hands around to get a feel of the surroundings. Soon, I felt the shape of a pointed structure on the wall and stopped. I had felt this structure before and I felt it again. I was skeptical about walking in circles, but thinking there could be more pointed structures, I began walking again. This time, I changed directions. Five minutes later. I felt the same pointed object again. I ignored it and tried to feel what was in the surroundings. They felt similar too, but I wasn''t sure, so I kept moving until I felt the pointed object again. This time when I touched the surroundings, I could tell they were exactly the same. I cursed. I was indeed walking in circles. I began walking randomly in any direction from this point onwards and five minutes later, I did not feel the object again. I was relieved. I continued to touch the walls and soon, *Click* *Rumbleeee* My hand pressed onto something and the ground beneath me shook. I thought I would fall in a ditch again so I tried to stick myself to the wall at the side, only to realize it has a giant hole in it and fall within. I crashed on the ground and let out the worst painful howl ever. It pained so much! It was like someone was pinching my skin with sharp nails on their fingers! Once I got over my pain, I found that the place I was in now had some light and wasn''t totally dimmed. I could see it come from a source and moved in that direction. The passage brightened as I neared the source and I was almost there, I stopped in my tracks and froze. There was a hole in the ceiling from which light seeped in, but that wasn''t the problem. The problem was what lay in the front. There were eggs. Lots and lots of gremlin-sized eggs! It was like I had fallen into a treasure vault, except instead of gold coins there were eggs! Oho-hoh-hoh-ho... now this was scary... I stopped moving and searched around to see if the monster that had laid these eggs was nearby. In this particular tutorial, there were only five monsters. Grunt Golems, Fire Slimes, Land Gremlins, Frostbears, and Sky Serpents. There was the boss called Ice Bully too, but judging by how there was nothing cold-related here, I assumed that these eggs weren''t its. From the five monster species, only one felt like a possible option, it was the Sky Serpents. It could be Gremlins too, but chances were less as they seemed like they gave birth to their offspring directly. Assuming these belonged to the Sky Serpents, and the serpent was not here... I should be somewhat safe... Snakes would usually leave after laying eggs. There were only a few rare species like the pythons that stayed. But again, I wasn''t attacked yet. So I assumed there weren''t any Sky Serpents nearby. To test out my theory, I quietly bent down while keeping a watch on my surroundings. I then touched an egg. Nothing happened. I picked the egg. Nothing happened. I took the egg. Nothing happened. I walked away with the egg. Nothing happened. I walked quite some distance and dropped the egg. Something happened [Ding!] [Sky Serpent killed.] Points: +30 Essence: +1 XP: +7 Total points: 345 Total Essence: 17 Hoh-hoh-hoh-hoh-ho! What was this? What was this? I did nothing and got a reward! Ahahahaha! Amazing! My misfortune is not flaring up right now. Good. Good. Good. If I smash all the eggs, I might be able to obtain the minimum score and also get to keep the memo. Excited, I ran to the egg place and picked up another egg. I was not stupid to smash it right in the same place and ran back towards the dark place and sent it flying. I heard it break and crash, but I didn''t get a kill notification. Strange, I thought. I ran and got another egg and smashed it, but still nothing. To check what the problem was, I broke one egg right in the egg place. From it egg white and yolk oozed out. I frowned. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Taking another egg and smashing it, the result was the same. Is it something like fertilized eggs and unfertilized eggs? Did the first egg that I broke contain a snake fetus? There was no way of confirming this since the place I threw it at was dark and I had no light source. I contemplated my next set of moves and decided to smash all the eggs. I had broken a few eggs in this place itself and there was nothing that happened. I should be safe then. But before this, I had to climb out of here. The eggs were stacked on top of each other and I could climb out from the ceiling. It was a bit difficult, but I could try. I climbed atop the eggs and moved towards the ceiling. It was a mountain of eggs so I didn''t feel unstable until I reached the top where there were only a few eggs. I could see the ceiling and the blue sky from it. I got up and tried to put my hand on the hole, but fell short by a few inches. Tsk. How short am I even in this life? In my past life, I had a lot of troubles but height wasn''t one of them. I tiptoed on the eggs but still couldn''t reach. Thus, taking a deep breath and without thinking much, I jumped. Chapter 13: Memo of Valthor Chapter 13: Memo of Valthor"Arghhh..." I held onto the ground but my hands were severely bruised and it pained a lot. Pulling myself up was a big challenge as I did not have the necessary strength or even a normal body that wasn''t third degree burnt. Quick strike... I channeled the Essence within the card and put all the energy within It was fruitful and I managed to climb out, but... "Ahhhhhhhhh!" My burnt skin peeled off and my healed wounds opened up. I began bleeding while rolling on the ground in pain and howling. [02:08:19] [02:05:26] I stopped rolling around and tried to collect myself. The pain was so much that tears leaked out of my eyes. I wasn''t crying, they just came out on their own. [02:02:03] The pain had slightly alleviated and I could walk around normally. I looked at the time and found that I had a little over two hours. My points were 345 and I only needed 155 points to pass the tutorial. To fill the remaining points, smashing the eggs below was the only right thing to do. I only needed six proper eggs and there was a high probability of me achieving that if I smash all of them. To do so, I first looked around and tried to see if I had anything useful around me. I was still in the forest and the only noteworthy things around me were sticks and stones. I grabbed a large stick and put it down in the hole, penetrating it deep and smashing the eggs. I didn''t get any notifications so far. Stopped poking my stick in the cave and took it out. It had a lot of liquidy, wet goo on it. Putting the stick aside, I rolled a big rock towards the hole and dumped it within. A lot of cracking and smashing noises resounded within and finally, I heard the melodic voice of the system. [Sky Serpent killed.] [Sky Serpent killed.] That was nice. I just needed four more and it was a done deal. Rocks were effective so far so I went to fetch another. It was at this time that I heard a deep growl getting closer to me. Son of a bitch! I cursed and ran without thinking much. I grabbed the stick and jumped back down in the hole. It was barely half a meter''s jump so I was fine this time and unhurt. I jumped back in the hole because it was the hidden quest''s location. I was sure to get four more kills from the eggs, and even if that didn''t happen, I was safe here and could wait until the timer ran out. With such a thing in mind, I began smashing the eggs again. [01:53:17] [Sky Serpent killed.] [01:33:29] [Sky Serpent killed.] [01:15:08] [Sky Serpent killed.] Good. Only one more to go. [01:04:21] Tsk. The eggs are about to be finished and I haven''t had any luck. Just one more dude. I need just one. *Crack* *Crack* *Crack* [00:54:27] *Crack* *Crack* *Click* Huh? *Rumble* *Rumble* The ground below me began shaking and once again... "Noooooooo¡ª!" "Ahhhhhhhhhhh¡ª!" I fell in a ditch again and this time, definitely broke the bones in my hands. I howled and rolled around in pain and made the bad injury even worse. The pain did not subside quickly and I kept screaming and shouting. [00:38:42] I was still crying from pain but I managed to stand up on my feet. My hand was twisted and I couldn''t move it anymore. I was supporting myself with the stick I carried. As I looked around this time, my screaming stopped instantly and I shivered as I felt a tingle in my spine. The room I was in... It was not dark. It had illumination. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The light came from my front, from something metallic that was shining brightly. The thing was, this metallic something object was embedded within a giant serpent''s head. The serpent''s head was as big as a truck and its body was so huge that it encircled the room I was in at least twice. It was a dead snake as the metallic object had pierced through its head and may have perhaps killed it. I limply walked towards the metallic object and to reach it properly, I had to walk inside the snake''s mouth. Given my history of misfortune, I wouldn''t be surprised if the snake turned alive and ate me up. Shaking my head, I thought whatever happens, happens, there''s no point brooding over it anymore. I moved in the snake''s mouth and looked at the metallic object. It was cylindrical and emitting a bright light. I had to close my eyes when near it and when I touched it... [Ding!] [Obtained ¡ª Memo of Valthor!] [Ding!] [Playing a message from the Floor Guardian...] A holographic screen popped up in front of me. On it was a man in a fine suit. [Player, it has come to my notice that you''ve obtained the Memo of Valthor. As the Guardian that has been guiding¡ª] "Pause." "Make this screen disappear." The screen vanished on my command. I didn''t need that message. I knew what it would contain and I had no plans of playing along with the guardian''s wishes. "I am choosing to keep the memo." + [Ding!] [The Tower acknowledges your choice.] [Deducting 500 points...] [Total points: -5] [Error ¡ª points cannot be negative.] [Attempting to resolve conflicting data...] [Error ¡ª points insufficient.] [Fetching bonus points...] [...no bonus points detected.] [Unable to resolve conflicting data...] [Glitch detected ¡ª negative points.] [Glitch resolution in progress...] [Recalibrating system parameters...] [Ding!] [Command received!] [Initiating compensation protocol...] [The Abyssal Trial has been unlocked.] Chapter 14: The Abyssal Trial Chapter 14: The Abyssal Trial[The Abyssal Trial has been unlocked.] [Secret Quest ¡ª Abyssal Trial.] [Due to system''s malfunction, Player Julien Von Lichtenstein has been granted a chance to reset their score.] [Initiating reset... restoring player to optimal condition...] [Difficulty Calibration in Progress...] [Warning: Difficulty Level Exceeds Recommended Parameters.] [Issuing starter pack...] [Starter Pack Issued.] [Note: There is no penalty for failing this trial. However, you cannot exit until the timer expires.] [Reminder: Death within this trial is permanent. Caution is advised.] + I saw the burn scars and wounds scatter on the ground like broken pixels. My body was magically restored back to normal along with my tattered clothes. I turned into who I was before starting the trial and also somehow got my face mask back. [Starting trial in 05:00] After the scars and burns, it was me who began scattering. My vision changed and I found myself standing atop a flat surface, under the bright blue sky. The air was thin, cold and around me was a vast expanse of nothingness stretching endlessly. The drop beside me was so endless that one misstep and I would plummet me into the void, never to be seen or heard again. I did not have acrophobia, but standing in this place my legs sure were trembling. Really... I am starting to hate being in a fantasy world... If someone were to tell me I was in a scenic place and by complaining I was just being a bitch, I would gladly switch places with them even if it meant failing the tutorial. The system has specifically stated that if I die, I would die for real. I could not afford to fall in this place. I moved to the center and made up my mind to not leave this place. Wait... By saying this... Am I jinxing myself again? Fuck. I totally forgot that my biggest enemy is I, me, myself. Shaking all these negative thoughts away, I clutched the stick in my hand and awaited the trial. [Handing out starter pack...] [Obtained ¡ª x1 Rusty Short Sword, x3 Minor Healing Potion, x1 Arcana Card(uncommon), x1 Leather Bracers, x2 Stamina Elixirs, x1 Rope and Grappling Hook, x1 Enchanted Compass.] Oh... I threw the stick away the moment I heard sword. When I thought about the sword, I got it in my hand. It was a rusty sword with blunt but workable edges; definitely better than a stick. My gaze then fell on the Arcana Card. Once I thought of it, the card was in my hands. It was vibrant green with silver edges and a closed eye on the back. On the card it was written Stone Wall and after reading it, I was happy to know that it was a defensive card. I really needed one. It was also a grade higher and although that was a good thing, it consumed a lot of Essence. This made me realize, if I wanted to use higher grades of card, I needed to have lots and lots of Essence. My card slots may not have a restriction, but my Essence was a limiting factor. Thankfully, killing monsters resulted in gain in Essence. As long as I killed more than I was using, I should be fine. Healing potion, stamina elixirs, rope, and compass were not needed right now. The leather bracers were, and once I wore them, I felt happy. My hands were protected and I wouldn''t have to worry about someone biting it off. Somehow, I was getting a bit confident with the new stuff, but also slightly nervous and anxious. It may just be my paranoia but... the system didn''t give me this good stuff because the level was going to be of inhumane difficulty, right? [01:00] [00:59] Haha... I laughed nervously at my thought and stared at the ticking timer. This one minute felt like an eternity and was really messing me up. [00:03] [00:02] [00:01] [Ding!] [The Abyssal Trial has started!] [Survive the waves for 30 minutes to finish the quest!] [Points will be given for every monster killed!] Once the announcement was gone, the ground shook as I heard a loud growl behind me. "What the fuck is that..." I exclaimed when I turned around. The monster was three meters tall and looked like the mix between a gorilla and a bear. It had white fur and protruding elephant-like tusks. The monster thumped its chest and charged at me like a gorilla would. My hair stood on their ends and I reflexively began running as my body got into a flight or fight mode. Fight didn''t seem to be an option for my body. "Fuck! Don''t tell me this is the boss!?!" The system was being generous due to this. I was right on the money. The gorilla-bear hybrid, aka the Ice Bully growled and chased me. It didn''t have the speed of either the gorilla or the bear and I was really glad due to that. I had a 5% agility boost from my title and this was another factor helping me out. If I was caught by this monster, it would tear me apart in two with little to no effort. How was I going to defeat this thing? I had no idea. For now... I kept running. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [29:17] [28:59] My decision to keep running was fruitful as I saw another monster spawn in the place. It was a Fire Slime, the weakest monster in this trial. I had killed a few before by stomping on them aggressively. But it was these bastards that burnt my body. While they seemed harmless, their flames were no joke. Killing them would''ve been a challenge had I not had my sword right now. I dashed towards the Fire Slime and stabbed it with my sword. The heat of the flames immediately spread through the sword and began burning my hand, but I gritted my teeth and flung the slime up, then threw it at the Ice Bully. "Grrraaaaahhhh!" The Ice Bully screamed and thumped its chest and made the slime stick to its body vaporize. It then stopped chasing me and stood in place. I stopped running too and looked at it. The Ice Bully exhaled visibly and I saw mist come out of its nose. It then growled and spat in my direction. An ice shard came flying towards me. It was easy to dodge, but then came another. I had to run once again to dodge them. [28:00] [27:59] As another minute passed, monsters spawned. This time it was two and not one. It was a Land Gremlin and a Fire Slime. Oh yeah... if this goes on... I''m totally screwed... Chapter 15: The Abyssal Trial (2) Chapter 15: The Abyssal Trial (2)[25:00] [24:59] I had no words to explain what I was feeling. These fucking monsters were geometrically progressing and spawning to fuck me up! Every minute monsters would spawn. If I killed one, double would spawn in the minute after. And those double would keep spawning every minute if I didn''t kill any more monsters. However, assuming I killed another, then four would spawn every minute. Killing one monster would result in two monsters spawning. Two would result in four, three in six, four in eight, and this would keep doubling the more I killed them. So, avoiding combat seemed like the best strategy. Plus, I tested it out. If I killed more, the monsters spawning would become more diverse. I had stabbed another slime and thrown it at the Ice Bully. This made the spawn count go to four, and the monsters spawned were a Fire Slime, a Land Gremlin, a Grunt Golem, and a Sky Serpent. The fucking snakes could fly! It was even more terrifying than the Ice Bully! Now no matter what I did, I would have a Sky Serpent spawn every minute! I was an idiot to have killed a Fire Slime! I kept running from the monsters and tried to avoid combat. The Land Gremlins were not a problem and neither were the Fire Slimes or the Grunt Golems. Only the Sky Serpents and the Ice Bully were an issue and against whom I needed to be careful. I knew that if I killed any more monsters, I was doomed, because then, a Frostbear would spawn as the total number of monsters spawning each minute would go up to 6. I did some math while running. Assuming I had the ability to kill all monsters that spawned every minute, by minute 10, 1024 monsters would spawn. By minute 20: 524,488 monsters will be spawned. And on the last minute... The total number of monsters will be 230-1 = 229 2 to the power 29 equaled 536,870,912. I would be up against 536 million monsters at the last minute. There was no space for even a hundred of them! Let alone such a huge number! Now the strategy I could opt for would be to either kill as many monsters as I could so that they spawn and immediately fall off the edge of the arena or I just defend myself and not kill them. The latter was going to be really difficult as the serpents were a pain to deal with. However, with the former there was no guarantee that I wouldn''t be the one to fall off the edge. What if all the spawnings happened from the center? Honestly, I was more terrified of the Frostbears than anything. This was what kept me from killing more of these monsters. The chances of no killing until the last minute were low as there were a lot of Land Gremlins, Grunt Golems, and Fire Slimes spawning. If I tripped on any of them, they would be killed. So, the Frostbear was unavoidable. It would come. It definitely would. The Ice Bully was the boss with great strength, and the Frostbear may have less strength than that, but it certainly had a lot more strength than me and was also much faster. I couldn''t believe that I would be more terrified of a normal monster than a boss. Also, there was no guarantee that the next six spawning won''t have another Ice Bully in it. There were far too many uncertainties, and as minutes passed, I realized just how vulnerable I was. The misfortune card was truly the biggest curse of my life. I could die at any given moment due to it. In my past life, I was protected because I didn''t move around much. However, by the end, I had gotten so addicted to porn that it was what ended up killing me. I did not even realize that I was addicted at that time. There were many ways in which I could die in this world. Due to me, my family would be implicated as well. The major reason for not accepting the lady as my mother was this. I had only just met her, but the care she had for me was so much that... I did not want to see such a gentle woman dying due to my misfortune. If my misfortune was limited to me, it wouldn''t have been a problem. But sadly, it was not. I was destined to be forever alone, and I do not have it in me to be selfish and get together with that sweet lady and become a part of the family. I would end up killing them all, and I absolutely did not want that. Sigh... The monsters that were spawning seemed less worrying when I thought of all this. After this tutorial was over, I would run far away from the lady and never see her. This way she''ll be safe. Yes. This was the best thing I could do. Or perhaps... What if I actually died? S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A shiver ran through my spine when I thought about this. What was I even thinking? I hit a Sky Serpent flying at me with the flat of my sword and ran away from the Ice Bully and the rest of the monster. I tried to avoid this thought creeping up in my mind, but eventually I couldn''t and continued thinking, What if I died? If I died, I would probably go to Limbo again. Like how the goddess lady had approached me, someone else might approach me again or worse yet, kidnap me and enslave me or refine me into the misfortune card. If I''m refined into a card, I would be tossed from one hand to another for eternity and never get a chance to fight back. This was honestly so scary that I didn''t even want to think about it. In the end, the conclusion was that dying wasn''t an option for me. I could die very easily due to the misfortune, but I had to protect myself from dying. The Tower had endless resources. There definitely could be something that would allow me to resurrect or revive from the dead. Once this tutorial was over, I would immediately go in search of that. I also needed an endless supply of Essence if I wanted to use any card that I desired. Essence and resurrection. These would be my two main points of focus when I am out of this trial. [20:55] The thoughts I had made passing time a bit easier. However, there were still twenty minutes left. The arena was starting to fill up and I was running out of space to run. The Ice Bully would catch me up and rip apart if any more monsters were spawned. Strategy had to be changed. Monsters won''t stop from spawning, and I noticed that they were indeed spawning in the middle of the arena and not randomly anywhere. I had to take control of the middle while ensuring the Ice Bully was at the edge. I made up my mind to do this no matter how much I would come to regret it. I anyway did not have much of a choice, and given my streak of bad luck, I would die sooner or later if I didn''t do anything. Thus, I checked the timer and ran to the edge. [20:37] I kept running at the edge until it was close to 20:00 and when only ten seconds were left, I kicked as many Grunt Golems as I could and stomped on the Fire Slimes while slashing the Land Gremlins and Sky Serpents that came at me. I lost count after 15, and now... there should be 34+ monsters spawning. [20:00] [19:59] As I had thought, the Frostbears were indeed there. However, with how cluttered it all was, they fell down and crushed some other monsters. There was thankfully no Ice Bully, so it was all good. The Frostbears charged at me at full speed, but everytime they neared me, I would go close to the Ice Bully for cover. If they hit the Ice Bully, it would fight back and rip them apart. I killed as many monsters as I could in this minute and kept running. The number was more than twenty this time around. The number of monsters that would spawn this time were too much. There wasn''t enough space and the monsters at the edge were definitely going to be thrown out. I made a run towards the middle and stayed there, slashing at whatever monsters came at me. I drank a stamina elixir because I was out of gas, and felt rejuvenated. Honestly, I think I could go five more minutes with this elixir. I had two more left, so I had enough to survive this onslaught, I think. The monsters that spawned this time fell atop the other monsters and a big mess was made. There were many Frostbears but there were also Fire Slimes. They burnt those bears and the bears actively distanced themselves from these slimes. The Ice Bully was obstructed by the Grunt Golems, Land Gremlins, and the Frostbears and couldn''t reach the center. And thus, my strategy seemed to have worked as I stayed in the middle and kept slashing like a lunatic. I did get bitten by the serpents and Land Gremlins. The slimes were also crawling towards me to hurt me, but I persisted and didn''t give up. The minute after, there were so many monsters that I didn''t need to do anything. I just sat down cross-legged and buried myself within a mountain of Land Gremlins. I would stab Fire Slimes if they came near me, and with that... I successfully averted the misfortune that came crashing down on me. [00:03] [00:02] [00:01] [Ding!] [Secret Quest ¡ª The Abyssal Trial complete!] Chapter 16: El and Eleanor Chapter 16: El and EleanorFloor 0. "My baby... I wonder how my baby is doing right now..." A beautiful blonde-haired woman sat anxiously in her seat, her eyes glued to the large screen on the runestone pillar in front of her. Around her, other parents waited in tense silence, their expressions reflecting a mix of hope and worry as they anticipated the results of their children''s trials. As the six-hour mark passed without any announcement, Eleanor''s unease grew sharper. A heavy feeling pressed against her chest, an instinctive dread that something might have gone horribly wrong for her son. She couldn''t explain why, but the feeling was so vivid it left her restless. Her fingers tightened around the edges of her seat as her anxiety reached its peak. Then, just as she was on the verge of being overwhelmed, a warm hand rested gently on her shoulder. "Hm?" Alarmed, she put her guard up, but was then told by a melodic voice, "Relax. I''m not your enemy." Eleanor turned to her side and found a strikingly beautiful lady in seductive red attire sitting beside her. The woman had her arm draped casually over Eleanor''s shoulders, her legs crossed with an air of confidence. Eleanor''s body tensed even further, her alarm growing. The lady glanced at Eleanor and chuckled softly. "You stress too much, El." "Please mind your language," Eleanor replied coldly, attempting to shake the hand off her shoulder. To her surprise, her strength wasn''t enough to dislodge it. Her brows furrowed in frustration, a frown deepening on her face. Sensing Eleanor''s unease, the lady withdrew her hand with a faint smirk. Raising both hands in mock surrender, she said, "Alright, I''ll back off. No need to get so worked up. I''m not your enemy¡ªI''m on your side." Eleanor''s shoulders relaxed slightly, but her guard remained firmly in place. The lady shifted her gaze to the screen on the runestone pillar and remarked, "The results won''t be out for another half an hour. There''s no point staring at it like that. Why don''t we find a quiet caf¨¦ and have some tea?" "I''m fine, but thank you for the offer," Eleanor responded curtly, her eyes never leaving the screen. Nothing was more important to her than Julien. The lady sighed dramatically, shaking her head. "El, really, what am I going to do with you? Your soncon tendencies are so obvious, it''s almost scandalous." Eleanor knitted her brows, her lips parting to retort, but before she could speak, the lady rose gracefully from her seat and shook her head. "This isn''t the right place for such a conversation. Come with me to the caf¨¦. I have something to say about your son..." Eleanor remained seated, her expression unwavering. "...and his misfortune." Eleanor''s body tensed, her eyes widening in shock as her eyebrows quivered. Without a word, she rose to her feet. The lady''s lips curled into a soft chuckle. "Follow me," she said, turning away with an air of confidence. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ..... Floor 0 was the bustling reception of the mighty Tower¡ªa microcosm of a small city. Shops lined the streets, selling weapons, potions, and trinkets. Caf¨¦s served steaming cups of tea and coffee, and luxurious hotels offered climbers a place to rest. Though lively, this floor was often dismissed by higher-floor climbers as a mere kindergarten, unworthy of their attention even though it was a challenging compulsion for every newbie Player. In any case, it was due to this easy nature that high-profile entities rarely lingered here, leaving the place surprisingly peaceful for quieter discussions. In a secluded corner of a modest caf¨¦, Eleanor and the lady in the red dress sat across from each other, their beverages in hand. Eleanor, with her composed demeanor, took a slow sip of her steaming coffee, savoring its rich aroma. The lady in red glanced at the blonde woman and took a sip of her tea. "El," she said calmly and seriously, grabbing her attention. "I am your child''s daddy." *Pfftt¡ª!* Eleanor spit her coffee and almost spilled it all onto herself. The lady dodged the coffee coming on her by turning to the side. She had a neutral expression on her face, but really, the corner of her lips were curved up, as if she liked what had just happened. "My apologies..." Eleanor knitted her brows and said while wiping her mouth with a cloth. She then turned to look at the lady and asked, "What do you mean? And please stop referring to me as El as if we''re close." "What?" The lady seemed visibly surprised by the comment. "We aren''t close?" "..." Eleanor was baffled. "Young lady, I do not know what you''re up to, but yes, we are indeed not close. This is the first time I''ve ever met or seen you." "Elly, you''re breaking my heart..." She shook her head and said with a sigh. "How can you say this to me when we both are parents to the same child." "Excuse me?" Eleanor glared at her. If this floor wasn''t a no fight zone, she really would''ve attacked the lady for the audacity she was showing. The lady chuckled, finding it all amusing, and then shook her head. "Okay, okay, I''ve joked enough. I''ll get to the point now." Eleanor''s anger subsided and she was calmer now. The lady took a sip of her tea again and said, "Who I am is not important. What''s important is Julien. Let''s discuss a bit about him. Before you get all worked up, let me remind you again that I''m on your side. I wouldn''t want anything to happen to Julien and I only wish for his immense prosperity and happiness." She had to say this because Eleanor wasn''t dropping her guard in the slightest and was too worked up. If she stayed like that then she wouldn''t be able to make proper decisions. Eleanor gave the lady a curt nod and gestured her to continue. "Okay, firstly, since you don''t like being called El, I''ll take that name instead. Call me El from here onwards." Eleanor was a bit baffled again, but said, "Okay...?" "Good. So I''m El, and I wasn''t lying when I said I''m your child''s daddy. Now, now, now, before you get worked up again, know that I''m not into women. I''m not trying to pursue you and we both definitely don''t have the capabilities to make a child, so I''m not your long lost lover or husband either. We''re both women, the most we could do is probably eat each other ou¡ª" "Stop! Stop! Stop!" Eleanor waved her hand and tried to stop her. What even was this lady spouting? It was all so embarrassing! Did she not feel it? How could she say all of this with such a straight face? El rolled her eyes and shook her hand. "I know that deep down you''re more shameless than me. Why bother acting like this? Anyway... be a bit more serious for me now, El. This topic is important. Pay attention." Eleanor was so confused... Didn''t she say she won''t call her El and would instead like to be named as El herself? And what did she mean about getting serious? She was the one that should be serious! Eleanor had many grievances, but she didn''t express anything or show a change in her expression. El leaned forwards and said with utmost seriousness, "Julien''s misfortune is a problem for everyone present." Eleanor''s demeanor changed and she switched to her serious self quickly. El continued, "You might think that you know it''s bad, but I''m sure that you''re still severely underestimating how bad the situation is and how worse things can get." Eleanor knitted her brows as she felt the gravity of the situation. "Please elaborate." "El," the red dress El took a pause and leaned back. She turned the teacup on the table and continued, "The card is what will kill our child. It has killed him once, it will kill him again." "Did you call me here just to say this?" Eleanor was not in the best mood. "No." El replied. "I called you here to tell you..." she turned to look up and stared into Eleanor''s eyes. "...it''s going to be alright." El smiled warmly. "I''m with you, which is the same as the Tower being with you, so that''s half your worries resolved." Eleanor didn''t understand whatever was being said. El then shook her head. "However, while I can ensure he isn''t killed by the card, there''s something more complex that needs our attention¡ªno, needs your attention." "What is it?" "Julien''s state of mind." El said it straight. "He thinks that he isn''t worthy to be with you, to have you as his mother, and to have a loving family. He thinks that him being around you will put you at risk and may possibly kill you and your daughters. This thing... I''m sorry to say but..." El sighed. "...this is one thing I cannot help you with. I can''t change his state of mind. I can only protect him and try to push him to live a little, but I cannot influence him like you can. At the end of the day, you are his mother, not me. This is something only you can do." Eleanor''s heart was at unease when she heard that. Her baby boy didn''t want to be with her? He thought that he was a burden for them? And that he didn''t deserve a loving family? How dare he... how dare he thought like this... Eleanor was truly pissed. El took a sip of tea and said, "You look like you want to give him a good ass whooping." "Oh, I will. Just let me meet him again." Eleanor didn''t even deny. She was furious. El chuckled softly and said, "Good, good. I support the good ol'' beating your children thing. There are so many bad kids in the Tower that wouldn''t have been as bad if they were beaten up as kids and disciplined." Eleanor looked at El and asked, "In any case, whatever you''ve said so far, I understand that. But what I don''t understand is... why are you helping us? Helping Julien, I mean. What do you get out of this?" El put her teacup down and smiled. "Now you''re asking the right questions. I want Julien to conquer the Tower. Once he does that, I''ll ask him for one thing." "...and that is?" "A secret." El winked. "..." Chapter 17: El and Eleanor (2) Chapter 17: El and Eleanor (2)The two ladies conversed for the next ten minutes purely about Julien and the potential ways in which they could fix his state of mind. As the conversation flowed, Eleanor began to trust the lady in the red dress. Sure, she spoke carelessly and shamelessly, but she seemed to have a good heart when it came to her son. "...Also, by conquering the Tower, do you mean the first 100 floors or the whole thing?" Eleanor asked. "The whole thing." Eleanor sighed and looked at the steam rising from her new cup of coffee, her thoughts unknown to El. "What''s up? Why do you look like a deflated balloon all of a sudden?" "The Tower..." Eleanor looked into El''s bright red eyes. "...The first 100 floors are still fine, but after that... how''s my child going to fare?" "Bah! And here I thought you had something concerning to talk about." El rolled her eyes and gulped down the hot tea like a shot of vodka. "Didn''t I say before? Daddy''s with Julien. He won''t die." S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Eleanor shook her head. "That''s not it. I meant... there are going to be gods and¡ª" "It''s just gods. Don''t worry about it," El waved her hand dismissively, as if it were a trivial matter. Eleanor sighed again, then shook her head and glanced at her watch. "It''s time we leave. The results should be out soon." "Hm, you''re right. Let''s go. Let''s see how proud our boy''s made us." "Our?" Eleanor glared at El. El chuckled and walked closer to Eleanor, raising her wrist to check her watch. "Look, we''re getting late. Let''s leave quickly." Eleanor continued to glare at her while El dragged her away to see the results. ..... Lobby, Floor 0. Thirty minutes were up and the two ladies were standing in front of a large runestone pillar, watching the screen display the result. A man in a fine suit made an appearance on the screen. This was the Floor Guardian. [The Players this time around are fascinating. The delay wouldn''t have occurred if not for their meticulous performances.] "Hm. My Julien is indeed fascinating." Eleanor didn''t hesitate to link that comment to her son. "Not everything is about our Julien, El." The red dress El smiled and shook her head. The words didn''t register in Eleanor''s ears. She continued to look at the screen and said, "To think that he would awaken just a day before the tutorial began... it is indeed fascinating." "You''re welcome." El said with a smile, which once again didn''t register in Eleanor''s ears because she thought of everything to be a great coincidence. [The results of the first section ¡ª the Forest of Valor are here as follows...] + Passed: 1,537 Failed: 190 Dead: 261 + "Hoooh¡ª!" The crowd gasped at the failed and death rate. It was considerably high this time around. [Now publishing the top 100 high scoring Players...] Eleanor and El were waiting for this. Both did not have any doubts of Julien failing this section and were looking forward to where he ranked. "He has no combat or fight experience. I hope he''s at least in the top 100." Eleanor said, being realistic for once. El chuckled and didn''t spoil the fun for Eleanor. The list soon came out and it started from the 100th place where the person had scored 997 points. Eleanor''s eyes were fixated on the screen and she was delighted to know her son wasn''t dead last in the list. El watched the list alongside her with a delighted smirk on her face, as if something fun was about to happen. The numbers decreased and soon it was the top 80. El magically had a tub of popcorn in her hands and offered some to Eleanor. Eleanor was too focused on the list to not miss Julien''s name and unknowingly grabbed the popcorn that was being offered and munched on it. Top 70. Top 50. Top 30. Eleanor was getting nervous now. Her child was not in any of these? Oh well... there was always the next section to look forward to! Top 20. "Ah well... tough luck, I guess." Eleanor said and shook her head. She had emptied half the popcorn tub by now. "Continue watching." El asked her to not lose hope. "It''s not like anything''s going to change..." Eleanor shook her head with a smile and continued to watch. Top 10. Top 5. "Welp..." + 4th: Christopher Ingress ¡ª 5,402 points 3rd: Kayla Loph ¡ª 5,600 points 2nd: Ivan Loph ¡ª 5,607 points + Eleanor gave up any hope she had by now while El munched on the popcorn with a big smile on her face. [And now... for the top scorer... there was a request to maintain anonymity, so we will only be publishing the score.] + 1st: Player ¡ª 107,234 points + "Whaaatttt!?!?!" Everyone on the floor gasped in shock, Eleanor included. El began laughing and asked, "How''s the surprise? Did you expect this?" "Definitely not!" Eleanor answered. "Who even is this that''s scored so much? How many monsters did they even kill? No, more than that... were there even that many monsters in the tutorial?" "Oh, you''d be surprised..." El smirked. She leaned close to Eleanor''s ear and said, "In case you haven''t figured out yet... that score belongs to our boy, huhuhu." "What!?!" Eleanor couldn''t believe it. "El, if you want to make a joke, at least make a good one." "But I''m not." El shook her head. "Huh? How''s this possible..." Eleanor surely put her son on a high pedestal, but she wasn''t out of her mind to think such a feat could be achieved by him. He may achieve it in the future, but given how he was now, it definitely was not possible. "Huhuhu..." El had a good laugh at Eleanor''s adorable reaction. "I should''ve recorded your face. I could show it to Julien later and laugh with him." "El, don''t make stupid jokes." Eleanor shook her head. "My brain''s overloaded with information. I can''t believe someone could score almost 200 times the minimum score. It''s unheard of and never happened in the history of Tower." El nodded her head. "It has surely not happened before. But it doesn''t mean that it can''t happen now." Eleanor wrinkled her nose and stared at the screen. She was too stimulated by the information and it was unbelievable to think it could be her Julien who broke all records and made history. He was just an innocent boy. How could he even do that? El then yawned and said, "Let''s go sit there. I want to take a nap." Eleanor was too distracted and got dragged away. When her and El sat down, El used her lap to doze off. Only then did Eleanor snap back to reality. "What the¡ª" Eleanor knitted her brows. The audacity of this woman to act so clingy when they barely knew each other... who did she think she was!? Eleanor wanted to wake her up and move away, but realized that she did give some useful information and was not totally useless. Also, if she was sleeping, then she was not being annoying. There were many conflicting feelings and eventually, Eleanor decided to let this slide and focus on the runestone screen projecting information on the tutorial. It should be time for the second section now... Chapter 18: The Merchant Chapter 18: The MerchantI woke up and felt as if someone was pressing two hardcover books on all sides of my face. Surely I was refreshed after sleeping for who knows how long, but my head felt heavy and I had no clue where I was. The area around me was warm and I could hear crackling sounds. Turning to the source, I found myself near a fireplace. "Hohoho! The Player seems to have woken up!" A husky, mellow voice greeted me. I was startled and turned to the voice. A malnourished Santa Claus had his legs propped up on a table and was enjoying a hot beverage while staring at me. "W-who!?" I was alarmed and quickly got up, taking a defensive stance. "Hohoho! No need to be afraid, Player. I am but a merchant, and this is a trade zone." The man answered and curled his thick white mustache with his free hand. "Trade zone?" I asked, not knowing what any of this meant. "There are items you can purchase with points before moving onto the next section. These items will help you in your future endeavors, hohoho!" "I see." "So, what would you like to purchase?" The moment malnourished Santa said that, a screen with a list of options appeared before my eyes. + *Common Items: 1. Healing Potion - 50 points - Restores health by 50%. 2. Stamina Elixir - 75 points - Increases stamina recovery rate by 25% for 10 minutes. 3. Rusty Sword Upgrade Kit - 200 points - Enhances the current rusty sword''s sharpness and durability. 4. Basic Trap Kit - 120 points - A set of simple traps that can be set up to slow down or injure enemies. 5. Torch - 5 points - Provides light in dark areas and can be used to ward off certain creatures. *Uncommon Items: 6. Enhanced Reflex Potion - 300 points - Increases reflexes and speed by 20% for 10 minutes. 7. Invisibility Cloak (Short Duration) - 750 points - Grants invisibility for 2 minutes. 8. Mysterious Key - 1500 points - A key that can open any one lock or sealed door during the trial. 9. Teleportation Stone - 3000 points - Allows Player to teleport to a safe location within the trial area. 10. Binding Chain - 1800 points - A chain that can temporarily immobilize a single enemy. *Rare Items: 11. Amulet of Immortality (Limited Use) - 3,000 points - Grants temporary invincibility for 30 seconds, usable only once. 12. Arcane Shield Generator - 3000 points - Provides a temporary shield that absorbs up to 500 points of damage. 13. Soul Whisperer - 4000 points - A rare item that allows communication with one deceased individual for guidance or information. 14. Blood Dragon''s Bone Elixir - 5000 points - Increases all physical attributes by 300% for 15 minutes but comes with a hidden risk. 15. Mystic Orb of Clairvoyance - 5000 points - Reveals all hidden traps and enemies in the trial area for 90 seconds. *Very Rare Items: 16. Sword of the Demonic Hero - 10,000 points - A legendary sword with unmatched sharpness and the ability to deal bonus damage to cursed entities. 17. Book of Ancient Runes - 15,000 points - Contains powerful runes that can be applied to weapons or armor, drastically enhancing their effectiveness. 18. Phoenix Feather - 20,000 points - Revives Player from death once during the trial. (Points available to use: 107,234 points) + When I saw the points I had for use, my eyes went wide like saucers. "Is that normal?" I couldn''t help but ask. "Is something the matter, Player?" The Christmas cosplayer asked me back. "The amount of points I possess... how did I get them?" I was going to ask whether this many points was normal or not, but then I thought that the merchant might know the answer to that. Thus, I asked the other important question. I surprisingly got a response from him, and it was that the points were from defeating monsters, from my previous section. This suppressed my shock considerably when I realized what had transpired. If we take 25 points as an average, I may have roughly killed 4000+ monsters to gain these many points. It may seem a lot, but monsters were pouring down like rain in the last ten minutes. Swinging my sword in a random direction was giving me at least a few tens of kills. I was stuffed within a mountain of gremlins, but they acted as my little fortress and helped me kill many in the later minutes. Now that I saw the points to be a 100k, I was actually a bit disappointed. I could''ve scored even more had I not stayed cooped up in a gremlin fortress. In any case, I was satisfied with what I had. I could afford everything on the list and would still have a lot of points left. Looking at the list, I asked for the total of all items and it stated: 74,300 points. I could buy everything, but I carefully read each option so as to not waste my points. If I could redeem my points now, chances were I could redeem them again later too. Saving some wouldn''t hurt anyone. I spent five minutes looking at the list, and it was then that the merchant said, "Hohoho, Player, I suggest you hurry, for time is running out." + [Labyrinth of Shadows ¡ª 02:14:59_29] [Labyrinth of Shadows ¡ª 02:14:59_28] [Labyrinth of Shadows ¡ª 02:14:59_27] [Labyrinth of Shadows ¡ª 02:14:59_26] [Labyrinth of Shadows ¡ª 02:14:59_25] + "What the¡ª the second section has already started?" "It''s been almost 5 hours since it did, hohoho!" "What!? How come I wasn''t notified?" S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [The Player was notified.] [The Player did not respond.] "I was!? When?" [When the Logic section ¡ª Labyrinth of Shadows ¡ª started, i.e. 05:01:47 ago.] "Shit." I cursed. Was I sleeping this whole time? And the section can start even with me joining it? Also, wait! Can''t I just leave the tutorial since I have enough points? "You can, but I advise you not to." A familiar voice rang in my ears. "..." How can you even speak directly in my mind... "Huhuhu... Daddy can do whatever she wishes. Daddy is a free spirit." Does that mean you can also watch me at all times? "As long as you are in the Tower, yes. But don''t worry, Daddy respects her son''s privacy." I am not your son! "Oh, you sure. I had a chat with your mother, even she accepts it now." "What!?!" I exclaimed, surprising the merchant. "Hoho, is something the matter, Player?" The merchant put his hot chocolate down on the table and asked. "Ahem. Nothing. I was just shocked by the price of this item." I made an excuse. "Hohoho, they are all reasonably priced, Player." I gave the man an understanding nod and continued to scroll the screen in front, pretending to read the items on the list. Hey, you said I should continue, right? Why is that? Can''t I just exit the tutorial now? "As I said, you can. But I advise you not to. There''s some things you can only get when you''re in the tutorial, with experience being the most crucial aspect of it." Surprisingly, she was giving me some proper advice right now without joking around. "Climbing the Tower is dangerous and may not always be prosperous. However, finishing the tutorial has always been fruitful for every beginner. If you quit now, you''ll lose out on a lot." But... isn''t it going to be dangerous? Won''t I die? "Of course it''s dangerous, you dingus. What did you think the Tower was? It''s dangerous at every single step. The only place that''s not dangerous is your mother''s embrace. If you want to avoid everything, go be there, and rest on her soft lap like me." "What?" "Nothing." Hey! Hey! What did you say in the last part!? Repeat it! "I said nothing! In any case, you should continue on with the tutorial. You''re not going to die from this measly tutorial." I literally died in the beginning itself. Did you not see it? "Oh, I did. But I knew you had it in you to overcome such trivial stuff. And didn''t it all turn out well in the end? Didn''t you enjoy it?" Well... I would be lying if I said I didn''t enjoy it. Yes, it sucked to die and it pained a lot to get third degree burns... but now that I''m fully healed and look back... it surely was thrilling and enjoyable. "Your misfortune will flare up in every step of your life. This is just the beginning. You need to get used to it and learn how to work around it. If you quit now, you won''t learn anything." You''re right. I guess I should continue. "Yes. Don''t quit, just focus on doing your best. Daddy''s with you, okay?" Can you not say that? "Hurry up and make the purchases, son. Time''s running out. You''re already five hours late to the second section." Right... I shook my head and focused on the list. I was indeed getting late. I bought everything from the shop, except the rusty sword kit. I had the hero''s sword now, so I didn''t need it. Also, I could only buy five potions and elixirs because that was the max for one player. There was a limit on torch too, with it being ten. I hoped that I could buy more Phoenix Feathers, but sadly one was the limit for it. With the purchases done, I was left with 31,234 points. I couldn''t spend more even if I wanted to. I had maxed out everything. The merchant was really happy with my purchases and bid me farewell for my tutorial. The world around me then crumbled into pixels and everything went dark. After a while, I heard: [Welcome, Player, to the Logic section ¡ª Labyrinth of Shadows!] Chapter 19: Labyrinth of Shadows Chapter 19: Labyrinth of Shadows[02:14:56_19] [02:14:56_18] With a crackling sound, the torch was on fire. I held it and moved forwards in the narrow stone passage. Ten steps ahead, I heard a clicking sound followed by a swishing one. I felt a sense of danger and jumped back. Something hit the wall beside me. I put the torch in that area and checked what it was. Lo-behold, an arrow! Low visibility with deadly traps, catalyzed with my immense misfortune... wasn''t it a perfect blend to immediately send me to the netherworld? "Complete the tutorial, they said. You''ll gain experience, they said." I murmured while slowly walking ahead and taking note of what my foot was pressing onto. A few steps ahead, I felt my foot slightly sink into the ground. I immediately pulled it away and took another step forward, only to hear some strange whispers. At first I ignored it as I moved into the dark passage, but soon, it got louder and made me stop in my tracks. From the silent passage, the whispers moved closer to me. Closer and closer... Until I could feel a breeze right beside my ears. "Donotpassdonotpassdonotpassdonotpass..." My hair stood on their ends as a chill went down my spine. Fuck, this was scary! I did not have it in me to take a step forward. I took a step back. *Poof!* I hit something. I hit something. I fucking hit something and it wasn''t hard! What did I hit? What did I hit? WhatdidIfuckinghhiiiiiiittttt!?! Aaaahhhhhhh, something''s behind me! Don''t look back! Don''t look back!Don''t look back! Gasping for breath, I somehow convinced myself that nothing was behind me despite seeing something standing beside me in my peripheral vision. "Oooooh..." I sucked in a cold breath of air and began walking forward. There was no going back or to the side. *Click!* "..." *Ba-dump!* *Ba-dump!* *Ba-dump!* "..." Nothing happened. No air piercing sound. No swishing arrows, no traps, no nothing. It was eerily silent. The fire crackled on the torch, creating a whip-like sound in the deathly silent place and breaking my trance. I took a deep breath and made up my mind to move forward, no matter what happened. The lady said I wouldn''t die. There was no evidence that stated I wouldn''t die. But she was the one who gave me a chance at another life. She was my benefactor, so I should at least have some trust in her. Yeah, yeah, yeah, right. She''s benefactor. Believe in her. I took another deep breath. Despite the many long breaths, I still found myself to be out of breath. I took a step ahead. Nothing happened. I took another step ahead. The torch extinguished. "Welcome..." A loud whisper echoed in my ears, and in the next instant... "Ahhhhhhhhhhh¡ª!" My stomach dropped as the ground beneath me disappeared! I was free falling! "Aaaaahhhhhhhh..." My shout echoed in the tunnel I was falling within and the passage above. I kept falling and falling and falling... Until finally... *Splash!* "Blubbb¡ªblubbb¡ª" I was drowning. "Mmmphhh¡ªmfffff¡ª" I thrashed around, my hands never stopping to flutter! I tried to get to the surface and violently thrashed around as the water entered my nostrils and eyes, choking and drawing out the remaining oxygen from my lungs. "Guhhhh¡ª" My chest expanded and contracted rapidly as my lungs desperately gasped for air. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alas, water filled my nose, mouth, throat, and lastly... lungs. "¡ªmfffff..." I let go. I let go of the struggle and succumbed. This was my fate. This was it for this life. I could only make it this far. My vision darkened and I couldn''t see the wavy water anymore as I sunk towards the bottom. Haaaaah... Like the movies... there was no hand coming to magically rescue me... Haha, there was no plot armor saving me... No deus ex-machina, no nothing. This was the end. I had a short life, but it was a good life nonetheless. The lady that was supposedly my mother... she was really gentle and loving... If possible... I hope she doesn''t grieve too much when I''m gone... Please stay str..on..g... D..on..t... mis..s... me... . . . [You have died.] [Revivals available: 1] . . [x1 Phoenix Feather has been used.] [Reviving...] [Spawning to the nearest safe zone...] . . . "Huwaaaaaa!" I woke up. "What the fuck..." I looked around, completely in disbelief. "What the hell just happened..." I was under a bright blue runestone that illuminated the entire cave I was in. My head felt heavy and my heart was beating really fast. Something major had happened. I tried to recall what it was. Soon, memories flooded in. "Right..." "R-r-right..." My hands and legs began trembling as a shiver ran down my spine as I recalled the past experience. "I-I-I drowned..." "Oh my god..." I couldn''t stop trembling and curled up in the cave. "Oh..my... *sniff* fucking *sniff*... god..." I will never forget this experience. I literally drowned and... and... died. It wasn''t a near-death experience, but actual, proper death. I couldn''t believe it. This felt so different from dying of heart attack. This felt so... traumatic... and sad. This one instance topped everything I had suffered so far. I was in shambles, totally broken during my last breath. Oh boy... "I... really died..." I brought my hand in front of my face. It was still trembling. Even if I tried to make it stop, it wouldn''t. I took deep breaths and bit my quivering lips, stopping myself from crying out loud. I silently stayed curled up in this cave and didn''t move for a while, contemplating everything that had happened so far. [02:13:44_37] [02:13:44_36] "This is real life..." I muttered softly as I remembered the final vision of looking at the wavy waters, hoping that some hand came to rescue me from drowning. The situation was a tight slap on my face and a firm reminder that in real life, there was nobody coming to save you. You had to be your own savior, and hoping for someone to help you was peak foolishness. Within a day''s time, I got third degree burns, fell from a height, fought fantasy monsters, and died from drowning. If this wasn''t the pinnacle of misfortune, then I wasn''t sure what else was. I had to be really careful from this point onwards if I wanted to survive. I had to do things which I wouldn''t imagine even in my wildest dreams. I wouldn''t have fallen down from the passage had I faced the ghostly figures around me. Or, if I knew swimming, I wouldn''t be in such a tough situation. I had to quickly learn some martial arts, swimming, and magic to put myself away from mortal dangers such as these. Heaving out a deep sigh, I gradually calmed down and got up from the curled up position. A switch within me flicked and I was burning with the desire to live. I would overcome any and every challenge thrown at me from this point onwards and become strong enough to protect myself. I did not want to rely on anyone anymore. The lotus lady said I wouldn''t die, and although her words came true, I wasn''t sure how long it would be valid for. "Huuuuuuff..." I took another deep breath and steeled my resolve, then began walking inside the cave I resurrected at. Chapter 20: Labyrinth of Shadows (2) Chapter 20: Labyrinth of Shadows (2)The passage was bright blue and etched with many runestones. I didn''t know the language of this world and couldn''t read them, hence missing out on the potential benefits they could provide. Another thing was added on my to-do list ¡ª learn the magic language. As I continued to walk in the passage, I soon heard the same ghostly whisper of ''do not pass''. This time, I didn''t panic and had enough resolve to face whatever was coming at me. "Traveler..." I heard a different word from the whisper. I stopped in my tracks and looked around, wondering who the voice belonged to. The sound of approaching footsteps fastened from the front and as I started at it, I soon felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning behind, I saw nobody. When I turned back again... "Traveler!" "Ahhhh!" My heart leaped out of my chest as I saw an old man''s face an inch away from mine. I hastily took a few steps back and the old man took similar quick strides and closed the distance between us. "Traveler!" The old man said in his hoarse voice, his eyes glinting with an ancient knowing. "See nothing but the truth that hides, hear nothing but the silence that lies, speak nothing but the words unsaid." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The old man''s figure vanished once he finished saying that, leaving me baffled and more confused than ever. I tried to not think much about this encounter and continued walking. A hundred steps in, I encountered a fork. Fifty more steps later, the passage twisted and turned. The ground beneath me became wobbly and I could clearly see and feel myself about to get crushed by the narrow walls of the passage, but I didn''t panic this time around. I held onto the faith that I wouldn''t die, as suggested by the lotus lady, and began moving forwards. Surprisingly, I was able to walk without any problems and soon cleared the wobbling passage, appearing before a pair of large wooden doors. I pushed open the doors and walked inside, finding myself in a hall filled with people. "Make room! Make room!" People shouted as they brought a sick person inside the hall. The man on the stretcher was put down on the ground beside a woman, both seriously wounded from their chests and bleeding black blood. Nuns in white and black robes came to tend to them, their expressions tense as they watched the two. In the same hall, in several places on the ground, men, women, children, elderly... they all grunted and rolled in pain as blood seeped out of their bandaged wounds. Nuns were constantly running around to heal people, but nothing seemed to be working as not a single person in the room was silent and in relief. "You, youngster! Don''t just stand and watch! Help me out here!" A nun looked at me and exclaimed. After a moment of surprise, I rushed towards the nun to help her bandage the sickly. It all felt so real that it didn''t seem like a trial at all. Had I not been able to see the system screen, I would''ve thought that I was teleported in medieval times or something. "Apply that on the wounds, I''ll hold the woman." The nun said and pointed at a darkish yellow liquid in a bowl. I dipped some cotton in that liquid and rubbed it on the woman''s wounds. "Ahhhhhhhh¡ª!" The woman screamed and shook violently. "Don''t stare at her! Wrap her with bandages!" The nun yelled. "Ahhhhhh!" The woman''s shriek chilled my bones, but nervously, I used a white-colored bandage and wrapped it around her hand. I did three rounds of wrapping around the wound, then tore the bandage and tied a knot to keep the wrap in place. The woman gradually stopped thrashing around and the nun let go of her, then took me to another wounded person. I wondered what was causing black blood to seep out while disinfecting the wounds and wrapping bandages. Not holding back my curiosity, I asked the nun, "Hey sister, is black the normal color of blood?" The old sister looked at me with a baffled look and said, "Young man, have you never been wounded before?" "I have." I replied, not ashamed of being questioned like that. "Then why do you ask?" The nun didn''t understand me. "Please just tell me." I insisted. The nun shook her head and said, "It''s dark red. If you do not know even this... maybe you should not be assisting me here. You should go out and fight instead." "What''s happening outside?" The nun looked at me in confusion. "Are you not aware?" "Uhh... I was sleeping. Some guys woke me up and rushed me here. I seriously have no clue what''s happening around." I made up an excuse. Surprise flashed in the nun''s eyes before she knitted her brows and said, "No wonder you''re here when you''re needed outside the most. Young man, go out and fight. Someone else can replace you here." And with that, I was immediately chased out of the hall. Before I knew it, a wiry figure approached me. It was a man in ragged clothes, stained from weeks of wear. A coarse tunic, once brown, now hung loose on his frame, patched in places with whatever scraps he could find. His trousers were little more than frayed wool, tucked into mud-caked boots that had seen too many miles. A rough-spun cloak, threadbare and riddled with holes, clung to his shoulders like a second skin, reeking of sweat and smoke. His face, gaunt and weathered, was set in a scowl as he looked at me, up and down, taking in the pristine tunic and polished boots. "You look like you''ve stepped out of a noble''s hall, not a battlefield," he spat, shoving a rusted sword into my hands. "Out there, it''s blood and death. Get yourself dirty, or you''ll be the first to fall." Without waiting for a response, he turned and strode off, his tattered cloak flaring behind him like the wings of a battered crow. I was insulted just like that. Though, the man wasn''t wrong since I did come out of a noble house, a Duke house, to be precise. If only he knew the struggle I went through after that, he wouldn''t be saying this. In any case, I began running behind the man in the narrow cobblestone paved streets of a medieval fantasy town, and reached a square bustling with lots of clings and clangs of metals along with the noises from monsters and men alike. The scene before me was chaos¡ªmen and monsters locked in a brutal struggle. The monsters were twisted, grotesque things, with limbs too long and eyes glowing a sickly yellow. Their skin was mottled, like rotting flesh, and their gaping maws dripped with black ichor. They moved with unnatural speed, claws slashing through the air. The townsfolk fought with a desperate fury, wielding whatever weapons they could find¡ª rusted swords, pitchforks, even broken furniture. Their faces were gaunt, pale with fear and exhaustion, their clothes torn and bloodied. They were outmatched, yet they fought on, hacking and stabbing with a grim determination, their only goal to survive another moment. I watched for a bit and noticed that townsfolk were avoiding getting bitten by these ghoul-like creatures. I kept that in mind and threw away the rusty sword. I took out the hero''s sword from the system inventory and clutched its handle firmly, then charged right at the battlefield! Chapter 21: Labyrinth of Shadows (3) Chapter 21: Labyrinth of Shadows (3)*Slash!* *Slash!* *Slash!* The hero''s sword was surprisingly sharp and cut the ghouls down easily. I had no combat experience, but with a weapon like this? I slayed all the creatures present and became an actual hero of the town. The townsfolk looked at me with a shocked gaze and one of them pointed at me and shouted, "The hero! The hero is here!" Following him, like sheep, the entire crowd began chanting the same. They rushed at me and picked me up, throwing me in the air. I watched the scene with a calm gaze, not letting it get to my head. I was heeding the advice given by the old man from before: "See nothing but the truth that hides, hear nothing but the silence that lies, speak nothing but the words unsaid." I wasn''t going to drown myself in useless vanity and kept a sane mind, capturing everything happening. The townsfolk seemed happy and eventually carried me to a tavern for drinks and celebrations. The mood was suspiciously jolly despite many people suffering in the hall the nuns were at. E I was offered drinks but I did not have it. The people sang, danced, gossiped and had a lovely time, but I silently stayed at my table and tried to pass time without eating or drinking anything I was offered. As the sun went down and the stars began to reveal themselves on the vast canvas of space, I began noticing something suspicious. The shadows. It was the shadows of the people in the tavern that flickered and did not match their movements. With the sun going down, the people slowly left the tavern and went home, leaving me alone with a final few who were drunk and napping on the table. I looked at them, then their shadows, and found nothing wrong. This bunch was probably the unaffected one. Walking outside, I saw a group of men laughing and chattering while holding drinks. Their shadows were flickering, and finding this suspicious, I followed them. All the way towards a dark alley they went and stopped right in the middle of it. I watched from a distance with my sword clutched firmly in my hands. "Haaah... it''s getting hot..." A man said and tried to take off his tunic. "It is..." Another said and did the same action. Their shadows flickered intensely and in a moment, ghostly figures erupted out and vanished into the bodies of these men. They turned lifeless and began acting like zombies. Slowly, they moved away from the alley and walked in a certain direction. I stealthily followed them. Through the winding streets they went and to the outskirts they reached. Along the way, many more humans walking like zombies joined them. They continued to walk until they reached an abandoned, crumbling church stand. Many ghostly figures congregated there, their hollow eyes fixed on a large, ominous altar at the center. The altar was stained with dark patches pulsating with a life of their own. When I tried to take a closer look, all the figures stopped circling the air. ''Uhh...'' Something wasn''t right. All the figures slowly turned their heads and looked in my direction. More specifically... at me. Oh this wasn''t right. This was definitely not right! "Boy..." A chilling voice from behind made my hair stand on their ends. Like a startled kitten, I swung my sword immediately at whatever was behind me but hit nothing. I turned around again to see the ghostly figures and... "Ahhh!" A pair of hollow eyes stood a step away, gazing at me. I was startled once again and swung my sword, beheading the figure. [Ding!] [You have killed a townsman!] ''What the¡ª'' This was bad news. The person I killed was an actual person of the town and not a ghoul or a zombie. The moment the person in front died, a shadowy something leaped out of his body and traversed around me. "Boy..." I heard the same chilly voice again. Before I could run away, I found myself surrounded by more zombie-like townspeople with hollow eyes. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The only way to get out of this entrapment was to kill them. But doing so would cause something shadowy to revolve around me. I hesitated, and in a moment''s hesitation, I was surrounded by more of them. ''Fuck it! It''s either they live or I live!'' I swung my sharp sword and dashed out of the group, running back towards the town. [You have killed a townsman!] [You have killed a townsman!] I heard the notifications as the figures died. But I did not give it any care and made my way back towards the tavern. Along the way, many more shadowy things appeared beside me and swirling around in a ghostly, oppressive manner, speaking in fragmented, eerie whispers. The voices were hollow and echoing, filled with despair and bitterness. They made my spine tingle as danger bells gonged in my head. -Boy... you''ve sealed your fate... but it was never your choice... none of this was... From their whispers, I heard something strange. -The shadows... they deceive... but so do the faces you trust... Okay, the things revolving around me were saying something. However, although the messages were heard, I felt something wrong. My vision was slowly getting hazy and darker. I reached the tavern and found myself around people again, but they didn''t feel anything wrong with me. I had a feeling that I was in the wrong place and maybe going to the hall I was in the morning would be much better. Thus, I dashed and ran straight towards the hall. -We were once... like you... but we... succumbed to the curse... the labyrinth... it twists minds... bodies... souls... -The light... follow the light... but beware... the light burns... the truth burns... I had almost reached the hall. I was about to go inside, but then I stopped. Why was I going here anyway? Did I think the nuns could help me? "See nothing but the truth that hides, hear nothing but the silence that lies, speak nothing but the words unsaid." This phrase rang in my mind as I thought of getting help. There was no way I was going to be helped by the nuns with how everything was. Thus, I stopped and sat down at a nearby curb on the streets, listening to what the things around me were saying. -We were once... like you... but we... succumbed to the curse... the labyrinth... it twists minds... bodies... souls... They repeated the same thing many times, but eventually, I heard everything that they were saying and tried to make sense out of it. The things they had said in cryptic voices were: -Boy... you''ve sealed your fate... but it was never your choice... none of this was... -The shadows... they deceive... but so do the faces you trust... -We were once... like you... but we... succumbed to the curse... the labyrinth... it twists minds... bodies... souls... -The light... follow the light... but beware... the light burns... the truth burns... -The plague... it isn''t just death... it''s rebirth... in shadow... in darkness... we''re all trapped... even in death... -The exit... it hides in plain sight... but it''s guarded... by our worst fears... your worst fears... -We are bound... to this town... to this torment... until someone... breaks the cycle... only then... will we be free... -Your path... it''s not straight... the labyrinth... it shifts... your mind... it will betray you... trust nothing... trust no one... -The shadows... they are alive... they hunger... they feast... on fear... on hope... on souls... -To survive... to escape... you must embrace the darkness... become one... with the shadow... My vision was getting hazier as I stopped, listened, and watched the empty space in front of me. If my vision previously was 4K, it was now 1080p and slowly making its way towards 720p. I had to make sense out of the cryptic message. Every clue was out there, all I had to do was use my brain and think. Think. What could it be? Think. Think. Think. Think! THINK! THINNNNKKKK¡ªoh, wait a minute.... Chapter 22: Labyrinth of Shadows (4) Chapter 22: Labyrinth of Shadows (4)*Tak-tak-tak-tak-tak!* I ran back to the place of those possessed humans when I figured out something. The cryptic messages were telling me a story and were a big clue to finishing this trial. Reaching the outskirts of the town, I saw the church and the altar again. The possessed townspeople were still roaming around it and worshiping it. If the shadows around were not corrupting me, I would''ve taken my time to look out for more clues, but for now, this place seemed to be my best shot. The cryptic messages stated that exit was out in the open and was bound to my worst fears. My only fear so far were these ghostly figures. And out in the open was only one thing¡ªthe altar. I probably had to destroy the altar, but there were many challenges that lay in that. If these possessed figures did not have something to worship, what would they do? Will they run around like headless chickens or go to the town and kill everybody? What if the altar was not the exit? If the possessed figures began causing trouble, then it would be all for nothing. There was so much at stake and I had no idea what to do. At last, I decided I should just go destroy that altar. I took my sword out and made my way towards the altar. However, before I reached the possessed people''s radius of attention, someone grabbed my shoulder. "Hero, you must not!" A man in a tattered tunic pulled me away from the possessed figures and warned. He reeked of alcohol, but it wasn''t as strong as the ones from the tavern. The man shook his unkempt bearded-face and said, "Hero, if you plan to kill those people, then you must not." "Why?" I asked, even though my goal was something else. "Hero... those people..." The man looked at the possessed figures. "...they are ones that keep ghouls away at night. If it wasn''t for them, we would not be safe even at night." "What?" I asked, not understanding. "Yes. Those people..." Like an unskippable cutscene, the NPC of the quest dropped some heavy lore of the medieval town on me, making me truly understand what the cryptic voices of the shadows were. The possessed figures roaming around the altar were the doing of an old magician. Long ago, the kingdom got cursed and grotesque creatures¡ªthe ghouls¡ªattacked. Their bite caused a widespread plague and almost collapsed the kingdom. In the name of the plague, some men took advantage of the situation and tried to r*pe women. A young girl was captured by some of these men and hurt badly. Angered by the cruelty, her grandfather, the old magician, came out and performed a ritual to wipe out everyone present, but the young girl pleaded him to not punish innocent ones. It was slightly too late and the ritual wasn''t stopped completely. People were sacrificed to the altar, but weren''t killed fully, thereby being unable to enter the reincarnation cycle. Their remnant souls wandered freely and possessed the townsfolk every single day. The townspeople would come here every night and worship the altar. On the day they would not remember what had happened the night before, and go about their usual business. Due to this altar and souls, the ghouls did not attack at night, so the townspeople were somewhat safe. The daytime was a different story, and everyday was a struggle. The NPC man asked me to not hurt those possessed folks or kill the remnant souls. If I did that, I would cause ghouls to seep deep into the town and kill everyone present. This altar and souls were the only thing keeping it safe so far. I was now put in a dilemma. From what the NPC had said, instead of one choice, I had two of them now. The quest would finish either at this altar or if the plague and ghoul situation of the town was solved. I could either destroy the altar or heal the townspeople and kill the ghouls. I had north of 48 hours and hurting those possessed people didn''t seem like a good idea. Killing monsters would result in gain of points and killing humans lead to deductions. Though, if someone had a high score in the previous rounds, they could make do with the killing in the labyrinth by destroying the altar and leaving immediately. However, if someone did not have it, they had to clear it through the normal route. Given how my luck was, I was pretty sure that if I tried to take the easy way out, it would fuck me up. How? I had no idea. But I had this feeling that it would. Keeping the man''s words in mind, I parted ways with him and went to the tavern to take some rest. Tomorrow I would check up on the ghoul situation and see what could be done. The next day. I had a lot of food. Hunger caught up to me and I realized I needed food and water to survive. The lady, my mother, did say that she cast a food spell on me that kept me afloat without food and water for many hours. I was grateful to her for that and realized I would need more of those things in the future. They were quite useful. With how much shit had gone down so far, I missed that motherly love that I got on the first day of my reincarnation. It felt so warm and peaceful... Sadly, even if I wanted to experience it again, I might not get it. I would only put my mother and family at risk and could become the reason for their deaths. I would be totally broken if that ended up happening. That''s why, even if I may have accepted her as family, I couldn''t be with her. I had only spent a day with her, but it was enough love to last a lifetime. I would be at peace wherever I went, knowing I at least had a family somewhere and wasn''t an orphan. I could admire them from a distance and... Sigh... what depressing things am I thinking... I thought to myself as I walked outside the tavern, towards the dwelling of ghouls. I was a man destined to be alone, so I should not try to mess with destiny. It would be best if I focused on conquering the Tower because that way, I would have all the bad luck removed and may get to live a moderately okay life. Maybe one day I would be able to reunite with my family and live. Until then, I had to persevere and work hard. Outside the town I reached. Nobody stopped me from venturing out, but many followed and watched from afar. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Men were ready with their weapons to defend against the incoming wave of ghouls. I clutched my sword once again and left the gates of the town, venturing on an adventure in hopes of changing my destiny, one step at a time. Chapter 23: Labyrinth of Shadows (5) Chapter 23: Labyrinth of Shadows (5)Ghouls. An endless sea of ghouls was what awaited me outside the town gate. I kept swinging my sword in a deadly arc, its edge cleaving through the ghoul''s rotting flesh with a sickening squelch. Dark blood sprayed across the cobblestones as another ghoul lunged at me, jaws snapping. I pivoted, slashing downward with a grunt of exertion. The blade sliced cleanly through the ghoul''s decaying skull, cutting it in half and diverting my focus onto another one. It was a chaotic blur of shrieking ghouls and flashing steel. The creatures'' shrieks echoed through the alleyways, but no matter how many I killed, the ranks of the undead seemed endless, emerging from the shadows with relentless fury. Eventually, after consuming a stamina elixir, I decided it wasn''t right to fight these things. I went back into the town and had the gates closed up. I killed the few that made their way inside, and then made my way towards the tavern. The townspeople were happy to see me. They sang praises and called me a hero. Everything felt like a preprogrammed game world with the exception of respawning. If I die, I will die for real. I had to be careful about that. I had a few hours'' nap in the tavern and when I woke up, 36 hours remained until this trial was over. It was night time right now and some possessed folks were gone to the altar and worshiping it. Since the ghoul situation did not work out, the altar was the only option that remained. I had to destroy it, then defend myself from these remnant souls and the ghouls that would attack. This could backfire pretty bad, and given my luck, it definitely would. I could do nothing and still clear the tutorial through this trial, but the lotus lady had said that I would not get this experience again or things that were this easy. She said I wouldn''t die. I did not have a Phoenix Feather again, but with how sharp this sword was, and how many potions and elixirs I had, I could make it. Before going to the altar, I thought things through once again. What exactly might happen if I destroy it? Outcome 1 ¡ª the possessed people get completely possessed and attack me. Outcome 2 ¡ª outcome 1 happens along with the ghouls invading the town. Outcome 3 ¡ª outcome 2 happens along with the plague spreading and killing everybody. Outcome 4 ¡ª outcome 3 happens and everybody excluding me dies. I may die as well here. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Outcome 5 ¡ª none of the other outcomes happen and I find an exit to the labyrinth. The outcomes were troubling, but there was another thing. The altar was quite obvious, and since this was the case, anyone could find it easily within a few hours. Thus this makes me wonder, why was there a two day time limit? Was it perhaps normal and it was just me who botched up everything? For instance, did my bad luck flare up and have the remnant souls attack me, then send me that message? Or did I actually do everything on time like the way it was supposed to be done? Or... If not any of the things above, was I perhaps supposed to reach here early and destroy that altar, then get transported to some other place in the labyrinth and clear it? Fuck. I was overthinking too much. It could be anything and nothing of what I am thinking. At times like these, I really have no clue what I should be doing. My instincts were telling me that I would get attacked from all sides if I destroyed that altar. However, another part of me was thinking that what if there was something more to it after destroying the altar? What if the quest was longer and I had more things to clear? This quest was not about combat, after all. This was more of a test of logic. They had clearly mentioned it. Logically thinking, destroying the altar was the only correct option for me. The ghouls were endless, I could never fully kill them. If I''m gone from this place, the townspeople would be tormented endlessly until they all die. If this altar was destroyed, and I was wrong, they would still be tormented, but this time at night too along with the day. Nothing would keep the ghouls out other than physical structures like that large gate of the town. This was a gamble. A big gamble that I had to take. The townsfolk were dying either which way, that was an absolute surety. Since such was the case, I decided to go and destroy the altar. It''s a logic based trial, and logically this was the correct decision. I passed through the streets and reached the place of worship for those remnant souls. The possessed people started attacking when I entered their territory. I tried to not kill the folks and made my way towards the altar. Some inevitably died and I had points deducted for killing the townsmen. Though, I felt nothing from their death. If I didn''t kill them, they would kill me. As simple as that. Somehow I managed to reach close to the altar. The possessed figures did not come closer and I was relieved. They watched me from a fixed distance, as if there was a barrier stopping them from nearing me, and had a lifeless expression that showed no threat or distress, only emptiness. I took some rest at the altar, and looked around, taking in everything. My vision was now at 480p and I knew I had to hurry. I was stupid to think that I should wait until only a few hours were left and destroy this altar. The souls would totally corrupt me and kill me until then. Once I felt well rested, I got up and used my Arcana Card Fireball to destroy the altar. A small explosion occurred at the place and destroyed the altar. "Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" The possessed townsfolk around me screamed while staring up at the sky. From the distance, I could hear a loud thumping sound. It was probably the ghouls trying to break into the town through the large door. I had thought that the possessed people would attack me, but they kept screaming and writhing in pain on the ground, not doing anything to me. The shadows around me slowly dispersed and I could hear their cryptic voices, stating: "...thank... you..." "...you''ve... freed us..." Turns out, I was indeed overthinking stuff and made a mountain out of a molehill. I did not think of the possibility that destroying the altar would make the long standing ritual collapse and free these trapped souls. Well, now they were gone, and could reincarnate again. I couldn''t be relieved or happy about this as the ghouls came growling. I heard loud shouts of the townspeople and knew that I had to protect them from these ghouls. Well, one way or the other, this was bound to happen. Until the timer ran out, I would do my best to fight against these ghouls. Steeling my resolve and putting on my shounen protagonist persona, I clutched my sword and ran towards the gates to protect the town. Chapter 24: Labyrinth of Shadows (6) Chapter 24: Labyrinth of Shadows (6)Time passed. My eyes were droopy. My vision was hazy and colored red. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. All the adrenaline was gone and what was left was the sheer willpower to not collapse. [00:04:19_41] [00:04:19_40] [00:04:19_39] Just a bit more. I just had to hold on for a while longer. I was surrounded by a sea of ghouls and ran out of elixirs and potions long ago. A human was not capable of such labor intensive tasks and did not possess the necessary endurance to last so long. I was still holding on because I used almost all the resources I had on me. The shield, invincibility amulet, potions, elixirs, and so on. I even enchanted my sword with the Book of Runes and it worked such wonders that with one swing, I could cut more than three ghouls. Other than that, there was an important strategy that helped me last so long. The ghouls were invading the town from one entry point¡ªthe large door on the outskirts. Since the door was kept closed, the ghouls attacked it and tried to destroy it. They would''ve succeeded had it remained closed, but I was quick enough to find this problem and correct it. I made the townsmen open the gates partially and hold on to not let the ghouls slam it fully open. The partial opening removed a lot of pressure from the door as the ghouls found a place to barge in from. They were mindless creatures so they all rushed towards the only entry point available instead of breaking the door open. This led to a steady influx of ghouls that could move swiftly, but with my sharp sword, I cut them all down. I kept my sword in between the partially opened door like a barricade and as the ghouls tried to enter, they were beheaded instantly and got chopped like carrots on a chopping board. I was happy with this strategy, but soon my sword''s sharpness dwindled and it was unable to cut the ghouls as swiftly. This let the ghouls put more force on the sword, and I had to eventually hold it tighter and stay grounded in one position. My sword eventually couldn''t take it anymore and I ended up enhancing it with the Book of Runes after telling the townsmen to close the door. The closed door let me have a breather. I took a leak during this time. This was one of the important things that no anime or novel mentioned. How could those fucking protagonist train for thousands of hours in one single place? What about natural bowel and bladder movements? There was hunger and sleep they needed to satiate too. How could they go on without it? If the worldbuilding in those shows was done in a way where something was available to relieve all these mortal things then it made sense for them to train for multiple days. But usually, there was no such thing. How could they all fucking go for all these hours without taking a piss!? This was beyond me. I was a normal human and I needed sleep, water, food, and had the urge to do number one and two like a normal person. In any case, I went to take a leak, and when I came back, I found a few people from the town standing by the gate, holding wooden trays full of water and food. "Hero, you need nourishment!" "One cannot fight on an empty stomach!" "Please eat this!" This honestly baffled me more than it should''ve. These NPCs were acting in quite the realistic manner. It was probably because it was in the Tower and wasn''t actually a game made by mortal humans. I didn''t think much on this topic and focused on eating and battling. The Book of Runestones was used and the sharpness returned to the sword along with strength and durability. I could use it as a barricade again, but had a feeling that it would only hold on for a few hours extra before becoming blunt again. When I had eaten enough, I had a strong urge to take a nap. I was too tired and my body was starting to give up. However, I knew I was doomed if I slept here. The ghouls would break inside and kill me first, then the villagers. Even if I didn''t want to, I had to. So I got up and once again asked the people to partially open the door and fought. The partial opening and closing was done multiple times. The frequency increased after a day had passed. Before it was closing once every few hours, but then it became closing every hour, then every thirty minutes. I was without sleep for a whole day and dead tired. I could collapse any moment, but I held on due to sheer will. I had asked the people around me to do their best to hold on for as long as possible and keep the door closed. I wanted to sleep. I really needed it. They agreed with my request and kept the door closed for a solid 30 minutes. I was woken up with a bucket of water splashed onto me. I asked the people to do this in case I did not get up. My body was in shock from the cold water, but the shock was good as it totally awakened my senses. I felt groggy and heavy. I did not want to battle. I did not want to do this. I wanted to sleep. It felt too tiring and my will was breaking up. I knew I wouldn''t be able to last for long even if I tried. I might genuinely die once again, and since death was inevitable, I might as well sleep and get killed in my sleep. It would be a painless and comforting death. The sheer level of tiredness I had made me suicidal and think irrationally. Thankfully, I was smart enough to be self aware and kept a stamina elixir handy. I drank it and felt well rested and rejuvenated. The suicidal thoughts were gone and what I instead thought of was: If I die, I die. But I won''t die a pussy. I''ll hold on for as long as I can and use the resources properly. With such a resolve, I held on till now. However, everyone had their limits. I was at my limits. I have been fighting for almost 45-50 hours. My body couldn''t take it any more. I was swinging my sword on autopilot, not aware of what I was doing. Now, when I felt totally out of it, I gazed at the last usable resource available in my inventory. [Blood Dragon''s Bone Elixir - Increases all physical attributes by 300% for 15 minutes but comes with a hidden risk.] The last two words were the reason I did not use it yet. The hidden risk could be anything and potentially life threatening. It was better not to use it. However, given my circumstances right now, I had no other choice. It was either to use this or collapse. My eyes felt heavy and the vision dimmed. On their own, my hand holding the sword fended against the ghouls while the other hand had held a vial containing the elixir. *Gulp* In one go, I ingested the elixir. A metallic taste and a rough texture spread on my tongue, then throat, and chest. I felt my stomach get warmer, and warmer, and soon... My vision went dark as my consciousness slowly seeped away... Chapter 25: Level Up! Chapter 25: Level Up!The darkness was absolute, an endless void where even the air seemed still. A pair of narrow slits emerged within it, glowing with an intense, molten gold light. The pupils, sharp and vertical like blades, expanded slowly, cutting through the void with their fierce, unblinking gaze. The irises shimmered, predatory and focused, as though a god appraising a mere insect. From the void came a sound, deep and overbearing, suffocating the impenetrable darkness. "Who... dares?" ..... Lobby, Floor 0. Napping on Eleanor''s lap, El''s eyes snapped open. Noticing the movement, Eleanor looked down, but failed to find the spillage of raven hair all over her lap. "I''ll be back in a bit, El. Don''t miss me too much and go grab us some coffee until then..." El''s seductive figure could be seen swaying in the distance as she walked away, waving her hand at Eleanor. Eleanor was dumbfounded with the sudden change of pace, and before the blonde beauty could figure out what was happening, El disappeared from her sight. ..... [Ding!] [Quest Complete!] [Do you wish to exit the tutorial? (Y/N)] Julien''s head hurt as he woke up clutching his head. Around him was a familiar fireplace with a malnourished Santa Claus sipping hot chocolate. "Hohoho¡ª! Welcome back, Player!" The merchant greeted. Julien was on the ground, on a woolen mat by the crackling fire. He rummaged through his thoughts to figure out what had happened. The last thing he could remember was drinking the Blood Dragon''s Bone Elixir. After that, everything went completely blank until he heard the system notification for quest completion. The quest had 4 hours left and the elixir only granted a boost for 15 mins. What happened in the remaining time? I should''ve died from the ghouls once the elixir''s effect came off, but I didn''t. Why was this the case? And wouldn''t the ghouls kill all the townspeople, leading to a quest failure? Why does it say the quest is complete? Julien had so many questions going on in his head. A few seconds passed and nobody answered the questions he had thought of. The lotus lady was probably not listening. Julien sighed and shook his head. Not even a week had passed in this world and he had already been in so many life threatening situations. He turned to the merchant and asked, "How long until the next tutorial starts?" "Hoho, it has already started." Santa curled his mustache and said with a hearty laugh. "You are late once again." "Fuck!" Julien cursed. "Was I asleep?" "Yes. For more than 2 days, hohoho!" Julien rubbed his temples in frustration and checked the quest details in the system. + [Teamwork Section ¡ª Last Pact Standing] [Objective: Survive in the shrinking arena and emerge as the final victorious team. Form alliances, but beware¡ªonly one team can claim victory in the end.] [Arena Description: You will be placed in a vast, treacherous terrain filled with forests, mountains, and ruins. As time passes, safe zones will diminish. Resources are scarce, and some can only be accessed through cooperation.] [Rules] ¡ª Form a team and make temporary alliances with other teams to increase your chances of survival. ¡ª Individuals not in a team will be disqualified. ¡ª Killing team members will result in instant disqualification. ¡ª Minimum members in a team: 2 ¡ª Maximum members in a team: 5 ¡ª Moving in a group without forming a pact would lead to penalties. ¡ª To eliminate other Players, deposit the individual tokens in designated centers. [Time ¡ª 02:18:27_33] + A battle royale as a tutorial quest... Julien wasn''t sure how to feel. This wasn''t just a tutorial anymore¡ªit was a full-fledged trial in disguise. After everything that had happened in the last section, a part of him wanted to avoid the next. It would be riskier; this time, he''d face real-world people, not NPCs. When real people were involved, things could go south quickly. Given his own history, he knew he''d have to work harder than ever to protect himself. The rules stated that tokens had to be deposited into respective centers. They didn''t specify how to obtain them, meaning anything was allowed¡ªincluding killing. Julien wasn''t sure he had the conviction to kill, but he knew very well that this world was cold and others wouldn''t hesitate to murder him. There was no government, no law, no nothing to protect oneself. It was a wild jungle with danger lurking in every direction. The lotus lady''s words had come true twice by now. She had told him he wouldn''t die and that he should continue with the tutorials. She might not realize it, but her words gave Julien a sense of security, making his decisions easier. Just a section ago, he was a crybaby who whined too much. Now, he was still a crybaby, but one who could make decisions without being paralyzed by fear. There was still a long way to go before he stopped being a crybaby altogether. Just last week, he was a porn-addicted couch potato, resembling a social media moderator. He knew it was unrealistic to expect an immediate glow-up after just a few trials. It would take time, effort, and adventures to fully adapt to the Tower''s ever-changing, tumultuous environment. In any case, like before, Julien thought to himself that if he couldn''t even finish a tutorial, then he may not be fit to climb to higher floors. "Merchant, give me the items list." "Hohoho, there''s nothing available to purchase, Player." Malnourished Santa said with a hearty chuckle. "There isn''t? Then why are you here?" "To trade, hoho!" Julien looked at him as if he was an idiot. "You just said you don''t have anything for purchase. What trade are you even going to make?" The malnourished Santa sipped hot chocolate and said, "Player, purchasing items with points is not available and that''s because the Logic Section does not provide points. It provides items as rewards that you can trade for something better." "Oh." Julien understood now. Since that was the case, he summoned the system to check his rewards and attributes. The moment the panel came up and he had a look, his eyes opened wide like saucers. + [General Stats] Name: Julien Von Lichtenstein Title: Defender of the Damned ?new? Rank: ¡ª (+1) ?new? Level: 11 (+10) XP: 2574/13,000 (+43,274) [Attributes] Health: 100 (+90) Essence: 1,007 (+1004) Strength: 197(+190) Agility: 114 (+109) Endurance: 360 (+355) Intelligence: 28 (+19) Charm: 15 (+4) Luck: N/A [Arcana Cards: (3/3)] Slot #1: Flame Poke(common) Slot #2: ¡ª Slot #3: Stone Wall(Uncommon) [Trait] -Reluctant Slayer: +5% damage to enemies when Health is below 50%. -Unyielding Will: 2x boost to all stats when Health drops below 30. ?new? [Items] (Common) -Spectral Lens: Allows the wearer to see invisible entities, detect illusions, and reveal hidden traps or secret doors. ?new? (Uncommon) Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. -Shadow Cloak of Eclipsia: Grants invisibility when in darkness or shadows, perfect for stealth missions. Provides a slight increase in agility. ?new? -Ghoulbane Sword: A sword infused with the essence of slain ghouls, it deals increased damage to undead creatures and has a chance to paralyze enemies. ?new? -Wraithbone Amulet: Increases resistance to dark magic and curses by 50%. Can absorb a single lethal spell, releasing it as a counterattack. ?new? -Soul Shard: Contains a remnant soul. Can be used to summon the soul as an ally in battle, providing temporary boosts to attack and defense. ?new? (Rare) -Sword of the Demonic Hero(broken, enchanted): A sword with unmatched sharpness. Deals bonus damage to cursed entities. -Veil of Eternal Night: Creates an area of total darkness that only the user can see through. Lasts for 10 minutes. Can be used once per day. ?new? (Others) -Memo of Valthor -Enchanted Compass [Achievements] ?new? -Savior of the Plagued Town -Ghoul Slayer + "W-w-what?" Julien couldn''t believe his eyes. "I leveled up so much!?" Chapter 26: Last Pact Standing Chapter 26: Last Pact StandingAll new things added were shown and how much Julien had leveled up was also there. It felt unbelievable, but the facts were right there, in front of his eyes. He had jumped ten levels, gained a new title, many rewards, and even had a new tab called achievements with two achievements already listed under it. In two sections, he had gained enough experience points to jump ten levels and also had something called a Rank tab in his general stats area. "Do you wish to trade, Player?" Julien snapped out of his stupor at the merchant''s question, tearing his gaze away from the system panel. The Teamwork Section had already begun, and time was slipping away. He couldn''t afford to linger here, lost in thought over his stats¡ªdoing so would invite disaster. Two days had already passed in the trial. Most players had likely formed their teams by now, and joining one would be a challenge. Any further delay would only make the situation more dire. Turning to the merchant, Julien said, "Yes. Show me the items available for trade." "Hohoho! Here you go!" + -Elixir of Accelerated Learning: Doubles Experience and Intelligence points gained for the next 24 hours. -Ring of the Whispering Winds: Increases movement speed by 20% and grants a 10% chance to evade attacks. -Scroll of Mass Teleportation: Teleports the user and up to five allies to a location of choice within the trial area. -Strengthening Spell Enchanted Gauntlet: Increases physical strength and fortitude by 30%, making the user resistant to physical damage. -Tome of Forgotten Spells: Contains five random Uncommon spells that can be learned once read. -Bag of Infinite Holding: A small bag that can store an unlimited number of items without increasing in weight. -Potion of True Sight: Grants the ability to see through all illusions and lies for 1 hour. Can be used once per day. + "Oh? The bag seems useful." Julien''s gaze was fixated on the Bag of Infinite Holding. "Hoho, you can have it for the Memo of Valthor!" The merchant curled his mustache. "Huh?" Julien looked at him with a dumbfounded gaze. "Why do you know which items I possess?" "That''s a trade secret, Player. Hohoho!" Julien knitted his brows. Talking to this man was quite annoying. "I refuse. I''ll trade it for the Veil of Eternal Darkness." The merchant shook his head and said, "The value of the bag can only be matched by the Memo." The merchant was an NPC that was given commands by the Tower. It was probably the reason why he knew of the items in possession and was trying hard to get the memo. It was clear by now that the Tower greatly valued the memo. This was even more so of a reason to avoid trading it off. The Bag of Infinite Holdings was a good item, but may not be as precious because one could easily lose it. What if there was a trial where the Player had to get naked and move around? In such a scenario, the bag could not be taken together, so that was another limitation. "I''m not trading the Memo of Valthor. What are the items that can be traded with my rewards?" "Everything from the list, except the bag, hoho!" "Okay. Then I''ll have the..." Five minutes passed. [Ding!] [Traded ¡ª Wraithbone Amulet, Soul Shard!] [Obtained ¡ª Scroll of Mass Teleportation, Potion of True Sight!] "Pleasure doing business, hohohoho!" Malnourished Santa Claus laughed heartily and disappeared. The reality around Julien began to crumble, pixels falling away like fragments from a broken screen as the trade concluded. A bright sky replaced the room''s dark ceiling, and the scent of freshly poured rain on soil filled his nostrils. He now stood on a grassy field, encircled by towering trees and lush greenery, his gaze resting on the tranquil puddle of water before him. [Welcome Player to the Teamwork Section!] [Last Pact Standing ¡ª 02:18:21_56] [Time limit to form a pact: 5 hours.] [Failure to join or create a team within the allotted time will result in immediate disqualification.] "Fuuuuu..." Julien let out a sharp breath and stretched. "Let''s see how well I fare off against others." Taking out his Enchanted Compass, Julien oriented himself to the north and began walking in that direction. There was no specific reason for choosing north; it was simply better to move deliberately than wander aimlessly. Map wasn''t available so he had to leave markings to know where he was going. The first thing he planned to do was acquiring food, water and finding shelter. As Julien ventured deeper into the dense jungle, the foliage grew thicker, and the air became heavy with humidity. The cacophony of the jungle surrounded him: the chirping of insects, the rustle of leaves, and the occasional distant call of a bird. He marked each tree with small, deliberate cuts and snapped twigs to keep his bearings. Suddenly, a deafening explosion echoed through the jungle, shaking the ground beneath his feet. Julien froze, his heart racing as the sound reverberated through the trees, followed by a shockwave that rattled the branches above. Dust and debris rained down, and the once-familiar sounds of the jungle were replaced by an eerie silence. He scanned the horizon, trying to locate the source of the explosion with senses on high alert. The jungle seemed to close in around him, the shadows growing darker as the day shifted. Julien knew he couldn''t stay in one place for too long; whatever had caused the explosion could mean danger. It''s best if I don''t go in that direction. Julien thought. However, a split second later, he stopped in his tracks and knitted his brows. Tsk. I forgot that I have to find teammates. Time''s running out and I am in urgent need of someone. Julien turned toward the source of the explosion once more, sighed, and then began walking in that direction. He drew his Ghoulbane Sword and swung it around, getting a feel for its weight and balance. The sword was longer than the Demonic Sword, with a murky sheen to the blade. It was sharp on both sides and had a pointed end, ideal for thrusting. The handle was wrapped in gray leather-like material with red threads woven through it. Light and easy to handle, the sword brought Julien a sense of relief. As he continued, he noticed the grass was flattened in a long trail and uprooted in places, as if someone had been dragged through it. Julien''s senses were on high alert as he took cover against the trees, moving cautiously. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Soon, faint sounds of metal clanging made his ears perk up. He moved toward the noise and, just a few steps ahead... *Crunch!* Beep. Julien stepped on something, and a clicking sound echoed around him. Danger alarms blared in his mind as his pupils constricted, the sensation of impending doom overwhelming him. Beep. Beep-beep-beep-beep! Beep-beep-beepbeepbeepbeepbibibibi¡ª "Watch out! Watch out! Watch out!" *BOOOOOOOOM¡ª!* Chapter 27: Last Pact Standing (2) Chapter 27: Last Pact Standing (2)*BOOOOOOOOM¡ª!* Julien felt someone leap onto him and roll to the side, pulling him with them. The explosion roared behind him, sending debris flying, tearing at his clothing and dirtying his hair. His hands were wrapped around the person that rolled with him, and to luck would have it, the person did not save him, rather, he became the one shielding the person as they lay in front of him. Though, this was the least of his concerns. What concerned Julien the most was... It tickled. The debris... the flying rocks, soil, and splinters¡ªthey all hit his back, and it tickled. Julien was baffled when he realized none of the things were able to pierce his body. The most they did was cut him. What the fuck? Was Julien''s curse finally gone? Was he finally starting to get lucky? Did he finally develop plot armor like those shonen protagonists? ...the answer was no. Julien was still as cursed as he could be and luck was completely against him. This stepping would''ve resulted in his third death, but thanks to the experience points gained through the previous rounds, he had leveled up significantly, acquiring a body sturdy enough to withstand the explosions of the tutorial trial. Julien was yet to figure this information out, and given the movements near his feet, his thoughts shifted from understanding the situation to focusing on the person who had tried to save him. "Oh, I forgot about you. Here..." Julien gave the person a hand and helped them get up. "T-t-thank you..." A meek and low voice said to him. "May god bless you..." "Hm?" As Julien helped the person sit on a nearby rock, he finally got to have a look at them. It wasn''t them, but she, a lady, no, a nun to be precise. The girl in front was a nun, who had her entire body covered in typical church attire. She also had a cross necklace around her neck, but the thing that stood out the most were her eyes. Her eyes were covered with a red blindfold. This could have many meanings, but one thing was clear¡ªshe couldn''t see. "Miss, are you alright?" Compassion swelled up in Julien''s heart as realized a person who couldn''t even see had tried to save him. "I-I am fine... thank you for your concern..." The nun said. She then brought her hands together. "Savior, I apologize for being unable to help. Due to me, you¡ª" "No, no, you helped me, I didn''t help you. You are the savior here." Julien swiftly tried to make her understand the truth. "I am sorry..." The nun looked down. "Due to me you had to go through that..." "I didn''t go through anything due to you. Please stop blaming yourself." Julien shook his head and said. The nun was about to say something, but the sound of a distant explosion rang in the two''s ears, distracting them. "Oh no¡ª!" The nun immediately got up. "My teammate... that should be my teammate..." The nun tried to run in the explosion''s direction, but Julien held her hand and stopped her. "Wait, don''t run there!" "Ouch!" The nun exclaimed and turned to look at her hand, but couldn''t see anything and could just feel the pain. "Savior, it hurts..." "Ah, I''m so sorry. I didn''t mean to hurt you..." Julien let go of her hand and took a step back. He was still not used to his new strength and it would take some time to adapt. "I stopped you because ahead is a tree and you would''ve slammed right into it." "Ah..." The nun stopped rubbing her hands. "Savior was once again trying to save me... ah... how foolish of me to have thought you hurt me..." "No, no! I understand. You don''t have to be so humble and kind for every little thing." Julien once again tried to stop her. Her humble words were sort of making him uncomfortable and guilty. "Let''s leave the formalities aside. If your teammate is in that explosion''s area, I''ll take you to it. However, can you please do me a favor first?" Julien asked hurriedly. "Savior need not be so humble. If there''s anything this weak nun could do for you, please don''t hesitate to ask." The nun said. Julien felt his head hurt from the formalities, but he ignored it for now and replied, "If your team is not full, can you take me in?" "Oh." The nun''s face was neutral with no change in expression, but Julien could swear he saw it brighten up. "The savior is not in a team?" She asked. "I''m not. I''ll let you know about the details later. So could you please¡ª" "Yes, yes, savior neend not worry!" The nun said. She swiped her hand in front of her and a blue screen appeared in between them. + [Pact Agreement] Pact Name: God''s Beloved Children Members: 2 Pact Terms & Conditions: 1. Mutual Defense Clause - All members must protect each other from external threats. - Abandonment of a member during combat results in penalty points and potential expulsion from the Pact. 2. Resource Sharing Clause - All resources gathered must be shared equitably among members. - Hoarding or theft will incur system penalties. 3. Vote of Confidence Clause - Major decisions require a unanimous vote among all Pact members. - Dissension will result in penalties or dissolution of the Pact. 4. Pact Loyalty Clause - Betrayal of the Pact or its members will result in immediate disqualification and severe penalties. - Trust within the Pact is paramount. 5. Pact Duration - The Pact remains valid until the end of the trial or until disbanded by mutual agreement of all members. - Disbanding the Pact before the trial''s conclusion will result in penalties. Sign Below to Finalize the Pact Agreement. Player 1: Amelia Player 2: Jackie Additional Members: ______ Signatures Present: 2/5 + "Savior, please put your token on the signature area. It will sign itself." The nun, who''s name was probably Amelia, said. The token was a palm-sized diamond shaped badge. It was attached to the chest area from the moment Julien arrived here, and could be removed only by injecting some Essence into it. Julien did just that and took it out, then placed it on the screen. As the nun Amelia had said, his name got printed on the blank space. His token had a symbol of heart engraved on it, followed by the number 3 in the middle. Amelia took it out of the screen and handed it back to Julien. "You''re now part of our team, savior." The nun joined her hands and said in a gentle, soothing voice. Julien took the badge and had a look. Behind it was the name God''s Beloved Children written. It wasn''t the best of names, but it would make do for now. "Let''s hurry." Julien held the nun''s hand, this time gently, and began running. "Ahhh, savior, slowly..." The nun couldn''t keep up with his speed and panted heavily. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Sorry..." Julien forgot that his attributes had increased tremendously. He stopped at once and asked, "If you don''t mind, can I carry you? We could reach there faster." He did not know whether nuns in this world were allowed to have physical contact with men or not. He had already touched her, and so far she hadn''t said anything, but it never hurt to ask for consent. "Savior, I apologize..." The nun clasped her hands. "I apologize for... sniff... being so incompetent and being unable to keep up with you." Julien rubbed his temples. "Am I allowed to carry you or not, just answer with a yes or no." "Yes, but savior doesn''t need to¡ª" "Kyaaaaa!" Julien picked the lady in his arms and shot like a bullet towards the place of explosion, shocking the poor nun and making her clutch onto his chest for dear life. As Julien ran, he felt a cool breeze behind his back, but thinking it was just due to him running fast, he ignored it and continued to run. Amelia stopped screaming after a while and soon, the sounds of metal clanging echoed in her and Julien''s ears. They knew they were close, and as a teammate''s life could be in danger, Julien ran faster towards the metallic sound, hoping and praying along with Amelia that it wasn''t too late. Chapter 28: Last Pact Standing (3) Chapter 28: Last Pact Standing (3)*Clang!* *Clang!* "Cough! Cough!" Missing an arm and bleeding profusely from the wounds, Julien saw his third teammate Jack, a short and slim boy in tattered adventurer''s attire fighting against a tall and slender boy. The tall boy''s expression was that of amusement as he maneuvered his sword swiftly to toy with the young boy. It was clear that he could''ve killed the boy anytime, but did not because he was having fun torturing him. Julien was behind a tree with Amelia. He said in a soft voice, "Please stand here quietly. I''ll be back." "No, savior, let me do it. You''ve done enough for us already." The nun held Julien''s hand and stopped him. Julien was quite annoyed by the constant formalities and he couldn''t help but flick the nun''s forehead. "Ouch!" "Savior, why..." The nun looked at Julien as if she had been wronged. Julien wasn''t looking at her, when he flicked her forehead. His eyes were on the third teammate. When the nun pitifully asked why, he turned to look at her, only to have his heart skip a beat as he saw her run her forehead with both her hands. This... Julien couldn''t believe what he was looking at. The nun... The fully conservatively covered nun... Just from her face alone looked so cute! Shit. These are blasphemous thoughts! Julien quickly shook his head and shoved aside those thoughts. He knew he had flicked her forehead gently so she shouldn''t be in much pain. "Stand here, I''ll be back. He''s my teammate too now and it''s my responsibility to protect him." Julien didn''t give the nun a chance and dashed towards Jackie, his third teammate. "Kekeke, shall we end this now, boy?" The tall youth sneered as he swung his sword with a swift, brutal force. With a resounding clang, Jackie''s sword was sent flying from his grasp. Without anything to defend themselves, Jackie knew it was over. Everything looked like a blur and Jackie''s vision slowly dimmed as life slowly came to an end. The last thing Jackie saw was a silhouette... a silhouette of a third person... I''m sorry... mo...ther... Jackie lost consciousness and collapsed. The tall boy with fiery red hair, having his back face Jackie, was about to flash a victorious grin, but didn''t do so at the last minute. Something felt amiss. With the defeated boy''s collapse, a thud sound should''ve resounded, but there was none. Confused, he turned around. "Huh!?" The boy was not there! "What? Where did he go?" The tall boy''s eyes darted around in surprise. Just as he took a step forward to search, a sudden, forceful shove slammed into his side, driving hard into his ribcage, and sent him flying. "Ahhhhhhh¡ª!" The tall boy''s painful howl echoed in the whole forest. From the spot he was sent away, Julien looked at it in surprise. "So I did get strong." Julien swayed his legs and said. From the distance, a thud echoed in his ears. Turning to look at it, Julien roughly measured the distance and found it to be an astonishing 100 meters. "Sweet mother of..." Julien sucked in a cold breath of air, astonished by his own strength. "I shouldn''t have used my full power..." Julien said softly and made his way towards the tall boy to check up on him. The tall boy was unconscious and lying limp on the ground in a puddle of his own blood. Julien drew in a sharp breath of cold air as he took in the sight of the boy''s deformed sides. Pink bones jutted sharply from his body, and if not for the faint rise and fall of his chest, Julien would have thought he was dead. No organs were spilled out and it was just the bones. If the boy was breathing properly, his lungs weren''t punctured either or filled with blood. He could be treated and cured. Julien had taken Jackie to safety, towards Amelia, and the nun stated that she could heal him. So, Julien could take this boy to her and put him away from death''s way. However... Julien first checked the boy''s pockets. What if he had healing items on him? Essence was precious and he didn''t want his teammate to use it on someone who didn''t belong to their team. From the boy''s clothes, he looked like someone rich, and shuffling through his pockets... "Bingo!" Julien found a few healing potions. They were in glass tubes and green in color. This was the same potion that could be brought from the merchant before the Labyrinth trial, so Julien could easily recognize it. He used his leg to shift the boy on his back, and doing so caused a bone to pierce further out of his body. "Ssssss..." Julien felt pain in his own body from watching this scene. He tried not to think about it and got behind his head, then slowly raised him at an incline and stuffed the open end of the glass tube in his mouth. The potion went down his throat and his wounds visibly began healing. Julien let go of him and made him fall back on the ground with a thud. "Oops..." Julien dusted his hands and exclaimed. "Now to take your token and steal¡ªahem, I mean take remuneration for helping you..." Julien took everything available on the boy and let out a satisfied grin. "A fruitful encounter." He stretched his hand up lazily and said. *Swissshhhhh* "Ooooh... it has gotten chilly..." Julien somehow felt colder on his back than his front. "Must be some weird wind in this trial. Anyway..." Julien went back to his teammates and was glad to see that Jackie''s bleeding had stopped. His face and body was covered in blood and it let out a putrid stench. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Oof... how did you two get into such a situation? Jackie''s so hurt..." Julien said, and regretted instantly when he heard pitiful sobs. "Sniff... it''s all... sniff... it''s all my fault... I shouldn''t have..." "Oh, for god''s sake..." Julien rolled his eyes. Amelia''s red blindfold was soaked with tears. Julien couldn''t help but wonder if she was truly blind or if the cloth was merely there to catch her constant flow of tears. "Forget about that. Do you know where the nearest token deposit center is?" "Yes..." Amelia sobbed and said. "Keep walking in the east and you''ll find one." "Okay. I''ll be right back. Don''t move from here and try to protect yourself and Jackie." "Understood. I wish you a safe journey, savior." The nun prayed. Julien ran as fast as he could in east. His hair fluttered in the wind and for some reason, his back felt colder than his front. Was this a bad omen? Or was this a sign that something bad was going to happen? Did his curse finally realize it hadn''t cursed him enough in this trial and was starting to flare up? Julien didn''t know. And honestly, he didn''t care at this point. Going with the flow was the best thing he could do since everything about himself was uncertain. Five minutes later, Julien reached the deposit center. How did he know it was the deposit center? Well, it was because... "Hohoho! Welcome, Player!" Chapter 29: Last Pact Standing (4) Chapter 29: Last Pact Standing (4)Malnourished Santa Claus was making hotdogs on a hotdog stand, with a signboard overhead containing the words ''Token Deposit Center'' in big, bold letters. "Would you like some freshly steamed hotdogs?" The merchant asked, proudly showing a long piece of hotdog. Julien''s first instinct was to deny this, but he did not find any food yet and this seemed to be the only option for the time being. "How much for the hotdogs?" Julien asked. "It''s free if you have a token, hoho!" Santa Claus twirled his mustache while showing off the big glizzy. Julien handed over the token, and the merchant let out a hearty laugh, setting the hotdog down. "Want to see some magic?" Without waiting for a response, the merchant flipped the coin into the air with a swift *twink!* before catching it. His hands moved rapidly, shuffling side to side. Finally, he paused, opening both palms to Julien with a flourish. "Ta-da! Hohoho!" [Ding!] [The Player Christopher Ingress is eliminated!] [All team members of Pact of Ingress have been eliminated!] [Pact ¡ª Pact of Ingress has been dissolved!] [Teams left: 73] "Hohohohoho!" Malnourished Santa Claus seemed to be having the time of his life with how joyous his laughter was. Julien shook his head, took his free hotdog, and asked if there was anything available to trade. The merchant gave him two packed hotdogs for his teammates and said, "I will have to apologize, Player, for trades with merchants can only be done before the start of a trial, hoho!" Julien didn''t linger. Every time he talked to him, he would lose a few brain cells, so it was in his best interests to make his way back quickly. Five minutes later. Julien reached Amelia and Jackie. The nun had finished healing the wounded boy, who now showed signs of waking up¡ªhis fingers twitching and eyes fluttering. Slowly, his eyes opened, revealing a dull look in their bright orange hue. "Wha..t..." "Please refrain from talking, Jackie." Amelia placed her palm on Jackie''s forehead and said. She then patted his head and continued, "The new one here is my savior, no, our savior, and also our third teammate, Sir Julien. Please be at ease." Julien wanted to ask her to not call him sir and so formally, but he dropped the matter knowing she wouldn''t listen anyway. "Hi Jackie, I''m Julien. Are you able to move?" Julien said calmly. "Hnn..." Jackie grunted and tried to get up. Amelia supported his back and slowly but surely, he was able to get up and sit cross-legged on the ground, facing his two teammates. Julien had a proper look at him. Jackie''s hair was a mess and rough with knots in multiple places due to the dried up blood in it. His face was oval with a gently tapering jawline. The dude looked so delicate that one would think even a blade of grass could cut him. What was such a person doing in the trial was unknown, but to survive till the third round and two days at that... it was commendable. Amelia was blind, polite, and kind, but she definitely had some secrets as well. Without it, there''s no way she would''ve been able to survive until now. At this moment, Julien realized how astonishing and perilous this world could be. A kind nun could send someone to the afterlife without them even knowing, while a young boy could wield a sword with such skill that his opponents would be in pieces before they had a chance to act. While Julien was assessing Jackie, the latter was doing the same. Julien''s suit was tattered and stained with dried blood. His raven-black hair was tousled, and his blue eyes were vibrant and clear. In those eyes there was something that captivated Jackie¡ªsomething only he could see. After a moment of assessment, Jackie stopped staring, looked around and noticed his own condition. His right arm was missing, and his once-thin body had become even more emaciated. Jackie tried to get up, but his legs trembled with the effort. "Here..." Julien offered support, and Amelia joined in, helping Jackie rise to his feet properly. As the three stood in front of each other, Julien found Jackie to be similar in height as him. It was nothing to be amused about as both were short, shorter than Amelia, who seemed to be a head taller than them both. "Sir Julien..." Jackie looked at Julien and placed his palm on his chest, then bowed. "I shall forever be indebted to you for your kindness." "You don''t have to be so formal. We''re teammates, it''s alright." Julien waved his hand and tried to tone down the formal speech. He really wasn''t used to this. Jackie shook his head. "You underestimate the thing you''ve done, Sir Julien. You underestimate the impact this would have." Julien scratched his cheek and smiled awkwardly. With his palm still on his chest, Jackie tried to kneel. Amelia helped him once again, and the lad''s knee was on the ground. Jackie bowed again and continued, "For saving my life, I am forever indebted to you. Sir Julien, no amount of wealth can repay the kindness you''ve shown. Therefore, the only thing I can offer is my allegiance." "Sir Julien, from this day forward, let me be your sword and shield. Though I''ve lost an arm, my will is stronger than ever, and I shall serve you until my last breath." "..." Shock would be an understatement for what Julien felt. As a modern man, he was unprepared for such formal tones and gestures, and was left speechless. Adding to his discomfort, Amelia also knelt on the ground. Joining her hands, she said, "I am indebted to the savior as well. This faithful servant has nothing but her allegiance to offer. Savior, please accept my pledge and allow me to guide you toward the light." "What is wrong with you two? What are you doing?" Julien knitted his brows and said. This was madness. How did his cursed luck get him to have two subordinates, and that too a beautiful healer nun and a polite warrior? "Sir Julien, do you perhaps not want me as a subordinate?" Jackie looked up and asked. "No, I don''t." Julien, unsure how to handle the situation, outright rejected Jackie. "I see. Then..." Jackie looked down. "...the debt of life shall only be repaid with life. I thank Sir Julien for granting me a second chance and wish you a prosperous journey ahead. Farewe¡ª" "Wait! Stop!" Julien rushed toward Jackie, pushing him down and restraining him. A dagger clattered to the ground. "Are you out of your mind!?!" Julien snapped. "How can you be so reckless with your life?" "Sir Julien..." Jackie struggled to speak, his body aching. "...If I cannot be of use to you... I must not be worthy. If I''m not worthy... my existence is in vain..." "Who told you that? For fuck''s sake!" Julien was visibly frustrated. "Savior..." A calm, gentle voice echoed in Julien''s ears. "This devoted one shall follow Jackie and¡ª" "Shut it!" Julien bellowed. "You''re not going to do anything to yourselves." "Is that a command, Sir Julien?" Jackie asked. "Yes!" "So have you accepted us as your subordinates?" Julien was about to refuse but gritted his teeth and said, "Yes... so stop." Jackie''s lifeless eyes brightened and gleamed vividly with an orange hue. Amelia was all smiles and quickly prayed, thanking god for granting her this opportunity. Julien furrowed his brow and helped Jackie to his feet. He felt a headache coming on from this strange encounter and couldn''t quite grasp how things had escalated to this point. "Sir Julien, no, Master, I thank you for your grace." Jackie said. "Savior¡ª I mean, Master, this faithful one thanks you for your grace too." Amelia said. Julien clutched his forehead and sighed. What did he get himself into? What was going to happen from here onwards? His head throbbed from considering all the possibilities, and in the end, he gave up trying to make sense of it. "Here, I got you guys food." Julien handed the hotdog packages. "Thank you, Master." Jackie''s tone was calm and his demeanor serious as he placed his palm on his chest and bowed. "Thank you, Master." Amelia clasped her hands and bowed as well. Julien didn''t chat with them further and turned around to walk a bit. It had only been a few steps away when... "Um... Master..." Julien rolled his eyes and sighed while turning around. "What is it now, Jackie?" "Well..." Jackie turned his head to the side, not matching his gaze with Julien''s. His face had dried up blood on it and was dirty, but Julien could swear he could see it heat up and turn red, as if he was blushing. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Tsk. Am I starting to imagine things now? "...Master... your clothes..." Jackie said hesitantly in his soft voice. "My clothes?" Julien echoed, glancing down at himself. He saw nothing wrong. "What about my clothes?" Jackie closed his eyes, mustering all the courage he could, and said, "Master, your clothes... they''re... ripped apart... from the back..." He sighed in relief after getting the words out, but Julien suddenly froze in place. *Swisssshhhhh* A cold breeze swept past and made Julien''s clothes flutter. His expression darkened. ...and without turning around... Julien finally understood... Why he felt colder on his back. Chapter 30: Last Pact Standing (5) Chapter 30: Last Pact Standing (5)[02:14:56_13] [02:14:56_12] [Teams left: 69] As Julien had guessed, Amelia and Jackie were indeed highly skilled. Amelia managed to restore Jackie''s arm, even though it had been severed into small pieces and scattered across the battlefield. The cells were dead, the nerves were severed, and the situation seemed hopeless. Yet, Amelia claimed she could heal it¡ªprovided every single piece was retrieved and two high-quality healing potions were brought to her. Though Julien wasn''t entirely sure what qualified as high-quality healing potions, he figured the ones he''d obtained from Christopher Ingress would suffice. That cruel sadist likely came from an influential and wealthy family, so it stood to reason that he''d possess top-tier items. The quality was then confirmed by Amelia and once it was there, they began searching for the missing pieces. Amelia couldn''t see, but she crawled on the ground and hovered her hands above the grass, magically obtaining the arm pieces. With the three''s collective work, all the pieces were eventually found. Amelia used her Arcana Cards along with a high quality potion to glue the pieces together. It took her a solid ten minutes to do so and she didn''t need their help in piecing everything together! Julien was fascinated. He did not know how, but she perfectly knew where each piece was supposed to be and glued them. The corpse-like, on the verge of rotting flesh was restored to a somewhat healthy shade by the kind nun. Amelia then glued the hand to Jackie''s shoulder and immediately made him drink a high quality healing potion. Julien saw tissues, muscles, nerves and blood vessels erupt out of Jackie''s shoulder and attach themselves to the damaged arm. Jackie stated it felt ticklish when flesh came out, but overall, there was no pain. Within minutes, Jackie could feel his arm once again, and tears welled up in his eyes. He thanked Amelia repeatedly, while the nun simply patted his head and comforted him. There was not a single scar on Jackie''s arm and it was slender, smooth, soft and without any blemishes. This further proved how skilled Amelia was as a healer. With Jackie''s hand taken care of, Julien focused on himself. Up until this point, he was still in his torn clothes. He had to suck it up and ignore because restoring Jackie''s arm was more important. Though, doing so actually turned out to be a wise decision on Julien''s part. Amelia had drained a significant amount of her Essence during the healing process and was now too exhausted to even stand. Jackie, noticing this, asked Julien to take care of her and then abruptly vanished, leaving Julien puzzled as to where he had gone. Half an hour later, Jackie returned with a few sets of clothes, potions, elixirs and individual tokens, completely dumbfounding Julien. Eventually, Julien carried the sleeping Amelia on his back and went to the token deposit center with Jackie. Malnourished Santa met him once again and flexed on his magic trick. Four pacts were dissolved due to his magic and the total number of teams came down from 73 to 69. For each token, the merchant gave them food, water, and fresh sets of clothes. He did magic again and recreated the clothes they were wearing and gave it to them. Julien did not bother knowing how he did that and left the place as soon as he could. Along the way, he came across a cave beneath a mountain that gave off heat. As it was going to be night soon, he decided to check why the cave was warm. There was a hot spring inside the cave along with glowing algal blooms on the wall. The cave looked mystical and cozy, thus, Julien decided to spend the night here with his two subordinates. Julien woke Amelia up and told the two that they would be spending the night here. The three had dinner together and talked about the trial. Once done, Julien got up and stretched. "We have enough clothes so let''s throw away the dirty ones. Me and Jackie will go and have a bath first, Amelia you can have it after us." Amelia gave a curt nod in understanding, however... "Wait, Master." Jackie had some problems. "What is it, Jackie?" Julien asked, yawning. "Um..." Jackie fidgeted and looked down. "...I think we should take turns with the bath." Before Julien could ask any question, Jackie hurriedly continued, "I-I-it''s because we all are very tired. Amelia is dozing off while sitting there, and what if Master and I fall asleep in the waters? It would be a problem for all." "One has to be awake and look for potential. I''ll be the one to stay awake first, and since¡ª" "Okay, okay, I get it." Julien yawned and walked away while cutting Jackie off. There was such a long explanation for something so silly. Jackie could''ve said it straight that he wanted some alone time and Julien would''ve understood. After all, getting naked in front of someone wasn''t easy, even if the person in front was someone of the same sex. When Julien went away, Jackie heaved a sigh of relief and patiently waited for him to come out of the bath. Once back, Jackie sent Amelia first with the excuse that he was in the midst of sharpening his sword and preparing for tomorrow''s adventure. Amelia went and came back, feeling refreshed and relaxed. There was a patch of grass in the cave that felt soft to be upon. The three had laid worn out and extra sets of clothes on that, and planned to sleep on it. Since both had gone and come out, there was no rush and Jackie took the sweet time to sharpen the sword until both fell asleep. It was only then did Jackie feel relieved and went to take a bath. Jackie came back after a while and stood on guard, letting the two teammates sleep peacefully. Once a few hours had passed, Amelia was woken up, who then stood on guard and asked Jackie to sleep well. ..... The next day. [02:03:49_04] [The safe zone is shrinking.] [Stay within the safe zone to avoid disqualification.] Passing beneath the colossal roots that twisted through the forest floor, Julien and his teammates moved carefully. The towering trees loomed overhead, their immense trunks making the trio feel like ants in a world built for giants. "How do you know you aren''t in the safe zone?" Julien asked the two. "The token blinks, Master." Amelia answered. "And with the lord''s blessings, we seem to be inside it." Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I see." At this point, Julien had gotten used to Amelia''s way of speaking. "Master, look!" Jackie''s voice rang out. He was pointing at the sky. Through gaps between the canopies of the towering trees, a trail of red smoke could be seen. "What is that?" Julien asked. "A drop. Periodically, supplies would be dropped and in that, we can get swords, armor, food, clothing, bedding, and even rare items such as Arcana Cards and Relics." Jackie answered. "Oh..." Julien murmured, the realization dawning on him¡ªit was a classic battle royale scenario. He had played games like this before, but who would have thought that one day, he''d be in the middle of one, with his life hanging in the balance? "We must be careful. Many would be moving towards it." Amelia added to the conversation. "Yes. This presents an opportunity, but also heavy risks." Jackie replied. "We must tread carefully." "Do you have a way to look in the distance?" Julien asked Jackie. "My apologies, Master, I don''t." Jackie shook his head. "Well, then we better get going and reach there quickly." "Yes." "Let''s go." Chapter 31: Last Pact Standing (6) Chapter 31: Last Pact Standing (6)Amidst the tangled web of colossal roots and beneath the towering, otherworldly trees, a large chest lay nestled in the earth. A thin plume of red smoke curled from its seams, twisting through the dense air like a serpent''s tail, a silent signal beckoning from within the shadowed forest. The forest buzzed with life¡ªbright green leaves shimmered in the sunlight, and the massive tree trunks glowed with shades of bronze and silver. The air was rich with the smell of damp earth and flowers, and distant animal calls echoed through the dense foliage. Amid all this, a large chest, sending up a trail of red smoke, was a striking contrast against the lush surroundings. Up on a thick branch, two figures crouched, barely visible among the leaves. They watched the chest below, eyes sharp and bodies tense. Every slight movement was careful, silent, as they exchanged quick looks, planning their next move without a word. The wind rustled the leaves around them, but they stayed perfectly still, blending into the ancient trees. "Shoot immediately when someone approaches the chest." A boy''s whisper rang out. "This might not be the best approach, Ivan." A feminine whisper replied. "If the shot is missed, they''ll locate us." "Kayla, for the love of god, trust my judgment at least once!" Ivan bellowed in a low voice. Unfazed by his words, Kayla said, "I would, if you didn''t have a history of consistently messing up!" "Just once, believe in me." Ivan pleaded. While keeping an eye on the chest, Kayla contemplated. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "...you know... if you weren''t my twin, I would''ve ditched your ass long ago." "Yes, yes. So please listen and shoot, okay?" Ivan pleaded. "Okay. Keep an eye out on the surroundings." "Thank you." Ivan sighed in relief and turned around, paying attention to their surroundings. ..... "Do you see them?" "I see them." Beneath a tree''s giant root, Julien and Jackie were staring at a group of people sneaking closer to the dropped chest. The one who couldn''t see anything whatsoever, Amelia, was busy feeling the shrubs, soil, and vegetation on the ground. Doing something only she knew of. Pact God''s Beloved Children had arrived at the scene faster than they expected. The reason? It was Julien''s mass teleportation scroll! While running through the woods, Julien remembered he possessed this scroll and tried to use it, but failed. Teleportation only worked if he could picture the place in mind. Julien tried remembering the cave he slept at, and the scroll worked, taking him and the rest back to the same place. He pictured their place back in the woods, and once again, the scroll worked. The scroll could be used endlessly within the trial area and it did not have any range, so Julien held his teammates'' hands and began teleporting to as far as his eyes could see in the woods. 100 meters... 400 meters... 900 meters... In just a few minutes, they were close to the red smoke''s location. Experiencing teleportation was a mind-boggling and adrenaline pumping sensation. It gave a high that would make any mortal lose their mind and crave more of it. It was a pity that the scroll could only be used here. Julien knew he had to get himself a similar teleportation scroll outside of the trial for ease of travel. It became one of his priorities after leaving this place. Back in the present, Julien and Jackie carefully analyzed every section of the forest. One brave team of five was making their way toward the chest, while three other teams lay hidden in the shadows, silently observing the bold group''s approach. "One, two, three, four..." Jackie counted the number of people. "...there''s a total of seventeen Players here." "Twenty, if we include ourselves." Julien added. "Yes." "No." Amelia''s soft voice rang in the two''s ears. Having her hand on the ground, she said, "God loves every child equally and gives them similar opportunities. There''s more teams... with some special Players coming here." "Special Players?" Julien asked, but a second later, felt a rumbling and loud roar of a beast. The answer to his question physically presented itself. A tiger, a toad, and a rhino appeared at the scene. From top of them, four figures jumped out. One''s skin was completely blue, one''s red, one''s green, and one''s yellow. They looked like power rangers from kids'' cartoons, except, in here they were real, and had faces of beasts. "Humans, cease your futile attempts at killing each other. We come with peace, bringing some important news that will itch your skin." The red figure with the head of a bull said. "Oh, they can speak in human language?" Julien asked in amusement. "The Tower translates the speech automatically. Outside, you would need artifacts or translators." Jackie replied. Julien nodded in understanding and looked at the people curiously, wondering what they were upto. The yellow figure with the head of a bird said, "Humans, there is a formidable Player this time around, classified as a threat to all sentient beings on our planet. Christopher Ingress, one of your top performing kin, is rumored to have been eliminated by him." "Hm?" Julien knitted his brows. "Master..." "Master..." Amelia and Jackie felt something amiss and tugged on Julien''s sleeves in concern. Looking at their concerned faces warmed Julien''s heart. He smiled softly, something he has never done before, and said, "Don''t worry, if something bad happens, we can always teleport away." "I hope god puts those lost souls on the right path..." Amelia prayed. Chapter 32: Last Pact Standing (7) Chapter 32: Last Pact Standing (7)"I hope god puts those lost souls on the right path..." Julien found this interesting. Amelia never thought ill of someone, but from this sentence, it was evident that she considered those people as enemies. The path they were walking was wrong, and the path Julien was on was right. Nuns sure were an interesting bunch, never saying anything bad openly. "Humans, let us form an alliance to eliminate that Player. Individually we are weak, but together we are strong. Let us not waste any time and do this before that Player catches up to us." "Crrrroak... Humansss... Ribbit... We have... hmph... contacted other teamsss... and they croooak confirm... four teams... vanished... gulp... because of one person... and all at once... Ribbit... We musssst... make hassste... Crrroak." It was not one of the power rangers that spoke, but the toad behind them. The speech was bizarre and unpleasant to hear. "Here is a temporary alliance pact. We are already in alliance with 20 other teams. Time is running out, and we are not sure that even if we gather every single one, we would be able to face that monster." A green-skinned figure with the head of a lizard spoke in a calm tone. When he finished, a system screen was projected in the air for everyone to see. It was a temporary alliance pact signed by many Players from different teams. The beasts were not joking or fooling anyone. "Sign you must! We do not have time! Come out, we know you are here!" A blue-skinned figure the head of a shark shrieked. The first few people to move were the ones close to the chest. They had reached it when everyone was distracted and looted it. "We''ll sign it!" The five quickly threw their tokens on the screen and signed the alliance agreement, instantly becoming allies of the toad, rhino, tiger, and power rangers. Watching this, everyone quickly came out of hiding and threw their tokens to get into an alliance. Most did so out of fear of being ganged up upon and eliminated. "Good. I suppose there''s nobody else here." "Let me give it a check." The yellow-skinned birdman said and flapped his wings, flying in the sky swiftly and coming in the direction of Julien and his teammates. Adrenaline rushed to Julien''s head as a flight or fight response was triggered. He clutched his ghoulbane sword tightly and prepared to cut the bird in half. "Lord, please give us power so there''s no bloodshed..." A prayer rang in his ears and he felt something wrap on his stomach, pulling him away. Darkness then took over Julien''s vision. "Master, please do not move." A soft voice reminded Julien that he wasn''t facing this situation alone. This wasn''t the past where he had to struggle for survival. He now had people who willingly wanted to fight beside him. The adrenaline died down, but a boost of serotonin warmed Julien''s heart and put him at ease. "I''ll take this off in a minute. Please wait until they''re gone." "Okay..." ..... The darkness was gone and Julien found himself being put back in his place by a tree''s root wrapped around his waist. Julien had a glimpse of Amelia''s powers. She had not used any Arcana Cards and from prayers alone could will the tree roots around her and also feel who was coming by placing her hand on the ground. Truly a wonderful ability. "They''re gone." Jackie''s words made Julien look at the chest area. They were indeed gone after forming an alliance. "We didn''t get anything from this." Jackie sighed. Amelia patted his head and said with a smile, "Better days would come soon." Jackie sighed and shook his head. "In any case, should we leave?" "No." Amelia shook her head. "We still have some company here." Amelia pointed at a certain place on the trees. Neither Julien nor Jackie could see anything. "There''s nobody there, Amelia." Julien said. "Yeah. I can''t see anyone either." Amelia pointed at the chest and said, "Jackie, can you run to the chest, stand for a few seconds there, jump as high as possible, and look in that direction angrily?" She pointed at the tree branches high up in the air again. "That''s... oddly specific." Jackie said. "I can do that though." "Then please do it. May god bless you in your endeavors." Amelia prayed for him. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jackie nodded. "Tell me when to go." "Okay." Amelia said and turned to Julien. "Master, can you please use your scroll when I say and do..." Once again, there was an oddly specific request. Julien wasn''t sure what she was up to, but it was clear she had a plan. "Okay, I''ll do that." Julien agreed too. Amelia nodded and turned to Jackie. "When I finish my prayer, I want you to run to the chest." "Okay." "Oh lord..." Chapter 33: Last Pact Standing (8) Chapter 33: Last Pact Standing (8)Blended well within the leaves, Ivan said, "There''s nothing left for us to do. We should leave." Keeping her bow trained on the chest, Kayla was about to slip away when she noticed a figure dashing toward it. "Wait, there''s someone here!" Kayla exclaimed and made Ivan turn around to look at the figure. Her eyes locked onto the runner, and without a second thought, she let an arrow fly. *Fwwwwipppp¡ª!* The arrow sliced through the air, aimed directly at the person''s heart. But to Kayla''s dismay, the runner leaped and dodged it at the last second. "Damn it! How did he know!?" Something wasn''t right. Kayla got up and immediately turned around. "Ivan, ru¡ª" She grabbed her twin brother''s hand, but before they could flee, a numbing pain shot through her head, plunging her into darkness. *Bonk¡ª!* *Bonk¡ª!* Ivan''s world went black too, and he crumpled onto the thick branch. Just before losing consciousness, he caught a fleeting glimpse of a blurry figure. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The attacker, Julien, swiftly hoisted the twins and teleported back to Amelia, who was waiting below. "Your timing was good." Julien praised when he saw the tall nun with a red blindfold. "It''s all lord''s grace, Master. We must praise him instead..." Amelia joined her hands and thanked her god with a smile. Julien shook his head, leaving her to her own devotions. Just then, Jackie returned. His eyes widened as he saw the figures lying on the ground. "Are those...the Loph twins!?" he gasped in disbelief. "The Loph twins?" Having only spent a day in the outside world, Julien was clueless about most things. He didn''t even know where he himself resided, let alone anything about these twins. Jackie facepalmed and answered, "They are prodigies of the Loph Family, said to be some of the strongest novices in the world. They are as strong as Christopher Ingress, from whom Master saved my life." Christopher''s name left a bitter taste in Jackie''s mouth. The memories of that time weren''t pleasant. "...if he did not resort to cheap tactics, this wouldn''t have happened..." Jackie regretted believing that boy would play fair. Julien understood the gravity of the situation. If these two were similar in strength to him, then it made sense why Jackie seemed so shocked. "Amelia, are we in trouble?" Julien asked the trusty sister. Being the innocent lady that she was, Amelia clasped her hands and was about to say something related to god when she felt a pair of hands on her shoulders. "Amelia, for the love of god, please get straight to the point. God won''t hate you for not taking his name every time you speak, okay?" "Eh? How did Master know what I was about to say?" Amelia was surprised. Even an idiot would be able to figure it out! Julien thought to himself. Since it was Julien''s command, Amelia did not take the lord''s name and got to the point. "I believe we should be fine. Nobody, including the twins, saw us interacting with them after all." "Right." Julien nodded and backed off. He walked towards the fallen twins and began rummaging through their belongings. "Then, we should hurry up and deposit their tokens. There''s many teams who have not joined the alliance so won''t seem as suspicious." Jackie added. "Okay. Help me get their stuff." "Coming." . . . [Ding!] [The Player Kayla Loph is eliminated!] [The Player Ivan Loph is eliminated!] [All team members of Pact of Loph have been eliminated!] [Pact ¡ª Pact of Loph has been dissolved!] [Teams left: 63] ..... Seated within a ten, a boy in full body armor was staring at a map. Surrounding him were two men with a burly build, indulged in a discussion with him. At this instance the system''s voice rang in everyone''s ears. [The Player Kayla Loph is eliminated.] [The Player Ivan Loph is eliminated.] "What?" The boy slammed the table and stood up in shock. "Even the Loph twins!?" "The threat is bigger than we thought, commander." One of the two men said. "If he gets out of this tutorial, the world would be at a serious threat." The other man said. "We must find him before the timer runs out!" "Tell me something I don''t know, you idiots!" The commander yelled. "Fuck! Now I have to contact them again." The boy pinched the middle of his brows. "Bring me the final communication amulet. I didn''t think I would have to use it so quickly." A man took out a bronze colored amulet and gave it to the boy. The boy injected his Essence into it, and the bronze amulet shone with a bright light. A cloaked figure''s projection came up and looking at him, the boy said, "Your Holiness..." The boy drew an upside-down cross on his chest. "May the night be eternal, child. Speak, what''s casting a shadow upon you?" "Your Holiness... the Loph twins have been eliminated." "Hm. That was quick." The man in dark clothing said. "Anything else?" "Yes. There''s nothing available for us to identify the person. What should we do? How will we know it''s him when we cross paths?" "He won''t be alone." He murmured, more to himself than the boy. "Someone from the light side... yes, there shall be someone from the light side with this man, a nun, perhaps. The light always tries to cling to the shadows, hoping to pierce the darkness." The boy pondered deeply over it. The cloaked figure''s voice then turned cold and he continued, "Seek out this nun. She''ll be his downfall. Where the light goes, the night will follow. Track her, and you''ll find him." "Understood, Your Holiness." "I must leave now." The man''s tone was firm and resolute. "The world shall be reminded of this emerging threat again. Word shall spread and reach the ears of other novice Players. Club them and surround this threat. May the night be eternal." The projection flickered and vanished, leaving behind only the broken remains of the amulet. The boy examined the map closely, his finger tracing the contours. "The safe zone is going to shrink again. We''re currently here..." He circled a specific area and showed it to the two men standing beside him. "If we force all teams to converge in one spot and the safe zone shrinks to its limit, we''ll corner that nun and the man." He looked up, his eyes sharp with determination. "Relay my command. All teams are to cease fire and converge on this location." "Yes, commander!" the men replied in unison, before hurrying to carry out his orders. Chapter 34: Last Pact Standing (9) Chapter 34: Last Pact Standing (9)[01:13:59_59] [The safe zone is shrinking.] [Stay within the safe zone to avoid disqualification.] S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Pact God''s Beloved Children were once again within the safe zone. Julien was starting to find it suspicious. The safe zone had shrinked thrice by now yet his team was not outside it even a single time. Given his own history, he should''ve been consistently outside the safe zone and struggling to barely reach it every time it shrinked. How did his curse not flare up yet? He would''ve rejoiced if his curse didn''t act for a few hours, but it was almost a whole day by now. He had multiple encounters where things could go wrong, but nothing went wrong. To Julien, this felt more like a calm before the storm and made his heart palpitate in nervousness. Would everything come crashing down all at once? Was that why nothing went wrong so far? "Stop." Julien stood beside a creek and said. "Yes, Master?" Jackie turned around and asked. Amelia followed suit. "I feel uneasy." Julien decided to be honest. "I feel like... something really bad is going to happen soon." Jackie frowned and Amelia''s lips curled down too. This was not a good sign. "Master..." Julien showed his palm and gestured Jackie to not interrupt him. He continued, "Although I feel like this, you two don''t have to worry. This is not related to you, but myself. If I travel alone, you two won''t suffer." Jackie shook his head. "That won''t do." Amelia joined her hands and said, "God has blessed me with a second chance in life to serve him and Master. My path is where Master walks, even if it means going to the deepest depths of hell." Once again, Julien was left speechless. Weren''t these two too devoted to him? How did he get such loyalty from them? Their words were certainly warm and made him grateful for their presence, but they had to understand that... "...you''ll die if you are with me. I am death''s beloved child and it seeks me at every turn. It''s best if you guys go about your own¡ªmmhfff!" "Master, death cannot cast its shadow without the presence of light in life. If you are death''s beloved child, then we are the light''s faithful servants, determined to illuminate the path and protect you from the darkness." Amelia explained while hugging Julien firmly. Julien did not listen to a single word she said. He was suffocating in between something soft and trying his best to breathe. Damn, this nun was strong! ...and soft. Shit. What blasphemous thoughts am I having... Julien''s face heated up as he realized the position he was in. Watching him struggle, Jackie thought maybe he wanted to run away. To stop him, he went behind Julien and hugged him firmly too. "Master, whatever comes, we''ll face it together. If it''s death, then so be it. I wouldn''t have survived anyway if it wasn''t for you." Jackie said his heartfelt words in a soft voice. Julien was once again dumbfounded. He felt someone soft hugging his back. It did not feel like a boy''s firm muscles at all! Plus, the two''s sweet scent was making his head spin from ecstasy. It was too much stimulation for his virgin self! "Master, we are in this together, okay?" Amelia looked at the top of Julien''s head and said. Julien couldn''t answer, so he extended his hand out and tried to give her a thumbs up. Noticing that, Amelia smiled and said, "Wonderful. Let us take the lord''s name and carry on." She finally let go of Julien. Jackie broke the hug too. "Haah... Haah..." Julien breathed profusely. He almost died right now! It wasn''t a lie when he said he was death''s beloved! A few moments later. Amelia and Jackie walked in front while Julien followed them from behind. He couldn''t stop looking at Amelia''s covered up self. Although she was covered up, her clothes clung to her body perfectly. There was a long slit at the side which revealed a part of her legs clad in black stockings. And it was only now did Julien notice that this tall nun was actually wearing heels! How tall did she want to be!? No wonder he and Jackie looked like children in front of her. Also, Julien did not want to think in this direction, but Amelia was definitely packing! Everything was hidden but¡ª Ahhh! Stop having these blasphemous thoughts! Julien slapped his face and forcefully tried to stop thinking about this. There were more pressing matters and the situation here was serious. "You guys, let me lead you from here on!" Julien said and jogged ahead of the two, not wanting to have his eyes dart on the holy nun''s back. ..... [00:23:59_59] [The safe zone is shrinking.] [Stay within the safe zone to avoid disqualification.] It was strange. Very strange. Throughout their journey, Julien''s team did not encounter a single enemy or obstacle. Everything was smooth sailing. Julien pointed it out and later Jackie did too, but Amelia kept reassuring them that everything was fine. What was even more questionable was the fact that not a single team had been disqualified. The number was still at 63, meaning the Loph twins were the last team to be disqualified. Something was definitely brewing in the background. Perhaps, all teams had formed a temporary alliance? Just as that thought crossed Julien''s mind, Jackie suddenly whispered, "Someone''s coming. Take cover!" They were near a cluster of trees, so Amelia cited a prayer, and the branches gently wrapped around their bodies, lifting them into the canopy. A hollow opened within the trunk, and the three hid inside. Moments later, four men in dark clothing arrived at the spot where Julien''s team had been standing a few moments ago. They scanned the area, their eyes sharp and probing. "No trace of anyone here either, Captain," one of the men reported, frustration lacing his voice. "Keep searching. The safe zone will bring them to us soon!" The men left after being instructed. Watching them go, Julien said, "If my suspicion is correct, then all teams have banded together. They''re looking for that one team which is not with them." "That would be us." Jackie replied. "Yes." Amelia added. "Though..." Jackie interjected. "I think with Master''s strength, taking on all the teams won''t be an issue." "What?" "Yes. Master, you could defeat Christopher with one kick, and knockout the Loph twins with one hit each. They were the strongest novices, others can''t compare to them. Master should have an easy time defeating everyone." "No, Jackie." Amelia shook her head. "Charging head-on is too risky." "I never said we should charge head-on." Jackie said. "We could go for a war of attrition where we engage in small-scale skirmishes and slowly reduce their manpower. Ambushes, sabotages, psychological attacks..." Julien did not understand half the things Jackie said. He was an average person in his past life, not someone actively engaged in war. Being a nun, Amelia did not understand warfare either. Unlike Julien, she spoke about it. "I do not understand what you said, but as long as it''s not charging head-on, we should be fine." Jackie nodded. "Yes, we''ll be fine. In simpler terms, I meant that we should start killing the people coming in search of us." "Oh lord..." Amelia gasped. "Kill people!?" Chapter 35: Last Pact Standing (10) Chapter 35: Last Pact Standing (10)"Kill people!?" "Yeah?" Jackie tilted his head in confusion. "Is that a problem?" Julien had a problem. Killing people was different from killing monsters. He did not know whether he was mentally ready to take on this task. "We should not do that..." Amelia shook her head. "Well, if you don''t kill them, they''ll kill you instead. And in the Tower, the strongest fist rules. If Sister Amelia can somehow disqualify them without killing, then by all means, please proceed." Surviving as a nun in a world where the strongest fist ruled was not easy. It was challenging and almost impossible, given how people would keep coming back to kill if they weren''t finished in the first instance. Julien understood that, and Amelia did too. Having no other choice, the poor nun joined her hands and prayed. "Lord, you who know all hearts, guide my hand in this dark hour. I seek neither vengeance nor glory, but only the preservation of life¡ªthe life You have bestowed upon me. If there is no other way, grant me the strength to do what must be done." "I ask for Your forgiveness, not for defying Your will, but for treading this path to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Let my actions be just, and let me remain in Your light, even as I step into shadow." Amelia made the sign of the cross and finished her prayer. Turning to Julien and Jackie, she said, "We must act swiftly. Time is running out¡ªlet''s move." The trunk opened up and the branches wrapped around their bodies once again, putting them down on the ground. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Julien looked at his two subordinates and said, "Stick close to me at all times. When I shout ''Gather'', quickly hold onto my body. Understood?" "Yes, Master." The two said in unison. Julien then turned to Jackie. "Have you killed anyone before?" Jackie''s eyes flickered and he looked down, fidgeting nervously. He hesitated and was unsure how to respond. Julien patted his shoulder gently. "I''m not here to judge you. I just need to know because I haven''t taken a life myself. I might hesitate when the moment comes. If that happens, can you be my sword and deliver the final blow?" "Oh." Jackie realized why his Master had asked him that. He sighed in relief and said with a small smile, "Yes, of course. I was made for that, I''ll do that, Master." "Thank you." Julien said. Meanwhile, Amelia turned to face Jackie. Though her eyes were hidden beneath her blindfold, the weight of her gaze was palpable. Had the boys been able to see her eyes, they would have felt the intensity, as if she were silently unearthing some hidden truth within Jackie. Julien turned to Amelia, grabbing her attention. "Amelia, you''ll focus on healing us. If you have the means, then do participate in combat, otherwise stay passive and keep an eye on me and Jackie." "Understood." Amelia nodded in agreement. "Thank you." Julien expressed his gratitude to her as well. "Let''s leave now." .... [00:21:59_59] [The safe zone is shrinking.] [Stay within the safe zone to avoid disqualification.] Inside a dimly lit tent, a boy clad in full body armor stared at a map, his eyes narrowing as he studied it. As the notification rang out, he circled a particular area and said, "Tell everyone to move 10 kilometers northwest." "At once, Sir." Two men with a bulky build replied, bowing before turning to leave. They turned around and barely took a few steps outside when another system notification rang out. + [The Player Brett Wensteen is eliminated!] [The Player Kristian is eliminated!] [The Player Meztli is eliminated!] [The Player Tlaloc is eliminated!] . . . [The Player Ensar is eliminated!] [One team member of The Pact of Champions has been eliminated!] [Two team members of Track of Success have been eliminated!] [Two team members of High Rise Pact have been eliminated!] [Four team members of June''s Juniors'' Pact have been eliminated!] [All team members of Track of Success have been eliminated!] [All team members of Five Mystical Gears have been eliminated!] [All team members of Pact of Neverwinter have been eliminated!] [All team members of Unsolicited Player Pact have been eliminated!] [Pact ¡ª Track of Success has been dissolved!] [Pact ¡ª Five Mystical Gears has been dissolved!] [Pact ¡ª Pact of Neverwinter has been dissolved!] [Pact ¡ª Unsolicited Player Pact has been dissolved!] [Teams left: 59] + "What the fuck!?!" The commander stood up and smashed his hands on the table, breaking it in half. "What just happened!? What the fuck just happened???!!" His scream alerted the bully men outside and made them rush in the tent to see him. "You¡ª" [The Player Kirabati is eliminated!] [All team members of June''s Juniors'' Pact have been eliminated!] [Pact ¡ª June''s Juniors'' Pact has been dissolved!] [Teams left: 58] "Ahhhh¡ª!" The boy picked the books on the table and threw them, kicking the table with the map on it, destroying it completely. "All tactics are useless! That fucker is toying with us!" The boy screamed while running out of the tent. "Commander! Wait for us!" The bulky men shouted as they ran behind the boy. "Ask everyone to be together! Warn them to not split apart! Recall anyone who''s outside! Go! Go! Go!" The boy instructed and ran towards the team alliance in the northwest direction. Chapter 36: Last Pact Standing (11) Chapter 36: Last Pact Standing (11)"Hohoho! Here''s your cheeseburger meal with a large chocolate milkshake and fries." Malnourished Santa wore a fast food worker''s attire and was by a burger stall. Though, on the signboard it stated token deposit center. "What fries? Didn''t we agree on cheesy loaded fries?" Julien took the package and complained. They had deposited so many tokens by now that the malnourished merchant had begun giving them potions and elixirs along with essential items and whatever food they asked. Jackie and Amelia didn''t have much of a food preference so Julien got them the same stuff he was having. The meals right now were far better than the plain hotdog he had for the first time here. "Hoh?" The merchant curled his milky white mustache and said apologetically, "I beg your pardon, Player. The store is out of chicken and can''t do loaded fries anymore." "Tsk. Then as a compensation, I''d take a stamina elixir instead. You know, the loaded fries really would''ve fueled me, but you''re out of it, making me incur a loss." Julien argued. "Hohohohoho!" Malnourished Santa Claus looked up at the sky and laughed loudly. "Interesting! Very interesting!" Throughout the history of trials, there had never been an instance where a Player bargained with the merchant. They all thought of him as a NPC and assumed that he only had a few sets of lines to say. Though, the Players weren''t wrong in this regard. In the initial phases, the merchant was indeed like that. However, as one progressed, the NPCs would barely seem like NPCs given how sentient they would become. Right now, Julien was able to bargain because of his special condition. All teams were in an alliance except his. He had a lot of tokens to deposit, and with each token came a reward. The reward would become better as time ran out. Before, the meals came as a reward in exchange. Now, they became complimentary with other rewards. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the final stretch of his past life, Julien ran out of money so he was barely surviving on instant noodles. He had lost all taste and was just eating for sustenance, which continued on for many weeks. He remembered craving a cheeseburger but was too broke to have it delivered. Right now, he did not have much thought behind his speech. The merchant was just an NPC in his eyes and he was bargaining plainly out of boredom and curiosity. The merchant took out a blue-colored vial from under the stall and gave it to Julien. He twirled his mustache and said, "Your compensation, Player. One stamina elixir." "Eh?" Julien was taken aback. "Ehhh?" Jackie and Amelia were shocked too. "You could do that?" Jackie asked. "Oh my... the lord''s really generous today..." Amelia said with a soft smile. "Merchant, I don''t want food. Can you take all of this and give me a high grade sword in exchange?" Julien asked. "Pleasure doing business, hohoho!" The merchant replied. "Huh? Can we exchange it or not?" Julien asked again. "Pleasure doing business, hohoho!" The merchant replied again. "Tsk. He broke." Julien clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Better luck next time, Master." Jackie said and patted Julien''s shoulder. Better luck next time? Hah! If only you knew... Julien shook his head and walked away with the cheeseburger meals. He handed one to Jackie, and another to Amelia. The three members of the Pact God''s Beloved Children sipped on their chocolate milkshakes and leisurely walked away from the deposit center. "The burger is good. Very meaty, cheesy, and saucy." Julien said while taking a big bite out of it. Jackie and Amelia had small bites of their own burger and tasted it. Indeed, it was meaty and tasty. Jackie liked it while Amelia had a complicated expression on her face. Watching that, Julien asked, "Are nuns not supposed to have meat? Like, is all life important?" Amelia swallowed the food and washed it down with the milkshake. She then turned to Julien and answered, "That''s a philosophical question and everyone has a different belief regarding it. Like for instance..." Different cultures resulted in different practices. If a church was in a place where wheat and potatoes were scarce, they would resort to eating meat for sustenance. A church usually sustained itself through donation. If people gave them meat for food, it was seen as a grace of god. Rejecting it may be blasphemous. Another belief was that by consuming meat, the nuns acknowledge the spiritual significance of the cycle of life, and ensure that the energy from the animal continues to sustain life. There were many beliefs and traditions. "...personally, I wouldn''t hunt any animal but also wouldn''t reject if anyone offered food. For instance, Master has worked hard to obtain these. Turning it down would be disrespectful and ungrateful of me." Jackie nibbled on his cheeseburger and said, "Seems quite contradictory and hypocritical, if you ask me." Amelia sipped on her milkshake and said with a smile, "I don''t make the rules. It''s just how it is traditionally." The world sure is a fascinating place, thought Julien. "In any case, there''s still 58 teams left." Julien changed the topic. "If those guys aren''t stupid, they would band together and wait for us to approach them." "If they band together in one place, it would be difficult for us to kill them." Jackie said casually and sipped on some milkshake. Julien shook his head. "It won''t be a problem. I have just the right strategy." "Oh?" Jackie was interested. "What is it?" "I''ll let you know when we reach." "Alright." ..... [00:19:59_59] [The safe zone is shrinking.] [Stay within the safe zone to avoid disqualification.] ...and yet again, we are within the safe zone. Julien thought. The trio had reached the dwelling of the temporary alliance. From a distance, they could see more than a hundred silhouettes gathered in an open field between a dense jungle area. Julien, Jackie, and Amelia were on a tall tree, watching those people. "Shall we start?" Julien asked. "I''m ready." Jackie gave his approval. "Me too." Amelia added. Julien stared at the silhouettes and fixed his gaze on a particular person standing at the outer edge of the group, getting no attention from anyone. "Jackie, I''ll bring a Player here, attack immediately and don''t let him fight back. Amelia, act as support. Keep your distance to give enough room to Jackie to fight." "Understood." The two said in unison. After getting their response, Julien vanished from his spot. Chapter 37: Last Pact Standing (12) Chapter 37: Last Pact Standing (12)The sun shone brightly overhead in the expansive blue painting of the sky. The third trial of the tutorial had almost a day left to end and Declan was getting bored. The first two trials were so much better when he had to work alone. Being placed in a team now was just awful. He couldn''t act or do things as he wished. He was the fifth member of his team and they all did things as per the majority. Currently, the majority had formed an alliance with the rest and he was forced to stay here in the large group. Apparently there was a monster of a Player who was supposedly a world-level threat. World-level, my ass! There''s no way a beginner from a tutorial could be this dangerous. These guys are overreacting tremendously... Declan spat in disdain as he walked over to take a piss behind a tree. The rule about not straying more than 20 meters from the group irked him, adding to his frustration. Noticing that no one was paying attention, he edged a bit further, taking a couple more steps until he was 21 meters away, hidden behind the tree. Declan showed his middle finger to the group and with his other hand, started unbuckling his pants. "Fuck you¡ª" Before Declan could react, a hand gripped his neck, plunging him into darkness. In the blink of an eye, he was facing a boulder, his mind struggling to process the sudden shift. He had only just collected himself when the world around him spun violently. Orre...? The thought barely formed before everything became a blur. The last sound he heard was a dull thud and his gaze locked onto a headless body, standing eerily still. His vision dimmed and the last thing he saw was the headless body crumple to its knees. His mind went blank and his thoughts stopped as he got pulled into the cycle of reincarnation. On this boring day, Declan''s life came to an end. . . . . . "Holy shit¡ª!" Julien cursed out loud as his eyes went wide and his heart thumped wildly. Right in front of him, Jackie severed the man''s head without any hesitation. He had seen him kill them before, but not so swiftly like a cold-blood killer. The scene was more grotesque than what Julien had imagined. Thankfully, the shock died down in a few seconds and his mental health turned stable. In the last two rounds, Julien had been through many things that solidified his mental fortitude. Watching a real human get killed right in front of his eyes, that too by his own subordinate, was a new experience, but he could live with it and not have any trouble sleeping at night. Julien took a deep breath and looked at Jackie. The boy was standing still, looking at the corpse, with his sword hanging at his waist, dripping with blood. "Get his token and loot, Jackie." Julien instructed. "Yes, Master." Jackie gave him a nod and went through the man''s belongings. He didn''t have much things on him other than a few healing potions, stamina elixirs, and one stealth related item. This item was useless in comparison to Julien''s Shadow Cloak. However, it could be used at any time while the cloak could only be used in darkness or shadows. The item masked his scent and erased all sounds of his steps like the Shadow Cloak, but it did not turn him invisible. He would still be there in the open and easily visible. Still, this was better than nothing and he took the badge-like item and placed it in his pocket. It activated with some Essence points. "Be ready. I''ll be back soon." Julien said. Jackie nodded and did a backflip into the bushes, disappearing. Julien activated the teleportation scroll and vanished from his spot, appearing on top of a tall tree. He looked for his next prey and upon finding him, teleported again. This time, it was a young girl. Julien had conflicted feelings about this and teleported out at a bit of a distance from Jackie. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He hit the girl''s neck from the side of his palms and knocked her unconscious. "Master?" Jackie asked from afar as Julien walked closer to him with the girl. Julien shook his head and said, "I don''t know, Jackie. I don''t think killing these people might be the best idea. Look at this young girl. Do you think she could hurt¡ª" "Master." Jackie placed his hand on Julien''s shoulder from the front and looked him in the eyes. "This is a cold world. Such emotions of yours would only shorten your lifespan and put you at risk." Before Julien could reply, a soft voice rang in his and Jackie''s ears. "Jackie." Amelia got close to Jackie and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Master''s emotions are those of compassion and empathy. There''s nothing wrong with having them. Do not influence him to be devoid of emotions." Jackie turned around and looked up at Amelia. He stared at her red blindfold covered eyes and said, "Sister Amelia, while I appreciate your comments, I don''t think this is right for Master. The world''s much much crueler than you could think of." "Compassion and empathy are things that would accelerate your chances of dying. You would never be able to progress in the Tower with that." "If you don''t believe me, how about we test things out?" Jackie turned to Julien. "Master, can you please get two more people from the group there? After bringing them, wake this girl up and see how her reaction would be." "Why? I could just wake her up now and see her reaction." Julien replied. "That won''t do." Jackie shook his head. "She''ll simply plead for mercy and start crying as she would feel cornered and intimidated. It would be best if you bring two random people from there." "Alright." Julien didn''t argue with him and decided to test the waters. Chapter 38: Last Pact Standing (13) Chapter 38: Last Pact Standing (13)Julien vanished and reappeared with a lanky man, swiftly knocking him unconscious. Without missing a beat, he disappeared again, returning moments later with a bulky figure, who soon met the same fate, collapsing to the ground. "Sister Amelia, can you have them wake up 5 minutes later?" Jackie asked the nun. "Yes." Amelia responded and went to apply a spell on the unconscious people. Her, Julien and Jackie moved to a bit of a distance and pretended that these people didn''t exist. Five minutes later. "Ugh, my neck hurts..." the young girl muttered as she stirred awake. The two men followed suit, groaning as they sat up. "Where am I?" the girl asked, looking around in confusion. "Where''s the rest of the group?" the lanky man wondered aloud. "Who are you two?" the bulky man demanded, eyeing the girl and the lanky man suspiciously. For a few moments, confusion gripped them as they struggled to get their bearings. Then, they spotted a small group of three figures not far off. Assuming they might be allies, the trio made their way over. But as they drew closer, their pace slowed, eyes widening in surprise when they realized one of the figures was a woman in a nun''s robe. "The nun! That''s the nun!" "Shit! We might be in trouble, hide!" The two men pulled the young girl with them and hid behind a boulder. "What is happening?" The girl asked. Staring at the trio in the distance, the lanky man said, "We were told about that world-level threat having a nun by his side, weren''t we?" "...yeah?" The girl remembered it. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "That is exactly that nun." The bulky man pointed out. "One of two beside her is the threat we need to eliminate." "Oh..." The girl finally connected the dots and understood. "...oh no. That''s not good then." "Indeed." The bulky man replied. "Shhh. Prepare for attack. They''re coming." The lanky man said. The three went silent and waited for the person to arrive. A brownish-orange haired teen walked in the front with a tall nun wearing a red blindfold. Behind them, a raven-haired teen was following with a sword clutched in his hand. From the looks of it, the three understood that it was definitely the black-haired boy in the back that was the threat. He was said to be strong, but he did not look like that. Maybe the leaders had assessed him wrong. In any case, if they could give the head of this boy to their leaders, they would be rewarded heftily, both inside and outside the Tower. Their journey to the higher floors would be smoother and they won''t lack any resources whatsoever. The nun and the orange head boy went past them. When they were at a considerable distance from the black-haired boy, the three got out of their hiding and stealthily went closer to him. Julien walked at a casual pace, deliberately putting some distance between himself and his teammates. As Jackie had predicted, the three players they''d kidnapped earlier were following him, lurking in the shadows, waiting to ambush and finish him off. Once Amelia and Jackie were far enough away, Julien heard a faint rustle in the bushes. In the blink of an eye, a hand clamped over his mouth, yanking him backward into the trees. "Mhhfff! Mhhhfff!" Julien pretended to struggle, his muffled sounds adding to the act as he squirmed in the player''s grip. He glanced up and spotted the young girl from before, flanked by a lanky man holding daggers. Their expressions were steely, eyes sharp. Feigning a fierce struggle, Julien broke free from the grip. "You''re not getting away!" growled the bulky man, lunging forward with surprising speed. "Cut him off!" the lanky man shouted, moving swiftly to block Julien''s escape. Before he knew it, Julien was surrounded. They closed in, weapons aimed at his vital points, their faces twisted in determination. Acting fast, Julien charged the bulky man, landing a solid punch to his face, which left him momentarily dazed. But no sooner had the blow landed, the lanky man struck from behind, his dagger flashing toward Julien''s back. Julien ducked just in time and swept his leg out, sending the lanky man crashing to the ground. Without caring for her teammates, the young girl charged next, her speed catching Julien off guard. "Oof!" Julien grunted as her dagger plunged into his stomach, the searing pain shooting through his body. Blood dripped from the wound as the blade twisted in his flesh. "Die!" she screamed, pulling the dagger out, ready to strike again. "Wait, wait, let''s talk about this!" Julien gasped, staggering back, clutching his bleeding side. "Dieeeee!" The girl didn''t listen. She screamed again and charged forward like a maniac, ignoring his plea. She was dead set on finishing him off. "Damn it, fool!" Julien cursed and spat a mouthful of blood to the side. *SLASH!* A blade cleaved through the air in a gleaming silver arc. Blood sprayed like a mist crimson mist, painting Julien''s face in a warm, sticky veil. His face was devoid of any expressions as he watched the headless body of the girl running towards him with the dagger. When it reached him, it did one final, futile strike at his abdomen. *Thud!* The dagger failed to even pierce his skin and the headless body crumpled on the floor. The girl''s hands trembled as if struggling to complete the attack. Her body swayed and caused blood to spill everywhere. The metallic tang of blood hung heavy in the air and etched the gore memory deep into Julien''s consciousness. He wiped his face with the back of his hand and glanced down, at the lifeless body of the girl. A hand appeared on his shoulder and he heard a low murmur from a familiar voice. The numbing pain from his abdomen vanished, but Julien was too focused on the girl''s corpse to notice it. "That''s how it will be in every step of life, Master." Chapter 39: Last Pact Standing (14) Chapter 39: Last Pact Standing (14)"That''s how it will be in every step of life, Master." Amelia, standing behind Julien, said in a soft and soothing voice. "God may love everyone equally, but not all love each other the same." "Conflicts are a part of life, Master, and the path you walk will be harsh and unyielding. Hard choices lie ahead, for the world won''t show you any mercy. You''ll have to give back what''s been dealt¡ªthere''s no other way to it." Amelia tried to ease Julien''s conflicting emotions and made him understand the cruel reality of the world. She could see that he still had some reservations about killing a young girl like that, and she didn''t blame him for it. If there was any other normal person here, they would''ve felt the same. However, he had now almost awakened, and the world that lay in front was completely different. He had to adapt and move on or he would get crushed. Julien knew about it. He knew that he was in a world where killing was unavoidable. Even if he hated it, he would have act, otherwise the person in front would end up taking his life instead. Amelia or Jackie''s words weren''t wrong. Had Jackie not orchestrated the conflict and made it clear that the girl wouldn''t hesitate to kill Julien, he would''ve still been somewhat skeptical and felt traumatized for killing an innocent person like her. However, she was not innocent. She was as cruel as everyone else in this trial, and showing mercy was the absolute worst thing Julien could do. Julien let out a deep sigh. While magic and teleportation was fantastic, the darker side of this fantasy world was undeniably ugly. "Are you alright, Master?" Jackie walked upto Julien and asked. "Yeah." Julien said with a slight nod. "Are the remaining two taken care of?" "Yes. They''re dead." "Okay. I''ll go get more people." Julien patted Jackie''s shoulder and vanished from his spot. When he was gone, Jackie sighed and glanced at the blindfolded nun. "Master is even softer than Sister Amelia. Who would''ve thought..." Amelia shook her head and replied, "He is just unaware of the world''s harshness. Maybe Master was brought up in a loving and warm environment to have such a level of empathy and compassion. Had it been similar to yours or mine then¡ª" "Forget it." Jackie shook his head. "I''m just glad Master wasn''t brought up in an accursed environment like ours." Amelia nodded in understanding and turned to the corpse on the ground. She joined her hands and did a quick prayer. The corpse emitted a bright radiance and in its place appeared a white lily flower, leaving behind no trace of blood or flesh. "Let''s get going. Master must be waiting for us." "Yes." ..... "Commander! Commander!" Huffing and puffing, two strong men appeared before a boy in full body armor and exclaimed. "What''s with the unsightly appearance?" The boy sneered. "Commander! The teams... the teams have disappeared!" "Huh?" "Yes! There''s a total of 15 teams that have gone missing!" "What!?" The boy stood up and exclaimed in shock. "Did those bastards dare to disobey the alliance pact?" "No! They just..." S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Just what?" "...just vanished in thin air." The boy silently looked at the two men with a piercing gaze, trying to make out whether these two idiots were drunk or actually stating the truth. When he saw their serious faces for the next few seconds, he frowned hard and asked, "How did that happen? And when did the teams disappear?" "We do not know. The reports came just now and everyone is clueless." "Fuck!" *BAM!* The boy smashed his armored hands on the table. "Pack my belongings and take me to the teams. I''ll personally oversee this!" "Yes, Commander!" ..... In the open field where many teams stood, Players kept disappearing despite the tight surveillance. Holding hands, staring at each other constantly, and even being in a close group did not help as people simply vanished into thin air. How and why it was happening was unknown. Even the best minds in the area couldn''t find any clue to the disappearance problem and were vexed. Soon, to answer their queries, the leader of the temporary alliance appeared before them. It was a Player in full body armor, about a meter and a half tall. He stood upon a podium and began addressing the teams with authority. "Do not panic! The disappearance is likely due to that world-level threat. That bastard might be using concealment Arcana Cards or artifacts to infiltrate our alliance. Our best course of action is to stick together as closely as possible!" At his command, everyone crowded together, closing the gaps in a frantic huddle. "Closer! We need to press against each other tightly to leave no gaps!" the commander shouted. "Ahhhh!" People screamed in pain as they were jostled and compressed together like mashed potatoes. "That''s it! Now be aware of your surroundings and look for any potential movements. Stay steady and don''t distract one another." The crowd went silent and they did as asked. When the boy in armor was done addressing them, he looked around to give his men a command, but found them to have gone missing. Son of a bitch¡ª! The boy cursed internally and resisted his urge to smash the podium. His eyes blazed with fury and he wanted to do nothing but rip apart that bastard causing a threat! There was a nun with him, right!? I''ll **** that fucking nun right in front of that bastard and show him who he''s messing with! The boy took out his sword and looked around for the threat. Meanwhile, amidst the mashed up crowd, a boy in plain adventurer''s robes groaned, "Arggh!" "Let me go! Let me go! I wanna peeeeeee!" The boy yelled. His yell made the armored boy frown and look at him with disgust. A moment''s diversion proved to be fatal as right in the next instant... "Ahhhhhhhh¡ª!" Chapter 40: Last Pact Standing (15) Chapter 40: Last Pact Standing (15)"Ahhhhhhhh¡ª!" *Thud!* *Thud!* *GASP¡ª!* The crowd recoiled in terror as they watched the commander''s legs get violently launched in the air, showering blood like rain on them. The commander''s body slammed onto the podium with a bone-jarring thud, before crashing to the ground in a disorienting tumble. He writhed and convulsed, letting out a chilling, high-pitched scream that cut through the chaos of the horrified crowd. "Ahhhhh! Ahhhhh! Ahhhhhhhh¡ª!" "Oh. My. God!" The Players in the crowd exclaimed. "Even the commander is not safe..." "I don''t think grouping together is the best way! We should separate and run!" Someone in the crowd suggested. Despite the suggestion, the crowd did not move and stuck together. "No! Separation would worsen the matter." The smart minds of the group said in unison. "Remember, the safe zone is going to shrink, so you would be concentrated in one place anyhow." "Separation would give the threat-Player a chance to individually kill us." "Folks, remember, he''s not eliminating, but killing!" "There has not been a single elimination message despite Players going missing, and the number of teams left still shows 58." The crowd collectively gasped at the revelation, dread taking over their faces. "A m-m-monster..." Someone in the crowd said in her panic-stricken voice. "I wanna get out of this trial! I don''t wanna do this!" "Me too! I don''t wanna be a Player! I''ll go back to the farm and help my grandpa!" "Waaaah! I don''t wanna be a Player either!" One by one, few weak-willed Players cried out in unison S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Their cries however didn''t affect the intelligent Players in the group and they kept their thoughts rational. Soon... Someone in the group shouted amidst the cries of others, "Stop crying! I think I''ve figured out a way for us to leave." "What!?" "What!?!!" "For real!?" The crowd erupted and caused a mild stir. The intellectual individuals had to shout again and keep them silent. "Listen! The only way to get out of here is to eliminate ourselves! We can only do that by depositing our tokens in the token deposit center." "Oh no..." Fear overtook the weak-willed Players in the group as they realized going to the token deposit center was next to impossible. They had to separate from the crowd to go there, and this was definitely not safe! "Yes, it''s understandable why you would be worried. But Players, there''s no other way. If we don''t eliminate ourselves, the man will!" "And he won''t eliminate us from the trials, but from living!" The crowd went silent. It was eerily quiet for a few moments as everybody contemplated. "Everyone, one thing we know for sure is the token deposit center''s location. It''s in the East. How far? That''s unknown, but we will find it if we go in the eastward direction." "Let us all slowly take a step towards the East and make our way there!" ..... Away from the crowd, watching them from a tall tree were Jackie and Julien. The crowd was moving like a herd of sheep in one particular direction. The scene was bizarre. "Their strategy is not bad." Julien said. He was the brains of their small team while Jackie was the sword and Amelia was support. He wasn''t particularly knowledgeable about warfare or battle, but had enough logical and critical thinking capabilities to get things done. "What will we do now, Master?" Jackie asked with concern. "And also, what about that leader of theirs? Why didn''t Master finish him off in one go?" "Since he was the leader, I assumed that he might be sensitive to danger or may have some protective artifact on him. The strike I made at his legs was to test. But oops..." Julien chuckled. "...I seemed to have used too much strength and overestimated him." Jackie smiled and shook his head. "I told you before, with Christopher and the Loph twins gone, the rest aren''t as big of a threat." "Yeah, you''re right." Julien nodded. "We can easily eliminate those guys with direct conflict. Though, that would be too time and energy consuming." "Yes, definitely." "Hm... so... what if we let them go?" Julien suggested. "Hm? Let them go?" Jackie asked. "Yes. Like let them succeed in eliminating themselves and get out of this trial. That way we''ll save energy and won''t have to get more blood on our hands. No, not our, but your hands." Julien had not killed anyone yet. It was all Jackie. Julien''s role was to grab the Players, weaken them, and get them to Jackie, while the latter''s job was to finish them. Then, Amelia would pitch in and do the cleanup and it would look like nothing had happened. Jackie shook his head at Julien''s response. "Master doesn''t need to worry about me. These many won''t make a difference even if I kill them." "Alright. If you say so." Julien shrugged. "But give me one reason for why we should kill them. I''ll give you one reason for why we shouldn''t." "Sure." Jackie said calmly. "They will go outside and tell everyone that there''s a world-level threat that has emerged from the trial. Then, a bounty would be placed on Master''s head and at every living second, Master would need to worry about his safety. The people that would then come to hunt Master won''t be puny novices." "..." That... that was quite a reasonable explanation and caught Julien off guard. Clearing his throat, Julien replied, "Well... that is indeed a fine reason." Jackie nodded and didn''t comment further. He waited for his Master to speak. "Though, if do we let them live and they go outside, we would be able to hide better. Like for instance..." If everyone was killed and just Julien''s team survived, it was definitely going to raise suspicion. Julien''s team would be targeted and it would result in endless trouble. Letting them go would confuse the various powers of the world and suspicion could fall on anyone. "Master is indeed right about that, however, one thing was missed." Jackie replied. "What is it?" "Those guys are specifically told that there''s a nun with the threat. That''s how they were able to recognize Master and attack." Julien frowned. "What?" "Yes. I interrogated a few and they were the ones that said it. Their leader had told them to look for a team with a nun in it. And so far, there''s only one nun in this whole trial." "Oh no..." Julien clutched his head. This was bad. This was really bad. If these people went outside and spilled this information, it wouldn''t take them long to figure out it was Amelia''s teammates that were the threat. Julien could separate himself from her after going out, but that was too much of a dick move. He was cursed with immense bad luck and an ex-porn addict, but not a pussy. He wouldn''t abandon the lady that had sworn loyalty to him and been through life and death situations. Amelia had taught him many things and Julien was ready to kill these people than to abandon her. "You know what, Jackie?" Julien turned to the boy with a serious expression. "What, Master?" Jackie asked with similar seriousness. "I think you''re right. Letting them live would cause more problems than outright killing them." "Oh." Jackie felt glad to hear that. He smiled and asked, "So that means...?" "Yes." Julien turned to look at the crowd. He squinted his gaze and said with determination burning in his eyes: "...it''s genocide time." Chapter 41: Last Pact Standing (16) Chapter 41: Last Pact Standing (16)"Hey! Hey! Keep moving! Keep moving!" The Players shoved and jostled each other, gritting their teeth through the pain as they fought to reach the token deposit center as quickly as possible. They were moving like a surging wave, with the Players in the middle and front bearing the brunt of the pressure. Several times, those at the front were nearly thrown off balance by the relentless force pushing from behind. Heidi was one of the Players at the front. Her body was worn down by the relentless force pushing her forward and her legs felt like jelly, trembling under the strain. She couldn''t fathom how she was still standing despite the overwhelming exhaustion and pain. She moved with the flow, thinking to herself: Just a bit more. Just a bit more and I''ll be out of this damned trial! A few minutes passed. Ahhh... this is so bad. I swear, when I get out of here, the first thing I''m doing is taking a massage and eating cold ice cream! I''m a simple girl, maybe I''ll ask the masseuse to put some ice on my body and cream me too¡ªwhat the fuck am I thinking!?! Ahhh... Heidi''s thoughts were in a disarray as the pain became unbearable. However, she gritted her teeth and persisted. A few more minutes passed. For some reason, Heidi suddenly had a lot of pressure lifted off her body. Wow. Did I get stronger and am able to manage the pain and pressure? Did my attribute points increase due to the tremendous stress? Heidi was dumbfounded and absorbed into her own world, thinking about her newfound strength. Another few minutes went by. A lot of pressure was gone from Heidi. This made her frown. She finally realized something was off. She turned to the person beside her and asked, "Hey, are you feeling less pressure too?" "Yes. For some reason, the people from the back had stopped pushing. Maybe they became more civilized and orderly? Haha!" In such a life-threatening situation, the guy was in the mood to joke. Heidi looked at him in disdain and turned to the other person. "Hey, has the pressure been¡ª" *Slash!* *Slash!* *Slash!* "Huh?" Heidi heard something getting sliced. This slicing sound was quite familiar to her, who was a swordsman. "What is happening..." Heidi pondered out loud. Her legs didn''t stop moving and she continued to move forward, but a while later, the pressure had stopped entirely. She stopped in her tracks and so did the people beside and behind her. "What is happening!?" The Players asked each other in panic-stricken voices. As the whole group had halted and began looking around, they immediately found the problem. The Players at the back had vanished! "Oh shit! Oh shit!OhshitOhshit!" They exclaimed and looked around in horror as their hearts threatened to leap out of their chests. "Fuck! That bastard got to us! He scrapped of the end and middle layers and only the front layer, aka us, are left!" "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" "Run everyone! Run to the token center!" "Aaaahhhhhh¡ª!" Everyone screamed and ran in the east as their life depended on it, literally. Heidi''s legs that were about to give up suddenly found strength and she ran in the middle of the crowd, as fast as she could. She was a smart girl and knew that she would be easily targeted if she was in the extreme back or front. It was better to run in the middle and use the others as shields! Heidi thought she had done a great job, but within a few blinks of her eyes, she heard an ear-piercing howl. "Nooooooo¡ª!" Someone shouted. Heidi''s adrenaline shot up further and she ran even faster! Please! Please! Please! Don''t kill me! Don''t kill me! Heidi chanted internally and prayed. A second later... "It''s really scary, isn''t it? A calm voice rang in her ears. "It is!" Heidi unconsciously answered, and immediately realized something was off. "Huh? Who?" She turned to look at her left, but found nobody. "This side." The voice rang again. Heidi glanced to her right, but her gaze suddenly shot further than she intended, and the world around her spun wildly, as if she were caught in a whirlwind. Soon, Heidi heard a thud and saw a headless body running in front of her with blood spraying out of the severed neck like a fountain. Huh? Isn''t that...m..e...? Heidi''s vision darkened and she slowly stepped into the cycle of reincarnation, her last question going unanswered, forever. ..... Julien sprinted behind the startled Players, severing their limbs as he passed by one person after another. He was not killing them, but making it easier for Jackie to unalive them. He had the balls in him to kill even humans now, but he wasn''t doing so. The reason was simple. He hadn''t killed a human since the start of this tutorial or even in his past life. He wanted to continue that streak at least till the end of this tutorial. Who knows, maybe he would get an achievement for it? Or maybe a title or a trait? Killing multiple ghouls resulted in him getting the achievement Ghoul Slayer, so it was not without basis that he wasn''t killing anyone. Also, the screams of actual living humans was traumatizing. Very traumatizing and something that was bound to give Julien PTSD later on. The only saving grace in this was that he kept thinking that if the roles were reversed, they wouldn''t hesitate to kill him. So he got a justification for his endless limb cutting action and relentlessly pursued the humans. Each person down by Julien had their heads severed off by Jackie. Cutting necks was easier during mass killing and Jackie also had to take care of the ones his Master had forgotten to chop down, like this one girl running in the middle of the pack to whom Jackie had asked: "It''s really scary, isn''t it?" As Julien charged forward, a river of blood was born, flowing like the melt of a glacier. When Jackie treaded the same path, he made it rain crimson, and each drop fed into the river''s torrent, swelling its volume with every step they took. The forest was dyed scarlet and instead of a foliage of leaves, it was the human flesh covering the ground. The grotesque scene did not last for long though, as a beautiful blindfolded nun stepped onto the same path as Julien and Jackie. Every step she took, the flesh and blood would be replaced with a white lily flower. Amelia collected the individual tokens of the dead and prayed for them. She hoped that they found peace and solace in their afterlife. With the three''s collective work, they were able to wipe out all the remaining Players in this trial. It was a battle royale in the truest essence. With the collected tokens, they went to malnourished Santa''s stall again and deposited it. The system''s voice soon rang out in their ears. [The Player...] [The Player...] . . . [All team members...] [All team members...] . . . [Pact ¡ª...] Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Pact ¡ª...] . . . And finally, the three saw the thing they had been waiting for. . . . [Teams left: 2] "Hm?" Julien raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Two teams?" "One should be us. What''s the other one?" Jackie asked. Amelia thought about it, but then shook her head and said, "My apologies, I have no clue." "Am I missing someone?" Julien thought hard. Having no idea, he turned to the merchant. "Hey, you haven''t given us the token exchange rewards yet. So, as a reward, I want information on the last team left." "Hohoho! I''m glad you asked!" Malnourished Santa Claus was more than happy to help. "It''s a Player in..." . . . "Guhhh..." Clinging-clanging sound of armor filled the quietness of the forest as the boy with missing legs spat a mouthful of blood and woke up. He felt pain all over him, but thankfully had a few healing potions to ease his pain. Gulping down a vial of the most potent healing potion, the boy threw it and looked in the distance with a murderous intent. "You bloody shit... how dare you..." "...never in my life have I suffered such humiliation..." "Just wait and¡ª" "And what?" A voice rang in the boy''s ears, startling him. "Who!?" He turned to look at the person, but due to missing legs, his range of motion was limited. "I would''ve said daddy, but someone already claimed that title. Tsk. I''m really salty about that. Anyway, you talk mad shit like a third rate villain. Killing you is only going to leave a bad mark in my resume. Why don''t you kill yourself instead and help the world get rid of a pest like you?" A lot of words were said and threw the boy''s thoughts in a disarray. He couldn''t process everything, and standing behind him, Julien didn''t give him time to do it either. Julien gestured to Jackie to do the deed, and the boy nodded his head and went forward. The first thing Jackie did was slash the boy''s eyes, making him screen. "Ahhhhhhhhhh¡ª!" Next, in his screaming mouth, Jackie poured the vial of poison. It went right into his throat, then stomach, without him needing to gulp. "Guggghh... guggghhh!" The boy felt as if he was choking and clutched his throat. Tremendous numbing pain shot through his eyes and from all over his body, but due to the poison liquid stuck in his windpipe, he was unable to do anything other than cough violently. "Our job''s done here. Let''s get going." Julien said to Jackie. "No, Master. Let him die first." Jackie shook his head and said. "Are you a sadist or something?" Julien asked. Jackie didn''t respond. He waited and watched the man die. "Tsk. He''s not dying fast." Jackie clicked his tongue and walked towards him, stabbing his sword right into his head. "Ahhh! Jackie, you bastard! At least warn me beforehand!" Julien yelled and turned around, trying not to see the scene of brains splattering out of one''s head. "My apologies, Master." Jackie took the token and apologized. "Well, I''m glad I can''t see at times like these." Amelia''s soft voice resounded in the two''s ears. "Oh wow. Even she can joke now." Julien clapped and said in amusement. Amelia chuckled softly while Jackie shook his head and smiled. Amelia walked towards the dead boy and made his body disappear, replacing it with a white lily, and prayed for him. The three then vanished from this place and went to deposit the token. They finally heard the notification they had longed to hear for so long. [Ding!] [The Player Basti has been eliminated!] [All members of the Pact of Dark Church have been eliminated!] [Pact ¡ª Pact of Dark Church has been dissolved!] [Teams left: 1] [Ding!] [Pact ¡ª God''s Beloved Children is the Last Pact Standing!] Chapter 42: Constellation Selection Chapter 42: Constellation Selection[The tutorial has ended.] [Congratulations, Player, for clearing Floor 0!] [Beginning the awakening process...] The world around the trio dissolved, pixel by pixel, disintegrating like sand in the wind. In its place, a vast grassland unfurled, stretching endlessly in every direction. The landscape was bathed in a soft, glowing light as if the sun were shining¡ªbut when they looked up, there was no sun. Instead, a star-filled sky hung overhead, countless stars twinkling and pulsing, casting a silvery glow over the bright, open plain. The contrast between the radiant land and the shimmering night above was surreal, almost dreamlike. [A few constellations are looking at you.] [The constellations are yawning after looking at your stats.] A voice rang out in Julien, Jackie, and Amelia''s head and a system window displayed the message in front of their eyes. "What''s happening..." Julien was so confused. "Constellation selection." Amelia answered. "The Gods and Demigods that are interested in us would offer a contract. Accepting it would result in¡ª" *RUMBLE¡ª!* *RUMBLE¡ª!* A loud thunder interrupted Amelia''s explanation and made the trio look up in the sky. Amidst the vast starry sky, a crimson brilliance thundered and spread onto the canvas of space like a droplet of ink dropped in water. [The constellation ''Heir to the Crimson Throne'' has set his eyes on you.] [Many constellations are holding their breath and turning away.] "Master..." Amelia and Jackie held Julien''s sleeves and called out. Something wasn''t right. *RUMBLE¡ª!* *RUMBLE¡ª!* *BOOM¡ª!* Crimson thunder roared in the skies and lightning destroyed the stars in its path. [The constellations belonging to Thaldranor are struck by the fury of ''Heir to the Crimson Throne''. The constellations of this domain have withdrawn their contracts in fear.] *BOOM¡ª!* With another lightning strike tearing through the void of space, everything around Julien and his teammates was bathed in a deep, ominous red. It was as if doomsday had descended upon them, and everything was coming to an end. [The constellation ''Heir to the Crimson Throne'' roars at the heavens and is descending from his domain Thaldranor.] In the void above, a deafening crack split the space, and a red vortex began to swirl open. [The constellation ''Heir to the Crimson Throne'' has caused a rift in space and is making an appearance in the dimension ? ? ?.] [Constellations from various domains are eyeing the Heir to the Crimson Throne''s movement.] [Constellations from various domains are complaining about the sanctity of the awakening process being compromised due to the constellation Heir to the Crimson Throne''s interference.] Multiple system messages rang out in Julien, Jackie, and Amelia''s heads while the same was being displayed in front of their eyes. They had no clue what they must do and were helplessly staring at the skies, like frogs at the bottom of a well, and clutched each other in anxious uncertainty. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [The Administrators have been notified of the disturbance.] [A warning has been sent to the constellation ''Heir to the Crimson Throne''.] [The constellation ''Heir to the Crimson Throne'' fails to heed the warning and barges into the dimension ? ? ?.] From the red swirling vortex in the void, a massively scaly claw, tipped with razor-sharp nails could be seen coming out. Julien and Jackie watched it with wide eyes whereas Amelia could only listen and prayed to god for everyone''s safety. [Many constellations are watching the constellation ''Heir to the Crimson Throne'' barge into a Novice Player''s awakening.] [Many constellations are voicing their displeasure...] [Many constellations are outraged by the violation...] The system notifications flooded the trio''s head. Lightning crackled in the void beside the monstrous claw, illuminating its jagged scales with every flash. A distant, thunderous roar reverberated through the air, shaking Julien, Jackie, and Amelia to their cores. In the midst of the chaos, amidst the overwhelming force and noise, Julien finally began to realize... My curse was not gone. It was simply delayed... Just like in his past life, whenever things seemed to be going well, his misfortune would spike at the peak of his happiness and ruin everything. Everything would come crashing down all at once and break him, then the cycle would repeat again. It was as if the universe was telling him, he did not deserve to be happy, and that his happiness came at the cost of his loved ones. This time, it was a humongous claw that would be the reason for his and his close ones'' death. I''m sorry, Jackie. I''m sorry, Amelia. Because of me, you guys are... Julien didn''t dare to think of the consequences. Jackie and Amelia stood close by, and Julien couldn''t help but wrap his arms around them, pulling them tightly to his chest. In these final moments, it was his duty to bear the brunt of the pain. He would shield them both, protecting them with every last breath he had. Jackie and Amelia could feel that Julien was trying to protect them in these circumstances. They knew it was a futile attempt, but sincerely felt their hearts warm due to his gesture. [The constellation ''Heir to the Crimson Throne'' is roaring at the heavens.] [Many constellations are worried that the lower floors would collapse with the constellation Heir to the Crimson Throne''s descent, taking many mortal lives.] The constellations kept complaining but none tried to stop the constellation Heir to the Crimson Throne. Such was the case for a while, until... "I swear... I may have underestimated this boy''s misfortune." A melodic voice said in a soft tone. In the midst of a world draped in black and gray stood a woman, her presence captivating. She wore a seductive red dress, and with each step, her black high heels clicked softly against the ground. The wind teased her dress and revealed glimpses of her alluring full thighs. Her raven-hair fluttered with the breeze and as she looked up at the swirling red vortex with her bright scarlet eyes, the corner of her lips curved up. "My son only had a little bit of the bone powder elixir, yet it was enough to incite the wrath of a constellation. The misfortune card sure is powerful." Tucking her unruly hair behind her ear, the lady continued, "I promised him I wouldn''t let him die, and also a better life." She extended her hand out and pointed her index finger at the vortex. "If daddy is unable to keep the promise, the child would end up being rebellious. As a parent, it''s my duty to set an example to raise him right." *ZZZZZTTTT¡ª!* Lightning crackled out of her fingertip and shot towards the red vortex. In just an instant, it hit the scaly claw. *BOOOOOOM¡ª!* [The constellation ''Heir to the Crimson Throne'' has encountered a celestial punishment.] [The constellation ''Heir to the Crimson Throne'' has been gravely injured and banned from contracting Novice Players for 100 years.] [Many constellations are holding their breath in shock.] [Many constellations are arguing about the severity of the punishment.] The lady, aka El, yawned and didn''t bother with these constellations. "The last few days have been quite tiring. If I hadn''t intervened, this silly boy would''ve died multiple times by now." Extended her hand out and stretching, El yawned again and muttered to herself, "I should go back to El. I told her I would be back shortly, but oops... it took longer than expected." *Snap!* "Back to Floor 0." El''s body vanished from the desolate dimension and everything went back to being eerily silent like before. Chapter 43: Constellation Selection (2) Chapter 43: Constellation Selection (2)[Many constellations are interested in the Players of dimension ? ? ?.] [Many constellations are looking at you.] The starry sky was back to normal with many stars twinkling in it while the grassy plain was illuminated with a sunny radiance. Julien didn''t exactly know what had happened, but he was glad that his teammates were safe and the misfortune didn''t result in anybody''s death. When the constellation disappeared, Julien remembered the lotus lady''s words that stated he wouldn''t die. They were indeed true and his faith in her had increased multifold times. [The constellation ''The Light of Primordial One'' is watching the Novice Players in dimension ? ? ?.] [The constellation ''Rebel Sage of Heaven'' is searching for tea.] [The constellation ''Demonic Inquisitor'' is sipping tea.] [The constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' is also sipping tea.] [The constellation ''Eternal Flame of the Sky'' is brewing tea.] [The constellation ''The Mischievous Changeling'' is staring at the constellation ''Eternal Flame of the Sky'' while holding an empty teacup.] [The constellation ''Eternal Moonlight Sage'' is also holding an empty teacup and staring at the constellation ''Eternal Flame of the Sky'' with a knowing smile.] [The constellation ''Wrathful Sky Commander'' is glaring at the constellation ''Eternal Moonlight Sage'' while holding an empty teacup.] [The constellation ''Goddess of Bountiful Fields'' is patiently waiting with an empty teacup and admiring the skillful tea brewing of the constellation ''Eternal Flame of the Sky''.] The sudden system messages baffled Julien and his companions. Who were these Gods and what were they doing? And what''s with these weird messages? "What was that phenomenon?" Jackie''s voice cut through Julien''s swirling thoughts. Realizing he was still holding both of them close, his face flushed with embarrassment. He quickly stepped back, clearing his throat before replying, "I have no idea. But whatever it was... it was terrifying." [The constellation ''The Light of Primordial One'' says they know the answer to this question.] [The constellation ''Rebel Sage of Heaven'' states that answers can only be given to Players after a contract has been formed.] [The constellation ''The Light of Primordial One'' has their ears drooping.] [The constellation ''The Light of Primordial One'' is looking at the Novice Players, softly swaying their tail in anticipation.] [The constellation ''Demonic Inquisitor'' urges to get the selection started.] [The constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' agrees.] [The constellation ''Eternal Flame of the Sky'' agrees as well.] [Many constellations have agreed to start the selection.] [Choosing a Host for the selection process...] [The constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' has been selected as the Host.] [The constellation selection begins now...] [The constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' greets the Novice Players.] sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It has started..." Amelia whispered in a soft voice. "What are we supposed to do now?" Jackie asked, voicing the same question lingering in Julien''s mind. "Nothing. We just have to accept a contract and we''ll proceed towards the awakening." Amelia answered. "Huh? The awakening hasn''t started yet?" "It starts after getting the contract." Amelia answered again. Why is it like this? Julien wondered internally. -It''s because a constellation will heavily influence your path. A melodic and playful voice rang out in Julien''s ears. Lotus lady? Julien thought. -Helllouu babygurl~ -Wait, what did you just call me? Julien suppressed his urge to roll his eyes at El''s comments. What am I supposed to call you? You never said your name. Julien thought. -Didn''t I tell you already? Call me daddy. Dad-eeeee! Can you please get serious for once? Julien wrinkled his nose. -You''re gonna call me daddy, I won''t hear anything else. Anyway, time''s tight. El probably didn''t give you detailed information on the Gods since you didn''t have much time with her, so I''ll help you and your teammates out. Okay... [The constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' asks the constellations to offer their contracts.] Right as Julien saw this message in front of his eyes, a series of system messages rang in his head and appeared before him. [The constellation ''The Light of Primordial One'' has offered you a contract.] [The constellation ''Rebel Sage of Heaven'' has offered you a contract.] [The constellation ''Demonic Inquisitor'' has offered you a contract.] [The constellation ''Eternal Flame of Sky'' has offered you a contract.] Julien saw four system messages in front of his eyes. -Oh wow. Look at that, you''ve garnered the attention of four bigshots. Julien had no clue who these Gods were. He turned to Jackie and Amelia, and asked, "Did you two get the offer messages too?" "Yes." The two replied in unison. "Are we allowed to discuss it out loud?" Julien asked. [The host constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' has cut the connection between the constellations and the Novice Players.] [The host constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' declares that it is now permissible to discuss the contracts.] -She''s surprisingly fast at her work, fufu. Do you know her? Julien asked. -Yes. She''s a nice constellation, but don''t talk to her right now and be respectful. Okay... Julien didn''t want to offend anyone, so he readily agreed. "Do you want to know who offered us contracts, Master?" Amelia turned to Julien and asked. "Yes. I could give you a brief description of the constellations that have offered the contracts. You could make an informed decision with that.'' Julien replied. "Sounds good." Jackie said. "I got an offer from two constellations: ''The Light of the Primordial One'' and ''Eternal Flame of the Sky''." "It''s the constellations ''The Light of the Primordial One'', ''Demonic Inquisitor'', ''Eternal Flame of the Sky'', and ''Goddess of Bountiful Fields'' for me." Amelia clasped her hands after saying so. "I thank the lord for their generosity." -Fascinating. -Your teammate Jackie has not managed to attract a single demonic constellation despite the vile acts. Oh well... part of the reason could be that... your team has attracted too many big constellations from the ''good'' side. Could be. Julien thought and replied. What do I tell them now though? -Tell them that... El gave a brief summary of the whole thing and Julien repeated that out loud for the two to hear. "Firstly, if you two do not know, a contract with a constellation will have a big impact in your whole life. Say you contracted yourself with a constellation that was an angel, you''ll by default be hated and hunted by the Players contracted by demons as well as the demonic constellations." "Secondly, you can think of a constellation as your godfather. They will be there throughout your life, mentoring and influencing you. They would help you based on your potential and circumstances, but at the end of the day, you''re mostly doing things on your own while climbing the Tower." "Third, and this is by far the most important thing. Choosing a constellation will severely affect your Path. Say, Amelia, since you are a nun, you want to walk on a Path to be an Exorcist or an Oracle. However, if you contract with a constellation that''s a god of... let''s say fertility, you may not be able to walk on those paths and will have to choose something else." "On the off chance that you do walk that path, the constellation may not be of much help and it''s as good as climbing the Tower solo." "Thus, choosing the right constellation is very important." [The host constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' agrees with the Novice Player with black hair.] Black hair? The gods don''t know my name? Julien wondered curiously. -No They don''t know anything about you except your titles, achievements, and your performance in the trial. The Tower protects your privacy and a constellation would only know of you in great detail if you share it yourself. Wow. Isn''t the Tower nice? -Yes. When such a system wasn''t there, all rising Players were hunted down by constellations because they felt an emerging threat. Oh... -In any case, tell the two this... Chapter 44: Constellation Selection (3) Chapter 44: Constellation Selection (3)...tell the two this... Julien glanced atJackie and the boy straightened up and looked back at him, wondering what he had to say. "Jackie, with how nimble and efficient you are in combat, I believe your Path would be related to being an assassin or..." Julien saw Jackie''s orange eyes widened like saucers when he heard the word assassin. "Hm? Why do you seem so shocked?" Julien asked. "Master..." Jackie facepalmed. "How did you figure out my Path so easily?" "I''ve spent so much time with you. And with the way you''ve moved around and done things, I could make a rough guess. Don''t worry though, revealing information about your Path won''t particularly harm you. There''s warriors who roam openly and people know their Path is related to being a tank or something." "Okay, I understand." Jackie responded. "So as I was saying," Julien continued. "Given what your Path is, if you choose someone like, let''s say ''The Light of Primordial One'', they would influence you to do good things and teach you about the ways of the Light Path or of absolute goodness. You would deviate from being an assassin." When the talk about Paths was done, Julien then briefed them about the constellations. "...so, the good constellations are: The Light of Primordial One, Demonic Inquisitor, Eternal Flame of the Sky, and Goddess of Bountiful Fields." "Wait, Master. Why is the Demonic Inquisitor classified as a good constellation?" Jackie asked, confused. "Oh, I know the answer to this." Amelia said and chuckled softly. "The constellation is trying to mislead everyone into believing they''re a demon or perhaps demonic. But in reality..." [The constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' is sipping tea and gazing at the Novice Player in nun attire with interest.] "...hm... I do not know whether I can indulge this information. But yes, Master is not wrong with his classification." Amelia stopped and didn''t reveal any sensitive information. The system message that just came up was sort of like a warning. Novice Players generally do not have much information on constellations, and the ones that did, they had a special background or a fortuitous encounter prior to entering the tutorial. Such individuals were in high demand and garnered a lot of attention, so it was best to keep quiet sometimes. Julien nodded his head at Amelia''s response and said, "The classification is not wrong, and you do not need to worry about that anyway since that constellation is not contracting you." "What you should know Jackie is that... you''re in a really difficult situation right now." "What do you mean by that, Master?" Jackie was worried. Julien sighed and said, "Both the constellations are on the absolute good sides and are not remotely close to the assassin Path. You would have a difficult time with them as you would need to incorporate their teachings into your own Path somehow. Most of the time it may clash, but yes, if you could figure out a way to mix these things, maybe you''ll become strong or maybe discover an entirely new Path." Jackie felt dejected. His lips curled down and shoulders dropped. "So... is it over me?" Amelia patted Jackie''s head. "No, dear. Everything that happens, happens for a good reason. Maybe this was your destiny all along." Julien patted Jackie''s shoulder. "She''s right. You shouldn''t be so dejected. Even though you did not get an offer from someone on the dark side, the two constellations that have set their eyes on you are really very big." Whatever choice Jackie made, he was not going to regret it, that was for sure. "But... didn''t Master and Sister Amelia get the offers from them too?" Jackie asked, confused. "Are you sure I did not get that purely because I''m in the same team?" -Give him a head chop, son. Immediately! *Bonk!* " Oww..." Jackie clutched his head and cried out. "Master, why?" He looked up at Julien with an expression that read he had been wronged. "You idiot, constellations don''t give contracts out of pity or just because you''re in the same team. Smaller constellations may do it, but definitely not big ones like them." Julien repeated El''s words. "This contract is just as important to them as it is to us. They must''ve seen something in you, otherwise they wouldn''t have given it." [The constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' nods her in head at the green-haired Novice Player''s comment.] "See. Even a big constellation is agreeing!" "I''m sorry..." Jackie looked down and said, his self-esteem slowly returning from the abyss he had shoved it to. "Amelia, have you decided on your constellation?" Julien asked the nun. She shook her head and said, "I am unable to decide." All the constellations seemed to be on the good side, but beyond that, very little was known about them. Choosing one felt like a gamble, and making the wrong choice would put their future at stake. "Okay." Julien then turned to Jackie. "Have you decided?" Jackie shook his head. "Have you thought of whom to choose?" Jackie shook his head again. "Both are different from my Path, so I don''t know what to do." Julien placed his hands on Jackie''s shoulders, meeting his gaze with firm resolve. "Do you trust me?" Jackie hesitated for a moment, unsure where Julien was going with this, but eventually nodded. "Of course I trust you, Master." "Then, will you choose the constellation I ask you to?" Jackie blinked, momentarily taken aback. There was a flicker of hesitation in his mind¡ªit had only been a few days since they had met. But thinking back on Julien''s actions, his reliability was undeniable. Every decision Julien had made so far had been sharp and measured. Jackie knew he was someone worthy of being called a master, and now that he thought about it, his judgment couldn''t be wrong. After a moment, Jackie nodded. "I will, Master." -That boy''s got some exceptional skills, I''ll tell you that. To become so loyal to a stranger he had only met a few days ago and entrusting his life in his hands... huhu... -Cherish him well, son. El''s comments resounded in Julien''s head. Julien smiled at Jackie, patting his shoulders reassuringly. "I won''t let you down." Then, his gaze shifted to the tall nun standing beside them. "Amelia, what about you? Will you entrust your choice to me as well?" Amelia clasped her hands together, bowing her head slightly. "I entrust my everything to you, Master," she said with quiet conviction. When Amelia pledged herself to Julien, it was a decision made with complete rationality. She had unwavering faith that he would never lead her astray. Every choice he made, every command he gave, she believed would be for her benefit. She had placed him at a very high pedestal. Julien wondered how he got so lucky to have such loyal companions. With how everything was going, it did not look like he had the misfortune card on him. -You idiot, can you stop jinxing yourself for one second!? Julien forgot El could listen to his thoughts. Sorry... S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. -I swear, daddy''s gonna spank your lil aas if you keep thinking of such things. Julien didn''t know what to reply to that. -Anyway, time''s running out. Tell those two to accept the contracts of... Chapter 45: Constellation Selection (4) Chapter 45: Constellation Selection (4)Jackie and Amelia vanished from the dimension after accepting the contracts. They did not hesitate and accepted whatever Julien said to them in a heartbeat. They trusted him quite a lot. Now, it was Julien''s turn to accept the contract. Whom should I choose? Julien asked El. -Heh. Do you wish to know? Yes. -Do you truly wish to know? Yes! -Then... the answer is... [The constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' states there''s not much time left.] [The constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' states that the Player would be thrown out of the dimension if the timer runs out.] Please hurry! Julien urged. -Huhu... well, you got four contracts, and out of them, you shouldn''t form a contract with anyone. That''s how it will be. Okay. ¡ªWait, what!? No contract? -Yes. You should not become a constellation''s incarnation by forming a contract, given how your circumstances are. If it was in favor of Julien to establish a contract with a constellation, El would''ve offered him a contract herself. However, he wasn''t made for the contracts. With the misfortune card etched deep within him, it was even more so the case! Why? Won''t I be in trouble for not forming a contract? -Oh, you will be. You''ll be in a lot of trouble, but where there''s risks, there''s rewards. That other boy who has all the good luck in the world, he chose to have a contract. -Do you know whom he contracted? Who? -I can''t tell you that, but it''s a very ancient and powerful God who had never participated in the constellation selection before. That boy managed to get his attention, so it''s a pretty big deal. I see. But, you said that the contracts I got were from big shots too, right? -Yes. However, they don''t match to that God. That God''s a primordial, a pretty big deal. Julien did not know the hierarchy, so as per El''s words, he thought that all the gods offering contracts here were below the primordial, and so far, the primordials were at the highest level. So, shouldn''t that be more so of a reason for me to form a contract? sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. -Yes, but your circumstances don''t allow it. You need the help of a constellation more than anyone else, but you just can''t have a contract. -However, did you forget that... your misfortune has originated from the gods themselves? Julien went silent. Something important clicked him. You mean to say... -Yes, yes, and yes. You will never be able to overcome your misfortune if you become an incarnation of another god. Haah... Julien sighed. Look at how this situation is... I got a contract from some big gods, but can''t accept any of them. If it isn''t my curse flaring up, I don''t know what is. -Don''t worry, I am not speaking under the effect of your curse. But yes, you can say that your curse has acted up once again and is not allowing you to choose a constellation. Julien exhaled sharply and shook his head. Guess he would have to keep struggling throughout his Tower climbing journey. -Son... El''s voice was surprisingly serious this time. Yes? Julien responded. -Say ''yes, daddy'' and I''ll share with you a little secret. You can reap benefits from the constellations without being their incarnation. You also won''t have to be restricted to one single constellation like others. Huh? Such a thing is possible? -Say the word and I''ll tell you. Why? Why can''t you just say it without that? -Do you want the good stuff or not, babygurl~? I genuinely don''t understand your obsession with getting called daddy... -It''s my kink. I get turned on by being called daddy. Huh? Are you serious? -You know what you ungrateful brat, I''ll just go. You handle the things from here on¡ª Wait, wait, wait¡ªdaddy! Daddy, please don''t go! Julien had to swallow the bitter pill and call her what she wanted to be called. There was sadly no other way. -Uffo... you called me, my son? Say it again, it sounds so good! Julien gave up trying to win against her and said internally: Daddy... -Huuuuu! So good! I''m literally having chills from pleasure. -You have been such a good boy. I guess daddy has no choice but to share the secrets. -Okay then, listen carefully... . . . Eh? You could do that? -Yes, you sure can! Go, talk to the host! Okay... Julien looked up in the sky and said, "Host, I won''t be accepting a contract." [The constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' is looking at you.] "Yes, I won''t be. Instead, I want the streaming rights of this channel." [The host constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' crosses their legs and holds a wine glass in hand.] [The host constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' is swirling the wine and looking at you.] [The constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' states streaming rights are reserved for Valkyries.] "Yes, it is. But I''m giving up something really precious." Julien stated. "I don''t plan to take over the Valkyrie of this Tower''s channel, instead, I want streaming rights with her and the ability to open a new channel for myself." [The constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' states this needs to be discussed with other constellation and The Valkyrie Council.] "Please do." [The host constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' warns that the Novice Player may incur the wrath of both parties with such a request.] "Hm?" Julien hesitated at this point. -Yeah, you might end up angering them because no one other than the Valkyries are allowed to stream. You have to give them a good reason so that they allow you to stream. What!? Why didn''t you say it before? -If I had said it, you would''ve chickened out, like you are doing now. Sigh... you sure love to mess with me, don''t you? -I do, and I love you too babygirl~~ Can you please behave like a proper god? Julien was cringing hard at the comment. [The host constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' is giving you a chance to back out. Do you wish to proceed?] Julien got a system message. Currently, in the vast dark sky overhead, there was only one twinkling star. This was a clear evidence that only Sovereign of Shadows was here and others were blocked. If Julien disagreed, the sky would be filled with all sorts of people and it may end into a disaster. Still, he had no choice but to disagree. Even though El talked weirdly and in a very unladylike manner, she could be trusted. He had faith in her words and went along the flow. Whatever happens, happens¡ªsuch was his motto. [The host constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' admires your courage.] [The connection between the constellations and the Novice Player has been re-established.] [The constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' summons the Valkyrie Council representatives.] [The constellation ''Eternal Flame of the Sky'' is wondering why the Valkyrie Council is being summoned.] [Many constellations share the same thought as the constellation ''Eternal Flame of the Sky''.] [The host constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' states the Novice Player has rejected the contracts and instead wants streaming rights.] The stars in the sky momentarily lost their twinkle. There were no system messages either. Soon... Chapter 46: Streaming Rights Chapter 46: Streaming RightsThe stars began flashing brightly and illuminated the skies, turning the night into an epileptic nightmare. [The constellation ''Wrathful Sky Commander'' is clutching his belly and rolling on the ground.] [The constellation ''The Mischievous Changeling'' is crying from laughing.] [Many constellations are appreciating the Novice Player''s humor.] Julien squinted his eyes and stared at the sky. What was so funny about this? And why were they laughing like fools? -They''re laughing like fools because you''ve said something nobody in the history of Tower has ever imagined. I am doing something historical again? -Yup. You are being helped by me, so this was bound to happen. Unlike the boy with the fortune card, you aren''t creating history based on your luck, but skills. -Sure, you have my help, but at the end of the day, my role''s only 30% while the rest is all you. And I believe that 30% help wouldn''t be needed either had you not possessed the misfortune card. What are you saying? -Nothing. Just ignore it, and ignore those laughing constellations. Stand your ground and get the streaming rights. Okay. But what do I tell them to convince them to give me the rights? -That''s for you to decide. Daddy can only help so much, son, huhu. Julien wrinkled his nose and shook his head. [The Valkyrie Council has answered the summon.] [The Elder Valkyrie¡ªCouncilor Levana¡ªgreets the constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows''.] The twinkling of the stars subsided as this system message came up. The night sky was back to its previous calmness and the constellations couldn''t believe who had just arrived at the scene. [The host constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' raises their wine glass for Councilor Levana.] [Many constellations are in disbelief.] [Many constellations are wondering whether this is just another layer to the joke.] [The host constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' has muted the curious constellations for 30 minutes.] [The host constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' is briefing Councilor Levana about the Novice Player''s request.] A few minutes passed. Soon, a particular star flashed brightly in the sky and Julien saw the system message: [The Elder Valkyrie, Councilor Levana, has rejected the Novice Player''s request.] [The Elder Valkyrie, Councilor Levana, has rejected the Novice Player''s request.] Julien stared at the line of words in disbelief and frowned. -Bitch! El''s annoyed voice rang in his head. -Atleast hear my boy out before rejecting! -These Valkyries, I swear these are the most annoying species to deal with in the Tower! Julien wasn''t even surprised at this point. His misfortune really didn''t let him do anything properly. -Daddy will be back in a bit. Don''t panic while I''m gone. I wasn''t panicking.... Julien had somehow gotten used to this. He stared at the stars and said calmly, "A rejection without even hearing my proposal?" S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [The host constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' states that many constellations and Valkyries were offended by the Novice Player''s proposal.] To this message, before Julien could react, another constellation replied to this. [The constellation ''Rebel Sage of Heaven'' is questioning the Elder Valkyrie and constellation about what offended them.] When this came up, there was then a barrage of messages. [The constellation ''Eternal Flame of the Sky'' is pouring tea and wondering the same.] [The constellation ''Demonic Inquisitor'' sips her tea and states she didn''t find anything offensive in the Novice Player''s request.] [The constellation ''The Light of the Primordial One'' is saddened to see the Novice Player''s request not being given any consideration before rejection.] [The constellation ''Goddess of Bountiful Fields'' is wondering on what basis the Novice Player''s request was rejected.] [The Elder Valkyrie, Councilor Levana, states that streaming rights are reserved for Valkyries. A mortal Novice Player cannot obtain the same rights as a Novice Valkyrie.] [The constellation ''Rebel Sage of Heaven'' questions whether such a rule is outlined in the Valkyrie constitution.] [The constellation ''Eternal Flame of the Sky'' questions why the Novice Player cannot be given the rights even though he is willing to forgo a once-in-lifetime opportunity of forming a contract with a constellation.] The constellations were getting aggressive with their questions. Julien remained quiet and watched the spectacle unfold. He didn''t even need to do anything, it was quite hilarious for some reason. [The Elder Valkyrie¡ªCouncilor Sierra¡ªis requesting the host constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' to join the discussion.] [The host constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' has approved the participation request of Elder Valkyrie, Councilor Sierra.] -Phew. I''m back. It was such a pain. You went away to invite another Valkyrie into the conversation? Julien asked. -Daddy has to do what daddy has to do. Julien rolled his eyes. -Just wait and watch now. [The Elder Valkyrie, Councilor Sierra, states that the council had never received such a request. Elder Valkyrie, Councilor Levana, has passed a judgment based on the normal working procedure of the Valkyries.] [The Elder Valkyrie, Councilor Sierra, also states that this new request has been thoroughly assessed by the Valkyrie Council and reported to the Supreme Commander.] Chapter 47: Sigma Chad Chapter 47: Sigma ChadThere were many more system messages from Councilor Sierra and they were indirect messages talking about Julien''s request. All Valkyries were females and had a divine status by birth. In their entire history, there had never been any male or another constellation involved in running a channel. Every Tower had a Valkyrie assigned to them, and these beings were purely involved in telecasting the Players to the constellations. Since they had the status of divine since birth, their leveling worked differently and wasn''t like mortals who aspired to be gods one day. Valkyries were a species that resided purely in the Tower. They leveled up in strength through their streaming channels. The more constellations that watched them, the more powerful and influential the Valkyrie would become. Since Julien requested a streaming channel for himself, it would mean he would hinder a Valkyrie''s growth of this particular world''s Tower. The Valkyrie Council had a problem with this as relocating a Valkyrie to another world was not possible because this world''s people had already cleared 37 floors. The Valkyrie that streamed them was now connected to them. Removing her from this Tower was good as crippling her, which infringed upon their rights. However, Julien''s request had to be taken into consideration too and could not be ignored due to the pressure from multiple big constellations. Some of these constellations that were putting pressure had an entire pantheon behind them, that''s the level of pressure the Valkyrie Council was dealing with. Councilor Sierra stated that Julien''s request would keep getting rejected if he wants to take over the Valkyrie''s channel of this Tower, however, Julien had to step in at this time and clarify: "No, I''m fine with sharing the streaming rights with the Valkyrie of this world. She could continue having her channel and doing her thing, while me, the channel I would run would only be for a select few constellations. By no means would these numbers in my channel affect the Valkyrie''s stream." El had said that constellations would sponsor Players if they found them amusing. It was more like a donation and they weren''t really obliged to help like it was with the contracted ones. However, El had faith that Julien''s Tower journey would be interesting. He had already managed to attract four big ones, and if he just kept these at bay, he would have enough resources and help throughout his journey. When Julien properly stated that he planned to have a limited number of constellations watching him, the Valkyrie Council had more pressure placed on them. Constellations wanted to see a live stream through the perspective of a Player. This had never happened before, and Julien would be the first to pull it off. In the end, the Valkyrie Council had no way to reject Julien''s request and relented. Accepting his request did not harm them, but rejecting it did, and the damage incurred would not be easily repaired. It was not worth the risk. With that, Julien finally got a system notification, one that was never seen before in the history of Tower. [You now share the streaming rights with the Novice Valkyrie Falin.] Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Channel FI #29-771 is now accessible to you.] [Creating your personalized channel...] [Created ¡ª JL #29-157 is your personal streaming channel.] [The constellation selection has ended.] [Beginning the final awakening...] [Error ¡ª a system pack is already running...] [Retrying...] [Error!] [Awakening unsuccessful!] [Teleporting out of the Tower...] Just like that, his misfortune flared up again and he failed at what was a simple, automatic awakening process. Julien''s vision darkened and he found himself falling in a spiral. Dizziness overwhelmed him and he couldn''t make out where he was. *Fwump¡ª!* Julien fell on something soft and his body underwent a gentle impact. As his vision cleared up, he saw a pair of bright crimson eyes staring at him with a smirk. "Hellouu babygurl~!" ..... Standing amidst the towering trees of the forest, a tall raven-haired lady in a seductive red dress and black high heels was holding a young, handsome boy in a princess carry. Her dress hugged her figure, accentuating her curves and revealing her collarbone, while the lower half flowed loosely, fluttering in the breeze and offering glimpses of her toned leg. The two figures in the middle of nowhere were Julien and El. As El greeted him with a knowing smirk, Julien knitted his brows in annoyance and said, "How are you everywhere, lotus lady? And of all people I could come across after getting out of the Tower, it just had to be you, didn''t it?" "Fufufu... of course." El said with a hearty chuckle. "I had to be here for you otherwise you wouldn''t know how to get back home. Your mom would be really worried if that happens." El began walking away, her sharp heels slightly digging into the forest floor with each step. "Can you put me down? It''s embarrassing to be held like this." Julien complained. "I will, if you say daddy please." El said with a smirk. "Again... what''s with this daddy fetish..." Julien was so done. If she asked him to call her mommy, he would''ve at least considered it. But daddy? Really? "If you don''t say that, you''re not getting away from my embrace until we reach the Tower." El said, as a matter of fact. The Tower reminded Julien of the failure he suffered. He suddenly got into a serious mood and said, "I failed to awaken at the end. The system had an error." "I know... huup!" El said and jumped down an embankment. Her movements caused her breasts to rhythmically jiggle and slap Julien''s face. "What the¡ª" Julien''s face turned red from embarrassment. "Hey! Can you not see what''s happening!? Are you really okay with this!?" "What? Are you not enjoying getting slapped by my milkers?" El looked at Julien with a raised eyebrow and asked. "Are you perhaps not into women? Dang... should I transform into an actual daddy¡ª" "Noooo!" Julien immediately said out loud. "I like women and I''m fully straight! But this position..." Julien knitted his brows and continued, "It looks similar to a mature MILF carrying a shota in porn doujins." El stopped in her tracks and looked at Julien with a baffled gaze. "You sure have weird fantasies." "You of all people shouldn''t say that!" Julien hissed. The audacity of this woman who constantly pressured him into calling her daddy... El shook her head and smiled. "Anyway, I''ll put you down for now, but it''s not over. I''ll have you call me daddy sometime later." Julien was placed down. He swung his arms and legs to see if they were intact, and feeling them properly, began walking with El to the Tower. Getting slapped by a real woman''s breasts was certainly an experience, but being held like a shota and getting dominated was certainly not worth it! He felt really embarrassed by it. "You wanted to know why your awakening failed, right?" El asked. "Yes." "It''s because your Path is already established and you have half awakened." "Huh?" Julien was confused. El turned to look at him and winked. "Since you were a porn addict, your Path was already decided. Long before you even came here." "What..." Chapter 48: I Have A Job To Bully You Chapter 48: I Have A Job To Bully You"What..." Julien stopped and looked at her with furrowed brows. El stopped and faced him. Walking close to him, she placed her hands on his shoulders and bent down, staring right into his eyes. It was a serious gaze, but Julien was distracted by two big mountain peaks and a deep valley. He did not know whether El was doing it on purpose or whether she did not understand her own charms on a young boy raging with hormones like him. "Julien, my child..." El spoke in a gentle tone. "I''ve been watching you for a long time. I saw how you spiraled into a porn addiction and died of a heart attack later. The misfortune had been hard on you, and taking all of it into consideration... I curated the best Path for you." Her soothing voice calmed him down considerably. "So, I don''t have much of a choice in choosing my Path?" El shook her head. "You can always change it later through your actions, but trust me, this is the best one for you. If you feel that I''m restricting you, taking away your freedom, then I''ll revert everything back to normal and go away. I''ll stop bothering you, and you''ll be free to do what you want." Julien was not used to El speaking so seriously. And he didn''t know how much her words meant to him, until now, when his heart ached when she said she would go away. El was annoying, and too playful, but her actions had never harmed him. She had always done things for his own good, and it was actually stupid of him to feel that she was restricting him and taking away his freedom. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. El was just... too much of a dommy milf, that''s about it. That was her only concerning trait, otherwise she was actually a very fun and caring lady. Without even knowing it, Julien had developed a bond with her. He couldn''t imagine himself having a future without El, and this surprised him when he thought about it. Julien sighed dejectedly and wrapped his arms around El''s neck, pulling her in for a hug. "Please don''t talk about leaving." El softly wrapped her arms around his body and placed her chin on his shoulder. "Did you get sad thinking I''ll leave?" She asked gently. "Yes." Julien didn''t deny it. Sometimes, it was better to be honest. "You annoy me, but without your presence, I''ll be very lonely. Everything will go back to how it was back in my previous world." El rubbed Julien''s back. "That''s not going to happen. I have a job to bully you, so I don''t think I''ll be leaving." "Why do you want to bully me?" El smiled and hugged him tightly, making him unable to breathe. "You''re in your shota phase right now. In a few years, you''ll turn into an adult man, a fine and hot one at that. With how you are now, you''ll just be a wimp loser, the hentai man who always loses his wife to NTR." "What the fu¡ª" "Let me finish." El smiled and pressed Julien''s face in between her big perky tits. "Oommffhh¡ª!" Julien was getting suffocated. "Like how the slangs were in your past world, you would become a beta, which is a big no-no. I can''t let that happen. You have to walk on a proper path to become a sigma chad, upon whom all ladies fawn and wet themselves the moment you glance at them." "..." Julien was speechless. He stopped struggling and instead of feeling her soft breasts, actually felt concerned for her. What was this language she was speaking in? "You know, I read so many mangas and novels in your past world, watched so many anime, and in most of them, I saw how the protagonist got hit by truck-kun and was isekai''d." "I thought I should pull you into this world with the same method as it was popular and trendy, but your dumbass never left the apartment and died by a heart attack due to sodium overdose from the millions of instant ramen you consumed." El then pulled him away and sandwiched his face in between her palms. Squishing it, she continued scolding. "There was this one hentai I saw where the protagonist masturbates so much, he dies at his last cumshot and gets isekai''d. I thought that might happen to you, given your porn addiction, but you let me down even in that." El shook her head. "I can''t believe how pathetic you were. But I don''t blame you. Your childhood was really rough and you had suffered a lot. So it''s okay. I''ll let it all slide." Julien was stuffed again in between El''s calcium cannons. "Honestly, if you had been like those edgy protagonists, you would''ve adapted instantly. You wouldn''t have given your mother such a hard time, and instead would''ve given her your hard¡ª well, never mind." "You were too broken when you arrived here, and I''m sure you still are. And your emotions are very humane and like an average teenager. It''s understandable. This is reality and not a fantasy anime, after all." Julien was confused. Was she trying to flame him or was she consoling him? "Whatever happened, has happened. It''s the past, remember it, but don''t let it influence your present. This world is not like your past world. The morals, principles, society, and everything is different. It''s a lot more free here, so you can do anything you want, literally." El then patted his back. "For now though, you are in your late teens. You are still growing and undergoing puberty because of your constitution, so make full use of your shota self here. You can act innocent and charm all the mature ladies and scam innocent housewives into sleeping with you, NTRing their husbands." "..." What the fuck!? What the, actual, fuck!? Julien thought. What was this lady saying!?! Feeling Julien''s body heat up, El chuckled and let him go. "You might be very confused about everything and think that I''m blabbering nonsense, but my son, this is your destiny, this is your Path." El slapped Julien''s lil butt and winked at him. "Daddy''s given you a gift you''ll forever be grateful for. Your Path is something anyone would die to get. Do you wanna know what it is?" "What is it?" Julien asked quickly, lest she said something stupid again and changed the topic. El smirked. "You''ll know about it once you''re reunited with your mother." El wrapped her arm around Julien''s shoulders and raised her fist in victory. "Let''s go to El now!" "Weeeeeee¡ª" The two vanished from their spots, and the forest fell back into its eerie silence, losing the liveliness of Julien''s concerned tones and El''s playful laughter. Chapter 49: Eternal?Lust Pack Chapter 49: Eternal?Lust PackLobby, Floor 0. "My babbyyyyyy!" Julien was suffocated once again as a blonde-haired beauty pulled him in her embrace, hugging him tightly as if afraid that he''ll run away and disappear. [Ding!] [Eternal?Lust Pack is active!] + [Main Quest #1 ¡ª Acceptance] Difficulty: G- Clear Condition: Accept Eleanor Von Lichtenstein as your mother. Time Limit: 10 minutes. Reward: Awakening of your dormant Path. Becoming part of a loving family. Failure: Amputation of an arm and a leg. + I see... Julien was not the least bit surprised by this quest. He finally connected all dots and understood what the lotus lady meant by making him a sigma chad. This was the way she would do it, by getting him to complete quests. The first quest was a simple one, but the penalty was too heavy¡ªliterally costing an arm and a leg. Julien did not know what he should do to accept his mother as his mother, but he had faith that the lotus lady would pitch in if he did not understand anything and help him. So, being worry-free, Julien decided to go with the flow. Currently, his first priority was to breathe! He was suffocating in between a heavenly pair of softness and had trouble breathing. "Oomffhh! Oomffhh!" Julien tapped on Eleanor''s back in submission. This lady was too damn strong! Feeling her son''s struggle, Eleanor realized she was hugging him a bit too hard. He was just a baby, how could she hold him so tightly? Eleanor scolded herself and set Julien free. "Huufff... Huufff..." Julien gasped and breathed profusely. Eleanor rubbed his back and asked, "Are you alright, my dear?" "Yes..." Julien replied and got up, inhaling deeply, and evening his breath. "Master..." Two familiar voices reached him from the side. When he turned, he saw Jackie and Amelia standing there. The boy with brownish-orange hair and bright orange eyes wore a clean adventurer''s robe that hugged his slim frame. His hips seemed noticeably wider than his waist¡ªor perhaps his waist was just unusually narrow? Julien couldn''t quite tell, but oh well, to each their own. As for the nun, she was in her usual attire with a red blindfold, but her robes this time weren''t baggy and were tailored properly to her body, subtly accentuating her curves. She had a coif on her head, but her complete hair wasn''t covered anymore like before. Her silky bright blonde hair was vividly visible and flowing. "Jackie, Amelia..." Julien called out to them warmly. The two walked close to him and gave him a hug, relieved to see that he was fine. "I''m thankful to the lord who listened to our prayers and kept you safe, Master." Amelia said while praying. "We were so worried when you did not come out of the awakening right after us." Jackie said and shook his head. These guys... they really do care a lot... "I''m sorry for making you worry," Julien said with a smile. Just then, an arm slipped around his shoulders, pulling him into a gentle embrace. "You''ve found yourself some wonderful companions, my dear," Eleanor remarked, glancing at the two with a soft smile. Julien nodded. He got out of his mother''s embrace and got in between his teammates and her. "Let me properly introduce you two to each other," he said. "Jackie, Amelia, this is my mother. And mom, these two are my teammates, Jackie and Amelia." [Ding!] [Main Quest #1 ¡ª Acceptance has been completed!] [Ding!] [Your Path ¡ª Eternal?Lust ¡ª has been awakened!] [Complete the quests to progress in your Path!] Julien was dumbfounded with the system notifications. Just like that? Really? He awakened and finished the quest just from a simple introduction? Oh well... it was G- difficulty. Would''ve been more weird had I not been able to clear it... Julien thought the quest was cleared from mere words, but the reality was far from that. Right beside him, the blonde Duchess was covering her blushing face with her hands and trying everything within her power to not cry out loud. J-J-Julien... my Julien finally accepted me! Fireworks exploded in Eleanor''s hearts and she couldn''t express how happy she was right now! "Julien!!" Eleanor hugged her son and rubbed her smooth face onto his. "Oh baby, oh dear, oh Julien... mommy can''t express how happy she is!" *Chu* *Chu* *Chu* Julien''s face was instantly smothered with motherly kisses all over. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Oh dear god... I''ve been waiting to hear these words for so long!" Eleanor cried out in happiness and once again kissed Julien''s face. This time, it wasn''t aggressive pecks, but a long smooch on his cheek. If this wasn''t real life and anime, Julien''s face could visibly be seen getting hot and erupting steam from his head. His eyes were spinning as his thoughts turned blank. This was the most action his virgin self had ever gotten from someone of the opposite sex, much less a seductive, mature, and drop-dead gorgeous mommy! Not to mention, that mommy was his own mother! Julien couldn''t handle it for long and passed out as his dopamine shot through the roof! Watching his body go limp, Eleanor''s eyes widened and she cried out in shock, "Juliennnn!" "Julien! Julien, wake up! What happened to you!?" Eleanor was severely concerned and shook her son''s fainted body. "Master''s mother, what happened to Master?" Amelia got close to Eleanor and asked. "He''s unconscious!" Eleanor cried and looked quite helpless. "I am proficient in healing. Please let me check..." Amelia said and got close to Julien. She placed her hand on his forehead and said, "Oh, nothing to worry about. He just fainted and will wake up in a few minutes." "My, my, El, you should''ve restrained yourself from showering so much affection. He''s not used to it." El appeared out of nowhere and said while patting Eleanor''s shoulder. "Sniff... yes... I should have held back..." Eleanor said as a drop of tear leaked from the corner of her eyes. El took out a handkerchief and handed it to Eleanor, chuckling in amusement. She then patted her shoulder and said, "Let''s go home. There''s a lot we need to talk about." Eleanor agreed with that. There were too many eyes around them, and it was better if they went back to the Duchy. Along with Jackie and Amelia, El and Eleanor exited the Tower through an oval portal and went back to the Kingdom of Silverose. Chapter 50: Primordials Chapter 50: PrimordialsAn hour later. The Duchy of Ravenwood. Inside the Lichtenstein Castle. Heavy velvet curtains covered the arched windows, and large glass chandeliers adorned with magic spells illuminated a private chamber with soft, warm glow. A flickering hearth warmed the room, casting shadows on the stone walls. The scent of aged wood, burning fire, and cedar lingered in the air, making the five people seated on different leather couches relaxed and comfortable. On one couch, Julien sat with his mommy and daddy, squished between their soft bosoms, and opposite to him were Jackie and Amelia, quietly sipping tea. Julien tried to ignore his mother and El''s big mounds pressing against him, and looked at Jackie and Amelia. "I couldn''t talk about the constellations in the Tower, but here it is fine. They can''t listen to us so I''ll be telling you two a bit about the constellations you''ve chosen." He had promised them he would brief them later as to why he made them choose those particular constellations. The topic was of high priority, and was the first thing they would be talking about after coming out of the Tower. "Jackie, you chose the constellation ''The Light of the Primordial One'', correct?" "Yes, Master." Jackie said calmly. "And Amelia you chose the constellation ''Demonic Inquisitor'', correct?" "Yes, Master." Amelia nodded. "We''ll talk about those two first then. So..." ''The Light of the Primordial One'' was a powerful dragon god constellation. It was said that this god was born from the Primordial One''s absolute goodness and was a beacon of light for all dragons in the universe. Primordial One was one of the seven primordials¡ªexistences that were said to have created the universe and everything within it. They were numbered on the basis of their cosmic domain or aspects of existence. In simpler terms: what they created. They do not exist within the Tower or the known universe. Many consider them dead, but ancient prophecies state their status as eternal, alive, or dormant. Some primordials are one with the essence of what they created, like Primordial Five. Primordial Five created the mind and consciousness and existentially became one with it. This primordial had no physical form and existed as a projection of pure intellect and sentience. Dreams, visions, inspirations... in all of them resides the primordial. Many constellations and even ancient prophecies considered this primordial as dead. Dead, not in the literal sense, but in a sense that this primordial would not affect the current reality or the future, ever. Julien only said this much as it was common knowledge for the elites of the world. At this point, El stopped snuggling him and poured herself a warm cup of tea. "I''ll give you cuties some more information on this." El joined the conversation. "Nobody knows much about all the primordials, and all information regarding them is hearsay. It''s scattered throughout the universe, so I''ll save you guys some time and provide whatever I''ve come across." With that, El began explaining about the 7 Primordials. [Primordial One] The Progenitor of Life and the First of All Dragons. All living beings were said to have derived from it. Genderless entity. The constellation ''The Light of the Primordial One'' was derived from the absolute good of this entity. Similarly, there were more such constellations derived from the absolute evil, blood, bones, hair, teeth, lust, greed, and so on of the Ancient Dragon. Not all constellations derived from this entity were dragons, but there were quite a few, like the Blood Dragon. The Blood Dragon was the first ancestor of the present day blood dragons. It was this entity''s bone elixir that Julien had an opportunity to consume in one of the tutorial''s trials. Consumption of that led to him angering the successor of this ancient dragon¡ªthe constellation ''Heir to the Crimson Throne''. The Blood Dragon was dead and its remains were scattered across the universe. Even if people found them, they would pretend they didn''t see it and would leave it alone as it would resonate with the blood dragon species and cause trouble. The constellation ''Heir to the Crimson Throne'' could naturally sense the elixir consumed by Julien and decided to descend and personally kill him for his blasphemy. Though, the constellation had ended up failing to do so. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This incident was what attracted the constellation ''The Light of the Primordial One''. This entity usually kept to themselves and didn''t indulge with the affairs of Players. But this time was an exception due to the blood dragon successor. The entity was very benevolent and kind. It must''ve felt sad for the three Novice Players that were about to be attacked and crushed by the blood dragon successor and thus gave them all a contract. The rarity of this opportunity could not be expressed with mere words or numbers as all constellations were only allowed one contract with the Players. They could give another contract only if the contracted Player dies or if the contract ends up being breached or broken. In search of coal within a mine, Jackie ended up finding a diamond. When Jackie was briefed about this information, he couldn''t contain his smile and glee. He was fidgeting in happiness and struggling to stay in place and keep his manners intact. "...anyway, just like the Blood Dragon, the Primordial One does not exist anymore." El said as a matter of fact and sipped tea. "Now, about Primordial Two..." Chapter 51: Primordials (2) Chapter 51: Primordials (2)[Primordial Two] The one responsible for the creation of elements like fire, water, air, and earth. Is eternal and exists within the world''s natural elemental phenomena like volcanoes, hurricanes, and so on. Any more information is not available, and many around the universe have tried their best to summon the primordial but haven''t succeeded so far. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Most believe that the primordial is dead and think the primordial being eternal is a hoax. [Primordial Three] The Chrono Serpent ¡ª A massive, serpentine entity that flows in and out of reality, representing the unbroken passage of time. Its body is covered in symbols of clockwork and stars, and many believe it to be coiled around the universe itself. Ancient records state that this primordial exists outside time. It is alive and can intervene in time, but its influence is subtle and often invisible. Rarely seen, but its effects are felt everywhere. Time exists because of this entity and is said to have been derived from it. Nobody has ever seen the primordial completely, but glimpses of a small part were seen at times. Everyone believes that this primordial exists due to the existences of constellations like J?rmungandr in the Norse Pantheon, Quetzalcoatl in the Aztec Pantheon, and Ouroboros in the Greek and Egyptian Pantheons. There''s many cults out there that worship this primordial and try to derive power from it. They haven''t succeeded so far, but they still keep trying. [Primordial Four] The Cosmos Leviathan. The void and space were derived from this entity. Alive. Swims through the void of space and is said to have a translucent form with galaxies and stars visible in it. Legends state that it has disappeared to the farthest reaches of the cosmos, but in the present day, most believe that only the one worthy could see and interact with this primordial. The first ancestor of the Leviathan Family among the Seven Sins was successful in drawing power from this primordial. It is for this reason that the Envy tribe among the demons is the second strongest, coming right below the Wrath tribe. [Primordial Five] The mind and consciousness were the creation of this primordial. The primordial has no name and is omnipresent within everyone''s consciousness and sentience. Is the reason why dreams, inspirations, and intellect exist. Although records state the primordial as eternal, for as long as there is consciousness, the primordial will live, but everyone officially classifies this entity as dead. This is the most ignored primordial because there''s not a single cult out there trying to harness the power of this entity or wanting to see or feel its existence. [Primordial Six] Fate. Alive. Gender, species - unknown. The primordial is somewhere out there and is said to have multiple arms holding scissors, threads, and needles, weaving the threads of fate. It is said that this primordial is the reason as to why things happen in the way they do. It is also this very primordial that is so powerful that it could erase anyone or anything from existence. There''s uncountable people out there worshiping this primordial and deriving some power from them and doing things. Many are actively searching for the primordial''s location and hope to take control of all threads of fate as doing so is believed to make them omniscient and omnipotent. The primordial has never been seen before, but their power and presence could be felt by people proficient in the fate and destiny related Paths like oracles, witches, prophets, and so on. [Primordial Seven] The primordial from whom chaos and destruction is derived. Is said to have a monstrous, ever-changing form that embodies destruction and entropy. The form constantly mutates, with features of many beasts and creatures swirling within it, breaking apart and reforming. The primordial is alive and dormant. When it''ll awaken is unknown. Its location is unknown too. However, there have been ancient records stating its awakening. Different pantheons have different stories of destruction and often link it to this primordial. The Norse Pantheon believes that Ragnarok would occur when this primordial awakens. The Angelic and Demonic Pantheons believe that Armageddon would be triggered by the awakening of this primordial. Everyone takes this primordial seriously, and constellations from various pantheons try to cut down every cult or individual that tries to awaken this entity. The stability of the universe is directly tied to the dormancy of the primordial. If this primordial so much as sneezes, a vast portion of the universe could be obliterated, wiping out many pantheons in its wake. "...and fun fact: Primordial Three, Primordial Six, and Primordial Seven are many a times interlinked with each other." El finished her explanation on primordials and took a sip of tea to wet her dry throat. Everyone in the room, including Julien and Eleanor, were amazed by the explanation. They asked El many questions on this and she patiently answered them for the next twenty minutes. Finally, Julien got back to the main topic, discussing his two companions'' constellations. "...so, Jackie already knows who his constellation is. Now it''s your turn, Amelia." After saying so, Julien directly addressed the question lingering in her mind. Why the name of her constellation was ''Demonic Inquisitor''. "This title belongs to the Archangel Uriel. She only offers contact to the ones who are pure and faithful, like you, and tests them with her title. Most of such Players would avoid a constellation with demon in their title, and this would mean they weren''t the ones for her." "Oh my..." Amelia gasped. "I was about to do the same. I humbly apologize..." "Don''t sweat it, young lass." El interrupted her and said. "Nobody has ever accepted Uriel''s contract despite being given to many. The reason is, she always gives it to very pure and innocent Novice Players who always think along the lines that a demon was trying to trick them with this." "It''s actually Uriel''s fault for using such a title as her constellation name, not yours for rejecting her. You''ve done the right thing by thinking this way. Had you not, your purity might have been questioned." El then winked at her, which Amelia obviously didn''t see. "...I am talking about your goodness related purity, not the virginity one." "El!" Eleanor glared at her. El raised her hands and said, "Aye, I was joking..." "Not funny..." Eleanor shook her head and said. To speak like that to a pure nun, that was definitely not right. "Yes, yes, my apologies, moral officer." El chuckled and joked. El then placed her head on Julien''s shoulder and hugged him from the side. "Alright, continue on with your conversation. Daddy''s going to take a lil break." Julien and Eleanor both had gotten used to her calling herself daddy. They weren''t fazed this time and ignored her. Julien continued, "Right, so it''s Archangel Uriel and..." Chapter 52: The Contracted Constellations Chapter 52: The Contracted ConstellationsArchangel Uriel was from Eden, the Angelic Pantheon. Rebel Sage of Heaven was none other than the Great Sage, Heaven''s Equal¡ªSun Wukong! Not a lot had to be said about this legendary figure, but the reason he was watching them was because of the attention they attracted. The monkey king loved drama and went to any place he could find it for entertainment. He was also at odds against the constellations from the Chinese Pantheon and had his own pantheon filled with powerful monkey constellations. He was aggressive against the Valkyrie Councilor when Julien''s request was rejected because he did not like how they didn''t even consider it. They also had no valid reason behind it, and to him, it looked like the Valkyries were restricting a Novice Player''s freedom to choose things, which he did not like. The next constellation in the list was Eternal Flame of the Sky, yet another legendary figure. The constellations Eternal Moonlight Sage, Wrathful Sky Commander, and Goddess of Bountiful Fields all belonged to the Eternal Flame of the Sky''s pantheon. All of them were Shinto constellations, with Eternal Flame of the Sky being their ruler. Who was Eternal Flame of the Sky? It was the Sun God Amaterasu herself! Julien had a very hard time believing all of this information given to him by El. They were all mythical figures from his past world and knowing he interacted with some of them... Yeah, he still couldn''t digest it. In any case, he had to accept it as there was no other choice. The other three constellations from the Shinto Pantheon were: Tsukuyomi, the Moon God, Amaterasu''s sibling; Susanoo, Storm God, also Amaterasu''s sibling; and at last, Inari, the Goddess of Rice and Fertility. "Do you guys know..." El interrupted the conversation while having her eyes closed and head still placed on Julien''s shoulder. "Tsukuyomi and Susanoo have been pursuing their sister Amaterasu for a very long time. They keep getting rejected, but still haven''t stopped their pursuit." Julien had heard about this tale in his past world. The three''s relationship was complicated and among all the Shinto Gods, it was only Inari who truly respected and admired Amaterasu. She was like a fan girl of hers, and Amaterasu had a favorable impression of her too because she never caused any trouble. "I heard that Tsukuyomi is two faced. He portrays himself as a kindhearted person but is something else entirely on the inside." Julien said what he knew about the god from his past life. "Yup. That''s absolutely correct. Though, nobody knows about it except Amaterasu and Susanoo." "Oh..." Julien wanted to facepalm. "...am I in trouble for speaking about this then?" Eleanor gently pulled Julien''s head in her bosom in response to his statement, causing El''s head to fall down on Julien''s lap and hit him exactly where one isn''t supposed to hit a man. "Oof¡ª!" Julien grunted but his voice was suppressed as his face got stuffed in a forbidden place. "You won''t have to worry, baby, mommy will protect you from everything!" Eleanor said cheerfully and kissed the top of his head. "Oh... I seemed to have hit something naughty..." El got up and rubbed her face. Eleanor didn''t hear her because she was busy with skinship with her son. Jackie and Amelia did, but the latter had no clue about the context while the former''s face was flushed after watching the thing that had happened in front of her eyes. When Julien''s pain subdued and clarity returned, he realized he knew quite a bit about the gods here due to his past world''s background. There was a lot of stuff not known by others, so it was best if he kept his mouth shut to not get killed. As he finished thinking about that and was idle, his senses focused on the fragrant flowery scent. Fuck! Julien cursed internally. This was his mother''s scent, and as if that wasn''t enough, she was moving around a bit while rubbing her face on his head. This was causing the things his face was stuffed between to jiggle and slap him. They were soft and the skin was so smooth... Julien''s heart pumped blood as fast as it could. Instead of it rushing to his head and giving him a nosebleed, his blood betrayed him and went down his body. No! No-no-no-no! [Ding!] [Eternal?Lust Leveling Pack activated!] [You can now earn points and level up through your lustful deeds!] Nooooooo¡ª! I''m so fucked! [Ding!] [A new system interface is available...] [Switching...] The blue themed system screen changed into pink and black. The whole screen was pink with the font being in black letters. It was aesthetically pleasing as per Julien, but also quite concerning. Before getting into anything else, Julien firstly pulled himself away from his mother''s embrace. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He looked at Jackie and Amelia, and said, "That will be all for today. Have some rest, I''ll see you two again tomorrow." Jackie and Amelia got up. They bowed and left the room together, with Jackie guiding Amelia through the corridors. El got up from the couch and stretched lazily. She looked at Julien and winked at him. "Daddy''s got work now. Take care of your mommy while I''m gone." "You''re not my daddy!" Julien hissed. El laughed and turned into mist, disappearing from Julien and Eleanor''s side. Julien sighed in relief. "She sure is a pain to talk to." Shaking his head, Julien turned to look at his mother. He wanted to talk to her about something. As he turned, he saw the blonde lady with sparkling blue eyes staring at him with a dumbfounded expression. Knitting his brows, he asked, "Why are you looking at me like that, mom?" Eleanor didn''t answer. She extended her hand out and touched Julien''s face. There was another sparkle in her eyes. "Julien, my baby..." Eleanor said softly. "It still feels so unreal that you''re fully conscious of yourself and have a personality." Julien''s eyebrows twitched. He didn''t need to ask her why she said that. Before his transmigration, his body was a literal vegetable. He acted like an emotionless robot and moved only on command. Eleanor pulled Julien''s cheek. "Hm... it''s not as smooth and is more toned." Eleanor then got closer to him and touched his chest and slid her hand down on his abdomen to feel his changed body. "M-m-mom!?" Julien quickly backed away, chickening out from Eleanor''s non-sexual touch. As if the gods had sensed his virgin beta personality flaring up, the lust system with the pink interface suddenly gave a notification. [Ding!] [Detected ¡ª host straying away from his Path.] [Quest triggered!] + [Lust Quest #1 ¡ª First Feel] Difficulty: G- Clear Condition: Accept and properly feel a woman''s touch. Time Limit: 10 minutes. Reward: +10 Points, +1 Charm Failure: Premature Ejaculation forever. + What the fu¡ª [Sub quest triggered!] + [Sub Lust Quest ¡ª First Touch] Difficulty: G- Clear Condition: Touch a woman sexually. Time Limit: 10 minutes. Reward: +20 Points, +1 Charm, [Favorability Meter] Failure: ??? + ''...'' Chapter 53: The Start of a New Journey Chapter 53: The Start of a New Journey+ [Lust Quest #1 ¡ª First Feel] Difficulty: G- Clear Condition: Accept and properly feel a woman''s touch. Time Limit: 10 minutes. Reward: +10 Points, +1 Charm Failure: Premature Ejaculation forever. + What the fu¡ª [Sub quest triggered!] + [Sub Lust Quest ¡ª First Touch] Difficulty: G- Clear Condition: Touch a woman sexually. Time Limit: 10 minutes. Reward: +20 Points, +1 Charm, [Favorability Meter] Failure: ??? + ''...'' Julien was truly speechless. Am I this big of a virgin that I need a mission from a system to actually improve? Am I one of those anime protagonists who are as dense as a black hole? No, wait. I am not dense. Then, does it mean that I''m actually... I-I-I am actually like those young girls from shoujo manga who quickly get embarrassed from the male lead''s calf muscles!? Is my personality so bad that I''m not even worthy to be a male protagonist from a frickin'' anime!? Julien went through an existential crisis as he finally realized he was not a cool protagonist from fantasy novels or anime, but a side female tsundere character who gets hated by all viewers and is only there for comic relief, forgotten a few episodes later. ¡ªwait. That''s oddly specific. Julien found his own self highly suspicious for thinking in such a weird direction. A-a-anyway... I have to do something about this. Julien''s focus was back to the present. His mother had stopped feeling him and was a step away, eyeing and analyzing his body. Looking at her seemed so focused, and under the warm glow from the flickering flames of the hearth, she sure looked stunning. Although such thoughts were blasphemous and not something a sane person should have, Julien had the freedom to think of them. He was a transmigrated being, someone who was in his young adulthood. There was no way he would look at such a beautiful lady with no lewd thoughts. Yes, he could accept her as his birth-giver, but she would never be seen as mother, and would forever be mommy for him. It''s okay... it''s okay... this world allows such a relationship... Julien started getting honest with himself. He wanted it! He really wanted to be together with such a pretty lady but his past life''s morals were getting in the way! Not to mention, there was this added stress of his misfortune affecting the ones around him! These were the only things holding him back. ...and I am glad they are! If they weren''t keeping me sane, my porn-addicted self would''ve done something down horrendous and gotten killed immediately. There were lots of fantasies Julien had as he had watched every type of porn there was in the world. Some of his fantasies were sure to land him in jail if they ever saw light of the day. After reincarnation, and in bed with such a pretty lady, only he knew how badly he was holding himself back. He was glad that he went to the Tower and underwent those crazy trials. They had significantly calmed him down and given himself a proper control over his emotions. [5 minutes have passed.] Julien''s thoughts were interrupted when he saw the system notification. Shit! The failure of this quest was permanent premature ejaculation! This was absolutely not acceptable! Sorry mom, it''s the system making me do it, not me. Julien conveniently pushed the blame on the system even though he himself wanted to do it. Outwardly he seemed reluctant while internally he was rubbing his hands, preparing himself to finish the quest. By now, Eleanor had finished analyzing him. She looked at him and said, "Baby, you''ve gotten somewhat muscular. And more handsome too." A blush spread through Julien''s cheeks. These were his real emotions this time. He hadn''t gotten compliments like these before, and hearing them in real life with such seriousness sure was quite an experience. "Is that so?" Julien participated in the conversation. "Yes. You had a flabby stomach before, but now it''s gone." Eleanor said and got close to him, pulling his shirt up. "See? There''s no flab left and you can see a faint outline of your abdominal muscles. They still seem to be developing, and if you continue to work hard, you''ll end up having razor sharp abs that all ladies would fawn over." A gleeful grin was threatening to form on his face. Julien did a dry cough to hide it and said, changing the topic, "I don''t see any outline, mom. My stomach is still flabby." This was the truth. He really couldn''t see any outline. "Hm? But it''s right here..." Eleanor said and touched his abdomen, tracing her finger along his abdomen. [Ding!] [Lust Quest #1 ¡ª First Feel is cleared!] [+10 Points] [+1 Charm] Eleanor finished showing the lines and got back. As she looked at Julien again, she tilted her head and put her palm on the side of her face, analyzing his face. "Oh my... you seem to have gotten more handsome too, baby!" Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Julien shook his head. "It''s just your imagination, mom." Finally, he was starting to talk normally without getting embarrassed. This was the start of a new journey! "No, no, my dear, I am sure you have." Eleanor shook her head and said. "Wait, let me get you a mirror." Eleanor got up from the couch and was about to leave, but Julien held her wrist and said, "Mom, wait!" Eleanor was surprised by the sudden gesture. Her son had never done something like this to her before! This new development... she really liked it! Eleanor turned to him and asked, "Is there a problem, baby?" "No..." Julien said and stood up, closing the distance between him and his mother. "...just... just don''t go anywhere." He hugged her after saying so. "Oh my..." Such a loving and possessive gesture! Eleanor felt her blood pressure rise due to the excess sugar from Julien''s sweet gestures. Just had trouble containing her glee and hugged him tighter. "Mommy''s not going anywhere, baby. You don''t have to be so worried." Eleanor said and patted his back. "Mhm..." Julien said and wrapped his arms around her lower back. As a few seconds passed and noticing her son not leaving her, Eleanor suddenly had a realization. This... all of this is just as new to him as it is for me. He''s never experienced the love of a mother properly and I''ve never experienced the love of a son before either. He might be thinking I would leave him if I distance myself... My poor baby... he''s sure suffered a lot. Eleanor was a tall lady like El, going above six feet. She had a voluptuous body with a strikingly narrow waist and wide motherly hips. When Julien hugged her, he barely managed to have his head be above her chest. And this was possible only because Eleanor''s was somewhat leaning and not standing erect like a spear. I don''t think it''s her height that''s the problem. It''s me who''s short. Tsk. Julien thought. In any case, this wasn''t a bad thing. He actually quite liked the power dynamics and he wouldn''t lie, it was turning him on, but manipulated himself into thinking it was wrong to think in such a manner and calmed his unholy emotions. Focus on the quest! On the quest! Yes... it''s all the quest that''s making you do this! It''s not your own wish! After thinking so, Julien used the advantage of his height and rested his head on top of his mother''s heavenly knockers, grazing his face against the rough embroidered fabric. Feeling this, Eleanor''s heart melted. Her motherly instincts shot up and she kissed the top of his head, then began caressing him lovingly. Julien had a blush form on his face and was actually flustered. His heart was beating fast and he was sort of afraid to pull his next move, despite knowing his mother wouldn''t do anything to him. [One minute left.] Shit. The system message made him curse. I have to do this... Sorry mom... there''s no other way... Julien apologized internally and slowly slithered his hand down her back, placing them on top of two soft curves. He gently pressed them and got to know what it felt like. [Ding!] [Sub Lust Quest ¡ª First Touch is cleared!] Chapter 54: First Bath Chapter 54: First Bath[Sub Lust Quest ¡ª First Touch is cleared!] [+20 Points] [+1 Charm] [Obtained ¡ª Favorability Meter!] [Favorability Meter ¡ª A scoring system ranging from -100 to +100 reflects the impression others have of you. A higher score means a more favorable view. To activate, be within 10 meters of the individual. While data is accessible from anywhere, updates require being within the 10-meter radius again.] Wow... Julien decided to test it out. What''s the favorability score of my mother? [Assessing the favorability of the Player Eleanor Von Lichtenstein...] [Ding!] [Data cannot be assessed.] [Reason: Favorability too high.] "..." Julien was baffled. "Are you feeling better now, baby?" Eleanor''s voice broke him out of his stupor. "Mhm..." Julien answered and broke the hug. Eleanor patted his head and said with a gentle smile, "You must''ve been really tired too after the tutorial. I know you might feel like resting, but you need to have food and take a proper bath. You smell too sweaty." "Alright." He agreed. "I''ll go take a bath first then." "Hm?" Eleanor tilted her head. "You''ll take a bath on your own?" "Yeah...?" Wait... something wasn''t right... "Can you do it yourself? Mommy doesn''t think so. Let mommy help you." [Ding!] [Quest triggered!] + [Lust Quest #2 ¡ª First Bath] Difficulty: G- Clear Condition: Get into a bath with a beautiful lady. Time Limit: 1 hour. Reward: +10 Points, +1 Charm, [Profile Appraisal Skill] Failure: Smell like rotten tomatoes and molded cheese forever. ... [Sub Quest ¡ª First Wash] Difficulty: G Clear Condition: Let a beautiful lady help you in the shower. Time Limit: 1 hour. Reward: +20 Points, +1 Charm, +1 inch penis size Failure: Penis will be shortened to 3 inches, permanently. + The moment Julien read those quest conditions, his body trembled and he screamed, internally. Fuccckkkk youuuuuu¡ª! Julien could not put up any resistance even if he wanted to. The quest penalties were too much. Currently, he and his mother were still in the private chamber and she was standing in front of him, waiting for him to respond to her comment. Julien turned to look up at Eleanor. He couldn''t help but say, "Mom, do you think this is a good idea?" "Why would it be a bad idea?" Eleanor asked back. "Is there a problem taking a bath with your own mother? My dear, we''ve been doing it ever since you were born. There''s nothing on you that mommy hasn''t seen. You don''t have to feel shy." Julien''s eyebrows twitched. "I am a changed person now and¡ª" "No." Eleanor shook her head and cut him off. "You''re the same as before for mommy. You aren''t totally an adult yet. Until you become one, let mommy help you." There was no Julien could argue with such logic, because it was totally flawed and beyond his comprehension! The quest stated that he had to take a bath with a beautiful lady. It could be anybody, so he tried to get away from this situation, but failed to do so. If he tried to get into a bath with some other lady, his mother was sure to give him an earful and be very sad for not trusting her. It''s the system''s fault. It wasn''t my wish... Once again, Julien conveniently put the blame on the system even though butterflies were fluttering in anticipation in his stomach. He wanted to have this happen more than anything, but morals... He couldn''t be seen as someone down bad. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was not a pervert, the system was! Clearing his throat, he said to his mother, "If anything goes wrong, don''t blame me, okay?" Eleanor rolled her eyes. "What could go wrong anyway?" She held his wrist and pulled him away from the private chamber. The two walked down the tall hallways of the mighty castle and went to Eleanor''s bedroom where a sweet floral scent permeated everywhere. A beautiful maid joined them along the way, and to her, Eleanor said, "Sophie, get the bath ready." "At once, My Lady." She said and went to the connected bathroom in the room. Eleanor made Julien sit on the bed and went to fetch some tea. The tea she brought to him was cold. Handing it to him, she said, "Have it. This will help you relax." Julien looked at the blue-colored tea and wondered whether nobility in this world did this on a common basis or something. And was it just them or did the normal folks do it too? Taking a sip of the cold tea, a cold earthy flavor spread through his palate. It left a sweet aftertaste and made him raise his eyebrows in amusement. Eleanor noticed that and smiled. She knew he would like it. As his mother, she had faith that her baby shared the same taste as her. The two had tea in silence and soon the maid came out of the bathroom, stating that the bath was ready. "Let''s go." Eleanor held his wrist and took him inside. She was holding him firmly, afraid that he might run away. Normally, Julien would''ve been really nervous and had his heart pound crazily, but right now, due to the tea, he was quite calm. He wondered whether this tea had magical properties or something. The bathroom was nothing like what Julien imagined it to be. It was less of a bathroom and more of a private Japanese onsen! There was a hot spring pond in a rectangular-ish area with natural flora and fauna around it. One section of the bathroom had showerheads, small flat top chairs, and small wooden buckets. There was a narrow passage on another end which led to the toilet and another passage that led to the changing, and another one that led him back to the bedroom. Eleanor took him to the changing room, and for the first time, Julien saw what he looked like. There was a wide body mirror, covering one side of the room. On the other side was a closet filled with bathrobes and towels. Then there was a basket in the corner to dump worn clothes and a wooden shoe rack for the footwear. Though, all these fancy things were the least of Julien''s concerns. What concerned him the most was his reflection in the mirror. Who the fuck is this handsome shota!?! Chapter 55: Oh My, What Do We Have Here… [R-18] Who the fuck is this handsome shota!?! Those were his honest thoughts. Glossy black hair, a short frame, elegant adventurer¡¯s robes, and clear blue eyes similar to his mother¡¯s¡­ He really was handsome, but only about five feet tall. No wonder why everyone seemed so tall. And it¡¯s no wonder why he was being treated like a child by his mother. There was not a single shred of adult glow on his face. Watching him stare at himself, Eleanor smiled and stood beside him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and said while looking at their reflections, "We look so similar, ufufu~! Like mother, like son." ¡­yeah, Julien wished she hadn¡¯t said that. It was going to be really awkward from here onwards. Kissing the top of Julien¡¯s head, Eleanor bent down and began unbuttoning his shirt. Her face was quite close to his body and he could smell her lavender body aroma. "Mom, there¡¯s still time. You don¡¯t have to do this." Julien said, albeit reluctantly. He wanted this to happen, but still asked purely out of courtesy. And he already knew the answer she was going to say anyway, so it didn¡¯t matter. "Nope. Baby needs mommy." Eleanor said and took his shirt off. Julien didn¡¯t ask her anything anymore. Next, his shoes were taken off and thrown on the shoe rack, followed by his pants being unbuckled and taken off. Eleanor dumped those clothes in the laundry basket at the corner, and now, Julien was left with only one piece of underwear on him. Eleanor was about to pull it off too, but Julien¡¯s face flushed red and he said while looking at the side, "Mom, it¡¯s embarrassing to be the only one nude¡­." Eleanor stopped, then chuckled softly and shook her head. "I have no idea why you¡¯re feeling embarrassed when this is a very normal thing. But it¡¯s okay, mommy¡¯s an understanding and patient lady." After saying so, Eleanor took off her shoulder straps and made the dress she was wearing fall down. She was standing in her laced blue lingerie and looked absolutely stunning and sexy! Her body was more voluptuous than he had initially thought and as she freed the caged bunnies on her chest, Julien had a glimpse of heaven at this very instance. Things were much bigger in reality and despite being a mother with three kids, her big milkers showed no signs of sagging and were perky and perfect! The two pearls on them had a very healthy pink shade and were seducing Julien to gobble them up. Immediately, a bulge appeared in Julien¡¯s underwear. He knew this was bad, but he couldn¡¯t help it. He warned his mother beforehand, but she didn¡¯t listen. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Julien didn¡¯t care anymore. Whatever happened from this point onwards, happened. He left it all to fate. Eleanor could feel her son¡¯s burning gaze on her breasts. She wondered whether he was trying to think of his childhood or something. She knew he had no recollection of his past, so could he be wondering whether these were the same things he fed on and became the fine boy that he was now? To clarify the question¡¯s answer that Julien didn¡¯t even ask, Eleanor got close to him and said in a gentle tone, "You used to feed on these when you were a child. Though unlike your sisters, you weren¡¯t very demanding and left sucking on them quite early." Eleanor then sighed. "I wish I had pampered you more back then and not let you quit milk so early." She pressed on her breasts and said, "Sadly there¡¯s no milk now. And even if there was, it wouldn¡¯t bring the same nourishment as whole foods." Eleanor patted his head and turned to look at herself in the mirror. She held the waistband of her blue laced panties and slowly pulled them down. Julien was breathing heavily, and rubbed his nose to check whether he had a nosebleed because the scene here was too fucking hot! He didn¡¯t even ask her anything and she kept saying motherly things that only served to turn him on further! As there were no right words to say in this situation, he used his right to remain silent and watched everything unfold. Whatever Julien had in mind when he thought of taking a bath with Eleanor, it all paled to the actual reality as things were far more amazing in real life. He loved it! Rubbing his nose again to check for the nosebleed when his mother had completely taken off her panties, Julien realized he did not have a nosebleed. This time, the reason was because all his blood had rushed down and made a tent form in his underwear. Eleanor turned to face Julien to take off his underwear and take him to the bath. Julien¡¯s face turned red when he saw the smoothness between her legs and the forbidden pink flower he wasn¡¯t supposed to look at. He had no clue how he hadn¡¯t fainted already. It must be the tea¡­ definitely¡­ He conveniently blamed the poor tea and not his perverse curiosity to see how far this would go. Eleanor finally pulled his underwear down and saw his erect shaft spring to life in front of her face. As Julien looked down, his face turned completely red. Oh no¡­ it¡¯s not circumcised and is covered by foreskin¡­ ¡­and¡­ small too¡­ Julien was a certified shota in this life, without an ounce of doubt. He thought it must be due to his misfortune, but in reality, it was El¡¯s doing. She has watched him for a long time in his past life and had seen the hentai genres he used to watch. Since she wanted to give him a happy life, she got him started with the shota phase. Anyone could become a dominant strong man later in life as they aged, and to be how Julien was right now was a privilege not anyone could enjoy. When Eleanor saw his erect shaft, she covered her mouth and gasped softly. "Oh my¡­ what do we have here¡­" Chapter 56: Family History [R-18] "Oh my¡­ what do we have here¡­" The words sent Julien to new levels of embarrassment. He absolutely could not say anything anymore and stood there, letting little Julien excitedly greet its maker with a wave. Eleanor squatted down and gently nudged Julien¡¯s foreskin covered erect shaft, sending a bolt of tingling sensation throughout his body. "Don¡¯t touch it¡­" Julien gasped and said with heavy breathing. "Mhm¡­" Eleanor hummed and looked up at him. "Is this the reason you were so reluctant to take a bath with mommy? It makes sense now." Eleanor got up and held his face, tenderly kissing him on the forehead. "You don¡¯t have to be embarrassed about it. This is a normal bodily reaction. You¡¯re a growing boy, and honestly, mommy is so relieved, you know?" Eleanor was looking right into Julien¡¯s eyes that completely resembled hers. "You¡¯ve never had an erection before, and mommy was worried sick and thought there was some problem with your manhood. You were checked by multiple healers, and all of them said there was no problem with you. Thus, due to their statements, mommy remained optimistic and thought of you being completely fine." Eleanor sighed and hugged him, kissing the top of his head. Julien¡¯s little dragon roared at the heavens as he had direct skin to skin contact with the top part of Eleanor¡¯s breasts. Now, his head was starting to go blank. The tea¡¯s calming effect was probably overwhelmed due to the overstimulation. "Mommy doesn¡¯t have much idea about the male anatomy, but she still knows a few things here and there and will baby out as much as possible." Eleanor locked her fingers with Julien¡¯s and held hands. She walked out of the changing room and walked towards the showering section of the bath. "Let¡¯s get to the bath area first." Along the way, as a healthy male, Julien¡¯s gaze was fixed on Eleanor¡¯s swaying full, shapely rear. It jiggled with each step she took, but not a lot, making it evident that it had some firmness to it too. Julien¡¯s shaft sprang up and down in response to the view. It was hard as a rock and felt really painful now. Eleanor made Julien stand under a shower head and turned it on. Warm water drenched them both and right then, a system notification rang out in Julien¡¯s head. [Ding!] [Sub quest cleared!] [+20 Points] [+1 Charm] [+1 inch penis size] Julien sighed in relief when he heard those and was glad that his little brother won¡¯t be stuck at three inches forever. Eleanor turned off the tap and hugged Julien from behind, pressing her wet, soft body against his. Her nipples grazed against his back as she bent down and brought her face beside him, making his shaft twitch in pain again. "My dear, this may feel a bit weird and uncomfortable, but bear with mommy, okay?" She placed her hands on his abdomen and said softly. "Okay¡­" Julien said in a meek voice. There was nothing much he could do anyway. Getting his approval, Eleanor moved her hand down and held his erect penis between her fingers. "Let mommy know if it feels uncomfortable¡­" Eleanor¡¯s sweet whispers almost made Julien wet himself. It took everything within his power to hold back and not explode. He gave her a curt nod and closed his eyes, trying to see anything so as to have a better control of himself. "Hm¡­ let¡¯s see¡­ your grandma mentioned that there would come a time where I would need to educate you about yourself. It starts with this¡­" Eleanor gently pulled his shaft¡¯s foreskin back. It was tight and not coming back as easily as she had thought. "Mommy was supposed to help you peel it back long ago, but as you never responded and had any erection, a need for such did not arise." S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Julien hoped that his mother just did the deed without commenting anything more. It was getting really awkward. Eleanor used a bit of force and pulled the skin again. "Ow¡­" It actually hurt and made Julien groan. "Ah, so sorry¡­" Eleanor stopped pulling it and gently rubbed her fingers over his shaft, trying to ease the pain. "Mom, don¡¯t¡­" Julien made her stop it before something awkward happened. "I¡¯m so sorry baby¡­" Eleanor felt she hurt him and hugged him from behind. She placed her chin on his shoulder and said, "Mommy has no experience with this and has forgotten most of grandma¡¯s teachings. To ease your pain, I guess there¡¯s no choice but to call grandma." "What!?" Julien was shocked. "You¡¯re going to call her here!?" "Hm?" Eleanor tilted her head in confusion. "If by call you mean summoning her, then no. She won¡¯t be physically here. We¡¯ll be video calling her through the magical devices." "¡­" What did she say? Eleanor broke the hug and turned to look at the passage of the bathroom. "Sophie, give Lady Rosalynn a call. Tell her it¡¯s urgent and to be in a private chamber, then video call me." Julien shivered from hearing that. What was happening¡­ no, it was more like¡­ what was going to happen now!? "Yes, My Lady!" Sophie¡¯s distant voice rang out. Eleanor turned to Julien and caressed his head. "Don¡¯t worry, my dear. Your grandma knows a lot of things and will definitely be able to help." Julien couldn¡¯t help but ask at this point, "Why do you not know though? Shouldn¡¯t you be well versed with a male¡¯s body?" She had mentioned that Julien had an older sister and a younger sister who were both currently away from the house. If she had three kids in total, doesn¡¯t it mean she had sex three times at the very least? "How?" Eleanor asked with a confused gaze. "The only man mommy¡¯s ever come across is you, baby. And you weren¡¯t responsive before so¡­" "Wait, what!?" Julien interrupted her and turned around. He regretted, but definitely enjoyed, watching her from the front. The regret was due to his lil brother screaming and wanting to explode. Julien ignored the feeling and looked his mother in the eyes, not daring to look down. "How am I the only man? Don¡¯t you have a husband?" Eleanor tilted her head again, but something clicked her at this time and she giggled, her milkers jiggling with her movements. She patted Julien¡¯s head and said, "My dear, mommy has no husband. You or your sisters don¡¯t have a father. It¡¯s because the Lichtenstein Family is a strictly Matriarchal one. It started with your great-great grandmother and despite many generations, it¡¯s only now that the family had a male heir, with me giving birth to your cute self." Eleanor pulled Julien¡¯s cheeks and said with a happy smile. "Waiff¡­ howfff dazz poffsible¡­" Julien asked in great curiosity. Eleanor giggled again and said, "Oh my, it¡¯s so fun to see you be so curious and ask so many questions. You¡¯re like a curious new born baby, fufufu." "¡­but yes, to answer your question, the family possesses something called the Fruit of Fertility. Your great-great grandmother was given a bunch of them by a goddess because she prayed to her day and night." "Your great-great grandmother was an infertile lady and could never have any children. She was banished from her family, and wandered the lands like a poor peasant. One day she came across a temple, and from there, she learnt that if she could impress the gods, she could get their blessings and ask anything she wanted." "Thus, she worked hard and eventually was blessed by a goddess. She was not only given many Fruits of Fertility, but was also blessed with immense knowledge and strength. It was to the point that she did not need a family anymore and could instead start her own." "¡­and on that fateful day, the Lichtenstein Family came into existence." "Your great-great grandma gave birth to your great grandma. This was 250+ years ago. And she did a good job raising her, and turning her into a warrior." "Great grandma came to the Kingdom of Silverose and rose in ranks. She went from a commoner to a Baron very fast, and died when the family¡¯s status reached the Viscount rank." "Your grandma then took it a step further and raised it to the Count rank, and from there, huhu, it was mommy who took the family another step forward and elevated it to the Marquis rank, then finally to the Duke rank." Eleanor had a smug expression on her face and seemed quite proud while boasting her achievements. Julien was absorbed in the story and was quite amazed by it. His horny had curved down significantly and he was more interested to know his family¡¯s history now. "¡­mommy¡¯s a strong and successful lady. We are the strongest under the Royal Family, and honestly, if mommy wanted to, she could¡¯ve become the Queen of the Silverose Kingdom by overthrowing the current family, but that¡¯s too much work and not worth the effort. The Tower¡¯s more interesting to climb. Oh yeah, and¡­" Eleanor squinted her gaze. She squashed Julien¡¯s face between her palms and brought her face dangerously close to his, her expression serious. "¡­remember to not forget mommy¡¯s greatness. And, and, and¡­ always remember to not hang out around your aunt. She¡¯s a failure, disgrace, good-for-nothing, shut-in alcoholic. She¡¯s bad company, so never be around her. And yes, if grandma asks you to pay a visit to your aunt, just agree with her and never go, okay?" Julien blinked his eyes and watched her with a baffled gaze. What the hell just happened? Was his mother throwing shade on her own sister? "Do you¡­ haefff aunfff?" Julien asked while his face was squashed. "Hate?" Eleanor let go of his face. Her eyes twitched and she said, "My dear, if it was possible, I would¡¯ve buried your aunt six feet under the ground. But it¡¯s too bad that she¡¯s my older sister. Your grandma would kill me if I did or said anything to her in her presence." "¡­" Wow¡­ the bitterness is quite a lot. Now this made Julien wonder just what exactly happened between these two sisters that led to such a development. While Julien tried to guess, from the outside, Sophie yelled. "My Lady, Lady Rosalynn is on the video call! Shall I come in?" Chapter 57: Grandma [R-18] "My Lady, Lady Rosalynn is on the video call! Shall I come in?" "Eh?" Julien woke up from his stupor and exclaimed. Noticing his reaction, Eleanor responded, "Leave the device in the passage and shut the door." "As you command!" When the door¡¯s clicking sound was heard, Eleanor said, "Wait a second, mommy will be back." Eleanor went away and came back within a few seconds. She held a tablet-like thing in her hands and was staring at it while walking towards Julien. Julien could clearly see her naked body and the thin pink line between her legs. It didn¡¯t last for long as she closed the distance quickly. Eleanor pressed the tablet-like thing on her stomach when she appeared before Julien and said, "My dear, grandma doesn¡¯t know you have properly awakened. If she did, she would come rushing here. So, could you please pretend like an emotionless machine for a while?" Julien¡¯s mother sure was a shrewd lady. He nodded his head and agreed with her. "Good. And also, if you wish to speak, give mommy a kiss. Our faces won¡¯t be visible to grandma, so it would be fine." "Okay." What else could Julien say besides this? His mother already had everything planned. Eleanor was happy to see how understanding her son was. She kissed his forehead and said, "Okay, now don¡¯t make a sound. Mommy¡¯s going to talk to grandma and sort out the issue with your body." Eleanor made Julien sit on a wooden stool and brought the tablet in front of him. On it, he could see a serious looking lady, probably in her late 30s, wearing glasses and sitting on a chair. She did not have blonde hair like Eleanor, and instead it was white. It did not look like the hair old people had, instead it was lush and seemed to suit her quite well. She was in an elegant blues dress, and was staring through the runic tablet with her vivid green eyes. The tablet seemed to be made of stone when seen from the back, but from the front it had a glossy mirror-like finish. It resembled a normal tablet screen through and through. On the corner of the screen, Julien could see a small pop up where their own video was playing. It was definitely the same as a normal video call. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "What was so urgent, my dear? And why are you naked?" Julien¡¯s grandmother asked in an authoritative tone. "Mom, my baby just had his first erection, and I¡¯m trying to peel his skin, but it¡¯s too tight. I¡¯m unable to understand what I should be doing." "Julien had an erection?" Rosalynn lowered her glasses and asked, appearing visibly surprised. "Yes. Here, look." Eleanor brought the tablet screen down further until Julien¡¯s shaft was the only thing Rosalynn could look at. The tablet was at a proper angle. Eleanor could see her mother but her mother could not see her. Julien¡¯s dick twitched as he felt embarrassed once again. Honestly, he wondered just how much more surprises were there and when would he get immune to them? "Oh my¡­ there¡¯s an erection indeed." Rosalynn gasped and said. "I told you. Now please guide me into peeling it back." Eleanor requested politely. "Hm¡­ show me how you were peeling it first." Rosalynn asked. She was sitting on her chair like an office lady and instructing her daughter like a boss. "Okay¡­" Eleanor said and touched Julien¡¯s shaft with her fingers. He trembled, but controlled himself and let his mother do what she wanted to. Eleanor gently pulled the foreskin back, and made Julien groan. "See¡­ it¡¯s hurting him, and it¡¯s really tight." Eleanor said in a pained voice. "I understand." Rosalynn answered. "You don¡¯t have to panic, this is a normal condition. His skin has to be stretched and loosened slightly. That way, it won¡¯t hurt him. Try soaking it in warm water and massaging gently. Don¡¯t force it, and keep pulling it back slowly. If you¡¯re not able to do it today, continue doing it for the next few days." "That¡¯s it?" "Yes, my dear, that¡¯s it. You have a habit of making a mountain out of a molehill when the talks are about your children. This isn¡¯t anything serious. You greatly worried me when you said there was something urgent to talk about." Rosalynn sighed. "Mom, this is very serious." Eleanor complained. "Right. Right. In any case, is there anything else?" Eleanor looked at Julien. She whispered in his ears, "Anything else I should ask grandma? She won¡¯t answer the call again, at least for today." Julien thought about it, then shook his head. "Okay." Eleanor turned to look at her mother. "Nope, that¡¯s it." "I won¡¯t pick your call again today. Are you really sure?" Rosalynn asked, as if she had a feeling that her daughter might call her again to bother her. "No, mom. There¡¯s nothing." "Alright then. If you¡¯re free with your work and Tower climbing, pay this old mother of yours a visit. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen my grandchildren. And yes, also bring your sister along. She¡¯s not answering my calls." Rosalynn changed the topic and said. "Mom!" Eleanor took the tablet screen away and hissed. "I am not meeting that bitch!" "Sigh¡­ watch your tone, my dear. She¡¯s still your elder sister. And if you curse her like that, you¡¯ll be setting a bad example for your children. Isn¡¯t Julien with you right now?" Rosalynn took out her glasses and rubbed her eyes. "My children will be fine. I¡¯m raising them properly. Though, they won¡¯t be fine if they meet my dearest elder sister." Eleanor said with visible sarcasm. Rosalynn shook her head and said, "Next month, during the full moon. I want to see you, my grandchildren, and also your elder sister. If anyone is missing, I¡¯ll personally spank both you and your sister." "Mom!" Eleanor¡¯s face was flushed. "How can you say such a thing? I¡¯m a grown child, a Duchess, for god¡¯s sake." "So?" Rosalynn raised her eyebrow. "Whether you¡¯re a Duchess or god almighty himself, you¡¯re still my child. I have all the rights to give you a good ass whooping if you misbehave." "Tsk. I¡¯m hanging up." Eleanor said, but didn¡¯t hang up immediately. "Yes, I¡¯ll take some rest then. Don¡¯t forget the date." "I won¡¯t." "I¡¯m hanging up then. Love you, sweetie." Rosalynn said warmly. "Love you too, mom." Eleanor said with a small smile. At the end of the day, even if her mother threatened her with a beating, she still loved her to no end. Previously, Eleanor did not know how a person could have such a change in mood, but now that she had three children, she understood it very well. Rosalynn hung up and Eleanor put the tablet away. She went back to Julien and stood behind him. "So¡­ you heard your grandma." Julien nodded. "We¡¯ll see her next month." "Yes." Eleanor nodded too. She then wrapped her fingers around his shaft, and looking down at it, continued, "Now, about this¡­" Chapter 58: Profile Appraisal Skill [R-18] "Now, about this¡­" Eleanor wrapped her fingers around his shaft again. "Let mommy wash you first, then we¡¯ll go in the bath and soak for a while." Julien had nothing to say about this and readily agreed. The rest of the bath went without anything lewd happening. Julien had thought that like how it was in anime, his mother would lather soap on his back and rub her chest on him, but reality was often disappointing. She first shampooed and washed his hair, then added soap to a bucket of water and poured that soapy water all over his body. She gave him a good scrub with an exfoliating scrub and poured water again to remove all the soap. He was then asked to go soak in the hot spring. Eleanor joined Julien after a few minutes. She rested her back against the wall in the pond and kept her son in front of her. Julien¡¯s head was placed above her soft bosom, and his back stuck against her front. Like how his grandma had instructed, his mother gently held his shaft again and pulled it back slowly. It felt nothing at first, but then she applied more pressure and Julien¡¯s shaft was rock hard once again. Feeling extremely turned on, he unconsciously held his mother¡¯s hands, trying to stop her making his dick more sensitive. But Eleanor didn¡¯t stop and continued massaging it. "Huff¡­ huff¡­" Julien let out ragged gasps. His vision was turning hazy and he did not know anymore. He let his head fall freely on Eleanor¡¯s peaks and looked up at her face. Eleanor looked down and flashed him a warm smile while continuing to do her best to pull his foreskin back. "Mom¡­" Julien said in between his heavy breaths. "Yes, my dear?" Eleanor asked softly. "Kiss." Julien extended his hands out to hold her face. Eleanor was amused by the request. Her boy was finally not feeling shy in asking his mommy for such things. Now this was progress. She smiled in happiness and bent down to plant a soft, wet kiss on his forehead while massaging his shaft and gently trying to pull the skin back. Julien¡¯s mind was going blank. His back was arched and with how turned on he was, a kiss on the forehead didn¡¯t feel enough. He looked at Eleanor with hazy eyes and breathed heavily, his hands still holding her face. She smiled at him and watched his cute reactions. Julien couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He pulled her face closer and felt her supple lips on his, kissing her. Eleanor¡¯s hands stopped as she was dumbstruck by the sudden change. Her eyes widened and she thought to herself, ¡¯Oh my¡­¡¯ [Ding!] [+10 points for your First Kiss!] [+1 Charm] [+1 inch penis size] [Ding!] [New feature triggered!] [Host can now gain lust points by doing lustful deeds!] [Ding!] [Obtained ¡ª 10x multiplier] [All points will be multiplied by 10 if the partner is a virgin!] [Obtained ¡ª 20x multiplier] [All points will be multiplied by 20 if the partner is blood related!] [Obtained ¡ª 30x multiplier] [All points will be multiplied by 30 if the partner is a virgin blood related!] sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Ding!] [Main Quest cleared!] [ +10 Points] [+1 Charm] [Obtained ¡ª Profile Appraisal Skill] [You can now see the system profile of anyone within a 10 meter radius!] So many notifications went on in his head, but Julien was too absorbed in the kiss to pay any attention to them. This was his first kiss and he didn¡¯t know how he was supposed to do it. His lips were just pressed against his mother¡¯s while his hands held her face. A few seconds later, he broke the kiss because he couldn¡¯t feel her hand on him and also because he needed a breather. "Oh dear¡­" Eleanor gasped softly as she looked at him. "You would make mommy¡¯s heart leap out of her chest if you shower her with such love!" Julien could tell immediately that his beautiful mother had a few screws loose in her head. Because who thought in such a direction after getting kissed like that!? Nevertheless, this was a good thing for him! Julien cleared his throat and stopped looking at her. He rested his back on her body and gazed at the front. "Are you done with the massage, mom?" He asked, changing the topic. "Not yet." Eleanor shook her head and pulled him closer to herself, getting a view of his shaft from the top. She looked through the clear water and moved her hand to hold his shaft again. This time, when she held it between her fingers, she found something odd. "Hm? My dear, did it get bigger?" "I don¡¯t know." Julien answered with a flushed face. "It has gotten bigger, mommy can tell. Wait, let¡¯s get you out of the water first. We¡¯ll be able to have a better view that way." Eleanor turned around and made Julien sit on the edge of the hot spring pond. She was in between his legs, and despite him sitting on a higher surface, Eleanor¡¯s head reached his shoulders. Though, her attention was on the twitching sausage in between Julien¡¯s legs. The two looked down at it, and holding it again, Eleanor said, "Indeed. It had gotten bigger. That¡¯s surprising." Julien didn¡¯t say anything. Eleanor tried to pull the skin back slowly and said, "Hm¡­ could it be that baby didn¡¯t have a complete erection before? And did it get fully erect due to the kiss?" Julien¡¯s face was red, but he answered calmly, "Yes, could be the reason." "Oh my, that¡¯s good news then." Eleanor looked into Julien¡¯s eyes and said. "We don¡¯t need to worry about you having no erections anymore. Baby can simply kiss mommy to have it." Yeah, Julien had no idea how to beat that logic. He simply nodded and didn¡¯t comment on it. Eleanor then looked at his shaft again. She had peeled the skin quite a bit and could see the pinkhead of his penis. "Phew, finally¡­" Eleanor was relieved when she noticed that she could peel it back properly to the back and have his whole shaft¡¯s glans be visible. She stroked it back into place, covering the shaft, then pulled it back again to check whether it was easily manageable or not. Julien¡¯s legs were trembling and his toes were curled up. The tingling pleasurable sensation he felt was going to make him explode any second now! "Okay, that should do it. Your penis is perfectly fine now, baby." Eleanor stopped stroking him. "No¡­ please continue¡­" Julien said while breathing profusely. "Eh?" Chapter 59: Eleanor’s Profile "Eh?" Eleanor was baffled by the comment. "Mom, please¡­ do what you were doing again¡­" Julien stared at her face and said helplessly. Eleanor wrapped her fingers around his shaft and asked, "You want mommy to massage you here again?" "Yes. Please." Julien replied swiftly. Eleanor began stroking his shaft again and as her hands moved, her breasts jiggled in rhythm and gave Julien a heavenly sight to see. Lust clouded his brain, and Julien could only think of pleasure for now. He held his mother¡¯s face again and leaned forward to kiss her. Eleanor happily welcomed it and thought, He¡¯s being so lovely and clingy today. I¡¯m going to melt¡­ Her hands did not stop and she continued giving him a slow handjob. Julien broke the kiss but didn¡¯t pull his face away. "Faster please, mom." Eleanor began stroking his shaft faster as he requested and asked, "Like this?" "Ohh¡­ yess¡­" Julien said and got back to kissing her. This time, he didn¡¯t keep his lips sealed with hers and intruded her mouth with his tongue. Eleanor thought he was trying to show more affection by doing this and welcomed his tongue in her mouth, letting him coil it around hers. Julien tasted her sweet saliva and felt her slimy muscular tongue. It was the best! Today was officially the best day ever of his life! The stimulation was too much and after a few seconds, he broke the kiss and leaned back, breathing hard. "Mom¡­ faster¡­" He said between his ragged breaths. Eleanor did as he asked and soon¡­ "Ohhhhhh!" Julien¡¯s legs trembled and his vision blanked as he had the first climax of his life from a woman¡¯s hand. His loads of thick virgin cum shot right at Eleanor¡¯s face and startled her. She looked at his shaft with a dumbfounded gaze and saw it spewing loads of baby seeds. Despite her hand being drenched with the forbidden milk, she continued to stroke his shaft to make every last drop come out. Her face, chest, and hands were covered in his cum and she looked at it with a completely baffled gaze. "My dear¡­" Eleanor said softly as she looked at Julien. Julien had fainted on the floor and was lying limp, overstimulated from pleasure once again. Eleanor looked at the sticky liquid on her fingers and said, "Oh dear¡­ my poor baby probably won¡¯t have a recollection of this¡­" Eleanor only realized now that she was getting him excited by stroking his shaft, and eventually made him cum. She thought that it was a normal massage so she kept doing it, but had severely miscalculated and only understood now that such a massage led to an ejaculation in males. "Sigh¡­ I need to educate him." Eleanor said. She thought that Julien did not know what he just did and wasn¡¯t aware of what climax was or of his own semen spewing out. As his mother, she thought of him as an innocent boy, despite him letting her know that he was a transmigrated being. Eleanor believed that one day, Julien had simply awakened and regained memories of a past life. Such occurrences weren¡¯t unusual in this world, and she assumed his lack of knowledge stemmed from having forgotten almost everything. Julien did say that he had no recollection of his childhood in this world or knew his name from his past life or anything else. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hence, he was like a newborn baby right now and Eleanor was treating him like such. Shaking her head with a smile, Eleanor looked at the fainted Julien lovingly and said, "Don¡¯t worry, baby. Mommy will help you understand everything slowly." After saying so, she began cleaning up and got out of the bath with him in her arms. She got him dressed in a simple pair of shorts, wore a semi-transparent nightgown herself, and went to bed. The lights went off, and only the soft purple moonlight of the purple moon remained in the room. ¡­.. A few hours later. Julien woke up with a groggy head. He couldn¡¯t remember much of what happened before he passed out other than his mother giving him a handjob and him passionately kissing her. Just as he thought of it and opened his eyes, the view in front froze him in place, completely shocking him. His head was sticking to a thin, semi-transparent nightgown and was on top of his mother¡¯s perky tits. She wasn¡¯t wearing a bra and her nipples were clearly visible and were just a few inches away from him! She had her leg clamped around his body and her hands wrapped around his back, snuggling like a mama bear. It was as if she didn¡¯t want him to run away and kept him in a lock. Julien could feel that even at the bottom, she wasn¡¯t wearing anything. How can she be so defenseless? He wondered. He could then smell her sweet lavender scent, and trying to curb his arousal, he focused on the system notifications for now. There were many of them and overall, his gaze lingered on a new skill he obtained. Show me the profile of my mother. The moment he said that, a system window opened up in front of his eyes. + Name: Eleanor Von Lichtenstein Path: N/A Favorability: Extremely High Personal info: Fears her children leaving her after growing up. Hates wrinkled clothes. Has a mild sense of OCD. Virgin. Never had sex. Knows little about male anatomy. Is over the moon knowing her son is all well now. Is in the mood to spoil her son every second of the day. Feels that her son hasn¡¯t gotten enough love and wants to drown him in affection. Thinks her son has to be given sex education. Loves her three children dearly. Loves cuddling with them to sleep. Loves a warm bath with her children. Loves affection from her children. Loves hugs from her children. Loves to watch her children do their daily things. Loves Jasmine tea with shortcake. Looks forward to tea time everyday. Dislikes her annoying sister. Is anxious about the upcoming meeting with her mother. Annoyed by the political affairs of the kingdom. Has a strong urge to kill all the nobles in the kingdom, including the Royal Family. + "¡­" What in the actual fuck!? Chapter 60: No Milk [R-18] "¡­" What in the actual fuck!? I knew my mom had a few screws loose, but holy shit. She has an urge to kill the whole nobility? What did those guys do to make her so annoyed? And why¡¯s she afraid of me and my sisters leaving her? I haven¡¯t interacted with my sisters so I don¡¯t know about them, but I for one am not going anywhere. I mean¡­ look at these calcium cannons for instance¡­ Julien gulped when he saw her breasts again. These are two very big reasons to never leave her. But the lewd part aside, she¡¯s such a lovely, gentle, and caring lady. Who in their right minds would upset her by leaving her? Honestly, if I ever have a thought of leaving her, I hope my pp never rises. I deserve such a punishment for being this stupid. In any case, why¡¯s she anxious about visiting grandma? Is it perhaps due to me? Yeah, it¡¯s probably due to me. Her relationship with grandma seemed good enough. So she might be anxious about how grandma would react when she sees me or perhaps how I react when I see grandma. The profile appraisal skill was very useful. Julien liked it a lot. He was glad he completed the missions and had them. When he was done going through his mother¡¯s info, he checked his own stats. + Name: Julien Von Lichtenstein Path: Eternal?Lust Title: ¡ª Skills: [Profile Appraisal] Lust Points: 1500 Charm: 26 + On the pink system screen, only little information was written in a glossy black font. This system screen was different and did not show rank or level like the other one. This was good in its own way, thought Julien. The Lust Points he had accumulated were 1500, quite a lot, and this probably had to do with the multiplier he obtained earlier. What was he going to do with the points though? He couldn¡¯t figure anything out for now and gave up. Eleanor moved slightly in her sleep at this moment and due to it, Julien¡¯s face got closer to her left breast¡¯s nipple. His heart began racing and he thought, I have this feeling that¡­ even if I do something unholy, she wouldn¡¯t mind. The question now is¡­ should I take things a step ahead or just go back to sleep? After some thoughts, he remembered that the system would give him points for doing lustful deeds. He wanted to know, what exactly was a lustful deed? To understand it better, Julien had to do lewd things. I¡¯m sorry mom, it¡¯s the system, not me¡­ Your child is innocent and filial, not a pervert. It¡¯s the system that¡¯s making him do these things¡­ Julien conveniently blamed the system. He looked at the suckers seducing him and slowly brought his hand towards them. Using his fingertip, like pushing a button, he gently touched her nipple over her nightgown. [Ding!] [+5 points] It works¡­ Thinking so, Julien gulped in nervousness. Mute all notifications for ten hours. [All notifications are muted.] With the system out of the way, everything was ready. Now all he had to do was¡­ *Nom!* Julien gobbled one of Eleanor¡¯s smooth, supple nipples and sucked on it. Although he could feel it properly, there was the nightgown¡¯s rough texture mixed in it which ruined the mood. He stopped sucking on it for a bit and distanced himself to have a good look at the sleeping motherly beauty. She seemed alluring and sexy even in her sleep. Just from her looks alone, anyone could make out that she was a noble. She did not need any fancy jewelry or clothing to look like one. Down her face was her slender neck and smooth flat chest area. Following it were the upper areas of her boobs which spilled out of her nightgown. Then, her nipples came into view and looking down further, he could see her flat abdomen and narrow waist but rest was all hidden due to the blanket draped on them. He stopped focusing on the thing out of his sight and focused on what was in front of him. Bringing his hand to the thin strap of the nightgown, he slowly took it off and got to see her complete left boob. His eyes sparkled with joy and without wasting a second, he dived in to have a taste of what rightfully belonged to him. There was no taste in particular, and it had to do with them taking a bath a while ago. However, the soft and firm texture was what mattered, which Julien was thoroughly enjoying. His hand was placed on the tit he sucked on. It was so big that his hand couldn¡¯t even grab half of it. Whatever doughy fluff he could grab, he did so and began gently kneading it. With his other hand, he played with the other breast and slowly flew to cloud nine from pleasure. A few minutes later. Eleanor¡¯s eyes fluttered and she gradually opened it. She felt a trickling sensation on her chest. Turning to look down, Eleanor¡¯s brows arched in astonishment. She fully woke up and was alert of her surroundings. Though she was awake, she didn¡¯t move so as to not startle Julien. However, her hand that was wrapped around his back did move to rub it and comfort him. My poor baby¡­ he¡¯s trying to bond with his mama but is unable to express it openly¡­ S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If Julien wanted to suck on her titties, she would¡¯ve happily let him. They belonged to him and he had all the rights in the world to feed on them whenever he wanted to. The only problem that lay with this was¡­ There¡¯s no milk. My baby is in need of it and it¡¯s so sad that I can¡¯t provide it to him right away. Eleanor was more concerned about this than the taboo aspect of it. I have to do something about this. This won¡¯t do¡­ As his mother, I need to provide him with ample nourishment and make him stronger and healthier. Julien was six months old when he left milk. Eleanor thought that all the years he hadn¡¯t had her milk probably made his bones and body weak. It was perhaps the reason why he did not look like an adult despite being one and was so short. It¡¯s my fault that his growth was stunted. I need to rectify my mistakes. Everyone in the family was tall except Julien. There¡¯s no way he hadn¡¯t inherited the tall height genes from Eleanor. They were probably dormant and had to be awakened. And that would be achieved by feeding him more milk! Yes, the solution of a thousand different problems was one thing: milk! Eleanor made up her mind to do something about the very next day itself. For now, she stayed in place and let Julien do whatever he wanted to do. A while later, Julien¡¯s eyes drooped and dozed off. Eleanor found it worthy of a hearty chuckle that he was still gently nibbling on her nipple while in his sleep. She took her breast out of his mouth a few minutes later so that he didn¡¯t have trouble breathing, and kissed the top of his head lovingly. She wished him a good night and went back to sleep. Chapter 61: Does She Think This Is Normal? [R-18] The next day. The sun was up and Julien woke up to find a maid standing by the bedside, holding a tray with warm towels on it. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was a bit surprised by her sudden appearance, but it was nothing like the first day he had arrived here and seen her. "Good morning, my dear. Did you have a good sleep?" A melodic voice said from the side. Turning around, Julien found a sexy blonde-haired lady in a semi-transparent nightgown staring at him with a warm gaze. Her breasts were clearly visible and now that the blanket was gone, even her bottom that had no underwear could somewhat be seen. The feeling of last night flashed in his mind. His body stayed true to his thoughts and was visibly aroused with him popping a boner. "Good morning." Julien tried to distract himself by having a conversation with his mother. "Yes, I had a good sleep." "That¡¯s good." Eleanor said and got closer to him. She began combing his bed hair with her hands and continued, "We have a busy day ahead of us. After breakfast, we need to leave for the capital. The King¡¯s holding a banquet to declare the Crown Prince." Julien was distracted by two pink buds lewdly staring at him and barely managed to hear everything. Eleanor could see how much her son loved her breasts. He wasn¡¯t even paying attention to her briefing. Honestly, she found it quite cute. Taking a warm towel from her maid Sophie who silently stood at the side, Eleanor wiped Julien¡¯s face. "This would be your first time coming across any nobles, and mommy¡¯s sure you don¡¯t know any etiquettes. So stick close to mommy at all times there, and do as she says, okay?" The towel was wet and warm. It felt refreshing to get his face wiped like that. When she was done wiping him, he nodded and said, "Okay." Eleanor handed the blue-haired maid with slightly pointy ears the towel and took another one. She took her nightgown¡¯s strap off and set her milky white bunnies free, leaving Julien with an agape mouth. She softly chuckled at his cute reaction and wiped herself, then pulled his face towards her nipple and began wiping his back with the same towel. Julien could not fathom how one could be so defenseless in a room with a young boy, raging with hormones. There was a maid here too, and despite her presence, she had no qualms. Plus, where did she place his face!? His lips were literally on her firm pink nipple. She could definitely feel it, yet she wasn¡¯t reacting. ¡¯Does she think this is normal?¡¯ Julien wondered, but didn¡¯t bother ruining the wholesome atmosphere and get himself away from such divine melons. He opened his mouth and sucked her nipple, then gently bit it to see her reaction. [+5 Points] ¡¯There we go¡­¡¯ Julien thought internally. Eleanor, continuing to wipe Julien¡¯s back, said, "There will be many kids who will try to show their superiority in front of you. If mommy is not with you and you find yourself alone, ignore them and eat some food or have some drink. No alcohol though, understood?" Eleanor looked down at her son who was sucking on her tits like a baby. This was a normal mother-son bonding in her eyes and she felt nothing from it. Julien glanced upwards, looking into his mother¡¯s eyes while continuing to suck her breast. He used the tip of his tongue to give her nipple wet flicks to see her reaction, but she had no change in her questioning gaze whatsoever. Letting go of her tits, he nodded and said, "Understood. Anything else?" "Yes." Eleanor said and softly placed him back in her embrace and began wiping the side of his body. "The King will come to greet us¡­" Julien didn¡¯t do anything lewd and focused on her words this time. Eleanor finished wiping his one side and went on to do the other. "¡­if he strikes a conversation, just nod. Do not say anything and remain indifferent, okay?" Julien looked at her gentle face and asked, "Wouldn¡¯t that be offensive to the King?" Eleanor¡¯s hands moved from the side to his chest and abdomen. "It is offensive, but it doesn¡¯t matter." She said calmly and finally finished wiping his upper body. She turned to the maid Sophie and gave her the towel, then took a whole new tray with multiple hot towels on it and placed them beside her. While doing so, she hadn¡¯t stopped talking and had said: "We are not the King¡¯s subordinate or serve him. Our territory can be said to be an independent one in itself as we are far from the mainland." Eleanor gestured to Sophie to leave while continuing to chat with Julien. The maid bowed and left the room with the used towels. Since the maid was gone and his mother was giving him a long explanation, Julien thought staying idle and not farming points would be a big pity. Thus, like a true hustler, he began harvesting points by latching onto Eleanor¡¯s nipple again. It was the other one this time. Eleanor gently ran her fingers through his hair and said, "There are three Duke houses in total, and ours is one of them. We serve as the vanguard, stationed by the Ravenwood Wilderness¡ªa vast, unexplored territory where monsters frequently emerge to attack nearby villages. If left unchecked, they would wreak havoc, pushing into the mainland and causing widespread destruction to both life and property." This sounded interesting and Julien¡¯s focus was half on the explanation and the other half on playing with Eleanor¡¯s boobs. His gaze was locked with hers while he nibbled on her nipple and kneaded the other tit like dough, sinking his hand into the forbidden softness. Eleanor was happy to spoil her baby first thing in the morning. Though, in the midst of this, she didn¡¯t forget to educate him on their kingdom¡¯s geography and politics. His lower body was left to be wiped clean, and she knew he was a shy boy, thus she sent the maid Sophie out of the room. While continuing to let him suck on her breasts, Eleanor lifted the blanket off of them and brought their bodies in open air. "We do a favor to the King¡­" Eleanor said as she began taking Julien¡¯s shorts off. "¡­by being in such a dangerous area and keeping the monsters in check. We also have lots of mines around filled with natural resources which are traded with the Silverose Kingdom and even the nearby ones like¡­" Chapter 62: Sex Ed [R-18] Julien had stopped whining and feeling embarrassed by being nude around his mother. It was all thanks to getting comfortable and used to her presence along with taking a bath together and getting massaged by her hands. If she wanted to take his shorts off, then so be it. He didn¡¯t mind it anymore. Noticing Julien comply and not up any resistance like before, Eleanor was relieved. This was how it should be. She was his mother and there was nothing to feel embarrassed about. It was her motherly duty to spoil him, and as her baby, his only job was to get spoiled and pampered like there was no tomorrow. His sisters had gotten quite a lot of love from a young age, and he was the only one that missed out. It was thus time to give him what he did not get. "¡­the Kingdom of Barnabas, the Kingdom of Aldervale, and the Kingdom of Vordane¡­" It was an awkward position they were in to be given geography and political lessons. His mother was truly a one-of-kind lady and forget feeling embarrassed, Julien was more and more curious to see how far she was going to take things or how many lines she would allow Julien to cross until it was too much. Having taken his shorts off, Eleanor began wiping his thighs and waist, then went to his pubes and finally, placed her hand on his hard, standing shaft. She stopped her lessons and slightly knitted her brows as she wrapped her hands around his cock and held it. Looking at her expression Julien momentarily stopped whatever he was doing and thought: ¡¯Is this the limit?¡¯ Eleanor stared at Julien with slightly knitted brows, her hand wrapped around his cock. "My dear¡­" She said softly and pulled his foreskin down, letting the sensitive head of his dick feel the cool breeze. "¡­there is something important mommy has to tell you." Saying so, she slowly raised her hand up and covered his glans again, then lowered it back down in a gentle motion, making Julien almost groan in pleasure. He somehow managed to maintain composure and didn¡¯t falter. Looking her in the eyes, he asked in a low voice, "What is it, mom?" With her free hand, she placed her palm on his cheek and said in a tender voice, "I am sure you must¡¯ve been wondering about what happened in the bath last night, yes? You fainted after mommy massaged you like this¡­" Eleanor repeated the gestures of last night by stroking his shaft up and down, sending waves of pleasure through his body and making him hug her for support. "My dear, mommy forgot to tell you that these actions she¡¯s doing right now, they¡¯re all supposed to be done by a maid or your arranged fianc¨¦e during your coming-of-age ceremony. However, as you weren¡¯t in the right state, your ceremony was not done." Julien was baffled by her statements. He broke the hug, placed his hands on the side and leaned back to support himself and have a clear view of his mother. "Arranged fianc¨¦e? Is that a common thing?" He asked an important question. Did he already have a girl he was engaged to? Was he doomed to be stuck in a cliche political marriage? He had to know! Eleanor nodded her head and continued to stroke him while he lay in front of her. "It is a common thing among the nobles around the world to establish connections and strengthen political ties. Our house has no such need for it so we never bothered ourselves with such a useless tradition." ¡¯Oh, so I don¡¯t have a fiance¨¦. Good to know, I guess?¡¯ Since the important question was answered, Julien went back to focusing on two big and important things that lay in front of him. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He used both his hands to hold onto one of his mother¡¯s big milkers, but couldn¡¯t fit them whole in his palms. Eleanor didn¡¯t mind his antics and continued, "As mommy was saying, this massage mommy is giving you right now¡­" Eleanor stroked his cock faster. "¡­it¡¯s actually not done by mothers in common practice. Mommy would¡¯ve made a maid do it for you, however¡­" Eleanor kissed the top of his head. "¡­she knew baby wasn¡¯t comfortable enough to be with some girl he didn¡¯t know about. Had this not been the case, Sophie would¡¯ve been the one to do this." Julien was actually glad that didn¡¯t happen. It was not that he would¡¯ve minded that, but the problem lay in the fact that he wouldn¡¯t have been able to get as close to his mother as he was now. Those circumstances were truly the peak moment of his life. If he was given a chance to redo it, he would¡¯ve absolutely done it again! Julien looked up into her eyes and leaned forward to gobble her pink pearl and give it a somewhat firm bite. "¡­so as mommy was say¡ª nnghh, baby¡­ no biting¡­" Eleanor moaned and said in her calm, motherly voice, her hands never ceasing their motions. Julien heard her command from one ear and let it slip away from the other. Though he waited for her to finish speaking and didn¡¯t bite her again so that she wasn¡¯t interrupted. "¡­as mommy was saying¡­ the thing happening right now is called a handjob¡­" Julien raised his eyebrows in surprise. He definitely wasn¡¯t expecting her to speak it out loud and so bluntly! "See¡­ mommy was only supposed to help you peel your foreskin back, but one thing led to another and, well, you know what happened then." Julien nodded in understanding while vacuuming his mouth over her now firm and standing nipples. Eleanor caressed his hair and continued, "This handjob is done between lovers and¡­" For a solid five minutes, Julien was giving sex education on handjob, self-pleasure, and what ejaculation and semen was. He was already a professional at this, but still patiently listened to his cute mother do her best to explain whatever she knew of within her limited knowledge. She had surprisingly articulated herself well and mentioned clearly that she isn¡¯t supposed to do this to him. Sucking on her breasts, taking baths, changing clothes¡­ all of these things were fine, but other things were in a no-no territory and shouldn¡¯t be done. At this moment, Julien stopped sucking her breast and asked in his best puppy-like impression, "So this has to stop and mom won¡¯t do it again?" This was out of character for him, but in times of peril, a man had to improvise, adapt, and overcome all odds to do what he must do! Chapter 63: Don’t Give in to the Horny! [R-18] Eleanor could feel Julien¡¯s sadness in the question he asked and shook her head with a smile. "My dear, mommy never said she was going to stop doing it. On the contrary, it¡¯s your opinion that matters the most. Do you wish for it to stop? If you do, just let me know." Julien shook his head vigorously and said, "No, absolutely not. If mom is comfortable enough to do this, then that just means we share a much deeper bond than most people. I¡¯m truly one of the fortunate ones that got a really understanding and supportive mother¡­" No lady disliked sweet whispers of love, Eleanor being no exception. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Julien merely wanted to make her happy, however once he finished, Eleanor stopped giving him a handjob and covered her mouth in shock, tears leaking from the corner of her eyes. "Oh my¡­ that¡­ that¡¯s the sweetest thing mommy has ever heard!" Eleanor cried out in glee and hugged Julien tightly. *Muwah* *Muwah* *Muwah* Eleanor showered his face with multiple kisses full of motherly affection and this time, even his lips were involved. "My dear, you don¡¯t know just how happy you¡¯ve made mommy! Really¡­ I couldn¡¯t ask for a better baby than you¡­" Once again rained down a series of lovely kisses. Julien chuckled in amusement and shook his head. Eleanor was all smiles and said, "There¡¯s so much more to tell you, but we would be late for the banquet if we continue. Lie down on your stomach for now, the backside of your legs need a thorough wiping." Julien was hard as a rock but complied nonetheless. He knew she wasn¡¯t going anywhere, and now that they had a proper talk about it, he could get unlimited handjobs anytime, anywhere he wanted. Truly the greatest moments of my life¡­ Julien thought and chortled internally. Eleanor wiped his legs as she had said with the warm towel, then turned him around and wiped the remaining areas. She could clearly see that his erect dick seemed painful with how the precum was oozing out. It needed immediate attention and love. "Baby, can you wipe mommy¡¯s back? We¡¯ll get to reliving you after this." Eleanor said and completely took off her nightgown, lying down on her stomach beside Julien. Julien raised his eyebrows and thought, ¡¯So defenseless again¡­ is she really this gullible or does her brain stop working when it comes to me? Oh well, not that I¡¯m complaining¡­¡¯ Julien chuckled and took a warm towel, then began wiping her back as she had asked. He slowly went down and had a look at her raised meat buns. They were so smooth and alluring! He wanted to do nothing but take a bite of them. Little Julien got excited in response and was hard like steel by now, twitching uncontrollably. Julien himself didn¡¯t know how he was holding back so much despite the serious temptations. After calming himself down, he got right behind Eleanor and parted her legs to keep his own between them. Doing so let him have an ethereal view of her pink slit hidden beneath the plump peaches. His cock twitched again at the sight and was begging to return to its roots. Julien was however strong willed and once again held himself back from the strong temptations. He knew his mother wouldn¡¯t mind even if he did anything, but now wasn¡¯t the right time. They were in a rush, and it had also been a single night since they got together. Rushing like this won¡¯t do any of them any good. However, even though he couldn¡¯t do the main thing, that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t play around a little bit. Julien quickly wiped her feet, then calves, and made his way up towards her big assets. He slowly wiped around the inner thigh at first with the towel, then made his hand slide over it and felt their amazing soft thickness. It was so smooth. His hand just glided over her skin! "Baby, hurry, mommy has to dress up too!" Eleanor lifted her butt up and made it jiggle, gesturing that it was this place that wasn¡¯t wiped. Julien almost passed out from the scene. He placed both his hands on her big ass cheeks to stop them from jiggling. His hands immediately sunk in. ¡¯Holy fuck¡­¡¯ This felt much better than when he held them from over her clothes! ¡¯Don¡¯t get distracted! Don¡¯t get distracted! And definitely don¡¯t give in to the horny!¡¯ Julien gulped a mouthful of nervous saliva and rubbed the towel on the smooth left curve. He took his time, causing his little dragon to rage in fury. It wanted to go back to its creator¡¯s den at this instance! Julien didn¡¯t relent to its wishes. He wiped the outer areas of both the cheeks and took the towel to the inner areas, dangerously close to the velvety labias. This was the first time he would ever touch a lady down there, and his heart was racing in anticipation and nervousness. He wiped the towel along the length of her hidden slit and then held onto her fluffy ass cheeks to part them slightly, getting a look at her puckered pink flower and little bit of her pink pussy. He used the towel to wipe there at first, then immediately ran his middle finger along the length, feeling the silky smoothness and softness of her outer lips. As his finger grazed against her inner lips, his finger got coated with a moist and sticky substance. "Mhm¡­ my dear, you can leave that place as is." Eleanor said in a gentle tone. This felt so good! Julien wanted to feel it again! Lust corrupted his sane brain and he immediately cooked a sneaky scheme to feel her up again. "What?" He asked and rubbed the towel on her pussy, wiping it. "Mhmm¡­" Eleanor was sensitive in this place and moaned softly as the warm towel grazed against her clit. She shook her hips and said, "Baby, that place doesn¡¯t need cleaning. Hm, it seems you¡¯re done with my back, so here¡­" Eleanor turned around while keeping Julien in between her legs. He could see her pussy properly from this place along with her ravishing body and voluptuous tits. She was so unguarded that it felt like she was doing all of this on purpose, knowing exactly what would happen. However, she wasn¡¯t. She really thought this was normal and that Julien was innocent. Staring into her boy¡¯s hazy eyes, Eleanor said, "¡­here, do mommy¡¯s front too. But be sure to hurry, we¡¯re getting late." Chapter 64: Getting Caught [R-18] Julien nodded in understanding. As a very caring child, it was his duty to help his mother out. He picked a warm towel and started wiping her feet, then made his way up and reached her inner thighs and continued his way up. As he was close to her secret garden, he looked at her and asked, "This doesn¡¯t need to be wiped, right?" He rubbed his fingers on her pussy openly and felt them. The way his tone was serious would definitely fool anyone into thinking he didn¡¯t have any lewd motive behind his comment. Eleanor on the other hand would lose 50% of her intelligence when with Julien because of how much she loved him. "Yes." She said seriously and slowly got up. "We should dress up now." "Wait a second." Julien gently pushed her back and fell on top of her. His landing was cushioned by Eleanor¡¯s natural pillows. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Is something the matter, dear?" She asked while combing his hair. "Yes." Julien raised himself up a bit and wiped the top of her breasts with the hot towel. "This area isn¡¯t cleaned yet." Eleanor tilted her head in confusion. "Didn¡¯t I wipe it in the start?" "You did, but then I made it dirty by licking it." Julien wiped her pert nipple and said. Eleanor smiled and shook her head. She patted Julien¡¯s head and replied, "Licking doesn¡¯t make it dirty, baby. It¡¯s the opposite, if anything." Julien stopped wiping and raised his eyebrows in amusement. "It gets cleaned from licking? But won¡¯t the saliva be everywhere?" "It will be, but saliva isn¡¯t dirty." Eleanor held his face. "Don¡¯t you kiss mommy? Does it feel dirty?" Julien expressed confusion. "¡­I don¡¯t know?" Eleanor pulled his face closer and kissed him, fascinating him. She opened her mouth and exchanged saliva with Julien, then intertwined her tongue with his. At this moment, all of Julien¡¯s goals were achieved as he lay atop his mother¡¯s nude body, his hard-as-a-rock cock sliding over her bare, wet pussy. ¡¯Ohhh¡­ it¡¯s heavenly¡­¡¯ Julien felt waves and waves of pleasure ripple through his body as his dick grinded over her velvety smooth lips. If just rubbing felt this good, how would putting it inside be? Julien quickly shoved such a thought to the back of his mind. This was dangerous. He shouldn¡¯t rush things like this. Eleanor let out a muffled moan in Julien¡¯s mouth and broke the kiss. She looked into his eyes and asked, "So¡­ do you think this was dirty?" She could feel Julien¡¯s shaft rub against her, but she thought it might not be intentional and happened naturally as they lay in such an intimate position. Even if it wasn¡¯t intentional, she didn¡¯t mind it as doing such a thing was a body¡¯s natural instinct. Julien was a growing adult. It wasn¡¯t surprising if he felt aroused from all these stimulations. Eleanor treated it as yet another normal thing and focused on their conversation about saliva being dirty. Julien shook his head. "It wasn¡¯t dirty, but¡­ are you saying that if I do this¡­" Julien stuck his tongue out and gave her nipple a slow, long lick. He circled his tongue around her areola while continuing to rub his cock on her innocent cunt. Eleanor felt her hair stand in pleasure and breathed heavily. It was a completely natural reaction of her body in response to what Julien was doing. After circling around her nipple twice, he sucked on it and let it go with a pop sound. Holding the same breast in his hand and rubbing his thumb over her lubricated nipple, he continued, "¡­doing this actually makes it clean instead of dirtying it?" "Yes¡­" Eleanor didn¡¯t deny. She got up from her resting position and made Julien turn around and sit in front. Her legs were at his sides and she made him stretch his legs too. She scooted back and dragged him until her back was supported by the bed rest while Julien¡¯s back stuck to her front upper body. "Mom?" Julien turned to the side and asked. Why did she move suddenly? Was something wrong? Eleanor wrapped her arms around Julien¡¯s abdomen and caressed him. She rested her chin on his shoulder and said, "My dear¡­ mommy can see through your naughty antics, you know that right?" Julien suddenly froze, his face heating up from shame. ¡¯Shit¡­ did I get caught¡­¡¯ Getting caught wasn¡¯t the problem. The problem lay with the consequences that came after it and being called out so openly. Eleanor let out a soft giggle and shook her head. "It¡¯s understandable, don¡¯t worry. They say a boy¡¯s first love is his mama. While mommy doesn¡¯t know how true that is, it at least applies to you, doesn¡¯t it?" Julien¡¯s face further heated up in shame. ¡¯Yeah¡­ it¡¯s my fault to think that a mature lady like her, who¡¯s actually the Duchess of a big kingdom, wouldn¡¯t be able to see through these things¡­ though I don¡¯t regret it. It¡¯s just a bit embarrassing right now, but it was definitely worth it¡­¡¯ Seeing his cute reaction, Eleanor giggled once again and pulled his cheek. "Mommy loves you too, and such playful antics aren¡¯t harmless, just a bit naughty. You¡¯re an adult now. You should understand that there¡¯s a proper time for these things, and not play around when we¡¯re in a time constraint and have a busy schedule ahead of us." ¡¯Why does it feel like¡­¡¯ This felt like a mom scolding her child for playing around during his homework time, and telling him that he could play as much as he wanted as long as he did his homework on time. ¡¯Shit¡­ she¡¯s crazy¡­ and what¡¯s worse is¡­ my actions were even crazier than her.¡¯ ¡¯¡­is that¡­ I actually inherited some of her crazy genes? Damn¡­¡¯ Julien was totally dumbfounded. Eleanor¡¯s gaze then landed on his stiff shaft. She wrapped her hand around it and gently pulled the foreskin back, watching the moist pink head reveal itself. Julien¡¯s shaft felt wet to hold, and Eleanor could guess that it was due to it rubbing onto her folds. "Mommy told you that she¡¯ll take care of it. Though, if you ejaculate here, we¡¯ll both be drenched and would need to take a bath. This will delay us quite a bit." Eleanor said. "Yeah¡­" Julien agreed with her. His quota to feel embarrassed was filled for today. He didn¡¯t want any more of it. Eleanor began stroking it and continued, "It won¡¯t be a problem if we were to stand and do it. It won¡¯t be as comfortable and you would feel tired, but nothing can be done about it. You have to muster up strength, get dressed, and go down to have breakfast. Are you fine with this?" "Yes." Julien didn¡¯t have much say in the matter anyway. Eleanor chuckled softly and kissed his cheek. "So understanding¡­" She got up and pulled him out of the warm, comfy bed. "Let¡¯s get going¡­" Chapter 65: The King’s Banquet An hour later. Lichtenstein Castle¡¯s dining hall. Sunlight streamed through stained glass windows of crimson, blue, and emerald, coloring the dark stone floor. A long black table gleamed in the center, surrounded by purple velvet chairs, while silver vines curled around the hall¡¯s towering stone pillars. Seated on these chairs were two figures, having breakfast, while standing right behind them were four maids, on duty to serve their needs. A rich aroma of freshly baked bread, sizzling sausages, and brewed coffee, mingled with the scent of buttered eggs permeated in the hall, making anyone passing by to salivate. Seated at the table, a blind nun in a traditional habit with a red blindfold sat quietly, while beside her, a young boy with brownish-orange hair and soft features nibbled on a piece of sausage. The sound of footsteps echoed through the grand hall, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. The mistress of the house, Duchess Eleanor, entered gracefully in high heels, accompanied by her son, Julien, the heir to the Lichtenstein Family. The tall blonde lady wore a floor-length black velvet gown with long, flared sleeves that cascaded elegantly at her wrists. A cloak draped over her shoulders, adding width and concealing her back, while a hint of skin near her collarbone remained conservatively visible. On the other hand, Julien was in a crisp white shirt and midnight blue suit. His glossy black shoes had a thick heel to it, giving him a few inches of extra height, and his hands were covered in dark charcoal-colored gloves with the house¡¯s emblem embroidered on it. The emblem featured a abyssal-black phoenix with silver-edged wings, encircled by dark crimson flames. Its amber eyes gleamed with intensity, while blood-red roses bloomed around it, their petals darkening to black. Silver thorny vines twisted elegantly through the design, embodying both power and grace. Eleanor held similar gloves in her hands. She wasn¡¯t wearing them for now as breakfast was due. The two¡¯s clothing was really elegant and graceful, but their hair was a mess. Both seemed like they had just gotten out of bed with the way their hair was. At least, that¡¯s what Jackie thought. Amelia had no opinion on the way her Master or Master¡¯s mother were dressed. She couldn¡¯t see them after all. Julien and his mother took a seat opposite to the two. Jackie and Amelia greeted them and the two greeted them back. The maids got into action and served them breakfast, then got behind them and began styling their hair. Eleanor looked at Julien and his two companions and asked, "So, what¡¯s the future of your team? Are you going to continue and clear the Tower together or disband after a while?" Julien looked at the two and wondered what their answers would be. Jackie placed a palm on his chest and said with a slight bow, "Madam, Master saved my life and I¡¯ve pledged to be his sword until my last breath. It¡¯s up to Master to decide whether he wishes to use me or not." Amelia joined Jackie by joining her hands and saying, "God has graced me with Master¡¯s revered presence. I was saved by him and have also pledged to follow him wherever he goes." Julien¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment. The way the two spoke was so chuuni! Couldn¡¯t they just speak normally!? Unlike him, Eleanor was pretty calm and had no change in her expression. She didn¡¯t move her head to nod as her hair was being done by the maids, but said, "I see. So you¡¯ve decided to become my Julien¡¯s subordinates and follow him." "That is the case, yes, Duchess." Jackie nodded. "I understand." Eleanor had a small smile flash on her face. "I hope you take good care of him." Jackie and Amelia pledged that they will, until their last breath, in a really formal speech that made Julien further embarrassed. Eleanor then said, "We are leaving for a banquet at the King¡¯s place. Additional members aren¡¯t allowed, but servants aren¡¯t a problem. If you two wish to come, you would need to dress up accordingly." Amelia turned to Eleanor and asked, "Will I have to dress as a maid, Duchess?" "Hm¡­" Eleanor had a thoughtful look on her face. "You certainly cannot wander around dressed up as a nun. Our house has a few temples around, so you could maybe dress up as a priestess and join us if you want to." "Priestess¡­" Amelia said the word in a soft whisper and went silent. None but Eleanor heard the word. She thought maybe the nun was giving it a thought? "If you don¡¯t wish to, that¡¯s fine as well. But you would have to stay back and won¡¯t be able to join us." Eleanor gave her a way out, in case she didn¡¯t want to. Amelia turned her head up to face Eleanor, then shook her head. "It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll change. Maybe this is the lord¡¯s wish all along." She heaved a tired sigh, and continued, "May I ask, what type of temple it is, Duchess?" "Different constellations are worshiped in those temples by our family maids. I¡¯ll have another one made for you. That way, you¡¯ll officially be a part of the family and have a proper identity. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s common for noble houses to have such religious figures." Eleanor said and had a bite of warm toasted bread with butter. "My sincere gratitude to the Duchess¡¯s grace." Amelia said with her hands joined. Eleanor gave her a curt nod. "Right, you don¡¯t have to call me Duchess. Just say Lady Eleanor or plain M¡¯lady." Eleanor then turned to Jackie. "Same goes for you." Jackie bowed and said respectfully, "Yes, M¡¯lady." Julien wondered whether he would need to call his mother similarly when in public or not while munching on some tomato-ey beans. "Do you want to take them along to the King¡¯s place, my dear?" Eleanor¡¯s tone switched from an authoritative to motherly instantly as she conversed with Julien. "Sure." Julien said without much thinking. Eleanor nodded in understanding and instructed her maid Sophie to prepare a carriage for them. After some short talk in the dining hall, Julien boarded the carriage and left for the King¡¯s Place in the capital. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 66: Eleanor’s Instructions Argentvale, Silverose Kingdom. A soft melody drifted through the town square, the gentle notes of a flute blending with the steady strum of a lute. A drummer kept a quiet beat, while a lyre¡¯s chords added a sweet, airy tune. The music carried on the breeze, light and cheerful, setting the mood of the bustling square. Shops and stalls lined the cobblestone streets, their awnings bright with color. The smell of roasting meats and fresh bread mixed with the scent of herbs and spices, filled the air. At the far end of the square, the king¡¯s palace loomed at the top of a hill, its tall silver spires catching the sun. The grand building watched over the town, a symbol of authority and power. The common folk, dressed in simple clothes suited to their trades, filled the square. Farmers in worn tunics, the edges stained with dirt, carried baskets of vegetables. Blacksmiths, their hands still dark with soot, leaned against their carts, talking in low voices. Tailors and weavers wore cleaner but well-used garments, their aprons marked by thread and fabric scraps. Amidst the crowd, a line of grand carriages rolled by, drawn by powerful horses. Their polished wood shone, crests of noble families proudly displayed on the doors. Curtains draped the windows, hiding the faces inside. Occasionally, a noble would peek out, meeting the curious gazes of the crowd. A young boy stood beside his grandfather, firing off the endless questions only a curious child his age could ask. The old man answered each one with patience, smiling at the boy¡¯s wide-eyed wonder as he satisfied his grandson¡¯s curiosity. Their chatter abruptly stopped when the lively music in the town square fell silent, replaced by the low, haunting toll of a distant bell. "Shhh," the grandfather murmured, raising a hand to quiet the boy. The child blinked, sensing the sudden shift in the air. His innocent eyes darted around, puzzled by the strange stillness that had settled over the crowd. Before he could ask what was happening, the soft yet steady rhythm of horses¡¯ hooves filled the silence, drawing his attention to what was approaching. A line of black carriages emerged from the fog at the edge of the square, their dark, polished surfaces gleaming faintly under the midday sun. The horses, sleek and powerful, moved with a measured grace, their hooves striking the cobblestones with a rhythm that echoed through the now-silent crowd. Draped in silver and deep violet, the carriages bore no family crest, only the faintest hint of a raven etched into the doors¡ªa mark known to all, but spoken of by few. The boy¡¯s wide eyes followed the procession, his small hand tightening around his grandfather¡¯s worn fingers. The older man¡¯s face had hardened, a quiet respect mingled with wariness in his gaze. "Who are they?" the boy whispered, his voice barely carrying over the sound of the approaching horses. The grandfather hesitated, his eyes never leaving the carriages. "That, lad," he said quietly, "is the Duchess¡¯s family. The ones who hold power beyond the throne." The boy blinked, his curiosity piqued. "But if they¡¯re so powerful, why don¡¯t they rule?" A faint smile tugged at the corner of the old man¡¯s lips. He could answer this wonder-struck child right away, but he shook his head and said, "Some questions are better left unanswered, child. Just watch for now, we¡¯ll talk about this later." The boy was dejected with such a response and continued to watch the strange carriages pass by. In one of the carriages, there was a slight gap in the dark curtains. Through it, a cute boy with brownish orange hair peeked at the crowd, specifically at the young boy and his grandfather. Memories of the past flashed in front of Jackie¡¯s eyes as he watched this pair, of the time when he used to sneak out with his grandpa and roam around the town. A hint of sadness and nostalgia could be felt from him, and seated beside, Amelia placed her hand on his, and said gently, "It¡¯s okay¡­" Jackie¡¯s immersion broke as Amelia conversed. He sighed and shook his head, covering the carriage¡¯s window with the curtain and not looking at the crowd anymore. The carriage he and Amelia were in was as big as a small bedroom. They had all the space, but Amelia and him were cooped up in a corner to sneakily look at the crowd. Amelia couldn¡¯t see, so Jackie narrated everything to her as she sat nearby. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I once had a family like that¡­" Jackie poured out. Amelia silently listened. Realizing he was just about to give out sensitive information, Jackie shook his head and continued, "Nevermind, that¡¯s all history. I¡¯m Master¡¯s sword now, so I¡¯ll focus on that." "I¡¯m here if you need me," said Amelia and consoled. It had been half an hour since they left the Ravenwood Duchy. Jackie was normal throughout the journey, but upon arriving in the capital and looking at the massive crowds, his mood suddenly changed. Amelia didn¡¯t know why he was down, but she wasn¡¯t a nosy person and didn¡¯t try to pry into this matter unnecessarily, leaving Jackie with some comforting words. "Thank you," Jackie said. He closed the curtains and laid back on the carriage seat, turning to look at Amelia. "All of this is so fancy, don¡¯t you think?" Amelia curtly nodded. "Master probably belongs to a powerful family." "How powerful could it be?" "We¡¯ll find out soon." The two¡¯s conversation slowly drifted towards casual chattering as the common folks went out of their view. Meanwhile, behind them, in the main carriage, Julien sat beside a veiled blonde beauty in black gothic attire, that being none other than his mother, Eleanor. Seated opposite was their maid Sophie, holding her mistress¡¯s handbag. She wasn¡¯t in the usual maid attire and instead wore a prim and proper black dress. Her face was covered with a laced black eye mask, something which all servants of the house wore. Like the two ladies, Julien had his face covered too, with a black mask, bringing forth an aura of mystery around him. His mother was currently facing him and lecturing on noble etiquette, which was surprisingly easy to learn. It was because the whole summary of it went as: "There¡¯s a lot of etiquette, but you don¡¯t have to follow any of it. Just remember to call mommy as mother there. Those pesky peasants don¡¯t deserve to hear such a tender and loving word." ¡¯I can smell power from this annoyed comment¡­¡¯ Julien could tell his family was powerful. How powerful? It was something he would find out soon. "¡­and remember¡­" Eleanor¡¯s tone turned serious as she peered into her boy¡¯s clear blue eyes. She held his shoulders and continued, "¡­you mustn¡¯t go to the after parties or meet any noble in private." From the way she said it, Julien could tell his mother wasn¡¯t going to take a no for an answer. He responded appropriately by nodding lightly, but it wasn¡¯t enough as Eleanor shook her head and said, "My dear, I don¡¯t think you understand how serious this is." Eleanor leaned closer. "Those guys¡­" She whispered softly, but firmly. "¡­they do drugs!" Chapter 67: You Better Keep It A Secret [R-18] "¡­they do drugs!" Julien cocked an eyebrow high in surprise. Eleanor knitted her brows and continued, "¡­not only drugs, but they also have a lot of sex. Exchanging each other¡¯s partners, man-on-man, woman-on-woman, old, young, curvy, skinny¡­ everyone is there in those parties." Julien felt a sudden chill down his spine when he imagined an orgy with such people in it. He did not imagine girl on girl, but two fat men kissing while an old granny was sandwiched between them. ¡¯Oh god¡­ what the fuck is wrong with me!¡¯ In his years of porn addiction, there was nothing he hadn¡¯t seen. From amputation to necrophilia and beastality¡­ there wasn¡¯t a single hentai tag Julien¡¯s curiosity hadn¡¯t taken him to explore. ¡¯Fuck. Happy thoughts. Happy thoughts. Wholesome vanilla¡­ wholesome vanilla¡­¡¯ Julien chanted in his mind as he tried to recover from the sudden scarring. He wondered whether thinking along such lines was due to his own past or perhaps due to his immense bad luck. After some quick logical reasoning, he came to a conclusion that it was probably due to his bad luck. Yeah. Definitely. It had to be that. Or else why would he think of two men and¡ª ¡¯Wholesome vanilla!¡¯ ¡¯Think wholesome vanilla!¡¯ Suddenly Julien remembered one of his fondest ero-manga. It was of a boy being employed by a bunch of horny mature women who acted as his sugar mama. Under Eleanor¡¯s serious gaze, his mind filled with images from manga panels, each one flickering like scenes from a film reel until a full movie began playing before his eyes. Eleanor watched as Julien¡¯s eyes grew distant, his gaze unfocused as he drifted off. She blinked in confusion before snapping her fingers in front of his face. "Hello? Mommy is saying something here." Julien snapped out of his stupor and looked at her. Having his attention again, Eleanor shook her head and asked, "Are you paying attention?" "Yes," Julien nodded reflexively. Eleanor squinted her eyes, and gave her son a knowing look. Julien didn¡¯t understand what it meant. Eleanor turned to Sophia seated opposite to them and said in a serious tone, "Keep your eyes closed." Sophia bowed respectfully and did as asked. Eleanor then turned back to Julien and leaned closer, whispering in his ear, "If you were paying attention, then what¡¯s the meaning of this, my dear?" Julien felt a hand on him. Right atop his crotch area, firmly yet gently caressing him. *Rrriiippp* The stuffy feeling at the bottom vanished as he heard that sound. It was immediately followed with a cool sensation that coursed through his entire body. Julien shivered and looked into Eleanor¡¯s eyes, whispering in shock, "¡­Mom!?" Eleanor rolled her eyes as her palm wrapped around Julien¡¯s erect member. She gave it a gentle stroke and whispered back, "Mommy should be the one shocked here." sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She looked down. Julien did too. The pink head of Julien¡¯s five-incher looked up at them, raging with excitement as a bit of precum oozed out of it. Eleanor touched the wetness with her middle finger and rubbed it on the delicate, responsive strip beneath the head, making Julien shiver once again. "You were relieved in the morning, but are in such a state again¡­" Eleanor had a soft smile on her face as she shook her head. She leaned further close to Julien while continuing to stroke his shaft and looked out of the carriage¡¯s window past his shoulder. People in elegant clothing could be seen everywhere. She squinted her eyes and continued, "We have about three minutes." Pulling herself back and looking at her son, Eleanor sighed and smiled. "You sure like putting mommy in trouble, don¡¯t you? There¡¯s no way this is going down in three minutes. It took you close to five minutes in the morning." Julien was in bliss. This was an awkward yet amazing situation. In front of him, like any mother, his mom was complaining and scolding, but at the bottom, her hand was fervently doing its magic and almost made him moan out in pleasure. Add to that, outside the carriage there were hundreds of people, and even inside there was their personal maid sitting with her eyes closed. She couldn¡¯t see but she could definitely hear everything that was being said. It wasn¡¯t difficult to put two and two together and figure out what was happening. "It¡¯s okay¡­" Julien said meekly and tried to push Eleanor¡¯s hand away before it got any more awkward. He didn¡¯t want to put her in a tough situation, and he definitely didn¡¯t have plans to ruin his family¡¯s entry into the King¡¯s Banquet due to his own self. Eleanor shook her head. "No, it¡¯s not okay. You can¡¯t go into the banquet with such a hard on." "But¡ª" "Enough talking, young man. Mommy won¡¯t hear any excuses." Eleanor was firm in her words as she looked at him seriously. She didn¡¯t want him to enter the banquet in such a state as it would be very easy for the nobles there to sway him into doing ungodly things. If he was relieved, then he would have a clearer picture of everything and think rationally before doing anything. Eleanor tapped on Julien¡¯s thigh and said, "Now get up and stand in front of mommy. There¡¯s no other choice but to do this. And also¡­" As Julien got up and moved in front, his erect cock appeared right in front of Eleanor¡¯s face, just an inch away from actually touching her. Although it didn¡¯t touch, he could definitely feel her breath on it. His shaft twitched in response and Eleanor could see it go up and down. It felt cute to her. She touched the head with her middle fingertip and gently nudged it while glancing up at Julien, continuing, "¡­you have to learn to control yourself, okay? I know you¡¯re a growing boy, but you have to control your urges or it¡¯ll be disastrous." Eleanor was about to give him a lecture again, but she realized time was running out. She tucked her hair behind her ears and took off her veil. Wrapping her palm around his shaft again, she held it and gave him a final look of complete seriousness. "Don¡¯t expect this to happen again, okay? And you better keep it a secret from your grandma and aunt." Julien nodded and readily agreed. He didn¡¯t have much of a choice in this situation anyway. His mother sure was one heck of a woman. Speaking no more, Eleanor parted her luscious lips and kissed Julien¡¯s cock, then took it all within her moist mouth. "Mhmm¡­" Julien groaned. A feeling that he could never imagine even in his dreams took over him as the entirety of his shaft was enveloped in a warm and wet feeling. A beautiful blonde lady with stunning features was blowing him in a carriage passing through hundreds of people, right in front of her own maid. Add to that, she was his own mother! What else could a man ask for? All of this was quite unexpected. Who would¡¯ve thought that his horniness would actually lead him somewhere! To Eleanor, all of this was new. She didn¡¯t know how to suck a cock, but for her baby boy, she was willing to learn everything. She knew this was taboo and that they shouldn¡¯t be doing this, but she was a good mother and couldn¡¯t watch her son be in pain. In her opinion, Julien was a really shy kid. He would be disturbed if she asked her maid to do these things for him. Other than that, she thought of these things as a way of bonding with her son. He had been in a somewhat comatose state most of his life. Now that he was normal, she wanted to get as close as she could with him. ¡¯The taste is quite good. It¡¯s different from a woman¡¯s and¡­¡¯ "Mhmm¡­" Eleanor let out a soft moan as she coiled her tongue around his shaft and vacuumed his bulb. ¡¯¡­it has a strong musky scent to it.¡¯ Julien bit his lip as his mother used new techniques and tried his best to not moan. Given how much he was stimulated, he would¡¯ve climaxed within a few seconds, but he wanted to hold onto this feeling for as long as he could. It was so good! Julien instinctively placed his hands on Eleanor¡¯s blonde head and began moving his hips rhythmically along her bobbing head, matching her tempo. Seated near them, although Sophia could not see what was happening, with the things she had heard, she could paint a vivid picture of the scene in her mind. It was so hot that she was sure a wet spot had formed on her panties. Oh¡­ if only she could touch herself¡­ Sophia breathed heavily and thought to herself. *Schlopp* *Schlopp* "Urgh¡­" Julien¡¯s eyes shut as he felt his mother¡¯s improved technique on him. She was getting better with each passing second, and this was not good! He wanted to continue getting this feeling for longer! Eleanor felt the meat-rod stuffed in her mouth grow bigger. As her clear eyes glanced up, she could see her baby fighting for his life to hold himself back from exploding. Her lips curved into a soft smile and if she wasn¡¯t stuffed to the brim, she would¡¯ve honestly let out a hearty chuckle. ¡¯He probably wants to feel this for longer¡­¡¯ Eleanor wished she could give him what he wanted, but time was of essence. She couldn¡¯t delay it for long. With increased fervor, she bobbed her head to and fro rapidly on his cock and vacuumed it hard as if she were sucking out the last bit of milkshake from a straw. "Ohh¡­ mo-m¡­" Julien couldn¡¯t resist and clutched her head firmly, then shot his entire load right into her mouth. Eleanor felt his shaft grow even bigger and hotter as he reached his climax. It pulsated with a renewed vigor and soon she felt the taste of his sweet and slightly salty cum. "Huff¡­ huff¡­" After emptying his balls, Julien pulled his shaft out from his mother¡¯s gripping mouth. She was looking into his eyes as he took it out, and the scene was so erotic that his shaft was about to rise again for the third round. However, the post nut clarity hit him and he looked away, trying not to get turned on. As he moved away, the last drop of cum poured into Eleanor¡¯s mouth. She savored it and was amused by the sticky and wet texture. It had a unique taste. Julien tried to move further away, but got held back by his mother. She was yet to clean him. "Sophia, give me some wet tissues." Eleanor instructed. With her eyes still closed, Sophia managed to expertly find the box of wet tissues in the handbag and gave it to her lady. Eleanor wiped Julien clean, then had him wear his pants back and sit down. Sophia was then allowed to open her eyes. She checked up on Julien and Eleanor¡¯s clothing and handed her lady a glass of water, which Eleanor used to gargle. She didn¡¯t spit the water, but drank it. After checking the time, they still had a bit left before officially making their entry into the King¡¯s Castle. Chapter 68: Duke Barthes Technology was not as advanced outside the Tower, but magical devices served well enough for communication. The banquet¡¯s grand proceedings were telecasted to every busy square in the Silverose Kingdom, drawing crowds eager to witness the nobility¡¯s splendor. For commoners, this was a rare glimpse into the lives of those who existed in an entirely different realm of power and privilege. Inside the palace, the atmosphere was solemn and formal. A line of carriages, gilded and majestic, rolled into the grand courtyard. Nobles exited one by one, their presence commanding and meticulously composed. Lord Balthazar Raiken stepped out first, his silver cloak adorned with crimson that gleamed under the pale light of enchanted chandeliers. He moved with an air of cold confidence, his sharp gaze enough to silence whispers. Every step he took exuded the weight of old money and unshakable authority. Behind him, Lady Isolde Vaelmore descended gracefully, her golden gown flowing like liquid sunlight. A quiet murmur rippled through the crowd of nobles as her entrance demanded attention. Her every gesture was polished, every look deliberate, her beauty striking yet untouchable. Then came Sir Theon Aldrick, a man of both wealth and infamy. His purple attire was bold, a sharp contrast to the reserved tones of those before him. He smirked faintly as he strode into the hall, his presence brimming with a quiet arrogance that made others either look away or watch with caution. Meanwhile, in the squares of the Silverose Kingdom, the mood was a world apart. The magical screens shimmered, reflecting the noble arrivals to the captivated masses. Faces in the crowd lit up with excitement as they pointed at the screens, their voices rising in awe. "Look at that cloak! It must be worth a fortune." "She¡¯s like a pretty flower¡­ I¡¯ve never seen someone so beautiful." "Who¡¯s the man in purple? He looks dangerous." A child stood near the front, clutching his mother¡¯s hand, eyes wide as he stared at the glowing images. To the commoners, this was a spectacle, a dream-like moment that revealed the untouchable world of the elite. The procession paused as a gilded carriage bearing the insignia of House Barthes rolled into the courtyard. All eyes turned to Duke Ludwig Barthes as he stepped out, his sapphire cloak trimmed in gold shimmering under the enchanted lanterns. Barthes took his time descending, every movement slow and deliberate, as though choreographed for the audience both inside the palace and beyond. The magical screens transmitting the scene to the public squares across the Silverose Kingdom captured his grand display in vivid detail. The King¡¯s official approached, bowing deeply. "Your Grace, welcome. The banquet awaits your esteemed presence." Barthes offered a faint smile, his head tilting slightly upward. "Of course it does," he replied, his tone oozing with confidence. Instead of moving toward the entrance, he remained by his carriage, his sharp eyes scanning the gathering. "Magnificent architecture, as always," he mused aloud, as though the palace were a mere backdrop to his presence. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "And the turnout¡­ truly worthy of the occasion." The official hesitated, his smile tightening. "Indeed, Your Grace. If I might suggest¡ª" Barthes raised a hand, silencing him with an elegant wave. "Patience, my good man. Let the people see what strength and dignity look like." His gaze flicked briefly to the magical screens, where commoners in the public squares watched in awe and curiosity. "Is that the Duke Barthes? He looks even more imposing than the stories say." "Look at the way he carries himself¡­ as if the whole world is beneath him." "His boots probably cost more than my house," someone muttered with a dry chuckle. "Did you see that cloak? Pure sapphire weave! Only the richest nobles can afford that." "What a life. A man like him must never worry about a single meal," an older man said, shaking his head. Children pointed at the screen, tugging at their parents¡¯ sleeves. "Mama, why are they all bowing to him?" "Because, child," the mother replied with a faint smile, "men like him have power we can¡¯t even dream of." The awe was tinged with whispers of envy and frustration. "I wonder how much he paid to get that ¡¯respect,¡¯" a man in the back grumbled, only to be hushed by those around him. "He¡¯s just the first, though," another voice said, quieter. "I heard the Duchess is coming next. They say even the King keeps his distance from her." The murmurs grew softer as the commoners waited to see what would happen next, their eyes glued to the screens. Inside the courtyard, however, the tension among the King¡¯s aides was mounting. One official leaned toward another, voice hushed but urgent. "Why isn¡¯t he moving? He¡¯s delaying everything!" "I know," the other replied, glancing toward the gilded carriage still stationed behind Barthes. "If she arrives before he¡¯s inside¡­" The thought was left unspoken, but the weight of it was clear. The King himself would not tolerate disrespect toward the Duchess, let alone a delay caused by someone as self-absorbed as Barthes. The senior official took a discreet step forward, his tone firm but respectful. "Your Grace, the King awaits your presence, and it would be most fitting for you to honor his patience." Barthes turned to him, lips curving into a practiced smile. "Ah, but such moments are rare. Do not deprive the people of inspiration." Behind him, the faint sound of horses stirring broke the tension like a crack of thunder. The official¡¯s face drained of color as he glanced at the next carriage, its curtains drawn, its presence foreboding. He turned back to Barthes, bowing deeply again. "Your Grace, I insist¡ª" Barthes finally straightened, his demeanor unchanged, and strode toward the entrance, still leisurely but deliberate. The King¡¯s official exhaled quietly, his hands tightening behind his back, a subtle tension in his posture. Just as Barthes reached the threshold, the unmistakable sound of hooves clattering against stone echoed through the courtyard as the Lichtenstein carriage finally arrived. The massive emblem of the Lichtenstein House¡ªa phoenix surrounded by dark crimson flames¡ªstood proud on the side, gleaming like a jewel in the moonlight. It commanded attention, leaving no room for doubt that a figure of unparalleled power sat within. Inside the King¡¯s Castle, the tension was palpable. The officials, already sweating from the debacle caused by Duke Barthes, struggled to compose themselves. They had delayed the Duchess by five minutes¡ªa mistake they could only pray would not cost them more than their dignity. The door of the grand carriage opened, and the courtyard seemed to hold its breath. A single figure stepped out. Chapter 69: Who Is He? Duchess Eleanor Von Lichtenstein descended slowly, each step deliberate, the sound of her heels like a metronome ticking against the stone. Her black velvet gown trailed behind her, the flared sleeves swaying with her movements. A thin black veil covered her face, concealing her features, leaving the masses to speculate about the beauty hidden beneath. Her blonde hair shimmered faintly under the enchanted lights, falling in soft waves that framed her elegant figure. She stood there, perfectly poised, as if sculpted by an artisan¡¯s hands, her presence exuding a quiet yet overwhelming power. Even the air seemed to grow heavier, pressing against the officials and the onlookers alike. The magical screens displayed her figure across the Silverose Kingdom. In the bustling squares, the crowd fell silent for a moment before the murmurs began. "Is that¡­ her?" "She doesn¡¯t need to say a word. Just look at the way she stands." A child, eyes wide, tugged at his mother¡¯s sleeve. "Is she¡­ really one of them?" His mother, her voice soft but filled with awe, nodded. "Yes. That is true power." Nearby, an old man¡¯s whisper cut through the air, barely audible yet carrying weight. "They¡¯re finally here. The Lichtensteins. The ones who stand above us all..." "I thought Barthes was intimidating, but this¡­ this is entirely different." "She looks like she could command an army without raising her voice," someone whispered, their tone tinged with awe and a faint trace of fear. "What¡¯s with the veil? Is she hiding her face?" The murmurs grew, but none dared to criticize. It wasn¡¯t awe alone that silenced the crowd¡ªit was the instinctive understanding that they were witnessing something beyond their world. In the courtyard, the King¡¯s officials stiffened as the Duchess walked forward, each step measured, each movement oozing elegance and authority. "Your Grace," one official managed, his voice steady despite the sweat gathering at his temples. "The King awaits you." Eleanor didn¡¯t respond. She didn¡¯t need to. Her gaze¡ªor what they imagined of it behind the veil¡ªpassed over them like they were mere decorations. But then, just as the officials began to breathe a sigh of relief, Eleanor paused. Her veiled face tilted slightly, and then she turned¡ªcomposed, fluid, deliberate¡ªback toward the carriage. The officials froze. "What is she doing?" one of them whispered, his voice barely audible over the tension thick in the air. Eleanor raised a gloved hand and reached into the carriage. The gesture was calm, elegant, and deliberate. The officials¡¯ professionalism slipped. Their minds raced, barely able to process what they were seeing. "She¡¯s¡­ she¡¯s waiting for someone?" In the public squares, the crowd watching the screens erupted into hushed speculation. "There¡¯s someone else in the carriage?" "Who could it be?" "No one of lesser status would dare delay the Duchess." "Who could make her do this?" The atmosphere was electric, filled with unspoken questions and mounting anticipation. All eyes remained locked on the screen, waiting to see who would emerge and what power they must wield to have the Duchess of Lichtenstein extend her hand. The entire kingdom held its breath, caught in the web of intrigue spun by that single, decisive gesture. A similarly gloved hand appeared out of the carriage and held the Duchess¡¯ hand. Coming out of the carriage was a young man in a midnight blue suit, donning a thin frame. As he stepped down onto the stone, the astonished awes went quiet. Standing beside his mother, if it wasn¡¯t for his shoes having some elevation to them, Julien would have appeared really short. Right now he reached her shoulder, and appeared totally like a teenage boy. His mask hid his face, but his youthful appearance could still be felt by the masses. Eleanor interlocked her fingers with her son¡¯s and without saying a word more, began walking towards the palace gracefully. Her maid, Sophie, stepped out next. Dressed in an elegant gown and a mask, her presence was quiet and unassuming, overshadowed by her mistress¡¯s majesty, but no less precise. Behind her, another carriage arrived, from which Jackie and Amelia emerged. The boy was dressed in an elegant black suit, appearing cute and refined, while the nun wore a pristine red priestess robe, adorned with intricate black lace details and a black lace blindfold. Their presence, like Sophie¡¯s, was subdued before Eleanor and Julien, but the common folk caught fleeting glimpses of them and their curiosity piqued. None could see their faces, and many felt it was a great pity. Still, the onlookers appreciated the rare spectacle they were allowed to witness. The stiffened bodies of the King¡¯s officials finally relaxed when the Duchess entered the castle. Whose hand she was holding and who accompanied her remained a mystery, but they couldn¡¯t have cared less. All that occupied their minds was the relief of avoiding punishment from the Duchess for the delay they had caused. ¡­.. The ballroom was lavish, filled with soft music and the aroma of freshly baked assorted breads and wine. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Tables were arranged according to the hierarchy of the noble houses, with the Dukes seated closest to the stage at the far end of the ballroom. The nobles sat at their respective tables, awaiting the King¡¯s entry. There was still some time before that, so the nobles chattered amongst themselves, occasionally stealing glances at the table nearest to the stage, where a lady in gothic robes and a veil sat alongside her house officials. This was the Duchess of Ravenwood, Eleanor Von Lichtenstein. Everything about her exuded regality and elegance. As they observed her, a singular question lingered in everyone¡¯s minds: Who is the boy beside her? The boy¡¯s facial features were concealed, his mask obscuring any details. Only his stature and body language were visible, forcing the onlookers to strain in an effort to discern anything further. So far, no one had succeeded. The boy in question remained stoic, minding his own business. He neither spoke to anyone nor drew anyone¡¯s attention to him. The Lichtenstein House¡¯s table was silent and reserved, as unapproachable as ever. "Are the rumors true, Maxim?" Duke Barthes, slowly swirling a cup of wine in his hand nonchalantly asked his aide. Standing behind the man and overlooking the Duchess¡¯ table, the slender and old aide said in a soft whisper, "They seem to be true, sire." "Hmm¡­" Duke Barthes rubbed his well trimmed gray stubble and went in deep thought. "If they are true, then we are in for a surprise for sure." "We¡¯ll know about it soon." The aide replied, looking at the silent Duchess and then at the empty stage in front of them. The corner of Duke Barthes¡¯s lips curved up as he absentmindedly stared at his swirling wine, anticipating the upcoming events. Chapter 70: King Alderman Vanderbilt The grand double doors of the ballroom swung open and the tantalizing tone of the trumpets filled the air as King Alderman Vanderbilt made his way to the ballroom with his entourage. His crimson and gold robes flowed gracefully while the gemstones on his crown shimmered in the chandelier¡¯s light. His sharp features exuded authority and approachability in equal measure. With measured steps, he began his walk down the central aisle, past rows of round tables, where the nobles rose one by one to greet him. Julien looked at the sophisticated middle-aged man with interest. He exuded a regal aura and the surroundings that were filled with subservience from the nobles only added to his majesty. The chattering crowd had gone quiet after the King¡¯s entry and what remained were low murmurs. Julien turned to look at his mother, wondering whether she had anything to say about this. Noticing her son¡¯s gaze, under the table, Eleanor interlocked her fingers with Julien¡¯s and gestured him to not look around. She knew he was a curious boy, but now wasn¡¯t the time for him to satiate his curiosity. Julien gave her a slight nod and took hold of the teacup in front of him, sipping on some refreshing black tea. "Your Majesty," came the greetings in hushed yet reverent tones. The King stopped by Sir Theon Aldrick, a tall, broad-shouldered man with piercing blue eyes. Dressed in a purple suit adorned with golden embroidery on the cuffs, Theon¡¯s posture was composed yet powerful. His short-cropped hair and the faint shadow of a beard framed his chiseled face. "Sir Theon," the King greeted, his tone warm. "It¡¯s good to see you. How fares the eastern frontier?" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Stable, Your Majesty," Theon replied with a nod. "The reports indicate continued peace." "Good," the King said, resting a hand briefly on Theon¡¯s shoulder before moving on. Next, he approached Countess Isolde Vaelmore. Rising elegantly from her chair, Isolde¡¯s golden gown shimmered under the light, the delicate fabric emphasizing her refined stature. Her auburn hair was pinned into an intricate updo, and her emerald-green eyes held a sharp intelligence. She greeted the King with a soft smile. "Your Majesty," she said, her voice like a well-tuned instrument. "Countess Vaelmore," the King replied, inclining his head. "How fares the western provinces under your watch?" "Thriving, Your Majesty," she answered, her tone composed. "The merchant guilds are pleased with the recent policies." "Excellent to hear," the King remarked, his smile deepening before continuing his journey. Further down the aisle stood Lord Balthazar Raiken. Towering over most in the room, his silver cloak adorned with crimson embroidery lent him a commanding presence. The faint silver streaks in his hair and the scar running across his cheek only added to his rugged appearance. His intense gaze softened as he bowed. "Your Majesty," Balthazar said with a hoarse and rough voice. "Lord Raiken," the King acknowledged. "Your insights during the council sessions remain invaluable." "It is an honor to serve, Sire," Balthazar replied, his bow deepening slightly. The King nodded before continuing towards the dukes¡¯ section near the stage. As he neared Duke Ludwig Barthes, the joyous man dressed in sapphire and gold, the King extended his hand. "Duke Barthes," the King greeted warmly. "Your Majesty," Ludwig replied, rising with a respectful bow. His flowing hair framed a face lined with age and wisdom, his eyes gleaming with a sharp pride. The King clasped his hand briefly and shared a few quiet words. As his conversation with Duke Barthes came to an end, rhythmic heartbeats of the onlookers reverberated in anticipation as they waited for his next move. What will the King do now? How will he talk to the House of Lichtenstein members? Are these guys really as mysterious as the rumors say or are they just pretending? Are they really more powerful than the King? Many questions popped in everyone¡¯s head¡ªthe answers to which they couldn¡¯t guess in any way whatsoever. Julien could feel the stares on him and for the first time in his life, he was such a major center of attention. King Alderman finished his conversation with Duke Barthes and took slow strides toward Duchess Eleanor¡¯s table. The Duchess was calmly sipping on tea, unbothered as always. Around her, Amelia, Jackie, and Sophie too did the same thing and remained unfazed while Julien was trying his best to suppress his curiosity and not look around. Tip. Tap. Tip. Tap. Only the King¡¯s heeled shoes hitting the floor was heard for a moment as he walked towards the Duchess table. It shot up the onlookers¡¯ anxiety and further made them restless. Just like the rest, even Duke Barthes was clutching firmly onto the armrest of his seat. The King finally reached the Duchess¡¯s table¡­ The Duchess did not get up. Neither did she spare him a glance. The onlookers began breathing heavily. Duke Barthes gripped the armrest tighter and made a few cracks appear in it. The King turned to look at the Duchess. She did not get up from her seat. Nobody from the House of Lichtenstein did. The atmosphere within the room turned cold and made the onlookers¡¯ scalp tingle. *Clink* Duchess Eleanor put her cup down on the ceramic saucer. Her serene blue eyes glanced at the man in front. Alderman Vanderbilt, the 17th most powerful Player in the world and King of the Silverose Kingdom. He was a man with enough strength to defeat an army. A prestigious figure of the world without whom clearing higher levels of the Tower was not possible. Such a man, Such a man was nothing but a speck of dust in the eyes of the veiled blonde woman. King Alderman gave the Duchess a slight nod. Without saying another word, he walked away and got onto the ballroom¡¯s stage. Everyone had their jaws dropped on the floor in shock and couldn¡¯t believe what they had just seen. The interaction with the Duchess lasted no more than a few seconds. All the King did was nod and leave. The Duchess didn¡¯t even make any gesture, other than looking at the King. Duke Barthes almost broke the armrest of his chair. The scene he looked at was too scary. Others weren¡¯t of his level and couldn¡¯t perceive it, but he had clearly felt the Duchess¡¯s aura when she placed her teacup down and glanced at the King. Like him, even Julien felt a strange change in his mother¡¯s aura. Usually, she seemed like a beautiful water lily, but right now, her aura was that of dark red roses with sharp thorns. It was scary and unsettling, not that Julien was worried about it since it wasn¡¯t directed at him. When the King settled down, he began giving a hearty speech to the nobles in the ballroom. It was as if nothing had happened. The tense nobles were starting to loosen up after hearing his pleasant voice despite the strong impression of the Duchess lingering in their minds. In a few minutes, the ballroom became lively and it was as if nothing had happened a while ago. Julien could feel people look away from him and busy themselves in useless conversations. Beside him, his mother¡¯s aura now seemed like a pleasant jasmine. Feeling her son¡¯s gaze, Eleanor turned to look at Julien and found his deep blue eyes, the ones he inherited from her, staring at her intently. She smiled softly and rubbed the back of his hand. "Are you comfortable?" Julien raised his eyebrows in surprise, looking at the sudden change. His mother now shone brightly like a sunflower basking in the sunlight. He nodded his head slightly and said, "Yes." He wasn¡¯t allowed to speak much or do much. This was the most he could do to appear like a mysterious noble. Eleanor nodded back at him and went back to sipping her tea quietly. Julien then narrowed his eyes and thought to himself, ¡¯My mother has a few screws loose.¡¯ It may appear out of the blue, but many thoughts were put behind this one sentence. Firstly, this strange lady did a lot of abnormal deeds that were truly normal in her eyes. Secondly, didn¡¯t she just milk him before coming here? She was so cold and haughty here, even Julien felt chills. But knowing the thing that had happened a while ago, he really couldn¡¯t take her seriously. It wasn¡¯t wrong of him to think in this way, and if he tried to make more sense of the situation, he was sure to get a stroke. Shaking away the useless thoughts, Julien decided to focus on the important things. Since he had all the notifications silenced, he didn¡¯t know what he gained from doing all the lustful deeds. Taking the cup of tea in his hand, Julien thought, ¡¯Open stats panel.¡¯ Chapter 71: Amelia’s Profile + [General Stats] Name: Julien Von Lichtenstein Title: Defender of the Damned Rank: 1 S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Level: 21 XP: 2732/58,247 [Attributes] Health: 190 Essence: 2011 Strength: 387 Agility: 223 Endurance: 715 Intelligence: 47 Charm: 19 (+31) Luck: N/A [Arcana Cards: (3/3)] Slot #1: Flame Poke(common) Slot #2: ¡ª Slot #3: Stone Wall(Uncommon) [Trait] -Reluctant Slayer: +5% damage to enemies when Health is below 50%. -Unyielding Will: 2x boost to all stats when Health drops below 30. ?new? [Items] (Common) -Spectral Lens: Allows the wearer to see invisible entities, detect illusions, and reveal hidden traps or secret doors. (Uncommon) -Shadow Cloak of Eclipsia: Grants invisibility when in darkness or shadows, perfect for stealth missions. Provides a slight increase in agility. -Ghoulbane Sword: A sword infused with the essence of slain ghouls, it deals increased damage to undead creatures and has a chance to paralyze enemies. (Rare) -Sword of the Demonic Hero(broken, enchanted): A sword with unmatched sharpness. Deals bonus damage to cursed entities. -Veil of Eternal Night: Creates an area of total darkness that only the user can see through. Lasts for 10 minutes. Can be used once per day. (Others) -Memo of Valthor -Enchanted Compass [Achievements] -Savior of the Plagued Town -Ghoul Slayer + ¡¯Not this one¡­¡¯ Julien made an error, forgetting that he possessed two system interfaces instead of one. ¡¯Open Lust panel¡­¡¯ [Opening¡­] + [General Stats] [Inventory] [Shop] (Select one to proceed.) + ¡¯General stats¡­¡¯ thought Julien. + Name: Julien Von Lichtenstein Path: Eternal?Lust Points: 9,221 Buffs: -[All points will be multiplied by 10 if the partner is a virgin!] -[All points will be multiplied by 20 if the partner is blood related!] -[All points will be multiplied by 30 if the partner is a virgin blood related!] Skills: -[Favorability Meter] -[Profile Appraisal] Favorability: -Eleanor Von Lichtenstein: Too high -Sophie: 100 -Jackie: 77 -Amelia: 79 + Julien raised his eyebrows in surprise. ¡¯That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s a lot of points¡­¡¯ The stingy system only gave around ten points for the quests, and to think he amassed over 9000 points in one night¡­ It sure was unbelievable. Though, it made sense. He had a lot of buffs as evident in the system panel, and he was glad that he turned off the notifications or else it would¡¯ve kept buzzing in his head. Other than that, he was amused to find out his mother¡¯s maid Sophie possessing such high favorability for him. He hadn¡¯t had much interaction with her and yet such was the case. Jackie and Amelia¡¯s meter made sense. It was borderline high, and it should go further up the more they worked together in the Tower. ¡¯Now¡­ I think I should exchange the points for items.¡¯ There was a shop menu in the Lust Interface and it didn¡¯t take a genius to know what the points were available for. ¡¯Open shop menu¡­¡¯ + [Shop - offline] -Common- Whip: 50p Handcuff: 50p Buttplug(S/M/L/XL): 50p Ball gag: 50p Pearl buttplug(3/9/12): 100p -Uncommon- Seduction Potion(man): 100p Seduction Potion(woman): 1000p Sedation Potion: 1000p Mind Control Potion(5 minutes): 1000p Mind Control Potion(10 minutes): 1500p -Rare- Love Binder Pill: 10,000p -Legendary- Art of Eight Limbs: 100,000p Kama Sutra: 1,000,000p Yin-Yang Vajra Sutra: 1,000,000p -Forbidden- Succubus Summon(Lv.99): 10,000,000p (Click on an item to know more.) -Note- (More items will be added with each level up.) (Legendary and Forbidden items refresh every 180 days.) + ¡¯¡­¡¯ Julien was speechless. ¡¯What the fuck?¡¯ What was this scam shop? The prices for useless things were dirt cheap whereas the ones for good items were exorbitant. Not to mention, they also had a time limit. Julien felt a headache from watching the prices and the points he possessed. Most of the items in the system were related to sexual activities, of which he barely had any use for now. ¡¯There¡¯s mind control potion too¡­¡¯ ¡¯Do I look like some hentai protagonist that needs such stuff? What cliche porn plot is this system trying to force me into?¡¯ Julien wondered whether the existence of such dumb items had to do with his bad luck or was it because of El? She gave him this system pack, so she could be the reason too. Whatever the case be, Julien didn¡¯t want to stress his brain to buy something. He anyway didn¡¯t have the needed points. Fiddling with the Lust Interface some more, Julien found that the Legendary items were all martial arts and that this was an offline shop, meaning there was an online shop too. ¡¯Show me the online shop,¡¯ Julien thought. [¡ªAccess Denied.] [Online shop functionality is currently locked.] [Requirement: Player must reach Rank 3 to unlock.] [Current Rank: 1] ¡¯Oh¡­ now that¡¯s interesting¡­¡¯ If there was a rank requirement then it definitely meant there would be better items available. But to reach that rank, he didn¡¯t know how many levels he had to cross. ¡¯I guess for now, I¡¯ll accumulate points and buy one of those Legendary items.¡¯ To accumulate points, Julien would need to¡­ ¡¯Ahem¡­¡¯ A slight blush formed on Julien¡¯s face as a barrage of unholy scenarios rammed through his mind. ¡¯¡­this isn¡¯t the right time to think of all those things.¡¯ His mother had already done the best she could to calm him down. If he got riled up again, he was sure that she would give him a good scolding. ¡¯Though the scolding would come with some excellent after-care rewards¡­¡¯ The blush on Julien¡¯s face deepened. After indulging in his wild fantasies momentarily, Julien snapped back to reality and focused on the important things on hand. ¡¯Right¡­ the important thing right now for me is to do a profile check.¡¯ It had been one of Julien¡¯s goals when he got that skill. He tested the skill on his mother and it came out well, giving him a lot more info on her than what he could gather by himself. Julien had plans to test this skill on Jackie and Amelia this very morning, but he didn¡¯t get the opportunity until now. What causes the two to suddenly get together with him in the trials? And what exactly did he do to gain such a level of favorability from them was a mystery he wanted to solve. Other than that, he also wanted to understand them better at a deeper level because they were his closest aides. Holding the teacup, Julien stared at the still blue-colored tea and had a small sip of it. The refreshing taste of orchids spread on his palate and warmed his throat, calming his nerves and clearing his mind. ¡¯Show me Amelia¡¯s profile¡­¡¯ [Analyzing¡­] + Name: Amelia Path: Healer/Priestess Favorability: 79 Personal info: It¡¯s God above all for her, and then it¡¯s her Master. Loves children. Loves the black tea of Lichtenstein House. Loves the rye bread with butter of the Lichtenstein House. Loves the shortcake of the Lichtenstein House. Is a gifted scholar. Is blind due to a curse. Was exiled from her church. Has a powerful ability. Is a pure, virgin maiden. Lacks the knowledge on sex. Still believes that children are born due to the grace of god. Is looking forward to her new life as a Priestess of the Lichtenstein House. Is looking forward to being the incarnation of the constellation Demonic Inquisitor. + Julien¡¯s brain instantly processed the information and focused on the important bits. ¡¯Blind due to a curse? Exiled from her church?¡¯ ¡¯What in the world¡­¡¯ What did this innocent nun, who wouldn¡¯t even hurt an ant, do to get cursed and exiled? Julien looked at the blonde nun seated opposite to him, nibbling on a piece of garlic bread, and wondered what her background was to have such an unusual profile. ¡¯Well¡­ we all have our secrets, I guess¡­¡¯ Julien wasn¡¯t nosy to pry into someone¡¯s past. He looked at the past as a thing that shaped one¡¯s present. And judging from Amelia¡¯s present personality and behavior, she was definitely someone reliable and one who wouldn¡¯t cause any trouble. Her favorability was also quite high, so there shouldn¡¯t be any reason for her to backstab him. ¡¯But, I definitely have to get ready. It wouldn¡¯t be fitting of me as a Master if I can¡¯t cure her eyes and help her solve her past troubles.¡¯ After thinking along these lines for some more, Julien¡¯s attention then shifted to the killer butler beside the nun. The lad was sitting reservedly and eating a sweet chocolate muffin. ¡¯Appraise Jackie¡­¡¯ ¡­.. Chapter 72: Jackie’s Profile [Appraising¡­] Julien looked at the boy in a black suit and mask as the system did a profile check on it. [¡­Appraisal complete.] + Name: Jacqueline Lex Vicross Path: Spiritualist/Assassin Favorability: 77 Personal info: Likes warm cookies with milk but will never eat it in front of anyone. Likes taking a bath and combing hair. Is hiding her gender. Was almost killed in a political feud. Lost both parents. Lost her family. Is on the run. Finds Julien Von Lichtenstein reliable. Finds the House of Lichtenstein warm. Feels nostalgic in the House of Lichtenstein. Has cried twice in seclusion since entering Lichtenstein Castle. Cannot be her real self until her goal is achieved. Is a virgin. Doesn¡¯t know anything about sex. Is a killer through and through. Massacred multiple monsters in the Floor 0 trials. Doesn¡¯t know Julien Von Lichtenstein fully, hence cannot place her trust completely. However, is grateful for helping her choose the right constellation and saving her life in the trial. Fears Eleanor Von Lichtenstein. Immediate goal is to find what remains of her family. The current setting irks her. Is controlling her bloodlust to kill the nobles in the room. + *PFFTTT¡ª!* "Cough! Cough! Cough!" Julien spat out his tea and began coughing aggressively. "Oh my, are you alright, honey?" Eleanor quickly put a transparent barrier around them and patted Julien¡¯s back. The barrier showed visuals of a few minutes ago where they weren¡¯t drinking tea and sitting quietly with their faces covered. "Cough¡ªI¡¯m al¡ªcough¡ªright." "Don¡¯t speak." Eleanor rubbed his back and helped him drink some water. "Are you okay, Master?" Jackie asked with concern. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Do you need healing?" Amelia asked. "I¡¯m fine¡­" Julien wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and stopped coughing. "You should be more careful when handling hot beverages, my dear." The concerned Duchess stated and shook her head. "Yes. My apologies." Julien nodded in agreement. Eleanor helped Julien wear his mask again and then took off the barrier she erected. Calm now, Julien once again looked at the pink-black system screen. This time, he wasn¡¯t going to be as shocked¡­ ¡¯JACKIE IS A GIRL!?!?¡¯ ¡­or so he thought. Julien stole glances at the beautiful butler seated opposite to him. Dark orange hair, bright orange eyes¡­ a small frame¡­ ¡¯No wonder¡­ no wonder I kept thinking he, no she, was quite cute. So she is in fact a girl and not a boy¡­¡¯ For a while, Julien had questioned his own sexuality due to Jackie. This guy was too cute to not get attracted to. ¡¯I am thankfully not attracted to boys¡­¡¯ Julien was almost on the verge of tears. ¡¯Anyway, now is not the time to think about Jackie¡¯s beauty. Rather¡­ What¡¯s with Jackie¡¯s past?¡¯ First Amelia and now Jackie. Both seemed to have a troublesome past and seemed exactly like the type of people who would invite disaster. Julien wasn¡¯t fazed by this revelation at the very least. His bad luck was bound to attract problems for him in one way or the other. The only way to go about this was to solve these problems and not get tangled in them. Julien wanted to rub his temples and sigh. This was so much work that it wasn¡¯t even funny anymore. ¡¯Jackie, Amelia¡­. Both of them are my companions. It¡¯s my duty to look after them.¡¯ Julien fell silent, contemplating over the thoughts he just had. ¡¯Duty huh¡­¡¯ Julien fiddled with the teacup on the saucer. In the blink of an eye, so much had happened. From being an abandoned child scavenging for food in trash cans to now taking responsibility of the people he barely even knew for a month¡­ he sure had come a long way. Julien¡¯s somber mood was felt by everyone around the table. Being his mother, Eleanor naturally wanted to ask what was bothering him, but held back from doing so. Always helping one¡¯s child during times of trouble would actually hinder their growth. Thus, sometimes, they were better off to fight their own battles. If her baby needed help, she was always there for him. He just had to ask. Unaware of his mother¡¯s thoughts, Julien kept thinking about Jackie. This lad, no, this lass, how was he supposed to go about interacting with her now? Julien glanced at Jackie as he thought so. [Ding!] [Obtained ¡ª 10x multiplier!] [All points will be multiplied by 10 if the Player indulges in lustful deeds with the androgynous beauty.] ¡¯¡­¡¯ What the fuck? Why was this system so stupid? Why did it only detect things whenever it felt convenient and not when Julien actually came across someone? For example, it could¡¯ve immediately stated that Julien would get a multiplier when he appraised Jackie. But no, it waited until now. ¡¯If that¡¯s the case, will it¡­¡¯ Julien shifted his gaze to the nun in red priestess outfit. [Ding!] [Obtained ¡ª 5x multiplier!] [All points will be multiplied by 5 if the Player indulges in lustful deeds with the holy nun.] ¡¯Haah¡­ this dumbass system¡­¡¯ Julien gave up trying to understand the system. The system reflected the maker¡¯s personality and knowing what type of person El was, this system was bound to give him some more trouble in future. "¡­and now, ladies and gentlemen, please head over to the courtyard upstairs for the cake cutting ceremony." A voice pulled Julien out of his stupor. Turning towards the stage, he found there to be a different man than the King who was asking everyone to go upstairs. ¡¯Right¡­ This banquet was held to declare the new Crown Prince.¡¯ Julien turned to Eleanor. "Shall we go too?" Eleanor nodded. "We¡¯ll be the first to move upstairs. Just wait until the officials arrive. As she had stated, the King¡¯s officials did arrive moments later after the announcement and took the Lichtenstein House¡¯s members upstairs. There were no chairs there. It was an open terrace courtyard in the middle of which was a stage where nobody stood yet. The King and his family were already here, surrounded by a few guards. More guards were around the courtyard, some in hiding and some in disguise. Though, none of them glanced at the Lichtensteins as a show of respect. Julien could see the King and his family members in the center. They were chatting and minding their own business, not approaching him or his family. It was sort of weird to look at this dynamic. All the anime he had watched, all the mangas and novels he had read, and all the games he had played, all stated how social nobles from aristocratic settings were. Julien wondered what his family¡¯s goal was to come to this banquet if they didn¡¯t want to socialize. Shortly after, many more nobles arrived and gathered around the Royal Family to converse. The Lichtenstein House had no interest in conversing with them and stayed in a corner, watching the folks with drinks in their hands. "What was the point of coming here, mom?" Julien looked up at Eleanor and asked. Eleanor sipped the red wine in her hand and said with a sigh, "If we don¡¯t, these guys will think that we are weak and cause trouble. When that happens, I might not be able to hold back." Julien raised his eyebrow in surprise. Jackie and Amelia, standing beside him, were also as surprised, looking at the Duchess with interest. Eleanor shook her head and continued, "It¡¯s a long story. And a boring one at that." "What¡¯s¡­" Julien was about to ask more but stopped himself from speaking when he saw a middle-aged noble and his wife approach them. Eleanor stopped speaking as well and stared at the incoming couple. "Duchess Eleanor, what a pleasure to see you here!" The man said and made some small talk. The gathering on the rooftop was different from that in the ballroom. There were no tables or chairs here. No standing or seating arrangement. Anyone could stand anywhere they wanted, and was done with the purpose that the nobles would be able to freely communicate with each other. The Lichtenstein House couldn¡¯t avoid the approaching nobles even if they wanted to. In the King¡¯s Palace, all forms of conflicts were strictly forbidden. Causing any trouble would result in severe punishment. The nobles, confident that the Lichtensteins would at least give the King face and follow the rules he had set, thus approached them without fear or hesitation. Eleanor returned the greeting with a nod and stayed silent, hinting to the nobles that she wasn¡¯t interested in this small talk. "Thank you for keeping us safe at the borders and always being on the frontlines." The noble man said with a smile and his wife bowed slightly along with him. Eleanor once again gave them a nod and didn¡¯t speak. The noble man said a few more words and finding the lack of words disappointing, took the hint and left. After he was gone came another noble, repeating a similar set of words. There was a youngster with him, sneaking glances at Julien, the butler Jackie, the priestess Amelia, and the maid Sophie as if he was looking at something out of this world. Julien got a firsthand experience of how shameless the nobles were. And his mother was right, it was definitely better to not mingle with them. He would only slow himself down in useless politics and not be able to climb the Tower. "¡­then, we wish the Duchess a pleasant night." The family left after saying so. In came another set of folks wanting to have a conversation with the Duchess right after them. Eleanor was getting annoyed now, but held back from lashing onto these people and creating a scene. She wanted to have her son experience social gatherings and acted like a proper noble for once. "Our sincerest greetings to the Duchess." The newly arrived nobles stated. Eleanor greeted them back and once again began a round of useless conversations. This went on for a while and the nobles kept coming in and saying the same thing, until finally¡­ A tall, blonde boy, appearing to be in his early 20s, walked towards them while buttoning his pristine blue suit¡¯s button. "Yo, Duchess¡­!" Chapter 73: Katherine "Yo, Duchess¡­!" The unexpected intrusion of the blonde noble startled the Lichtenstein family, even catching Eleanor slightly off guard. With an air of audacity, he strolled forward and clinked his wine glass against Eleanor¡¯s without so much as asking for her permission. Julien watched the boy with raised eyebrows whereas Jackie, Amelia, and Sophie were in complete shock. Julien regarded the boy with raised eyebrows, his expression unreadable, while Jackie, Amelia, and Sophie let out soft gasps. Eleanor, however, exuded an unshakable calm, though the atmosphere around her had grown unmistakably frigid. Sensing the brewing storm, the surrounding nobles wisely dispersed, finally grasping the unspoken warning that the Duchess had no desire for company. When all eyes had finally turned away, the Duchess fixed her gaze on the boy, her expression sharp and dangerous. In a voice as soft as silk yet heavy with threat, she said, "You have five seconds." Her intent was clear, unmistakable even to the dimmest of minds. But¡­ "Huhuhu¡­ five seconds for what?" the boy replied with a smirk, stepping closer. To Julien¡¯s astonishment, he boldly placed a hand on the Duchess¡¯s waist and even dared to wink at her. Julien¡¯s eyes widened to the size of saucers as his thoughts spiraled. ¡¯Shit! Did my bad luck summon one of those brain-dead nobles who don¡¯t know the immensity of heaven and earth, like in those novels?¡¯ ¡¯Watching someone get torn apart live was definitely not on today¡¯s agenda¡­¡¯ His heartbeat quickened, and a faint anxiety crept in as he braced himself for the boy¡¯s imminent doom. To his utter surprise, however, the expected retribution did not immediately come. Instead, he grew bolder, wrapping his arms around his mother in a hug, his sharp blue eyes locking onto Julien over her shoulder¡ªlike a predator fixating on its prey. ¡¯Huh?¡¯ Julien was caught off guard, his brow furrowing in confusion. Noticing the wrongful intent aimed at his Master, Jackie¡¯s gaze turned murderous, his aura flaring with barely restrained fury. Amelia stepped in front of Julien too, ready to shield him from any unforeseen threat. Only Sophie remained still, watching silently, her demeanor as calm as a bystander¡¯s. Amused by the expressions on Julien¡¯s face and the reactions of his companions, the boy¡¯s lips curled into a smirk. "So, he¡¯s got friends, huh?" he murmured, his voice just loud enough to carry to those nearby. Eleanor caught the whisper, her expression unreadable. Yet, instead of pushing the boy away, she raised a hand and cast a shimmering barrier around them, isolating their group from the rest of the gathering. Now, whatever happened within the barrier would remain unseen by the outside world. For unknown reasons, the noble knew of this barrier. And knowing he had a free reign to do whatever he wanted, he firstly caressed Eleanor¡¯s back, agitating Julien. Julien controlled himself from bursting out. His mind was rational and he thought, ¡¯Calm down. My mother and my family has a history of avoiding males completely. I¡¯m the first male they¡¯ve been in close contact with, so¡­ if that bastard is able to do that, it¡¯s purely because mom let him do so.¡¯ Julien squinted his eyes. ¡¯The question now is, why did she let him do it? What¡¯s going on? Do the two know each other?¡¯ Julien¡¯s agitated state was gone and the blonde boy could feel it. Fascinated, he smiled softly and commented in Eleanor¡¯s ears, "That¡¯s quite the change I¡¯m looking at¡­" Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Julien and the rest heard it, but nobody was able to decipher what the boy meant. "You, boy, don¡¯t you know it¡¯s rude to stare at someone like this?" The boy then commented, not breaking the hug with Eleanor. Julien was taken aback once again. This man started a conversation with him? Out of nowhere? And that too while hugging his mother? What the actual fuck was happening here!? Julien decided it was time to step in. He had no idea why his mother was not pushing him, but he couldn¡¯t just stand still and watch. ¡¯Appraise profile¡­¡¯ [Analyzing¡­] [Appraisal complete!] + Name: Katherine Von Lichtenstein Path: Chaos Favorability: Too high Personal Info: Younger sister of Julien Von Lichtenstein. Loves family. Loves her older brother more due to his condition. Loves to pull pranks. Loves sushi of Floor 10. Loves sashimi made from freshly cut monsters. Loves grandma¡¯s raspberry pies. Loves the smell of blood. Hasn¡¯t gone a day without killing monsters or vile humans. The spear of Lichtenstein family. Dislikes being the youngest child. Dislikes her older sister¡¯s responsible behavior. Fears making her mother angry. Still does things to make her mother angry. Controls one-fourth of the nobles of Silverose Kingdom. Virgin. Never had sex. Finds scandals of nobles interesting. Regularly masturbates and has an active sexual appetite. Sadistic and dominant. Lately curious about anal fingering and piercings. After hearing her big brother¡¯s awakening, left all work in the Tower to come see him. Is excited to meet her older brother. + ¡¯What?¡¯ ¡¯My younger sister?¡¯ Julien¡¯s mind cleared in an instant, his anxiety dissipating like a wisp of smoke. Only now did he fully grasp why his mother hadn¡¯t pushed the tall "boy" away. "Are you going to keep staring?" Katherine¡¯s voice cut through his thoughts, her tone sharp yet tinged with amusement. She remained draped over Eleanor, her piercing gaze still locked on Julien over their mother¡¯s shoulder. Julien snapped out of it and shook his head. "No." Without hesitation, he strode toward her, a mischievous glint in his eye. Much to Katherine¡¯s surprise, Julien wrapped his arms around their mother from behind, then casually looped them around Katherine¡¯s waist as well. "I¡¯ll join in the hug too." "Woaaah..." Katherine gasped, momentarily stunned. She couldn¡¯t imagine such a thing happening even in her wildest dreams. Her older brother who was so dormant was suddenly taking the initiative to do things! Even Eleanor was surprised and impressed by his wit. Katherine stepped back, breaking the embrace to take a proper look at her older brother. Her sharp blue eyes scanned him from head to toe, noting the subtle yet striking changes in his demeanor and presence. "There¡¯s so much life¡­ and color," she murmured, her voice tinged with wonder. "I still can¡¯t fathom the change." She had been deep within the Tower, tackling a critical hidden quest on Floor 26, when a message from her mother arrived. Eleanor¡¯s words had been brief but commanding: "Your brother has awakened. Return at once." Katherine knew her mother well enough to understand the weight of such a summons. Eleanor was not one to interrupt her children¡¯s pursuits unless it was absolutely necessary. Normally, she allowed them the freedom to roam and fulfill their endeavors, only requesting their presence once a month. Such leniency was rare for someone of her status. And yet, this time, Eleanor¡¯s tone left no room for delay. Now, standing before her brother, Katherine felt a wave of relief and gratitude. She was glad she had heeded the call without hesitation, making it back in time to witness this moment. Julien, standing before Katherine, turned his gaze to their mother and asked with a faux innocence, "Who is this, Mom? And why is this man hugging you?" Though he knew exactly who she was, Julien decided to play along, a faint smirk threatening to break his otherwise composed expression. Behind him, Jackie¡¯s patience was wearing thin. An unknown man¡ªor so she thought¡ªhad invaded their personal space, disrupting their moment of peace. Her hand hovered near her weapon, but she held back, waiting for her Master¡¯s command. Amelia, however, gently tugged on Jackie¡¯s sleeve, her sightless eyes staring straight ahead as though she could see more clearly than anyone else in the room. The blind, excommunicated nun seemed to sense something Jackie couldn¡¯t¡ªa connection between Julien, Katherine, and Eleanor that ran deeper than appearances suggested. Eleanor, unfazed by her daughter¡¯s antics, simply watched the exchange with calm amusement. Katherine¡¯s pranks were nothing new to her, though this might very well be the first time Julien had fallen into one of her schemes. Eleanor felt she should step in and clear things up before things got unnecessarily messy, but before she could say a word, Katherine took the lead. She walked up to Julien, placing a hand on his shoulder, and bent down to meet his gaze with a sly smile. "You don¡¯t know me? Hoh¡­ really?" Without waiting for a reply, Katherine moved past him, wrapping an arm around Eleanor¡¯s shoulders and pulling her into a casual side hug. She glanced back at Julien, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief, and declared, "I¡¯m your mom¡¯s lover." "¡­" Julien¡¯s expression remained unchanging¡ªno shock, no surprise¡ªjust an air of quiet disappointment. ¡¯That¡¯s it?¡¯ He thought. ¡¯She could¡¯ve done better than that.¡¯ Katherine raised an eyebrow at his reaction, while Eleanor stifled a chuckle. ¡¯He isn¡¯t surprised?¡¯ ¡¯He isn¡¯t surprised.¡¯ The two blondes exchanged an amused glance, their thoughts perfectly aligned in that moment. Katherine raised an eyebrow and leaned closer to Julien, her mischievous grin deepening. "Do you not believe me? Should I demonstrate¡ª" Before she could finish her sentence, a clear and commanding voice echoed across the rooftop, cutting through the atmosphere. "¡­Ladies and gentlemen, the stars of the evening¡­ the three princes are finally here¡­" The announcement drew everyone¡¯s attention. The subtle tension in the air shifted, and a murmur of anticipation rippled through the crowd. Katherine straightened, her playful demeanor giving way to mild curiosity as she exchanged a glance with Eleanor. Julien, however, let out a quiet sigh of relief, grateful for the sudden diversion. The nobles scattered across the rooftop began to adjust their posture, some whispering amongst themselves while others craned their necks toward the grand entrance, eager to catch the first glimpse of royalty. Chapter 74: Crown Prince Eleanor broke the barrier and had everything to return to normal. The Lichtenstein House continued to stand in a corner of the rooftop, away from the buzz that lay at the center. "¡­the Third Prince, Malkov Vanderbilt, has arrived." A handsome young boy clad in elegant blue robes walked up on the stage and stood beside the King after greeting him. He looked quite similar to the King, possessing the same facial features and exuding a similar regal aura. The rooftop filled with nobles erupted in loud cheers as they welcomed the Prince. In return, the Prince gave them a soft smile and waved his hand, acknowledging their excitement with an elegant nod. A while later. "¡­And now, we welcome His Royal Highness, the Second Prince, Vino Vanderbilt," the announcer¡¯s voice rang out, lifting the spirits of the gathered nobles even further. With a joyful grin, Vino Vanderbilt made his entrance. Clad in a rich crimson robe that shimmered under the soft lights, his light steps were full of life and cheer. The nobles could feel the warmth emanating from him as he made his way to the stage. His eyes sparkled with uncontainable enthusiasm as he waved at the crowd, his smile wide and infectious. The cheers from the nobles were filled with excitement, their admiration for the jovial prince palpable. Vino took his place beside King Alderman, offering a respectful nod before gesturing to the crowd with a final wave. "¡­And now, we present His Royal Highness, the First Prince, Levisky Vanderbilt," the announcer¡¯s voice rang out with solemnity, creating a noticeable shift in the atmosphere. A sharp contrast to the lively Vino, Levisky Vanderbilt, the eldest son of King Alderman, emerged with a solemn elegance. His attire was a deep, muted blue, decorated with intricate gold embroidery that only highlighted his aristocratic composure. He moved deliberate and controlled steps, exuding quiet dignity. His face, handsome yet austere, remained stoic as his piercing gaze scanned the crowd. The moment he stepped onto the stage, an uncomfortable silence fell over the nobles, as if his very presence demanded respect and distance. His expression remained unfaltering, giving off an air of cold authority. The nobles instinctively straightened up, unsure whether to greet him with their usual exuberance. The three princes stood side by side, each casting a different presence over the gathered crowd, as the King looked on solemnly. "Who do you think will be crowned?" Katherine leaned to the side and whispered to Eleanor, continuing to act like her lover and staying in character. Eleanor placed a finger in front of her veiled face and gestured to Katherine to be quiet. Julien, having not heard their conversation, turned to his mother and asked the same question. "Any idea on who will be crowned? And, are we supporting that said crown?" He wanted to know whether his family was going to make the King a proper puppet of themselves or would they continue to let them reign freely and be under them as a Duke house. Hearing his question, Katherine was surprised once again. It wasn¡¯t because of the question per se, but his interest in politics and his active participation in the conversation. To her, it still felt somewhat unreal that her older brother was now a normal person and perfectly healthy. Eleanor on the other hand was getting used to her awakened Julien. She turned to him and said in a low whisper, "We are not supporting anyone, my dear. We don¡¯t indulge in politics. As for who will be crowned, I believe it will be the Third Prince." As nobody was near them, it was fine for them to indulge in such sensitive conversations. Hearing such a reply from her mother, Katherine knitted her brows. ¡¯When I asked her, she shushed me. And when big brother did¡­ wow¡­ so she has a favorite child now?¡¯ Katherine gave Eleanor a rueful side-eye for the discrimination. Feeling her gaze, Eleanor turned to Katherine and asked, "What?" "Nothing." Katherine clicked her tongue and looked at the stage. Eleanor didn¡¯t quite get her daughter this time, but oh well, it didn¡¯t seem much of a big deal so she didn¡¯t bother asking her again. "It is my pleasure to tell you that¡­" The King began giving a speech. It was nothing noteworthy. Finally, he came to the important part. "¡­the Crown Prince¡­ my successor and heir to the Silverose Kingdom¡¯s throne¡­" The nobles were at the edge of their seats, anticipating the outcome. The King walked past the three Princes and finally stopped beside the Third Prince, Malkov. Raising his hand, he continued, "¡­it¡¯ll be the Third Prince, Malkov Vanderbilt." "Wooooo¡ª!" The crowd erupted in happy cheers and a joyous atmosphere spread on the rooftop. Julien had a look at the guy, then lost interest. He stared at the other two and found Vino, the Second Prince to be smiling happily and clapping slowly. The First Prince Levisky was also clapping slowly, but with an unfazed and gloomy expression. The actual banquet started after this announcement and when the crowning was done, the guests began talking to each other on the rooftop. The Crown Prince walked down the stage and talked to one noble after another. As his mother had stated, Julien soon got a lot of aristocratic ladies flocking towards him, wanting to strike a conversation and get him to know better. Simply by conversing with them, Julien could take them home and spend a night. Though, he didn¡¯t plan on doing that as he wasn¡¯t interested in any of the ladies here. None of them looked even half as good as his maid Sophie. Forget women, even Jackie who was pretending to be a guy looked much better than most ladies here. Julien was on the verge of questioning his sexuality when he found Jackie to be really cute. Thankfully, this lad wasn¡¯t actually a lad, so this was a safe territory to venture in. The Crown Prince eventually walked up to the Lichtenstein House. He was accompanied by the King¡¯s officials when conversing with most nobles, but when it came to the Lichtenstein, the King himself accompanied the Crown Prince to strike a conversation with the Duchess. It was nothing noteworthy once again. Simple pleasantries were exchanged between the Crown Prince and Sophie, who acted as the representative of the Lichtenstein House. Katherine, looking like a noble, was standing beside Eleanor and this raised many questions in everyone¡¯s head and further confused them. Katherine was repeating the House of Commons, an organization made up of heroes and champions who did not belong to any nobility. These guys represented the common folks and were an important part of the Silverose Kingdom. Sophie briefed Julien about this from the side, and he found this to be really ironic. An organization that was meant to be represented by the common folks was actually being represented by a noble. That too someone from a Duke house. Julien continued to stand still and watch whatever was happening with a disinterested look. Honestly, it was getting really boring. He really wanted to go home. "¡­the Crown Prince is still ignorant about the ways of the Lichtenstein House. I hope the Duchess can enlighten him¡­" Using the pretense of Malkov being ignorant, the King asked Eleanor for an introduction to the various members of the Lichtenstein House present here. It was shameless and Eleanor could completely see through it, but she didn¡¯t mind. She had something in mind and wanted for such a chain of events to take place. She slightly turned her head to the side and did a slight nod, gesturing to Sophie to come forward and do the deeds. Sophie took a step forward and said to the King and the Crown Prince, "Greetings from the Lichtenstein House." She began giving an introduction of the various members present here. "This is our Priestess." "This is our young master¡¯s butler." "This is our young master ¡ª Heir of the Lichtenstein Family." "I see¡­" the King gave a slight nod whereas the Crown Prince was silent. They may appear calm on the outside, but internally they thought: ¡¯WHAT!?¡¯ ¡¯WHAT DID SHE SAY!?!¡¯ ¡¯Heir? HEIR? HEIR!?!¡¯ The reason for their turmoil was the lack of information they had on the Lichtenstein¡¯s. As far as the King and the Crown Prince knew, the Duchess only had two daughters who were pretty active in the Tower and stayed clear from the political affairs of the Kingdom. They were rarely seen in events, but seen nonetheless. Both of them had seen both the daughters. However, it came as a major shock to the two to find out that the Duchess had a third child. That too, a male. The Lichtenstein had a history of being a female only family. How they reproduced or kept their lineage continuous was a mystery to all, but they knew one fact, and it was that they disliked men. How did this family have a male successor all of a sudden? The King felt his legs go numb from the sudden revelation. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If such an important thing was hidden from them for such a long time, what else was the Duchess hiding? How powerful was she even? What were the depths of her strength? The King did not dare think about it. Sweating and forcing his hands to stop trembling, the King flashed a polite smile and said, "I¡¯m pleased to meet the heir. Seeing how he and our Crown Prince are of similar age, I think they will make good friends. Do visit the Royal Palace in future, young man." The King then made the Crown Prince say a few pleasantries and hurried to finish the conversation, eventually leaving. Julien on the other hand wondered, ¡¯I am the heir?¡¯ Katherine on the other hand wondered, ¡¯Hoh¡­ he¡¯s already made the heir? Seems like my big bro displayed some of his strengths to mom. I wonder what they were¡­¡¯ ¡­.. A/N: There¡¯s deleted scenes uploaded on Patr**on of this and the past chapter. You should check them out. Chapter 75: Floor 1 It was a wrap to the banquet with Julien¡¯s introduction as the heir. Katherine did not show her true self and left after a small word with Julien. Elenor figured out from their interactions that Julien knew it was his sister and not some random man. There was no evidence backing it, she just made a smart assumption from Julien¡¯s body language. After some food and drinks, the Lichtenstein House left for the Ravenwood Duchy. Back home, Julien spent his day lazing around. Jackie and Amelia had nothing much to do as well and took their time to relax. The next morning, he was in a carriage once again, leaving for the Tower. Eleanor explained that everyone spent most of their time within the Tower as that was where they felt the most comfortable. Leveling up, getting the attention of Gods, getting money, fame from clearing floors, and so on were what made the life outside Tower appear boring. The Tower was also the answer to achieving immortality, and staying outside would just age people and have them die like a normal mortal. Eleanor stated that there was no need to stay outside the Tower and indulge in useless worldly affairs. However, she stayed there because of her mother and sister. These two did not want to climb the Tower anymore and refused to have a life inside. When Julien asked why was such the case, Eleanor replied that he will know it soon when he saw them. The two¡¯s chattering eventually came to an end as they stopped before a portal leading to the Tower¡¯s gates. A few Players could be seen coming in and out of the oval blue portal. It looked like a busy day today. Julien got off the carriage with his mother and joined Jackie and Amelia, who stood with Sophie. "Master¡­" "Master¡­" "Master¡­" Jackie and Amelia greeted Julien with a slight bow. Sophie greeted Eleanor with a similar short bow. Eleanor and Julien greeted them back, and Eleanor then asked, "You two, what do you plan to do inside?" Jackie thought before answering and said, "Try to find hidden quests and defeat lower level bosses." "Connect with God and walk the path they wish for us to walk." Amelia clasped her hands and stated. "Not bad¡­" Eleanor responded. Her son had found good team members who had a clear goal on what needs to be done instead of completely relying on him. "You should defeat all floor guardians if you can. They drop good rewards and maybe you could find a rare Arcana Card here and there." Jackie and Amelia nodded. "However, I believe you should focus more on leveling up and finding a proper guild for yourselves. You need more members for your team¡ªpeople who can help you clear the objectives you¡¯ve planned faster." One could not ascend to higher floors on their own. The Tower demanded teamwork, and it even gave a hint about it in the very first trials itself. Eleanor then turned to Julien. "I will not be with you at all times, my dear. You are a grown up and have to walk your path yourself. Make sure to form a good team. That way you can meet mommy on the higher floors." Being a mother, it was a tough decision to leave her innocent and vulnerable child out in the open. But Eleanor had to take this step as it was related to Julien¡¯s growth. Just as mother birds tremble with fear when their fledglings take their first flight, she knew that the young will never discover their wings unless they leap from the safety of the nest. "So are we parting ways here?" Julien asked the important question. "Yes. I will directly be teleported to the higher floors with Sophie. You will be sent to Floor 1." "Oh¡­" Julien understood. It seemed like one wouldn¡¯t be sent to Floor 0 every time they entered the portal. Eleanor took out a token from her pocket and handed it to Julien. "If you need any help, take this token to any of the Crimson Night Guild¡¯s branches and show them." It was a pitch black token with red engravings on it. Julien kept the token in his pocket and nodded in understanding. Eleanor then hugged him and kissed the top of his head. Rubbing his arms, she continued, "Make sure to stay safe, okay? Safety is your number one priority. Don¡¯t fall into any situation where escape is impossible. Always avoid conflict with other Players in safe zones." S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Julien nodded again while thinking, ¡¯It seems that there¡¯s safe areas in the Tower where I can¡¯t hurt anyone?¡¯ "Alright, go on. Mommy will enter after you." Eleanor broke the hug and gestured to Julien to leave. "See you later." Julien waved at his mother and entered the portal with Amelia and Jackie. "See you soon." Eleanor stared at him until he vanished from sight, eventually leaving with Sophie for Floor 37, the highest conquered floor of mortals of this world. ¡­.. Floor 1. [You are now live at Channel FI #29-771.] [Viewers: 1027] [You are now live at Channel JL #29-157.] [Viewers: 0] The system message immediately popped up in Julien¡¯s head as he arrived at the floor. [The constellation Light of Primordial One is looking at their incarnation.] [The constellation Demonic Inquisitor is looking at their incarnation.] [The constellation ¡¯Sovereign of Shadows¡¯ makes a brief appearance.] [The constellation ¡¯Eternal Flame of the Sky¡¯ makes a brief appearance.] "I humbly greet the lord." Jackie bowed and greeted his constellation. "I pray to the goddess to bestow light upon this unworthy one." Amelia clasped her hands and expressed humility. "I humbly greet the constellations." Julien bowed as well and greeted. [The constellation ¡¯Light of the Primordial One¡¯ have their ears perked up.] [The constellation ¡¯Light of the Primordial One¡¯ have their tail sway slowly.] [The constellation ¡¯Demonic Inquisitor¡¯ is unable to sip her tea. They state the greeting is too formal.] [The constellation ¡¯Light of Primordial One¡¯ nod their head in agreement.] [The constellation ¡¯Demonic Inquisitor¡¯ states to the incarnations to not be so formal.] [The constellation ¡¯Sovereign of Shadows¡¯ asks the incarnations to speak in their usual language.] [Ten coins have been sponsored for the humbleness.] Each of them got ten coins from their simple greeting and were happy to have such an interaction. ¡¯My luck doesn¡¯t seem so bad anymore.¡¯ Maybe after awakening, Julien felt his life is slowly changing for the better. "Understood, lord." "I understand, M¡¯lady." [The constellations are nodding their heads.] After the small interaction was finished, Julien discussed with the two about where they should be headed. Jackie stated that a guild would be the best to get information, so the three decided to pay their nearest guild a visit. The bored constellations watched over this trio who had once caused a massive stir among the constellations and created history by obtaining streaming rights from the Valkyries. What would they do next was a question of great fascination to them. Chapter 76: Clearing Floors Julien and his companions walked through the medieval town-like Floor 1. It was cleared so there weren¡¯t any monsters. What was left was an underdeveloped town consisting of wood and stone buildings, and some hidden quests which would be triggered randomly upon one¡¯s luck. There seemed to be quite a lot of people moving about, doing their daily menial jobs. These were NPCs. They felt too real, however. Half an hour¡¯s wandering around brought the party to one of the Crimson Night Guild¡¯s branches. Calling it a branch would be an overestimation as it was nothing but a small shop in a market area, selling tomatoes. If it weren¡¯t for a wooden nameplate beside the shop having ¡¯Crimson Night Guild¡¯ carved on it, Julien¡¯s party would¡¯ve never been able to find it. "Excuse me, gentleman, is this really the Crimson Night Guild?" Julien stepped forward and asked. The old gentleman nodded faintly while sprinkling water on the tomatoes. "It is indeed the place, sire. How may I help you?" "Do you have information on quests?" Julien went straight to the point. The man shook his head and said, "I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s none. Quests are hard to come by these days. Maybe you can find opportunities on the higher floors." Floor 0 had a lot of action as the trial and rewards there refreshed every time a new batch came in. From Floor 1 onwards however, there was no such thing. If a floor was cleared, then it would permanently stay that way. No additional monsters would spawn or scenarios would start. "There are exceptions to this at some floors where monsters would keep spawning due to their being a spawn point or it would be mandatory to do some quest to ascend to the higher floor," Jackie said as the party moved past the cobblestone streets, towards the floor boss¡¯s room. "¡­most cleared floors don¡¯t require us to do anything other than walk the Stairway of Ascendance. There¡¯s also signboards everywhere leading us to the boss room on the lower floors, so our journey to Floor 10 should be smooth." What Jackie was saying was common knowledge. However, she had a feeling that Amelia might know this, so to her, she was explaining everything in great detail. Julien was briefed about this by his mother during his rest. There was a lot of information she gave him, half of which he couldn¡¯t remember anymore. Still, the important ones stayed, one of which was that he couldn¡¯t jump to the higher floors randomly. He would be teleported to a fixed place in the floor he was yet to clear via portals outside the Tower. A floor would be considered clear only after walking up the Stairway of Ascendance, manually. This staircase would only appear when certain conditions were met. Once one ascended these stairs, they could move to the cleared floors through certain tokens or simply by exiting the Tower and re-entering it through the portals outside. The portal would ask for the floor¡¯s input and the Player could state the number and enter them easily. ¡¯It is for sure a fascinating place¡­¡¯ The more Julien saw things with his own two eyes, the more amazed he was. "¡­by the way, not all cleared floors are safe," said Jackie. "They are not?" Amelia asked, curious. "No. I¡¯ve heard stories that some Players got ambushed by random bandits or criminals on some floors. The floor¡¯s people aren¡¯t pre-programmed golems but actual living beings that have their own set of thoughts and emotions. It is thus necessary that we are cautious and behave normally." Jackie dropped some great information while walking, amusing Julien further. This did look like a fantasy role playing video game but, after choosing a route, there was no going back and redoing it. This meant, if someone selected the rude route, they might actually get killed. ¡¯That¡¯s really crazy¡­¡¯ "How do you know all this?" Amelia wanted to know the source behind the information. She wasn¡¯t the type to take everything at face value despite appearing innocent and gullible. "My constellation told me¡­" Jackie said in a neutral tone. "I see..." there was not much proof needed than this. "¡­and you see, we might not be able to make as fast of a progress as we thought due to this." Julien already knew that the path to ascendancy was one filled with thorns. His luck was a major factor that held him back. ¡¯Due to me, they might not be able to ascend faster either¡­¡¯ Such a thought struck Julien randomly. Shaking his head, he decided to stop thinking about things which aren¡¯t in his control. With Jackie and Amelia, he soon reached the floor boss¡¯s room. It was in a cave in the middle of a forest. There was a flight of stairs leading to a bright opening. Nothing could be seen beyond it and it was very flashy. This was the Stairway of Ascendance. Julien and his party climbed these stairs and upon reaching the top, had a bright light flash in front of their eyes. The next thing they saw was another forest and heard a system notification. [Ding!] [Floor 1 - Cleared!] [Welcome to Floor 2!] What the system stated could also be read on a wooden signboard right in front of them. There were directions available for them to follow from here. It led to the second floor¡¯s boss room where there was another staircase leading to nowhere. The three continued this monotonous task until they finally reached Floor 5. It was dusk, and the three stood before a labyrinth¡¯s huge metal doors. [The Beginner¡¯s Paradise] Contrary to the eerie vibe it gave, the signboard in front of it said something else. "This labyrinth has no boss, only a constant stream of low-level monsters." Jackie stated once again. "The stairway is at the center of it, so we need to enter it." Jackie made it sound easy, which in turn made Julien uneasy. Given his history of bad luck, there was bound for some mishap to happen. ¡¯But well, now that I do know that something bad will happen, I¡¯m more mentally prepared. It surely can¡¯t be that bad on such a low level floor, right?¡¯ ¡¯¡­right?¡¯ The three walked inside the labyrinth. ¡­.. An hour later. BOOOOOM¡ª! "Runnnnnn!" A deafening explosion collapsed the escape pathway. The only way out was to move forwards, towards further danger. Julien, Jackie, and Amelia could see tiny goblins jump and run towards them with explosives in their hands. They threw it near them time after time, not to hurt them, but to make them run in a specific path so that triggered the labyrinth¡¯s traps. Julien was thankful that there was Amelia in his party. Being blind was disadvantageous, but the rest of her senses were severely heightened. She could feel the traps before they emerged and warned them beforehand, helping them dodge it. Though, she was starting to get overstimulated and was feeling burnt out. ¡¯"¡­I¡­ I can only run for ten more minutes¡­ my sincerest apologies¡­" Amelia said in between her ragged breaths. [The constellation ¡¯Demonic Inquisitor¡¯ is cheering for their incarnation.] [50 coins have been sponsored.] [The constellation ¡¯Light of the Primordial One¡¯ is having their tail sway slowly in worry as they watch their incarnation.] [50 coins have been sponsored.] [The constellation ¡¯Eternal Flame of the Sky¡¯ feels this is a minuscule threat.] [The constellation ¡¯Sovereign of Shadows¡¯ idly trim their nails, watching the scene with mild interest.] [The constellation ¡¯Rebel Sage of Heaven¡¯ is rubbing his ear and yawning.] Amelia and Jackie¡¯s constellations cared for them whereas Julien, who had no constellation contract, could only helplessly stare at the constellation messages that stated how bored they were. If they were bored, why not sponsor at least a few coins so that he can get motivated? Curse those constellations! S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Master, Amelia, something is at the front!" Jackie¡¯s voice made Julien and Amelia further alert. Looking ahead, Julien could see a faint blurry figure of a giant monster. ¡¯Shit. Are we stuck in a narrow passage now? Is that a dead end?¡¯ Having no other choice but to run, Julien and his party soon saw the figure properly. It was a giant troll, holding a spiked club in hands. If that club hit them, even their bones would turn into a fine powder. "Fuck!" Julien cursed out loud as the darkness of limbo began faintly appearing in front of his eyes. "Jackie, hold Amelia¡¯s hand!" Julien quickly assessed the situation and tried to come up with a solution. Jackie did as asked and held the running nun¡¯s hand. "On count of three, duck and slide, then jump with Amelia to the right and continue running without looking back!" "Understood!?" "Understood!" Jackie did not question his master and followed the instructions. This was not the time for her to make her own decisions as she had another life with her that she had to protect. "Okay¡­ three¡­ two¡­" "¡­one!" "Duck now!" Swisssshhhh! Chapter 77: Clearing Floors (2) Swisssshhhh! A strong breeze blew above Jackie and Amelia¡¯s heads as the troll sweeped the club. In between the monster¡¯s legs, Jackie and Amelia slid. As Julien had instructed, they jumped to the right and without looking back, began running. To Jackie¡¯s surprise, she found herself running into the right side of a forked path while her master could be seen running into the left one. The goblins with explosives did not chase them anymore and instead went after her master. "Oh no¡­ Master is in danger¡­" Jackie said while running ahead. "If Master is in danger, why are we running away from him? We should help him!" Amelia interjected. "We can¡¯t." Jackie shook her head. "If we go back now, either that troll will kill us or the goblin will throw their explosives at us and surround us. Either way, we will die. Master might try to save us and end up dying too." "What¡­" Amelia was in disbelief. "There¡¯s a reason why Master split from us. He put himself as bait so that we can have an easier time!" Jackie exclaimed and dragged Amelia to the front with her. "Oh lord¡­ why must he do that?" "I don¡¯t know¡­ just¡­ just keep running¡­" As long as they reached the center, they would be reunited with their Master again. The struggle now was to reach that very center, and Jackie was doing her best to find the way. Meanwhile¡­ ¡¯What is wrong with these bastards!?!¡¯ Julien cursed while dodging an explosive. As he had expected, these monsters stopped chasing his companions and instead ran after him when they split. The problem now was that he was the sole person here, and the goblins did not have to think much before throwing their explosives. There was also a sort-of floor boss type of monster chasing after him. If he reached a dead end or stopped running, he would die. He had to reach the core of the labyrinth and ascend the Stairway of Ascendance to reach the next floor. This was a race against time as he had limited stamina and endurance. ¡¯But wait¡­ they are just fifth floor¡¯s monsters¡­¡¯ ¡¯No, never mind¡­ I¡¯m also just a fifth floor¡¯s Player¡­¡¯ As the realization struck Julien, he ran faster and did not stop. Though, while in the midst of running, notifications kept ringing in his head. [Jacqueline Lex Vicross¡¯s Favorability has increased by +1.] [Jacqueline Lex Vicross¡¯s Favorability has increased by +1.] . . . [Jacqueline Lex Vicross ¡ª Favorability: 81] [This person favors and trusts you enough to put their life on the line for you.] [Amelia¡¯s Favorability has increased by +1.] [Amelia¡¯s Favorability has increased by +1.] . . . [Amelia ¡ª Favorability: 84] [You are getting closer to being Amelia¡¯s top priority in everything.] ¡¯Wow¡­¡¯ Julien did not know how their Favorability rose so suddenly, but it was a development he warmly welcomed. Thinking of them made him guess that they would probably meet him in the core of the labyrinth where the stairs were. All paths should lead there, unless the two meet a dead end. Given how he wasn¡¯t with them, the probability of the latter happening was low. It was instead Julien who might meet one and end up getting killed. Knowing this, he thought, ¡¯I need to do something to lose their tail quickly.¡¯ Julien looked around, trying to find clues to his way out. He was still running in a narrow passage but there had been a change. He could see vines growing and the area also seemed damp. This could mean that there was a water source nearby, and a relatively open area. ¡¯However, water could mean danger too¡­¡¯ He hadn¡¯t learnt swimming yet and there could be water monsters nearby. As he understood his shortcomings and arrived at a fork, he took the path which did not seem damp and ran away from the water source. Looking back, he could see that there were only the goblins chasing him and the boss-like monster wasn¡¯t there. This was good news. The boss-like monster, due to being huge, had a slower speed and couldn¡¯t run fast enough to catch up to Julien. Since he was only left with a few of the goblins, the priority now was to exhaust their explosives which they were carrying in a sack. Julien purposely slowed down and the goblins threw the explosives at him. He dodged them easily and ran again, then slowed down to bait them. After a few rounds, when he noticed that the goblins weren¡¯t throwing any more explosives, he stopped. The goblins stopped as well. The two had a stare down. Julien could see a few goblins have their hands within their sacks. They may still have a few explosives with them. However, he did not falter. He made a loud shout and ran at the goblin, about to strike them. Having the tables turn, the goblins were startled and immediately threw their explosives in panic. Julien knew this would happen and rolled forwards, then got back up and chased after a goblin who¡¯s sack seemed empty. Slash¡ª! "Krrrrr!!" The goblin¡¯s back was slashed and he fell with a thud. The other goblins immediately began running. Julien ran after them, but after a few seconds, as he reached a fork, he went in another direction and successfully lost the goblins. Now, he was in a vine covered passage but the area wasn¡¯t as damp. Ten minutes later. Julien found a chest in a corner. Beside it were items like a metal breastplate and chainmail. ¡¯At last! A proper treasure chest!¡¯ S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He went ahead and was about to lift the chest¡¯s lid, but stopped. He squinted his eyes, then thought, ¡¯What if it¡¯s a mimic?¡¯ Julien wasn¡¯t the smartest, but was starting to get really cautious due to his cursed background. This chest may contain something good but may also be a monster that could devour him whole. It was like Schr?dinger¡¯s cat situation, except the odds of there being something bad were much higher. ¡¯What do I do?¡¯ [The constellations are wondering why the Player isn¡¯t opening the chest.] [The constellation ¡¯Rebel Sage of Heaven¡¯ is yawning due to the lack of action.] [The constellation ¡¯Eternal Flame of Sky¡¯ has left the channel.] ¡¯Tsk.¡¯ This wasn¡¯t good. He needed viewers in his channel, especially big constellations such as these who could spend a lot of money on sponsorships. ¡¯It seems there¡¯s no choice but to open the chest quickly and get through it. However, before I do it¡­¡¯ There had to be some control over things. He couldn¡¯t blindly do everything and get himself in trouble. ¡¯To bring control, I need something which can be easily done anywhere, anytime.¡¯ He took a minute to ponder over this matter, and as his gaze wandered around, he saw a pile of scrap copper coins beside the chest. ¡¯Oh¡­ this would do¡­¡¯ An idea struck Julien. He picked up a coin from the pile and looked at it. ¡¯Yes¡­ this seems good enough.¡¯ A coin toss would be enough to act as control for his misfortunes. Since he was going to be indecisive on a lot of matters due to his cautious nature, a coin toss would do a good job in curbing down the misfortunes. ¡¯Alright. If it¡¯s heads, I won¡¯t open the chest.¡¯ Julien thought as he tossed the coin. The coin rolled in the air and fell on the ground after a second. It was heads. "Oof¡­" Julien felt greatly disappointed. He really wanted to open this chest as it was the first ever treasure chest he came across. ¡¯Ah well, it doesn¡¯t matter. I have free will, I can do anything I want. This coin isn¡¯t binding me in any way, so that means¡­¡¯ Knowing he was free to do whatever he wanted, Julien went ahead and opened the lid of the chest. Swoooosshh! Tentacles erupted from the chest and coiled Julien¡¯s body, holding him tightly in place. "Fuck!" He should¡¯ve listened to the coin! Chapter 78: Clearing Floors (3) After struggling for five minutes, Julien was able to get out of the mimic¡¯s hold. These were still the lowest levels of the Tower and the mimics weren¡¯t as life threatening. Julien learnt the lesson to use the coin as control. He wasn¡¯t going to have his whole life be dictated by it, but only during times of absolute peril when there did not seem to be any way out, he would toss it and see what he should be doing. ¡¯I have to first see whether the coin is affected by my luck or not. If it is, then there¡¯s no point tossing it.¡¯ If the coin was affected by his luck, then it would always give unfavorable outcomes. It thus had to be checked whether the coin toss was independent of luck or not. Julien walked out of the treasure room, covered in sticky slime and randomly continued to walk deeper into the labyrinth. A bath would be really nice, he wondered. Walking for a while, he arrived at a three-way intersection. There was a wall in front and the only way to move was either left or right. On the wall in front though, there were strange arcane symbols. He couldn¡¯t read or understand them. He shook his head and decided to move on. He randomly began walking on the left path and after a while, heard strange humming sounds along with the sound of running water. ¡¯Oh, that¡¯s not good.¡¯ Julien decisively gave up walking in this direction and went back. As he reached the intersection again, he took the left path this time. He heard a buzzing sound here and crisp notes of something being crushed. The passage was starting to get drier as he walked and so was the buzzing sound. Both places led to dangers, and since it had come to this, Julien kept walking and decided to face the dangers. A few minutes later. He reached a dead end. Well, almost a dead end. The wall in front had few broken bricks in it and through that, Julien could see what was beyond. As he peeked through the opening, his hair stood on their ends. Wasps! There were a lot of human-sized wasps in a huge chamber, hovering above a sea of eggs. This was definitely their nest and judging from how things were, Julien wouldn¡¯t survive if they chose to attack him. He quietly went backwards and did not disturb the wasps. As he reached the intersection again, he went to the right and closer to the humming sound and water source. Soon, he reached an end. There was a metallic door in front and to proceed further, he would need to open it. There were similar arcane symbols etched on it and the sound of running water and humming had also been intensified. Danger lurked here, this he knew. [The constellations are watching.] [The constellation ¡¯Eternal Flame of the Sky¡¯ has reconnected.] [The constellation ¡¯Rebel Sage of Heaven¡¯ is rubbing his eyebrows and watching with interest.] [10 coins have been sponsored.] [The constellation ¡¯Sovereign of Shadows¡¯ is sipping tea and watching.] [10 coins have been sponsored.] His predicament was a matter of great interest to the bored constellations. He could tell that they wanted him to open this door and look what was beyond. His cautious personality was warning him to not do it, but if he did not open the door and went back, the constellations would totally lose interest and he wouldn¡¯t have any viewerships, which will only end up hurting him. Taking a deep breath, Julien decided to go with the flow. He slowly opened the door and found himself in a well lit cave with a stream of water. Glowing blue-colored crystals were everywhere and the cave was quite big. The loud humming sound got louder and pierced Julien¡¯s ears. As he turned to the source, he saw a whale-like monster sleeping in a corner. It had four webbed feet like a lizard and was curled around some red crystal that gave off heat. On the crystal, there were black arcane symbols like those present on the wall and door. ¡¯There¡¯s also a wooden dinghy by the stream of water¡­¡¯ There indeed was, but to get there, Julien would need to go past the monster. This might end up alerting it, and that would be a big problem. ¡¯I certainly can¡¯t back away from this situation, and I certainly won¡¯t be alive if I go through this situation.¡¯ There just was no winning. ¡¯When in doubt, toss a coin.¡¯ Julien reminded himself. Since the situation was unfavorable in all ways, why not see what the coin would say? If it was heads, he would go back and search for another route to the core. This would result in the constellations losing interest and leaving, and that would affect his future quite a lot. If it was tails, he would face his current situation. Julien tossed the coin. This time, it was tails. ¡¯Fine then¡­¡¯ There was no running and he had to face the situation. He racked his brains for a bit, and devised a rough plan to get away. The monster looked like it could swim, so even if Julien was to quietly go past it and get on the wooden dinghy, it might end up following him. Fighting on water would mean immediate death as Julien did not know how to swim. ¡¯This means, I need to divert its attention¡­¡¯ Julien knew exactly the thing he could do to distract the monster, but he did not know whether or not he had the courage in him to do it. ¡¯It¡¯s not whether I can or cannot do it. It¡¯s that I need to do it. And I need to do it now!¡¯ He scrapped out his useless thoughts and clutched his sword as a rough plan formulated in his mind. He ran a simulation of the same plan in his mind, and it looked like he had a chance to come out unscathed. Julien carefully observed the cave, then went back and closed the door. He then made his way towards the wasps¡¯ side and took a deep breath. ¡¯Okay, let¡¯s do it.¡¯ He picked up a loose brick and threw it at one of the eggs, rupturing it, and alerting the wasps. The buzzing stopped for a second, then with their compound eyes, they detected Julien through his body heat. "Time to run!" Julien did not waste any time and began running. The wasps changed after him, breaking the wall through their stingers. As the passage was quite narrow, the wasps had trouble chasing Julien, giving him just enough time to reach the other end. He opened the metal door and quietly tried to sneak past the sleeping monster. The wasps entered the scene and with their buzzing sounds, woke the monster up. The wasps were too many in number and Julien went undetected by the monster. It began attacking the wasps that had invaded through the door and left the glowing crystal alone. Watching the scene from afar, Julien knew he did not have much time. He had to hurry, but the glowing red crystal seemed tempting. It was half his size and glowing really brightly. If he were to grab this, it might make the monster chase him instead. Getting indecisive again, he decided to flip a coin. Heads, he would quietly leave. Tails, he would grab the crystal. Julien flipped a coin. It was heads. ¡¯No, fuck it. I¡¯ll take the crystal!¡¯ The monster shouldn¡¯t be strong like the floor boss. Thinking along these lines, he quickly grabbed the crystal and got onto the dinghy. As expected, the monster stopped fighting the wasps and turned to Julien. It let out a deep hum and ran towards Julien, disregarding the wasps stinging its body. "Faster! I gotta row faster!" Julien began rowing faster as his life quite literally depended on it. The monster could swim, but thankfully the downstream current was strong and took Julien away from it in no time. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He passed through many caves and soon arrived at a bright opening. He was now on a lake, inside a gigantic cave illuminated by many blue crystals. This place looked similar to the cave he took the dinghy from. He rowed the wooden boat to the shore and got off. There wasn¡¯t time to rejoice or think of his next move as he heard loud splashing sounds of water and a deep humming as well as distant buzzing sounds. ¡¯Not good.¡¯ Julien thought and ran to the nearest passage he could find. Chapter 79: Clearing Floors (4) The whale-like monster gave chase along with the wasps. The passage was getting bigger, and Julien could see many treasure chests lying around. His heart ached as he passed by them and wasn¡¯t able to open any. As minutes passed, he saw more chests around, and heard distant sounds of monsters. There was only one way forward, no left or right. Julien could only hug the crystal under his armpits tighter and clutch his sword with the other hand, preparing himself for a fight. ¡­.. [Ding!] [Hobgoblin killed. +35 XP] "It really is a paradise for newbies. We can level up so much." Jackie said as she killed another goblin and gained experience points. "Not so much for me." Amelia shook her head. She wasn¡¯t the type to kill unless absolutely necessary. The monsters here weren¡¯t threatening her, and the ones that were, Jackie took care of them. She did not gain experience points and leveled up, but she did sharpen her navigation and healing skills. Her range to feel her surroundings had increased and this was good news. "I wonder where Master is..." Jackie said as she killed another hobgoblin. [The constellation ¡¯Light of Primordial One¡¯ is watching their incarnation.] "I pray we will reunite soon¡­" Amelia clasped her hands and said. [The constellation ¡¯Demonic Inquisitor¡¯ has grabbed a tub of popcorn and is watching their incarnation.] [The constellation ¡¯Sovereign of Shadows¡¯ is watching.] [The constellation ¡¯Rebel Sage of Heaven¡¯ is watching.] [The constellation ¡¯Eternal Flame of the Sky¡¯ is watching.] The appearance of so many constellations baffled Jackie and Amelia. They stopped for a moment to think about it, but could soon hear a distant sound of something approaching. As seconds passed, the sound grew louder, and from the narrow passage in front, they could hear screams of monsters. Jackie and Amelia both frowned. Without having to converse, they both began running and entered a secret room on the side of the passage they had found earlier. Jackie kept the door slightly open and looked outside. She soon saw a blurry figure running towards them, and continuing to stare, found the person to be somewhat familiar. As a few more seconds passed, Jackie widened her eyes in shock as she saw the person running, and right beside her, Amelia had her mouth agape too. "Master!" The two said in unison. Julien ran past the two while holding a red crystal and sword in his hand. Behind him were hobgoblins, a whale-like lizard, and many wasps. In the direction he was running, it seemed to be the dwelling of hobgoblins. The problem wasn¡¯t the hobgoblins present there. Jackie had already killed them all and cleared it. The problem lay in the fact that it was a dead end! Julien would not be able to escape if he kept running in that direction! "Master is in trouble!" Jackie said and dashed out of the room, running behind the monsters. Amelia joined her and the two were now on a rescue mission to save their Master. ¡­.. Julien did not know how long he had been running for. He kept running like a madman and did not have the energy in him to run further. He was running low on stamina already when he found himself at a dead end. ¡¯No shit¡­¡¯ He wasn¡¯t even fazed by the revelation. He knew this would happen sooner or later. Julien put the red crystal down and turned to face the swarm of monsters. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He gripped his sword tighter and took an attacking stance. As the first batch of hobgoblins made creaking noises, he dashed at them and slashed their necks. One swift strike led to one hobgoblin down. The whale-like creature rushed towards the red crystal instead of Julien. It was in a crazed state and could only see the crystal. Some wasps went after it and some wasps attacked Julien. Fighting one wasn¡¯t a problem, but there were tens of wasps with sharp stingers buzzing near him. He blocked the stingers of a few wasps, but in the end, got his shoulder pierced by one. As he slowed down, another wasp pierced his back with its sharp stinger, and Julien¡¯s eyes rolled back as he fell on the ground with a loud thud. "Master!!!!" Jackie screamed from the back and swiftly striked one wasp after another, getting close to Julien. Amelia had her hands clasped and was chanting a prayer. The prayer resulted in an bright array of light engulfing the monsters near Julien, burning them to a crisp. She quickly made her way towards Julien and held him in her arms. "Jackie, kill that monster before it kills us!" Amelia held Julien¡¯s body and dragged him away after giving instructions to Jackie. Jackie¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, and having leveled up quite a lot, she shot towards the whale-like monster and struck its eyes, then began slashing into its wide body. Held by Amelia, Julien only saw a blur before darkness flooded his vision. The last thing he heard was Jackie¡¯s shout. Holding him in her embrace, Amelia checked for his pulse and signs of breathing. He wasn¡¯t breathing. There was no pulse. Amelia bit her lips in pain. She continued to check up on Julien, hoping for something, but it was all to no avail. Jackie on the other hand did her best to kill the monsters. The whale-like lizard was cut into multiple pieces while the wasps were slashed in half one by one. No matter how many of them attacked Jackie at once or at what speed, she was ready for them all. She had no trouble going against them, and in no time, she had cleared the entire swarm of monsters. After defeating them, Jackie quickly made her way towards Amelia and asked, "What¡¯s Master¡¯s condition?" Amelia didn¡¯t answer and just stared at Jackie with a rueful expression. "What¡¯s with that face?" Jackie frowned. "What is Master¡¯s condition? Why aren¡¯t you answering?" Dread took over Jackie¡¯s heart. "Jackie¡­" Amelia said, in a low voice. She turned to look at Julien and hugging him tighter, said, "Master¡­" Jackie felt her chest tighten and her legs shiver. "N-no¡­" "¡­master is dead." Chapter 80: Clearing Floors (5) The news broke Jackie and she did not say a single word. Tears streamed down her face and she began regretting every decision she made today. If only¡­ if only she hadn¡¯t separated with her Master. If she hadn¡¯t done that, he would¡¯ve been alive now. Why did their Master stupidly split from them? What need was there!? They were Players too and wouldn¡¯t die so easily. Why did he not take that into consideration? Why? Just why was he so stupid? Jackie had a lot of grievances whereas Amelia was silent, deathly silent, not uttering a single word. She would¡¯ve usually called out her lord¡¯s name multiple times if this was a normal situation, but she did not mention her lord even once after her Master¡¯s death. [The constellations are silent.] Even the constellations couldn¡¯t believe that such a promising young man¡¯s journey had suddenly come to a halt. He shook the entire Tower while being a nobody Rank 1. Such a man with such a boundless future met his end like this? The constellations couldn¡¯t understand this. Meanwhile, in a random place within theTower, a tall raven-haired lady was covered in a black cloak, passing through a busy night market. Her steps came to an abrupt halt and she gazed down, as if she could see what was beyond the ground. ¡¯This boy¡­ he died?¡¯ ¡¯Again?¡¯ This was the 2nd time he died within the Tower. The first time was when he drowned in the trials, and the second time was now. Last time, he had an item to resurrect him, but now¡­ ¡¯Hmm¡­ troublesome¡­ this is indeed troublesome¡­¡¯ The tall lady was no one else but El, Julien¡¯s godmother. ¡¯Ah well¡­ seems like I¡¯ll need to intervene. I really shouldn¡¯t, but well, this time my input is necessary¡­¡¯ El drifted through the night market like a ghost and disappeared. ¡­.. Amelia was shocked to her core. She could not believe her Master would meet his end like this. This looked like a harmless floor, and it did not even have a boss. This place shouldn¡¯t be as threatening as there really weren¡¯t any powerful monsters. However, she failed to take into consideration that a swarm of lower level monsters could be dangerous too. A single rat could not do anything, but a big group of rats could very well eat a person alive. Amelia wanted to slap herself for her not realizing this earlier. If only she hadn¡¯t separated from her Master, he would be alive today. Instead of that, even if she had jumped into the battle a bit earlier, she might¡¯ve been able to cast a healing spell to seal his wounds and keep him away from death¡¯s door. But she was a step too late. Regret filled her heart and she really had no idea whether she was worthy enough to even walk the path of a priestess. In her moments of turmoil and absolute distress, a soothing and gentle voice called for her. ¡¯Child¡­¡¯ For a second, Amelia was really confused as she looked around. ¡¯Do not look around, for I am in your heart.¡¯ The voice said. ¡¯Lord?¡¯ Amelia asked, confused. ¡¯Child, what¡¯s bothering you?¡¯ The voice asked. ¡¯Lord, is that really you? Are you finally listening?¡¯ Amelia had tears well up in her eyes as the soothing voice called. ¡¯My child¡­ I have always been listening.¡¯ The voice replied. ¡¯Oh lord¡­ if you were always listening¡­ always watching¡­ then why did you let such tragedy befall? What wrong had my Master done to deserve this?¡¯ Amelia couldn¡¯t help but ask and question the unfairness. ¡¯It was that child¡¯s fate.¡¯ The feminine voice answered. Before Amelia could interrupt and ask something again, the voice continued: ¡¯Dying was that child¡¯s fate, however, meeting you¡­ it was his destiny. My child, his destiny is now tied to you, and what you wish for, is what will happen.¡¯ ¡¯If I wish for him to be alive, is it possible?¡¯ Amelia asked while biting her lips hard, to the point where blood oozed out. ¡¯Yes.¡¯ ¡¯How!?!¡¯ ¡¯The answer to everything is in your heart.¡¯ The voice faded away after saying so. Amelia was utterly confused at this point when suddenly, she had a flashback. It was an underground stone chamber, illuminated by flickering candles. In the middle of the chamber was a bizarre arcane spell and on it were placed multiple grotesque objects. Darkness took over Amelia¡¯s vision as she remembered this scene. The scene then changed and she saw a woman in black priestess¡¯ robes, wailing and dragging herself towards Amelia. Her legs were chopped off and she was crying tears of blood as she dragged her body with her fingerless palms. "¡­A-Amelia¡­" Darkness flashed in Amelia¡¯s vision again. The scene changed and Amelia saw a twisted entity right above the arcane spell. It had curled horns and multiple eyes on its forehead. There was a bloody smile biting onto a pair of woman¡¯s legs. "#$%@!****!" The entity said something in its demonic screech while chewing and making loud crunching noises. Amelia was not too horrified back then and could not decipher anything the entity was saying or had any idea about the situation. Now that she was looking back at it, everything was suddenly clear. The entity was saying: -To call back the lost, one must first offer the taken. Life does not return without a price¡­ and the dead do not walk without another taking their place. The entity then let out a low, distorted chuckle, its jagged teeth glistening with fresh blood. -Do you wish to bargain, little one? Or will you merely weep at the gates of the departed? Amelia was going to pass out, but was unable to do so in the presence of that evil entity. She could only continue to watch and wait for the entity to leave so she could run away. -You do not step forward. Are you afraid? Or merely waiting for the weight of fate to crush you? It let out a guttural chuckle, the sound reverberating through the chamber like a dirge. Its jagged teeth parted slightly, revealing the remnants of its last offering. -But I am pleased¡­ A priestess of the church. A high-ranking archbishop. And so many more, bled dry in devotion. Such reverence, such obedience to the laws of balance. Yes¡­ this, I will take as a bargain. The entity loomed over the spell¡¯s markings, its curled horns casting long shadows. -A life for a life? No, no. That would be too simple. Too expected. A deep, velvety murmur followed, dripping with dark amusement. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. -I shall grant you a spell. A means to bring back the lost¡­ And all it will take is the purity of a maiden. A price far more fitting, don¡¯t you think? Dark, viscous energy pulsed from the arcane markings beneath it, seeping into the air like an ink stain spreading across parchment. A moment later, a surge of knowledge¡ªancient, forbidden¡ªrushed forth, embedding itself into the depths of the nun¡¯s mind. The entity leaned back, letting out a deep, resonant laugh that rattled the very walls. -A nun, raising the dead¡­ A healer, wielding a spell born from the suffering of so many. Oh, how delightful! The laughter grew louder, more distorted, as its form began to dissolve into the surrounding darkness. -I will be watching. And I will be most¡­ ecstatic. With those final words, it vanished, leaving behind only silence¡ªand the weight of the knowledge it had given. The flashback ended. Amelia was in a daze, unable to calm the raging storm in her heart. Chapter 81: Clearing Floors (6) Amelia was in a moral dilemma for a few moments. She had the ability to resurrect the dead Julien, but the spell she had learnt came from a demon to whom many human sacrifices were made. If she used this spell, won¡¯t she be any less than a demon? Such a thought did not last for long as she found her Master¡¯s body getting colder and paler. She immediately got up and carried Julien in her arms. "Jackie, come with me quickly." Amelia made her way towards the small room they had been hiding in before. Jackie did not know what this nun was trying to do, but she chose to trust her and followed. As they reached the empty room, Amelia said, "Clean it and put a makeshift bed there." Once again, Jackie did not question and did as asked. The party carried sleeping bags and mats with them on their adventure. Jackie placed the sleeping bags at the bottom and placed a mat on top of it. Amelia then placed Julien on the bed and said while checking his condition, "No matter what you hear from the inside, do not enter. Please keep guard until I open the door myself." "Are you¡­ going to be alright?" Jackie asked with furrowed brows. "Yes, don¡¯t worry. By God¡¯s grace, everything should be fine." Amelia reassured. Jackie didn¡¯t ask further and walked outside, standing on guard. Amelia took a deep breath and began tying her blonde hair in a bun, then took off her blindfold to reveal her shut eyes. She then started undressing, taking off her priestess attire. ¡­.. In a bustling night market in a random place within the Tower, El suddenly stopped. ¡¯Aw shucks, I forgot to do that¡­¡¯ She looked down and saw a scene she had expected to happen. ¡¯Undressing already? That was faster than I expected.¡¯ El thought that the virtuous nun would sort of lose her mind to the moral dilemma before eventually deciding to use the spell. She couldn¡¯t guess that the lady would be this quick to make up her mind. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¯I guess he has a bigger impact on her than I thought. Anyway, let me just give them some privacy and also¡­¡¯ ¡­.. [You are now disconnected from Channel FI #29-771.] [You are now disconnected from Channel JL #29-157.] Jackie and Amelia saw the notifications. They did not pay it any mind as such things weren¡¯t in their control. Amelia, who was now stark naked and seated beside Julien in a lotus position, began drawing an occult-like pentagram on his chest etched with many arcane symbols. She used the edge of a sharp stone to carve the spell directly on his skin. It was bleeding and she felt further pained to do this, but she had no other choice. This spell was not the blessing of a god but a demon. Things were bound to be different. A while later, when she finished inscribing the spell, she clasped her hands and began praying. The first prayer was to her god and the second was the actual chant that was needed to be recited. A few seconds later. The arcane spell began glowing. It was bloody red laced with a tinge of darkness. Amelia continued to recite the chant, and soon, all of Julien¡¯s injuries began healing. His pierced shoulder developed bones, tissues, nerves, and was back to normal. His broken spine was fixed too, and the pale shade of his body was restored to a healthy pink. Moments later, Julien¡¯s eyes suddenly snapped open. His pupils weren¡¯t the usual shade of clear blue, but we¡¯re now sanguine red. He sharply rose from his rest and his gaze landed on Amelia, like a hungry beast ready to devour its prey. Amelia could feel a strong presence in the room. She gulped nervously and laid down, chanting her god¡¯s name and hoping everything would be alright. Outside the room, Jackie was getting anxious from waiting. The room was deathly silent. However, she soon felt a strong presence inside, and just seconds later, she heard a loud scream. "Ahhhhh!" It was Amelia¡¯s voice, full of pain. Jackie knitted her brows and was about to barge in, but stopped herself and bit her lips. She clutched the daggers in her hand tightly and waited, deciding to trust Amelia on this. Five minutes later. Amelia¡¯s screams died down and the strong presence could not be felt anymore. Jackie wanted to go in to check up on Amelia, but once again, held back from doing so as Amelia would open the doors herself. ¡¯Seriously¡­ what is happening inside¡­¡¯ Jackie pondered and continued to wait. ¡­.. The last thing Julien saw were wasps and heard the distant screams of Jackie and Amelia. He thought he was dead, but as his eyes fluttered open, he saw a strange stone ceiling. His head felt heavy and there seemed to be something beside him. Something soft. As he looked to the side, he saw a blonde lady, having her eyes shut and gasping. She was completely naked. He frowned and looked at himself. He was naked too! ¡¯Who is this¡­¡¯ Julien couldn¡¯t tell what was happening and he was too shocked to think of anything. Catching her breath, Amelia could feel that her Master was awake and back to his senses. She sat upright and turned her back to him, covering her breasts. "Have you come to your senses, Master?" She asked softly, her voice somewhat hoarse. "Huh?" Julien was shocked yet again. He immediately sat upright and asked, "Amelia? Is that you?" "Yes, Master. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back and in full health¡­" Amelia said. "I¡¯m back?" Julien tried to connect the dots. "You brought me back? I was dead, right?" "Yes." Amelia didn¡¯t deny. "What¡­ how¡­ how did all of this happen¡­" Julien was really confused and asked a flurry of questions. "Let¡¯s change first¡­" Amelia said meekly. From how the atmosphere was, Julien could guess that Amelia wasn¡¯t in the best mood. He also realized something important as the lingering scent of sex in the air hit his nostrils. ¡¯I lost my virginity¡­ and¡­¡¯ Looking down, his shortsword was covered in blood. He turned to look at Amelia. She was somewhat shivering. ¡¯¡­she lost hers too.¡¯ This was not good. Definitely not good. From the way Amelia was reacting to the way everything had happened, Julien could make a rough guess that nothing that had happened a few moments ago was good. First times were supposed to be special. They were meant to create fond memories that one could look back at and smile. Amelia¡¯s first time and his first time, both were nothing memorable. It would just haunt them. However, there was still time to make up. Julien decided to do just that. He got behind Amelia and gently wrapped his arms around her waist. "M-m-master!?" Amelia was shocked by the sudden move, and greatly flustered. "Amelia¡­" Julien called out in a gentle tone, trying to ease the tension. "¡­I¡¯m really grateful for what you¡¯ve done for me. I owe you my life, quite literally." Instead of saying something like ¡¯oh sorry this happened¡¯ or ¡¯I apologize for everything¡¯, Julien decided to express his gratitude first. "It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s nothing¡­" Such gestures were new for Amelia and she did not know how to react. Julien did not let her go. He was quite nervous when speaking as this was his first time interacting with a lady like this too. The virgin him barely had any idea how to present himself or hold the conversation. He was just doing what he felt was best as of this moment. "You gave up one of your virtues for me and stripped yourself off the nun status¡­" Julien said softly. Amelia wanted to correct Julien about this. She wasn¡¯t a nun since the day she ran away from the church. She felt uncomfortable to wear another attire so she asked god for forgiveness and chose to be in her nun ones until she joined her Master¡¯s family and became their priestess. But she was silent and didn¡¯t speak. It looked like her Master wasn¡¯t done speaking yet. Julien decided to be bold. He moved his hand down and looked at her body from over her shoulder. He could see her big perky breasts and soft nipples. His gaze however didn¡¯t linger on them as he was absentmindedly staring. "Nobody deserves to suffer during their first time. I may not be in my senses back, but right now, I¡¯m fully aware of what I¡¯m doing." Amelia¡¯s breathing turned ragged as she realized where this was going. "Master¡­" She called out. "¡­there¡¯s no need to do this." Amelia was fully aware of the consequences that would occur once she used the resurrection spell. She did not mind the pain she went through as she was able to successfully revive her Master. Nothing mattered to her more than this. Julien shook his head and kissed her smooth neck. "You deserve all the love and care in the world, Amelia. And a man never backs away from his responsibilities¡­" His hand slithered further down and he touched the holy lady¡¯s forbidden flower. "Mhm¡­" The sensual touch was too stimulating for the pure lady. "Master, let¡¯s not¡ª" Julien put a finger on her lips and made her quiet. "Sit back, relax, and enjoy yourself as today is your day¡­" Chapter 82: Clearing Floors (7) [R-18] Amelia felt weak to such words and her vision turned hazy. Her face heated up from thinking what would soon take place. Internally, she was glad that she had healed herself right after her Master woke up. If she hadn¡¯t, it sure was going to hurt. Julien gently pulled Amelia back on the makeshift bed and laid down, spooning her from behind. He whispered sweet nothings into her ear and touched her soft folds. As he played with her nipples, they turned erect. "Ah¡­" Amelia let out hot gasps. Julien planted soft kisses on her back, then neck, and slowly made his way towards her face while getting on top of her. When he was on top, he saw Amelia¡¯s mesmerizing face. Her eyes were shut close but the blush on her face and heated breath gave away her true feelings. He took hold of the velvety cherry red lips, gluing them with his own lips. Her saliva tasted sweet and as he tried to pry open her mouth, she didn¡¯t resist and instead reciprocated the feeling. Their tongues intertwined and fought a fierce battle. On the bottom, using his knees, he spread her legs apart and was now rubbing his erect shaft right on top of her vertical slit. Julien really couldn¡¯t believe that he was about to have sex with such a pretty lady. If he hadn¡¯t gotten used to a lady¡¯s touch before, he would¡¯ve bursted the moment he touched a bare lady. He was quite shocked and could not believe himself, but of course, he did not show it outwards and kept it to himself. Now wasn¡¯t the time to doubt, but take action. Amelia on the other hand had accepted what life gave her. She considered it god¡¯s blessing, and the fact that her Master wanted to connect with her so deeply touched her. She wasn¡¯t a pure maiden anymore and it did not matter if she had an intimate relationship with her own Master. Everything was alright. Everything was just fine. She finally relaxed and chose to live in the moment. Julien thought it was finally time to move beyond foreplay. He continued to kiss her to keep her relaxed and slowly inserted his shaft into her wet, warm cave. The walls of her vagina enveloped the tip of his and tried to forbid its entry. Julien felt intense tightness and almost climaxed from pleasure. He kept pushing, and a few instances later¡­ "¡­ahhh~" Amelia gently pushed Julien back and moaned softly as her deepest recesses were hit. Julien¡¯s shaft was only just five inches, but it wasn¡¯t the size of the tool that mattered, but the user who used it. [Ding!] [Lust Points gained!] [Multiplier active!] Julien silenced the notifications. Now wasn¡¯t the time for this. He was finally one with Amelia and wanted to soak in the moment. He began thrusting his hips and a sloppy wet sound resounded in the labyrinth chamber. Amelia¡¯s big tits jiggled with each thrust and Julien stopped one from moving by catching it in his mouth. Amelia moaned again, loudly this time. Outside the chamber, Jackie¡¯s face was flushed red as she realized what was happening inside. The moans were too much for her to hear. Just imagining the pure and holy Amelia doing something so brazen was enough to make her heart race. The scene that was running in her mind was wild, and made her sweet spot wet. She clamped her legs and stayed on guard, trying not to let her knees go weak. Inside the chamber, Julien changed positions and spread Amelia¡¯s holy pussy from behind. Her thick thighs were sandwiching his legs and the tightness was way more from this position. Roughly a few minutes later, he increased the intensity of his thrusts and grabbed Amelia¡¯s tits firmly. Amelia¡¯s moans intensified and as they reached their peak, Julien thrust his cock deep into her cunt and braced his hips, shooting his warm semen deep inside her womb. "Ohhhhh~!" Amelia shivered as she reached a climax. It felt weird but oddly good to have warm cum sprayed inside her body. ¡¯Lord¡­ forgive me¡­ for feeling so good¡­ from the forbidden pleasure¡­¡¯ A nun should not have lust on her mind and Amelia knew it was a sin. But the forbidden fruit tasted the sweetest and she got a firsthand experience of it. ¡¯I forgive you, child. Live your life to the fullest and let go of your worries¡­¡¯ A melodic voice came from her heart. They were god¡¯s own words. Amelia felt more at ease and enjoyed her climax. Julien breathed heavily and was shivering from the cold air blowing on his sensitive dick. His shaft was now totally limp and he did not have the energy to go for another round. He was done for the day. ¡¯Hentai is a big lie. In real life, you can¡¯t shoot buckets of cum and can¡¯t last for more than a few minutes if you do it very intensely. Fuck¡­ how can those bastards do the whole night?¡¯ Reality was always disappointing, Julien learnt it in the best way possible. One thing was similar to hentai, and that was cum overflowing from his lady¡¯s pussy. There wasn¡¯t a river of cum, but a little bit coming out of her snatch. Julien liked what he was looking at and was proud of his job. If he had a phone, he would¡¯ve definitely clicked a picture to forever remember it. He went back to lie down beside Amelia. The two snuggled for a few minutes and warmed up. Amelia eventually said, "Master, we need to hurry and go out. Jackie is waiting. And let¡¯s not forget, we are still in the labyrinth." "¡­right." How can Julien forget? This labyrinth caused him to die and it wasn¡¯t even a major floor. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Life was really fickle and he really needed to do something to avoid dying from low level monsters like this. Shaking his head and putting the thoughts away for now, Julien dressed up and helped Amelia in dressing up. Amelia then opened the door and greeted Jackie. Julien could see Jackie¡¯s face was flushed red. Although he did not call her out for it. She was in a butler¡¯s outfit and was acting like a male. He wasn¡¯t going to blow her cover out¡­ not so soon. Jackie felt awkward in the presence of these two. However, upon watching her Master be all well, she sighed in relief and composed herself to act like a professional butler. The three¡¯s playtime was now over and they moved towards the core of the labyrinth. While walking, Julien made the notifications turn to normal and went through them all. He gained a lot of Lust Points for his lustful deeds and they had accumulated to over 30,000. Next, he saw that multiple quests were triggered on his main system. One by one, he went through them. Chapter 83: Clearing Floors (8) + [Main Quest #2 ¡ª Cleansing] Difficulty: D Clear Condition: Find the Mindless Soul Stone and use it to cleanse yourself off the demonic impurities. Use it for the second time to modify the demonic resurrection spell. Time Limit: 100 days. Reward: A cleansed mind and soul. No more going berserk upon resurrection. Level up +2. Failure: Corrupted mind and soul. Possibility of turning into a mindless demon. + [Main Quest #3 ¡ª Arcana Shard] Difficulty: E-/?? Clear Condition: You have stolen a binded Arcana Shard. Break the linkage to use the shard to upgrade your own Arcana Card or follow the linkage and steal the enemies Arcana Card. The choice is up to you. Time Limit: 100 days. Reward: Upgraded personal Arcana Card/Stolen Arcana Card. +1,000 XP. Level up +1. Failure: None. + ¡¯So that¡¯s an Arcana Shard¡­¡¯ Julien saw Jackie holding the red crystal and thought. At least he got some sort of valuable item on this floor. His misfortune was so bad, he ended up dying again, but on the bright side, three good things emerged from it. One, he found the Arcana Shard. Two, he found Amelia had a resurrection skill. Third, his relationship with Amelia improved considerably. It was a big loss, but the gains were tremendous too. At this point, Julien still couldn¡¯t tell whether the coin toss was influenced by his bad luck or not. ¡¯Ah well, the sample size was too small. I just went through two tries, so¡­¡¯ At least a few tens of times, he would need to toss the coin to understand its effect. ¡¯Anyway, other than this Arcana Shard, what¡¯s the topic of concern is the lingering demonic effect on me. If I can somehow overcome the berserk state, I can have as many revives as I want¡­ well, not as many, but many for sure.¡¯ From what Amelia had told him, a maiden¡¯s purity was a needed sacrifice for the revival to work. Julien would need to gather many pure maidens if he wanted to be revived. Another important thing was to ensure the demonic effect on him was gone first. If it wasn¡¯t, unlimited revival wasn¡¯t possible. He would simply lose his mind after a few resurrections and turn into a berserk demon. ¡¯There¡¯s so much to do, I can¡¯t even fathom where to start.¡¯ There indeed were many things Julien had to do. "Master, we have arrived." Jackie¡¯s voice pulled Julien back to reality. The party was in a big hall where a broken altar was placed. Through this altar were stairs connected to the upper floor. Their journey to the core was smooth and nothing went wrong anymore. This was how it was supposed to be until the 10th floor. Many Players had been through these floors, clearing most of the hidden quests too. There shouldn¡¯t be any challenge, but Julien somehow managed to die even then. ¡¯I need to be more cautious and less reckless.¡¯ Julien made a mental note. ¡¯¡­and, I really should learn how to swim!¡¯ Thinking along the lines, he ascended through the stairs and reached Floor 6. The journey from here to Floor 10 was smooth like butter. Nothing major happened and they did not gain anything of vital importance either, except for a few XP here and there by defeating monsters. They all rose by one level, and so far, their stats were: Julien ¡ª Rank: 1; Level: 24; Jackie ¡ª Rank: 2; Level 3; Amelia ¡ª Rank 2; Level 2; Julien was the only one who wasn¡¯t able to level up as smoothly and faster. It had to do with him dying on Floor 5 and running from monsters while Jackie killed a lot of monsters and Amelia honed her healing abilities. In just half a day¡¯s time, a lot had happened, and the three were exhausted¡ªmentally and physically both. Floor 10 was a safe zone and had no hidden quest or floor boss. It was livelier compared to Floor 1, but not as much as Floor 25. Floor 25 was where everything was currently at. Every 25 floors, the world was much bigger and it also contained a Floor Guardian. Guardians were different from bosses and were of much higher level. They were three to five times more difficult to defeat than the previous floor¡¯s boss, and it would usually take more than a few teams to rally and defeat them. To reach Floor 25, the journey was arduous. The three wouldn¡¯t be able to do it on their own, and would definitely need to hire some mercenaries or adventurers. Thankfully, Julien neither lacked funds nor connections to do so. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He and his party went straight to the Crimson Night Guild¡¯s branch on Floor 10. Floor 10 looked like a normal medieval fantasy¡¯s capital city. The center had all the important things while the outer periphery housed the miscellaneous elements such as farms, houses, mills, and so on. It was a proper civilization here and one could stay here forever. Land on Floor 10 however was limited and couldn¡¯t house a lot of people, just about a million. The Crimson Night Guild was one of the topmost guilds, ranking 2nd among the many guilds present. Its branch was naturally going to be in the very center of the floor. The branch¡¯s building was a castle with tall columns and arches. It was painted with dark colors and the shade of red was also blood-colored rather than bright. It was quite ominous. Despite the repulsive appearance, a lot of adventurers could be seen walking in and out of it. Some looked happy while most had serious expressions on their faces. Some looked haggard and worn out, appearing to have just gotten out of a quest. Entering the castle looked nothing short of a paradise. There were multiple waiting areas having proper seating arrangements, guild staff attending to the Players personally, and a lot of stalls having receptionists who were ready to help. The place did not lack staff and there wasn¡¯t any queue whatsoever despite the place being so busy. "Players from higher floors who haven¡¯t reached Floor 25 yet also come here for information and quests." Jackie briefed, stating why the place was so busy. "I see." Julien said and walked towards a non-occupied receptionist. She greeted him and his party, and he greeted her, then showed her the token. The receptionist was shocked for a split second, then composed herself and gave Julien and his party an even warmer smile. She got out of her stall and escorted the three away from the busy reception area, towards a private chamber. She then served them tea and asked them to wait for a while stating someone would come to attend to them shortly. "This place is so fancy." Jackie stated and began describing the place to Amelia, who couldn¡¯t see anything. Julien helped Jackie describe this place better, and while doing so, he felt something odd. This place¡¯s interior was oddly similar to his home¡¯s. The Lichtenstein Castle had a similar type of dark and gothic themed decor. After waiting for ten minutes, someone finally attended to them. It was a tall lady in flowing black mage attire. She held a skull-top staff in her hand, and her face was devoid of any expression. "Greetings, esteemed guests." Chapter 84: Celeste "Greetings, esteemed guests." The lady greeted with a curt bow. They were seated on sofas. Julien sat in the middle of Jackie and Amelia, and the three stood up to greet the lady with a slight bow. "Esteemed guests need to be so formal. Please have a seat." The two parties sat down again, and the lady then went straight to the point. "How may I help you, today?" "We want some adventurers who can take us to Floor 25 at the earliest." Julien put out his request. "I see." The lady said and began contemplating, despite it being the most common request. After a few seconds, she replied, "Only up to Floor 25? Our guild can take you to the highest, the uncleared Floor 37 well." Julien shook his head. "No, up until Floor 25 should suffice." There were a lot of hidden quests and scenarios available after Floor 25. Going right up to Floor 37 would be a problem as they wouldn¡¯t have the right foundation to challenge this floor. The Tower had opened its gates to the people of this world roughly 50 years ago. In this half a century, they had only managed to reach Floor 37. This was enough to make anyone understand how difficult it was to clear a single floor and how many tries it took. Julien¡¯s plan was to reach Floor 25 as soon as possible so that he can have a proper safe zone. From here, he could descend to any floor he liked at any time, and could also challenge the upper floors on his wish. Floor bosses of a few floors between 25 and 37 weren¡¯t defeated yet. He could take on them too. "I understand. Please give me a moment." The woman said and took out a digital tablet from her spatial pocket. Her hands swiftly glided through the screen and in a few moments, she put the tablet down and looked at the three. "None of our qualified members are free as of this moment to take on this request." Julien sighed. ¡¯Of course. It is me who made the request, so there¡¯s bound to be some issues.¡¯ The lady stood up from her seat. "However, worry not, esteemed guests. I¡¯ll clear up my schedule and escort you personally to Floor 25. Please give me a moment." Julien blinked in surprise. ¡¯What?¡¯ There was such an option available too? For once Julien rejoiced because his bad luck did not interfere. Whichever god it was that helped him, he thanked them with all his heart. While the lady was gone, the atmosphere in the room was somewhat awkward. Having just gotten time to sit back and relax, the reality of his deeds sinked in and made Julien¡¯s face flush. The pretty lady he had just boned, she was sitting right beside him. Amelia was calmly sipping tea. It was as if this was just another normal day for her. On his other side, Jackie probably had no idea of what had transpired between him and Amelia. If she knew, he didn¡¯t know how the atmosphere would then be. Little did Julien realize, Jackie already knew everything. She was trying her hardest to not show the embarrassment she was feeling, and how awkward it was to sit beside a pair of love birds who had just done the forbidden wrestling. ¡¯It¡¯s probably still inside her!¡¯ Jackie internally screamed as she imagined Amelia¡¯s body containing foreign fluids within her. Amelia on the other hand was feeling somewhat embarrassed. She still couldn¡¯t believe what she had done and the most troubling matter was that she had actually quite enjoyed it. She wouldn¡¯t accept it, but she was actually looking forward to doing it for a second time. The three did not talk. They awkwardly sat there and sipped tea. Five minutes later, the mage entered the room and eased their tensions. "I am ready. We can leave whenever esteemed guests wish." The lady said. Julien put the teacup down and got up. "Very well. We shall leave now then." "Yes." Amelia said and got up. Jackie got up too, and along with the lady, they were escorted out of the guild and left for their ascension to Floor 25. ¡­.. Clearing Floor 10 was by far the easiest as it was a safe zone. When they ascended and reached Floor 11, they found themselves in a dry wilderness. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Walking through the long, dry grasses, the guild lady said, "Esteemed guests, I just realized, I haven¡¯t introduced myself. My apologies, I was quite caught up in work." The lady initiated a conversation. "We haven¡¯t introduced ourselves as well. Please don¡¯t mind." Julien said politely. The lady stopped and turned to face them. She bowed slightly and said, "My name is Celeste and I am the Vice Guildmaster of the Crimson Night Guild." "I see¡ª wait, what!?!" Julien was suddenly alarmed. Jackie felt her hair stood on their ends as well and immediately put her guard up. Amelia felt something off too and took a defensive stance. "Ah, my apologies. I did not mean to startle everyone." The lady suddenly realized the weight of her words and took a step back to lighten the situation. Why was the Vice Guildmaster of a top guild here with them? Taking on a bodyguard-like job to actually escort them to the higher floors? Did she have too much free time on hand or did she perhaps have other ulterior motives? The three began thinking of various possibilities. The lady did not have good communication abilities, so she could only explain herself further and reveal a bit of information about the guild. "The token¡­" she showed the token Julien had deposited at the reception. "This is given to people by the Guildmaster personally, and so far, only four have been personally issued. One of them was with you, so only three more remained. This token gives unrestricted access to everything the guild has, and the person who holds it can even request the Guildmaster to do something for them." "Are you serious?" Julien raised his eyebrow in surprise. This was too good to be true. And why was such a token in his mother¡¯s hand? "Yes, a hundred percent serious. No outsider except for these token holders can enjoy such a privilege. Even most members of the guild cannot. This token is one of the most difficult things to obtain." Celeste briefed. What even was his mother¡¯s relationship with the Guildmaster of his guild to obtain such a token? It looked like he had an important question to ask her the moment they met again. "So¡­ if we can request anything from the Guildmaster, can we also make any request to you?" Jackie was the one to ask. "That¡¯s correct. If they are within my capabilities, I¡¯ll do my best to fulfill them." "Wow¡­" Jackie was thoroughly impressed. "Alright, then I do have a request. I wonder if you can do it." Julien said, not letting the opportunity slide. "Please, feel free to ask." Celeste said. Her tone was neutral and throughout the conversation, there wasn¡¯t any change in her expression. "Ah well, it¡¯s nothing too serious. I just want you to teach me how to swim." Julien made his request. Swimming was very important to him. "Oh¡­" Celeste was internally relieved to find the request to be simple. She thought about it and then said, "Floor 14 has a lot of water. We can start there." "That would be great!" Julien was ecstatic. Meanwhile, Jackie and Amelia were baffled. Their Master didn¡¯t know how to swim? This was quite the news to them as even as a nun, Amelia knew how to swim. The four then began conversing as they walked through the Floor 11¡¯s wilderness and made their way towards the Stairway of Ascendence. Chapter 85: Learning How To Swim Floor 11¡¯s wilderness contained ape-like folks. They did not bother Julien¡¯s party and neither did this party bother them. It was like walking through the primitive era and the monsters here looked like prehistoric era ones too. Thanks to the Vice Guildmaster¡¯s presence, no monster dared to approach them. Julien felt like he was on a sightseeing trip to a prehistoric time and the journey to Floor 12 was very smooth. On Floor 12, the humans seemed more developed but it was prehistoric time nonetheless. Some Players could be seen walking towards the Stairway of Ascendence here while some searched for hidden quests. Celeste stated that it was a waste of time to search for hidden quests as the rewards until Floor 20 were barely any good. Floor 13. This place had a lot of rain and the area was muddy. It was difficult to travel barefoot, especially for Amelia who could not see where she was stepping. Julien offered to carry her on her back, the lady refused, but her Favorability rose by one, so it was still a major win. Finally, the party arrived at Floor 14. This place barely had any land. It was simply water. Players could be seen rowing boats and moving towards the core. The Stairway of Ascendance was visible from far, so one could easily follow it. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As promised, Celeste taught Julien how to swim here. They stopped on a random island and created two wood cabins to rest. Julien was then asked to change and Celeste began teaching him how to swim while Amelia and Jackie rested. They spent a week here with Julien spending most of his days learning about swimming. Amelia and Jackie spent most of their days sleeping while Celeste did nothing but relax as well. This felt more like a vacation and less like work to her. She was glad she took this job. As the week was over, Julien had the confidence to float on any water body he was dropped into. He wouldn¡¯t sink anymore and could swim properly. Celeste also taught him some magical techniques, but he had no idea about mana or essence which he can channel to cast those magical techniques. She told him that he could also try to find himself a water-related Arcana Card which could help him have an easier time in water. These cards could be obtained from quests available in waters on the higher floors. Julien took note of it. The party of four then continued. Floor 15. This place was a proper desert and some nomadic tribes could be seen wandering about. There was a surprisingly high concentration of Players here. Celeste stated that they will be looking at more Players from here onwards as the number of hidden quests would increase. She also advised that Julien and his party could try clearing some quests to gain XP. Their goal should be to be around Level 30-40 before they reach Floor 20. Thus, the trio looked around for some hidden quests. Being the Vice Guildmaster, Celeste naturally had information on a few of the hidden quests on each floor. There was a hefty reward available for Players who would give info about this uncleared quests, so the guild knew a lot of things, and so did Celeste. Celeste stated that the hidden quest on Floor 15 could be triggered by talking about the oasis water to the child crying under the palm tree. The trio walked up to her and Jackie was the one to do the talking. When the child heard Jackie, it sobbed and pointed at the oasis water. [Hidden quest triggered!] + [Floor 15 Hidden Quest #7 ¡ª Stop the depletion.] Difficulty: E+ Quest: At the heart of Floor 15 lies this oasis. Its rich water is a source of vitality for many nomadic tribes. However, for reasons unknown, the water seems to be depleting. Clear Condition: Stop the oasis from drying up. Time Limit: 7 days. Reward: +10,000 XP, Following of the Floor 15¡¯s Nomadic Tribes. Failure: None. + The quest sounded interesting to Julien. He discussed it with Amelia and Jackie. The holy lady stated the oasis could be drying up due to the underground water¡¯s depletion. The cold assassin stated the oasis could be drying up due to some blockage. The two only had assumptions and to test that, somebody had to dive into the water to see the bottom. The water felt relatively safe to swim, so it was Julien who decided to jump in. He just learned how to swim and wasn¡¯t going to leave any chance to not put his swimming abilities to test. Though, he did not directly jump in. He first asked Celeste whether the water was free from monsters or anything which could harm him while swimming. When she gave a clear signal, he jumped in. Julien could hold his breath for two to three minutes. It was enough to go deep underwater. The bottom wasn¡¯t too deep and in just thirty seconds, he could see what was the reason for the water¡¯s depletion. Where there was supposed to be bedrocks, there was sand. The entire bottom was covered by sand. He reported it to his two subordinates. "If the bedrocks are covered, the underground water cannot surface. If the underground water cannot surface, then the evaporated water at top wouldn¡¯t be replenished. This means¡­" Jackie was the one to derive a conclusion. "That¡¯s right. This means we need to clear the sand so the underground water can seep through the top." Julien finished Jackie¡¯s sentence. "Yes." Jackie nodded. "Good luck, Master and Jackie." Amelia merely smiled at the two and wished them once they arrived at the conclusion. The solution to their problem was simple. It was to remove the sand from the bottom. It wasn¡¯t possible for her to swim to the bottom and take the sand out. She could only sit back and cheer for them. "Thank you." Julien and Jackie said and went to work. Celeste walked up to Amelia at this point. She stared at the diving Julien and Jackie and said with a stoic face, "On surface, the quests look simple. But that¡¯s never the case for floors above Floor 10. You should be careful and remind them the same." If the quests were this simple, wouldn¡¯t everybody be able to clear them and ascend to the top rankings? Amelia was enlightened. She turned to Celeste and bowed. "I thank you for your guidance, Lady Celeste." "No need to be so formal, young miss." Celeste shook her hand and said. She turned to stare at the two divers again. "Let¡¯s wait for them to come out. If something goes wrong, I¡¯ll intervene." Amelia nodded and watched what would unfold next. Chapter 86: Reward Distribution Julien and Jackie held buckets of sand and got to the surface, then threw it at the sides. After four rounds, when they uncovered another bucket, they could see the bedrocks. Both were happy and got to the surface to go for another round. However, before they could dive back in, Celeste stopped them. "Wait. See the water first." Celeste pointed out. When the two checked the water, they could see its color slowly changing. It turned from a clear blue to greenish purple. As it happened, they heard a child¡¯s loud wail. Turning to the source¡¯s direction, they saw the same child under the palm tree. It was crying even louder, and as if it couldn¡¯t bear to watch the scene, it ran away. "Hm¡­ this isn¡¯t good." Celeste said. She crouched and touched the water with her pale finger. Her finger was immediately burnt. "The water is poisoned." She said, not minding the stinging pain emerging from her finger. "It¡¯s poisoned?" Jackie was alarmed. "The nomads were trying to suppress the poison by covering the bottom with sand?" Julien asked. "Looks like it, yes." Celeste answered. Julien was baffled. He thought this was a simple quest, but no, it turned out to have a twist to it as well. "Master, Miss Celeste here stated that from Floor 10 onwards¡­" Amelia then told Julien and Jackie what Celeste had said. She did not get the opportunity to say it before as the two didn¡¯t stay at the shore for more than a few seconds. "Should¡¯ve said so earlier." Julien sighed. If Celeste wasn¡¯t with them, they definitely would¡¯ve been poisoned. This time, he couldn¡¯t even blame it on his bad luck, but his own negligence. He had overestimated himself and underestimated the Tower¡¯s ability to make a quest. Right from Floor 0, the Tower had been ruthless. His journey so far was smooth because the floors were cleared, and this gave him a false sense of ease and security. Julien was reminded yet again to not take the Tower for granted. It will definitely bite back, and at the times when he would least expect it. "What now, Master?" Jackie looked at Julien and asked. "Can we clear the poison?" Julien asked. Jackie shook her head. Amelia shook her head too. "Then, we failed the quest." Julien sighed and accepted the loss. Jackie sighed too while Amelia felt dejected. "Miss Celeste, can you clear the poison?" Julien asked the Vice Guildmaster. Celeste nodded. "I can. But that will result in me clearing the quest and getting the rewards." "That¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t want to leave a mess before leaving." Julien said. He felt guilty of destroying the only source of water these nomads had. Although they were NPCs, they were living beings nonetheless. "If the young master says so." Celeste said. She went ahead and placed her staff above the water, then swirled it while chanting some strange things. The greenish-purple water¡¯s temperature rose sharply and hot bubbles formed over the surface. The liquid turned sticky thick and Celeste stopped her chant and her staff¡¯s swirling motion. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She did a sweeping motion instead and the water followed the staff¡¯s direction. Threw itself away, landing on the hot sand. Celeste then swirled her staff above the empty oasis again, and soon, clear blue water rose from the ground. [Ding!] [Floor 15¡¯s Hidden Quest #7 ¡ª cleared!] [+1000 XP] Julien got a notification. Jackie did too, and so did Amelia. The three were surprised by it. Celeste could see their faces and said, "Everyone involved will get a part of the reward as long as the quest is cleared within the time frame of it getting triggered." This was yet another good news for them. "But I only got 1000 XP?" Julien said. "Rewards are distributed based on the impact one¡¯s actions have towards the quest¡¯s completion." Celeste briefed. "I see." "So that¡¯s why I only got 100 XP." Amelia smiled and shook her head. She didn¡¯t do anything but still got a reward. "How much did you get, Jackie?" Julien turned to his drenched butler. "900 XP." Jackie answered. "Miss Celeste, you? If you don¡¯t mind me asking." Julien turned to the emotionless lady. "8000 XP, and the following of the Nomadic Tribes of this floor." Celeste answered. "Oh wow¡­" Julien was amused. "Shall we head to the Stairway of Ascendence?" Celeste asked the party. Julien nodded. "If there¡¯s any other hidden quest here, we can wait." "There isn¡¯t. The next quest is on Floor 17." "Alright. Let¡¯s quickly head to Floor 17 then." The four went through the stairs to the next floor and reached Floor 16. Floor 16 was a mountainous region covered in snow. The main quest was to find a constant source of food for the inhabitants. It was cleared after people taught the inhabitants how to make tools to dig out a hole in the icy lake to fish. Floor 17 was a lush green mountainous region. The main quest here was to stop the ongoing tribal war. The war erupted due to territorial disputes and the quest was cleared by an evil Player. This Player sneaked into one of the factions and killed everyone one by one. Since the other faction did not have any opposition anymore, they took over the whole territory and the quest was finished. This was by far the quickest floor clearance above Floor 10. Some people believed that the best way to have cleared the floor was by making the two factions learn empathy and compassion. It was to teach them how to co-exist together and not by simply killing one another. People could believe whatever they wanted. The main quest was already cleared and there wasn¡¯t anything anyone could do. The hidden quest here was to defeat the Floor Boss. This Floor Boss was the reason the two factions had territorial disputes. The Floor Boss lurked at the edges of the mountains and this prevented the two from expanding outwardly. The factions could only expand inwards and once there wasn¡¯t any more space, they began fighting. "This surely isn¡¯t as simple as killing the Floor Boss, is it?" Julien asked Celeste as he sat on a boulder and overlooked the tribal people¡¯s territory. Celeste shook her head. "I do not know, young master. But I believe such is the case." Julien scratched his head and thought, ¡¯Danger really is at all steps. What is more frightening is the fact that I don¡¯t know the extent of this danger.¡¯ Shaking his head, he got up from the boulder and said, "Jackie, Amelia, let¡¯s go check on the Floor Boss. We¡¯ll observe first and then take action." "Understood." Jackie and Amelia nodded. The party thus made their way towards the periphery of the mountains, trying to find this Floor Boss. Chapter 87: The Jungle Scamp At the mountainous region¡¯s periphery, Julien and his party located a monster lurking about. It was a bipedal monster with sharp horns, being the size of a giant gorilla but having a slim and agile body. This monster was currently resting in a cave and to trigger the hidden quest, one would need to make it notice them. "Careful. This notorious monster retreats the moment it feels threatened. It¡¯ll only attack if it feels it can harm its opponent." Celeste warned. "If you cause it to retreat, the quest will fail and won¡¯t trigger again." This was the reason why it was still uncleared. Whenever high ranking Players approached this monster, it would run away and won¡¯t show itself, making them fail the quest. Once the quest failed, the Players saw no reason to give chase and kill this monster. As for the low ranking ones, many died at the hands of this monster and failed the quest by default. "It¡¯s troublesome indeed." Julien commented. "What do we do, Master?" Jackie asked. Julien thought about it and tried to come with a rough plan. "Well, for starters, we can act as if we¡¯re just passing by and get the attention of this monster. When it takes notice, it¡¯ll either attack or ignore us. If it¡¯s the latter, we can tail and poke it. If not, we can try to fight." Julien devised a rough strategy to defeat this monster. "Remember, we need to appear weak and always let that guy know he has an upper hand or he¡¯ll retreat." "Understood." Jackie nodded and started doing a quick check on her equipment. Julien turned to Amelia. "You¡¯ll stay at the back line and offer support as much as possible. Don¡¯t engage and avoid confrontation." "Understood." Amelia nodded as well. She was adept at casting battle spells and healing. She was a good support. "Miss Celeste, if you feel the situation isn¡¯t going in our favor, please pull us away." "Okay." Celeste agreed. Julien did some preparation before confronting the monster and when he was ready, with his party, they walked near the monster and tried to grab its attention. Julien and Jackie talked loudly and had a fake disagreement. When they saw it did not work to get the attention of the monster, they engaged in physical combat. Soon enough, the three heard a notification. [Hidden quest triggered!] + [Floor 17 Hidden Quest #1 ¡ª The Unruly Jungle Scamp.] Difficulty: E Quest: The Jungle Scamp has been terrorizing the local population on Floor 17 for decades, rendering them unable to roam freely. Clear Condition: Kill the Jungle Scamp. Time Limit: 3 days. Reward: +100,000 XP, Following of the Floor 17¡¯s tribal community. Failure: -10 Levels. + The quest was triggered. The monster was approaching! "A monster?" Jackie gasped, feigning surprise as she shifted into a defensive stance, holding back from attacking just yet. They had to keep up the act. The Jungle Scamp was intelligent-if it sensed a real threat, it would retreat. The creature hissed, baring its sharp fangs at the trio. It wanted fear, so they gave it fear, tensing up and stepping back as if intimidated. Then, with a shrill screech, the Jungle Scamp launched itself off a nearby boulder and lunged at them. The three instinctively retreated, positioning themselves as the beast extended its claws and slashed at them in a flurry of attacks. Jackie deflected the strike with her daggers, while Julien managed to block one but barely dodged the other-his sleeve tore open as a claw grazed past. The Jungle Scamp landed lightly, then sprang forward again, twisting mid-air for a vicious drop kick aimed at Jackie¡¯s head. She sidestepped in a sharp L-step, angling her dagger just right-one of the monster¡¯s feet landed directly on the blade. "Krrrrhhhhhh!" It shrieked, stumbling back as blood dripped from its wound. Snarling, it yanked the dagger out of its foot and glared at them. ¡¯Did I overdo it?¡¯ Jackie wondered, tensing. Her concerns were quickly answered. Within seconds, the monster¡¯s bleeding stopped - the wound sealing itself as if it had never existed. Then, without warning, the Jungle Scamp hurled the stolen dagger straight at Amelia. Julien stepped in, parrying it with his sword. The beast paused for a moment. Its sharp eyes gleamed. It had caught on to something. With a mischievous chitter, it grabbed a handful of nearby rocks and flung them at Amelia. Julien and Jackie moved instantly, blocking as many as they could, but the creature was relentless. "Krrrr! Krrrr!" The Jungle Scamp screeched, almost laughing. It was toying with them now. Then, without warning, it turned and bolted into the darkness. The trio held their ground, waiting, uncertain. Had it retreated? Their hopes were short-lived. The monster reemerged moments later, dragging a sack behind it. With eerie deliberation, it reached inside¡ª then pulled out another dagger. Before anyone could react, it hurled the weapon straight at Amelia. Jackie stepped in to dodge, but at that exact moment, the Jungle Scamp pulled out another dagger and hurled it straight at her. Her eyes widened-caught off guard, she twisted her body just in time, but not fast enough to avoid it completely. The blade grazed her arm, leaving a sharp sting and a thin trail of blood. Julien¡¯s expression darkened as he noticed the wound. "I think it¡¯s time we got a little aggressive," he muttered. If they kept playing along like this, they¡¯d end up seriously hurt. Jackie winced as Amelia¡¯s magic worked over her wound, the stinging fading as the skin slowly knit itself back together. "What¡¯s the plan?" she asked. Julien¡¯s gaze flickered toward the monster, which was watching them with a chittering excitement. It thought it had them figured out. "First, we run," he said. Without hesitation, he bolted in the opposite direction, signaling the others to follow. The Jungle Scamp screeched in delight. Its tricks had worked-it had made them afraid. With renewed excitement, it gave chase, shrieking wildly as it flung more stolen weapons at them, eager to prolong its cruel game. Julien and Jackie intentionally took a few hits from the monster¡¯s weapons, wincing as they let the attacks land. They needed to sell the act-to make it believe it had the upper hand. And it worked. The Jungle Scamp, drunk on its own success, mindlessly pursued them, unaware of where it was being led. By the time it realized, it was too late. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The trio had lured it away from its cave¡ª into an open field in the middle of the forest. No trees, no boulders, nowhere to jump, nowhere to escape. The monster skidded to a stop, its instincts screaming at it. Something was wrong. "Jackie!" Julien shouted, dashing in from the side. He signaled Jackie, who rushed in at the same time. The Jungle Scamp shrieked in alarm. It was trapped. With no escape, it resorted to the next best option-attacking Amelia. It lunged toward her, claws gleaming, hoping to force the others into defense rather than attack. But what the monster didn¡¯t know... this priestess wasn¡¯t just a healer. Amelia¡¯s hands clasped together as she chanted. Arcane energy surged through the air. A blue magic circle materialized above the Jungle Scamp¡¯s head and descended, passing through its body like a spectral chain. The creature froze mid-step. Its muscles locked. It trembled, its eyes darting frantically, but it couldn¡¯t move. Dread seeped into its frantic gaze. "Jackie, now!" Julien roared. He surged forward, sword poised to pierce through the immobilized beast. Jackie followed in sync, her daggers flashing as she aimed to sever its neck from its body. The Jungle Scamp¡¯s wild, restless eyes began to spin. Its entire body convulsed. Crack. Loud fractures echoed from within. Jackie and Julien faltered for a split second. ¡¯What was happening?¡¯ The Jungle Scamp¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot. With a soul-piercing scream, the spell shattered. The air itself trembled as the creature¡¯s body convulsed in unnatural angles. It threw its head back, screeching at the sky. Fury. Madness. Frenzy. It had broken free. Julien¡¯s grip tightened around his sword. "Oh... not good¡­" "Amelia, run! Jackie, stay behind her!" Julien shouted, charging toward the frenzied beast as it lunged for Amelia. In its bloodthirsty mind, Amelia was still the weakest link-the easiest prey. It screeched and gave chase. But this was no longer the same Jungle Scamp. Its bipedal frame had doubled in size, muscles bulging unnaturally. Though berserk, it hadn¡¯t lost its battle intelligence. It was faster, stronger... and deadlier. Within moments, it caught up to Amelia and Jackie. It lashed out with razor-sharp claws, swiping at them with terrifying force. Jackie reacted instantly-grabbing Amelia and rolling to the side, narrowly dodging the lethal strike. Julien arrived at that exact moment, his sword flashing down in a brutal arc. Steel met flesh. The monster shrieked in pain as the blade bit deep into its back. But it wasn¡¯t done. With unnatural agility, the creature twisted, its claws slashing toward Julien¡¯s chest. Julien was already anticipating a counter. He swiftly stepped back, dodging just in time, then darted around the monster, repositioning for another strike. His quick maneuver gave Jackie and Amelia the chance to recover. Both scrambled to their feet, regrouping into a proper fighting stance. Now, all three stood ready. The Jungle Scamp, seeing its prey no longer at a disadvantage, hesitated. Then, to their surprise, it let out a sharp screech-and retreated. Julien¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡¯It¡¯s running?¡¯ Without hesitation, Julien commanded, "Chase after it!" Chapter 88: The Jungle Scamp (2) The Jungle Scamp was faster than before, its berserk form granting it newfound speed. But Julien¡¯s party still had the upper hand. Because Celeste was nearby. "Miss Celeste¡­" Julien called and the mage appeared before them. With a swift incantation, Celeste cast a movement spell and a surge of energy rushed through their bodies. Their steps became lighter, faster. The monster¡¯s lead shrunk instantly. It bolted into its cave, disappearing into the dark maw of the underground. Without hesitation, Julien and his party followed. Inside, the cavern expanded into a vast underground network. Twisting tunnels, jagged rock formations, and the faint scent of damp earth filled the air. Had Celeste not been there, tracking the monster would¡¯ve been nearly impossible. The narrow passages were deceptively winding¡ªsome leading to dead ends, others filled with hidden traps. But with Celeste guiding them, they avoided every pitfall, maneuvering through the labyrinthine cave with ease. Finally, they reached the deepest chamber. A massive underground hall stretched before them, the air thick with the stench of rotting flesh and dried blood. Celeste put herself away from the three, so as to not trigger the hidden quest herself, and kept watch. Julien and his party could see the Jungle Scamp again. It was on the ground and licking a stone slab near an altar like a thirsty dog. There were many skeletal bones around and at a corner of the chamber, lots of mangled corpses could be seen. Judging from their clothes and bodies, the corpses seemed to be a mix of Tower Players and tribal folks of this mountain. ¡¯This monster brings the dead here to feast on them.¡¯ Though such was the case, it currently seemed uninterested in its food and was instead licking the slab with great fervor, as if it was moments away from devouring it. "It¡¯s strange¡­" Amelia broke the silence and said in a low whisper. "What is strange?" Julien asked in a similar tone. "There¡¯s two unsettling auras here. One is familiar to me and the other¡­ it¡¯s probably the monster?" Amelia answered. "No¡­ it¡¯s definitely not the monster¡¯s¡­" She said under her breath. "Hm? You said something again?" Julien asked. "Nothing." Amelia shook her head. It was probably her imagination as the second aura she was feeling was very faint. "I just want to warn Master to not be rash. There¡¯s a strong demon¡¯s aura here." "Noted." Julien nodded. "Miss Celeste, can you feel someone else¡¯s presence other than the monster?" Celeste shook her head. There was just the monster and a lingering demonic aura in the chamber. "Good." Julien¡¯s grip on his sword tightened. "Then we end this now." But they didn¡¯t rush in. Not yet. The trio watched the Jungle Scamp carefully. It was clutching the altar, breathing heavily, its tongue flicking against the stone as if drawing strength from it. Siphoning something. Minutes passed, and when they were sure it wouldn¡¯t pose a major unexpected threat, they moved in. Jackie, with her lightest steps, tried to sneak behind it. The moment she got too close¡ª The Jungle Scamp shrieked. Its head snapped toward her, eyes glinting with cunning. It charged. But Julien was faster. He dashed in from the side and his sword flashed before getting hacked deep into the monster¡¯s shoulder. The Jungle Scamp shrieked in pain and staggered back. But it did not retreat. Something was different about it as it hesitated. This was its place of retreat, its sanctuary. There was no deeper hole to crawl into¡ªnowhere left to run. A single realization dawned in its mind and its eyes began spinning. Fight to the death was what went on its mind as it entered a frenzied state again. Its muscles bulged, doubling in size. A violent, ear-piercing scream tore through the chamber as it went berserk. It charged at Jackie again. Amelia stepped forward at this moment. With a flash of blue light, she activated a spell. The monster¡¯s leg seized up, paralyzed. It stumbled and barely managed to keep its balance. Amelia knew this monster was intelligent. She figured that it wouldn¡¯t fall for the same trick twice, so instead of trying to stun its body, she stunted one of its legs, catching it off guard. The Jungle Scamp shrieked in frustration as it struggled to fight on one crippled leg. It lashed out and began defending itself desperately while retreating. "Jackie, slash the other leg! Amelia, heal!" Jackie had a visible cut on her arm that was bleeding. Julien had a minor scratch, but he noticed that his bleeding wasn¡¯t stopping. This wasn¡¯t a good sign for them both. Amelia clasped her hands and prayed, trying to heal them both. The healing spell did not work. She prayed again. The spell once again did not work. ¡¯O lord, have I let you down? Are your blessed spells not working because I lost my purity? Is this your punishment?¡¯ Amelia couldn¡¯t tell why her spell wasn¡¯t working and began blabbering nonsense to god. Meanwhile, in Julien and Jackie¡¯s vision, they could see flickering light as they suffered from a grainy vision due to loss of blood. Their vision was starting to dim, but they could hold out for a while and not fall unconscious. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¯O lord, please forgive this child of yours if it had sinned. Please be benevolent and bestow healing! O lord¡­¡¯ Amelia was starting to panic from the back lines and continued to pray harder. ¡­.. In a large meeting hall, filled with beautiful Valkyries, a raven-haired lady sat disguised as a Valkyrie and listened to their conversation. They were talking about something important, but right then¡­ -Oh lord, have I let you down? ¡¯Hm?¡¯ El was taken aback by the question. She could clearly tell this was Amelia¡¯s voice and her attention immediately diverted from the meeting to her. She closed her eyes and had a look at the situation Amelia, Jackie, and Julien were in. They seemed to be fighting a monster and¡­ ¡¯¡­eh? That is¡­¡¯ El was slightly startled. But right then, ¡¯¡­never mind. I shouldn¡¯t interfere too much and let fate do its thing. For now, I can only help them indirectly¡­¡¯ Before El could help them, she heard Amelia¡¯s voice again. -Are your blessed spells not working because I lost my purity? Is this your punishment? ¡¯¡­¡¯ El was somewhat speechless. By the time she took to process the things Amelia had said, another of her comments landed in her ears. ¡¯O lord, please forgive this child of yours if it had sinned. Please be benevolent and bestow healing! O lord¡­¡¯ ¡¯Haiz, this girl! Has she lost it?¡¯ El couldn¡¯t tell. ¡¯I think I need to intervene or she¡¯ll keep spouting nonsense¡­¡¯ With that, El jumped into Julien¡¯s situation and decided to indirectly help him. ¡­.. ¡¯Oh lord, please¡ª¡¯ ¡¯I have heard you.¡¯ Amelia heard a melodic voice, one she had been dying to listen to. ¡¯My devotee, the spells you cast are failing to due a demonic interference. Do not let doubt cloud your judgment. Losing purity is no sin. You are no longer bound by the vows of a nun¡ªyou are free to serve me with all your heart, and still forge a life of your own.¡¯ El¡¯s divine gospel shocked Amelia and she stood still for a solid few seconds. Since El was speaking straight into Amelia¡¯s soul, their communication did not take long and was over in a few seconds. In this time, Amelia realized why her spell wasn¡¯t working and the threat she and her Master and Jackie were under. She also got to know that losing purity wasn¡¯t a sin as she wasn¡¯t a nun anymore. She could start a family if she liked and still serve god with all heart, god wouldn¡¯t mind. With this cleared up, Amelia cast a new healing spell learnt straight from God¡¯s divine gospel. Julien and Jackie¡¯s vision was dim. They had more wounds on their bodies that weren¡¯t healing and they were just moments away from falling unconscious. However, at this moment, they both felt warmth envelop their bodies and soon enough their wounds began closing and the bleeding stopped. With renewed vigor, they charged at the monster who was now licking the slab hungrily. The monster was in a crazed state and did not pay any attention to them charging. It kept licking and licking. Its wounds healed as it did so, and it got high on the power gained from the slab. Julien and Jackie appeared right behind it at this moment. Jackie went for the neck, Julien went for the back. One slashed her dagger and the other hacked his sword. In one swift motion, they attacked the monster. It couldn¡¯t even screech or struggle this time as its head flew off. Its body fell forwards with a loud thud, and a few instances later¡­ [Ding!] [Hidden Quest (Kill the Jungle Scamp) ¡ª Cleared!] Chapter 89: Forbidden Arcana Card The quest¡¯s clear notification felt really amazing to hear. It was as a giant boulder was lifted from their backs, and the trio heaved a relieved sigh. "Sentient monsters are a pain to deal with." Jackie commented. "Agreed." Julien replied. "It¡¯s probably not the monster that was a problem¡­" Celeste chimed in and said as she looked at the monster¡¯s corpse. "When it attacked you two, your wounds didn¡¯t heal. That was a strange thing. It otherwise wouldn¡¯t have lost, had the young master¡¯s party not had the young miss¡¯s healing abilities." "It¡¯s all the lord¡¯s blessings." Amelia clasped her hands and said. It truly was god¡¯s blessing this time around. "Hm, it also kept licking this slab and gained powers, I believe." Julien¡¯s gaze fell on the stone slab. "Should we dig into it?" He asked Celeste and his party members. "You can." Celeste suggested. "But be careful, there¡¯s a strong demonic aura coming from there." Julien nodded and decided to dig. Jackie helped him in doing so and a few minutes later, they shifted the stone slab from its place and found a skeletal hand within the soil. The demonic aura was getting stronger. Julien and Jackie continued to dig, and slowly, they saw more bones. They soon realized that they were digging someone grave¡¯s, but neither Julien nor Jackie cared about it. They kept digging until they could see the skull, and then the collarbone, then the ribs, and then¡­ Julien¡¯s hand touched something sharp. The world around him instantly darkened and he saw an endless world of red that was filled with bones and swords. It was only for a split second and his vision returned to normal. [Ding!] [Obtained an Arcana Card!] [Auto adding to inventory¡­] The sharp feeling vanished from Julien¡¯s fingers and the demonic aura disappeared from the surroundings too. "Strange¡­" Amelia commented. "There¡¯s no demonic presence anymore¡­" "You¡¯re right." Celeste agreed and looked around, trying to find the reason why the demonic aura disappeared. She wasn¡¯t near the grave-digging area so she hadn¡¯t seen the glimpse of an Arcana Card being there. Jackie was close but before she could see the card, it had vanished upon Julien¡¯s touch. Julien¡¯s system was tuned to automatically adding an Arcana Card to the inventory and hence, the card had disappeared. Julien was baffled by this and didn¡¯t know systems were this useful here. He pretended that he found nothing and kept digging the grave until he eventually saw a complete skeleton. There was a red crystal under the ribcage, where the heart was supposed to be. It¡¯s insides were molded in a flat card¡¯s shape, and Julien didn¡¯t have to guess that the Arcana Card he obtained was previously in this. "That¡¯s an Arcana Shard." Celeste said with slight surprise. She couldn¡¯t believe that these kids would be able to find an Arcana Shard on such a low level floor. Julien, Jackie, and Amelia were pleasantly surprised too. Defeating the monster had brought them great benefits, the most important being XP and following of the tribal folks of this floor! "You can use this shard to upgrade your Arcana Card. Or you can trade it with the Crimson Night Guild for a hefty reward." Celeste offered. Even though she was acting as a bodyguard, at the end of the day, she was still the Vice Guildmaster of one of the world¡¯s topmost guilds. It was ingrained in her to think about her guild¡¯s interest at all times. "We¡¯d like to keep the Arcana Shard. Thank you for your offer, Miss Celeste." Julien rejected her politely. "A pity." Celeste could do nothing about it. Julien added this to his inventory too, and surprisingly or unsurprisingly, he now had two Arcana Shards with him. ¡¯All of this is so strange. How in the world am I able to obtain such good things so suddenly? This shouldn¡¯t be possible. I am cursed with bad luck, so something bad should happen!¡¯ S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Julien wasn¡¯t paranoid, but things had been going suspiciously smoothly. Was there some hidden play going on that he wasn¡¯t aware of? He had to be careful and check for it. Julien and his party searched around the chamber to find some more goods, and were eventually able to obtain a Rare Arcana Card from the Jungle Scamp¡¯s body. This card was called the Sticky Paws. It was a buff item that enhanced gripped strength by tenfolds. It was a passive buff and would be there permanently as long as the person had the card in their slot. The monster¡¯s hide, fangs and claws were good loot too. They could be used to make an armor or dagger, or could be sold to a guild for a good price. The three added the loot to their inventories and decided to think about it later. Their main priority right now was to ascend the floors and since the quest here had been cleared, they could go through the Stairway of Ascendence. ¡­.. After ascending to Floor 18, Julien and his party decided to take some rest. They were tired from defeating the Jungle Scamp, and wanted some sleep before continuing their journey. Floor 18 was a valley area situated between lush green mountains. It contained a decent village so the four didn¡¯t have to camp in the wilderness. There was a rundown inn the village and the four went there to get themselves a room. They took out meat from their inventories and paid it as a price for three rooms. One was for Celeste, another for Jackie, and the last was for Julien and Amelia. Julien made an excuse stating he had some internal wounds that needed to be healed. Neither Jackie nor Celeste bought the excuse, but they went on with the excuse and didn¡¯t give this couple a hard time. Once Julien was in the room with this beautiful blonde priestess, he was at a loss for words. The two did not speak and the atmosphere was quite awkward. "Let¡¯s eat something." Julien broke the awkward silence and said. Amelia gave him a curt nod and sat on the bed¡¯s edge. A mild blush could be seen on her face and she was trying her hardest to not show that she was flustered and nervous. The innkeeper gave them a fruit basket so Julien was now cutting fruits for Amelia. He gave her an apple and while she ate it, he went ahead and checked his newly obtained Arcana Card. As he summoned it from his inventory, a pink system interface appeared, indicating that it was the Lust system and not his normal one that was appearing. On the system interface, there was a pitch black card with blood red font scheme. It had pulsating veins all around it and seemed really eerie and mysterious. + Crimson Requiem (Forbidden) Effect: The user enters an unstoppable Slaughter Trance. Every wound inflicted does not heal¡ªnot by magic, regeneration, or divine intervention. The attacks ignore all forms of defense, and each kill increases the speed, strength, and bloodlust. However, the longer the fight, the harder it becomes to stop and the mind risks becoming a vessel for the God of Eternal Slaughter. + ¡¯!!!?!?!¡¯ Julien was greatly alarmed and stopped slicing the apples. ¡¯What the fuck is this!?¡¯ Chapter 90: Forbidden Arcana Card (2) Feeling shocked would be an understatement as Julien couldn¡¯t fathom what he had just discovered. This card belonged to a category he had never heard of before. His other two cards, which are a common and uncommon one, did not have such details on them either. There was simply an image of a fireball on the Flamepoke card and a rock shield on the Earthen Wall card with the names written in the middle. ¡¯Are the cards different in appearance if they belonged to different categories?¡¯ Julien wondered. Since he was no expert on this and had no idea what to do, he decided to seek help. Before that, he cut some fruits for Amelia and told her that he wanted to use the washroom. There was an attached toilet and bath for every room despite it being a rundown one. The bath wasn¡¯t anything fancy. There was a large cauldron containing hot water and another containing cold water. The guests had to mix the two together in whatever ratio they liked to wash themselves. As for the toilet, it was just a hole on a stone platform. Julien did not want to see or know the mechanics behind this toilet. The toilet and the bath area were in different places so that was one good thing. Julien went to the bath area and closing his eyes, thought, ¡¯El¡­ El¡­ are you there?¡¯ There was no response. Julien knew El could hear his thoughts and would respond, but even after repeated attempts to call her, she did not answer. Getting tired of this, Julien sighed. ¡¯Do I have to do that to call her? Really?¡¯ ¡¯What if it doesn¡¯t work?¡¯ ¡ªIt¡¯ll work. ¡¯Huh? El? El, you¡¯re here!?¡¯ ¡ª¡­ There wasn¡¯t any response once again. Julien¡¯s eyes twitched and sighing once again, he thought, ¡¯Daddy, are you there?¡¯ ¡ªHoho, my child! Daddy is always there, in your heart. ¡¯¡­¡¯ Julien¡¯s face visibly cringed from hearing El¡¯s annoying voice and dialogue. ¡¯Can you please act like a god? And be a little professional?¡¯ ¡ªHeh. If I acted like a god, I wouldn¡¯t even answer you. Is that what you want? El suddenly did not play along and gave Julien a reality check. Julien was taken aback and realized, ¡¯Shit, she¡¯s not wrong.¡¯ However, despite knowing that, he pretended he did not hear what she had just said and continued, ¡¯El, I found something that I want to show you.¡¯ ¡ª¡­ ¡¯El?¡¯ ¡ª¡­ ¡¯El?¡¯ ¡ªDaddy cannot hear you. Daddy only listens to her beloved children and not anyone else. ¡¯¡­¡¯ Julien wanted to smack this perverted goddess¡¯s head. Could she not read the room and know he was here for a serious and important conversation? ¡¯Daddy El¡­ can you please listen to me seriously for two minutes?¡¯ Julien had no choice but to give the lady what she wanted. He relented and just went with it. ¡ªYes, moi beloved child. What seeketh thou from thine daddy? ¡¯I obtained an Arcana Card on Floor 17. It is called the Crimson Requiem and belongs to the Forbidden category. Do you know something about it?¡¯ ¡ªI know everything about it. What do you want to know? ¡¯What? Everything?¡¯ ¡¯Yes, daddy is an all-knower when it comes to Arcana Cards.¡¯ Julien could not tell whether she was boasting or telling the truth, but if she knew what it was, then it made things a lot easier. ¡¯Well, since you know it, can you tell me whether it is safe to use it?¡¯ ¡ªYou called your daddy from work just to ask whether it is safe to use or not? S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡ªYou dingus! ¡ªCan you not read? The card belongs to the Forbidden category, of course it¡¯s not safe to use! No Forbidden Card ever was! ¡ªAnd even if you didn¡¯t know whether your Forbidden cards could be used or not, didn¡¯t you read the last line? What did it say? ¡¯Umm¡­¡¯ ¡ªWhat did it say? Read it out loud. ¡¯Uh well¡­ it says risks becoming a¡ª¡¯ ¡ªExactly! ¡ªDespite knowing all this, you called this daddy to ask whether it¡¯s safe or not? ¡ªTch. Tch. You¡¯ve disappointed your father with your comprehension skills. I¡¯m sure your mother will be devastated knowing this too. ¡¯¡­¡¯ Such drama¡­ Julien felt his energy drain from this mindless conversation. ¡ªAnyway, daddy isn¡¯t angry. Actually, daddy is happy that you called daddy to take daddy¡¯s opinion into consideration before jumping head first into trouble. ¡ªWell, that card belongs to the dead incarnation of the God of Eternal Slaughter who was buried on Floor 17 from where you picked it. ¡ªUsing it is risky, not safe for sure, but risky, yet still manageable. ¡ªYou can use it in moderation or in the most dire situations, the choice is up to you. I say, with your current strength, you can use it for ten seconds at best in one day so as to stay safe. To use it more, you need to rank up. ¡ªIf you can surpass the God of Eternal Slaughter, you can use this card without any flaws and as much as you like. But when you reach that level, this card would be useless. Meh, anyway, that¡¯s just another story altogether. ¡ªAnyway, if you wish to use this Forbidden card, you can. Your card slots have no restrictions so you can use any card you can obtain, given that you have the required strength to wield them. ¡¯I see. Thank you for your guidance.¡¯ Julien was grateful for her advice. ¡ªSay ¡¯thank you beloved daddy for thy advice.¡¯ ¡ªAnd also, remember one important thing. ¡ªEverytime you use this card, you are drawing power from a sealed entity which you shouldn¡¯t. ¡ªEverytime this power is used, a sigil of that entity¡¯s seal is erased. The seal then inches towards getting undone. ¡¯If that¡¯s the case, then isn¡¯t it better to not use this card?¡¯ Julien asked innocently. ¡ªHeh. Even if you use this card for a hundred years straight, the seal won¡¯t come undone. Neither the entity nor the seal are that low leveled. ¡¯So¡­ what are you trying to convey? Should I or should I not use this card?¡¯ ¡ªUpto you. ¡ªIt doesn¡¯t matter whether you use this card or not. One day, the entity will be unsealed anyway. It has a lot of ways to have that happen, and this is just one of the many methods. ¡¯El¡­ daddy¡­ you¡¯re only making me more confused. I don¡¯t understand what I¡¯m supposed to do with such information.¡¯ ¡¯On one hand you¡¯re saying that it doesn¡¯t matter and on the other you¡¯re also saying that I might unseal something I should never have. Can you see how contradictory your words are?¡¯ ¡ªI can, my child. And I told you, it doesn¡¯t really matter. Do whatever your heart desires. ¡ªThe only thing you need to keep note of is to not use it too much. If you do, your mind will get corrupted and you¡¯ll become a vessel of the God of Eternal Slaughter. When that happens, you wouldn¡¯t even reach Limbo. You¡¯ll forever be enslaved by the God of Eternal Slaughter. ¡¯What the fu¡ª¡¯ ¡ªBut it won¡¯t happen if you just use it for ten seconds a day until you reach Rank 2. Then, you can use it twenty to twenty five seconds a day, hehe. ¡ªAlright, daddy has work now and needs to go. Don¡¯t keep your lady waiting too much. Enjoy your night, love ya~. With that, El¡¯s voice disappeared, leaving behind a dumbfounded Julien. ¡¯The limit is ten seconds a day¡­ noted. Anyway, I better go back or Amelia would be worried.¡¯ Chapter 91: Julien In Debt [R-18] Seated on the hard mattress of this rundown inn¡¯s bed, Amelia¡¯s heart was beating fast. It wasn¡¯t that she was scared, but just imagining the things that were going to happen when her Master came back made her restless. This was a new feeling and experience. She had trouble processing everything. Amelia quietly continued to eat the apples Julien had sliced for her until he eventually returned. As he neared her and she felt his presence, a strange sense of comfort dawned on her. Julien boldly sat beside her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her close. Amelia felt his warmth and her tensed body began relaxing. Julien rubbed the side of her arm and said, "We weren¡¯t able to sit down and talk properly since that day. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a lot you need to say and a lot you want to hear from me." "Mm¡­" Amelia hummed in agreement. Her Master wasn¡¯t wrong about this. They indeed had things to talk about. "I¡¯ve said this before and I¡¯ll say it again. I¡¯m forever indebted to you for what you¡¯ve done for me. And what happened that day¡­¡¯ Julien carefully chose his words. "¡­I was completely conscious of my actions in the latter half, and if I had a chance to redo the situation, I would¡¯ve acted in a similar way again. I don¡¯t regret it." Amelia¡¯s heart was at ease after hearing that. She kept wondering whether that was just the heat of the moment, but she was glad that her Master clarified it. Julien turned to the side, facing Amelia. The blonde beauty had a black blindfold covering her eyes, but the look on her face was as enchanting as ever. He gently placed his palm on her smooth face and continued, "From that fateful day, I swore to cherish and protect you. You became my responsibility, and you turned into someone very dear to me." In his past life, by the end, his personality had turned really creepy and perverted. He was a proper ugly bastard character from a hentai, but with no bitches or sex. It took some time, but as days passed in this new life and he went through many experiences, he slowly began regaining a part of himself he had lost. What he spoke to Amelia now truly came from the bottom of his heart. He did not prepare it beforehand, and everything was hundred percent authentic. Amelia lost her virginity to him, but that day, he lost his to her too. It was from that fateful day, he considered her as his lover. She was his lady, and his solely. He wouldn¡¯t let her go anywhere, and would forever take responsibility for the same. Amelia was on the verge of tearing up. Nobody had spoken in such a loving and tender tone to her before. She was utterly speechless and did not know what to say in such a situation. Having no clue, all she could do was wrap her arms around Julien¡¯s waist, then hug him firmly. She placed her head on his shoulder and silently laid low. Julien rubbed her back and did not speak, getting absorbed in the warm moment. After a while, Amelia got back and took off her blindfold as it was soaked. She wiped the tears leaking from her closed eyes and said with a slight smile, "You are dear to me too, Master. But the debt you have¡­ you need to repay it." Julien was somewhat taken aback by this comment. "That¡¯s not possible. The debt is too great and can¡¯t be repaid in a single lifetime or even a hundred." Amelia¡¯s smile widened. "It doesn¡¯t matter whether it takes a hundred or a thousand lifetimes. Until and unless you clear it off, I am not leaving your side, and neither are you leaving mine." Julien just realized what this lady did and was baffled. ¡¯She¡¯s gotten so cheeky suddenly¡­¡¯ The tense and awkward atmosphere completely vanished. The air was now filled with warmth, joy and laughter. Julien used a cloth to wipe her tear stained face and said, "Looks like I¡¯ll never not have a day where I won¡¯t be listening to god¡¯s gospels." "That¡¯s a given." Amelia replied instantly. "Oh well¡­ I can avoid listening to it if I want to." Julien suddenly said as he finished wiping her face. "Hm?" Amelia was confused. Julien made a smug smile and leaned closer. "I can just do this if I want you to be quiet." Since Amelia couldn¡¯t see his expression or position, she couldn¡¯t tell what he was talking about. Confused, she asked, "What do you¡ª" Her pair of soft, cherry red lips were sealed shut by Julien¡¯s. She was completely stunned and in shock as this happened. It took her a few seconds to process everything that had just happened, and when she did¡­ ¡¯Master is so cheeky!¡¯ The holy lady thought to herself. All misunderstandings, problems and questions about their relationship were cleared. The mood was now set. The ambience was great. All that was left was for the love birds to make some love now. Amelia¡¯s soft and supple lips felt so good to kiss, he wanted to take a bite out of them. Her sweet saliva was mixed with the taste of apples, and as Julien coiled his tongue around hers, it totally felt as if he was sloshing apple juice in his mouth. What a strange thing to feel in the moment of absolute pleasure. As Amelia had no more reservations, Julien gently pushed her down on the bed and slithered his hand on her robes to loosen them. Amelia felt her body heat up as this happened and hugged Julien tighter, not letting him go. "Mmhfff¡­" Julien felt suffocated. He had to struggle a bit to get out of his lady¡¯s strong hold. When he did, he bit her lower lip gently, then sucked on it, not letting her have a proper smooch so as to punish her. His hands loosened her robes further until he could slide his palm over her smooth body and touch her soft and tender lady-bits. "Mmff¡­ not there¡­" Amelia clamped her legs and moaned. The pleasure she felt from getting touched down there was too much. Her Master should slow down! Julien didn¡¯t back away. He slid his middle finger along the length of her pink slit and inserted it in her juicy, wet insides, making her moan again. "Master, n-no¡­" Amelia tried to push his hand away as she shivered. She had a small orgasm just from getting his finger inserted in her sensitive canal. Julien broke the kiss and pulled her robes apart, having her big bare breasts out in the open. Her two pearls at the milky mountain peaks had a healthy shade of pink. They were erect and demanded immediate attention. Julien gobbled one up and made her shiver again, but before she could recover, he inserted another finger in this holy lady¡¯s pussy and did a curling motion, grazing the fingertips right on her weak spots! "Ahhhh~~!" Amelia shivered intensely and quickly pushed Julien¡¯s hand away. She felt too sensitive and the orgasm this time was huge! His touch had to go away for her to recover! Amelia¡¯s pussy squirted clear love nectar. Julien had it splash all over his palm and waited until she recovered. When she did, he rubbed his soaked fingers on her wet labias, then brought them close to his mouth, tasting them. There was a salty and sweet taste to it. "So tasty!" Julien commented. Amelia didn¡¯t know what he was doing as she was basked in her post-orgasm bliss. ¡¯I wonder how it¡¯ll taste if it¡¯s straight from the source.¡¯ Julien did not take a single moment to consider whether he should re-think what he had just thought or take a moment to think before acting on his thoughts. He simply acted. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Down went his face and he saw a beautiful pair of velvety labias covered in juices. He spread the folds with his thumb and index fingers, then licked the oozing sap clean. As Amelia felt his tongue on her, she immediately clasped her legs and said, "Nooooo! That¡¯s too dirty!" Her voice was quite loud, to the point that a brownish orange-haired androgynous figure in the room beside them couldn¡¯t have a single second¡¯s sleep. The walls were thin and Jackie could hear everything. In fact, she had actually heard everything and thought, ¡¯Those two¡­ why can¡¯t they do it more silently!¡¯ Chapter 92: Didn’t Pull Out [R-18] Clothes lay scattered on the ground as a pair of lovebirds indulged in unholy wrestling. Julien was done eating his beautiful priestess¡¯s pink pussy. She resisted a lot, but couldn¡¯t stop him from doing what he wanted. He was now on top of her, having her arms pinned to the sides and nibbling on her nipples. His shaft kept rubbing on her wet slit and teased her. Amelia felt as if she had a strong itch that could only be scratched if her Master inserted it deep in her. She wanted his cock, right at this very instance, but did not have the means to convey it. Her vocabulary was limited and such unholy words would never come out of her holy mouth¡­ at least anytime soon. Amelia conveyed her emotions by hugging Julien tighter and rubbing her lower lips on his shaft, hinting him to insert it. Julien enjoyed how velvety they felt and the contorted face of his beautiful lady. She was definitely in mental distress, and this looked like torture¡­ but it wasn¡¯t. It was just harmless fun to spice things up. "Master, please¡­" Amelia couldn¡¯t take it anymore and begged, grinding her bottom on his. Julien smiled and got into a missionary position, holding her legs wide apart at the sides. "My lady said please, how can I refuse her now?" Julien chuckled and slowly entered her convulsing pussy. He could visibly see his shaft spread her lips apart and hit the deepest spot it could. As he pulled himself back, her tight insides gripped and refused to let him go. Julien felt heavenly as her warm, soft and wet insides gobbled the entirety of his shaft. He slid his dick out and thrust it back in her in a slow pace, feeling every nook and cranny. Amelia had gotten comfortable by now and didn¡¯t mind being seen completely naked. She didn¡¯t even feel his intense gaze on her stretching pussy as she was too absorbed in her own pleasure. Julien soon increased the intensity of his thrusts. He fervently pumped her tight insides and used his free hands to pinch and play with her nipples. "Ahh~ Ahh~ Ahh~" Amelia let out gasping moans with each thrust and her breasts swayed along in rhythm. Julien did his best for a whole two minutes, fucking her like no tomorrow, and eventually couldn¡¯t hold himself back and climaxed inside her spasming pussy. "Ohhhhh~!" Amelia¡¯s body twitched as she underwent a big orgasm. Julien spewed quite the amount in her and it overflowed. He had been backed up for quite many days. As his orgasm subsided, he felt weak and lethargic. His shaft turned limp and he did not have enough energy to go for another round. He fell beside Amelia and hugged her from the side, closing his eyes and resting. Amelia turned towards him and hugged him back. She could feel that he was resting and perhaps about to sleep. She caressed his hair and thought, ¡¯Master has worked hard.¡¯ She could still feel his baby seeds dripping from her nethers, but was too tired to get up and wipe it away. She was also aware that he had climaxed inside her and that she could get pregnant. Today wasn¡¯t a safe day, but neither was it risky, so the chances of pregnancy were low. Still, she had to do something otherwise she might get pregnant. ¡¯I never thought a day would come where I would need to think about pregnancy¡­¡¯ Amelia¡¯s mood turned somber as she reminisced about her days as a nun. It hadn¡¯t been long since she gave up being a nun, and her principles and beliefs had changed by a huge margin. Shaking her head, Amelia felt these were all useless thoughts. She decided to not think about it for now and placed her head on Julien¡¯s head, going to sleep together with him. Julien didn¡¯t sleep yet. He just had his eyes closed. As the post-nut clarity hit, he realized something really crucial. ¡¯Shit¡­ I didn¡¯t pull out. It¡¯s been three times now.¡¯ The last time they did the deed, Julien had finished inside twice, and today was the third time. ¡¯She didn¡¯t get her periods yet, this definitely means that it¡¯s a risky period.¡¯ ¡¯Oh no¡­ I don¡¯t wanna become a dad so soon¡­¡¯ Julien wasn¡¯t ready to take on the responsibility for a child. He was far too weak in the Tower and his bad luck seemed to be never ending. He didn¡¯t want to pass his curse to his child and wanted to give it a good life. ¡¯I want to stabilize myself before starting a family¡­¡¯ ¡¯Anyway¡­ does this world have condoms or it¡¯s equivalent? I should check the Lust shop again. Maybe I can find something¡­¡¯ Julien summoned the Lust system panel and went through the shop. + [Shop - offline] -Common- Condom: 10p ?new? Dotted condom: 15p ?new? Extra thin condom: 20p ?new? Birth control(male): 50p ?new? Whip: 50p Handcuff: 50p Buttplug(S/M/L/XL): 50p Ball gag: 50p Pearl buttplug(3/9/12): 100p Tent with King-sized bed: 1000p ?new? -Uncommon- Seduction Potion(male): 100p Seduction Potion(female): 1000p Sedation Potion: 1000p Mind Control Potion(5 minutes): 1000p Mind Control Potion(10 minutes): 1500p Healing Lust Potion(50% recovery): 2500p ?new? (Availability: 5) Healing Lust Potion (100% recovery): 5000p ?new? (Availability: 5) -Rare- Love Binder Pill: 10,000p Lust Binder Pill: 10,000p ?new? -Legendary- Art of Eight Limbs: 100,000p Kama Sutra: 1,000,000p Yin-Yang Vajra Sutra: 1,000,000p -Forbidden- Succubus Summon(Lv.99): 10,000,000p (Click on an item to know more.) -Note- (More items will be added with each level up.) S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. (Legendary and Forbidden items refresh every 180 days.) + ¡¯Aha! There really is birth control!¡¯ Julien was happy to see it on the system screen. ¡¯But wait, why is man written on it?¡¯ Julien opened the product to see it in more detail. + Birth control(male): 50p -Consumption of the pill makes the sperm infertile. -Needs to be consumed prior to ejaculation. -Effect lasts for 24 hours. -No side effects. + ¡¯This pill is for men?¡¯ Julien knitted his brows. ¡¯I¡¯ve already done the deed. I need a pill for my lady now. Why isn¡¯t there birth control for women there¡­¡¯ Was the lack of birth control for ladies in his system panel a result of his bad luck? If it was, then it was truly an accursed fate. Julien thought his bad luck would only cause extremely major trouble such as getting him killed. He didn¡¯t expect it to be involved in his everyday life as well, and cause him minor inconvenience too. Since there was no birth control available, he had to find it elsewhere. ¡¯I can try asking Miss Celeste¡­¡¯ He could do that, but it¡¯ll get somewhat awkward. ¡¯Ah well¡­ it¡¯s not like she doesn¡¯t know what we¡¯ve been doing¡­¡¯ The walls were thin and Julien could guess that Jackie and Celeste both were able to hear what was going on as his room was in the middle of the two¡¯s. ¡¯I¡¯ll ask her in the morning¡ªno, I need to ask her how.¡¯ Amelia¡¯s eggs could get fertilized by the time it was morning. It would be really bad news if that happened. Opening his eyes, Julien¡¯s worries suddenly curbed down. Under the serene moonlight coming from the window, Julien could see Amelia¡¯s sleeping face. She was sleeping right beside him, completely naked and vulnerable. She trusted him enough to be so vulnerable, and the feeling of protecting someone, coupled with the person being such a beauty made Julien¡¯s heart melt. His worries eased and he was more relaxed. ¡¯Maybe having children with her wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea¡­¡¯ Julien¡¯s thoughts were drifting into the territory of absolute danger without him realizing. ¡¯¡­but I can¡¯t have them. Not yet.¡¯ Thankfully he was still rational and aware of his situation. He shook his head and sighed. He placed a blanket over Amelia¡¯s body and got off the bed, getting dressed and going out to see Celeste. Julien stopped before Celeste¡¯s room and gently knocked on her door. Celeste soon opened the door and was surprised to see Julien there. "It¡¯s almost midnight, young master. Are you not feeling sleepy?" Celeste asked with her eyebrows somewhat raised. She had heard whatever that was happening in the room beside her. She couldn¡¯t believe that the priestess who seemed so holy and gave off a pure vibe could moan like that. Celeste was honestly baffled and surprised beyond measure. She had a few partners in the past, but even with them, she had never moaned like that. She analyzed Julien from head to toe. He seemed like a teenager who was in the midst of hitting puberty. Such a boy was able to bring such a mature lady to such a state. What an amazing feat. Celeste commended Julien internally as she sized him up. "Miss Celeste, it¡¯s a bit embarrassing, but I have a request for you." Julien said with a straight face, even though he was nervous on the inside. Celeste was definitely judging him with the way her eyes scanned him from head to toe! "Please ask, young master. There¡¯s no need to be embarrassed. If it¡¯s within my power, I¡¯ll definitely fulfill it." Celeste said and wondered what request Julien had that was so urgent. "Thank you," Julien first thanked her. "I want you to get me some birth control at the earliest. Is it possible?" ¡¯Ahhh¡­¡¯ Celeste, the lady who usually had a stoic face, suddenly had her cheeks flush red. ¡¯So it¡¯s that¡­¡¯ She didn¡¯t think Julien would be so open about this and ask her that. "I don¡¯t have it on me. I¡¯ll have to check." Julien nodded. "Please make it fast. If there¡¯s none available, please let me know." "Understood." Celeste nodded and left to check for the pills. Chapter 93: Floor 25 Celeste came back stating she had to make a trip to Floor 25 to fetch the pills and left. She came back within fifteen minutes and handed it to him. Julien went back to his room and woke Amelia up. He then fed her the pill and went back to sleep in relief. Next day. The party left the Inn to clear the remaining floors. While on the way, Julien checked his cards. + [Arcana Cards: (3/3)] Slot #1: Flame Poke(Common) Slot #2: ¡ª Slot #3: Stone Wall(Uncommon) + Flame Poke barely did any damage and was a Common Arcana Card. He could find a better version of it if he just asked his mother or Celeste. Julien removed the card and added the Forbidden Arcana Card. His bad luck resulted in him having one slot forever blocked, but on the bright side, none of his card slots had any restriction to them. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He could put any category¡¯s card in his slots and didn¡¯t need to wait to rank up. The only restriction was that he had to be capable to wield the card¡¯s power. The Forbidden Card Crimson Requiem could be wielded. It was only for 10 seconds, but could be used nonetheless. And the effect of it was really great too. Julien looked at his system screen again. + [Arcana Cards: (3/3)] Slot #1: Crimson Requiem(Forbidden) Slot #2: ¡ª Slot #3: Stone Wall(Uncommon) + If he cut someone with this card¡¯s power, the wounds would never heal and the person would continue to bleed. It was quite overpowered and Julien was happy to have it. With his newfound powers, Julien continued with his adventure, trying to clear the floors and reach Floor 25 at the earliest. ¡­.. The journey up until Floor 20 was smooth. There were no more quests as challenging as Floor 17¡¯s. While this was a good thing, it came at the cost of the trio obtaining nothing from their adventures. They did not get any treasure or leveled up as much as they hoped. When they reached Floor 20, they found themselves to be weak compared to the overall population. Celeste consoled them by saying it was normal. All kids from a strong background would be of low level at the higher floors as compared to the majority, but that wouldn¡¯t be for a long time. They had a lot of challenges available on the higher floors and could level up fast as the XP gained was huge. The rewards they would get would also be much better, so it was way better to be on this floor than on the bottom ones. From Floor 20 onwards, things had begun changing. Julien saw that the NPCs appeared more human and sentient. They still seemed preprogrammed as they did not have many responses available and couldn¡¯t answer most questions, but things were starting to change. Julien kept note of it and moved on. Floor 21 was a windy flatland consisting of storms. The main quest may have been cleared but the raging storms stayed on. This was another change he noticed. Clearing quests did not result in the floor returning to normal or any change in terrain or climate. If Celeste wasn¡¯t here, they would¡¯ve struggled to reach the Stairway of Ascendance which was located in the middle of a huge tornado on this floor. Floor 22 contained active volcanoes and the Stairway of Ascendance was on top of a volcano that could erupt at any moment. The area was so hot that special uniforms were needed to traverse that. Celeste wasn¡¯t needed here because on Floor 21, right at the base of the stairs, in the middle of the tornadoes, there was a man selling those special uniforms. The price was reasonable too. Everyone bought those and cleared Floor 22. Floor 23 was a flat land consisting of underground tunnels. The main quest was to reach the core and the challenges were traps, monsters, and claustrophobic spaces. Celeste knew her way through this tunnel and the trio did not encounter any traps. They found monsters occasionally and defeating them brought great amounts of XP. Amelia leveled up as well, despite only proving healing support to the two. From Floor 20 onwards, if a person engaging with a monster had his wounds healed by the healer, then the healer would gain XP too once the monster was defeated. It did not take much time to clear Floor 23 either and the party then reached Floor 24, which was a normal, thriving world with peace and prosperity. The main quest here was to solve the world war that almost looked like an apocalypse. There was extreme poverty, hunger, and diseases everywhere. Clearing the main quest required a lot of man power and took a long time, but everyone eventually succeeded. The NPCs here were smarter than the previous floor¡¯s. The Stairway of Ascendence was located in the Imperial Palace¡¯s central courtyard and the entry could be gained by doing tasks that would let one gain entry inside or simply by sneaking in, if one had the ability. There were major risks involved if one sneaked in. The NPCs were powerful and one may die if they were found. Julien and his party cleared this floor by completing quests. They spent a week in this place and the quests they did were related to trades, import, and export with nearby kingdoms. One of the Imperial Palace¡¯s officials was impressed by the influx of money into the empire and invited the party inside. They then went to the courtyard and ascended, finally reaching Floor 25. Floor 25 was bustling with Players. There were barely any NPCs. This floor was quite vast and had a population of ten million Players. There were four countries in the four cardinal directions. Each consisted of multiple cities. The North was ruled by the major churches. The West was ruled by the major guilds. The East was ruled by the strongest Players. And at last, the South, The South was lawless and free. The South consisted of a lot of criminals and dark organizations. The people here caused extreme troubles at the borders of the North, West, and East. The country was referred to as the dumpster of Floor 25 and housed all the ones who couldn¡¯t afford to stay in the other three countries. The other countries required a minimum payment every month and worked on a penalty system. If someone incurred three penalties, they would be thrown out. The minimum payment also wasn¡¯t too high, but there were certain Players who couldn¡¯t afford even that, and thus were forced to go to the South. Julien and his party were in the West, staying at the Crimson Night Guild¡¯s headquarters. The headquarters here was much much grander than what was on Floor 10. Floor 10¡¯s building seemed like a small toy replica in front of the actual thing. Everything was exquisite and intricate, full of dark gothic tones. It felt lovely and refreshing to be here. Julien and his party were given a warm welcome by the staff as they came in with the Vice Guildmaster herself. Celeste¡¯s job was done and she parted ways with them after showing them their room. It was big and contained multiple bedrooms within along with a lounge area, kitchen, balcony, and a swimming pool. The three were exhausted from climbing the floors nonstop and decided to rest for a few days. Julien and Amelia stayed in one room while Jackie did so in another. The two indulged in unholy wrestling everyday, and this time, Julien ensured to wear rubber or have those birth control pills available for 50 points. Even if the condoms were available for cheap and were thin, they didn¡¯t feel as good as going raw. Having pills thus felt better and Julien continued to take one everyday. For five days, they did not leave their room and lived lavishly. They planned to stay here for another two days, but a guest soon came knocking at their doors, disrupting their little vacation. Chapter 94: Leona Julien opened the door for the guest. It was a tall lady in regal black gothic dress. Her face was covered in a semi-transparent black veil, and her blonde hair and green eyes stood as a stark contrast to her clothing. Julien seemed like a child in front of her, and this lady was even taller than the tallest lady he knew of¡ªhis mother. Though this wasn¡¯t natural. The lady was tall, but she wore heels that gave her a few extra inches. Julien guessed that she might be an inch or two shorter than his mother. The lady glanced at Julien like an Empress looking down at her subjects. There were two maids behind her, but none stepped forward to make an introduction or to speak. They just stayed there. Amelia and Jackie stayed behind Julien too and did not come forward to talk to the lady. They let the main people do the talking. "May I help you?" Julien looked at the lady and asked. He had zero clue as to who this was and why she had knocked on his door. The lady¡¯s eyes gleamed brightly, as if she was amused by what Julien had just asked. However, they soon dimmed in disappointment. "Token." The lady said one single word in her melodic yet powerful voice. Julien didn¡¯t know why someone was here to ask for the token, but he had it on him and it was no problem to show it. He showed it to the lady without question. The lady stared at it for a split second, and her attention was back at Julien. "You¡¯ve changed." She said. "Excuse me?" Julien couldn¡¯t understand her. The lady took her veil off, and showed her beautiful face to Julien. She looked like a goddess, however¡­ ¡¯Hm? Why does she kinda look like¡­¡¯ Julien¡¯s eyes twitched. Maybe it was just his imagination, but this lady really resembled someone close to him. Noticing Julien¡¯s gaze and his confusion, the lady let out a visible sigh of disappointment. "My own little brother doesn¡¯t recognize me." "Eh?" Julien was surprised. Amelia and Jackie were alarmed too, suddenly realizing a crucial fact. Jackie could see the lady¡¯s appearance in front and she looked a lot like Lady Eleanor with the exception of her green eyes. Amelia couldn¡¯t see her but she could feel her presence be similar to Lady Eleanor¡¯s. Though she thought it might not be the case. Who would¡¯ve thought that her intuition was correct! "Leona?" Julien asked, still confused. "Hm?" Leona raised one of her eyebrows slightly. "Looks like you at least didn¡¯t forget the names of your family members." Julien was slightly embarrassed by this. If only he had memories of his life here then things wouldn¡¯t have been this awkward. Leona extended her hand out and gently ruffled his hair. "It¡¯s alright. Mom told me about your awakening and loss of memories." "So it really is you, Leona." Julien heaved a sigh of relief knowing this wasn¡¯t a stranger and was really his sister. Leona flicked Julien¡¯s forehead when he said that, sending stinging pain throughout his body for a second. "Owww!" He rubbed his forehead and cried out. "It¡¯s big sis or dearest sister for you, not Leona." Leona corrected. "Right. Right." Julien rubbed his forehead and said. "Let¡¯s go inside and talk." Leona barged in and held Julien¡¯s hand, dragging him away with her. The maids entered too, and brought in two carts full of food and other supplies. Jackie and Amelia were given a warm cup of coffee with a shortcake by the maids along with hot towels. They sat on a different sofa in the lounge room and watched the conversation between their Master and his elder sister. Leona, seated beside Julien, had a face devoid of any expression. She seemed cold and unapproachable. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Leona pinched Julien¡¯s cheek as she stared at him and stretched it, making him be in pain again. "Let go!" Julien struggled to put her hand away. "Hm¡­ you¡¯re real indeed." Leona said and let go. She rubbed his cheek and tried to ease the pain she had caused. "Of course I am real. What makes you think I am not?" Julien questioned back. Leona shook her head. "You wouldn¡¯t understand." The way Julien was now versus how he was the last time she had seen him couldn¡¯t be compared. His whole life, he was like a NPC that only worked on command. It was sad to see that sight. Now, things were different. Leona almost had a tear in her calm eyes from watching this. Though she didn¡¯t cry or have any change of expression. "Do you like it here?" Leona asked, changing the topic. "Here? You mean in this guild?" Julien asked. "Yes. How is the guild?" "It¡¯s amazing!" Julien said with a bright expression. He was fanboying hard over how aesthetically pleasing this place was. Leona¡¯s lips slightly curved up from hearing that. "I¡¯m glad," she said. "Why do you ask?" Julien wondered. "I designed this place and its interior." Leona said. "Oh." Julien understood. "Are you an important member of this guild?" "Perhaps." Leona wasn¡¯t sure whether she was important or not and said. "I am just the Guildmaster." "I see¡ªhuh?" Jackie and Amelia almost spit out their coffee from the sidelines as they overhead this. ¡¯Lady, what do you mean by perhaps!?! You¡¯re the freakin¡¯ Guildmaster!¡¯ Jackie, Julien, and Amelia, all three thought the same thing. "What do you mean perhaps? You¡¯re the Guildmaster! There¡¯s nobody more important than you!" Julien blurted. Leona thought about it and shook her head. "If I compare myself to Celeste, she is more important. The whole guild¡¯s running due to her administration." Leona merely compared herself to Celeste and gave an answer as such. She felt she wasn¡¯t as important as her, thus to Julien¡¯s question, answered in such a manner. Julien¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡¯What is wrong with my elder sister? Does she have a screw loose or something?¡¯ Why weren¡¯t any of his sisters normal? Leona¡¯s thought process was completely different than a normal person¡¯s whereas Katherine loved to play pranks. Julien shook his head and said, "Forget it. I now get why mom has the token with her." Leona nodded. "I gave the tokens to our family members so they can use all facilities without getting tied to the guild. I¡¯ll get one made for you soon." "Many thanks." Julien was happy about this. Who would¡¯ve thought that it was his own sister that ran such a big guild? No wonder Celeste descended to Floor 10 from Floor 25 and took on the request to be the bodyguard! Leona patted Julien¡¯s head with a neutral face and ruffled his hair, saying, "There¡¯s no need to say thanks. I am your big sister, it is my duty to look after you." Julien felt warm. He may have only just met his sister, but he found himself sharing a bond much stronger than blood with her. "What plans do you have now? Are you going to stay on Floor 25 or ascend?" Leona asked after a while. "I was planning on ascending since Floor 25 doesn¡¯t have a lot of quests." Julien said. Leona nodded. "That¡¯s a good idea. But you cannot do that." "Why?" "Because we need to leave." Leona answered. "Hm?" "Mom called me a while ago and said to bring you back home the moment you reach Floor 25. Katy is already there, and we are scheduled to meet grandma." Leona briefed. "I was busy with a few things and couldn¡¯t come earlier. Otherwise we would¡¯ve left the moment you reached Floor 25." "I see." Julien understood the gist of the situation. He vividly remembered the day his mother had called his grandma. That lady had asked them to see her, and Julien didn¡¯t know that her words would be paid so much attention to. Julien thought it was just a saying, but who would¡¯ve thought that his mother would actually be so serious about it. "When are we leaving?" Julien asked. "We can leave now, if you¡¯re done vacationing." Leona said. "Alright, let me pack some stuff. We¡¯ll leave then." Julien got up and went away to pack. Leona sat there and sipped coffee, awaiting her little brother¡¯s arrival. Chapter 95: Lorene Ravenwood Duchy, Silverose Kingdom. The Lichtenstein Castle. Julien was back home. The moment he stepped foot inside the castle¡­ "My babyyyyy!" His vision darkened as he heard a sweet voice call him lovingly. He felt suffocated and was being showered with lots of kisses. "You¡¯re finally back!" Eleanor said happily. "Mommy missed you so much. It¡¯s almost been three weeks since I last saw you." Three weeks was a long time. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that Eleanor herself was busy, she wouldn¡¯t have left her baby boy¡¯s side. "Mom¡­ I-¡­I am suffocaffting!" Julien cried out, but was paid no heed. "It¡¯s been two months since you last saw me, mom." Leona said in a flat tone. "Oh yes, I missed you too, dear." Eleanor extended her hand and pulled Leona in the hug as well. She rubbed her back while giving Julien more kisses. There weren¡¯t any kisses available for Leona. It was clearly evident who was Eleanor¡¯s favorite child. ¡¯Such discrimination¡­¡¯ Leona thought to herself. ¡¯¡­but it¡¯s okay. I would¡¯ve picked little brother too if I was in her shoes. He¡¯s cute.¡¯ The moment Leona first saw the awakened Julien, she found him to be extremely cute and someone who had to be protected at all costs. Her motherly instincts flared up and if she was as expressive as her mother, then she would be doing the same thing Eleanor was currently doing. When their reunion was over, they went inside. There, Julien saw a blonde lady with blue eyes in an elegant white dress. She looked like a younger version of his mother, and he didn¡¯t have to guess who that was. Katherine was waiting for everyone in the large hall. When she saw her older brother and sister, a big smile was on her face. "Juuls! Lenny!" Katherine rushed towards the two and was about to envelop them in a hug. However, she was stopped by Leona and got her cheek pulled hard. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Let goooo!" Katherine cried out. "How many times do I have tell you? It¡¯s big sis and not one of your made up names. And also, show some respect to your big brother." Katherine was the youngest among the three, but also the naughtiest. She had to be disciplined or her unruly behavior would know no bounds. Julien also felt weird when he heard that nickname. He would honestly prefer big brother over that any day. "Alright! Alright! I will! Let goooo!" Leona let her go and stood on business. Katherine rubbed her reddened cheek and said, "Big sis is as hateful as ever. Anyway, Juu¡ªbig brother, long time no see!" Katherine thought it was the first time her awakened big brother was meeting her, but little did she know, he had met her in the banquet and seen what a prankster she was. Julien pretended he hadn¡¯t seen her and smiled. "It¡¯s been a while since I saw you, Katy. Haven¡¯t you all grown up now?" "I have!" Katy nodded. "I am much stronger than you now. If you want help in clearing any floor, don¡¯t hesitate to ask. Your sis is always there for you!" Katy was a strong Player of Floor 37. Not as strong as Eleanor or Leona, but strong enough to be in the top 100. She was definitely someone who could help Julien clear the floors. Julien smiled and wanted to pat Katy¡¯s head for her comment, but he realized he was a head shorter than her. It would feel weird to extend his hand up and pat her. ¡¯Tsk. Why am I the shortest in the house? And why are these ladies so tall? Did I not inherit my mother¡¯s height genes?¡¯ Julien thought to himself. "Alright. Since everyone is here, shall we leave for grandma¡¯s place or do you want some rest?" Eleanor asked. "We can leave." Leona suggested. "Yes." Julien agreed. "Let¡¯s goooo!" Katherine said happily. "Then we shall leave." Eleanor nodded. She went to prepare a few things before leaving and eventually left the castle with Julien and his two sisters. Jackie and Amelia stayed behind. It was a good time for Jackie to hone her assassin skills and for Amelia to act as a proper priestess. Amelia had a special temple made just for her and went there to do her duties. ¡­.. The Lichtenstein carriage did not directly go to Rosalynn Lichtenstein¡¯s place. It took a detour and instead entered the Ravenwood Wilderness. Half an hour¡¯s worth of journey led them to a clearing in the middle of the forest. There lay a tall tree on which was a spiraling stone tree house. "This place is?" Julien asked. Eleanor¡¯s mood wasn¡¯t the best as she arrived here. She had her brows knitted and said, "It¡¯s your aunt¡¯s place. We need to pick her up." Rosalynn had strictly asked Eleanor to visit her with her children and sister. She had no choice but to meet her sister and take her there. Eleanor took fast strides towards the door at the base of the three and knocked it aggressively. "Lorene! Open the door!" Watching her be so aggressive made Julien wonder what his mother¡¯s relationship with his aunt was. Noticing his curious expression, Katherine smiled and said, "Mom and aunt have a special relationship. You¡¯ll soon find out." "Don¡¯t get influenced by aunt though or mom will be angry." Leona warned. Julien nodded and looked forward to what was going on. "Loreneeee!" Eleanor yelled. "Geez¡­ I heard you¡­ can you stop shouting¡­" A lethargic voice filled with laziness could be heard from the inside. The door soon opened up and Julien saw a tall raven-haired lady with green eyes. Astonishment flashed in his eyes when he saw the state she was in. The lady wore a baggy t-shirt that reached the middle of her thighs. Her long hair was disheveled, appearing as if she had woken up from a nap, and her tall stature seemed shorter than Eleanor because she was slightly hunched. This was Julien¡¯s aunt, Lorene Von Lichtenstein. "My god¡­ look at you." Eleanor frowned and said. "You stink! How many days has it been since you last took a bath?" "There you go with the questions again¡­" Lorene yawned again and scratched her head. "Get inside first. Your kids¡ªhm?" Lorene stopped speaking as she saw a peculiar person in the group behind Eleanor. Her lethargic eyes regained some vitality and analyzed Julien, before going to being in their previous state. "Get in." Lorene turned around and invited them all in. When Julien entered the tree house, he was amazed to find its interior look like those in fantasy movies and games. It was all wooden and cozy. There was a spiraling passage coiled around the tree. Attached to it were rooms and stairs. It was an amazing piece of architecture. Lorene took the three upstairs, into one of her cleaner lounge rooms. There were no sofa sets, just multiple bean bags around a magical fireplace. The temperature in the room was just right to want to be around the fire. It was so cozy! "Have a seat." Lorene said and fell freely on one of the bean bags. As she did so, Julien¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. His aunt¡¯s baggy t-shirt was lifted and her smooth, plump and curvy buttocks were clearly visible. She had no underwear and was totally bare! Eleanor¡¯s eyes twitched. She got up and walked near Lorene, then smacked her bare buttocks with a crisp slap. "Ouch." Lorene yelled and turned around, exposing her dense pubic hair. Her pussy was hidden under it and Julien couldn¡¯t see it. "Why are you always so indecent? What influence will that be on my children?" Eleanor scolded her and pulled her t-shirt down, then made her sit straight. "Your children will be fine¡­" Lorene shook her hand. "Look, my sweet Lorene is brewing tea for us while cutie Katy is bringing me underwear." Leona and Katherine were aware of their aunt¡¯s shut-in nature. It didn¡¯t surprise them, so they went ahead and did these menial chores because there weren¡¯t any servants here. Julien was quite surprised by this. As Katherine gave the laced black panties to her aunt, Lorene took it and said with a slight smile, "Oh sweetie, thank you. But it¡¯s a used one I haven¡¯t washed in two months." "Eww." Eleanor threw the panties away from her hands. "Katy, go wash your hands. And you¡­ oof. There¡¯s no saving you." "Tru." Lorene said and yawned again, then fell back on the bean bag, lying lazily. Eleanor sighed. She turned to Julien and said, "Don¡¯t get influenced by your aunt. And don¡¯t mind her. She¡¯s not the nicest or cleanest, but at least¡­" Eleanor tried to find one good thing about her older sister to improve her image in front of her son. It took a few seconds. She couldn¡¯t find anything. "¡­hm yeah, at least she is not a bad person." S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Oh wow, your mommy praised me." Things were so serious, Lorene got up from her lying position and said while looking at Julien. This was the most praise she had ever gotten from Eleanor in years. Lorene was well aware of what Eleanor thought of her. In her eyes, she was a shut-in bitch who was wasting her potential. She knew Eleanor loved her, but hated and loathed the fact that she was a shut-in and kept cursing her for it, in hopes that she would improve. Too bad, Lorene had no such plans even after knowing all this. Shut-in life was the best. She could eat and sleep all day. Nothing better than that! Julien had trouble understanding the complicated relationship his mother and aunt shared with each other. What he did understand though was that his aunt was extremely lazy, and that¡­ Her being commando in front of him was not a problem to her! Julien couldn¡¯t understand how she was fine with exposing herself like that. He was a growing boy, and he reacted differently to such things as compared to his sisters and mother. "Enough talking now." Eleanor said. "Mom wants to see all of us. You better clean up and get ready." "All of us?" Lorene questioned. "It¡¯s probably only you and your kids. You go, I¡¯m busy." "Busy with what? Sleeping?" "Yeah." Lorene had no shame in saying that. "I knew it." Eleanor was annoyed. She held her sister¡¯s arm and pulled her up from the bean bag. "Get up and take a bath. We are leaving once you¡¯re ready." "Geez¡­" Lorene felt a headache coming from this. But she didn¡¯t resist anymore as meeting her mother was important otherwise that old lady would definitely come here and annoy her more than Eleanor does. "I¡¯ll go¡­" Lorene scratched her head and said. Eleanor heaved a relieved sigh. For reasons unknown, her sister wasn¡¯t giving her as much trouble today. She was happy about it. Her mood improved considerably. "I¡¯ll help you." Eleanor said. If she left her sister do the washing, it would take ages and she wouldn¡¯t even be properly cleaned up. "You kids, you haven¡¯t showered either right? Come with me." "What!?!" Julien almost fell from his bean bag. "Hurry. Grandma won¡¯t like it if you visit her without taking a shower." "¡­" ¡¯What is with me and my luck with baths¡­¡¯ Julien has trouble understanding this. "Let¡¯s get going, little brother." Leona held Julien¡¯s hand and walked behind their mother. Julien once again thought, ¡¯Sigh¡­ my family only has ladies. It seems they forget from time to time that I am a guy and shouldn¡¯t have baths with them. Tsk¡­ whatever¡­ whatever happens¡­ happens.¡¯ Chapter 96: Sensitivity Matters [R-18] The bathroom in his aunt¡¯s place was quite nice as it wasn¡¯t even a bathroom. Where there should¡¯ve been a bathroom, there was a portal that led them to a hot spring cave. There were walls on three sides of the hot waters and tall grass on the remaining side with a little bit of clearing near the water¡¯s edge, giving complete privacy. Julien arrived here with his aunt, mother, and two sisters. "I told you to have a proper shower area last time. You just never listen¡­" Eleanor scolded Lorene again. "Directly entering the hot spring will make it dirty." "You¡¯re right." Lorene didn¡¯t deny. "Leona, Katy, help your brother wash up, and you two wash up as well. I¡¯ll be busy helping your aunty." "No problem." The two sisters said. Leona turned to Julien and began unbuttoning his shirt while Katherine unbuckled his pants. "You know¡­ this isn¡¯t a good idea." Julien warned. "It¡¯ll be fine. Don¡¯t worry about it." Leona thought her little brother was nervous since it was his first time taking a bath with them. "You¡¯ll get used to it." Katherine added, thinking similarly, completely unaware that Julien was warning them and not complaining. The two took all his clothes off and raised their eyebrows in surprise when they saw his erect shaft. ¡¯It never looked like that¡­¡¯ They both thought. This wasn¡¯t the first time they were having a bath with Julien, but it was the first time they were having it with the awakened Julien. There were bound to be differences. Thinking this wasn¡¯t anything problematic, the two stripped and took off their clothes without any worries. Julien could now see two absolute beauties in their complete form. Leona had full and big breasts with an hourglass figure whereas Katherine had smaller tits but longer legs and an amazing ass to waist ratio. Standing a few feet beside, his aunt¡¯s mature figure was even better and as for his mother¡­ Julien¡¯s shaft twitched when looking at her. Nothing had to be said anymore. She was as mesmerizing as ever. Eleanor could feel her son¡¯s gaze on her. She turned to him and saw that he had a painful erection. ¡¯This boy¡­¡¯ She couldn¡¯t help but shake her head with a slight smile. ¡¯Well, I¡¯ll let those two wash him up first. Until then¡­¡¯ Eleanor turned back to her sister and glanced down at her full bush. "This needs to go." She said and brushed her hand over it. "Why?" Lorene asked. "It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to strip in front of mom. It shouldn¡¯t matter." "You are not going to, but you need to stay clean and maintain hygiene. This isn¡¯t healthy." Julien overheard their conversation and his dick throbbed. Honestly, it was way too hot and he couldn¡¯t help but want to get a feel of his aunt¡¯s bush. "Mom is right, aunt." Julien decided to be bold and walked to their side as he said so. He faced the two mature ladies and showed his complete erection, but none of them seemed to mind it. "Doesn¡¯t it get itchy down there? You would have to spend more energy scratching your itch everyday than just shaving it off." Julien said as he stood before the two ladies. When Lorene thought about it, she was amused. Her nephew wasn¡¯t wrong, and what was even more surprising was the fact that he was actively taking part in a conversation and wasn¡¯t dormant like before. Eleanor had informed her about him prior to coming here, but watching it through her own two eyes still surprised her. She liked this change and was interested to know more about him. Julien¡¯s boldness stemmed from the fact that all the ladies here had a Favorability beyond 100 towards him. They loved him a little too much. Coupled with it was the fact that he wasn¡¯t a virgin anymore and had seen nude ladies multiple times. He had a full blown erection as he conversed but no one was bothered or distracted by it. Julien decided to be more bold as he was right in front of his naked aunt. He looked into her eyes and pressed his palm against her rough bush. When he found her hidden slit, he rubbed his finger against it. "¡­not to mention, you also end up losing all sensitivity and risk getting an infection as the area is humid and moist." Julien continued. He then turned to see his mother¡¯s bare pussy and pressed his palm against the soft lips. Eleanor wasn¡¯t shocked or surprised, neither were any of the ladies in the room. Lorene and Katherine came closer to see what was going on and saw that their brother was giving an explanation. So far, he made sense, and they were curious to know more. "If you think about it, mom would need to wipe only once and you¡¯d need to do it multiple times and it still wouldn¡¯t be dry. This poses quite a big health risk if you ask me." That was a complete hoax. While there was some truth to it, pubic hair had a lot of protective measures. Julien just wanted a reason to get a feel. "How would sensitivity matter?" Lorene asked, curious. Julien shook his head. "I can¡¯t explain that properly because I am no girl. However, I can give you a rough idea by a demonstration if you want¡­" "Sure. Go ahead." Lorene was all for it. The rest of the ladies were too. Julien never spoke so much. Just watching him speak was an amusing sight in itself. ¡¯Oof¡­ didn¡¯t think this would work¡­¡¯ Julien thought he would be corrected, but it looked like his family was in the mood to hear him speak. "Well¡­ if you say so¡­" Julien then turned to his mother. "Mom, can I borrow you for a second?" "Why not, my dear." Eleanor was more than happy to be involved. "Can you lie down?" Julien asked. Eleanor nodded and laid down without questions asked. The ground beneath them was grass. There was no dirt so it was fine to do so. Julien asked everyone to crouch down as he positioned himself above his mother. He spread her legs apart as he got in a missionary position and said, "Watch mom¡¯s reaction closely." Lorene, Leona and Katherine watched closely. Julien placed his shaft on Eleanor¡¯s delicate pussy and glided over it, sending shivers down her spine and making her goosebumps erupt. Eleanor let out a soft gasp and all the ladies could see how flushed her face was. "Oh wow. Your mother can make a face like that? I never knew¡­" Lorene had never seen her sister like that. For some reason, she always seemed angry or annoyed whenever she came to see her. "Look here closely¡­ it¡¯s quivering¡­" Katherine was the one to speak as she brought her face closer to down there. Lorene and Leona did the same. It was as if they were watching a scientific specimen in an exhibition. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They could really see Eleanor¡¯s lips pulsating, and she was even leaking some of her juices. "Hm¡­ isn¡¯t this her getting turned on?" Lorene asked. Julien nodded and didn¡¯t deny. "But that just shows how sensitive one can be here." "What use is there?" Lorene asked the important questions. Julien shrugged. "I have no clue. But I felt I should let you know this. Well, how about you experience it yourself, aunt? We can do one before and after you shave to give you a better understanding." Eleanor squinted her eyes as she caught on to Julien¡¯s naughty antics. Though she didn¡¯t rat him out and played along. Leona and Katherine were still too green to understand their brother¡¯s newfound personality. Lorene didn¡¯t suspect anything either, despite being one of the smarter ones in the room. "Show me¡­" Lorene laid down beside Eleanor. Julien was happy to do so. He parted her legs and had a good look at her full bush. Using his fingers, he felt her silky inner folds just because he could, then began rubbing his shaft over her slit. "Hm¡­ can¡¯t feel anything much indeed." It seemed like a good feeling but Lorene couldn¡¯t feel it fully due to her pubic hair. "I wanna know my sensitivity too!" Katherine chimed in and said. Julien was more than happy to have her test it. As Eleanor got up, Katherine laid down in her place. When Lorene got up, Leona made her way there and said in a neutral tone, "I want to too." Katherine was the youngest here. Her pussy had an immature glow that couldn¡¯t be seen on the mature ladies. The fruit looked so appealing that Julien wanted a bite out of it. Though, he controlled himself. There were going to be a lot of opportunities in the future. No need to make haste. He stared into Katherine¡¯s blue eyes and rubbed his dick over her pussy crevice. She gasped softly and said, "Ohhh¡­ it indeed feels really good." She had a stronger reaction than Eleanor. Julien smiled, then went to the side and parted Leona¡¯s legs. Leona was older than him, but not as old compared to the other two ladies. Her inexperience snatch looked like it needed some stretching to fit his shaft. Too bad, there wasn¡¯t going to be any penetration. Julien repeated the process and Leona hummed in response, feeling the heat of pleasure shoot to her head. Her reaction wasn¡¯t as strong, but that was normal. She was a quiet lady in general. "I am sensitive. It¡¯s good." Leona commented. Getting the approval of the whole family, Julien gained a new sense of confidence. He helped the two ladies get up, then turned to his aunt and mother. "Let¡¯s go get you shaved, aunt." Chapter 97: Challenge [R-18] There weren¡¯t any trimmers in this world. Julien used scissors to manually cut the big tufts of hair and applied shaving cream, then used a razor. The blades were glided along the lengths of Lorene¡¯s vertical lips in a smooth fashion. Julien was a boy and naturally knew how to shave. He also was aware that his hands should be gentle when treating ladies as it was quite the sensitive place. Eleanor, Katherine, and Leona watched in awe as their brother did his magic. Honestly, it was a simple task but watching him do it really made them happy. His entire life up until now, he was devoid of any emotions or will. It was so sad to watch him be like that. Their reactions were genuine and Lorene shared the same sentiments too. Once Julien was done with the shaving, he poured lukewarm water on it and cleaned off all the small bits of hair. Lorene¡¯s pussy was now bare and smooth like silk. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Julien was really turned on and his shaft was twitching hungrily. Despite that, he did not do anything naughty. There wasn¡¯t any opportunity to do so. If Julien touched her inappropriately, it would risk getting pieces of hair inside her. That was a big no-no. When Lorene was completely washed up, Julien suggested they do the test again. She laid down and Julien got on top of her. Eleanor, Katherine, and Lorene watched while crouching. As Julien rubbed his shaft on Lorene¡¯s bare nethers for the second time, Lorene immediately gasped. "Oof¡­ stop, nephew¡­" She clamped her legs and said. "Too sensitive¡­" She was too sensitive and the pleasure she felt was way greater than anything she had ever felt before. The Lichtenstein ladies were amused at the sight and Julien was surprised too. He didn¡¯t think his aunt would get this sensitive. "Well, now you know." Julien smiled and said. "Indeed¡­ this feels much better¡­" "Told you." Julien got up as he said so. He helped his aunt get up and then left to wash up. Katherine and Leona were made to help Lorene wash up while Eleanor strategically went with Julien. They were at a bit of distance from each other, and the three ladies were busy in their conversation and washing up. Julien looked at his mother and Eleanor stared back with raised eyebrows. She pulled his cheek slightly and said, "Someone¡¯s getting really naughty, lately." Julien went ahead and grabbed her tits, gobbling one of her sweet nipples up. "Izz all yer folt¡­" He said while nibbling. Eleanor chuckled and shook her head. "Well, it¡¯s not like it isn¡¯t cute. In any case, let¡¯s get you washed up or we¡¯ll be late to grandma¡¯s place." Eleanor grabbed a bucket of water and began scrubbing Julien while he played with her breasts. "By the way, I can see another side of the hot spring there¡­" Julien pointed at the walls at the end and said. The hot spring walls were L-shaped, so if the two went there, they would have a lot of privacy. "You want to go there?" Eleanor asked. "Yes." "To do something naughty with mommy?" Eleanor asked with an amused smile. "Yes, of course. Is that even a question?" Julien pinched her nipples after saying so, making her gasp. He was getting bolder by the day and Eleanor didn¡¯t know how much time was left until her son turned completely shameless. She smiled and shook her head. "Leona, Katy, enter the waters with your aunt. I¡¯ll go with Julien to that side. The water there seems less warm." Eleanor made an excuse and went to the other side. None of her daughters were against this and gave their approval. As Julien reached this area, the first thing he did was pull Eleanor in a hungry smooch. As he devoured her dripping saliva and coiled his tongue around hers, his hands squeezed her plump peaches and treated them roughly. Eleanor¡¯s hands did their magic and began stroking Julien¡¯s hard-as-a-rock cock. He almost let out a moan in her mouth. When the kiss broke, Eleanor continued to stroke it and asked, "You seem to have gotten more experienced in kissing. Who was the lady?" Nothing could be hidden from her sight, and Julien was taken aback by it. ¡¯I need to be more careful¡­¡¯ "Make a guess." Julien replied and inserted two of his fingers inside her vagina. "Mhmm¡­ Amelia?" Julien¡¯s hands stopped. ¡¯What the fuck!? Such a scary good guess¡­¡¯ Watching his reaction, Eleanor laughed softly. "Knew it." "How did you know?" Julien asked. "Well, firstly, she seemed different than before when I saw her. And secondly, Leona told me. Celeste gave every info about you to her and she gave it to me. I never thought you¡¯d be so careless and get in need of birth control¡­" Eleanor shook her head and smiled. ¡¯Damn¡­ it really is a big network. I really really need to be careful from here onwards.¡¯ Julien sighed. "It was an honest mistake. Can you blame me?" "I am not blaming you, my dear." Eleanor said and kissed the top of his head. "Just be more careful. And congratulations on losing your virginity." Julien sighed again. He caressed his mother¡¯s slimy insides and said, "If you had agreed a while ago, my first time would¡¯ve been with you." Eleanor chuckled and ruffled his hair. "I am glad it wasn¡¯t. You should be open to new experiences. You can come to mommy anytime later anyway. What¡¯s the rush?" Julien raised his eyebrow. "You mean to say we can have sex?" "I mean¡­ we shouldn¡¯t¡­" Eleanor shrugged. "But¡­" Julien didn¡¯t have to be told anything more. He got the hint and smiled sinisterly. Before he got any weird ideas, Eleanor said, "Not now though. Everyone is here. Maybe at a later date." Julien rolled his eyes. Of course it wasn¡¯t going to be now. "Anyway¡­" Julien changed the topic as he fingered her pussy. "Are you up for a challenge, mom?" "A challenge?" "Yes. Do you have it in you to complete it?" "Of course. Your mommy¡¯s not someone who backs away from challenges." Eleanor said proudly. Julien smiled. "Good. Then if you complete this challenge, you can ask me to do any one thing you want. I cannot refuse it." "Oh?" Eleanor was pleasantly surprised. "Anything?" "Yes. Anything." Julien answered confidently. "That¡¯s good. What¡¯s the challenge then?" Julien smirked. He took his fingers out of her pussy and gave them a good lick, before pulling something out of thin air. It was a pointy, metallic silver object. "This¡­" Eleanor was speechless. "Heh. This is a buttplug. I want you to wear it for the coming 24 hours. If anyone sees it, you¡¯ll lose." Julien said. "That¡¯s going to be difficult¡­" Eleanor could tell at a glance. "That¡¯s why it¡¯s a challenge. Still up for it?" "Sure, why not. Mommy told you, didn¡¯t she? She would never back down from a challenge." Eleanor was confident she could complete this easily. "Great. Then let¡¯s put it in." Eleanor was made to place her palms on the walls and protrude her buttocks. Julien spread her ass cheeks and saw her dripping motherly nethers. He didn¡¯t hold back and stuffed his face in it, getting a good taste and sniff. Eleanor gasped softly and thought, ¡¯He¡¯s getting very unruly¡­¡¯ Julien only wanted a taste, and when he got the sweet goodness spread all around his mouth, he let go. He focused on the wrinkled pink flower and caressed it with his middle finger. Eleanor¡¯s body shivered as she felt a foreign intrusion in her back door. Nobody except her had ever touched that place. She didn¡¯t even know why she was allowing Julien to do this. Was it perhaps because she loved him a little too much and was weak against his requests? It could probably be, she thought. Julien coated the metallic bottplug with the oozing love juice. When it was well lubed up, he slowly inserted it in. "Try to relax or it¡¯ll hurt." Julien suggested. Eleanor hummed in agreement and tried to relax. It took a few minutes of struggle, but the buttplug was finally in. It was a small size he got from the system, and had a red heart crystal on its flat side. When it was fully in, Julien had a look at it and said, "Beautiful. I can¡¯t wait for 24 hours to pass." "Hm? Do you mean wait for me to lose in these 24 hours?" Eleanor corrected him. "If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s not going to happen." Julien smirked. "We¡¯ll see about that." Chapter 98: Blackthorn Town Once the plug was in, Julien got his painful erection relieved with a steamy handjob. He then returned to the previous area and joined the rest of the ladies relaxing in the hot waters. Except for walking a little funny, Eleanor did not do anything that may raise suspicions and blow out her cover. Julien pretended as if it was a great pity that she was winning the challenge so far, making her lower her guard. The ladies and him spent fifteen minutes soaking and eventually left the bath. Nothing noteworthy happened and it was a normal bath. Even though there were nude ladies everywhere who wouldn¡¯t mind him touching, Julien had done enough for the day. It was necessary to maintain control and not give in to the horny for a better time later. They say, the longer the wait, the sweeter the fruit. Add to that, he had only just met all of his family ladies with the exception of his grandma. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He wanted to know them more before he did anything. This was, again, all being done to have a better time later. Once the washing up was done, everyone got dressed, had some tea and snacks, then left for their grandma¡¯s place. ¡­.. From the wilderness the carriage left for a small town called Blackthorn at the border of the Ravenwood Duchy, close to the Ravenwood Wilderness. Contrary to its ominous name, the town was actually peaceful and safe. The main occupations here were farming, adventuring, and baking. There was a small security post at the entrance of this town. They did not stop the carriages and Julien entered the town without any hitch. Once inside, the aroma of freshly baked bread could be felt everywhere. There was some sweetness and some saltiness to it, and overall it was quite pleasant. "Come, let¡¯s get down." Eleanor had the carriages stop and suggested they got down. Lorene was too lazy to walk. She shook her hand and said, "I¡¯ll pass. You guys go." From the interaction, Julien could tell that this wasn¡¯t the first time this was happening as his mother didn¡¯t even bother convincing her elder sister to get down. Katherine and Leona got off, and Eleanor then led the way. "The bakeries here are hidden gems of the kingdom. They make some of the best Moonberry Pies and Honeyed Oat Loaves." Eleanor said with a smile as she took Julien to a nearby bakery. Everything was new to Julien as he had only just awakened. Eleanor couldn¡¯t stop herself from introducing him to all the little joys she knew of, one of which were the bakeries here. "They source the berries fresh from the wilderness everyday to make the pies. The local saying here is that the pies enhance night vision if eaten before sundown. Due to this, the pies are all over before the sun sets and it¡¯s always in great demand." Eleanor said. Julien listened attentively and kept nodding his head. As he walked through the cobblestone streets, and arrived in a busy area filled with people, the townspeople all turned their heads towards his group. "Oh hey, that¡¯s the Duchess!" A cheerful youth commented. "Good day, Duchess!" Few of the people came close and greeted. "Good day, all of you. Hope you¡¯re having a lovely day." Eleanor replied politely. "Haha, we are. If you have the time, please visit our farms sometime to have fresh fruits and stir fry meat with veggies." "I will." Eleanor smiled. The people left after saying so and did not gather around to bother them. The sight amused Julien. Usually people would try to curry favor such a high ranking noble and gather around them like they were meeting a celebrity, but the people of this town were quite nonchalant. They were so unbothered that it looked like even if the King were to appear, they would think of some random person passing by. Julien liked this behavior as it allowed him to roam freely. More people greeted them as they passed by. They all kept distance and did not get too close. Soon, Julien entered a small bakery. The aroma here was full of honey, berries, and warm rye. There were two tables and four chairs in the small shop, all empty, and one person behind a glass counter containing various baked goods. It was a middle-aged lady wearing an apron. She smiled at the sight of the Duchess entering and said with the wave of her hand, "Good day, Duchess. Here to see Lady Rosalynn again?" She seemed to know his grandmother and what business his mother had, thought Julien. It was yet another fascinating interaction. Eleanor smiled back and nodded. "Yes. Please pack the usual. I¡¯ll also have one loaf of Honeyed Oat Loaf, two Moonberry Pies and two Spiced Nut Rolls sweet with barley tea. You kids, order whatever else you want." Eleanor ordered for herself and Julien. She left Katherine and Leona to decide for themselves. Katherine smiled and walked towards the glass counter. She looked at the various products and said, "As usual, there¡¯s too many things to choose from. Big sis, what do you want?" "BlackBerry Tart, Buttered Turnover Pastry, and Blackthorn Tea." Leona said plainly. She seemed to already know what she wanted. "Oh, then I¡¯ll have the Witch¡¯s Hearth Cake, two pieces of Brown Rye biscuit, and spiced apple peel tea." Katherine said, being in a good mood. She ordered everything different from Leona because she could share them all and have a taste of everything. The words they had just spouted sounded quite fantasy to Julien. He wondered whether they¡¯ll taste as good as they sounded or not. The baker lady happily took their orders and went away. It took her a few minutes to warm everything up and return. The food was served on the table. On Julien¡¯s table, there was a bread loaf giving off steam. It seemed soft and beside it was a rectangular bowl containing herbed butter with roasted garlic. There were also two silverish-blue colored pies, the size of a small saucer along with crispy-looking golden-colored rolls and brownish-yellow barely tea. Honestly, the smell was really amazing and Julien could tell at a glance this was going to be good. Eleanor cut up the honeyed oat loaf and spread the herbed butter with roasted garlic on it. She put the slice of bread on Julien¡¯s plate and then one for herself. "This is savory. You take one bite of it, feel its taste, then have some barely tea." Eleanor gave directions to having the bread. Julien heeded her command and ate a piece. The moment he did so, his eyes widened with astonishment. ¡¯So tasty¡­¡¯ The bread was slightly sweet and the butter and garlic gave it a spicy and savory compliment. The chaotic blend felt like a flavor bomb going off in his mouth. This was the tastiest bread Julien has ever eaten! Watching Julien¡¯s shocked reaction brought immense joy to Eleanor. She was giggling internally and thought, ¡¯He¡¯s so cute. Bringing him here was definitely not in vain.¡¯ Once Julien had the bread, he sipped on some barely tea and was amazed to feel the sweet goodness spread over his palate and cleanse it. After a few bites of this, Eleanor gave instructions on having the pies and roll. The pie was soft and had a creamy texture to it. It had a mild taste of sourness and bitterness, which, after having the sweet tea, only felt much better. "Juuls, come here. Taste this too!" Katherine called out from the side table. There was a lot of variety on his sisters¡¯ table and one by one, Julien had a bite of them all. The tea these two selected were important. They couldn¡¯t be had with just any dishes. Katherine¡¯s Spiced Apple Peel Tea worked best with sweet and mild tasting bread whereas Leona¡¯s Blackthorn Tea was best paired with tart and buttery pastries. At last, when Julien came back to his mother¡¯s table, there was one dish yet to be eaten. This was the Spiced Nut Roll. Eleanor grabbed the roll like holding a burger and said with a smirk, "Listen to this." She pressed the roll and a crisp sound resounded in the shop, almost bringing Julien¡¯s ears to an orgasm. ¡¯Shit¡­ that was so satisfying¡­¡¯ Julien decided to try it himself. He pressed the roll as well and a similar crunch was heard, making his legs tremble. ¡¯Ooohh¡­ me timbers be shiverin¡¯!¡¯ The outer layer was crispy but the inside was fluffy and soft. It was also filled with crunchy salted nuts and was a spicy-salty treat that was best had with sweet tea. Julien could now tell that his mother wasn¡¯t lying about this place having the best bakeries of the kingdom. ¡¯I know I¡¯ll be visiting this place more often in future.¡¯ These rolls, pies, breads, and teas were worth making a visit. This town also wasn¡¯t too far from the castle. Eleanor had a good time watching her son¡¯s every changing expression. She was focused more on him than the food in front. After half an hour, the Lichtenstein¡¯s eventually left the shop holding paper bags containing food. It was finally time to pay visit to Julien¡¯s grandmother, Rosalynn Von Lichtenstein. Chapter 99: Rosalynn A small gothic castle stood erect in the expensive part of the small town. It was close to the center and one could just walk and have access to all the important places. There were tough-looking maids standing at the door, keeping guard. When they saw Eleanor and the rest, they bowed and greeted them. Eleanor gave them a curt nod and entered the building. Upon passing through the main gate, Julien saw a tall, serious-looking lady in white hair. She wore a red gown that clung perfectly to her body and exposed her hourglass-like figure. Her vivid green eyes were focused on feeding grains to the birds in the courtyard, and she looked like an absolute beauty, better than supermodels even from Julien¡¯s past life. Julien has seen her before. "Grandma!" Katherine called out and made her way towards this lady, hugging her. Her rushing up to her caused the birds to startle and fly away. Rosalynn wasn¡¯t bothered by it. She hugged Katherine back and rubbed her back. "How have you been, child?" "I¡¯ve been good. I¡¯ve been good!" Katherine said in her usual jolly tone. Leona joined the two and gave Rosalynn a side hug, greeting her similarly. It was then Eleanor, and at last, Julien smiled awkwardly and said, "Hello, grandma." Rosalynn raised her eyebrows in suspicion, not speaking. Eleanor, Katherine, and Leona felt nervous about their grandma¡¯s interaction with Julien. Although they had accepted Julien¡¯s awakening easily, it may not be the same for their grandmother. Julien felt awkward in the long silence. He extended his hand out and said, "So uh¡­ no hug?" This further shocked Rosalynn. She was about to ask whether this was her grandson or imposter, but Eleanor held her hand from the side and said in a soft whisper, "Mom¡­ it is really Julien. He¡¯s awakened. Long story, I¡¯ll tell you later." "You better." Rosalynn said sternly. Her grandson had an awakening and she wasn¡¯t told anything about it? Rosalynn felt wronged and worried. "Julien?" She turned to Julien and asked. "Yes, grandma?" Julien replied. "Oh my¡­" Rosalynn covered her mouth and gasped softly. He really was giving human responses! "Come here." Rosalynn commanded. Julien walked up to her and got hugged warmly. Being short had its advantages as his face was now stuffed in between two soft milk cannons. There was only one layer of clothing separating him and those, that being his grandma¡¯s gown. She didn¡¯t seem to be wearing a bra. ¡¯What¡¯s with the ladies in my family not wearing their underwear?¡¯ Julien was a boy and did not know that it was uncomfortable to have one¡¯s big chest in a chokehold for the whole day. Rosalynn and Lorene wouldn¡¯t venture out often and stayed home. They naturally had no need for a bra and could let them be free. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "How have you been, child?" Rosalynn asked the same question she did to his sisters. "Couldn¡¯t be any better, grandma." Julien said after pulling his face out. Rosalynn nodded and kept noticing the subtle changes he was showing. This was truly not the same Julien she knew of. "Let¡¯s go inside. We have a lot to talk about." Rosalynn invited everyone inside. Julien saw a lavish yet cozy interior. The decor was vintage themed and the ambience was comfortable. Lorene was seated on a sofa, sipping tea, and eating some brown rye biscuits. She came early and was asked to wait for everyone by her mother. Now, the entirety of the Lichtenstein family was here. The castle maids had made seating arrangements for all in the lounge hall. There were two sofas around one big glass table. Julien didn¡¯t get to decide where he would be sitting. He was dragged by Rosalynn to her side along with Katherine. "So tell me, what exactly happened?" Rosalynn asked Eleanor. The question was related to Julien and Eleanor was prepared for it. "He had an awakening and became conscious of himself. I am unable to decipher why he was so dormant and only awakened now, but he¡¯s healthy and well, so that¡¯s all that matters. I think we should leave the matters of the past in the past." Eleanor answered calmly. The maids served the food brought by Eleanor from the bakery in the meantime with a variety of tea. They could hear the conversation, but pretended to have not heard it and maintained a professional appearance. "I see." Rosalynn sort of got the gist of the matter. "Do you think he may go dormant again?" She asked the most important question that was in everyone¡¯s head. Eleanor shook her head. "He won¡¯t. That¡¯s why there¡¯s no point focusing on this." "You sound confident." Lorene commented from her side. "I am." Eleanor didn¡¯t deny. Her confidence did not stem from her personal beliefs. She could picture El¡¯s face whenever she thought her Julien may get into trouble and be worry free. Although El was a twisted lady who liked to make useless jokes, she was reliable. At least for Julien, she was. Eleanor only had a few interactions with her, but their conversation in Tower was enough to give her a peace of mind. "Good. Then I¡¯ll not inquire further." Rosalynn dropped the matter. She turned to Julien and pulled his cheek with a neutral expression. "Young man, tell me about yourself. What have you been upto to since your awakening?" "Oh, let me tell you about it!" Katherine jumped in. "Can I?" "Sure." Katherine chuckled and continued, "Juuls was mostly in the Tower after his awakening. He cleared the tutorial, and got two subordinates. Both are very pretty, although one of them is a boy. The other is an excommunicated nun who is now serving as the priestess of our house. Did I tell you that she¡¯s very pretty too? Oh and she is blind by the way. Poor lass, she can¡¯t see our Juuls and can only just feel his presence. Anyway, she is pretty and do you know¡ª" "Alright, Katy, that seems to be enough." Eleanor made a dry cough and stopped her daughter. If she was allowed to, she would keep speaking and won¡¯t stop until the next day. "No, no, go on. I¡¯m interested." Rosalynn said otherwise. She was quite interested in her grandson¡¯s new life and wanted to know as much as possible. Julien¡¯s eyebrows twitched. It looked like his whole history was going to be laid bare in front of everyone. "Mom¡­" "Let me listen, dear daughter." Rosalynn said calmly, giving no room for negotiations. Eleanor turned to Julien and shook her head, saying she was helpless in this situation. ¡¯¡­having only ladies in the family has its disadvantages too. They are too gossipy¡­¡¯ Julien thought to himself. "Hehe, so¡­ do you know, Juuls is now on Floor 25. He quickly made his way to Floor 10 and contacted big sis Leona¡¯s guild. The Vice Guildmaster attended to his request of escorting him to Floor 25. This isn¡¯t as important. What¡¯s important to know is that somewhere in the middle floors, Juuls¡­" Katherine gave Julien a smug look while he could only roll his eyes and turn to his mother. She shrugged and shook her head, saying she couldn¡¯t help him in this. Julien squinted his eyes and thought, ¡¯Everyone in the family has a sort of quiet and calm personality. How did Katy turn out to be such a yapper? Was there a manufacturing defect somewhere?¡¯ Julien¡¯s gaze lay on the one who produced this product as he thought of this. If Eleanor could hear his thoughts, he was sure to get his butt swollen red Katherine turned to her grandmother again. "Anyway, as I was saying grandma¡­" Chapter 100: Then Why Don’t You Do It, Big Bro? Katherine spilled out all the beans instantly. "¡­in the middle floors, Juuls¡¯s relationship with his priestess subordinate developed well. It was to the point that they indulged in those things. And Juuls was so careless that he had to ask big sis¡¯s Vice Guildmaster for birth control." "¡­" It took time for Rosalynn to process all this. When she did, her eyes widened and she turned to Julien, sandwiching his face in between her palms and staring at him with a dumbfounded expression. "Young man¡­ you did what?" "Tell him, grandma!" Katherine exclaimed from the side. "He almost became a father and gave you great grand kids! Our Juuls probably took advantage of that poor priestess¡¯s innocence!" "Hey!" Julien knitted his brows. Now this was pure slander! "I didn¡¯t take advantage of anyone. It was just the heat of the moment." Julien defended himself. "And also, Katy, whose side are you on? Mine or Amelia¡¯s?" "So her name is Amelia¡­" Rosalynn took note of this and squinted her eyes. Lorene, Leona, and Katherine too weren¡¯t aware of this and took note. ¡¯Oh shit¡­¡¯ Julien ratted himself out and realized it a second too late. Katherine chuckled and replied to Julien¡¯s complaint, "I am on the truth¡¯s side!" Katherine was just playing around. She disliked the silent atmosphere his family had usually had and tried to liven it. Now that her big brother was here, and that she could see that he wasn¡¯t as silent like the rest, she decided to indulge in useless banter and uplift the mood. Lorene, Leona, and Rosalynn were enjoying the conversation whereas Eleanor was worried how much more her daughter would divulge. Julien on the other hand felt wronged and slandered. He was trying his best to clear his image. "Grandma, don¡¯t listen to her. I won¡¯t stoop so low to take advantage of someone¡¯s innocence." Rosalynn was about to chime in and say she understood and was about to ask him to not worry, but Katherine chimed in again. "Oh really? Then what about you taking my innocence in the aunt¡¯s bath place?" Katherine asked with a smug look. The ladies raised their eyebrows in surprise, but before they could process this information further, Julien said, "I did not take your innocence. But if you keep slandering, I will take it now." "Oh really? Then why don¡¯t you do it, big bro¡­" Katherine said with a sarcastic smirk. "Alright. Let¡¯s do it then." Julien got up. "Okay. Let¡¯s go find a room!" Katherine got up as well and said happily. "¡­" Rosalynn, Lorene, Eleanor, and Leona were dumbfounded by the sudden shift in mood. How did things develop from banter to backshots¡­ they couldn¡¯t tell. "Stop it, you two. And sit down." Rosalynn interrupted their affair. "I can understand that you are in your youth and raging with hormones, but control yourselves." Rosalynn lectured. Katherine stuck out her tongue and sat down while Julien smiled as he understood that his family truly was very chill about matters related to such things. "And also, you shouldn¡¯t do it without proper sexual guidance." Katherine nodded. "Yes, that¡¯s for sure. Give big bro the sex talk, grandma. He almost got a lady pregnant." Katherine kept firing shots without break, reminding everyone of Julien¡¯s dark past. Julien was embarrassed by it, but didn¡¯t show it on his face and kept calm. "He will be given that later with you and Leona." Rosalynn said, as a matter of fact. "That¡¯s right¡ªeh? What?" Katherine was taken aback. "Why me? I don¡¯t need any sex talk. I don¡¯t even have the facilities to get someone pregnant." "Quiet." Rosalynn said softly. "No more talks on this topic. Let¡¯s discuss another important matter." Katherine pouted and fell silent, feeling wronged. Leona on the other hand wondered why she was even being dragged into this. It¡¯s not like she was a child like her siblings and had no clue on sexual education. In any case, she couldn¡¯t do anything about it and just go along. Rosalynn focused on Eleanor and Lorene. "The wilderness has been active lately, and I believe there is something lurking within." Eleanor, Lorene, and others listened attentively. This seemed important. Rosalynn continued, "I sent a group of adventurers to scout and they found an ancient temple. It can only be accessed by the ones at Rank 3 or below. The temple is at the periphery, so what lies deeper is still unknown." "Hm¡­ sounds ominous." Lorene commented in her low voice. "It could be a trap." Rosalynn nodded. "I tested it out, there¡¯s no trap. The ones that entered the temple could return if they wanted." "Mom¡­" Eleanor caught onto something. "Are you trying to suggest that we send Julien there?" Everyone¡¯s gaze turned to Julien as she said that. He was the only one below Rank 3 in the room. Rosalynn nodded, but then shook her head. "I didn¡¯t have plans to, but when I heard how he is actively climbing the Tower, I felt I had to put this out." "Mom, no, I can¡¯t send him there." Eleanor was strictly against it. "What if he gets hurt?" "The Tower is a place where you could lose your life anytime, my dear." Rosalynn pointed out. "You, me, and the rest are all Players who constantly put our lives on the line. Julien will be doing it too once he reaches Floor 37. This danger seems pretty tame compared to the horrors of Floor 37." Eleanor wanted to rebuke but fell silent. When she remembered what was going on in Floor 37¡¯s main quest, she felt everything else might be mild in comparison. "Still¡­" Eleanor didn¡¯t have counter arguments. She resisted only because her motherly heart could not bear to put her own child at such risk. "I am not forcing him or you, dear." Rosalynn said softly. "It¡¯s up to Julien to decide. Where there¡¯s danger, there are opportunities. And you should know what discovering an ancient temple would mean, right?" Ancient temples brought with them great treasures. Even if there weren¡¯t any, simply by praying there to the god it belonged to would lead to immense benefits, as long as the god still existed. While these ladies were concerned, Julien thought, ¡¯My mother doesn¡¯t want to put me in life threatening situations¡­ oh¡­ if only she knew that all situations I fall into are life threatening¡­¡¯ Julien smiled and shook his head. ¡¯El¡­ should I go to the wilderness?¡¯ There was no response. Julien clicked his tongue internally. ¡¯Why do I have to do this again and again? I seriously hate this!¡¯ Despite complaining, Julien took a deep breath and said, ¡¯Daddy, is going to the wilderness safe for my teammates?¡¯ Soon, he heard a melodious voice. -Did you call for me, bbgurl? ¡¯Can you please be professional?¡¯ -Huhuhu¡­ that¡¯s quite the tone with which you¡¯re talking to your daddy. ¡¯Again with that¡­ can you please answer my question?¡¯ S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. -Tch. You don¡¯t match my vibe at all. Anyway, go to the wilderness with your teammates. They won¡¯t die, that I am sure of.¡¯ ¡¯So you mean to say, I will die?¡¯ -I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t predict much things about you. ¡¯Sigh, alright. I¡¯ll go then.¡¯ -Cool. ¡¯Alright, bye.¡¯ -Love you too. ¡¯Yes, yes, love you.¡¯ El went away after saying that. As long as his teammates were safe, Julien didn¡¯t mind taking them. He turned to Rosalynn and said, "Grandma, I¡¯ll go." Chapter 101: Tell Grandma Everything Julien¡¯s answer did not faze Eleanor, but it did shock everyone else, especially Rosalynn, who was getting introduced to this new, courageous side of her grandson. "See, if he has no problem, then I believe we should let him." Rosalynn said. Eleanor sighed and waved her hand. "You guys will never understand a mother¡¯s concerns." Julien felt somewhat hurt to watch his mother show such expressions. ¡¯I cannot have her see my extremely sorry states. And I absolutely cannot let her know I can die easily.¡¯ Rosalynn could get where her daughter was coming from. She nodded her head and said, "I understand that, my dear. But, if you don¡¯t allow your children to spread their wings, they will never reach the skies." Eleanor didn¡¯t want to argue on this matter. She knew her words wouldn¡¯t be enough to convince any of them. She could only pray internally that her boy stayed safe. "So, do I go and call my teammates?" Julien asked. "No need. I¡¯ll have the maids bring them here." Eleanor shook her hand and left the room. She didn¡¯t seem to be in the best mood. "Your mommy is too protective." Lorene commented while looking at Julien as Eleanor left. "Can¡¯t blame her though." If Lorene was in Eleanor¡¯s shoes and she had a child who had only just awakened, she wouldn¡¯t let him venture into such dangers either. As of now, if Eleanor and Julien had sorted this matter out and decided what they should be doing, then Lorene was in position to comment. She was thus neither for or against any of the two¡¯s decisions and kept silent. "First time I¡¯ve seen mom so stressed." Katherine commented as she looked at Leona. Leona nodded. "Me too." S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "If you knew the horrors of the wilderness, you would have a much worse reaction." Rosalynn said. "Your mom keeps the monsters of the wilderness at check, and those are only the ones from the periphery. There are more dangerous things the deeper one ventures, and we are just thankful that they don¡¯t come out." The Ravenwood Wilderness was one of the world¡¯s forbidden places. One should never venture into them unless absolutely necessary. If Rosalynn hadn¡¯t seen people come out safely from the discovered temple, she wouldn¡¯t allow her grandson to go there either. The people were also kept under watch after they came back. They showed no signs of problems, so that was another positive sign. "Anyway, take some rest. We¡¯ll catch up later." Rosalynn said and got up, leaving the room. "Come, I¡¯ll show you my favorite spot in grandma¡¯s house." Katherine held Julien¡¯s hand and dragged him away. "I¡¯ll be going to the market. Do you want to tag along?" Leona asked her aunt as she got up. Lorene yawned and got up lazily. "Alright." She was clearly someone who wouldn¡¯t venture out of the house if not necessary. To see that she agreed so easily surprised Leona. "I have to get some bean bags made and placed here. It hurts to sit on these crude sofas." Lorene rubbed her butt and said. "Okay." Leona could now understand why this lazy aunt of hers agreed to join. The two left for the market while Julien was taken to Katherine¡¯s favorite spot. The favorite spot was atop the castle. It looked like a mini watchtower and one could see the entire city from here, along with the afternoon sun dropping towards the horizon. A lot of people could be seen roaming around the streets and the aroma of bakeries was faint, but still there, appearing more pleasant than ever. Katherine, although usually very talkative, did not speak right now. She felt the calm breeze brush against her blonde hair and basked in the picturesque landscape¡¯s glory. Julien was quiet too and continued to stare at the bustling streets of this small town. ¡­.. Half a day passed. Jackie and Amelia were here. Jackie was in a butler¡¯s outfit as usual, appearing cute yet professional and serious while Amelia was in red robes, appearing like a proper priestess. Her robes had a long slit at the side, revealing black stockings and allowing her legs to have room to move freely. Julien introduced them to the rest of his family and once they all had met, took them away to another room to not make them feel awkward. He got them settled there and was about to head back to the lounge hall when he saw his grandma waiting for him. "So that is the girl you almost got pregnant?" Rosalynn asked. "Uh¡­" Julien had no idea what to say. Rosalynn held Julien¡¯s hand and walked away with him. "Tell grandma everything in detail. This conversation won¡¯t be known to anyone else." She took him to a secluded place of the castle, ensuring their conversation wasn¡¯t overhead. "Is it necessary?" Julien asked. Rosalynn thought about it and said, "Yes. This is the first time my grandson has done something and I am very interested. I¡¯d also be doing my best to ensure you don¡¯t repeat the mistakes, so there¡¯s only good learning to take away from this." "You promise you wouldn¡¯t say it to anyone else, grandma?" Julien asked, just to be sure. "Promise." Rosalynn nodded. Although he did not mind saying what happened between him and Amelia, it was still embarrassing nonetheless. Also, it was unfair on Amelia to have her private moments be out like that, so Julien kept things under wraps. "Well, we had spent quite a bit of time together and were comfortable around each other. When we were in the labyrinth on the fifth floor, we found a room where we could rest for a bit. We take turns to stand guard while the others sleep. So Jackie was on guard and I was with Amelia. Then¡­" Julien forged a rough story, skipping the sensitive bits, and going straight to the sex part. Rosalynn listened to everything with interest. She brought him to her bedroom and had him sit on a chair. She served him tea and sat on her bed, continuing the listening. "¡­and so that was the first time I did it inside her. And then the second time was during the second round on the same day and¡­" Julien said that he thought it might be a safe day so he did not use a condom. He also didn¡¯t have any on him. But the moment was too much for him to ignore things, so he went with it. Later, he stated that a few days had passed when they had sex again. It was only when he had done the deed again did he realize that Amelia hadn¡¯t gotten her periods yet. He assumed that if the time they first had sex was safe, then now it was definitely risky. So he rushed to get some birth control, and that was how things had been. Rosalynn was amused by his storytelling skills and more fascinated with how confident he had gotten. "¡­anyway, that¡¯s about it." Julien finished giving his grandma the details and stopped. "Hm¡­ that¡¯s a very interesting experience you have there." Rosalynn commented. Julien sipped tea and nodded. It definitely was. "In the Lichtenstein Family, you are our first boy. And also the first one to have broken his virginity." Rosalynn revealed a fun fact, amusing Julien. "The first one? Are you saying, neither you, nor aunt or mom have had sex?" Julien asked with fascination. Rosalynn shook her head. "You are a boy, so you may not know it, but for women to have a high libido, several factors come into play. Additionally, we the Lichtensteins have always focused on achieving great things, and never really had time for our sexual desires to develop." A woman¡¯s libido was dependent highly on emotional and psychological factors. Their hormones were usually secondary. Of course, during periods of ovulation, they would have heightened sexual desires, but given how everyone in the Lichtenstein family was busy doing some or the other thing, their desires would be heavily suppressed once again. A woman could make do without sex all her life if she wanted. "¡­though, it¡¯s not like we never give in to our pleasures. The ladies in the family masturbate from time to time, but that¡¯s about it. It has never gotten to the point where we needed a man to satiate our desires." Rosalynn elaborated. Julien listened attentively and caught onto a few important facts. He thought about whatever his grandma had said, and then asked, "So¡­ is this the reason why everyone is so comfortable to be naked around each other?" Rosalynn nodded. She caught onto what Julien might be feeling and asked, "Do you not feel comfortable to be naked around them, dear? Do you have your bodily reactions?" "Bodily reactions?" Julien asked, trying to understand what his grandma meant, despite knowing fully what she meant. "Yes. Like, do you feel¡­ hm¡­how do I put it¡­ heightened sexual cravings when you see nude ladies?" Rosalynn asked. Julien sighed. "Of course, I do. I warned all of them to not take me in the bath together, but they never took the hint." "Poor boy." Rosalynn smiled and shook her head. "Do you want me to tell them to not take you together?" Julien shook his head. "No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve learnt how to control myself." "Oh?" Rosalynn was amused yet again. "And how is that?" "Hmmm¡­." Julien took a long pause. "It¡¯s difficult to put it into words¡­" Julien took another pause. He took a sip of tea, continued to think, then shook his head. "¡­no, I have no idea how to describe it. How about I show a demonstration instead, grandma? Would you be willing to participate in it?" Rosalynn wasn¡¯t able to see through Julien¡¯s devious plans as his innocent face and small body was a major cover. "Sure." Rosalynn said. ¡¯Hehe¡­¡¯ Julien controlled himself from rubbing his hands. He felt quite like a villain deceiving people through his sinister ways. But it wasn¡¯t his fault. In his opinion, if one cannot scam old people, then one wasn¡¯t cut to be a scammer. Add to that, not scamming such a hot and sexy supermodel of a lady would just mean he was gay. Those were Julien¡¯s personal opinions. He put the tea away, did a dry cough, trying to appear innocent and professional, and said, "So grandma, if I may¡­" Chapter 102: Can’t Get It Up [R-18] "¡­if I may?" Rosalynn curiously stared at Julien, wondering what he was trying to do. "Sure, go ahead." Julien smiled happily. He took a step forward and held her face, then leaned to give her lips a kiss, lasting for a full five seconds. "¡­" Rosalynn was too shocked to process what had just happened. Julien let her go and pointed at his bottom, shifting her attention immediately. "See, it doesn¡¯t get erect anymore if I kiss my loved ones." Rosalynn¡¯s poor heart fluttered at the words ¡¯loved ones¡¯. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined such soft words would be said to her by her own grandson. None of her two daughters or granddaughters had ever talked so sweetly! Julien, sensing momentary confusion, striked the iron while it was hot. "And, I believe even this is fine¡­" He walked up to her and pulled the straps of her gown down, revealing her massive perky tits! They literally had no signs of sagging and were asking to be sucked hard! "Eh, my dear what?" Rosalynn came back to her senses from the shock, and got another shock as she noticed her breasts out in open. Julien feigned ignorance and nodded. "Yes, that¡¯s right. I don¡¯t get erect from watching anyone¡¯s boobs either. You can see¡­" Julien pointed at his bottom. There was no bulge. Right as he did that, he knitted his brows and frowned. "Wait, grandma. That sounded wrong." "What?" Rosalynn was just as confused and asked while putting her gown back on. Julien expressed a worried look and replied, "Grandma¡­ boobs are god¡¯s lovely creation. Every man craves them, and I should be no different. How is that¡­ I am not getting hard at the sight of such beautiful and bountiful breasts?" Rosalynn¡¯s face had a slight blush form on it. This was the first time someone had ever complimented her breasts like that. Though her expression soon turned to worry as she found out Julien wasn¡¯t getting hard. "Erhm¡­ it could be that you feel no sexual attraction to an old lady like me?" Rosalynn made a guess. She had seen how Amelia looked, and although she wasn¡¯t comparing herself to that priestess, she could notice that young blood sparkled differently. "Huh? Who said you¡¯re old?" Julien outright questioned. "And forget age, I wouldn¡¯t be a man if I¡¯m not attracted to such a majestic lady!" Julien casually buttered up and took a step further in scamming his grandma into having a closer relationship with him. "My dear¡­" Rosalynn¡¯s face had turned visibly red. The years of experience shined now as Julien could see her doing a good job in maintaining a poker face. "It¡¯s okay to not feel attraction and totally normal if you do not get¡­ hard." "No, no, it¡¯s not normal." Julien shook his head. His face showed quite the worry he felt. He got closer and held Rosalynn¡¯s hands. "Grandma, I¡¯ll be honest. I¡¯ve been getting very riled up every time I see the ladies nude. I¡¯ve only managed to hold back a few times. This just means that I¡¯m having no trouble getting it up. But now¡­ it¡¯s just not getting up! How is that possible? It should¡¯ve been straight like a pole when I saw your boobs but there¡¯s no response!" Before Rosalynn could answer, Julien held her gown strap and gently tugged it. His eyes were puppy-like and he continued, "Let¡¯s do a retest, please." How could Rosalynn say no to such an innocent face? She wasn¡¯t a heartless monster to reject such cuteness! "Fine. But this matter will stay only between us, okay?" "Definitely!" Julien nodded happily. "It¡¯s a promise," he said and leaned to give her a quick peck on her lips, surprising her again. "Oh dear, you shouldn¡¯t¡­" Rosalynn wanted to correct him by saying they shouldn¡¯t be doing this, but his joy-filled glittering eyes stopped her as she did not want to impose worldly restrictions of morality on them. She smiled and shook her head, slowly taking her gown off. Julien saw the freed milk cannons and eyed the pink pearls. He looked down at his pants and shook his head, showing a worried look to Rosalynn. "Well, let me try something else. Maybe this works¡­" He grabbed her tits and kneaded them, surprising Rosalynn. She didn¡¯t say anything and let him do it. "No, not working¡­ let me just¡­" He audaciously gobbled one of the firm yet soft nipples and bit on. "Nnghh¡­ no, don¡¯t!" Rosalynn tried to push him away, but did used little to no force, afraid of hurting him. Julien circled his tongue around on her areola and coiled it around her nipple, then gave it a gentle tug with his teeth, sending bolts of pleasure through her body. "My dear¡­" Rosalynn breathed heavily. "Don¡¯t¡­" Julien stopped at once and got back, continuing to express a distressed look. "Grandma¡­ I don¡¯t understand¡­ those are so soft and feel so nice to suck on, but I am still¡­ still unable to¡­" Julien looked down and seemed like he was on the verge of crying. "Don¡¯t be disheartened, maybe it¡¯s because¡­" "Oh yes! Maybe it¡¯s because I am not seeing you without clothes! All the other times, I was in the bath with everyone and got hard. Maybe I need to see the whole body to get hard? Yes, yes! Could be!" Julien nodded at his reasoning, acting as if he had just found the solution to world peace. Rosalynn could only blink in amusement and stare at her grandson. This boy¡­ he was expressing so many different types of emotions! Rosalynn couldn¡¯t be any happier knowing this and honestly, her heart was at ease and she felt that nothing else mattered. "Do you want grandma to¡­" Rosalynn stood up and asked as she pulled her gown further down. Julien nodded like a pecking chicken. Rosalynn smiled. If her being nude for a moment solved his problem, then what harm was there? She reasoned and let her gown fall fully down. Julien saw her smooth abdomen and her milk-like silky skin. As his eyes gazed further down, he saw her ample thighs and long legs. She was wearing a blue laced thong with silver garter belt stockings that reached the middle of her thighs. This was enough to give him a nose bleed, but thankfully that did not happen. This lady here was the one responsible to pass down the most amazing set of genetics known to mankind. Not only was she very beautiful and sexy, all her daughters and granddaughters had turned out to be exceptional as well! Rosalynn could feel her grandson¡¯s burning gaze on her. It made her somewhat nervous. ¡¯Does my old body really look amazing to him?¡¯ She wondered. Julien went ahead and hugged her, pulling her out of her thoughts. His height only reached the level of her nipples, but he made it appear shorter by bending his knees and gluing his face to her flat abdomen. It was toned and felt very good to rub his face on. Rosalynn looked down, wondering what he was doing. Julien looked up, through the valley in between and said, "Can this be gone too, please?" Julien held the thong¡¯s strap and asked while tugging on it. How could Rosalynn deny? She nodded and Julien immediately got to work, pulling the panties down. His eyes saw well trimmed pubic hair in an inverted triangle shape above a pair of beautiful pink lips. The contrast was so amazing that Julien wanted to run his tongue along the smoothness of her lips, all the way to the top so it could feel the roughness too! "So pretty¡­" Julien commented and looked up. "I think¡­ I think I¡¯m almost there." Rosalynn was about to heave a sigh of relief, but right then, Julien said, "I just need to do one last thing to reach that state¡­" "What is it, my dear?" Rosalynn asked curiously. "It¡¯s this¡­" Julien unceremoniously latched onto her pink slit and made her gasp hard! "Julien, my dear, nooo!" Rosalynn tried to resist this. "Mmfff¡­" Julien sucked hard on the wet slit and felt a sweet and tangy taste. He got his face out and said joyously, "Haha, it worked!" Rosalyn was shocked yet again, and taking this as an opportunity, Julien stuffed himself back in the silken depths. "No, no!" Rosalynn tried to resist, but Julien already got a taste. He even felt her rough pubic hair and was amazed as expected by the contrast of smoothness and roughness. Julien got up and looked at his grandma with a big smile. He hugged her tightly and said, "Thank you, grandma. You¡¯re the best. I learnt that I am still a man and can get it up." Rosalynn smiled awkwardly and had no idea what to say or do. For the first time in her life, someone had left her so speechless and taken such charge. Her grandson¡¯s hyperactive behavior did not allow her to do anything, and she thought that maybe she was getting rusty by not venturing out much. Rosalynn thought that things had been over here, but Julien began taking his pants off and showed her his erect shaft. It was covered in foreskin and pointing right at her angrily. "Hm? Is that still¡­" S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 103: It’s A Long Story [R-18] "Hm? Is that still¡­" Rosalynn had a doubt surface in her mind and bent down to hold Julien¡¯s five inch monster. Her boobs hung right in front of him and he couldn¡¯t help himself from grabbing them. Rosalynn paid that no heed. "Was she unable to cure this¡­" Rosalynn expressed her doubt out loud and gently pulled the foreskin back. It smoothly slid back and made her sigh in relief. "She was successful." Rosalynn said and got back up. Julien¡¯s hold on her tits broke. He looked at her and asked, "What was successful?" Rosalynn shook her head. "Nothing." She didn¡¯t want to bring up old talks unnecessarily. Julien was already aware of what the conversation was about and hence dropped the matter. He flashed his erect cock and said, slightly concerned, "I hope this doesn¡¯t reach mom or I¡¯ll be in a lot of trouble." Rosalynn smiled and shook her head. "Why would you be in trouble, silly boy?" "Why won¡¯t I be? I am being so indecent in front of grandma." Julien said with a fake sad face. Rosalynn chuckled and began pulling her panties up. Once she did, she ruffled his hair and said, "I am your mommy¡¯s mommy. If she ever dares to trouble you, just let me know. I¡¯ll see how she¡¯s able to do it." Julien chuckled and hugged her, finding another excuse to rub his face on her amazing stomach. "Grandma is truly the best." "Alright. Alright. Now let¡¯s get dressed and go out." Rosalynn said. Julien broke the hug and shook his head. "We can¡¯t. I need to take care of this first." He pointed at his shaft. "Oh¡­ hm, yes, you¡¯re right." Rosalynn almost forgot about it. Julien held his shaft in hand and slowly rubbed it while tugging on her panties again. "Um, grandma, if you don¡¯t mind¡­ can I have a look again for a few minutes? I¡¯ll get this over with quickly." This was a taboo thing to do, but Rosalynn did not have the heart to reject this sweet boy. ¡¯Well, as long as there isn¡¯t direct intercourse¡­¡¯ She thought to herself. She nodded her head and as Julien pulled her panties down again, another thought popped in her head. "My dear¡­" Rosalynn looked at Julien. "I just remembered that I had to give you sexual education. Let¡¯s do it now." "Eh? But wasn¡¯t that going to happen together with Leona and Katherine?" "Yes, but the plans have changed slightly." Rosalynn said. She had plans to have the three sit down and teach them everything through a long lecture, but given how the setting was right now, it could be used appropriately for a practical lesson instead! Hands-on experience was much better than anything said orally! "I understand." Julien didn¡¯t object. Rosalynn took him to bed and had him sit down beside her. Firstly, she talked about the male anatomy and stated everything she knew. A male¡¯s balls were out and hanging to have a lower temperature as compared to the body. Males had testosterone which was relatively stable compared to estrogen in women, and¡­ Rosalynn rubbed his cock as she said so and gave him an amazing handjob unknowingly. Julien nodded and was surprised to find information he didn¡¯t know of. He took off his remaining clothes and tried to concentrate, but her nude body was just too stimulating and made his shaft twitch in her hand. During her explanation, Julien got up and had her hand slip away. She did not stop the lecture though. He took her garter belt stockings off as she spoke and she allowed him to. Once he was done, he interrupted her and said, "I already know most of this. I¡¯ve had sex and even know that¡­" Julien parted her legs and pushed her body back slightly to get a better access to her nethers. He touched her clit, pinched it and made her gasp softly. "This is the clitoris, it¡¯s very sensitive and can get erect. Right below here¡­" Julien rubbed his finger on her slit and inserted it into her vaginal opening while looking right into her eyes. Rosalynn couldn¡¯t believe that she was allowing him to do this, but this was needed to get a better understanding of how much he knew about sex. "This is where my thing goes. It feels great to insert it here but one mustn¡¯t do it without the consent of the lady, of course." "Oh?" Rosalynn was surprised by this. "You even know ethics?" "Of course." Julien nodded. "Now if you could please lay on your back, I can explain a bit more." Julien said. Rosalynn nodded and was about to get into position, but she stopped after hearing a clicking sound. Julien stopped too. The door of the room creaked opened. "Mom, are you ther¡ªhuh!?" "Mom!?" "Julien!?" ¡¯SHIT!¡¯ Julien froze in his spot while Rosalynn was surprised by the sudden intrusion too. "Hello, my dear." Rosalynn greeted, as if everything was normal. "What do you mean hello!? Why are you naked and why is Julien naked too?" Eleanor knitted her brows as she stormed towards them. "Hm, it¡¯s a long story. Given your worked up state, would you be willing to listen?" Rosalynn was as calm as ever, as if it was yet another normal day for her. Watching her be so calm made Eleanor take a step back. Her anger subdued as she realized nothing wrong must be going on, if her mother was this calm. She decided to hear them out first before reacting. "Want some tea as we speak?" Rosalynn asked. "No thanks. Please get to the point." Eleanor seriously needed that explanation! Rosalynn clapped her hands twice and said, "Maids, close the door and don¡¯t let anyone in without asking me." Julien couldn¡¯t see the maids, but the door did get closed. "Sit." Rosalynn had Eleanor sit on the bed and sat beside her. Julien was about to sit on the chair, but Eleanor pulled his wrist and made him sit on her lap. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With knitted brows, she wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. "You sit here. Anytime I leave you for a few minutes, you are upto some mischief." "I¡­ am naked¡­" Julien felt somewhat embarrassed. "So? It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t seen anything here before, have I?" Eleanor said sternly and rubbed his shaft right in front of her mother to express she wasn¡¯t worried about anything. Julien truly felt embarrassed now. Rosalynn saw their special relation and chuckled softly. She had figured already that Julien was a good boy. If he could talk so sweetly to her, then he definitely might be saying it to his mother too. And given how Eleanor was, she would¡¯ve reached the high heavens from his sweet gestures. Rosalynn shook her head, trying to dispel such thoughts, and said while looking at her daughter, "Well, this is what happened¡­" Chapter 104: Let’s Sleep Together [R-18] Once Eleanor was briefed on Julien¡¯s problem and how things had turned educational, she had relief flash over her. Though she also got concerned right away and asked Julien whether he still faced such a problem or not. Julien stated that everything was fine and that she shouldn¡¯t worry. With the fiasco over, Eleanor stopped worrying. "Sigh¡­ it seems I overreacted. My apologies¡­" Eleanor was quick to be accountable and said. Rosalynn caressed her hair and said it was no big deal. "So, were you looking for me?" She asked. "Yes. I wanted to apologize for earlier. Maybe you¡¯re right¡ª" "It¡¯s alright, my dear. I understood where you were coming from. That isn¡¯t a big issue. Is there anything else weighing you down?" Rosalynn was as gentle to Eleanor as Eleanor was to Julien. Julien could see who his mother took after and was quite surprised by it. ¡¯My whole family is¡­ so less prone to drama¡­¡¯ All the ladies in the family were smart, stunning, accountable, and easy to interact with. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They weren¡¯t like brain-dead tsunderes depicted in anime who just could not take a hint. If this was how things were, it would get very peaceful. But that was another problem as peaceful was boring. Thankfully, Katherine was there. He could stir up drama anytime in the family with her. Eleanor shook her head at her mother¡¯s question, and Rosalynn said, "Good. Then shall we continue with Julien¡¯s education?" Eleanor raised one of her eyebrows and looked at her mother. She held Julien¡¯s hard shaft and began rubbing it. "This boy has already had sex. What is there to explain? He already knows most things and even that this is a handjob." Julien blushed somewhat. Rosalynn chuckled. "Does he know how to predict safe days and risky days?" "That¡­" Eleanor was unsure about it. "I know. It¡¯s seven days before and after periods." Julien answered. Rosalynn shook her head. "You¡¯re right but that isn¡¯t fully right. After day 5, things get very risky, so only two or three days could be considered safe." Eleanor also got to know something new today. Rosalynn was about to continue, but she saw through the windows that the moon was hanging overhead. "Anyway, I think we should put a wrap to this today, given how it¡¯s almost close to midnight. We¡¯ll have this talk again later." "You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s get some sleep." Eleanor said. "Let¡¯s sleep with grandma." Julien suggested, making Eleanor shoot him a suspicious look. Rosalynn chuckled. "You¡¯re welcome to do so. The bed and blanket is big enough for all three of us." "Good!" Julien got up and went to bed, positioning himself right in the middle. "We¡¯ll be sleeping here today then." Eleanor didn¡¯t know what she should do about this unruly boy. She simply sighed and shook her head, giving up for today. Too much had happened already. "Get changed and get in, dear." Rosalynn said and got into bed. She was naked already, and didn¡¯t bother putting on a gown as that was something quite transparent and exposed pretty much everything. Eleanor took out a night gown from her mother¡¯s closet and wore it, then got into bed beside Julien. Julien now had two pretty milfs cuddling with him. He couldn¡¯t have asked for anything better! The three wished each other good night and were off to sleep. Not even a minute in, Julien turned to Eleanor¡¯s side and poked her belly with his erect shaft. He leaned closer and whispered, "This needs to be taken care of¡­" Eleanor knitted her brows. She whispered back, "Couldn¡¯t you say it earlier? Grandma is right beside, we can¡¯t¡­" "Shall I have her help instead¡­" "Don¡¯t you dare¡­" Eleanor shot him an annoyed look. Julien chuckled softly and kissed her lips gently. "Of course, I wouldn¡¯t. Though, you just need to turn around, I can finish everything up in a few minutes." Eleanor rolled her eyes and said, "Better make it quick." She turned around and let her big bottoms stick to Julien¡¯s pelvis. Julien firstly took her gown off and had her throw it away, getting fully naked. He then rubbed his fingers in between her legs and felt her pussy and behind. Something metallic brushed against his finger, making him raise his eyebrows in surprise. ¡¯Oh, I almost forgot about this. Right now seems to be a good opportunity. Shall I go for it?¡¯ His grandmother was right beside them so it made things risky. But the risk made him further horny. Julien did not think with his brains anymore. He rubbed his shaft in between her legs, preparing it for what was to come next. However, he soon realized, ¡¯I need lube¡­¡¯ He searched through the system and did not find any. ¡¯No worries. I can always ask¡­¡¯ "Give me a minute, I¡¯ll be back." Julien whispered in Eleanor¡¯s ears and turned around. He saw his grandma¡¯s smooth back in front of him and scooted closer to hug her. Julien¡¯s hand audaciously held onto her breast for better grip and his shaft rubbed against her crotch, feeling a mix of roughness and smoothness. Rosalynn wondered what shenanigans her grandson was upto this time. "Grandma¡­ are you awake?" He whispered in her ear. Rosalynn opened her eyes and whispered back, "Yes. Do you need something?" "Yeah¡­" Julien said and slowly got on top of her as she changed position to lie flat on her back. Within seconds, his whole body was atop her with his dick dangerously close to going inside her. Rosalynn was amused by the sight but got distracted by Julien¡¯s cute face right in front. Julien leaned even closer until his lips were just an inch from hers. "Do you have lube? It hurts to masturbate without it¡­" Julien rubbed his cock on her pussy to show what he was talking about, as if she couldn¡¯t figure it out. "Aren¡¯t you too close to ask for something so trivial, my dear?" Rosalynn smiled and asked. "I didn¡¯t want to wake mom up¡­" Julien said. "I see." Rosalynn caressed his hair tenderly. "Well, I need to get out of bed to fetch that." Julien shook his head. "Don¡¯t get out. It¡¯s not that big of a deal." "Are you sure? Didn¡¯t you say it hurts?" "It does. But¡­ hm¡­ wait¡­" Julien pretended to have realized something. He moved his hand down and tried to scoop some dripping juices from the forbidden garden. He only got a little and showed it to Rosalynn. "These liquids can work as lube too, right?" He asked innocently. Rosalynn chuckled softly. "It depends on the consistency. If it¡¯s watery, it¡¯ll dry out fast. If it is creamy, you wouldn¡¯t have any problems." "Creamy¡­" Julien said out loud. "I¡¯ll need to ask mom for it, it seems." Rosalynn shook her head. "There¡¯s no need. I can give it to you here." "Oh?" Julien was amused. He kissed her lips at this point and said in a whisper, "You¡¯re the best, grandma." "Right. Right." Rosalynn ruffled his hair. Julien held his shaft and placed the tip on her fuckhole. He rubbed it all around and aroused Rosalynn. "No more than the tip, okay? And this better stay a secret." Rosalynn said sternly. "My lips are sealed. I¡¯ll seal them again, wait." Julien took hold of Rosalynn¡¯s lips and kissed her deeply. Today was definitely a wild day for Rosalynn, one she would never forget. Even she had no idea how things had led to such a point and was now just going with the flow. On the other side, Eleanor wondered what was taking so long. She had her back against Julien and as he was speaking in low whispers, she couldn¡¯t hear anything. Rosalynn, in the meantime, moved her hand down to rub her clit and fasten the process. Only the tip was inside the velvety pinkness, but Julien could already feel her insides tighten and grip magnificently. In no time, he felt wetness spread over his shaft. When he had enough lube, he thanked Rosalynn with a kiss and got off her. Julien then went back to his mother¡¯s side and hugged her from behind. "Took you some time." She said. "Yeah. " He said and moved his hand down to feel her honeypot. Eleanor thought that Julien would simply rub his shaft over her lips and relieve himself, but that was far from reality as she felt a tug on the buttplug inside her. "Hm!?" Surprised, she turned her face to the side and stared at Julien. He looked back at her and slowly pulled the plug out, watching her reaction. Eleanor had mild discomfort visible on her face. Once the plug was out, she felt hollow and empty in the back area. Something seemed missing, but it also felt light. Julien then stopped doing everything and got on top of Eleanor. He slid to the other side and made his mother face her mother. Rosalynn had her eyes closed and was resting. Eleanor could see her clearly as she was only half an arm length away. ¡¯What is he trying to do¡­¡¯ Eleanor couldn¡¯t tell. She tried to turn around but couldn¡¯t. Julien had his arms wrapped around her and kept her in place. ¡¯This boy, what is he¡ª¡¯ "Ahh¡ª" Chapter 105: I Need Lube… [R-18] "Ahh¡ª" Eleanor covered her mouth and stopped herself from moaning. Behind her, Julien let his naughty thoughts take control. He rubbed his shaft on her puckered flower and as it was lubed, it slid in easily. Just the tip entering shocked Eleanor as she didn¡¯t expect her boy to be so bold! She turned her face to stare at him, but Julien¡¯s eyes were focusing on his grandma as he slowly made his cock slide deep into his mother¡¯s ass. The situation he was in felt so risky that it really turned him on. Eleanor got the second shock of the day when she felt Julien¡¯s shaft hit her deepest spots. She kept her mouth covered and let out a muffled moan. Turning and trying to look at Julien felt uncomfortable. She turned back and laid in a comfortable side position. Her gaze fell on her mother who was sleeping naked in front of her. She didn¡¯t seem to have noticed anything so far. It relieved Eleanor. [Ding!] [10,000 bonus points have been awarded!] Julien suddenly heard a system message. Doing lustful deeds provided points. Initially he did things to gain points, but now he did them because he liked them and found them fun. The points were an added bonus. He silenced the notifications and let the points accumulate, focusing fully on doing anal. He moved his hips and had his shaft slowly come out. He then thrusted it back in and repeated the motion at a moderate pace. Everytime he thrusted in, Eleanor¡¯s perky ass cheeks would jiggle in rhythm, making Julien hit his body onto her harder to see them jiggle some more. The bed had begun shaking from their movements and Rosalynn had difficulty sleeping. She had her brows knitted and was actually aware of everything happening. She just hadn¡¯t seen it visually. ¡¯What am I supposed to do in such a situation?¡¯ Rosalynn wondered. Was she supposed to scold her children for indulging in forbidden acts? Or was she supposed to pretend that she wasn¡¯t looking at anything? It was a tough spot she was put under. Julien¡¯s hard shaft was being tightly gripped by the soft walls. But with more pumps, he lost the lubrication and felt friction ruin the experience. Julien got on top of his mother again while keeping his shaft lodged deep in her. He pinned her hands to the side and kissed her lips, sucking on them hungrily. ¡¯How has he¡­ how has he gotten so naughty¡­¡¯ Eleanor couldn¡¯t tell. Though she too was enjoying this touch and overflowing love, and wasn¡¯t in a position to complain. The kiss lasted for half a minute, before Julien broke it and slid to the other side. He made his mother face away and pumped her some more. When he felt the friction was too much, he stopped and pulled his shaft out. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Give me a second. I need to get this wet. Don¡¯t turn around." Julien whispered and rolled to the other side. He had faith that his mother wouldn¡¯t reject his request. As he was on the other side, he saw his grandmother¡¯s resting face. He scooted closer and rubbed his cock on her hairy pussy. The feeling of knowing he was having a real life oyakodon with two generations of mothers was mind boggling. If he wanted to, he could take them both here and now, but not everything had to be done at once. Patience was a defining quality of a man. "Grandma, lube¡­" Julien inserted the tip of his shaft in Rosalynn¡¯s soft birth canal. Rosalynn opened her eyes and had a look at her grandson. ¡¯He is fully aware of what he¡¯s doing. What a sly boy. I thought he was a clueless, innocent child, but I was so wrong all along¡­¡¯ Rosalynn couldn¡¯t do anything about it. She loved him a bit too much to see through his antics. Even now, despite having the power to reject him, she didn¡¯t. She licked her fingers in front of Julien and moved them down to rub her clit, stimulating herself and letting her love juices seep out. Julien found it hot. He knew what he was going to do when he got back from the wilderness¡­ Meanwhile, Rosalynn had a thought. ¡¯I wonder, how is it getting dry? Eleanor¡¯s insides should be amply wet. But I can¡¯t feel any wetness on Julien here¡­¡¯ Rosalynn stopped rubbing herself and moved her hand further down, holding Julien¡¯s shaft. She rubbed it a bit and indeed found it to be dry. ¡¯Strange.¡¯ Keeping this thought to herself, she got back to rubbing and letting lots of her juices cover Julien up. In a minute, Julien was back to being lubed. He thanked Rosalynn and rolled to the other side. Then, he parted her ass cheeks and stuffed her again, making her gasp. Eleanor was given some strong pumps for quite a well. Julien¡¯s stamina had increased, she could tell. As Julien got closer to climaxing, he increased the pace and thrust faster. Eleanor was busy trying not to moan and couldn¡¯t ask him to slow down so as to not wake her mother up. Rosalynn on the side thought, ¡¯These energetic young people¡­¡¯ After a minute, Julien tightly held Eleanor and thrust deep. Her insides gripped hard and convulsed, making him empty his load. As Julien came, Eleanor went through another orgasm and her walls spasmed harder. "Mmmhhhhh¡ª!" Eleanor covered her mouth shut, but some moans leaked anyway. Julien breathed heavily and shut his eyes close. He kept hugging his mother and slowly faded into the dream lands. Eleanor didn¡¯t have the energy to get things cleaned up either. She let everything be and decided to sleep. Rosalynn was glad that it was over. If they kept going, she had plans to intervene and stop them. An old lady like her needed proper sleep at proper times or it wasn¡¯t good for her body. Like the two, she slept as well within a few minutes. Next morning. Rosalynn was the last to wake up. Julien and Eleanor had left the bedroom and had gone to wash up. She got up lazily from her bed and stretched herself. As she took a few steps towards her bathroom, she stepped on something hard. Looking down, something metallic was shining. She got down to take a closer look and saw a doorknob sort of thing. When she checked carefully though, there was a red heart gemstone on its flat side. Rosalynn knitted her brows and frowned. ¡¯Oh¡­ this is¡­¡¯ She rubbed her temples and got up, then turned to see her bed. ¡¯¡­those two¡­ that naughty boy¡­ no wonder why he needed so much lube from me¡­¡¯ Rosalynn smiled and shook her head. She placed the metallic buttplug on her study table and went to take a bath, as if nothing abnormal had happened. ¡­.. At the dining table, as the whole family sat down to have breakfast, an air of awkward tension reverberated throughout. All the ladies could feel Eleanor seemed different, with Rosalynn being the only one to know the answer. Julien on the other hand felt amused, shocked, fascinated, and dumbfounded. All at the same time. He couldn¡¯t believe what he had done last night. This beautiful blonde lady with blue eyes sitting right in front of him, he had boned her last night. He felt everything there was to feel and did not leave a speck of skin untouched. If he could boast his accomplishment, he definitely would¡¯ve done it by now. Eleanor, while having breakfast, was thinking about Julien. He would be going to the wilderness today, and she felt really concerned. Her worries clouded the naughty memories of last night as the matter was quite serious. "Julien¡­" Eleanor called him. "Yes, mom?" Julien replied. "If you feel anything is wrong¡­ any single thing¡­ escape. Try to escape and don¡¯t force yourself to be in the situation. Okay?" Julien nodded his head. "I¡¯ll get out of the wilderness if I feel there¡¯s a threat I cannot fight against." "Good." Eleanor was relieved. "Eat well. We¡¯ll escort you to the wilderness at noon." "Got it." And thus, when the midday sun hung high, Julien and his party were taken to the Ravenwood Wilderness. All the ladies of the family came to send them off. They said a few words of encouragement and parted ways with the three. Julien was now on his way to the temple¡¯s area. The wilderness looked like a normal jungle on the periphery, but as he went deeper, he could feel his visibility getting less and less due to the mist thickening. Julien held hands with Amelia and Jackie so that none got lost. They could only see about ten meters around them and slowly moved eastwards. After walking for a few minutes, Julien found himself stepping onto a shallow pit. Jackie, who hadn¡¯t entered it and was on the higher ground, frowned and said, "Master¡­ this pit¡­" "Hm?" Julien turned to her. Jackie knitted her brows. "This isn¡¯t a pit. It¡¯s a footprint. Come here and see for yourself." Julien and Amelia got on the higher ground and checked the footprint. It was like a bear¡¯s paw, but with claws sharp like an eagle¡¯s. The size of it was big enough to resemble an elephant¡¯s foot. "It looks like there are monsters in this area. We need to be even more vigilant." Julien gave his two cents. "Yea. I¡¯ll keep a look at our backs. Master can check left and right." Jackie suggested. Julien nodded and kept his guard up as he walked. The trio ventured deeper into the wilderness, eventually leaving the periphery behind and entering the active outer ring of the wilderness. Chapter 106: Temple of Honor Wild beasts roamed the wilderness. Julien and Jackie saw quite a lot of them as they moved towards the temple. The journey was uneventful. If a monster was stronger, the three would avoid it. If it was weak, they would kill it if it attacked them. Monsters in the real world did not give loot or essence like the ones from the Tower, so there was no point unnecessarily killing them. Broken stone ruins were scattered in a flat clearing as the three neared the temple. A narrow entrance led to an underground stairs, with the end not visible on sight as everything was dark. "Strange. Usually, a broken temple gives off an eerie feeling. This one¡­" Amelia faced the underground entrance. "This one¡­?" Julien turned to her and asked. "¡­it feels holy and calm." Amelia answered. Being a former nun, she had experience with dark places. The church members and her used to go on exorcism expeditions around the county, so such places weren¡¯t new to her. However, this was the first time a broken temple gave off such a holy feeling. If there was a temple in ruins, it usually meant that evil spirits resided there or there wasn¡¯t anything at all. "A broken temple giving off holy energy could only signify two things. First, a divine entity is still there, or second, a significantly strong evil power might be residing in the depths, one that isn¡¯t afraid to disguise itself as holy." Amelia explained. "Can¡¯t it belong to a holy god who has perished?" Julien asked. Amelia shook her head. "If a holy god has died, then the place is quickly taken over by evil. If it isn¡¯t, the temple is cleared by the people out of respect for the god. At least, that is what has happened in the world¡¯s history. I do not know how it is in the Tower." This was an intriguing fact Amelia shared. Julien did not have to rack his brains to know that this place would definitely contain evil. His luck was outstanding. It would always do him justice by forever being bad and letting him know in advance that he was going to be screwed over and over again. Julien kept it in mind and said, "If what Amelia said is true, then I believe this place has an evil entity that isn¡¯t afraid to disguise itself as holy." "It could have a holy god too though." Jackie argued. Julien shook his head. "The chances of that happening are very very low. I suggest we are prepared for the worst." "If Master says so¡­" Jackie clutched her daggers and took the first step forward. Following her was Amelia and then Julien. Jackie kept watch on the front while Julien kept guard on the back, ready to protect his priestess if the need arose. The passage was dark and even with a fire torch Julien and Jackie had trouble moving. Much to their surprise, Amelia had no problems walking down the stairs. The steps were rough and contained small pebbles that could make their feet slip, but Amelia¡¯s footing was always precise and she did not miss a single step. Julien wondered how she was able to do it. He asked, "Amelia, how are you able to walk properly in such rough conditions?" "It¡¯s all god¡¯s grace, Master. All my senses except sight are heightened. I am sensitive to my surroundings and can hear, feel, and perceive a lot of little things around me. For example, right now as we are walking, there are no bugs or insects in the way. This place also has proper ventilation through minute holes in the walls and ceilings that bring fresh air from outside." sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Julien was baffled but also quite proud of his lady for having such amazing powers. Compared to her, he was just an average guy. He wasn¡¯t disheartened by it, but this fact made him more amazed to have Amelia by his side. While indulging in light talk, the trio kept moving down the stairs. Eventually, they heard a faint sound coming from the distance. The three moved to the source of sound and it got louder with each passing second, until eventually, they could hear what it was saying loud and clear. "¡­help¡­ help¡­ help¡­" The voice was more of a sob and seeking help constantly. The trio frowned and became more alert. Julien moved past his two teammates and stood at the front. "Jackie, stay behind Amelia and protect her from a sudden attack. And also, you two, run away immediately if I ask you to." Julien instructed. The two had no choice but to nod their heads in understanding. They had a pact. It was to follow all of Julien¡¯s commands when they were out adventuring whether they liked it or not. This was for everyone¡¯s safety as differing opinions could land everyone in serious trouble. The trio walked towards the sound¡¯s source and the cries for help kept getting louder. Eventually, the passage ended with rusty dual doors at its end. There were heavy chains hanging from one of the door handles. Julien put the torch down and could see a picked lock attached to the chains. He frowned and thought, ¡¯Is this perhaps a type of door that shouldn¡¯t be opened?¡¯ He was more alert than ever. "HELPHELPHELP¡ª!" The voice was booming at this place. Even with such thick metallic doors in front, the three could hear the sound as if the person was right beside them, screaming into their ears. ¡¯Jackie and Amelia will not die. So¡­ I can venture deeper.¡¯ Julien opened the door and blinding light flashed in front. His eyes shut close in response and he did not open the door completely. When he slowly opened his eyes, he could see a well illuminated hall on the other side. Julien opened the door and had a look inside. This hall had a massive ceiling with a marble statue of an angel in the middle. This Angel had one of its wings torn apart. The wing lay right at his feet and he was looking down at it, his eyes covered by his long hair. "HELPHELPHELPHELPHELP!" The cries for help boomed in this hall, coming from the side where a puddle of bright blue water lay. Julien gestured to Jackie and Amelia to stay near the door and went towards the puddle of water. As he reached, the sight he saw within the water made his hair stand on their ends. "HELPPPPPPP!" Chapter 107: Temple of Honor (2) "HELPPPPPPP!" Within the waters, Julien saw some common folks running and screaming for their lives. Demonic monsters prowled behind and threatened to tear the people into pieces. Jackie and Amelia watched from the sides. Amelia frowned as a few seconds passed. She felt something off. Julien, who was staring at the running people, found them to have stopped. The monsters stopped too. All the figures slowly turned to look at Julien, and the sight made his hair stand on their ends. "Help us¡­" the faces of all the figures twisted and a hand emerged from within, instantly pulling Julien into it. "Master!" Amelia and Jackie cried out. They ran towards the puddle and put their hands inside, only to meet with a splashing sound as their hands hit the water. "Master, noooo!" Jackie repeatedly thrashed her hands, hoping it would send her to Julien. Amelia did the same thing and while the two were busy with this, inside another dimension, Julien descended on a stony street. The sky was split in light and dark. The realm consisted of a faint golden hue, and surrounding him were humans and demons alike. He was standing in a square in front of a mighty cathedral. The top of the cathedral had the inscriptions of a broken sword with wings. One of the wings was half torn, and it seemed ominous. ¡¯Am I in the trial?¡¯ Julien wondered. He did nothing and stood watching. The demons screeched and leaped at the humans, ignoring Julien. As the humans screamed and died, the scene changed. Julien was in the sky as he watched a kingdom burn to ashes. He could vividly see the people running and screaming as their home got invaded by demons. The scene changed again after a few seconds. Julien now found himself seated in a King¡¯s Court. "Your Majesty, we are outnumbered. We have to use underhanded means or we will lose this war." An official advised the King. "Our neighboring kingdoms don¡¯t falter from using those means and even our enemies are indulging in such. They¡¯ve used a lot of dirty tactics to assassinate our important nobles. We need to retaliate." "No." The king shook his head. He leaned forwards, resting his hands on his sword¡¯s hilt, and continued, "We are a class of warriors. We will fight with honor and die with honor. There is no glory that is worth basking in if it isn¡¯t achieved honorably." The scene then changed. Julien saw the king kneeling before a few tombstones in a graveyard, his expression serious and somber. "I will find your killers, my dearest wife, son, daughter." The scene changed again. The king was now standing in a small hut in a small village. An elderly woman was sleeping in a corner, and in the other, a man was kneeling and begging for mercy. "I-¡­I did not do it because I wanted to. I had no other choice. Nobody was giving me a job and I desperately needed money for my mother¡¯s treatment. I found a group of people wanting to hire an assassin and took up their offer. Please spare me, I still have to take care of my mother." The king had a complicated expression on his face. He had the ability to cut this man right here and now, but did not do so. Instead, he hired the man to be his bodyguard. Days passed, and the king had accidentally had a few innocent people die in a clash between him and his enemies. After the war was over, he went to the families of the victims and offered them remuneration. If that wasn¡¯t enough, he gave them a chance to duel and defeat him fair and square for killing their family members. The scene changed again. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The king was in a cathedral, praying to an altar of a sword attached with wings. "I vow to be honorable and make an oath to¡­" The man made an oath and seeked blessings from the divine for starting a fresh chapter in his life. As he was young, he remarried and started a new family. When his kids grew up to be teenagers, the succession to throne started in its early stages. The king experienced familial love, but as the time for his kids to inherit his throne was getting nearby, the officials around him began plotting against him. They wanted to have the kingdom for themselves, and there were quite a few with such a mentality. The king was powerful and they did not attack him. Instead, they fiercely made the people of this nation go against him and his family. The public had come across scandals of the king and his family. They were all made up, but they did not know that. This caused an outrage and the public called the king¡¯s wife a slut, offered her money to sleep with them, and in general insulted and humiliated her to no end. The wife committed suicide. The kids fell into despair, and the king finally snapped. He had vowed to protect his kingdom and swore to honor the kingdom and its people before himself. But they did such a thing to him. He was very angry, and in his rage, killed them all, breaking the oath. He could¡¯ve found the men who spread these rumors, but he was too furious. When the oath broke, the scene changed again. Julien found himself standing in the cathedral. In front was the king, kneeling, and in place of the altar was now an angel with its wings spread wide open. There were a group of survivors surrounding the king, demanding justice from the angel. Their whole family had been killed and they were the innocent ones who had never slandered the king¡¯s wife. "God, you must do justice." The survivors stated. "I broke my oath. I must be punished." The king stated. The God of Honor and Glory watched the scene unfold. No decisions were made here. The scene instead changed, and Julien found himself standing in front of a kneeling crowd and king. "God, you must do justice." "I broke my oath. I must be punished." The king stated. Julien was now in the scene. When he looked around to see his hands, they did not seem to be his. Even the clothes on his body weren¡¯t the same. ¡¯Have I temporarily become the god?¡¯ "God, you must do justice." "I broke my oath. I must be punished." The lines repeated themselves again and again. It was as if the scene was waiting for Julien¡¯s input. After a while of watching the same scene go on and on in a loop, Julien finally decided to say something. "No. I will not punish him." He did not think the king had done anything wrong and said what he felt was right. At this moment, the altar had golden cracks on it, and soon, it exploded with a massive boom. A figure appeared in its place. It was an angel with a broken wing and long hair shrouding its face. It was looking down at its feet where the broken wing lay. "Dishonorable." Chapter 108: Temple of Honor (3) Outside the puddle dimension, Amelia and Jackie were trying to find a way to bring Julien out. They couldn¡¯t do anything so far, and asking their constellations for help wasn¡¯t possible either. To talk to their constellations, they had to conduct special rituals in the real world. It wasn¡¯t as easy as it was in the Tower. All their efforts were in vain, add to that, a few seconds ago, they could hear cracking sounds from the angel statue in the middle of the hall. A few more seconds, with a loud boom, the statue sprang to life and shook the entire hall. It flapped its only wing and dashed towards Jackie and Amelia. "Retreat!" Jackie shouted and ran towards the door. When they got out of the room, the statue stopped chasing them and returned to its position. The two noticed this anomaly. When they entered the room again, the statue was back to attacking them. "That¡¯s so strange¡­" Jackie commented. "Why is it attacking all of a sudden?" "A few moments ago, I sensed a divine power course through this statue¡¯s body. It did not have such a thing before and was a normal statue." Amelia replied. "Divine power? Is there a divine being nearby?" Jackie asked. Amelia nodded curtly. "There could be. The statue might be guarding something." "Is it perhaps guarding that puddle?" Jackie looked in the direction of the puddle and made a rough guess. Amelia shook her head. She had no idea about this. "Well, we can try and test it. Are you up for it?" "I¡¯ll do my best to help." Amelia agreed. Jackie gave Amelia a bit of instructions and the two immediately went inside the hall. Jackie ran in the direction of the puddle while Amelia ran in a random direction nearby. The statue sprang to life again and chased after Jackie. Jackie signaled retreated and the two went behind the door. The repeated this scenario again, with Amelia running a different direction than before and Jackie going towards the puddle. The statue once again chased after Jackie. The two realized that the statue was protecting the puddle that had consumed their Master. Something had to be done to get closer to the puddle. "Master might be in danger. We need to get to him quickly." Amelia said. "I know. But we are powerless in front of that statue." Jackie answered. "Let¡¯s think. There might be something." Amelia suggested. This place only allowed low ranking beings inside. If this was a trial, then it should have limitations well suited for low ranking beings. The two began thinking about the solution and got busy. Meanwhile, inside the puddle dimension, Julien had felt a chill all over his body. His scalp tingled and his mind screamed of danger. The angel from the altar was alive and aware of the situation Julien was in! "Dishonorable." The angel god made his way towards Julien and repeated. Julien couldn¡¯t move. He was frozen in place and could only watch as the angel with its face covered by hair neared him. "You reek of blood and slaughter¡­" the voice was cold, but neither condemning nor enraged. "And yet, you make this choice. How is it that one such as you can act with honor?" Julien had no answer to that. He did not know what the angel was talking about. "The God of Slaughter¡¯s inheritor¡­" the angel god said coldly as he stood before Julien. His presence was suffocating and made Julien unable to breathe or stand still. He fell to his knees and struggled to breathe. "Ughhh¡­" Julien clutched his throat as veins popped all over his head and neck. "Why have you not punished this man for breaking his oath?" The suffocation was somewhat subdued as the angel seemed to be waiting for an answer. Julien coughed aggressively and said, "Why will I? The man is not in the wrong to be punished." "He has broken the oath and turned into a dishonorable being, one such as you." The angel said calmly yet coldly. "How am I dishonorable?" Julien asked back fearlessly. "An incarnation of the one who slaughters cannot be honorable." "But my hands are not stained with blood." Julien rebuked. The angel stepped in front of him, his towering figure casting a shadow on Julien. This was a trial, Julien was well aware. There were set rules to them all, and a being as powerful as this angel could not harm him even if he wanted to. The backlash suffered would not be worth it. "Strange¡­" the angel commented. Julien could understand the angel¡¯s dilemma. He had the Arcana Card of the God of Slaughter despite being someone who had never killed any human. The angel wasn¡¯t wrong to think of him as the incarnation, but reality was far from that. "I have an Arcana Card that once belonged to the incarnation of the God of Slaughter. I have cleared a trial and rightfully obtained it. I¡¯ve not killed any innocent person, so I don¡¯t have blood on my hands." Julien clarified. Jackie was the one who did his dirty work, so he was relatively cleaner. The angel understood it now. "To have the power of such a being is despicable." The angel commented. "Yet, I don¡¯t blame you for it. This is rightfully yours, if obtained from a trial." Julien nodded. He then looked around. The scene was frozen still with the bowing people staying unmoving. "This is a trial too, isn¡¯t it? Is it yours?" Julien asked boldly. The angel was silent. He took a step away from Julien and looked at the people frozen in their spots. "Yes. This is my trial. And you are the first to have cleared the conditions to awaken a fragment of me." "Your fragment? This is not the real you?" The angel shook his head. "I am real, but not complete." "What happened?" Julien asked more questions. The angel picked up its broken wing from the ground and stared at it. "Before you ask any more questions, tell me, why did you not punish that man? Is it not honor worthy to have punished someone who has broken an oath?" An oath was taken willingly, while being completely conscious. It was not a joke, and breaking it had severe repercussions. One must never break an oath or never take one if they felt like they would break it. This was the law of the warrior class. Julien shook his head. "It is honor worthy to punish someone who had broken an oath, but not that man. It is my personal opinion, but things shouldn¡¯t be as rigid. His subjects did him wrong, his officials did him wrong. It wasn¡¯t wrong of him to retaliate." "What about the innocent ones that died due to the king?" The angel asked back. Julien shrugged. "What were those innocent ones doing when others were slandering the king¡¯s family? Not a single person stood up to defend the king¡¯s honor, despite him having protected them multiple times." The angel was silent. He gazed up at the skies and sighed visibly. His long hair still covered his face and he continued, "I thought similarly and did not punish the king. He was my cherished believer, and I do not regret making that decision. However¡­" The angel lifted its broken wing. "I fell from grace for not being true to my path. Honor and Glory¡­ I strayed far from it. I wavered when I should¡¯ve stayed firm. Had I punished the king, I would have remained true to my purpose, ascended even further as a god¡­ but I refused. I turned away from what was expected of me¡ªbecause I despised it." "Now look¡­ look where am I now¡­" Julien stayed silent as the angel reminisced in its past. He could figure out a few important things from it, but kept it to himself for now. As moments passed, Julien said, "You honored your cherished believer by not honoring what should¡¯ve been right. You fell from grace because you wavered and thought you did the wrong thing. No, what you did was correct, but it was your self-doubt that made you fall." The angel¡¯s head tilted down. He turned to Julien and although his face wasn¡¯t visible, Julien could feel that he was staring fiercely at him. Julien did not falter. He continued, "Honor¡­ it is not as rigid as you make it out to be. At the highest level, a god¡¯s path should not be a prison¡ªit should allow them the freedom to think for themselves." His voice was steady as he spewed wisdom garnered from reading multiple novels and watching anime and movies in his past life. "A god should command their own path, not be shackled by it. If a path dictates every action, then it was never a path¡ªit was a chain. And a god bound in chains is no god at all." The angel god¡¯s body shook visibly. Cracks appeared in the skies and the world suffered through a major tremor. "I see¡­" the god¡¯s voice softly rang out in Julien¡¯s ears. "So that¡¯s how it was¡­ I see it now¡­" Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 109: Temple of Honor (4) Julien was powerless in the current situation. Up against gods, he could do nothing. However, his bad luck did not flare up this time. The angel god calmed down after a few seconds and turned to him. "What do you seek?" "What can you give?" His question did not make sense to Julien. What did he mean by what he seeked? Julien seeked a lot of things. Which one was this god interested in knowing? Or rather, could he fulfill any of them? For this reason, he bluntly questioned him back, making him turn silent. "¡­it seems there has been a misunderstanding here." The god said and stepped closer to Julien. A strong pressure made his knees bend. "I may be a fragment, but I am still the God of Honor and Glory." The pressure alone was enough to make Julien understand that he was under a true god¡¯s will. He could die if the god chose to kill him. "I understand." Julien spoke and tried to ease the tension. "But haven¡¯t you fallen from grace? Can you still fulfill requests of your devotees?" "Yes." The angel god replied. "I just can¡¯t go back to Eden as I am now a Fallen, and not an angel anymore." "Do your devotees know you fell from grace and can they still worship you?" Julien asked, curious. "They don¡¯t know whether I have fallen or not. And they can worship me as I¡¯m not dead." The fallen angel god replied. "Last question. Why are you split into fragments? Aren¡¯t you powerful?" The fragment of the God of Honor and Glory turned around. It stared at the skies and continued, "A fallen angel is coveted by many demons. The angel gods don¡¯t help a fallen, and the chances of getting corrupted or pulled to the absolute dark side is dangerously high. I did not fall this low. I may have fallen, but I wanted to keep my glory eternal. Thus¡­" The fallen angel turned itself into multiple fragments and disappeared. Almost all of its fragments were scattered in the Tower while a bit had gone outside it, into real worlds. These fragments had a will of their own, but if all were destroyed, the god would die completely. "If such is the case, doesn¡¯t it mean you are weak right now? Doesn¡¯t it mean that you won¡¯t be able to fulfill the request I make to you now?" Julien hit where it hurt. The god shook his head. "If it¡¯s something small, my fragment has enough power to fulfill it. However, if it¡¯s something unthinkable, I would need to assimilate all fragments so I can revive and complete the task." "I see." Julien got the gist of it. "Then, can you give me a way to balance the power of a demon god? There¡¯s a resurrection spell obtained from a demon god and¡­" Julien explained the matter of him going berserk after resurrection. He needed a cure for that immediately. The fragment thought about it and said, "The demon god you must be referring to must be the God of Eternal Slaughter. He¡¯s one of those rare evil gods that possesses these capabilities. To have power balancing that¡­" The short answer to Julien¡¯s request was a no. The fragment could not grant him that. "Why did you set up this trial?" Julien wondered and asked. Since he couldn¡¯t get what he wanted, he may as well get the answers. "To pass my legacy to the honored one." The fragment replied without hesitation. "Then, pass that to me." Julien said it right away, trying to test the waters. The fragment went silent. It turned around and said, "If you inherit my legacy, you will be forced to walk on the same path as I did. It will be restrictive in future and you may meet a similar end as me. The legacy I¡¯ve created now is incomplete." When this god fell from grace, he felt done with his path and created a legacy for the future generation. They could take up on it and become the next God of Honor and Glory, but they would have to be very strict about it or suffer a similar fate like this angel. Julien understood that. He was anyway not planning to be this god¡¯s inheritor. "Okay. Then I¡¯ll stick to getting the effect that¡¯ll negate the slaughter god¡¯s powers." "For that¡­" "Yes, I know. I¡¯ll try and assimilate all your fragments so you can give me that blessing." Julien interrupted and said. "¡­" The angel god was silent. The silence was too loud for Julien. He couldn¡¯t ignore it and asked, "What is it? Do you dislike my offer?" "No. It¡¯s just that¡­" The angel god sighed visibly and looked at the skies. "¡­I have been granting blessings to mortals all my life. I never needed anything in return or expected anyone¡¯s help. This trial as well¡­ it was meant to reward the one worthy. However¡­" The angel god was being helped by Julien, a mortal. He had never been on such a receiving end. Add to that, this trial was meant to give something, not to have him find answers to the questions he never asked and have a second chance at life. Julien sighed when he heard that. Such an important trial, such a mighty being¡­ but it was a pity that he gained nothing from this. At least, as of this moment. In the future he might gain something, but as of now, he gained nothing except for more responsibilities. His bad luck did not get him killed this time. It simply robbed him off a great opportunity and opened the doors for future trouble. Gathering the fragments of such a mighty god was not going to be easy. And this guy had himself stated that all of his fragments weren¡¯t in the Tower, which increased the difficulty further. The angel god and Julien contemplated their decisions for a while. "¡­so¡­ what have you thought?" Julien asked. The fallen angel shook his head. "Nothing. I¡¯ll let you make the decision as it is one that will affect your future." Julien nodded. "Then come with me. I¡¯ll gather your fragments. Once you¡¯re fully revived, you can grant my wish." "It would be shameful of me to only grant a small wish such as this." The angel said. "It¡¯s alright. We¡¯ll see what you can do once you¡¯re fully resurrected." Julien said and dropped the conversation. The fallen angel took a deep breath as he felt melancholic. Years of dormancy would finally break. He would be back in the Tower and be able to break to the final rank! He was really excited, and anticipated his return. It was just that¡­ he hoped that Julien wouldn¡¯t land himself in any trouble for associating himself with him. Eventually, the fallen angel god decided to go with Julien. His fragment turned into a pitch black feather earring. Julien wore it on his left ear. This feather wasn¡¯t the angel god. It wasn¡¯t alive, so Julien wouldn¡¯t need to worry about his privacy. The real entity was dormant and had to be resurrected. This feather would pull him towards other fragments, and as Julien would accumulate more of them, the pull towards the remaining fragments would only get stronger. The situation would snowball, and the god would finally be revived. Julien had no hopes. He simply was doing his best and going with the flow. The less expectations one has, the happier they would be. Julien just wanted to be happy. When the angel god was gone, Julien was pulled out of the puddle dimension. In the real world, he saw Jackie and Amelia standing in front of a broken statue, gazing at it with visible confusion. "What¡¯s happening¡­" Julien was even more confused. "Master!?!" The two gasped in shock when they saw him. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Master!" Amelia cried out and ran towards him, feeling his aura. She checked Julien to see if he was hurt anywhere, then hugged him and asked, "Where did you go? I was so worried¡­" Julien rubbed her back and said, "It was sudden, I couldn¡¯t help it. I¡¯m sorry¡­" Julien explained the things that had transpired to Amelia and Jackie. When they understood the matter, they were quite shocked. "So that¡¯s why the statue stopped moving!" Jackie exclaimed. "What statue?" Julien asked. "There¡­ that statue¡­" Jackie pointed at the broken structure in the middle of the hall. "Huh? That one¡­ isn¡¯t that the angel god¡¯s statue?" Julien remembered it. "How was it moving?" Jackie explained what had happened a while ago, and this surprised Julien further. "But that shouldn¡¯t be possible. The real god was with me. The statue shouldn¡¯t be moving¡­" Did this god leave a will or something in this statue? How was it moving? Now this was something worth looking into. Perhaps, there were treasures and this trial wasn¡¯t as useless as he thought it to be? "Jackie, search that statue. Maybe we¡¯ll find something useful in it." "Yes, Master." Jackie nodded and went to work. Julien crossed his fingers and checked into the pile of broken stone for something useful, hoping his bad luck did not flare up at this moment and let him have nothing. Chapter 110: Tower Tries To Balance There was nothing in the pile of rocks. Amelia and Jackie¡¯s hard work was for nought and they left the area empty handed. While on the way back, Julien said in his mind, ¡¯El, are you there?¡¯ -¡­ There was no response. ¡¯Daddy?¡¯ -¡­my child. You called? ¡¯When are you going to stop with this? It¡¯s not funny.¡¯ -stop with what? ¡¯Forget it.¡¯ ¡¯Anyway, do you know what happened in that ancient temple?¡¯ -I was busy at a brothel. Wasn¡¯t watching. What happened? ¡¯¡­¡¯ ¡¯¡­what in the world were you doing at a brothel!?¡¯ -Tch. Children shouldn¡¯t poke their noses into adults¡¯ businesses. ¡¯No, seriously, what were you doing there? Aren¡¯t brothels meant for men only?¡¯ -I mean¡­ brothels having women only doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re exclusively for men. Women can visit for some fun too, you know? Julien didn¡¯t know why, but he could feel as if El was winking at him while saying that. ¡¯So¡­ you went there to have some fun?¡¯ -Bah¡­ are ye stupid, bbgurl? Daddy would never cheat on you. No need to be so insecure. ¡¯¡­¡¯ Julien felt his head hurt from where the conversation was going and stayed silent. ¡¯What you do is none of my business. I was just surprised. Slightly.¡¯ -Well, it is your business to know where your parent is. Julien wasn¡¯t going to argue about it. This was a usual thing by now, so he had given up and embraced the weird relationship he had with El. ¡¯Alright. Alright. Now can we get to the main topic? As I was saying, me and my companions did not get anything. Instead, I have another responsibility on me¡­¡¯ Julien narrated the whole incident. When he was done, El responded. -The God of Honor and Glory? That angel with weird bangs? He fell from grace and split himself into fragments? Wow¡­ so much happened and I wasn¡¯t even aware¡­ ¡¯I mean, there¡¯s so many gods out there. You surely can¡¯t keep track of them all, can you?¡¯ -Tru. There¡¯s too many gods and I only check up on a few that interest me.¡¯ ¡¯Yeah. Anyway, so what now?¡¯ -Nothing? Just do your best to gather all the fragments. That angel may have fallen, but he is still a mighty god. He can grant any of your wishes if you successfully revive him. -Though¡­ gathering all the fragments is the difficult part. Given how your luck is¡­ it wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if you died a couple of more times. ¡¯That¡¯s what I¡¯m worried about too.¡¯ -Sadly, there¡¯s nothing you or me can do. Just focus on doing your best to not die. ¡¯Sigh¡­ I have to focus so much on survival that I cannot do anything else. You know, Jackie and Amelia both are Rank 2 while I¡¯m still a puny Rank 1.¡¯ -So? -How does that matter? -Yours and their circumstances are different. They do not have a godly curse attached to them. You do. But despite that, you are doing far better than most. -Just look at the new card you obtained. Only a couple of people are in possession of forbidden cards below Floor 100. Even after ascending through Floor 100, it is not guaranteed whether they can find a card as rare as that. -You should be happy that your luck lands you into such risks. -The Tower sort of works in a balancing principle. If it puts you in great risk, it¡¯ll also ensure to reward you appropriately. ¡¯If what you say is true, then wouldn¡¯t the guy possessing the absolute good luck card not get anything since he never lands into any trouble?¡¯ -No, and yes. -It¡¯s not true that he doesn¡¯t land himself in trouble. He does. It¡¯s just that those troublesome situations are taken care of easily and he naturally gets the rewards. -Though again, the Tower tries to balance things out. -Everything he has gained so far works in making him the strongest Rank 1. He hasn¡¯t ascended to Rank 2. -When he ascends, he¡¯ll become the strongest Rank 2 pretty soon. -His luck gives him what he wants. Anything he wishes for, he gets it almost instantly. -Thankfully, his intelligence is that of a child¡¯s and he isn¡¯t too ambitious. If he was, he would become the strongest in no time. ¡¯So you¡¯re saying¡­ the only reason that guy isn¡¯t powerful yet is not due to the card, but his own self?¡¯ -Correct. He doesn¡¯t wish to be the strongest, at least so far. His wishes are to have the best sword of the floor he is in or the best food or to find the love of his life. -And as his good luck is immense, he never has harm come his way. He¡¯s protected by all adversaries and never gets into any predicament or even a minute dispute. This makes him lazier and further decreases his ambitions. -You, my baby boy, you are working hard to lift off this curse. You have absolutely everything to lose if you do not hurry. Your loved ones will get affected by your curse if you aren¡¯t careful and hurry, but that boy¡­ he will never have anyone cause troubles to his loved ones. -Since his birth, he has not seen a single day with trouble or tension. -His values and goals in life are much different than yours, so you can rest assured. He isn¡¯t doing better than you as of now. ¡¯Wow¡­ that¡­ that just makes me question¡­ will his good luck not see that he is becoming less ambitious and more of a lazy bum? Will it not make him work to be stronger and better?¡¯ -It won¡¯t. Fortune is not sentient to do something like that. -Luck has a complex relationship with fate and works hand in hand to weave your future. Since you have immense bad luck, you are fated to suffer the worst possible things. -The worst possible thing to you personally is death. So your luck and fate works in a way that you constantly get into situations where you could die. -That boy on the other hand has the best possible outcome. Anything he wishes for will have a good outcome. The only saving grace here is that there¡¯s no fixed situation for him like you. -That boy is not fated to be the chosen one to conquer the Tower. He¡¯s not fated to be the strongest either. -He can achieve those if he wished, but as I told you, he has no such ambitions, and fate wouldn¡¯t force him either since his luck sides with him and not with fate. -This topic is too complicated and will go over your head if we keep discussing. It¡¯s better if you focus on other things at hand. ¡¯¡­yeah, let¡¯s not discuss it. But before you go, I have one final question.¡¯ -Yes? ¡¯That boy with good luck card¡­ what if he wishes to destroy this Tower and world? Will it end up happening since has all the good luck with him?¡¯ -Yes. It could happen. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¯Really? The Tower cannot protect itself from its creation?¡¯ -It cannot protect itself from the laws it has created, but it surely can find loopholes and work in ways in which everything turns out in its favor. ¡¯I don¡¯t get it. Wouldn¡¯t it be paradoxical? The good luck boy wishes for the Tower¡¯s destruction and his good luck should help him do that. But if the Tower stays standing, wouldn¡¯t it mean his card failed to fulfil his wish? How is that good luck?¡¯ -Think of it this way. The boy wishes to see the most powerful ghost in existence. But if he does that, he will get killed by the ghost. -The card cannot make the ghost not kill him. That would be illogical and wrong. -What the card will do then is make him see the ghost through some other means. Maybe by photos or maybe through some ritual where the power doesn¡¯t seep out and attack him. Julien felt this made some sense. ¡¯Alright, I get some of it. For today, this should be enough. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to digest more information.¡¯ -Yes. It¡¯s better if we don¡¯t talk any more on this topic. ¡¯Can you tell me about this feather attached to my ear instead? This is the fragment of the fallen god. What do I do with it?¡¯ El had a look at it and said, ¡¯This feather will give you passive buffs. When you go inside the Tower, the system will notify you about it.¡¯ ¡¯I see. I just hope that it doesn¡¯t turn out anything useless.¡¯ -There¡¯s a high chance that it can. Be prepared. ¡¯Yeah don¡¯t worry. My expectations are low.¡¯ -Alright. Good talk. Daddy had to leave now. ¡¯See you.¡¯ -Love you too, bbgurl! ¡¯Yes, yes, love you. See you later.¡¯ With that, El left and their long conversation came to an end. Julien was pretending to sleep in the carriage and talking to her in his mind. His companions did not bother him and rested as well. When Julien reached the Lichtenstein Castle, he had food and immediately set off for the Tower. No one was in the castle anyway, not even his mother. She had left him a message stating she would meet him on Floor 25 when he enters the Tower. She also wished him good luck in climbing the rest of the Floors and stated that she was waiting for him on Floor 37. With all things said and done, there was no more reason to be in this world and Julien set off for the Tower. His next destination being Floor 25¡¯s safe zone. Chapter 111: Changes to the Channel [You are now live at Channel FI #29-771.] [Viewers: 1787] [You are now live at Channel JL #29-157.] [Viewers: 0] [Viewers: 1] [Viewers: 2] [Viewers: 5] [The constellation ¡¯Demonic Inquisitor¡¯ is looking down at their incarnation with blazing eyes.] [The constellation ¡¯Light of Primordial One¡¯ has their ears standing tall as they look down at their incarnation. Their tail is still.] [The constellation ¡¯Eternal Flame of the Sky¡¯ is not letting the sun set in Shinto.] [The constellation ¡¯Rebel Sage of Heaven¡¯ is sitting still and staring at the livestream with hollow eyes.] [The constellation ¡¯Sovereign of Shadows¡¯ takes a deep breath.] [Sudden storms make an appearance in the Underworld.] [Many souls have escaped the Underworld.] [The Underworld suffers through a minor chaos.] The constellations were enraged. Julien, Jackie, and Amelia couldn¡¯t tell why. They had only just arrived on Floor 25 and got bombarded with a series of messages. "Eh? Lord, are you angry?" Jackie asked, staring at the system screen. [The constellation ¡¯Light of Primordial One¡¯ turns around and refuses to look at their incarnation.] "Oh no¡­ lord, why are you so angry? What did I do!?" Jackie panicked and asked. [The constellation ¡¯Light of Primordial One¡¯ is silent.] "M¡¯lady, have I done something to upset you?" Amelia clasped her hands and asked. She couldn¡¯t see her own system screen, but could hear the messages. [The constellation ¡¯Demonic Inquisitor¡¯ continues to stare at their incarnation.] "Constellations, is something wrong? Have we done something to anger you?" Julien asked. The constellations did not answer, but El came in a clutch to explain the situation. -Relax. They¡¯re infuriated due to a small mishap from my side. ¡¯Your side? What did you do?¡¯ -Ah well, I simply disconnected you three from the livestreams to give you some privacy. ¡¯What!?!¡¯ -Yes. From Floor 10 onwards, the constellations could not see you in both channels. ¡¯¡­isn¡¯t this bad?¡¯ -Oh, it¡¯s very bad. You¡¯re practically doomed. ¡¯What now then? How do I appease them?¡¯ -Nothing. Just wait a bit. I¡¯ll have it handled. El¡¯s voice disappeared. Soon, everyone heard a notification. [The Novice Valkyrie Falin makes an appearance.] [The Novice Valkyrie Falin is repeatedly bowing and apologizing.] [The Novice Valkyrie Falin states that there was an error with the streaming of channels Fl #29-771 and JL #29-157.] [The Novice Valkyrie sends an official statement to the constellations.] [The constellations are reading the statement.] [The constellation ¡¯Light of Primordial One¡¯ turns around and gazes at their incarnation. Their tail is swaying slightly.] [The constellation ¡¯Eternal Flame of the Sky¡¯ has let the sun set in Shinto.] [The constellation ¡¯Demonic Inquisitor¡¯ is looking at their incarnation with calm eyes.] [The constellation ¡¯Rebel Sage of Heaven¡¯ pokes his nose.] [The constellation ¡¯Sovereign of Shadows¡¯ sits back and swirls their wine.] [Storms have disappeared from Underworld.] [The escaped souls have been recaptured.] [The Underworld is free from the sudden chaos.] ¡¯El sure is fast.¡¯ She had resolved the issue immediately and the constellations don¡¯t seem angry anymore. "M¡¯lady, have you been well?" Amelia asked her constellation Uriel once she calmed down. "Lord, I humbly apologize if I caused you any trouble." Jackie stated. [The constellation ¡¯Demonic Inquisitor¡¯ wraps themselves in a blanket and nods while holding a cup of warm tea.] [The constellation ¡¯Light of Primordial One¡¯ turns around to look at the livestream with droopy ears and swaying tail.] Amelia and Jackie were relieved to find their constellations were not angry anymore. Julien was glad to see that the rest of the constellations weren¡¯t angry either. Julien¡¯s relief was short-lived as a system message soon popped up. [Do you wish to display your highlights from Floor 10 to 25? (Y/N)] ¡¯Eh? Highlights from these floors?¡¯ There were too many things that couldn¡¯t be shown. ¡¯Give me a preview of the highlights.¡¯ Julien thought to himself. Julien correlated this world¡¯s livestream with his past world¡¯s. If they had highlights, then it would mean they had previews too. Julien didn¡¯t want to show everything to his godly audience. [Showing preview¡­] The system did have this feature. It showed the preview and when Julien thought about removing something from it, that clip would be gone entirely. ¡¯Can I also hide my channel or restrict access to certain individuals only?¡¯ [It is possible.] The system wasn¡¯t sentient, it just answered what was asked like artificial intelligence from Julien¡¯s past life. ¡¯Good. Hide the channel JL #29-157 from male constellations. Make it private and only allow access to female constellations.¡¯ -What are you doing? Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Whatever Julien had suddenly thought of and was doing surprised El. It was to the point that she appeared in his thoughts even without him calling. ¡¯Nothing much. I am removing the male constellations from my channel so I can focus on the women.¡¯ -And why is that? ¡¯Because I tread the Lust Path? Wouldn¡¯t it be better for me to have multiple women watching my daily life in the Tower?¡¯ -I mean¡­ El couldn¡¯t refute this. It would indeed be better if only women watched his stream. They would get a sense of exclusivity and may drop lots of expensive gifts or sponsorships. ¡¯See¡­ I have realized it. I need to do things related to my Lust Path or I¡¯ll never rank up. The men are of no help in this whereas the women¡­ let¡¯s just say that they would indeed be of great help.¡¯ -You¡¯ll end up making an enemy out of the male constellations if you do this. El warned. ¡¯Yes. That¡¯s why, I am keeping the ladies on channel JL #29-157 whereas the men would be together with the ladies on channel FL #29-771. They won¡¯t feel anything off unless the ladies divulge the secrets themselves.¡¯ -Your channel isn¡¯t a secret to anyone, though. Everybody who was watching the uproar you caused after your awakening knows that you have a channel to yourself. ¡¯I am aware. That¡¯s why, I¡¯ll be manipulating the gods so that things go in my favor.¡¯ -Whatever you¡¯re saying is no easy task. You better give up before some god descends and whoops your ass. ¡¯That won¡¯t happen. Anyway, why don¡¯t you relax and just watch? I am sure I can pull this off and not get in trouble.¡¯ -Well, what can I say? Good luck, I guess. If Rebel Sage of Heaven finds out you¡¯re lying about your channel, you¡¯ll definitely be punished. ¡¯It¡¯s alright too. I am prepared for the consequences.¡¯ -Seriously¡­ how did you end up being so confident so suddenly? Does it have to do with getting laid or something? ¡¯I was always defensive. Now I am starting to initiate offense, so it might sound out of character.¡¯ ¡¯Though, nothing to worry about. The men won¡¯t find anything problematic unless one observes very very carefully.¡¯ -Well, if you know what you¡¯re doing¡­ then good luck I guess? ¡¯Thank you. Before you go, can you help me set up this structure?¡¯ Julien felt no shame in asking El for help. In her busy schedule, she made time and got everything set up for Julien. His channel JL #29-157 was only meant for ladies. They couldn¡¯t watch it without an initial membership price. For now, the membership was free as the channel was still in its early stages and needed viewers. Men wouldn¡¯t be able to join as the program would automatically remove them. Except Rebel Sage of Heaven, everyone was there. ¡¯Hm? Everyone? Even Jackie¡¯s constellation?¡¯ Julien thought to himself. ¡¯Isn¡¯t that a male?¡¯ -No. The constellation isn¡¯t the male. El¡¯s voice confirmed the fact. ¡¯Strange. I really thought that the constellation was male.¡¯ Goals don¡¯t always align with views, so maybe it was related to that, thought Julien. ¡¯In any case, to the new audience, I¡¯ll be streaming the carefully crafted highlights!¡¯ With that, Julien focused on showcasing his highlights. In the channel FL #29-771, he played a more refined version without the details of him being together with Amelia. In the channel JL #29-157 which was only meant for ladies, the details related to resurrection were removed. Except that, they could see the deed he and Amelia had done, and also the scene of him running to fetch birth control. When the highlights were over, Julien was instantly bombarded with messages! [The constellation ¡¯Demonic Inquisitor¡¯ is staring at you while holding a blazing sword.] [The constellation ¡¯Light of Primordial One¡¯ is peeking at the screen through their fingers.] [The constellation ¡¯Sovereign of Shadows¡¯ is consoling the constellation ¡¯Demonic Inquisitor¡¯.] [The constellation ¡¯Eternal Flame of the Sky¡¯ place themselves between the incarnations and the constellation ¡¯Demonic Inquisitor¡¯.] Julien was baffled by the response. What was happening? He couldn¡¯t tell! "M¡¯lady, please calm down. It was all¡­ it was all done with my consent. I wished for it to happen¡­" Amelia¡¯s soft voice rang in Julien¡¯s ears from the side. The constellations turned their focus to Amelia. [The constellation ¡¯Demonic Inquisitor¡¯ is staring at their incarnation with their lips curved down. They have let their sword go.] Amelia bowed slightly. "M¡¯lady, please forgive me for not letting you know sooner. It was the heat of the moment back then and also¡­" Chapter 112: Falin Calls Being Amelia¡¯s constellation and also a holy angel, Uriel could naturally sense Amelia losing her purity. Though she was somewhat angry, she did not hold it against her cute incarnation. It was natural for a lady to indulge in these things, and Amelia wasn¡¯t a nun anymore who needed to follow strict discipline. Uriel did not ask for further details as she already had an idea about the person with whom her incarnation had done the deed. [The constellation ¡¯Demonic Inquisitor¡¯ is squinting at you.] Julien got a notification. He merely looked up at the sky and waved his hand, greeting this holy constellation. On Jackie¡¯s side, her constellation was relatively more relaxed and easy going. They accepted her apology and sponsored some coins, expressing their happiness to have her back in the Tower. After some talking, Julien let the constellations watch the highlights. To create suspense, the scenes were cut at important places. The time when Julien got attacked by the wasps and killed, it was shown, but how he got revived wasn¡¯t. [Many constellations express their dissatisfaction.] [100 coins have been sponsored.] This was their reaction. ¡¯I don¡¯t know whether edging the constellations like this is a good or a bad idea. But at least I am getting money¡­] The coins were an important resource in the Tower and not easily obtainable. A common Player usually did not earn even ten coins a day as there wasn¡¯t a lot going on in their lives that entertained the constellations. The Players on the highest floors were different. As they were involved in life threatening situations, they provided quite some entertainment and could gain even a thousand coins a day. ¡¯Thankfully I don¡¯t need to worry about money.¡¯ Having a channel was a big accomplishment. Money poured in with increased viewership as the constellations weren¡¯t stingy with gifting and sponsoring. He had turned his channel exclusively for hungry ladies, and was going to show them things they never would¡¯ve been able to see through the Valkyrie channels. Before going into that, Julien got an important system message. [The Novice Valkyrie Falin wants to connect with you.] [The Novice Valkyrie Falin wants to connect with you.] The Valkyrie responsible for streaming his world¡¯s people wanted to connect with him and he couldn¡¯t tell why. Though, Valkyries had a reputation of being neutral and harmless. This did not mean they weren¡¯t annoying. Their innate ability to livestream and chase profits made them take a lot of drastic steps which wasn¡¯t liked by many. ¡¯Talking to her shouldn¡¯t be a problem since she won¡¯t harm me. Let¡¯s hear her out.¡¯ Julien accepted the call. [Good day, Mr. Julien Von Lichtenstein. I am Falin, the Novice Valkyrie of this world¡¯s Tower.] Falin¡¯s voice was soft and soothing to hear. It was relaxed and did not seem fit for a live streamer. [Good day, Ms. Falin. How may I help you?] The two were talking telepathically through the system. In reality, Julien was sitting in a room within the Crimson Night Guild on Floor 25 and sipping tea. [Mr. Julien, I have called you in regards to briefing you on a few things. You are not a Valkyrie so you may not be aware of a lot of unsaid rules of live streaming. Let me help you with that¡­] Falin called to educate Julien. These were orders from the higher ups and she wasn¡¯t doing it out of her own discretion. The first thing she taught was to never close the live stream when in the Tower as it may annoy the constellations and viewership would drop significantly. Second, she stated that word of mouth was a big thing. If the channel had a lot of big constellations, smaller ones would quickly flock to it and increase viewership. The goal of a streamer should thus be to attract the bigger constellations. Next, commentary wasn¡¯t necessary. The constellations preferred raw and authentic streams of the Players. Many things were taught to Julien in the span of ten minutes and he couldn¡¯t tell whether he would retain all this information or not. Falin did her best to teach him the basic concepts, and when she was done, she bid him farewell and disconnected. Falin¡¯s purpose was truly to educate him. She did not talk more, she did not talk less, and was straight to the point. After learning those things, Julien had a better idea on what he should be doing to increase viewership. Keeping the constellations on edge wasn¡¯t a good idea, but this was just the start so having a few things as mysteries wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone. With all things said and done, Julien fine tuned his channel to have the viewers he wanted and sent them all a notification to join. He did not know who would get the notification. He just placed his requirements and the system would do everything on its own. ¡­.. In a sprawling celestial garden, an angelic being sat by a pond, gazing at its still reflection. She had lush green eyes and blonde hair like the rays of the morning sun. In the pond, she could see three figures. One of them was a lady wearing a blindfold, the other was a butler with brownish-orange hair, and the last was a youth with raven hair, sipping tea. At this moment, she saw a line of words appear on the pond. [You have been invited to be the exclusive member of the channel JL #29-157. (Accept/Reject)] Stay connected with FreeNovelFire The statement surprised her and she kept staring at it. ¡­.. In a dimly lit throne room adorned with gothic tones, a majestic being stood by a colorful glass window, staring at the blood red moon outside. Her face was shrouded in darkness and one couldn¡¯t make out her features. At this moment, she saw a line of words appear in front of her eyes. [You have been invited to be the exclusive member of the channel JL #29-157. (Accept/Reject)] ¡¯Hm?¡¯ The being wondered what this meant. ¡­.. Under the starry sky, on an endless expanse of crystal clear ice, a being with red fox ears and tail sat cross-legged. The being wore plain white daoist robes, and had long red hair covering their back. As they gazed at the mirror-like ice in front, a line of words appeared on it. [You have been invited to be the exclusive member of the channel JL #29-157. (Accept/Reject)] This confused the entity as they tilted their head and continued to stare at it, wondering what their response should be to it. ¡­.. On a hot sunny day, within a traditional shrine sat a maiden in white-red robes. Her silver hair was gracefully draped over her shoulders and her calm crimson eyes were focused on a bowl of still water in front of her. A few moments passed and the maiden had her brows raised in surprise as she saw a line of words appear on the water in front. They were: [You have been invited to be the exclusive member of the channel JL #29-157. (Accept/Reject)] ¡¯This is¡­?¡¯ ¡­.. Somewhere on a random floor of the Tower, a raven-haired lady dressed in a casual adventurer¡¯s robe made her way towards a tavern. Once she reached, she ordered herself a mug of cheapest ale and a bottle of the most expensive wine, confusing the servers. When she was about to taste the two together to feel the contrast, she saw something that was only visible to her on the wine¡¯s glass bottle. She also saw the same thing on her cheap ale¡¯s surface, feeling further amused. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡¯So he has officially started his new channel. That¡¯s nice. I guess I should help him out a little¡­¡¯ When this lady thought of this, a change occurred everywhere the message had reached. The ladies had a new line of words form below the old message. This was actually more of a timer and less of a message. The timer was of five minutes and the countdown to reset made them feel as if they would miss out on something major if they did not join the channel. Nobody knew what they would be missing out on, but the feeling of missing out was strong and they felt as if they would incur a major loss if they did not accept the request. They were all constellations and their gut feeling was usually correct. The timer was of five minutes. El, seated in a tavern, took a sip of her cheap ale and continued to watch with a smile on her face. ¡­.. [The constellation ¡¯Demonic Inquisitor has joined the channel JL #29-157.] [The constellation ¡¯Sovereign of Shadows¡¯ has joined the channel JL #29-157.] The two lines made Julien almost pass out. Who would¡¯ve thought that the big constellations would actually end up joining! The notifications did not stop here. [The constellation ¡¯Eternal Flame of the Sky¡¯ has joined the channel JL #29-157.] [The constellation ¡¯Light of Primordial One¡¯ has joined the channel JL #29-157.] ¡¯Eh? This constellation too? Isn¡¯t this constellation a male?¡¯ Chapter 113: Floor 26 Wasn¡¯t the constellation ¡¯Light of Primordial One¡¯ a guy? What was he doing in a female only channel? Julien had trouble understanding this. Though, since he had joined anyway, kicking him out wouldn¡¯t be nice as he was a literal god who shouldn¡¯t be offended. Julien let the constellation be and went through the list again. For now, there was just Uriel, Amaterasu, and Sovereign of Shadows in the channel. Julien had a faint idea about the Sovereign of Shadows being a lady, but wasn¡¯t really sure until now. This person ruled the Underworld and was a mighty figure that could shake the heavens with a single breath. They were all naturally very influential, so the first phase of Julien¡¯s plans were a success. ¡¯Now the second phase would depend on my adventures.¡¯ With such a thought in mind, Julien focused on climbing the Tower again. He had spent a lot of time dilly-dallying. Julien met with the Vice Guildmaster of the Crimson Night Guild before departing. Celeste usually stayed on Floor 25, managing the affairs of the guild. She would go to Floor 37 periodically when quests arose or Leona called. Right now, Julien wanted to inquire about his elder sister. Celeste stated that Leona was on Floor 37, trying her best to clear the scenario present. She also gave information on Katherine and his mother. All of them were on Floor 37 doing quests. Julien then got vital information of the remaining floors. Floor 26 to 30 was similar to the previous ones, but starting from 31 onwards, things changed quite a bit. The NPCs were close to being real people, the side quests would have a meaningful impact on future Tower climbing and the monsters hunted would drop better loot and XP. There was a lot one could do from Floor 26 onwards, and it was recommended to be at least Level 50+ before reaching Floor 37. There was a lot of grinding Julien and his party had to do. After getting more important information, Julien and his party parted ways with Celeste and left for Floor 26. ¡­.. Experience exclusive tales on FreeNovelFire Floor 26. Pungent smell of rotting flesh and blood filled the air. The floor hid beneath a layer of corpses. The Stairway of Ascendence brought Julien and his party to the middle of a horror setting. It was a medieval castle half in ruins with multiple vine covered stone passages. Amelia¡¯s stomach turned upside down as she clutched it and puked. Jackie was used to the stench of blood, but this was beyond her capacity too, making her join Amelia in the puking. Julien on the other hand had already fainted from the grotesque sight. The mangled mash of flesh had human corpses within it too, scaring the living daylights out of all. [The constellation ¡¯Demonic Inquisitor¡¯ clutch their blazing sword and prepare for divine intervention.] [The constellation ¡¯Sovereign of Shadows¡¯ spit wine in disgust.] [The constellation ¡¯Light of Primordial One¡¯ has disconnected.] [The constellation ¡¯Eternal Flame of the Sky¡¯ puts a request to the administrators for placing one of their suns on Floor 26.] [The administrators have rejected the request of the constellation ¡¯Eternal Flame of the Sky¡¯.] [The administrators have sent a notice to the constellation ¡¯Light of Primordial One¡¯ stating they need to be connected to the live stream if their incarnation is in the Tower.] [The constellation ¡¯Light of Primordial One¡¯ has reconnected.] [The constellation ¡¯Light of Primordial One¡¯ makes a petition to cleanse lower floors from unnecessary gore.] [The constellation ¡¯Demonic Inquisitor¡¯ signs the petition.] [The constellation ¡¯Eternal Flame of the Sky¡¯ signs the petition.] [The constellation ¡¯Sovereign of Shadows¡¯ signs the petition.] [The administrators are considering the petition.] A lot of things happened on the backend when Julien was unconscious. Amelia and Jackie stopped puking after a while, and rushed to help their unconscious Master. The smell of corpses wasn¡¯t the least bit pleasant, but Amelia somehow held her disgust and focused on healing her Master. Such a horrifying sight was beyond Julien¡¯s comprehension. Even when Jackie had killed literal people in the trial, it wasn¡¯t as grotesque as this! Julien woke up after being healed, and began puking when the pungent smell overwhelmed all his senses. No matter how many adventures he went through, at the end of the day, Julien was still fairly new to his current life and world. ¡¯This is so disgusting! Where the fuck did I enter!?¡¯ Julien thought as he continued to empty his stomach¡¯s content. Amelia rubbed his back and applied healing spells, trying to numb his senses. It took a while, but Julien somehow managed to steel himself and stand tall. The scene hadn¡¯t changed. The floor was still covered in corpses while the stone walls were painted in dried blood. "This is Floor 26?" Julien asked. "Seems like it, Master." Jackie answered as her nose twitched. "Celeste did say there would be major changes, but this is¡­" Julien exhaled sharply. This was a bit too much. "Even the gods are surprised by it¡­" Amelia added to the conversation. Julien heard her and saw the many system notifications. The gods indeed seemed surprised. Such reactions of theirs made Julien wonder, ¡¯Do they not know what the floors consist of? Is that really possible?¡¯ Julien¡¯s curiosity was short-lived as he soon felt a tremor in the area. "Oh no¡­ the monsters might be coming¡­" Jackie stated and warned. Celeste had said that Floor 26¡¯s spawn area was in the middle of monster territories. If they felt tremors, then it meant the monsters were walking and could appear before them anytime. As long as they ran in the opposite direction of the tremors. They would be fine. Julien and his party did just that. They ran opposite to the tremors and found themselves moving towards an empty passage. The passage had no blood stains or marks, but it gave off a really eerie feeling. Julien took out his sword and asked while moving forward, "Amelia, can you feel the presence of ghosts?" This place was a proper haunted setting. Ghosts shouldn¡¯t be an uncommon sight in his opinion. "Yes, Master. I can feel and cleanse many sorts of negative things." Amelia responded. "Then, can you sense what lies ahead?" Amelia shook her head. "I cannot divine the unknown. I can only feel it if its near." Julien frowned as he heard that. If what lies ahead cannot be divined, then it would put them at a huge risk. "Master, let me stay ahead this time." Jackie could see her Master¡¯s troubled expression and offered. Julien was really not used to horror stuff. Even in his past life, he used to skip watching horror movies as they scared him. ¡¯Such small details of my past truly add up a lot here. I look like a complete wimp who cannot even stay conscious after watching some corpses¡­¡¯ Saying it was easy, experiencing the actual thing wasn¡¯t. To see so many corpses would make anyone sane person¡¯s mind short circuit and have them go unconscious. Amelia was a nun with a strong belief in god. She was used to tending to the sickly and dead, so the corpses did not make her go unconscious. Jackie on the other hand was a cold killer so it went without saying as to why her tolerance was so high. Julien on the other hand was an average person. ¡¯I represent the majority. If people from my past world ever fall into this situation, they may even die from shock.¡¯ Once again, Julien was reminded that reality was different from movies and novels. Actual dead bodies were scarier and would make anyone go unconscious if they saw them. "Let¡¯s hurry and find the stairs." Julien stated. Their current priority was to ascend to Floor 27 as Julien had no means available to deal with ghosts. Amelia was the only one who could do something, but it would put up a big toll on her body. Julien wanted to avoid putting such immense pressure on her. He asked Jackie to be on guard and ventured carefully into the haunted castle¡¯s depth. ¡­.. Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop. The sound of water droplets hitting the ground was loud. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was as if the water was hitting the ground right beside one¡¯s ears. "Stop." Amelia signalled Jackie and Julien. The two did as asked. Amelia pulled the two to the side of the wall and carefully chanted a spell. A golden veil enveloped their bodies and made them feel warm. "Be very quiet¡­" Amelia whispered. Julien and Jackie nodded. Soon, they saw something moving in the distance. The space in front was twisting and fluctuating naturally. Julien blinked involuntarily while staring at the fluctuations, and right then, saw a pale white monster¡¯s face with six eyes and no mouth or nose. It sent a chill down his spine and made him tremble. Amelia held his hand and gestured him to be calm. A wolf¡¯s shrill howl then resounded in the distance, further agitating Julien. ¡¯What the fuck is happening here¡­¡¯ Chapter 114: A Tempting Trade Ghostly figures made an appearance near the spawn area and made progress difficult. The first quest of Floor 26 was here as a few figures passed by Julien¡¯s party. + [Floor 26 Main Quest #1 ¡ª Far Away] Clear Condition: Lose tail of the ghostly figures by reaching the Holy Lands. Time Limit: 10 days. Reward: +10,000 XP, title buff, x1 random uncommon item chest. Failure: Corruption of body and soul by the ghostly figures. + The rewards were good but the chance of escaping seemed slim. Julien did not possess any holy skill to attack the ghostly figures or defend himself from them. Only Amelia had it, and she was doing her best to protect him and Jackie. The only way out of here was to strategize properly and utilize the limited resources they had. When Celeste said that the quest difficulty increased tremendously from Floor 26 onwards, she really meant it. One wrong step here would lead to a disastrous end for all of them. For now, Julien took deep breaths and calmed down. The six-eyed ghostly creature left and Julien and his team heaved a sigh of relief. "How many more times can you cast this cover, Amelia?" Julien asked. "Every three minutes." Amelia answered. She needed time to recover her essence before casting her card¡¯s skill again. Three minutes was roughly the time it would take. Julien took note of it and gazed at the stone passage. From how it was, he or his party could not beat the ghostly figures. The only way out was to escape as stealthily as possible. "Amelia, since you can feel if the figures are nearby, we¡¯ll be relying on you. Let us know if you feel any sort of disturbance." Julien said and began walking towards the stone passage. There was only one direction to move in, and logically thinking, danger shouldn¡¯t lurk as often. This was Floor 26, still one of the lower floors of the Tower. Even if Julien had immense bad luck, there were some mechanisms that won¡¯t change even with his arrival. Floor 26 should not have an impossible to clear task. The ghostly figures shouldn¡¯t stay in one place for long or frequently rotate. If they did that, no Player would be able to cross this passage and arrive at a newer spot. Thinking along these lines, Julien walked into the passage. As he had thought, there indeed weren¡¯t any ghostly figures for now. He reached a chamber where there were multiple doors leading to different places. The chamber was filled with useless items and empty chests. Players had cleared this area. There was nothing to look for. Julien picked a random door and continued to walk. His nose had gotten used to the stench of blood by now and he did not face difficulty walking over the squishy flesh and blood of the corpses. As they moved, Amelia suddenly felt a disturbance and said, "There¡¯s someone ahead." Julien and Jackie became wide alert. They were walking through a castle¡¯s hallway and took cover by walking into the random door beside them. The room they entered was empty. It had chests but yet again, they were emptied. Read exclusive adventures at NovelFire.C?m Seconds passed. "Really¡­ I don¡¯t think this is a good idea¡­" Human voices were heard. "Just, just trust me, okay? We¡¯ll be fine!" Julien, Jackie, and Amelia did not go out of the room despite hearing normal voices. What if this was a trap? One may never know! Julien turned to Amelia to ask whether she felt something off from the human interaction or not. She shook her head stating she couldn¡¯t tell. Julien continued to stay on guard and waited until the voices disappeared, then exited the room to check for ghostly figures. Once again, the hallway was empty. "Let¡¯s get going." The trio walked straight ahead for the coming ten minutes. They stopped when they saw words written on the wall with blood. "One minute. Life or death," Julien said out loud so Amelia could learn what was written. The three frowned. "It sounds ominous." Amelia said. "What could it mean?" Jackie asked. The three didn¡¯t need to guess for long as the sound of footsteps entered their ears. The sound was faint at first, but kept getting louder with each second, as if someone was running at full speed towards them. The three¡¯s heart thumped rapidly. With how quickly the footsteps were approaching, escape wasn¡¯t possible. Julien clutched his sword and braced for impact. Jackie held her daggers and stayed in front of Amelia to protect her. Amelia clapped her hands and was ready to cast holy skills. Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! From the darkness, a pale phantom-like figure emerged. It had six eyes, no mouth or nose. The ghostly creature¡¯s eyes were fixated on the three. Escape wasn¡¯t possible anymore. Julien stayed still while holding his sword. ¡¯Will this be my fourth death?¡¯ He had a thought. He had leveled up and gotten somewhat stronger, but he was just a tad bit better than average humans. He still possessed no martial arts or combat skills. He was an average guy with a sword, in possession of one strong Arcana Card. Neither Julien nor Jackie or Amelia moved. The creature was still, but its six eyes were wandering about and gazing at the three. Soon, it took a step forward. Julien¡¯s heart pounded wildly, his hands starting to tremble. The creature took another step. Julien felt chills run down his spine, but he stayed still and unmoving yet again. If the need came, he could swing his sword right at the creature¡¯s neck. He was in an attacking position. The creature soon closed the distance. Its face was just an inch away from Julien¡¯s, its eyes spinning and peering into his blue ones. Time ticked by. A minute passed. The creature vanished. "Haaah¡­" the trio let out an exhausted sigh and plopped to the ground. This was too taxing mentally and physically. Initially when he came across this ghostly figure, Julien didn¡¯t know what to do. But given how it did not attack them, he stood still and waited for it to make a move. When the creature continued to be passive, Julien guessed that staying still might be the way out. Twenty seconds into it, he comprehended the warning on the walls. He thought that the warning meant if he moved, he may die. And since the creature did not do anything, staying still for a minute might be the answer. If it wasn¡¯t, Julien was anyway ready to strike with his sword. He had his Arcana Card ready to cast, and although he wasn¡¯t sure whether it might work on ghosts or not, this was the only trump card he had. As more seconds passed, Julien felt more confident that staying still was the answer. This was the 26th floor of the Tower. Even if it possessed strong creatures, it shouldn¡¯t be unreasonably difficult to clear. Julien¡¯s guess was spot on, and the stronger creatures indeed did not get into conflict until and unless provoked. With the ghostly figure gone, Julien and his party resumed their escape. "Someone¡¯s ahead¡­" Amelia said, a few minutes into their walk. "A normal human¡­" "Should we avoid confrontation?" Jackie asked. So far they were doing good by avoiding the situations. Would waiting for the human to leave work for them again? "Let¡¯s wait a bit." Julien suggested. There was no harm in doing so, unless some ghostly figures came. "The person is coming closer¡­" Amelia said. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Get ready." Julien changed the plans. If confrontation was inevitable, then it was better they got ready. The hallway and passages were too narrow. Most of the time they had no place where one could take cover or hide. From the darkness ahead, a figure in elegant black robes emerged. He wore a mask covering half his face. His sharp black eyes gazed right at Julien, as if he was expecting to see him. As he came closer, Julien could see the emblem on his chest. It was a red shattered circle with nine gaps. "Mr. Julien Von Lichtenstein, it is a pleasure to meet on Floor 26¡¯s main scenario." The person said in a calm tone and bowed slightly. Julien knitted his brows. ¡¯He came here for me?¡¯ "You are?" Julien asked, weary. "I am but a passing merchant, here to offer you a trade." The man got to the point. "Don¡¯t you think this is the wrong time and place to make a trade?" Julien put his sword in front, hinting that the situation may escalate if the stranger did anything funny. "I¡¯m afraid it may be." The man did not deny. "But I am asked to make haste by my higher ups." "Higher ups?" Julien found it too suspicious and shook his head. "I¡¯m not interested in the trade, thank you." "There is no harm in listening." The man said calmly. "If you agree to merely listen, I would gladly escort your party to the holy lands at once. We can discuss once the quest is cleared and there is no lingering stress." "We¡¯re good." Julien replied. The man stared at Julien, his eyes calm despite being rejected twice. "Well, we mean no harm. Our constellations have taken a liking to your party member Jackie. We wish to recruit Jackie and teach her our finest martial arts. This isn¡¯t a permanent contract. Jackie can leave anytime he wishes in the ten year period he will be with us." The man stated. "We understand that Jackie¡¯s absence will hinder your party¡¯s growth. For that, we are happy to provide you a Rank 4 guardian who can make your journey smoother. Ascension to the coming 100 floors would be a smooth journey." This was it. This was the offer the man wanted to make. Julien heard everything. He contemplated for a solid two seconds and said: "I refuse." Chapter 115: Soul Stone "I refuse." The man sighed and took a step back. "I understand. Please forgive my insolence." With that, the man left the scene and did not cause any trouble. This greatly surprised Julien. ¡¯How is it that a random person comes up to me and makes such a tempting offer without batting an eye? There was no force used or harsh words. He was respectful throughout the conversation.¡¯ ¡¯¡­a little too respectful and professional!¡¯ Julien did not have a sense of paranoia, but he could not help but think suspiciously about the man. He stated that his constellations took a liking to Jackie, but messed up in the worst possible way to do this trade. Had this man met him in the holy lands, Julien wouldn¡¯t doubt him as much. But then again, he came here with an appealing offer. He wanted to give them an easy way out of the quest so they could favor him more, but too bad, Julien was a cautious young lad. His immense bad luck was the biggest guarantee that nothing would go well. He kept it in mind when doing anything. This offer may lead to a disastrous end for Jackie as Julien was involved in the matter. Had the man approached Jackie when she was alone, then she could at least give it a thought. But with Julien in the room? It was an absolute no. "Jackie, I should¡¯ve taken your opinion into consideration, but I did not. If my actions have been upsetting, do let me know." Julien said as they walked through the passage. Jackie shook her head. "I trust Master¡¯s judgment." Julien¡¯s company was any day better than a random man¡¯s who was trying to recruit her into an unknown organization. The terms may be lax, but a Player¡¯s life was fickle. Anything could happen in the Tower and it was better if one was surrounded with the people they know. Her Master Julien had been with her since the start of her Tower ascension. The time duration was short, but she had enough trust to put her life on the line for him. This short conflict came to an end, the trio returned to clearing the quest. The narrow passage turned dark as they moved, eventually opening into a large space filled with multiple altars and runes. Ghost-like entities moved about, letting out shrill cries. They did not interact with Julien¡¯s party. The atmosphere was cold and the place smelled like a morgue. Amelia and Julien felt like puking once again. Jackie on the other hand was doing well. She led the trio this time and Julien was in the middle, protecting Amelia and Jackie from sudden attacks. "¡­did¡­ wrong¡­" Experience new stories on FreeNovelFire "¡­fa..milia¡­" S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Strange cryptic sounds were heard from the ghosts moving about. None of the three could make out the meaning behind it. Moving in the large space, the three eventually found out that there was no exit. There was one entrance from which they entered but no exit. After racking their brains, Julien saw the ghosts moving to and fro the altar. Maybe this was the way to leave? He thought. Moving to a particular altar, a system notification appeared. + [Altar of the Hollowed Seer] Offer the Mirror of Shattered Dreams, an artifact reflecting one¡¯s most painful regret to exit the Haunted Hall of Hundred Altars. Status: Cleared. + A previous Player seemed to have completed this task and They moved onto the next altar. + [Altar of the Thousand Hungering Hands] Feed the altar a "Heart Beating with Betrayal"¡ªthe still-beating heart of one who has been betrayed in death to exit the Haunted Hall of Hundred Altars. Status: Cleared. + ¡¯There are many altars in this place, surely one would be available to clear, right?¡¯ The trio thought. They kept checking one altar another after that. + [Altar of the Pale Lament] Burn the remains of a soul that has refused to pass on, using an Eclipsed Flame to exit the Haunted Hall of Hundred Altars. Status: Cleared. . . . [Altar of the Bleeding Lattice] Present an oathbreaker¡¯s tongue, torn out as proof of their lies to exit the Haunted Hall of Hundred Altars. Status: Cleared. + After going through tens of altars, they finally stumbled upon the one that hadn¡¯t been cleared. + [Altar of the Rueful God] Sacrifice a rueful soul to invoke the altar¡¯s blessing and exit the Haunted Hall of Hundred Altars. Status: Uncleared. + How were they supposed to find a rueful soul was a question that lingered in their minds. "Maybe we should listen to each soul passing here?" Jackie suggested. These souls were saying something as they went to and fro the altars. Julien nodded. "We should do that and find the one that seems to be showing the most regret." "How will we sacrifice it though?" Jackie asked again. Even if they did find a soul, how were they supposed to sacrifice it? Julien turned to Amelia. "Do you have any ways to capture the souls?" Amelia shook her head. "The only way we can sacrifice a soul is by capturing it into a soul stone and offering the soul stone to the altar." "¡­and we don¡¯t have a soul stone on us, do we?" Julien sighed and said, knowing the answer to his question. Amelia nodded. It wasn¡¯t surprising that Julien found himself in a pickle again. "If it¡¯s a soul stone, I am sure we can buy it on Floor 25." Jackie replied after some thought. "Then let¡¯s go to Floor 25 and get one." Julien responded and called for a teleportation to Floor 25. [¡ªFailed.] [Host cannot leave the floor with a quest ongoing.] "Oh wow, would you look at that¡­" Julien said sarcastically. "So are we stuck here?" Jackie asked. "Do we need to wait until the quest fails so we can leave?" "If the quest fails, we will be corrupted." Amelia said. "We have to ensure we don¡¯t fail it." Failing wasn¡¯t an option, given how brutal the penalty was. Julien was aware of it too, but with how the situation in front of them seemed, it was almost impossible to obtain a soul stone and sacrifice a soul for their exit. Most of the places on this floor were cleared, and the ones that weren¡¯t were probably hidden areas. Finding them was a challenge and the three here did not possess the needed search abilities or luck to find the hidden spots. [The constellations are looking at the incarnations curiously.] [10 coins have been sponsored.] What will the three do when in such a difficult position? The constellations wondered. They were entertained to see these three fall into peril, and were getting excited with anticipation for their next moves. Julien, when he heard the system notification, suddenly remembered something. ¡¯Ah, I have a channel and an area available for trade and shopping.¡¯ Julien was a live streamer like those Valkyries and possessed the Tower¡¯s shop option. He quickly opened it through his system panel and got a variety of goods shown in front of his eyes. Many things were available here with prices ranging from a few coins to a few millions. Sadly, even in the catalogue of endless items, he could not find a soul stone. ¡¯Tsk. Can I not be a little lucky sometimes? What was the point of being a streamer when I couldn¡¯t even obtain the thing I wanted. I¡¯ve read so many plots where the protagonist would usually find his needed item in the shop menu, but me? I have everything available except the thing I want; if it isn¡¯t fate playing with me, then I don¡¯t know what is." It was quite frustrating and even though Julien was tired of it, there was nothing he could do other than sucking it up and accepting it. Ghosts continued to roam and blabber nonsense while Julien and his party stayed in the hall, contemplating their next moves. Soon, Julien gave up trying to think and simply exclaimed in his mind, ¡¯El!¡¯ There was no response. ¡¯Daddy?¡¯ -¡­you called, my child? Julien did not argue with this lady on this matter anymore. He simply continued. ¡¯I am in a difficult situation and need a soul stone. Can you contact the Crimson Night Guild and ask them to send someone here to give it to me?¡¯ -It is possible, but why do you need a soul stone? ¡¯It¡¯s like this¡­¡¯ Julien explained the predicament he was in. El listened carefully and replied, ¡¯It does sound difficult and this is indeed a good way to solve the quest. However¡­¡¯ El¡¯s ¡¯however¡¯ was always ominous. She had pushed Julien into doing things he didn¡¯t want to do, like the tutorial of Floor 0. Julien could¡¯ve avoided doing the rest of the trial and finished it after gaining enough points, but El insisted he continued. The result was that he immediately died from drowning, and fell into a situation which resulted in him offending a mighty demonic god. While it was bad, there were also some good things that happened. Julien met Amelia and Jackie. They were somewhat troublesome with their backgrounds, but really reliable nonetheless. Julien thus had mixed feelings about El¡¯s comments. In any case, since her advices helped in the long run, he replied, ¡¯Just say whatever¡¯s on your mind without sugarcoating it. I¡¯ll see how it is and do everything accordingly.¡¯ -Huhu¡­ aren¡¯t you quite grown up, baby boy? El found it amusing. -Anyway, here¡¯s what I think¡­ Chapter 116 116: Why Can’t I Have It Easy? -This floor is ninety percent cleared. You have the opportunity to take away the remaining ten percent. Doing so would result in immense growth leaps. -You''ll start to close the gap between you and that good luck boy if you do this. ''There''s no need to compare me to someone loved by the heavens.'' Julien thought and shook his head. ''It doesn''t matter if he grows stronger, I''ll just go by my pace.'' -I am not comparing you. El was surprisingly serious this time. -I am merely stating the fact that your hard work can beat his luck. ''El, we both know, in face of absolute luck, no amount of hard work can hold a candle. Let''s not talk about it.'' -You dumdum, there is no such thing as absolute. The Tower has granted him absolute luck but it will balance things out some or the other way. The balancing may not be as much, but it will be there. -In your case too, your curse did have some balancing effect on it. Didn''t I find you and adopted you? That''s the luckiest you''ve ever been. ''Wow¡­ do you have no shame praising yourself like that?'' Julien was speechless. -Heh. You can never figure out the depths of your daddy''s power. ''I am not interested, thank you. Please get to the point now.'' -Right¡­ so what I was saying was¡­ The method to clear this quest was easy and right in front of the three''s eyes. It was¡­ -Just kill that spirit with six eyes you might''ve come across. It''ll definitely drop a soul stone and some great treasures. ''There are better ways to suicide, El.'' Julien said and clicked his tongue. -I wouldn''t suggest an impossible task, would I? You''re surely capable enough to fight that. Plus, you only need to survive for a minute against it. If you do that, you will get a soul stone, but I suggest you kill it off. ''How exactly do you think we can do that? We don''t have any cheat powers to go against someone so strong. That''s also a ghostly entity, we have no means to deal with such things.'' -Don''t you have your Forbidden card? Just use that. Simple. ''Huh? That''s a physical attack card. How will it work on ghosts?'' -Less talk, more work. Now go. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. El did not entertain Julien''s argument further and left. It was his choice if he wanted to do this or not. When her voice couldn''t be heard anymore, Julien sighed. Beside him, Jackie could see his expression whereas Amelia could feel it. She held his hand and rubbed the back of it. "Is something wrong?" She asked in her sweet voice. Julien nodded but then shook his head and sighed. "I know how we can obtain this soul stone, but I don''t know whether we''ll survive trying." Was going through a challenge always necessary? Why could the world not give him everything easily? The questions were absurd, but quite profound if one thought about it. There was a person in this Tower who was getting everything handed to him and there was one who was getting robbed of every opportunity. The latter was to the point where he had to desperately take any and every opportunity he could get, and work ten times as hard to be on the same level as that person with immense good luck. "Master, we don''t have much of a choice." Jackie chimed in and said. "It''s either we go through the trouble to find that soul stone or get corrupted by the ghosts here." Amelia nodded. "If we have a way out, we should work for it. The gods are looking upon us, we won''t find ourselves in extreme danger at the very least. To a degree, her words weren''t wrong. Julien hesitated at first, but his doubts began to fade as his teammates'' encouragement and optimism reassured him that everything would be alright. Julien''s hesitation stemmed from the fact that there was an easy way out. If someone from the Crimson Night Guild brought a soul stone and gave it to them, half the quest would already be cleared. All they had to do was find a rueful soul, trap it into it and sacrifice it. It was easier said than done, but much less life threatening. ''¡ªfuck. Why am I being such a coward?'' Julien suddenly became self-conscious. ''The goal was to be cautious, but I''m treading on the borders of cowardice and not cautiousness. I know, I know it''s not going to be easy. It was never going to be. Despite being prepared for challenges, I''m hesitating when the challenge has actually come up¡­'' Julien felt conflicted. He had many adventures so far, they were life threatening and not easy, and despite having been through them, his mind was signaling him to take the easy way out and not put himself in unnecessary danger. ''¡­I guess, trying not to fall into danger is an ancestral instinct of ours. It may be why my mind is making me take the easier, less dangerous path. But¡­'' But the problem with taking the easy path lay in the hindered growth. Julien could never catch up to the good luck card boy if he rejected opportunities such as these. ''¡­I''m just worried of putting Jackie and Amelia into danger. Welp¡­ if the need arises, I''ll do my best to stall that ghost. We only need to survive one minute after all.'' Making up his mind, Julien gave a curt nod to Jackie and Amelia. "Fine. Let''s do it." Julien said and took the three out of the hall. ''It''s about time I man up and stop with my bitchy attitude. The dangers are never going to stop.'' Jackie and Amelia diligently followed their Master. Ever since the day they pledged their allegiance to him, they were prepared to put their lives on the line for him. For Amelia, it was even more so. Julien was not only her Master but also her lover. Their relationship may have developed through a series of strange events, but the fact that they both cared about each other wouldn''t change. Amelia was prepared for anything and everything. The trio confidently walked through the narrow passages. Their goal was to come across the six eyed ghost figure, so there was no need to hide anymore. When the stench of corpses intended, and the ground felt squishy to walk on, Julien knew he had reached the place. The ambience was dim and blood red, filled with the pungent scent of decaying flesh and bones. When the surroundings turned colder and Julien felt a sense of dread wash over him, he knew the entity was closer. Turning into the direction of it, Julien clutched his sword and said, "Jackie, behind me. Protect Amelia. And Amelia, keep casting as many holy spells as you can." "Understood!" The two exclaimed and got into position. Jackie and Amelia did not have an idea as to what was going to happen. The moment they saw and felt a pale figure with six eyes, the hair on their bodies stood on their ends. Amelia couldn''t see the monstrosity, but the eerie feeling it gave her was nothing she had ever felt before. It was as if a giant mouth with jagged teeth was coming towards them to munch on their bodies. The ghostly entity approached Julien''s party. It stopped when it was in front of Julien, gazing at him with its six eyes. Julien held his sword and breathed heavily. As long as he did not make the first move, the entity would leave after a minute. However, his intentions were not to have it leave. Exhaling sharply, he thought about his Forbidden Arcana card. ''System, set two timers: ten seconds and sixty seconds.'' [Timer set!] Julien channeled his body''s essence into the Arcana Card and made the card''s power flow through his body. When he felt a sharp static current over his body, he could tell the card had been activated. "Haaah¡ª!" Julien exclaimed and struck the sword at the ghostly entity. The entity''s six eyes spun and saw the blade coming at them. It jumped in the air to dodge, but the sword''s edge left a thin yet long scratch on its body, making its soul seep out. The entity had attached its four limbs to the ceiling and was gazing at Julien. Its six eyes turned bloodshot, as if expressing the intense anger it felt. It lunged from the top at Julien to snap his head, but at this moment, a bright flash of light blinded it. Amelia used her holy spells to stun the entity! The creature was blinded and could not dodge Julien''s sword that pierced deep into its body. He took a step back and saw the six eyes freeze. The entiry''s body leaked a lot of its soul as its body split in half. ''Did I defeat that?'' Julien wondered. His curiosity was answered shortly once the creature''s lost soul returned to its body. Its split halves morphed into a mangled mess which changed forms to turn into a bulky creature with four arms and and two strong legs, possessing six eyes and a mouth. [The Ghost of d''Arc has evolved.] Chapter 117 117: The Ghost of d’Arc [The Ghost of d''Arc has evolved.] The moment the notification arrived, the ghost in front began screeching and thrashing. It ran towards Julien but before it could reach him, the ghost''s body dissipated outwards through the slash Julien''s sword had made earlier. In seconds, the ghost became a pile of flesh. This state did not last for long. The pile of flesh clumped and an entity with ten arms, six legs, six eyes, a mouth, and two ears manifested before the three. [The Ghost of d''Arc has evolved.] Through its mouth, the ghost let out a soul piercing screech, shaking the walls of the floor and sending Julien and his party flying. It jumped in its place, forming a crater beneath, and tried to crush Julien''s body. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Once again, before reaching him, it turned into a puddle of flesh, raining on the trio. The scene was grotesque, and the stench churned their stomach. It was gone as fast as it had arrived. The blood, the flesh, the bones¡­ it all clumped once again. A new entity appeared before the three. It was standing on its twelve hands, its ten legs spread out in an arch. The entity had two heads, six eyes, one mouth, and two ears on each head. Its eyes turned pitch black and the space before Julien twisted. A dark mist appeared and spread in the room. The entity plopped into a puddle. The feather earring on Julien''s ear flashed and enveloped him and his party. The mist did not corrupt him, and the curse never reached. The entity once again manifested itself. This time, it was not scary. Rather, it looked like a man. It was a blonde skinny man with messy hair. He seemed to be an adventurer with how his outfit was. His worn and tired eyes gazed at Julien. As Julien peered into it, the world around him spun and his vision darkened, eventually turning completely dark. ¡­.. The sky was torn in two¡ªone half bathed in blinding radiance, the other swallowed by endless darkness. Beneath it lay the ruins of a fallen kingdom. Crumbled towers, shattered banners, and streets paved with the dead. At the heart of the destruction, a lone knight knelt before an altar, his armor cracked and bloodstained. Surrounding him were corpses¡ªfriends and foes alike, their lifeless eyes reflecting the divided sky above. The sound of distant war horns echoed through the ruined city. The sky rumbled, shifting as divine and infernal forces clashed beyond the mortal plane. The air rippled, and in an instant, two figures emerged before him¡ªone bathed in golden radiance, the other cloaked in abyssal shadow. The God of Judgment stood to his right, a spear of light in hand. His celestial wings unfurled, casting a blinding glow upon the battlefield. The Demon Lord of Damnation loomed to his left, draped in a shifting void, his burning eyes filled with cruel amusement. They both looked at d''Arc. Not at each other. At him. He was the only thing that mattered now. "d''Arc, the last knight of this forsaken kingdom," the God spoke, his voice carrying the weight of eternity. "Swear yourself to us, and we will raise your land from the ashes. The dead will be reborn. Your suffering will end." The Demon chuckled, stepping forward. "Or serve us, and we shall grant you vengeance and resurrect the dead. The gods who watched your people burn will suffer. You will be their executioner, free of chains." Two paths lay in front. But both felt like an illusion. d''Arc had seen what came of mortals who served gods. He had seen what happened to those who served demons. Neither cared for humanity. Neither had ever cared. The corpses around him, the ruins beneath him¡ªthis was proof. Something inside him snapped. With shaking hands, d''Arc reached for the sword at his side. Not to kneel. Not to submit. Instead, he drove the blade into the altar. A shattering sound filled the air, like the breaking of unseen chains. The divine light flickered. The abyss trembled. The God''s serene expression cracked. The Demon''s smirk disappeared. This was not what was supposed to happen. The war in the skies came to a halt. The memory blurred. The burning sky, the broken kingdom, the shattered altar¡ªeverything collapsed into darkness. And when Julien''s vision cleared, he was no longer watching the past. He stood before d''Arc, but the man was no longer a knight¡ªonly a ghost wrapped in chains. His form flickered, held together by lingering resentment. Darkness flashed in front of Julien''s eyes again. He was back on Floor 26, with the ghost of d''Arc right before him. The ghost glanced at Julien with its hollow eyes one final time and dissipated. [Ding!] [Defeated - the Ghost of d''Arc!] [+1,000,000 XP, x1 soul stone, x1 broken sword, +1000 coins, +1 title] [Title obtained - Unchained Victor!] [Ding!] [Ranked up!] "Whaaa¡ª" So much experience points! Julien felt his body get lighter and sturdier, but immediately got distracted by a shining blue stone falling in place where d''Arc''s ghost once was. He went near it to pick it up. As he bent down and touched the stone, he felt a cold breeze brush over his body. Suddenly, the scene in front of his eyes changed. The world was ablaze. Everything was in ruins. In the skies, divine beings fought against demonic entities. In the middle of them, Julien was standing still, watching. The scene shattered, Julien found himself bent down, touching the soul stone. ''What was that?'' He wondered. "Master¡­" Jackie and Amelia called and broke him out of his stupor. "Are you alright?" Amelia asked. "Yeah." Julien got up and nodded. "Did you guys get rewards?" "Yes! I gained over a million experience points and a title!" Jackie replied with visible glee. "Same." Amelia added with a smile. "No rewards?" Julien asked the important question. The two shook their heads. "The experience points and title are good enough. I believe the rewards were distributed on the amount of work done in defeating the ghost." Jackie said. "What''s the title?" "Unchained Victor." "Unchained Victor." "Hm, all of us got the same title. That''s nice." Julien was amused. He picked up the rest of the items from the floor, which were a few pieces of gold, a broken sword, an amulet, and a talisman for capturing spirits. "Here, you can have it." Julien tossed the broken sword to Jackie. "Vengeful Sword of d''Arc? This ghost?" Jackie asked. "Yeah. We can fix that in the upper floors perhaps. It''ll be a great tool for you." Julien replied. Jackie turned and gazed at the sword from hilt to tip. It seemed fascinating, but was broken and unusable nonetheless. Jackie put the sword in her inventory and nodded. "We''ll see how it is after the fix." "This is for you." Julien gave Amelia the amulet and talisman. The amulet was to protect oneself from evil spirits. Julien already possessed an artifact that protected him from evil. It was the feather earring containing a fragment of the God of Honor and Glory. The amulet would thus help Amelia more. The three checked for more spoils but there wasn''t much available. They got a few high quality items and that was it. The title, Unchained Victor, was in honor of defeating the Ghost of d''Arc. This was a ghost that could not be defeated by someone who hasn''t cleared Floor 90''s main quest. It was a big accomplishment and the rewards were naturally high. Julien checked his stats panel and was astonished. + [General Stats] Name: Julien Von Lichtenstein Title: Unchained Victor ?new? Rank: 2 (+1) ?new? Level: 59 (+34) ?new? XP: 48,922 /104,737 (+1,000,000) ?new? [Attributes] Health: 1000 (+750) Essence: 10,423 (+7,552) Strength: 204 (+117) Agility: 219 (+76) Endurance: 441 (+206) Intelligence: 57 (+17) Charm: 21 Luck: N/A + A million experience points did wonders on his stats. Julien was quite happy by it. If the God of Honor and Glory was within the Tower, he would''ve gained even more benefits! All stats were enhanced except intelligence and charm. He had also broken through to Rank 2 and was halfway there to Rank 3. It was a good day. The harvests were bountiful. Julien was glad this went well, though he knew somewhere in his heart that this could''ve gone horribly wrong had he charged blindly. The Forbidden Arcana Card was goated. It worked even on ghosts and the wounds caused would bleed their souls until they vanished. This made him wonder, what place were forbidden cards in the hierarchy? This was but a passing thought. He focused on the newly obtained title next. + [The Unchained Victor] -Restore stamina and health by 30% when HP falls below 50%. Cooldown: 24 hours. -Temporarily nullify any one restriction or limitation. Cooldown: 1 month. + "Wow¡­" Julien was amazed by the buffs. ''Do I really have immense bad luck? Wasn''t I too lucky today?'' Julien thought when he saw the rewards. Unbeknownst to him, in a dark and distant world, an ancient altar stood between the ruins of all. It was dusty and seemed to have not been touched in ages. Right at this moment, it began glowing. It was faintly red at first, but became bloody crimson instantly. A beam of light shot at the skies and illuminated the world a deep sanguine. Tremors ran through the ground. Thousands of kilometers beside the altar, a deep crevice was formed. As the ground split, embedded within the bedrocks, thousands of years old giant demonic statues could be seen. One of the statues'' hard covering slightly chipped off. Chapter 118 118: Holy Land Defeating the ghost was immensely successful. The trio gained a lot of experience points and leveled up quickly. Jackie and Amelia were close to breaking through to Rank 3 while Julien was close to being Rank 2. After obtaining the soul stone, they entered the Haunted Hall of Hundred Altars. Finding a rueful soul wasn''t difficult. All they had to do was listen to every soul''s blabbering until they found the right one. Once found, Amelia used the items on her along with her skills to trap the soul into the soul stone. The soul stone was then sacrificed and the trio heard a notification as a bright flash of light filled their vision. [Floor 26''s Main Quest #1 ¡ª Cleared!] [Entering the Holy Lands¡­] The sunless sky had an everlasting twilight. The endless expanse of land possessed ruined cathedrals and worn-down shrines. Toppled statues with missing faces littered the ground as did the crumbled stone chapels with broken glass windows. This was not what Julien had expected when he heard about the Holy Lands. Amelia could not see the post-apocalyptic landscape, but she could feel the eerie and somber feeling. To her, this place seemed more like a graveyard than a holy land. "Master, are you sure we''re in the correct place?" Amelia asked as she kneeled down to feel a handful of soil. "It is. This is the holy land indeed." Julien said. If it weren''t for Players rummaging through the ruins and roaming around the area, Julien wouldn''t have guessed that these were the holy lands. [The constellation ''Demonic Inquisitor'' questions the naming of this floor.] [The constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' swirls their wine as they gaze upon a certain broken altar on Floor 26.] [The constellation ''Eternal Flame of the Sky'' volunteers to add a sun on Floor 26.] [The constellation ''Light of Primordial One'' reminds the other constellations about something.] [The constellations are wondering what it is.] [The constellation ''Light of Primordial One'' is hinting at the floor''s main quest.] [The constellation ''Demonic Inquisitor'' clasps their hands.] [The constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' shakes their head.] [The constellation ''Eternal Flame of the Sky'' is yawning.] [No coins have been sponsored.] Julien saw a series of notifications. He could make out what the indirect messages from the constellations stated. They were talking about his party''s quest clearance. The constellations did not find it amusing and were sort of bored. Julien had simply slashed at the ghost and it kept dying again and again, until it dropped loot. This was how it looked in their eyes. If they weren''t entertained, they wouldn''t drop any coins. That was how it was. Unlike Julien, Jackie and Amelia did get coins. It was from their constellations and was a gesture of approval and appreciation for what they had done. Julien did not have a contracted constellation and did not get such benefits. Moving on, Julien''s journey was towards the pilgrimage route. At the end of this was the Stairway of Ascendance. The route was slightly difficult to find with everything being in ruins. The best guess Julien had was to move towards places with more concentration of Players. Following such a route led him to the center of the Holy Lands where lay an open cathedral. It was in ruins without a doubt, and within it, one could see a broken altar. Julien raised his eyebrows in surprise when he saw this altar. "Let''s go there." He went to the center of the cathedral with his party. As there was no quest or reward available, Players usually skipped this area. But Julien did not. As the altar in the middle of this cathedral seemed quite familiar. Standing right before it, Julien frowned and thought, ''Isn''t this the same altar where d''Arc was given a choice?'' It indeed was. "It feels strangely familiar¡­" Amelia touched the altar and said softly, confirming Julien''s thoughts. "This is the place d''Arc was last at before becoming a ghost." Julien briefed, enlightening the two. "Oh¡­ no wonder¡­" Amelia nodded in understanding. "Amelia, what do you feel about this place?" Julien asked his lady, getting closer to her. Amelia clasped her hands. "I can feel sadness, pain, and helplessness here. May the lord bless these poor souls and help them in their afterlife." ''Indeed. d''Arc, he spent his final moments here before becoming a ghost. I do have many questions about this, but well, dwelling upon it may not do me any good. d''Arc and stuff related to him is limited to this floor. This place is already cleared so going deeper into the rabbit hole won''t do me any good. Let''s move on.'' With such a thought, Julien left the cathedral to find the pilgrimage route. ¡­.. In a distant world where the sky was blood red, enormous statues lay embedded within the earth. They were visible as giant crevices formed, and on one of the statues, the hard covering seemed to be chipping off. It was a little piece at first, but with each passing second, a bit more fell off. ¡­.. In a holy cathedral, light seeped through the colorful glass windows and created a serene ambience. A divine being kneeled before an altar wearing a golden robe. Behind her were many priests and priestesses, kneeling as well. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A few moments passed. The divine being stood up and turned around, clasping her hands while bowing her head. "A subtle shift in darkness looms but we are still undergoing the golden age. Continue your devotion and do good, the lord is always with you." The divine being raised her hand and a bright ray of sunshine erupted from within, enveloping everyone and making them feel warm. "Glory to god!" The crowd exclaimed in unison. ¡­.. On one of the higher floors of the Tower, a vile demonic being sat on his throne, his face shrouded in a veil of darkness. His hand supported his face as he leaned at the side. A faint bloody smirk could be seen as if he found everything amusing and worth a chuckle. "Something interesting is going to happen¡­" the demonic being stated and stroked his chin. ¡­.. Garden of Eden. An angel being sat on a swing with its ends attached to a giant arch made of clouds. The swing swung over the most beautiful pond in all of Eden. Seated on this swing was an angel being, watching something on her tablet screen. A beautiful petite angel, flapping her pair of feathery white wings flew close to this lady. She circled her and said, "There are some strange movements going on." The lady on the swing extended her hand up and waved it. "It appears to be serious as Michael is the one who said it." The lady stopped waving her hand. Her eyes were still fixated on the tablet screen. The petite angel flapped her wings and circled her once again. "He also stated it isn''t worrying, for now. If there is anything, a meeting will be held." The angel on the swing nodded her head. The petite angel flapped her wings and began flying away. Before she left, she said, "Please meet Michael once before going into your slumber." A wave of hand came in response, and the angel on the swing went back to entertaining herself by watching her tablet screen. ¡­.. Floor 26. As Amelia walked beside Julien, she couldn''t help but feel a subtle change in the surroundings. It was a somewhat uncomfortable feeling, but she couldn''t really tell why it felt this way. When she moved closer to Julien, this feeling would go away. It was quite strange and fascinating. Julien on the other hand did not feel anything. He treated this floor just like any other. There weren''t any worthwhile challenges and whatever good ones were there were taken or cleared. Finding hidden quests would consume a lot of time, and in that time, he could work hard to improve his stats instead. From Celeste, he got a list of hidden quests in the higher floors. There were none on this floor, so he was hurrying to reach Floor 27. It took half a day for the trio to find the Pilgrimage Route. It was difficult, but only initially. Some past Players had placed wooden signboard at the start of the route, stating it was the Pilgrimage Route. To reach this place was difficult, but once here, the journey ahead was smooth. The three saw many Players on this route. Some tried to strike a conversation, but Julien was in a hurry to reach Floor 27. There were some nice hidden quests and he wanted to complete them as soon as possible. His job on Floor 26 was done, that''s what he thought. It took a few hours of walking to reach the stairway. The majority of Players on this route did not rush to ascend. Instead they moved around to find hidden quests or resources. It was to each their own. Julien''s priority was ascension, and here was, about to ascend. He glanced at the Holy Lands one final time, then climbed the stairs and made his way to Floor 27. Chapter 119 119: Floor 27 Floor 27. It was a wasteland with shifting dunes and hot weather. In the floor''s center was a colosseum and Players could be seen moving towards it. Julien and his party stood a few kilometers from it. Around them were scattered monster bones and nothing much of note. "Why do these floors seem so post-apocalyptic?" Julien wondered out loud. The past few floors had reminded him of nothing but an apocalypse. These floors seemed more like a fragment of an actual world than a Tower floor. There did not seem to be many NPCs around, and it did not give off a feeling of RPG. "It could be a theme, perhaps." Jackie commented, unsure. "Is it?" Julien said and scratched his chin. ''Or could it be that this was an actual world that got absorbed by the Tower after its doom?'' There was no proof to back his hypothesis, and he thought this way because it all felt too real to just be a Tower floor. "Let''s get going." Amelia began walking and called the two. There was nothing around them that needed attention. Julien walked beside her and Jackie stayed ahead, scouting the sandy area. ¡­.. "Kill ''em!" "Wooooooo!" "Get him! Get him! Get him!" Within the colosseum, two bulky men fought. Spectators, who were none other than the Players of the Tower, cheered. Julien, Jackie, and Amelia reached the seating area and watched the fight. "Popcorn! A bucket of popcorn for ten coins! A bucket of popcorn for ten coins!" A vendor with a popcorn cart moved about the stands, offering popcorn. "Water for five. Water for five." "A pound of bread for five! A pound for¡­" There were many such vendors roaming about and the aroma of food permeated the air. Nobody would be able to guess that outside this arena was a wasteland, a world completely in ruins. It was quite lively here. Julien took hold of the vendor selling popcorn. "Good day, sir. What would you like? Caramel? Salted? Cheesy? Spicy? Or a mix of all four?" The popcorn seller, a young adult, asked with a jolly smile. "I''ll take the mix." Julien said. "How do I transfer the coins?" Coins weren''t physical, so he had no clue how to transfer those. "Oh? Sir doesn''t know? Well, no problem." The vendor was slightly surprised. Julien seemed wealthy and to not know how to transfer coins was amusing. The vendor tapped in air a few times and a blue screen appeared before Julien, with the line of words in silver stating: [Transfer ten coins to the Player Iliad?] [Yes/No] Julien tapped on yes and immediately had ten coins deducted from his account. "Pleasure doing business!" The Player Iliad said happily and handed Julien his popcorn. "You''re a Player?" Julien asked, surprised. The popcorn seller laughed in amusement. "Why? Yes. Do I not appear as one?" "Pardon my ignorance, gentleman." Julien shook his head and said. "I was merely taken aback by the change on this floor. Why is a capable man like you selling popcorn and not trying to ascend?" Jackie and Amelia turned their heads to Julien. ''What in the heavens¡­'' the two thought. Was this the same Julien, their Master, they knew of? Why was he suddenly speaking like that? "Good sir, this is a great way to pass time and make some extra fortune. The floor lacks side quests and to ascend through the stairways is a long wait." The popcorn seller Iliad said. "Must I inquire why?" Julien said calmly. Such a formal and old-fashioned tone made Jackie wonder, ''Did he lose his mind trying to defeat that ghost? Or has the ghost taken over his body?'' Amelia went beside him and held his hand. It felt warm. ''Hm¡­ he isn''t possessed. But why is he speaking like that?'' "Haha, do you see those men battling? They are competing to ascend the stairway. Battling in this colosseum is the quest required to trigger the appearance of the stairways." The popcorn seller answered and stated the reason. The Stairway of Ascendance on this floor would only appear for one single person at a time. There could also be only two people fighting in the arena, and this was the main quest to clear this floor. One had to register for it at the south entrance and the Tower''s system would place the Player on the list of competitors. It was all automated and one just had to show up in the arena and fight. This wasn''t a tournament and there was only one win needed to ascend. It might sound easy, but everyone wanted to ascend and gave it their all, resulting in a tough competition. The process was also slow and it would take a long time before one''s name was called. Not showing up during the designated time would put the Players at the bottom of the list again. Hearing this made Julien question what the fuck was wrong with this Tower''s system. This was hindering their progress unnecessarily and stopping them from advancing. The popcorn seller also stated that one did not have to wait on this floor. They could go back home and do whatever they wanted. The system would notify them a day prior to their fight. It would keep sending notifications every hour until the Player reached the colosseum. There was also a heavy penalty for not showing up. "Tell me more, young gentleman. I am interested in this funny business." Julien said and ate a handful of popcorn. ''Master please stop speaking like that¡­'' Jackie thought internally. The level of cringe was astounding. If it wasn''t for the fact that Julien was her Master, she would''ve smacked him in the head to turn him back to normal. The popcorn seller was more than happy to answer. Ten coins was a lot for some popcorn and people did not usually buy it. He thus had a lot of time to chat with Julien and continued to state everything he knew about this floor. Floor 27 was all about testing one''s strength with other Players. It was perhaps the only floor which did not require one to be in a team. It did not have a floor boss and from the start, every Player just had to compete with the opponent the Tower''s system gave to ascend. Since there were two challengers and naturally one would fail to ascend, the system did not punish them. It took some coins as a penalty and put them at the bottom of the list to try again. If one did not possess enough coins, they would see negative balance in their account. After learning everything there was, Julien went with Jackie and Amelia to register. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There was a grimoire floating in the air. It was in the middle of the entrance and many Players flocked around it. Julien patiently waited until he could reach it. As he did so, the Players, specifically the males, diverted their attention towards him and his party. They had to wait for their turn, and having nothing to do, were looking around and found his party. Amelia became the center of attention really quickly. She was in red priestess robes that had a normal fitting. It did not show off her curve, but it also did not do a good job in hiding it. The black blindfold that covered her eyes made her appear more mysterious and alluring. Everyone''s eyes were delighted when they saw her supple cherry-red lips. Julien frowned. He put himself in front of his lady, and feeling the lecherous gazes, Jackie appeared at the front too, ready to protect Amelia. So far, Julien had never been in places with such a high concentration of Players. Amelia did make heads turn, but nobody was so free to come and strike a conversation or try anything funny. This place though, it was something else entirely. "Fiuuuu~" A man with an unkempt beard whistled and approached Amelia. "Miss priestess, you should be careful wandering in these desolate lands all alone." The man said warmly as he neared Amelia. Julien stepped forward. Without hesitation, he swung his sword and placed the tip right at the man''s neck. "A step more and you''ll find out whether she''s alone or not." "Woah. Woah. Woah. Slow down there, little buddy. That thing''s dangerous, you might get hurt." The man took a few steps back and said with an amused chuckle. "What''s going on, leader?" A few men approached this man and asked. They were probably his henchmen, thought Julien. "Nothing. Nothing. That young man is fierce and thinks everything can be solved with violence." The man waved his hand and said, as if it was nothing of importance. "Hm?" The men turned to Julien. In their eyes, he looked like a kid who hadn''t even hit puberty. His stature was small too, so it was even more so that he appeared like a kid to them all. Julien grit his teeth. While such an appearance made him loved by the ladies, it also made the men severely underestimate him. As of this moment, Julien was even shorter than Jackie, and it was no wonder the men in front did not take him seriously. [The constellations of channel JL #29-157 are watching the stream with interest.] ''These constellations¡­'' Julien clicked his tongue. Sometimes the attitude of the gods to find entertainment in everything was quite annoying. Julien ignored that and focused on the men in front. "Haha, young lad, you have quite the fierce gaze. You should be more careful, otherwise¡­" Chapter 120 120: Wipeout "Haha, young lad, you have quite the fierce gaze. You should be more careful, otherwise¡­" The man''s face darkened and turned extremely serious. "¡­you will face the consequences." He ignored Julien''s warning and walked closer to him. As he reached, he patted his shoulder while gazing at Amelia, not looking at him as if he was a mere ignorant child unaware of the world''s affairs. "I''ll let this slide. It wouldn''t sound good if the Bandit King haunting the Eastern Empire were to beat up a child." The man walked ahead without looking at Julien. As he did, he felt itchy and numb on his hand. Suddenly, his vision dimmed and he said, "Huh? What is this feel..in¡­g¡­" Thud¡ª! The man collapsed on the floor. Blood spurted out of his hands rhythmically as his heart pumped blood. The blood had no way of returning to his heart, and in no time, his complexion paled as he died from excess blood loss. "Boss!" The men standing afar shouted in unison as their leader collapsed. They still were clueless about his death. One by one, as the men charged towards Julien, they began collapsing. They only saw a faint shadow of someone passing by before succumbing to their deaths. In no time, panic ensued at the south entrance as a group of ten men died. Players at this floor were strong and in panic, put up their guard and stayed alert. When all the people related to the man calling himself the Bandit King had died, a cute butler patted Julien''s shoulder. "Be at ease, Master." Jackie said as she wiped the dirt off Julien''s shoulders. [The constellation ''Light of Primordial One'' stands up from their seat and looks down.] [The constellation ''Light of Primordial One'' is calmly staring at their incarnation.] [The constellation ''Light of Primordial One'' is silent.] [The constellation ''Demonic Inquisitor'' is looking at the incarnation of ''Light of Primordial One'' calmly.] [The constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' is swirling their wine cup in amusement.] [The constellation ''Eternal Flame of the Sky'' has stopped all work and is looking at the constellations and their incarnations.] These system messages did not sound good. Julien was well aware. The Light of Primordial One, the god born from the absolute good of the Primordial One naturally leaned towards holy and good things. Jackie was a cold killer through and through. Killing was as easy as breathing to her, and the constellation-incarnation relation was bound to get tense at some point. Amelia''s constellation on the other hand, Uriel, was also staring at Jackie. Jackie had not even considered other options and went for the kill. This was demonic in nature and did not align with her sense of goodwill. As for the Sovereign of Shadows, they ruled the Underworld. They did not care about killings. The constellation Eternal Flame of the Sky, the goddess Amaterasu of the Shinto pantheon, was neutral in this regard. There was no concept of demonic or holy in her books, just good karma or bad karma. She was thus more interested in watching the tension between the two constellations of absolute goodwill and their incarnation who walked on the demonic path. There was no time for Julien, Jackie, or Amelia to react to the constellation messages. When these men died, a group of Players wearing similar robes and possessing the crest of a lion on their chests arrived. The Players surrounding the dead men made for these people without them asking. A man with shoulder length hair looked at the corpses and then at Julien and Jackie. "Is this your doing?" The man''s gaze was neutral, his tone calm, as he asked Julien. Julien was the one standing beside these corpses and blood from the Bandit King''s severed arm on his shoulder. Naturally, he was the prince suspect as Jackie had not a stain of blood on her. "What makes you think so?" Julien tried to stay calm and asked back. Many life-threatening situations, and some teachings from his mother coupled with scoldings from El had shaped Julien the way he was now. He was more confident, and the skills he possessed made him unafraid of any Player that appeared in front of him. Julien knew he had the means to kill anyone he wished with the Forbidden Arcana Card. It was on cooldown right now, but given a chance, the person would see a fate worse than the dead men on the ground if he tried to do anything funny. "The blood on your shoulders. The sword in your hand. And that cold-blooded attitude of your subordinate. Is that enough?" The man said at a neutral pace, appearing quite intimidating to the ones nearby. Julien shrugged. "Those are mere speculations." "Hm, you are right." The man did not deny. "It is due to this that you need to come with us. If you''ve not done anything, you''ll be cleared from any suspicion that may arise." "And why exactly will I go with you?" Julien''s question made the spectators gasp. The members with the lion crest behind the calm man frowned. One of them took a step ahead and said while grabbing his sword, "Watch what you''re saying, boy. The Ironfang Vanguard is not something you''d want to make an enemy of." The spectators gasped again. "They really are from the Ironfang Vanguard!?" "I had doubts before, but now I''m sure they indeed are!" "Shit. It''s true that those guys are on every floor! No wonder it''s the number one guild of the Tower!" The comments from the spectators gave Julien an idea about the power these people belonged to. Julien peered right into the eyes of the leader of this small group. His stature may be small, but those clear blue eyes contained fierceness these guild members could never fathom. "I''ll let you save face if you leave now. Our encounter never happened, and I''ll have nothing to do with the Ironfang Vanguard." Julien said calmly. The threat sounded empty to the ignorant members of the Ironfang Vanguard. They had the pride of belonging to the number guild, and had never encountered Players who would defy them in such a manner. Naturally, every one of them was pissed by Julien''s comment. Instead of attacking him right away, the leader of the group exhaled sharply. He looked around and said in a neutral voice, "This young man has refused to cooperate with the Ironfang Vanguard''s investigations and slandered the name. To anyone who captures this criminal, the Ironfang Vanguard shall pay a hefty reward. You could also have a chance at becoming a permanent member." "What!?" The spectators were shocked and went silent for a good few seconds. Jackie and Amelia frowned while Julien felt annoyed. These things that were occurring were highly unlikely for a common person. But since he was a special child, it was only natural he struggled to pass through every single floor. Julien turned to Jackie and said, "Prepare for battle." Jackie was alway ready. Amelia clasped her hands too and prayed, "May god guide these lost lambs¡­" [The constellations are watching the spectacle with interest.] [You are now live on channel Fl #29-771.] [The constellation ''Rebel Sage of Heaven'' is picking his nose while watching the incarnations on Floor 27.] The constellations were interested in watching too, it seemed. "Sorry boy, don''t blame us if you get hurt. Blame that guild for tempting us with such an offer." A man appeared before Julien and said with a smile as he used his hammer to hit his head. Julien skillfully dodged it and hacked his sword''s scabbard into the man''s solar plexus, making him spew a mouthful of blood. The people here couldn''t see it, but Julien was level 59, having strength over 200. Even a mild flick from him on the forehead could break an average person''s skull. The man that spewed blood was a mere Rank 2. Thanks to the floors already being cleared, weaker Players didn''t have to struggle much to reach the higher floors. It wasn''t out of the ordinary to find a lot of Rank 1s and 2s in this place. "Guys! He''s clearly an expert! Don''t underestimate that child! Group together to attack!" The man that fell shouted and alerted the rest. Julien cracked his neck and skipped on his toes, preparing himself for the battle that was about to unfold. The Players had eyes but greed blinded them. They did not care about the situation and rushed towards Julien, trying to capture him. What awaited them was one thing and one thing only. Death. Julien was ruthless. Jackie? Even more so. The ones that rushed at him were hit by his sword. It was raw strength which was then met with Jackie''s daggers. If someone was able to avoid both, Amelia used her holy spells to trap them. The Ironfang Vanguard''s members watched one Player fall after another in front of their very eyes. It was a massacre, and the south entrance soon saw a big puddle of blood in front of it. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Corpses lined the entry towards the grimoire and it had only been a few minutes, but every Player at the south entrance except for the Ironfang Vanguard''s wasn''t breathing anymore. The guild members felt a chill down their spines as they watched this group of three. The raven-haired child with blue eyes did not look like a child anymore. "M-monster¡­" one of the guild members stuttered. [The constellation ''Light of Primordial One'' is speechless.] [The constellation ''Demonic Inquisitor'' is speechless.] [The constellation ''Rebel Sage of Heaven'' is clapping at the beautiful bloody landscape.] [100 coins have been sponsored.] [The constellation ''Eternal Flame of the Sky'' finds the sight amusing.] [100 coins have been sponsored.] [The constellation ''Sovereign of Shadows'' finds the ruthless nature of the incarnations fascinating.] [100 coins have been sponsored.] The constellations were happy to see a Player not afraid to go against the norms and kill fellow Players. It was also refreshing to see someone not falter after hearing the top guild''s name. Julien was not paying attention to the system messages. His focus lay fully on the Ironfang Vanguard''s members standing in front of him. He took a step closer to them while squishing a dead man''s head below, "What were you saying? The Ironfang Vanguard?" Julien''s eyes shone with a murderous glint. "Whether it is the topmost guild or the bottom ranking one. If you threaten me, I''ll not spare you. This is my last and final warning. Now get lost." The Ironfang Vanguard members did not delay. They left the area with their leader immediately. Their leader however eyed Julien with his calm gaze. He still did not have a change in his expression and remained unfazed unlike the rest. What was going on in his head was unknown. When this little episode was over, Julien went to register himself for the arena battle. Chapter 121 121: The Art of Eight Limbs The registration was done and the wait was almost a month long. The death of many at the south entrance led to a boost in time. Had it not been the case, the wait would''ve been much longer. There was nothing to do but wait. Julien, Jackie, and Amelia left the floor and went back to the Lichtenstein Castle. Except for the maids, nobody was home. All the ladies had a busy schedule and communicating in the Tower wasn''t as easy. It wasn''t a problem for Julien. He had come here to relax for a bit before leaving for the Tower again. Since there was a month-long wait, he could focus on other things such as completing side quests or learning some martial arts. Speaking of martial arts, there was a martial art in the lust system''s shop. Julien sat in his room, on the sofa, and closed his eyes to look at the lust interface. + Name: Julien Von Lichtenstein Path: Eternal?Lust Points: 102,451 Buffs: -[All points will be multiplied by 10 if the partner is a virgin!] sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. -[All points will be multiplied by 20 if the partner is blood related!] -[All points will be multiplied by 30 if the partner is a virgin blood related!] Skills: -[Favorability Meter] -[Profile Appraisal] Favorability: -Eleanor Von Lichtenstein: Too high -Sophie: 100 -Jackie: 83 -Amelia: 96 + The points surprised Julien, but not too much. He expected to see a big boost given how many naughty deeds had done prior to leaving for the Tower. In the Tower, he did not have time to focus on the lust system, and speaking of this, it provided much better rewards and tasks. It had been a while since it gave him a mission, and Julien had a rough idea that the lust system only gave quests when he wasn''t busy with other ones or in the Tower, trying to clear floors. The 100,000 points came at the right time. Julien really needed those to buy a certain item in the shop. + [Shop - offline] -Legendary- Art of Eight Limbs: 100,000p Kama Sutra: 1,000,000p Yin-Yang Vajra Sutra: 1,000,000p -Forbidden- Succubus Summon(Lv.99): 10,000,000p (Click on an item to know more.) -Note- (More items will be added with each level up.) (Legendary and Forbidden items refresh every 180 days.) + It was that, the legendary item Art of Eight Limbs. Julien had checked its description and this was indeed a martial art. Kama Sutra was related to sexual stuff and it was too expensive. Julien needed a boost in his strength and the Art of Eight Limbs sounded perfect. He only had six months to unlock these items and they would probably be gone forever after the refresh. The Succubus Summon was the most expensive item there and how he would accumulate ten million points was still a mystery to him. In any case, Julien purchased the Art of Eight Limbs without batting an eye. Once it was bought, a scroll landed in Julien''s hands. Opening it, he saw many pictures and descriptions. + [The Art of Eight Limbs] "The manifestation of will into devastation starts with following the path not to fight, but to conquer." + This was the opening line of the manual. It was strong and impactful, making Julien continue reading. A lot was written on this scroll and basically, the manual considered the fists, forearms, elbows, shoulders, spine, knees, shins, and heels as the eight limbs. They were the foundation and core of this martial art. This was the first time Julien was looking into a real martial arts manual. He had read novels in the past but they were fiction and this was real life. As he read this, he understood what writers writing fictional novels meant about the protagonist having a hard time comprehending the manuals. In this scroll, the pictures showed the actions one had to do, but the descriptions were too vague and unrelated to the pictures. Taking the first limb, the fists as an example. There were pictures guiding how to strike, but the description stated: "The secret lies not in muscle, but in intent¡ªa strike must declare victory before it lands." Julien had zero clue on what the fuck it meant. Reading further, in the elbows section, there were just three lines. "The elbows are sharpened axes, meant to carve flesh and shatter armor." "They strike with no warning, turning speed into lethality." "Even the strongest warriors fall when their joints are broken." Once again, Julien failed to comprehend whatever was being said within it. Upon going through more descriptions, some of the things finally started making sense. Taking the shins section for example. "The shins are the foundation of both offense and defense." "To kick is to cut, to block is to break." "The weak wield blades; the strong wield their own bodies." Now, Julien had no clue what ''to block is to break'' meant, but kicks being able to cut made quite the sense. The shin bone was a flat bone. If it was angled enough and conditioned to be sharp, it could technically cut someone. How he could make his shins so conditioned was a mystery though. For the next hour, Julien read and tried to comprehend what was written in the manual. He went through all eight limbs and when he reached the end, there was something written in faint ink, almost on the verge of disappearing. -The Forbidden Ninth Principle- "When flesh and bones are no longer enough, the soul itself must strike." A warrior who reaches the peak of Eight Limbs¡­ That was the last sentence that could be read. Everything else was smudged and too faint. When Julien was done reading, he thought, ''This is certainly not going to be easy. I barely understand the things written and I just hope that I don''t comprehend it wrongly and mess myself up.'' It would''ve been great if there was a Master teaching him this. Sadly, in a world of Arcana Cards, martial arts were rare. At the lower ranks, since everyone only had three cards, they worked in groups to tackle challenges and had basic weapons mastery for physical combat. The most preferred weapon was a sword and almost everyone had an idea on how to parry attacks. Martial arts were unheard of in this world. It was thus going to be really difficult to understand this, but Julien thought that as he progressed, he may start to understand more of the scroll''s content. If he reached a bottleneck, maybe he could ask El? Julien decided to not worry about this. He stood up and began practicing the contents of the scroll. The first was the fists. He did some basic punches and shadow boxing with absolute horrendous form. He had no idea about footwork or how to land a jab or cross. He kept throwing punches however he knew of. An hour later. Julien was exhausted from his training. He did not have enough stamina or endurance to continue and decided to rest. He took note of a few things after the practice was over. First and foremost, he needed equipment to train. He needed a punching bag and a sparring partner. The sparring partner was not a problem. Jackie could help him, so that issue was solved. Other things to take note of was that he wouldn''t get stronger by learning these techniques. He would definitely know how to attack or defend, but he would not necessarily have the power or strength. To build strength, he had to build muscles and explosiveness. It would require a new training regime altogether. There was no secret hack other than to train hard. It was real life, not a novel where one could just drink some herbal tea and build a strong physique. Training, nutrition, hydration, rest, recovery¡­ all these factors came into play in real life. It sounded exhausting, but Julien had to bear with it. A good physique could be built with sheer hard work and luck was thankfully not an important factor. He went to take a bath after his workout and had some food. When done, it was the afternoon so he decided to take a nap. After waking up, Julien had the second workout of the which was strength training and had dinner with Jackie and Amelia. He went to sleep with Amelia and for the next few days, the same monotonous schedule was repeated. A few days passed. Julien felt a need for sparring to understand his strengths and shortcomings. He went to Jackie''s room, looking for her. Knocking on the door, he heard Amelia''s gentle voice. "Come in." Going inside, Julien found Jackie resting on the bed, breathing heavily with her face being red like a tomato. "Huh? Jackie?" Julien quickly made his way towards Jackie''s bed to inspect her. Amelia was changing the wet cloth on Jackie''s forehead and trying to keep her fever down. "What happened? Why''s Jackie suddenly sick?" Julien asked, touching Jackie''s face and finding it really hot. Amelia had a concerned look on her face as she shook her head and said, "I cannot tell, Master. He did not come down for breakfast today so when I came to check, I found him curled up with extreme fever." "Fever?" Amelia nodded. "With how high Jackie''s body temperature is, a normal person would''ve died by now." "What!?" Chapter 122 122: The Light of Primordial One Jackie was breathing heavily as her fever shot up. Neither Amelia nor Julien had any idea on what they were supposed to do. Nobody was home either to help. When in peril and having no clue what to do, Julien contacted El. For reasons unknown, she always answered when he called her daddy in his mind. The same happened and Julien had a quick chat with her regarding Jackie''s condition. From her, he came to know an important thing. Jackie wasn''t actually sick. She was undergoing a trial from her constellation and was being punished. Her constellation was holy, divine, and someone from the absolute good side. Jackie on the other hand leaned more towards the demonic side. The first few times, the Light of Primordial One had ignored her cold-blooded ways, but after the Floor 27''s incident, divine retribution finally descended. El clearly stated that there was nothing Julien could do to help Jackie. This was a battle she had to fight herself. Having no choice, Julien sat beside her and kept watch. Amelia did the same. The two waited for Jackie to be back to good health. ¡­.. It was a rainy day. Thunder sprawled the dark skies. In the Kingdom of Reningrad, within the four walls of a towering castle, the First Lady of the Vicross House had given birth. Birth complications had made her sickly pale. The maids placed the newborn in her embrace. There was not a single smile on anyone''s face, the First Lady''s included. Struggling to breathe, the First Lady stared at her newborn. She closed her eyes as the reality sinked in. Nobody said a single word. The baby didn''t cry either. It was devastatingly silent. "My baby¡­" the First Lady opened her eyes and said tenderly to her newborn, her eyes moist. "Mommy won''t be able to watch you grow¡­ but I hope, one day, you''ll find it in your heart to forgive me." The First Lady lovingly kissed her baby. She tried her best to not burst into tears and said to the maid nearby, "Are the preparations done?" "Yes, M''lady." "Take her away then." The First Lady said and gestured to take the baby in her hands away. The maid came closer and tried to take her, but the First Lady''s hands refused to let her child go. "M''lady¡­" the maid felt her heart ache, watching a mother get separated from her child. "I''m sorry¡­" the First Lady hugged her child, reluctant to part ways. "Just a minute more¡­" She said as tears streamed down her eyes, falling onto the baby''s face. "M''lady, the lord may intrude any minute." The maid reminded. If it weren''t for the fact that the baby wasn''t crying, the lord of the house would''ve barged into the room at any moment. "I''m sorry¡­ mommy is really sorry¡­" the First Lady said while crying and kissing her child. "It is not your fault, it is mine for bringing you into such a family¡­" As the lady said these lines, a knock was heard on the door. "It has been quiet for a while. Is everything fine?" A man''s voice was heard. It was the lord of the house. "Please wait a minute, Sire. The First Lady is not in a condition to see anyone." "Make her condition good then. Hurry up. I want to see my baby boy." The First Lady knew she couldn''t spend any more time with her child. She reluctantly gave her newborn to the maid and said, "Make sure no one finds you. Go as far as you can from this kingdom and never come back." "Understood, M''lady." The maid gently took the baby and bowed. "Go now." The First Lady made her go away. As the maid left, through the window, a shadow-like figure entered the room. The sound of a baby''s cry was then heard. The figure walked towards the First Lady. It was an assassin maid, holding a newborn into her embrace. "M''lady, the newborn boy you asked for." The maid said. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The First Lady held the child and gave her a slight nod. The assassin maid left, and as the baby''s cry resounded in the room, a man''s delighted sound was heard from behind the doors. "Is my boy born? I can''t wait to see him!" Saying so, the doors of the chamber opened and a tall man with a slim physique walked in. He looked at the First Lady and found her staring at the newborn. "What''s taking so long? Let me see my child!" The man said with enthusiasm. The lady did not respond. She kept staring at the child, her complexion deathly pale. "Hm?" The man felt something amiss. "M''lady?" The maids felt it too and called out. The First Lady did not respond. She kept staring at the child. "M''lady?" The healer on standby came to check on her. As she touched her forehead, the First Lady''s head drooped. "Lady Lexine!" The healer panicked and immediately checked her pulse and breathing. "Lexine?" The man frowned too. The First Lady''s eyes were dull. There was no response from her. The baby in her arms started crying loudly. Lexine did not respond. She could not respond. Her breathing had stopped. Her life had come to an end. She was no more. The man took the crying baby away. He turned around, not looking at his wife, and said while walking away, "Prepare for her funeral." Silence once again descended into the room. This time, it was louder than ever. ¡­.. "Mother!" Jackie shouted as she woke up from a long nightmare. What should''ve been the dimly lit room of the Lichtenstein Castle was instead a lush green forest by a river. The sun hung high in the sky, providing warmth and comfort, while a cool breeze flew from the river towards Jackie. "Where am I?" She wondered. "You have finally woken up." A gentle and comforting voice called out from behind. As Jackie turned around, she saw a tall, divine being with silky long greenish-silver hair standing with their hands clasped behind their back. A pair of fox-like ears stood erect on this entity''s head and a long fluffy tail swayed from behind their back. This person wore a weird set of greenish-silver clothes. The piece of cloth covered their chest, but it was then wrapped around their waist and flowed down freely. The cloth had gaps and looked like petals of a flower, revealing the tall and slender legs of this entity. A piece of silver cloth was wrapped around the person''s forearms and back of the palms, while another piece was wrapped around the ankle and heel. The shoulders, legs, arms¡­ it was all exposed. The skin was smoother and softer than Jackie''s, making her somewhat envious. The entity''s abdomen however was rather toned and had well-defined outlines of muscles. Jackie understood at one glance who it was, but she couldn''t quite make out the gender of this entity. "Lord?" Jackie asked, confused. A warm smile surfaced the entity''s face as Jackie called out, but it disappeared just as quickly. "Will you not pay your respects to your god, dear incarnation?" "Ah, my apologies." Jackie said and immediately knelt. She paid her respects properly this time and greeted her constellation. This entity was none other than the Light of Primordial One, an extremely benevolent and loving god. Jackie did not know what she had done to have god itself descend to see her, but she was quite happy and joyous to see them. Though, as she paid her respect and looked at her god, a question lingered in her mind. Was her constellation a god or a goddess? She couldn''t quite tell. The appearance was extremely androgynous and a balance of masculinity and femininity. "Arise," said god. Jackie stood up and looked at him. For now, she considered her god a male. The Light of Primordial One peered into Jackie''s bright orange eyes. "Born into a patriarchal assassin family, you were separated from your mother the day you were born. You lost her that day itself, and kept having nightmares of that incident your whole life." God recounted. For reasons unknown, Jackie never forgot the day of her birth. The scene vividly played into her mind, and there was neither more, nor less of it. As she grew up, she realized who she was, and from what family she hailed. The Kingdom of Reiningrad had a secret noble family. It was a branch of the royal family and was purely patriarchal and filled with assassins. There was not a single female child in this family for hundreds of years and all males, from the tender age of three, were trained in the ways of assassins. The life of women in the family did not matter much, and it was clearly known from the way Jackie''s mother was treated despite being the First Lady. Jackie was the first girl child to have been born here. This was not good news and her mother worked hard to keep her away from danger. As years passed and Jackie became a teenager who could look after herself, she learnt the truth about her background. It shaped her into a cold person that she now was, and was also the reason why Jackie had so much blood on her hands. Jackie wanted to be the greatest assassin out there and destroy the Vicross House that wronged her mother. From her nightmare, her constellation had deduced everything. He was the only person who knew about her in such great detail, and Jackie did not know how to process this information. Jackie sighed knowing this. She looked at her constellation and asked without hesitation, "Are you disappointed after knowing me, lord?" Chapter 123: Boys Trip The constellation shook their head at Jackie¡¯s question. "We all have a past that shapes the current us." The constellation clasped their hands behind their back. "However, it is the present that decides how we wish to be in the future." Jackie could roughly guess where this conversation was heading. "Lord¡­" Jackie said softly and respectfully with a bow. "I do not think I will change, and I apologize for it in advance." The benevolent constellation wasn¡¯t angry. Instead he stepped closer to Jackie and patted her shoulder. "You are my incarnation, you will have traits of mine. This change is inevitable." Jackie stayed silent. The Light of Primordial One moved past her and extended his palm out, having a tweeting bird land on his palm. "The bond between a constellation and incarnation is sacred. An incarnation¡¯s actions affect their constellation¡¯s strength and providence. If you do bad, I will suffer. If you do good, I¡¯ll become stronger." Jackie was given an explanation on the relationship between a constellation and their incarnation. After a certain rank, gods were mostly on an equal footing. If they did one versus one fights, none may emerge victorious. The incarnation was the variable that changed everything. They could either make their god the strongest or break them. There was no in between. It was a gamble the constellations willingly took. Jackie¡¯s action could put her constellation at a risk, but so far, she hadn¡¯t done anything to cause trouble. There was a genocide in the tutorial of Floor 0, but after that, she had been tame. The south entrance¡¯s scenario of Floor 27 was related to self defense. If Jackie did not do anything, the Players would¡¯ve hindered their ascension progress. In all instances after getting together with Julien, this was the most Jackie had done. Her constellation was naturally aware of it. There was a need to make Jackie understand the importance of being independent and doing deeds while keeping her own interests at check. If she kept killing unnecessarily, her constellation would get weaker, which would be bad for all. When Jackie understood this, she assured her constellation that she wouldn¡¯t do anything that would hurt him. They talked on this matter for quite some time, and finally, their talks came to an end when her constellation stated he had to leave now. "Conversing with an entity like me for long will corrupt your mind and soul." The Light of Primordial One said and parted ways after bidding Jackie farewell. The dream shattered. Jackie saw darkness all around her, until a heavy feeling struck her. She felt hot, extremely hot. Her groggy eyes opened up and she found herself resting in her bedroom. The lights were dim, and there were two people in the room, both fast asleep. Amelia was on one side of the bed, sleeping while keeping her hands on Jackie¡¯s bed whereas Julien had his hands folded as he leaned on the sofa¡¯s armrest and slept. Judging from the moonlight seeping in the room, it was clear that it was past midnight and a few hours before dawn. There was a cold piece of cloth on her forehead and she could see that the two had tried their best to keep her fever down. She did not wake them up. She let them sleep and felt that it was their much deserved rest. Next day. Julien and Amelia were happy to find Jackie¡¯s fever had gone down. Jackie woke up and conversed with them, easing their worries. She got out of bed, got ready, and chatted with the two over breakfast. The two were quite surprised to find that Jackie was summoned by her constellation. The entire thing felt like a fever dream, but it had actually happened in reality. Lastly, Jackie said that the two would need to stick to their constellation¡¯s traits and act accordingly. Since Julien did not have a constellation, it probably meant that he should be true to his lust path. For now, Amelia was the only one he had his hands on. He called her to his room and indulged in some forbidden wrestling. It did not give much lust points, but gave complete satisfaction to the soul. Something else had to be done. Julien had to accumulate more than a million points for his next item, which meant he had to do a lot of lustful deeds. One fine day, as he thought about what he should be doing, he found Jackie practicing in the usual butler¡¯s outfit. Squinting his eyes, an idea struck him. ¡¯How did I forget that Jackie isn¡¯t Jack, but Jacqueline¡­¡¯ Jackie was doing a good job in hiding her identity, so Julien had momentarily forgotten. ¡¯Let me test a few things out to see whether it¡¯s worth it not¡­¡¯ Thinking so, Julien called Jackie. The lass stopped training and came to him. She was slightly sweaty, but did not look as if she was training hard. Julien used his handkerchief and wiped the sweat off her forehead, saying, "You shouldn¡¯t indulge in such heavy training, Jackie. What if you get sick again?" Jackie raised her eyebrows in amusement. Before she could react, Julien wrapped his around her and pulled her into a warm hug, surprising her further. "I know you wish to prove yourself, but pushing so much will only make you sick." Julien dropped wisdom and moved his hand down to place them on her small buttocks. [Ding!] [+10 points.] Julien gently gave those a squeeze. [+15 points.] There was a multiplier available and these points were being multiplied. From a simple hug, Julien had almost gained a hundred points! "I¡¯ll keep it in mind, Master." Jackie said and nodded. She felt happy that Julien cared about her so much and strived to do much better. Julien broke the hug and said, "Well, since you should be taking a break, why don¡¯t we go on a little boys trip?" "Boys trip?" Jackie was confused. "Yeah, a trip only for us boys. We¡¯ll do our adventurous activities and take a break for half a day." Julien briefed. Jackie thought this might be something related to being a boy, so she readily agreed and took the bait. ¡¯Damn, wasn¡¯t this too easy?¡¯ Julien thought. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Some of the things he did were surprisingly smooth and his luck did not hinder him. It felt good to know. Half an hour later. Jackie met Julien in the lounge area of the castle. Amelia was in the temple and busy doing her priestess duties. It was just them and a few maids. The first thing Julien did as part of their boys activities was go hunting. He took a few maids along to set up the tents and everything, and rode horses with Jackie to hunt some rabbits. Jackie was good at horse riding, almost a natural, whereas Julien struggled to even get onto one. They spent a few hours in the woods and Jackie caught a few rabbits while Julien had no luck. His horse startled all animals and he couldn¡¯t hunt any. They came back to their tent area with the hunt and the rabbits were given to the maids to cook over an open campfire. Julien and Jackie washed up and sat by this same campfire. It was dusk and starting to get dark. "Sigh¡­ what tough luck¡­" Julien said as he sat closer to Jackie on a piece of large log by the campfire. Jackie shrugged. "It happens, Master." She was in a good mood and replied. At somewhat of a distance from the two, there were a few maids, working on preparing dinner. Julien looked at Jackie and shook his head with a smile. "Let¡¯s forget about the hunt. Let¡¯s have some boy talks instead." "Hm?" Jackie didn¡¯t know what this meant. Julien got closer to her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a side hug, and pointed at one of the beautiful maids. "Look at those beauties. Do you fancy any of them, Jackie?" Julien suddenly said, catching Jackie off guard. "Eh!?" Jackie didn¡¯t know how to react to this. Julien made a pondering face as he gazed at the maids. "Hmm¡­ I think you should try your luck with the lady cutting the rabbit. She seems easy to approach. Mind you though, the maids of the castle may seem friendly, but not all are easily approachable. You should strike whenever you find an opportunity!" Julien was spouting nonsense, but Jackie got flustered. ¡¯Shit. Do I have to try and pick up a maid? Is this what boy¡¯s night out is?¡¯ Looking at her panicking face, Julien¡¯s lips curved into a faint smirk. He pointed at another maid and continued, "That one isn¡¯t as easy to approach, but I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be the best match for you. What do you say?" "Huh? Wait, uh¡­" Chapter 124 124: Teaching Jackie The Ways [R-18] Jackie was greatly flustered and did not know what she was supposed to do. Watching her hesitate, Julien patted her back. "Don''t worry, they won''t bite. Just shoot your shot." "Master, I don''t think I can." Jackie said it straight. "Why?" "I just can''t." Jackie stayed firm. Julien pretended to feel something being off. He rubbed his chin and asked, "Are you perhaps a virgin, Jackie?" "Eh!?" Jackie''s face flushed red. "Ah¡­ so you really are¡­" Julien said and shook his head with a smile. "These young virgins¡­ phew¡­ they be so afraid¡­" Julien said and shook his head, as if he was a veteran complaining about the current youth''s behavior. Jackie was further confused by this. Julien got close to her and placed his arm around her shoulders. "Look, Jackie. Those ladies are aware of what goes on during hunts. It''s a night of alcohol and steamy sex. Don''t be so afraid." The wisdom did not enlighten Jackie, it rather made her think, ''The problem isn''t with shooting my shot, Master. It''s about what happens later!'' "I can''t. I just can''t." Jackie continued to reject and didn''t make a move. Julien took a step back here. "What seems to be the problem?" He rubbed her back and continued, "You seem to be a fine young lad. With how cute you look, you''d surely be popular with the ladies." Jackie''s ears turned red. She did not dislike the compliment, but it also didn''t help, given how she wasn''t a guy per se. Jackie meekly shook her head. "Master, there is a problem. It''s with me. I have a problem, so I can''t do this." "What is it? Feel free to say it. We can work this out." Julien said calmly and wondered what excuse Jackie would make. "Master¡­ that¡­" Jackie quickly tried to come up with an excuse. So far nothing came to her mind, but soon, she found a reason. "Yes! That! It''s that!" Jackie exclaimed, thinking of a valid excuse. "What?" Julien couldn''t tell what she meant. "Master¡­ I have that problem¡­ I cannot do it." Jackie said, her face being as red as a tomato. "What that problem, Jackie? I won''t know if you don''t say it." Jackie looked down and hesitated, before saying, "I-it''s¡­ it''s small!" She turned around and hid her face. It was too embarrassing to say that and she knew her Master would laugh out loud. Contrary to her expectations though, Julien did not laugh. He instead had concern flash on his face. "I see. So it was about that. And here I thought it was something major." Julien sighed in relief. It was of course just him pretending to be relieved. He held a glass of water in his hand and sipped on it, saying, "It is not about the size of the tool, but the way you use it, Jackie." "Huh?" Jackie was taken aback and stared at Julien. Julien swirled the glass of water in his hand, looking at it as if he was inspecting the viscosity of an expensive wine. "Mine''s not that great in size either. But the job gets done." Julien answered, further confusing Jackie. She wasn''t a guy so she did not understand the meaning behind these words. Julien then turned to her. "Do you not believe what I say?" "Me¡­ um¡­" Jackie fidgeted, unsure of what she should be saying. Julien sighed and got up. "Fine. I guess there''s no other way than to give you a demonstration." He held Jackie''s hand and pulled her away from the campfire, into the woods. "Come with me." "M-m-master!?!" Jackie was surprised, shocked, embarrassed, and really confused about her current situation. What even was happening!? The sun had almost set by now. It was dark in the woods, so Jackie couldn''t see Julien''s face and neither could he see hers properly. He stopped by a group of tall trees from where he could barely see the campfire. Julien then turned to Jackie. "Look, let me tell you beforehand, your Master is not into boys." "What¡­" What was Jackie supposed to do with this information? Julien continued, "And this is all for educational purposes. I really wish for the best of you, so I hope this clears out any insecurity you may have¡­" Saying so, Julien pulled his pants down. Jackie couldn''t see anything because of the darkness. Julien wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. The flustered Jackie did not even make a sound anymore, just felt her body heat up. She was too close to her Master right now and could feel his body''s warmth. Jackie then felt her hand getting grabbed. It was made to move towards something hot and hard. She did not know what got to her, but she accidentally held the thing. It was only then did she realize, ''Oh no¡­'' Julien whispered in Jackie''s ears, "There¡­ can you feel the size? It''s not big. It fits in one hand¡­" Jackie gulped nervously. What was this situation!? What was she supposed to do and make of this? Julien placed his hand over Jackie''s and made her run it down on his shaft, getting a complete feel of it. He then made her stroke it and said, "Mine''s as average as it could get. I''m sure yours isn''t smaller than this, is it?" Julien''s shaft was just five inches when fully erect. It was below average at best. Jackie didn''t know the sizes, but she felt whatever Julien had just said made sense. Hence, she hummed in agreement and let herself flow with the situation, not thinking for herself. Watching her say ''hmm'', Julien''s lips curved up. "I''m sure you must be wondering how I''m able to satisfy my ladies. And you also might be thinking how to do it yourself. Let me teach you the ways." "M-master¡ª" "Shhh¡­"Julien placed a finger on her lips. He then turned her around and made her take support of the tree in front. Sticking his face to hers from behind, Julien continued, "Don''t worry, it''s not gay if it''s educational. Plus, I''m your Master, so this doesn''t count." ''What do you mean this doesn''t count!?!'' Jackie exclaimed internally. ''And why is he saying it like that, what is he trying to¡ª'' Jackie''s thoughts were cut off when she felt her pants being unbuckled and pulled down. A cool breeze blew on her lady-bits and made her yelp in fright. Her cover was blown! Julien covered her mouth when she made more noise and said in a low and soft voice, "Shh. Shh. It''s okay, no need to worry. I won''t touch your front because that''ll be¡­ hm¡­ quite gay. Let me teach you everything from behind." Jackie''s eyes widened in shock. She really couldn''t tell what was happening anymore. Julien''s hand slithered down and grabbed a handful of her soft buns. They were small but quite soft to touch. He then rubbed his shaft in between those buns and whispered, "Remember, if your dingus is small, you must never date a lady with big assets. If you do that¡­" Julien parted her perky cheeks and pushed his cock''s tip on her tight puckered flower, making her gasp. "¡­.that''s right." Julien responded. "You''ll not be able to make it past the cheek meat and reach this place." Julien then brought lube from the lust shop. He used a bit of it on his shaft and Jackie''s behind, making her feel chilly and gasp again. She breathed heavily and thought, ''Oh lord¡­ I can''t tell if Master has a few screws loose or the fault lies with me that I''m getting turned on by this¡­ this is so wrong¡­ I''m a guy¡­ I mean, I''m acting like a guy and Master doesn''t know I''m a girl. He''s doing all of this while thinking that I am¡­ I am¡­ oh no¡­'' While Jackie had some doubts about this, Julien slipped one of his fingers in her back door. Before she could react however, he said, "Now don''t get me wrong. I am doing this purely to educate you and let your insecurities vanish. It concerns me greatly that my precious Jackie can''t get together with a lady because he thinks his tool may not work properly." ''H-h-his precious¡­!?'' Jackie was distracted and did not notice the finger within her. Julien heard a lot of point notifications as he crossed these barriers, but silenced them all to enjoy the moment. He continued, "Feel it and memorize the technique, Jackie. I won''t demonstrate it again, because two guys doing it is¡­ you know¡­ well you know it." Julien pulled his finger out and pressed his shaft on her somewhat relaxed hole. He then whispered softly, "Make sure to relax your lady with soft neck kisses like these¡­" Julien kissed Jackie''s nape, making her legs tremble and wetness to form in between her legs. Jackie bit her lip and tried her best to not let any moans slip out! Julien then pushed his shaft slowly inside her. "Try to relax. If you don''t, it''ll hurt us both. Also, make sure to take your time. It''s quite tight and rushing won''t do any good." Julien blabbered nonsense and stopped only when he felt a warm tightness all around his shaft. He was balls deep within Jackie''s ass in a few moments. He grinded his shaft inside her and did slight thrusts, trying to hit her weak spots. "Ah~" Jackie''s moan slipped out when her sweet spot was finally hit. Julien grabbed onto it and thrust more, making her moan further. "This¡­ this is how the lady will feel pleasure. You are supposed to do this, but then again, it won''t make you feel good. So what you''re supposed to do is¡­" Julien pulled his hips back until his shaft was almost out, then thrust it back in. Slap! Slap! Slap! Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He began pounding Jackie''s insides and lewd slapping sounds resounded in the silent forest. Jackie kept moaning and didn''t care anymore. This felt too good, and at the end of the day, she was a girl too. She wanted to enjoy this pleasure, even if it felt guilty to do so! "Ahhh¡­ Ahhh¡­ M-Master¡­" Jackie moaned. Julien rammed Jackie''s back for a good three minutes and without warning, grabbed her love handles and came deep inside her. Jackie shivered in pleasure as she reached an orgasm. Her toes curled and she had trouble standing still. She kept gasping, and Julien gasped too. This was too weird of a sex, but hey, Julien was too far into the orgasm to care. When the post-orgasm bliss settled down and the two wore their clothes, it was an awkward back to the campfire. Jackie couldn''t see Julien in the eyes and it was the same for him. Julien felt¡­ Ashamed. ''What have I done?'' Chapter 125: Visiting Aunt Night had descended. The fire crackled and the aroma of roast rabbit permeated the air. Julien and Jackie sat by the campfire, both next to each other. The distance between them wasn¡¯t much but neither spoke to the other. As Jackie sat, she felt her behind ache. There was also her Master¡¯s cum within her, making her feel unknown emotions. Julien did not regret his decision. Though he had to see what the consequences of that were. He checked Jackie¡¯s Favorability in the system and was shocked to see the number. [Favorability: 94] The favorability had increased! It had increased quite a lot and was so close to being 100! Since the Favorability did not decrease, it meant Jackie didn¡¯t hate it. Julien cleared his throat to catch her attention. Jackie turned to him. "Now you know how it is. I hope you make your Master proud from now on." Julien shamelessly said. Jackie¡¯s eyebrow twitched. "Yes." She didn¡¯t say anything more. The maids arrived at this point. They brought a tray full of food, but with how stunning they seemed, they looked more delicious than the food. Julien couldn¡¯t tell whether he was innately perverted or it was the lust system making him have such thoughts. Whatever the case, he didn¡¯t mind either of those things. Change was necessary. He couldn¡¯t be a passive beta and had to up his game. The two maids left after serving food and Julien was back to being with Jackie. "So, has your head cooled off a bit? Are you still feeling sick?" Julien asked, changing topic. Jackie nodded her head. She was alright now. "Good to know. Then¡­" S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Julien began talking about miscellaneous stuff until they had food. When he was done, he said good night to Jackie and went to his tent. Jackie left too, and the night eventually passed. Next day, Jackie had trouble walking. The maids found it somewhat suspicious but Jackie made an excuse stating she twisted her ankle and Julien vouched for her. They came back to the castle and went about doing their everyday things. Julien trained in his newfound martial arts. Jackie trained in her ways of a spiritualist assassin. Amelia prayed to god and became a stronger priestess everyday. A week passed doing these monotonous tasks. Finally, Julien got a letter from his family. It stated that it would take some time for everyone to return. For now, his aunt Lorene was home and Julien could visit her if he felt alone or bored. The Ravenwood Duchy was self-reliant, unlike the other places. Eleanor had ensured it did not collapse even in her absence or got destroyed by stronger foes. Since such was the case, even if none from the Lichtenstein House were present, nothing would happen to the duchy. Julien was thus free to do whatever he wanted. He did not have the responsibility of his territory or the people on him. Julien took Amelia and Jackie along with him to his aunt¡¯s place. Knocking on the door of her treehouse, a yell from the inside was heard. "Come in!" Lorene invited the three inside. "Aunt, where are you?" Julien asked once he was in. "Upstairs, watching television." Lorene said loudly. His aunt was a lazy bum, and this world had magical devices that worked like proper modern equipment. Television wasn¡¯t uncommon and it displayed a variety of things such war, theater, cooking, politics, and adventures. "Jackie, if you go straight and take the second left, you¡¯ll find the kitchen. Take Amelia with you and bring some snacks upstairs." Julien instructed. "There¡¯s no maids here, so we gotta do everything ourselves." "Understood." Jackie nodded and left with Amelia. Julien went upstairs to see his aunt. It was a windy passage but with the sound of television on full blast, he was quickly able to locate her room. Opening the door and walking in, Julien found himself in a dimly lit room. The only source of illumination was a lamp in the corner and the bright television in another corner. In the middle of the room was a bean bag. Lorene lay on it wearing a baggy top that could reach the middle of her thighs. The keyword here was ¡¯could¡¯. As she lay on her stomach with her hips raised, the top succumbed to gravity and exposed her smooth, perky peaches. Lorene wasn¡¯t wearing any panties either, so entering the room led to Julien getting flashed immediately. "Aunt¡­" Julien said as he walked towards her. Lorene turned to the side to see him. "You¡¯re here." Lorene said and waved at him. "Grab yourself some drinks and snacks from the kitchen if you want." "I¡¯ve asked my subordinates to bring some." Julien replied. "That aside, aren¡¯t you too defenseless?" "Defenseless?" Lorene asked back, wondering what he meant. Julien reached her side and bent a bit to unceremoniously grab her pillowy soft butt. "You do know that I¡¯m a guy, right? Shouldn¡¯t you cover up knowing I¡¯m here?" "Hm? You?" Lorene had a proper look at Julien and smirked. "Pfft¡­ why would I be worried about you being a guy and being near me?" His aunt perhaps did not get it. Julien slithered his hand in between her legs and rubbed his fingers against her velvety lips, surprising her. "I¡¯d get really stimulated and won¡¯t that be bad for all of us?" Lorene finally understood. "Ah, so that¡¯s what you mean." Lorene then shook her hand. "Though I don¡¯t think there¡¯s going to be any problem with that. I¡¯m an old lady, how could I turn you on anyway? Don¡¯t you youngsters prefer young blood?" "There¡¯s no such thing as that. And you¡¯re not old. You¡¯re a beautiful lady. It¡¯s to the point that if you aren¡¯t careful, I might end up eating you and not spare even the bones." Lorene was taken aback by the comment. She turned over and looked at her nephew with raised eyebrows. This boy had gotten more confident, cheeky, and perverted, all at the same time since the last time she was him. It wasn¡¯t a bad development. Lorene quite liked his behavior. Smiling, Lorene extended her hands out and pulled him on her, stuffing his back in between her big breasts. "It seems I do need to be on guard. Well, we¡¯ll see to that later. I¡¯m busy right now and need to see this war. Be quiet." Lorene then turned over again, putting Julien below her and suffocating him. "Hngh, aunt¡­" Getting pinned down on a bean bag by an almost nude sexy mature lady wasn¡¯t on his list, but oh well, it was not like he minded. Julien grabbed this lady¡¯s ass for support and scooted to get comfortable on the bean bag. [+ 3 lust points] [+2 lust points] [+2 lust points] The notification kept ringing in his head. The points were getting multiplied due to the multiplier, so every naughty touch and deed gave him lots and lots of points. If Julien did these naughty deeds everyday, accumulating a million points or even ten million points within six months wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Julien silenced the notifications and focused on his aunt before him. He decided to test just how far he could go. Julien kneaded her butt like dough and sucked on her nipple from over her clothes. Lorene caressed his hair and said, "Hm, don¡¯t be naughty, my dear." Julien did not heed her commands. He became more audacious and moved his palm over her pussy, cupping it and feeling the softness. Lorene was absorbed in watching tv and did not mind. Julien then inserted his middle finger into her tight and wet fuckhole. Her insides resisted the intrusion but he skillfully made it all the way deep. He curled his finger and tried to find her sweet spots. Lorene stopped watching tv and looked at Julien below. She pulled his cheek and said, "Can you let me watch this? It¡¯s important. If you want to play with this old lady, you can do it later." "Aunt, I told you, you¡¯re not old. And no, I wanna play now." Julien slipped another finger inside, making Lorene gasp. "So stubborn." She smiled and shook her head. She pulled his cheek again and said, "You¡¯re only allowed to do one thing, okay?" ¡¯One? That¡¯s a lot more than what I expected!¡¯ Julien nodded in understanding. He was about to get to work, but a knock on the door broke his immersion. "Master, can we come in?" Chapter 126 126: Caused the War [R-18] "Master, can we come in?" The words made Lorene chuckle softly. "Looks like your subordinates are here." Julien, with two of his fingers still inside her warm pussy, said, "That won''t be a problem." "You can''t have your aunt be seen in such a state, can you?" Lorene asked. Julien nodded. "Yes. No one will see you, don''t worry." Julien then turned to the door and said, "Amelia, come in. Jackie, please stand guard." When he said that, the door of the room opened and the priestess in red robes entered, holding a tray full of food and drinks. Amelia may be blind, but she never had trouble navigating and sensing how many people were in the room. Lorene looked at her and saw the blindfold, then remembered who she was and raised her eyebrows in surprise. ''She is beautiful¡­'' This was the lady her nephew was dating, if she seemed to recall correctly. "Please put the tray on the table." Julien said. Amelia did as asked, and when done, Julien asked her to settle down with Jackie in any room they wished. Julien and his aunt would attend to them shortly. Neither Amelia nor Jackie had a problem with this. If his aunt was normal, they would''ve met right away, but oh well¡­ farming lust points was important. After Amelia was gone, Lorene looked at Julien and pulled his cheek. "That was the same girl you almost got pregnant, right?" "Yes." Julien didn''t deny. "Hm¡­ she seems so innocent. You better treat her well." Lorene let go of his cheek and responded. Julien smiled. "I will. I am very gentle." "Gentle? I think you''re very naughty instead." Lorene replied. Julien''s fingers were still inside her, caressing her sweet spots. It wasn''t wrong of her to state this. "I haven''t even done anything naughty." Julien said. Lorene smiled and shook her head, not speaking anymore. She focused on the war on tv again and got busy. Julien was fully clothed and they were becoming a hindrance in his happy time. He got up and undressed, then was about to go back in position, but his aunt''s nude behind was quite tempting and he wanted a bite of these peaches. Parting her legs, he kneeled between them and had a close look at her dripping pink flower. He caressed the velvety lips with his finger and kissed it, tasting the salty sweetness. "Mhm¡­ nephew¡­" Lorene moaned and got up. She made Julien get back on the bean bag and got on top of him. Staring into his eyes, she continued, "That''s too much playing for today." She went back to watching tv again. Julien raised his eyebrows in surprise. He couldn''t quite get his aunt. She didn''t reject his advances, and she definitely did not mind him eating her out. It was just that, she really wanted to watch the war on tv. Grabbing hold of this sweet lady''s peaches, Julien pressed his shaft against her bare pussy. He looked at the tv upside-down and asked, "You seemed to be quite interested in that war, aunt. What''s so special about it?" Lorene ran her fingers through his hair and replied, "An empire is falling and a new rule will be established. I am witnessing history." "Isn''t that quite normal though?" Empires kept rising and falling. What was so special about this? "It is. But this one¡­" Lorene turned to Julien. Her lips curved into a faint smirk and she continued, "¡­your aunt caused it." "Hm?" sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lorene turned back to watching tv and said, "I am the reason that empire is falling. Wouldn''t I be interested in seeing its end?" Surprised flashed in Julien''s eyes. His lazy, shut-in aunt was the reason for such a war? How? How was this possible? Julien was less interested in doing naughty things and more interested in knowing his aunt now. "How''s that possible? Aren''t you home most of the time? When did you get the time to go out and cause that?" Lorene chuckled softly. "I stay at home because I have a lot of things to look after. Your mother, no, in fact everyone in the family doesn''t know what I do. They think I''m a shut-in who likes to laze around and I don''t bother correcting them." "Eh? There''s such a big secret!?" Julien was baffled. "Of course." Lorene smiled and ruffled his hair. "Why else do you think your mommy hates me? She feels that I have a lot of potential and am wasting it by staying home." ''So it was like this?'' Julien got to know more about his family. "Why don''t you tell them then?" Lorene shook her head. "It''s better if some things are hidden. I like the image they have of me now. I get a lot of privileges such as not being given any work." "¡­" Julien was speechless. "Wow. And why did you say this to me? What if I snitch?" Lorene tenderly looked at Julien. She was still smiling and asked, "Will you?" Julien''s heart was struck with an arrow. Mature motherly ladies with a gentle tone were his weakness. He didn''t even realize he had one until one. Julien cleared his throat. "I won''t." "Then that''s settled." Lorene kissed his forehead. "Let aunt watch the war now." The war was very important and Lorene did not have time to converse. For some reason, as this conversation was over, and Lorene did not give him any attention, Julien felt like a neglected child. Julien planned to curb his horniness, but now had his mind changed. He slid his shaft from her front to the bottom and placed the tip on her lewd opening. He slowly pushed it in, but right then, Lorene gazed at him with raised eyebrows. "My dearest nephew¡­" her tone was gentle yet again. "You mustn''t cross that line." Usually, Julien would agree and not do what he wasn''t asked to do. But right now¡­ Julien kept pushing his cock deeper into her vagina until he felt a restriction. "My dear¡­" Lorene''s eyebrows quivered. She felt nervous. "There is still time, please think¡ªnnghhh~¡­" Lorene hugged Julien tightly as he thrust his cock all the way inside, feeling the spasming pussy walls massage his cock. A warm liquid trickled down his shaft and Julien could guess that it was blood. He just took his aunt''s virginity. "Aunt¡­" Julien called her. Lorene looked at him with a somewhat pained gaze. Julien kissed her supple lips and grabbed her peaches, slowly pulling his shaft out and sliding it in again. Lorene reciprocated the kiss. It felt amazing and really turned her on. However¡­ Lorene broke the kiss and stared at Julien. She pulled his cheek and said with knitted brows, "You''re rebelling now, huh? It seems your mom isn''t disciplining you at all." To say this with such a straight face while having her insides stuffed¡­ what an amusing sight. Julien moved his hips and felt Lorene''s inside tighten as she moaned. This position felt uncomfortable. He let her rest on her stomach and got behind her, getting the same sight he first saw when he entered the room. It was tempting and he really wanted to be in her. It took less than ten minutes to accomplish this goal, even though he did not have such plans beforehand. Julien parted her ass cheeks again. Instead of his fingers or face, he rubbed his shaft on her softness and slid it deep. "Mhmm~" Lorene moaned. She was having trouble looking at tv, but in such a position, she could finally focus. Pah! Pah! Pah! Julien rammed his hips on her jiggly peaches and hit her deep. "Ah~ Ah~¡­ slow¡­ slow down, my dear¡­" Lorene turned to the side and said with hot breaths. Her insides tightened and felt really warm and slippery. Julien didn''t give her a hard time and slowed down. Lorene could focus again. Julien kept going for a couple of minutes, and his legs soon became numb. He changed positions and sat down on the bean bag, putting his aunt in a seated cowgirl position. Her big jugs bounced and her lewd juices spread on Julien''s legs. He took off her cloth and grabbed the bouncing pink pearls with his teeth, biting and nibbling on them. A few more minutes later, Julien tightly grabbed her ass and stretched her pussy as deep as he could, shooting a big warm load inside her womb. "Annghhh~" Lorene trembled and had an orgasm, her back arching beautifully. Julien caressed her back and gently licked her sensitive nipples. "Haah¡­ Haah¡­" Lorene gasped for breath. She looked down once her orgasm subsided and raised her eyebrow in surprise. She then turned to Julien and pulled his cheek again. "Owf. Aunff you wfil riff if off¡­" Julien said as he felt a stinging pain. "Not only did you cross the line, my dearest nephew, you have audaciously creampied me. What will happen if I get pregnant?" Lorene complained. "Don''t worry¡­ you won''t get pregnant¡­" Julien assured her. He had been taking birth control pills everyday now since they did not have any side effects. "And what makes you say that?" Lorene asked, wondering where his confidence came from. "I have my reasons. But if you want proof, you can ask Amelia about it. We''ve done it regularly and she hasn''t gotten pregnant." Julien said, as a matter of fact. "I''ll ask her." Lorene nodded. Julien''s shaft was erect again at this point and it twitched inside Lorene. "Another round?" He shamelessly asked. "Youngsters sure are full of vigor¡­" Lorene smiled and shook her head. "Do it slowly. I have something important to discuss with you." "Alright." Julien nodded and the two got absorbed in conversation and lewd sex. Chapter 127 127: Multiple Options [R-18] The world had three continents ¡ª Kalindor, Varethis, and Ul''Theron. Kalindor was the continent of Kingdoms where all humans stayed. Varethis was the continent of ancient gods and other humanoid species like the Elves and Dwarves. Ul''Theron was the continent of untamed savages, beasts, and tribes. The latter two weren''t talked about by Lorene as they weren''t important for now. She went deeper into the continent of Kalindor and stated where Julien was in that. In Kalindor, there were multiple kingdoms. Silverose lay in the Southwest part on this chunk of land. The neighboring countries of Silverose were the Vermilion Empire, the Aurelian Theocracy, and the Laminsk Confederation. The Kingdom was landlocked by these places and did not have access to the sea. All these kingdoms shared borders with each other and were naturally in conflict. They however did not touch the Silverose Kingdom and treated it as a neutral zone for a multitude of reasons. First and foremost, it was home to one of the world''s most powerful and influential figures¡ªDuchess Eleanor Von Lichtenstein. Nobody wanted to offend her. And the second biggest reason was¡­ "Me." Lorene said proudly. "Your aunt is the reason they do not dare have a conflict with us." In the middle of the dimly lit room, Julien was seated on the bean and had Lorene on her lap. His hands sunk in his aunt''s soft peaches as he held them, providing her support. Her big milkers slapped his face multiple times as she bounced on his lap, and the pink tips refused to get into his mouth, rendering him unable to have a taste. It was only Julien''s shaft having the time of its life as it got squeezed by the soft slippery warmth of Lorene''s insides. This lady was slowly moving up and down his shaft, ensuring her walls gripped his cock hard, and threatened to milk him dry. Julien''s entire attention was on this beautiful lady''s words as she said that. "Do you want to know is that the case?" Julien nodded. Lorene stopped bouncing to let Julien focus better. Though he was still distracted by how her vaginal walls kept spasming and massaging his dick. "Your aunt controls the Laminsk Confederation. On the surface that place looks normal, but in reality it is a dark alliance of assassins, mercenaries, and rogues. It contains a loose network of hidden cities, black markets, and various evil organizations. Your aunt has control on most of them, which in turn helps her have a connection to most places around the world." Lorene casually showed off, shocking Julien. She continued, "The reason I''m telling you this is because I feel you should invest your time in better opportunities. You have almost a month before your main quest starts. Why not involve yourself in some politics and war, getting a firsthand experience of such things?" This was Lorene''s main motive to have a conversation with him in the middle of their steamy time. She wanted the best for him and didn''t want to delay things. After understanding the gist of the matter, Julien didn''t reply yet. He switched positions and placed her aunt in a missionary. The view of her bare pussy being stretched by his shaft was right below while her big breasts spilled due to gravity. He bent down and gave her a hard few pumps, ramming it deep and hitting her weak spots. "Ahh. Ahh. Ahh¡­ young man¡­ young man¡­" Lorene wrapped her legs around Julien''s waist and pulled him, ensuring his shaft was lodged deep in her and couldn''t move. She put a hand on his chest and said with heated breaths, "Slow down, will you? What''s with the sudden change in mood?" "Well, I know where this conversation is going, and I am sure that I will be leaving your place after this. Thus, I am trying to make the most out of our time." Julien said innocently, making Lorene blink in surprise. She was stupefied for a good few seconds. "You thought of that far?" She asked. Julien began moving again, feeling the wet, slippery slide. "Yeah? Is there a problem?" "Ahn¡­ oh¡­ my¡­ such a smart boy¡­" Lorene was impressed and turned on both, her brain juggling between complimenting Julien, feeling horny, and processing the words she had to say next about the experiences he shall have. She cupped his nape and brought his face closer to hers. "You know what¡­" she said softly. "Fuck aunt to your heart''s content. We''ll talk about this later." The slight dirty talk instantly turned on Julien. With renewed vigor, he kept pounding her as fast and hard as he could. As his climaxed near, he could feel Lorene''s insides spasm a lot harder, her grip tightening. A minute later. "Ah, yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Keep hitting there!!" Lorene moaned loudly and her nails dug into Julien''s back as she hugged him tighter. Julien did not stop moving and was at his wits end. A few more pumps later, he grasped her love hands hard enough to have his prints on it and grunted, shooting his second load into her. "Nnghhh~!" Lorene grunted too as she reached an orgasm. She shivered and hugged Julien for support. He planted soft kisses on her neck, and after unloading twice in a short time, he went limp. The two stayed in each other''s embrace for some time and enjoyed the company. Lorene made sweet whispers of love while caressing Julien''s hair while he did something similar while circling his tongue around her nipples and gently nibbling on them. They stayed like that for a good ten minutes. "Alright, you can tell me what it is now. I''m ready." Julien said. Lorene nodded. She turned to the tv and showed him the war. Troops of men in red and black outfits were clashing against men in clean blue and white uniforms. The men in white were fewer in numbers but were on par with the large crowd of close combat fighters. They were on the losing end and it was a classic example of mages being better than warriors. Mages were strong against warriors. Warriors were strong against assassins. Assassins were strong against mages. That''s how the cycle was. If the men in black had assassins who could take the most damage dealers, they would''ve been at an advantage. But so far, they seemed to be losing. "The men in black are the Vermillion Empire and the men in white are the Aurelian Theocracy. The two armies are clashing for a major dispute." Julien nodded in understanding and continued to listen. "That is one area you can venture and explore. You can see what''s causing the war and what you can do. Maybe you can fight for any one of the two and make them win or maybe you can make them reconcile and establish peace. The possibility is endless." Julien nodded again. Lorene then changed the channel and showed a normal town in a random kingdom. "That looks like a quiet town in the Laminsk Confederation, but it isn''t. It gets noisy after midnight when the black markets open up. You can go there and see which organizations are ruling. Maybe you can topple some or maybe you can join some. It''s dangerous and your life could be taken, so I wouldn''t recommend it." Lorene then switched channel again. She showed him the Crown Prince Malkov Vanderbilt. "Look at that guy, he''s up to something fishy." Malkov was on his way to a masquerade party. Only a few nobles were invited there. The guest list was unknown. The channel only showed the Prince attending the Masquerade and did not show the inside as their entry was restricted. Lorene then changed the channel again, putting something irrelevant on. She then turned to Julien. "Tell me, which one would you like? Tail the Crown Prince and see what he''s up to? Go to Laminsk and interact with the Dark Organizations? Or go to the Vermillion Empire or Aurelian Theocracy to discuss their conflict?" There were a lot of options to choose from. All sounded dangerous. Though they did not make Julien fearful as he had been through multiple deathly situations. He thought about things, and while doing so, sucked on Lorene''s firm nipples. Milk had sugar in it. Sugar powered the brain. Hence, sucking on milkers meant having faster and better thoughts. It was science Julien learnt from his past life. He seemed cute doing that and Lorene caressed his back, comforting him and letting him decide. Soon, Julien let go of her nipple and turned to her. "What do you recommend?" This was the best he could come up with. Since he was no expert in this field, it was better he asked one. Lorene''s eyebrow twitched. She pulled his cheek and ensured he felt some pain. "Ow. Ow. Ow." Julien cried out. "You could''ve asked me this sooner? Why think so much?" Lorene said. She let his cheek go and said while patting his back, "The war between the two seems the best as you wouldn''t have to search for intense political feuds. You''d find those in those two places easily and sharpen your warfare strategies and understanding of the war and its consequences." Julien nodded without thinking much. "I''ll go there then. It''s decided." Lorene smiled and patted his head. "Good boy." "But¡­ I''ll only go after this guy is satisfied." Lorene felt something hard poke her, then slip inside her. "Again!?" S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 128 128: Aurelian Theocracy After spending the whole day, Julien introduced Amelia and Jackie to Lorene. They had a good conversation over dinner and spent the night there, leaving the next day for the Aurelian Theocracy. The Vermilion Empire prioritized muscles which neither Julien nor Jackie or Amelia possessed. The Aurelian Theocracy on the other hand would be better for them all due to Amelia''s holy background. The journey from his aunt''s place to the Aurelian Theocracy was long, taking about two days. When the party arrived in the Holy Capital Aurelia, they saw long spires of cathedrals, knights roaming about freely between the common folks, and a lot of pilgrims. The city was engulfed in a golden hue, that being a defensive barrier. "It''s the blessing of god." Amelia commented as she saw the barrier. She wasn''t wrong. It indeed was a blessing from the gods and not something made by the people of this world. Except her who was in a priestess robe, Julien, and Jackie were dressed as wealthy individuals, looking around. One was free to enter the theocracy as they wished. All they had to do was pay an entrance, state their purpose of entry, and number of days they would be staying. This was a common practice for foreigners. In Julien''s case however he did not have to go through such customs. Lorene had given him a token. Showing it at the entrance let him pass without a hitch. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The guards also gave him a different badge signifying he was an important guest. Due to the badge and their wealthy appearance, most avoided approaching them for any reason whatsoever. Since they were new and did not know their way around, they followed the tall golden spire visible from any place they were at. That should be the place where the grand cathedral was, the one housing the Pope and the many Cardinals. Being fairly new, the three walked in crowded areas and followed the pilgrims. Along the way, many gazed at Amelia, who seemed to be standing out due to the bright color of her robes and peculiar blindfold. Though none approached and went about their ways. A while later. A group of Templar Knights arrived and asked the people to make way. The clamor of galloping horses resounded in everyone''s ears as a group of carriages passed by. They had the insignia of the Vermilion Empire. Within the carriage, a tall boy with fiery red hair sat by the window, absentmindedly staring at the commoners. Ever since his elimination from the tutorial''s last stage, Christopher had been deathly quiet. He did not speak to even his family, and this worried them greatly. Who did he encounter? Who reduced him to such a state? Nothing was known to the Ingress Family as Christopher never spoke about it. Despite his silence, Christopher never slacked a day after that. He worked harder and entered the tutorial again, passing with flying colors and quickly ascended the floors, reaching Floor 23 all on his own. Most kids of rich background hired a bodyguard to clear the floors, but Christopher wasn''t like them. The defeat in the tutorial had made a hole in his pride, and he wanted to be self-reliant ever since that day. He was short of clearing two more floors to reach the safe zone, but his family had other plans and called him out of the Tower. As he was strong enough physically, he was to accompany his uncle in a diplomatic meeting with the Aurelian Theocracy''s officials to get a hang of politics. He belonged to the mighty Ingress family who were the rulers of the Vermilion Empire. He had a strong and powerful position due to being the direct descendant of the Emperor, and was given a lot of attention. Currently, he sat in a carriage with his uncle, a man with no hair and a curly mustache on his face. He wore a monocle and had his arms folded, flexing off his bulky muscles. The man was a warrior, not any weaker than the Emperor himself! With no thoughts in his head, Christopher continued to stare outside. He could see the Templar Knights clearing the way for their carriages. The commoners were shoved aside, but didn''t seem to mind, and watched the Vermilion Empire''s insignia with awe. This was an ordinary sight for royalty like Christopher, until¡­ "Huh?" Christopher was suddenly wide awake as he saw a brownish orange-haired boy in an elegant outfit. His voice alerted his uncle, who glanced at him. Christopher''s shock made him put his head out of the window and look at the boy again. "It is him!''" "It really is him!!" Christopher cried out. "Stop the carriage!!!" He shouted on top of his lungs. The carriage immediately halted. Christopher jumped out of his carriage like a madman and rushed to find the brownish orange-haired boy. "Christopher!" The mustached man was shocked by the sudden change of his nephew and got out of the carriage as well. A group of powerful Templar Knights gathered around him, ready to attack if he pulled out anything funny. The man watched Christopher run away helplessly. He knew he had a lot of explaining to do for an outburst such as this and said, "Gentlemen, there seems to be a misunderstanding. It is not what it looks like¡­" ¡­.. Standing in the crowd, Julien gazed at the passing carriages. Suddenly, he saw a head with bright red hair pop out of a random carriage''s window. The boy was looking in their direction. Suddenly, his face turned to that of shock and he shouted, "It is him!" It was as if the boy had just found his mortal enemy! And the situation wasn''t wrong. "Shit. Run!" Julien immediately held Amelia''s hand and ran from the crowd. Jackie figured out the situation as well and ran away. Christopher couldn''t sit still. He jumped out of the carriage and ran behind them too. "Shit! Shit! Shit! I knew something was definitely up!" Julien cursed out loud. Lately, his luck hadn''t acted up. It felt quite suspicious, but now Julien knew why. His luck was waiting and letting him have a good time so it could stack and fuck him up in the worst possible ways! That boy that was running towards him was Christopher Ingress! He didn''t forget his face or name because he was there when Julien had his first encounter with Jackie. Jackie was almost beaten to death by him in the tutorial. If Julien could remember, Jackie could as well. Her memory was sharp and she never forgot her foes, a trait of a master assassin. "Stop running! I said stop running!" Christopher yelled on top of his lungs as he chased after Julien''s party. The situation was not going well. Christopher was behind them, but behind him were a group of Templar Knights. "Please stop at once or we''ll be forced to take action!" The knights instructed. In such an unfavorable situation, Julien knew he couldn''t fight. He did not plan to do it either way. Julien turned to the nearby Templar Knights and shouted, "Pleass, help us! That evil man from the Empire is after our lives! Help us, god! Help us!" Julien did his best to act as pitiful as he could. When the people around heard that Christopher was from the Empire, they panicked and began screaming and running. The Theocracy was at war with the Empire. To have the enemy infiltrate so deep, it was bound to make them panic. "Stop at once!" The Templar Knights were under great pressure. For some reasons, things were not going well for them. It was a simple job of escorting the Empire officials to the Grand Cathedral but there had been a major problem. One of the Empire officials was chasing an esteemed guest of the Theocracy. This was not good. The Templar Knights did their best to run as fast as they could and stop Christopher. Soon, Templar Knights from all directions came rushing. A group held Julien''s party while another restrained Christopher. "Don''t stop me! Let me go! Let me go!" Christopher cried out and stared at Jackie with absolute madness. "Please don''t make this difficult for us, Mr. Christopher. Please chant the lord''s loving name and calm yourself." The Templar Knights suggested. "Noooo!" Christopher was angry. Really angry. He thrashed around and did his best to get away from the hold of these guys and capture Jackie. At this moment, a bald man with a huge build appeared. He had a curly mustache and was none other than Christopher''s uncle, Galvin Ingress. The man hit Christopher''s neck with the side of his palm and knocked him unconscious. He placed his limp body over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and said, "My apologies for the disturbance. We shall fully comply with the proceedings and provide an apt explanation. In the meantime, I request you to keep those guests around. We have something important to discuss with them." The man walked away after saying so, not waiting for the response of these men. ''Shit! Double shit! This is definitely my luck that has put me in such a pickle.'' Julien exclaimed internally. The Templar Knights turned to them and said, "Esteemed guests¡­" "Yeah, we know. Don''t worry, we''ll comply and not give you a hard time." Julien quickly said. There was no way he could escape this situation. He thus made the most logical choice and complied. Despite things having gone wrong, Julien got people escorting him to the Grand Cathedral. He was already heading there and with the knights around, didn''t have to worry about losing his way. Plus, they even brought carriages for him and his party. He did not have to walk. Chapter 129 129: Christopher Apologizes The Grand Cathedral, Aurelia. The white-golden spire of the cathedral did look like it could pierce the heavens. It was mighty tall. Intricate stained windows lined the exterior walls, depicting god''s blessings upon humanity, their divine decrees, and the crusade against heretics. Massive double doors made of sanctified silver and ivory, adorned with engravings of angelic warriors and celestial flames opened for them as the Templar Knights escorted them in. Julien''s party and Christopher were escorted to a private meeting chamber. The two were of such importance that three Cardinals of the highest echelons were tasked to look into this matter. These Cardinals were right below the Pope in hierarchy and were possible future Pope candidates. They sat by a table and were waiting for their guests to arrive. "Please have a seat." The Cardinals said and had everyone settled down. Julien was facing Christopher and his uncle. This was not going to go well. All around them were Templar Knights, ready to intrude if anything went wrong. Julien sat calmly and pretended everything was going according to his plan. There was no use panicking. "Shall we start?" The Cardinals asked the two. Both parties nodded their heads. "Commander of the Vermilion Empire, Sir Luther Ingress, may we know the reason why your side turned hostile in our own capital while coming for peace talks?" One of the Cardinals, a man with a somber look on his face asked. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Luther, Christopher''s uncle, folded his hands and laid back on his chair. He looked at the Cardinals and said, "Our side believes in teaching our kids world affairs when they''re young. Where there''s children, there''s bound to be some trouble. Christopher had a conflict with someone in the Tower. It appears that he had mistaken the esteemed guest of the Theocracy sitting there as his enemy. Hence, his emotions got the better of him. I apologize on his behalf, the Empire does not¡­" Luther gave an appropriate reason without going into much detail. Julien clicked his tongue internally and thought, ''There''s no way he was mistaken. What a bullshit cover up.'' "¡­as a form of mutual understanding, I ask the Cardinals to overlook this matter. Christopher will apologize to the guests and I hope this incident does not interfere with the diplomatic matters." Luther said with a straight face, masking the fox-like cunning underneath the calmness. Christopher was clenching his fast hard underneath the table. His body shivered and he looked like he could burst in anger at any moment. However, one sideway glance from his uncle made his blood run cold. He took a deep breath and calmed down. Standing up, Christopher looked at Jackie and bowed. "I apologize for my actions. From afar, I had mistaken Your Excellency with the one I had a fallout with. It will not happen again, you have my word." Christopher''s words sounded quite sincere. The Cardinals seemed to be nodding. "He is not lying." One of the four said, looking at the shimmering golden barrier around the room. "I hope esteemed guests let this matter slide." One of the Cardinals turned to Julien and said. Julien never had a choice in this matter. All he could do was play along. If he was cornered by both the parties, then the only way out was to reveal his identity and threaten them. His family might be small, but they possessed enough power to topple all the nearby kingdoms if they wished. Julien was once given a rough estimate about the army his family possessed. When asked the number, he was asked back, "Which field''s number? We have assassins numbering in hundreds scattered around the nearby kingdoms, an army consisting of thousands patrolling the borders, and¡­" The number was just mind blowing. His family really was more powerful than the King''s. Though they stayed hidden and not many knew about it. Everyone from nearby kingdoms only feared his mother''s name. Nobody knew the extent of her powers. In any case, this was a formal matter and the Ingress Family was doing their best to suppress this matter. Julien had no choice but to go along. Since he had no problem and accepted the apology, the Cardinals dropped the matter by giving the Ingress Family a warning. Christopher and Luther were then escorted to another chamber. They had to wait until further notice for the diplomatic talks. Meanwhile, Julien was still in the chamber with the four Cardinals. They were looking at him. Three of the four were middle-aged men while one was a middle-aged lady. They all did not have a single wrinkle on their face and possessed a youth glow. The Cardinal with a full beard and mustache turned to Julien. "We apologize for the inconvenience caused." "It''s not a problem." Julien replied. "Can the esteemed guests state their purpose for roaming the streets of the capital without security?" The Cardinal was soft-spoken, but it was evident that he was asking about Julien''s background indirectly. They had been briefed by the Templar Knights that did not know who Julien was associated with in the Theocracy to possess such an honor. They also stated that he had a badge on him, but there were no records of the Theocracy handing it to a person this young. Julien''s identity was suspicious, but nobody took action yet. It was highly possible that Julien belonged to some major powerhouse. The high ranking person in that place could''ve given the badge to him and sent him to the Theocracy for unknown reasons. Plus, the Theocracy had a policy of innocent until proven guilty. They thus did not give Julien a hard time and asked about his background right away. Julien thought about it for a good few seconds and said, "They say that in war, it is the commoners that suffer the most. I was strolling around trying to see whether such was the case in Aurelia." Julien immediately fired shots. The Cardinals did not expect such an answer and had surprise flash in their eyes. They couldn''t outright ask Julien about his background, so they continued the conversation, "So what did the esteemed guest find?" "Your Eminence, god''s grace is clearly visible throughout these holy lands. No person we encountered on the streets seemed hungry or sad." Amelia turned to the panel and said with her hands clasped. She was the perfect person in these matters and Julien was glad she spoke. The Cardinals had their suspicions lowered when they heard Amelia''s voice. Amelia was a being that radiated purity even without doing anything. Her soothing voice and her gentle demeanor, coupled with an aura of holiness was enough to make the onlookers know that she was more blessed and loved by god than anyone else in this chamber. A person of such caliber would truly make anyone envious, but envy was a sin, and the Cardinals weren''t sinners. They were happy to have a being like Amelia grace her presence to them. They lowered their guards somewhat and said, "We are glad that Your Grace places us in high regards. If possible, we would like to invite you to¡­" The Cardinals and Amelia went back and forth spouting sweet and holy words, trying to compliment the other more. Julien and Jackie rubbed their temples. It was painful to hear such a conversation. After a couple of minutes, the Cardinals did not inquire much about Julien''s background. They were sure that he belonged to some powerhouse who was given a token of theirs. It was all thanks to Amelia. The Cardinals believed that no average person would be able to hire such a holy being as their house''s personal priestess. They thus cleared Julien off of all suspicions and dropped the matter. The Cardinals then asked, "Esteemed guests, is there anything you''d like to know?" Julien nodded. There indeed was. "Can you brief us about the situation? If possible, we''d like to volunteer in such difficult times." "God''s blessing has brought us together. Let us cherish this moment." Amelia added, making the Cardinals nod in understanding and spill out the current affairs. "One fine day, the brutes of the Vermilion Empire thought that the Theocracy was not worthy of existing. Everyone here derived powers from god, which in their eyes looked like borrowing powers from an external source. They thought we did not have our own individual powers and considered us weak, thereby attacking us." "The lost lambs of the empire thought they could acquire the land of gods and keep it to themselves. They thus began causing a lot of trouble at the borders, and eventually started an all out war." "The war occurred when the empire killed a Cardinal. We could not sit still after that. God has said that one should always be compassionate and kind, but he had also stated about striking back if someone is actively trying to cause harm." The lady Cardinal continued. "Needless to say, if the church did not strike back, many innocent believers would''ve lost their lives. The ones surviving would have despaired and we, the ones in power, would''ve become sinners for not watching over them." "So, after the empire''s invasion¡­" Chapter 130 130: Siding with the Cardinals In the opinion of these Cardinals, the Empire was filled with lunatics. They were power hungry and wanted to absorb the neighboring countries to become the sole rulers of the Southwest. They also did not have access to the sea and capturing the Theocracy would lead to insurmountable resources. The Theocracy was nicknamed as God''s Own Land due to the vast resources available. The nobility and the church controlled most of these resources and in the land of god, nobody stayed hungry. The Empire was surrounded by mountains and barren highlands. The whistling winds were cold and devoid of any moisture. Most of the land wasn''t as fertile and the Empire was thriving simply because of their extravagant deposits of precious metals and magic stones. Rumor had it that the Empire also possessed the Fountain of Youth somewhere in those snowy mountains. This explained the secrets of their youthful appearances despite them getting older. The Empire had everything but food. If they did not fight for fertile lands, countries could stop exporting to them and starve them to their deaths. This was a hypothetical scenario but a possible situation that may arise in the future. The Empire couldn''t sit back and do nothing. Despite being a place full of warriors, they weren''t all brawns for brains. Some could foresee the destructive future and decided to advise the Emperor to take action. This was another major reason why they attacked the Theocracy. The first was still the fact that they believed the Theocracy was weaker than them due to the borrowed powers. It wasn''t wrong for the Cardinals to state that they were full of lunatics. As the history of war came to an end, the Cardinals went to the point. "So esteemed guests, do you plan on aiding the church?" The church seemed pitiful in front of the lunatics of the Empire. They purposely seemed to have made an innocent picture of themselves. Julien could easily see through it. "When all is within reach, man still chases shadows of desire¡ªthis is not his failing, but his nature; only the divine can fill that eternal void." Amelia added to the conversation. The Empire only lacked fertile lands for food. If they did not have land, they could''ve chosen other food sources for sustenance or researched magic to help with it or simply prayed to their gods for a solution. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Gods were happy to help their subjects and oftentimes listened to the prayers if they found it worthy. The Empire officials did not focus on any of that and attacked as that was the easiest way out. Now, they were trying to make peace. They had annexed quite a bit of land and killed hundreds while also keeping some important members as prisoners. The Theocracy wasn''t a fool to get trampled by such people. They striked back after the initial few moves and eventually began the war between the two. It was quite sudden that the Empire sent diplomats to resolve this situation. Though it was still unknown whether they''ll actually make proper peace talks or threaten them in their own territory. "What will you choose, esteemed guest?" The lady Cardinal asked Amelia. All the Cardinals here placed her in high regards due to the holy aura radiating from her. With a few more years down the line, they believed that Amelia would turn into a prominent figure within the world and the Tower. "My apologies. I cannot make such a decision on my own. My Master will decide the future course of actions." Amelia did not reject them and pushed the responsibility on Julien. The Cardinals were surprised to know that Julien was her Master. They turned to him. Julien thought about it for a brief second. Helping the Theocracy would make him an enemy of the Empire. But it was not like he wasn''t already an enemy of theirs. In the last trial of the tutorial, almost all had died except for lucky ones like Christopher. The sole reason Christopher survived was because Julien did not have Jackie as his sword yet. Since Christopher was alive, it changed a lot of things. Only one pact stood by the end of the trial and it was God''s Beloved Children. Anyone with a little logic could make it out to be Julien''s party. Christopher definitely had to die before he came in contact with others. So far, he did not seem to have made his uncle aware of his enmity with Jackie, which was a good thing. "How can we help, Your Eminence?" Julien asked, curious to know what help they needed. These Cardinals did not know anything about Julien or his party''s background. They just knew that they were esteemed guests. They probably made an educated guess that Julien and his party belonged to a powerful background and were strong themselves because they hold the badge given by the Theocracy. The Theocracy had a list of all the people they''ve given such badges to, so it wouldn''t take them long to figure out with whom Julien may be affiliated. Julien felt it was in his best interest to be on the Theocracy''s side. "Esteemed guest, we do not know your speciality so we cannot assign you a proper position. However, the church would be indebted to your grace if you could restrain a few of the active members of the Ingress Family. There is no need to kill them, for god condemns such grotesque acts, but we believe it is high time that¡­" The Cardinals gave a speech on morals and whatnot while requesting Julien to restrain a few members of the Ingress Family. Since they could not use underhanded methods to win this war, having someone else do it for them wasn''t as bad. Julien and his party were under ranked. Restraining them would be difficult. What Julien could instead do is¡­ "Your Eminence, is there anyone who requires divine judgment? Someone who cannot be saved or reach salvation in this life?" Julien tried to give the church people hints. "Your Grace, what my Master means is that¡­" Amelia softened Julien''s words further and asked the same thing in a more precise and direct manner, making the Cardinals sit straight on their seats. Julien was basically asking them who it is that they wanted dead. This matter was of serious concern as one wrong move from the church could shatter the faith of millions and lead to the downfall of the Theocracy. How would it look in the eyes of the public that the church officials hired outsiders to carry out execution tasks? As they were the very people who vouch for peace and prosperity, involving themselves in such cruel acts would only make them appear as hypocrites. This wasn''t good at all. Though, the offer was tempting too. If Julien could eliminate a few, it would make things proceed more smoothly and guarantee the Theocracy''s continued rule. The Cardinals hence couldn''t outright reject him. They thought over it through and through. "Esteemed guests, you might be tired from all the happenings of the day. I pray you retire early and take a rest. We''ll let you know of our answer in the next meeting. Please enjoy the Theocracy''s hospitality until then." One of the Cardinals said and bid farewell to Julien. They needed more time to discuss this matter, and the opinion of others was required. Julien was in no rush. As long as Christopher was in this place, he didn''t have to worry about him snitching. He turned to the Cardinals and said, "I suppose we should. Though before we leave, can we make a small request?" "Pray tell." "Could you inform us of any movement from Christopher Ingress?" "Esteemed guest, I''m afraid you cannot do any harm to that boy." The Cardinal spoke while shaking his head. Julien shook his head and waved his hand. "I merely want to know about the suspicious things he''s been upto. I assure you that we are not going to involve ourselves in any matter that would harm the church''s interest." Given assurance, the Cardinals found the request easy to manage. They agreed and Julien bid them farewell, leaving the chambers. As the Cardinals had suggested, he retired for the day and took some rest. All three of them were given the same room, so Julien had enough time to discuss more things with his party members. Meanwhile, on Christopher''s end, things weren''t looking so well. There were Templar Knights surrounding them and serving them. It really put him on an edge as he couldn''t move freely. His uncle Luther on the other hand was relaxed as if it was an average day at home. He had said in the start that stressing will only make the enemy believe they have an upper hand, and that we are fearful of their presence. One always had to establish dominance to get what they wanted, such were the laws of this world. Christopher began acting that way, but the feeling of being watched did not disappear. He felt uneasy. Chapter 131 131: An Imposter Next day. A conference was held again. It was short as the church''s opinion was already influenced by external factors, that being Julien''s party. It was less due to Julien and more due to Amelia. Becoming an incarnation of Uriel was the highest form of divinity one could achieve. Add to that, even Jackie had a great amount of divinity from the Light of Primordial One, the god born from the absolute good of Primordial One. Only Julien was without such divinity, but he was an esteemed guest of the Theocracy and the leader of this party. The church naturally took him seriously. Luther and Christopher couldn''t do anything even if they wanted to. They tried to vouch for peace but it was all for naught. The church gave them a long list of innocent people that had been killed due to them. Life cannot be compensated with any amount of money. They even brought the names of innocent dead children that were leapt in the flames of war. Luther and Christopher left the Theocracy with defeated faces. They could stop the war altogether from their side, but that would show to the world that they were weak against the Theocracy. This would invite unwanted trouble from others. They couldn''t end the war even if they wanted to. Eventually, the Cardinals met with Julien''s party again. They gave Julien the list of people who needed divine judgment passed upon them. Christopher or anyone named Ingress wasn''t on the list, but it did not matter. There was nothing that stated he had to strictly follow this list. Christopher''s fate was sealed the moment he revealed himself. Had he not caused trouble, Julien wouldn''t have remembered him. His face made Julien realize that there were many people who had survived the last trial. They were the ones that got eliminated early and did not group up to attack Julien''s pact. There was a momentary thought about what they could be doing now and what level they had reached. One thing Julien was sure about. It was that they definitely weren''t as strong or on such a high floor like him. ''I hope those losers don''t have strong backgrounds that would make them investigate me. If that happens, I guess I would need to give them a little taste of death.'' Julien wasn''t so cocky usually. But he had gained a lot of confidence after obtaining the Forbidden Arcana Card. This was his newfound strength speaking, not him. After obtaining the list; Julien and his party left to explore the capital once again. Amelia stated that she wanted to feel the effects of war from the ground level and see how bad the situation actually was. Julien and Jackie did not have anything important to do and escorted her to various places around the capital. Traversing through the cobblestone streets, the three passed by bakeries giving off aromas of freshly baked bread, and sightings of pilgrims coming out of temples smelling like incense sticks and having multiple prayer beads wrapped around their necks. The commoner on average seemed more wealthy here than in the Silverose Kingdom. Where it was due to this being the capital or whether the entire nation was economically better was unknown. If they toured around more, they would find out. Many questions rose in Julien''s mind as he continued to walk. The three eventually walked into a busy restaurant to overhear the everyday conversations. The restaurant had a large room turned into a seating area by having multiple tables and chairs placed there. People could be seen sitting and eating on them. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The food was anything but fancy, and even the waiters weren''t like those from five-star hotels but the average joe. "One bowl of overnight honey oats. One spicy chicken cutlet and one cup of barley tea please." A bloated man stuffed to the brim ordered. He looked like he couldn''t eat any more, but the food was so tasty he had to go for seconds. "Order''s up! Warm milk and rye bread! Warm milk and rye bread!" A server made quick bouts as he exclaimed. It was a busy restaurant, but the party did not have trouble finding a seat. They checked the menu and it had limited items. Looking around, the people seem to be ordering the same stuff so it made sense why the menu was limited. A waiter quickly came and took their order, leaving just as quickly when Julien was done. As the three sat with glasses of water on the table, they began overhearing the conversations. "Mannnn, I really hope I get this job. If I don''t land it, this is going to be my last good meal." A youngster chewed on a small loaf while speaking to his friend. "You''ll do well, don''t worry. With god''s grace, you will never sleep hungry." Another youngster said calmly as he sipped on tea. The conversation was fairly normal with nothing of essence. The people within the restaurant seemed to be going about their daily lives. The war hadn''t affected them much. Julien and his party left the restaurant after paying the bill which was somewhat high for the quality of the meal they just had. They found out the reason for it from the waiters itself. The war had affected vegetable prices as a lot of fertile land for farming is around the border areas. With the Empire striking, there have been shortages, but nothing too noteworthy. The Theocracy was doing good for themselves. What state the capital was in was known. Amelia then decided to venture into the rougher parts of the Theocracy, the cities near the border where the war was happening. It took half a day''s carriage ride to enter these lands. Once again, there weren''t many problems. The people were fine. The war hadn''t resulted in major bloodshed, meaning the Empire hadn''t gone all out. They were poking and testing the waters, striking whenever they felt like it. Amelia was glad that the common people were doing good. They did not have to starve or beg on the streets and went about their everyday lives. "Now that you''ve seen it, shall we go and pass divine judgment?" Julien asked Amelia as he stared at her. Before he could hear her answer, he saw a group of soldiers passing by, behind Amelia. This was a normal sight in this area, but it was right at this instance that Julien heard: [Quest triggered!] + [Quest ¡ª The Imposter is among us!] Clear conditions:: There seems to be someone abnormal within the ranks of the humans. Find out who. Difficulty: D- Reward: Treasure chest. Failure: Stunted mental growth. Time left: 7 days. + ''A quest at a time like this? And it doesn''t seem difficult either. The consequences of failure though¡­ they''re quite high.'' ''In any case¡­'' The reward seemed good enough. And it wasn''t like Julien had much of a choice. His gaze fell on the previous group of soldiers, and since the quest was triggered by them, Julien followed them. Amelia and Jackie followed behind, and the three found themselves moving to a residential area within the city. There were signboards stating some of the houses were available to rent, and there were many more stating they were available for sale. It was clear that the more wealthy residents had shifted elsewhere and did not want to get into any mess. Julien rented a place and asked Amelia to head inside and prepare for his arrival. Jackie was to help her, and when the two parted ways, Julien left in search of the imposter. There were too many people around and after a stroll in the residential area, he found to be doing fairly normal stuff. Julien wasn''t able to figure out who the imposter was through the normal eyes. He used the profile appraisal skill on the individual he found suspicious. Everyone passed without a hitch, but there was one individual who caught Julien''s eyes. It was a young man wearing the robes of a solider. He looked like someone who came back after being drafted in war. At such a young age, he shouldn''t have been sent to war, but then he noticed that there wasn''t a single mark on his body. Did he really go to the battlefield? Julien wondered. As he had nothing better to do, he focused on this kid. Everything was fairly normal about him, but Julien''s instincts stated otherwise. When he had exhausted all means, he decided to appraise this guy''s profile. Upon appraisal, Julien''s eyes widened in surprise. + Name: Vivvye Kalrex Path: Nature Favorability: N/A Personal info: An elf on a mission. Does not belong to the same continent. Currently blended within human society and is trying to learn the ways of a human. Has not harmed anyone, is passive. Enjoys music and wine. Dislike human wine and enjoy the music more. Does not feel uncomfortable among humans anymore. Hopes to return home soon. + ''There''s an elf as an imposter!?'' Chapter 132 132: Vivvye Kalrex The young elf was tailed for the next few days. His routine was monotonous and simple, consisting of going on patrols, listening to music, and eating as much as he possibly could and taking a nap after doing so. If Julien hadn''t used his appraisal skill, he wouldn''t have known that this was an elf due to how average he seemed. There were times when the elf had to fight during his patrol. Julien was able to assess his strength when he did that and found him to be decent. He was neither too strong nor too weak. If Julien and Jackie worked together, they could easily capture. This was what they ended up doing at last. They captured the point and brought them to their residence within the city. The boy looked around in disarray as if he had seen a ghost. Disbelief was all over his face as he stayed strapped to a chair within the residence. Julien sat opposite to him, wearing a mask to protect his identity. "Who are you? Why did you kidnap me?" The boy asked with knitted brows. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Why do you think you were kidnapped?" Julien asked back instead of answering. The boy Vivvye shook his head and said with a worried look, "I do not have any ransom money to give to you, sir. My family is also very poor. I''m barely making ends meet by working as a soldier. Please be merciful and release me." With how fluently and sadly Vivvye said it, Julien almost believed it. His act did not seem the slightest bit unnatural, Julien had to give it to him. "Vivvye Kalrex." Julien said out loud, making the boy''s heart leap in fright. He almost jumped in his seat from terror, but quickly managed to compose himself and stayed calm. He did not respond to the words Julien had just said. "Is that not your name, Vivvye?" Julien repeated. "My name?" Vivvye feigned ignorance. "Sir, my name is Anthony Mathews and I''ve never once heard someone say that name before." ''This bastard is really good at acting.'' Julien thought to himself. Julien knitted his brows and leaned towards, staring into Vivvye''s calm eyes. "Vivvye, I''ll give you one chance, and one only. If you do not speak up, you''ll be buried under this very residence. And if you do cooperate, there will be a lot of benefits for you." "Sir, I do not¡ª" "Jackie, get me that monster." Julien cut Vivvye off and said. Jackie entered the room holding a small cage. Within it was a rabbit-like monster with sharp fangs and short ears. "Do you see that monster? It''s a low level one, but has super high regeneration. Any wound you make on it, it''ll heal almost instantly. Do you want to see a demonstration?" Julien explained to Vivvye. He pulled out a dagger and cut the rabbit-like monster a few times from outside the cage. The monster thrashed about and squealed. Vivvye could see clear wounds on the rabbit''s body inflicted by Julien, but they disappeared within a few seconds. Being an elf, a species close to nature, Vivvye naturally knew what type of monster this was. He wasn''t surprised by the high regeneration abilities. He had seen more evolved versions of this monster back at home. Julien eyed Vivvye and continued, "Now, see this. I''ll use a bit of power from my Arcana Card. See what happens to this rabbit." Julien activated Crimson Requiem for a split second and slashed the rabbit, creating a superficial wound that could be healed very easily. The rabbit didn''t even feel pain from it. Vivvye knew such types of attacks meant nothing to this monster. To kill it, one would need to sever its head from its body or smash the whole body like crushing a mosquito. Much to Vivvye''s dismay and shock, the wound of the rabbit did not close up. The rabbit felt nothing from the small cut and calmly stayed within the cage. However, it began bleeding. The bleeding did not stop for even a second, and in less than a minute, the monster died from excess blood loss. The blood did not stop oozing even in its death. Only when the entire body was drained of it did it stop. Vivvye was horrified by the scene. His body trembled as a sense of danger loomed all over him. "Will you speak now? Or do you wish to die?" Julien wasn''t merciful and threatened. "I''ll speak." Vivvye did not deny the claims anymore. "Good. I''m listening." Julien sat down on the chair and heard Vivvye out. The young elf was on a mission in this continent. Not just him, there was a big network of elves all over the continent. He was the one sent to Aurelian Theocracy to spy on them, and it had been a few years. He wasn''t particularly strong or powerful so as to appear harmless to the people. It had been a few months since he was drafted in the war, and the spying operations were thus on hold. The elves were in the Varethis continent which was north of Kalindor where humans lived. Varethis had amazing climate conditions and the elves did not need anything more. The only reason they sent spies to Kalindor was to see what the humans were doing, and to get inspiration to do newer things. Julien felt something amiss from Vivvye''s words. This guy said everything so fluently, and from his words, it looked like the world was quite peaceful. However, from his words itself, Julien was able to deduce a few things. First things first. The humans have not come in contact with the elves yet. It seems that the elves were the first to find the humans, evident from the spies they had sent. Secondly, Julien was unsure whether the humans really didn''t know the existence of elves or whether they knew, but never dared to venture out to Varethis to see them. Lastly, this world has elves and other species, but why were they not seen in the Tower? The Tower was a common place for everyone around the world. There should be portals leading to it, shouldn''t there? Why were the elves not there? Something was really suspicious. "Tell me about the kingdom you belong to, the politics of the elven world and so on." Julien commanded. The boy shook his head. "If I speak more than I''m required to, I will die, sir. There is a spell casted on me that would stop my heart the moment I say something I''m not supposed to. I do not want to take such a risk. Please understand." The boy would die either way, so he tried to reason with Julien as much as he could. He was polite about it as well, which surprised Julien. "So¡­ how do you get to Varethis? Surely that isn''t a secret, is it?" Vivvye shook his head again. "I''m afraid it is." It seemed that a lot of measures were taken against these spies. They could not divulge secrets about the elven continent even if they wanted to. Julien squinted his eyes and replied, "If you cannot tell, then you''ll show. You''ll take us to Varethis and show us the way." Vivvye raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Are you sure? I don''t mind taking you to Varethis." Now, Julien wasn''t the brightest but he also wasn''t as stupid. His intelligence points were high, so he did have good logical reasoning. When Vivvye said he could take him to that continent without hesitation, it felt off. There was almost a hundred percent possibility of him getting ambushed and killed if he tried that. Julien wasn''t going to take such a mighty risk and play with his life. Vivvye thought he was smart for suggesting such a thing, but his cheerful expression made Julien frown and think again. Honestly, this conversation with Vivvye felt off. How and why, Julien couldn''t tell. It just did. Talking some more with this guy, Julien really couldn''t find any faults. The boy seemed like a normal spy with a worthless life. He was sure that if he killed him, there would be no consequences or retaliation from the elves, which once again bothered him some. Julien felt a headache conversing with Vivvye. He left the boy and went to take some rest. When he was back after his afternoon nap, he focused on Vivvye again. The talking lasted for a whole day but even till the end, it seemed that Vivvye was actually a common spy, nothing special. Having gotten an answer and knowing there was nothing more he could extract, Julien pointed at Vivvye and gestured to Jackie to kill him. It was at this point that Vivvye realized things had been quite serious. If he died, nobody would care. He was but a common spy and his life had no meaning whatsoever. ''Is this how it''s going to end for me? All those years I''ve served the kingdom¡­ and this is how my life comes to an end?'' Chapter 133 133: The Elves, Orcs, and Dwarves Jackie was ready to behead Vivvye. She was just waiting for Julien''s command. Vivvye felt defeated. He had done quite a lot for his kingdom but knew his position there wasn''t high. His death would be insignificant and nobody would even come to his grave to pay their respects. Vivvye did not want to die here. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He could feel Jackie''s thick bloodlust and knew this person was a killer. He would not hesitate to kill him, and the only reason Vivvye was still alive was because Julien hadn''t given the command yet. Julien waited on purpose. Moments before death, a person would have their entire life flash before their eyes. Maybe in those memories, Vivvye had something he cherished. Maybe he wouldn''t want to lose all those and maybe he would want to live a little longer. Julien was right on the money. Vivvye did not want to die. At the end of the day, he was a normal living being, and every organism had an instinct to survive. Add to that, Vivvye''s brain made deductions that Julien was someone strange and mysterious. He had been in this continent for longer than his home, served the kingdom with all his heart, but what had the kingdom given him? Vivvye stood still and thought about it. The reason he was sent here was so his family could live well. He had signed a contract with the authorities promising the benefits, and the frequent letters from home were the only thing keeping him going. However, what would happen if he died? Will his family still be well off? Now this was something he hadn''t given much thought to as his life between the humans was peaceful. There was no struggle for food, clothing, and shelter. Life in the Theocracy was surprisingly peaceful. Needless to say, Vivvye felt shivers at the thought of everything going downhill due to his one wrong move. He turned to Julien and stared at him. Julien glanced back at the guy. "Can you let me go?" Vivvye said nonchalantly, aware that it was a stupid question to ask. "Do you want me to?" Julien went along with his conversation. "Yeah, that would be amazing." Vivvye nodded. "Okay. You''re free to go." Julien cut off all the ropes strapping him to the chair. "What?" The elf boy was stupefied. "Yeah. Go. You''re free." Julien was serious about it. Vivvye blinked and stopped for a second to process what was happening. Just like that? It was this easy to leave? All he had to do was ask? Surely there was something more to it than what the ears could hear and the eyes could see! "You won''t kill me?" Vivvye asked. "I won''t." Julien said without hesitation. Vivvye was starting to have relief flush over him, but right then Julien continued, "But you will die." "Huh?" "Yes. Go out, you''re free. But you''ll always be on a hunt. Every second you''re living, a constant dread of your life coming to an end will loom over you. I will ensure it does, and strike you when you''re least expecting it." "¡­" "I wouldn''t give you a painless death like I planned to now. I want you to suffer. I want you to regret the decision of hiding what you were hiding right now for all your life, and then get killed with the same regret." Vivvye''s body trembled as he imagined his possible future. He was right. The person is not someone ordinary. Even his ways of threatening were profound. For a while Vivvye was ready to die as a noble spy but now that even death wasn''t welcoming, he has a change of heart. "I''ll talk." Vivvye said to Julien. "In return, can you not do any of this?" "It depends on the information you provide." "Let''s make a vow then. I''ll say everything there is in complete truth while you''ll ensure that I am not killed." Julien shook his head. He was able to see through this boy''s statement immediately. He said he''ll state the truth but nothing about hiding most of the important information. He also mentioned that Julien had to ensure he wasn''t killed. This meant he had to protect him from other people as well. The boy was more cunning than he initially thought him to be. "We will make a vow, but you will tell me the complete truth and I can only assure you that me or my companions won''t kill you." Julien replied. The boy didn''t despair. He nodded and quickly agreed to the terms, lest they got worse. His cover was already blown and he knew the people in the room were just about as smart as him. "I''ll help with the vow." Amelia chimed in and said. In the presence of this priestess, the two made a vow. When it was done, the boy began talking. His name was Vivvye Kalrex. He was a citizen of the Kelrios Kingdom and sent here on a mission to spy on the humans. Unlike the Kalindor Continent, Varethis was a land of absolute bloodshed. Situated in the north, half the lands suffered through harsh winters and extreme cold year-round. Food and resources were scarce, and the majority of the population lived in the extreme south of Varethis where the climate wasn''t as harsh. As everyone banded together in one place, competition was naturally very high. It was a cutthroat and cruel world to be in, and everyday, a person had to struggle for a single meal. The Orcs, Elves, and Dwarves lived on that continent. They were in a tight power struggle and kept each other in check. The elves had sent spies to Kalindor in hopes of obtaining newer lands. If it wasn''t possible, they hoped to get external aid so as to wipe out the Orcs and the Dwarves from the face of the planet. Julien was quite shocked when he heard these. The elves were doing what!? He couldn''t believe what he had just heard. Julien thought that just like normal fantasy, this world would have peaceful elves who roamed the wilderness and stayed away from worldly affairs. ''I''m afraid that isn''t the case now.'' From Vivvye''s description, they did not seem friendly at all. Talking to him further made Julien understand more about the political situation in Varethis. The dwarves had a vast underground network all over Varethis. This might make them overpowered as one would think, but such wasn''t the case. Their terrain advantage was the one causing them most of the problems. Underground, they did not get sunlight which resulted in little to no farming. They survived in crops that grew underground like potatoes and as such with meat from creatures like rabbits, moles, and so on being staple sources of protein. For them, meat from grass fed animals living on the ground was a luxury. They could not just come out and hunt them as there was a high risk of getting assassinated by the orcs or the elves. They were technologically advanced, but machinery was limited and could not be everywhere. They were in the midst of creating an intensive underground network through which their machines could reach one end of the continent to another within minutes. Whether that had turned into a reality or not was unknown as Vivvye was out of touch from most things in that place due to his residence in Kalindor for more than a decade. His knowledge was outdated and things could be far worse than before. The only way to find that out was by going to Varethis. Julien did not want to take such a risk at such a point in time as he did not have enough strength to protect himself. There was another thing holding him back. It was the question about the elves, orcs, and dwarves not appearing in the Tower. Where were they? Why weren''t they within the Tower? The Tower''s portals were everywhere in the world. Assuming they weren''t in Varethis, couldn''t the people of Varethis simply see the gigantic silhouette of the Tower in the middle of the skies? There were many mysteries yet to be resolved. Letting Vivvye live was certainly a good idea as he got to know his world a bit better. If the elves were cruel, how would the savages of Ul''Theron be? When asked about that place, Vivvye simply said that nobody knew about it. The ones who had ventured there had never been seen again. From the strongest warriors to the strongest legions, nobody made it out. The elves stopped wasting their precious manpower in such a dangerous place and instead focused on Kalindor. Julien made a mental note of this. He was to avoid Ul''Theron until he was absolutely sure he was the strongest in his world. Julien talked with Vivvye some more and got as much information as he could out of him. There was a lot more he got to know, and in the information was news about more spies nearby. Julien left with Jackie to capture them and see whether Vivvye''s information matched with theirs or not. Chapter 134 134: Jackie’a Test [R-18] Ten days passed. There was a large network of elven spies all around the continent. With Vivvye''s help, Julien met with one in Silverose Kingdom. After getting information on other spies around from the new spy, Julien killed him and moved on. Vivvye watched what was happening but couldn''t do much about it. In front of his very eyes, his comrades were getting slaughtered. He didn''t feel much about it other than pity. With so many spies dying, the elven authorities were bound to find out. It was only a matter of time before Julien got more trouble on his way. Vivvye didn''t warn him about it and watched from the sidelines, enthusiastic about his potential end. With how many spies there were, Julien felt it would be better if he informed his aunt about it. He also had a few matters related to the war to discuss with her. He called home and the maids arrived with carriages. Onto the horse carried carriage Julien boarded. The hostage Vivvye was with them and would continue to be in captivity until Julien got stronger. He had plans to enter Varethis. A guide was needed. Who would be better than Vivvye in this matter? He could be trained to be loyal to them and was an interesting test subject for it. This boy''s mental tenacity was high. He was also smart enough to know when to switch sides and when not to. Such types of people were not loyal to anybody, so it was to be seen how he would turn out. Also, his Favorability for Julien was an absolute zero. He neither favored him nor hated him, despite getting captured. The numbers could go into negatives with -100 being the maximum. A number this high meant the person would not care for their own life and go after Julien''s. In any case, Julien was watching Vivvye with great interest. He put him in a second carriage with a couple of powerful maids who could behead him in an instant if he tried anything funny. Julien was in the first carriage with his holy lady and petite butler. It would take a few days to reach his aunt''s place as they were deep into the Theocracy. The carriage couldn''t move at night so they camped in the wilderness. The maids took turns to keep watch while Julien and his party had dinner. Basked in the fire''s warm glow, Amelia was radiating like a sunflower while Jackie seemed like a cute chrysanthemum. Julien already knew what his plans for tonight were. He had been so busy for the past few days that he couldn''t focus on accumulating lust points. Amelia also craved his touch and was giving him hints throughout the day. After food, he had plans to have dessert. Though there was Jackie in the mix too. She couldn''t be left alone now, could she? Julien finished his food together with the ladies and made an excuse of nature''s call. He took Jackie along for security so that monsters did not attack him as he peed. As his sword, Jackie felt it was only right she was brought along. While walking away from the campfire, Julien asked Jackie, "So Jackie¡­ how has everything been lately?" Jackie wondered why they were having a small talk suddenly. "It has been good. Why do you ask, Master?" "It has been good? You mean to say you''ve been getting together with ladies?" Julien raised his eyebrow. "I didn''t see you with a single girl while we were in the Theocracy. Aren''t you lying?" "¡­" Jackie realized what Julien meant by his question. He was asking about her getting maidens and not about her well being. Shaking her head, Jackie said, "I thought you were asking about my health." "Why would I ask about your health? I see you everyday and you seem perfectly fine. Though, there''s still no maidens around you, so there''s that." Julien responded. "I was busy." Jackie tried to evade the question. "Hm¡­ I was busy too¡­" Julien said as he stopped by a tree. They were quite a bit away from the campfire. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "But I managed to make time for my lady. You should''ve done that as well." "I''ll try next time." Jackie said nonchalantly. Julien shook his head. "If you keep doing this, you won''t get any ladies. You need to be more sincere and more¡­ wait¡­ something feels off¡­" Julien squinted his eyes as he stared at Jackie. Jackie tilted her head in confusion. "What seems off?" "You seem so unbothered. A person your age without any maidens would be in a state of constant worry, but you¡­ you don''t seem the slightest bit worried." Julien elaborated. "I mean¡­ why would I?" Jackie shrugged. She was referring to the fact that she could get together with a girl if she actually tried. She just wasn''t doing it because she wasn''t interested in romance. Julien''s eyes widened in surprise. He snapped his fingers and said, "I knew it. I knew there was something wrong with you and finally figured it out!" "Eh?" Jackie was taken aback. "There is nothing wrong with me." "There is!" Julien took a step closer and exclaimed. "Jackie, I think¡­" Julien placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "I think that you don''t even like maidens. My friend, perhaps¡­ perhaps you are¡­ into boys." "Ewww." Jackie immediately wrinkled her nose. She was neither into boys romantically or girls even. She had a lot to do in life and romance could wait. Though, she had to act disgusted because she was disguising herself as a straight guy. Julien clicked his tongue and shook his finger. "That''s all an act, you can''t fool me. Jackie, I have come to understand that you definitely like guys." "Master, no. That''s not the case. I''m perfectly normal and do not like people of my own gender." Jackie argued. "Are you really sure?" Julien squinted his eyes and asked. "I''m a hundred percent sure." "Fine. Let''s do a test then." "Eh?" Julien continued to peer into Jackie''s orange eyes. "As we both are of same gender, if my touch turns you on, then you''re definitely into boys. If you don''t get turned on, then I''ll truly believe that such isn''t the case and won''t bring this matter up again." "Master¡­ are you okay in the head? Did you hit it somewhere?" Jackie couldn''t help but ask. What was her Master trying to do? Could he not understand how his own words sounded? While trying to test her sexuality, he was putting his own at risk. Julien shook his head. "I''m perfectly fine. I''m more concerned about you, so let''s do this test quickly and go." "Master¡­" Jackie wanted to protest, but was immediately made to face a tree. She put her hands on it for support and could do nothing but go along. ''Master is too perverted!'' Jackie thought and clicked her tongue. Julien got behind her and hugged her. "Does this turn you on?" He asked as he slithered his hands over her upper body. Jackie shook her head. "It doesn''t." Julien then moved his hand into her shirt and gently rubbed her nipples. Jackie felt goosebumps arise but controlled herself from getting sensitive and moaning. Julien whispered in her ears and asked, "Does this do it?" "N-no¡­" Jackie stuttered somewhat but managed to answer properly. "Tsk. I guess there''s only one option left." He took his hands out and pulled Jackie''s pants down, getting her smooth ass cheeks to make an appearance. He grabbed the small buns and said while kneading them, "Don''t turn around. I don''t wish to see your ding dong while I''m conducting the test. It''ll be gay if I accidentally touch it, and as you know very well, your Master isn''t gay." Jackie made no comments on this. The situation was too cursed to do so, and whatever Julien was spouting was complete nonsense to provide a response. Watching Jackie not struggle, Julien smirked evilly. He took out lube from his inventory and applied a little on his finger, then inserted the same within Jackie''s tight little back door. Jackie could feel his finger on her back and her body temperature rose. Julien leaned forward and asked in a soft whisper, "Still nothing?" "N..no¡­" Jackie blushed and answered. Julien shoved his finger deeper in her and asked again, getting the same response without any change. He shook his head and took them out, saying, "I guess there''s only one last way to find out." Julien pulled his pants down and rubbed the tip of his cock on Jackie''s puckered flower. He grabbed her soft marshmallows and gently pulled them to the side, getting a view of her forbidden tightness. He rubbed the underside length of his shaft on it and said, "You know¡­ I really hope you pass the test. Because if you don''t, then this would be very awkward¡­" Jackie blushed as she heard that. On the outside it was that, but inwardly she thought, ''And whose fault do you think that is!? You made it all awkward, not me, Master!'' Her thoughts might be loud, but were inside her head nonetheless. Julien had no way of knowing them. "¡­alright, be prepared. This is the last. I''m doing it¡­" Chapter 135 135: Jackie’s Test (2) [R-18] In the quiet calmness of the wilderness, Julien stood behind Jackie as she took support of a tree and stuck her butt out. Her pants were down. Julien''s were too. He felt resistance as he tried to enter her, and it was what he craved. Pushing against the narrow passage, the warmth enveloped the tip of his shaft. Jackie''s heart began beating faster and she closed her eyes to focus on not moaning. As she was tense, Julien had trouble going in. He rubbed more lube on his shaft and in a minute, finally felt her tight anal walls wrapped around it. Jackie suppressed a moan and tried not to feel good. As Julien was fully within her, he placed his palms on her small tits and cupped the softness. "Are you turned on?" He asked as he slowly moved his hips to slide his shaft out. "N-no¡­" Jackie replied with a heated breath. "Good. I hope it continues to be that way." Julien said sarcastically and started hammering his meat nail. Jackie''s legs were noodles at this point as she did her best to not enjoy it. She could barely hold onto the tree and stand properly. Pah! Pah! Pah! Jackie''s tender butt jiggled with every slap of Julien''s body. Her insides proudly stretched in invitation as Julien''s shaft made its way deep. This felt too forbidden, and this was what made the two extremely horny. "Jackie, really, I doubt your taste more¡­ and more¡­" Julien said with a grunt. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Haah¡­ Master¡­ same¡­" The feeling was mutual. "I think¡­ I think I know why you''re unable to score¡­" Julien held Jackie''s shoulders and pounded her faster. "W-w-why¡­" Jackie stuck her butt out more while arching her back as she asked. Julien wrapped his arm around her neck, pulling her towards him in a choke. He bit on her earlobe and replied in a whisper, "It''s probably because you''re too submissive. Women like dominant men. You look too soft." "I-I see¡­" Jackie was more concerned about not moaning than this. She closed her eyes and did her best. A minute of intense pounding later. "Last and final test." Julien said and thrust it deep. Jackie could feel it getting bigger and felt worried. With an eye opened, she said, "M-m-master¡­ don''t c-cum in¡ªnghhh~!" Jackie''s anal muscles spasmed and squeezed every drop out of Julien''s shaft. Outside, she was against him cumming within her, but inside, her body said something else. Jackie''s legs gave away and she couldn''t stand still. Julien hugged her and kept her from falling. He then made her stand properly and put her pants back up, doing the same for himself. Placing Jackie''s hand over his shoulder and carrying her like an injured person, Julien said, "You did well, soldier." Jackie''s head was on another high. She couldn''t properly make out what was being said. "You are, finally, my dude, certified, not-gay. Congratulations." Julien said with a hint of pride. Jackie was brought back to the real world with this statement. Her expression twisted and she looked at Julien hatefully. "Master, you are a pervert. A complete pervert." [Ding!] [+3 Favorability] Julien chuckled at this. She said something but felt something else. What a surprise. "I''m not a pervert. I did it for your own good. Anyway, since we know you aren''t into boys, we can do this again." "What?" Jackie stopped in her tracks and turned to Julien. Julien looked at her with visible confusion, as if he couldn''t understand her reaction. "What do you mean what?" "What do YOU mean by doing it again?" Jackie asked back with furrowed brows. "Oh, that. Well, isn''t it logical? You and I both aren''t into men. So if we do it again once or twice, it wouldn''t really count as having sex. Since, you know¡­" Jackie''s mouth was agape. She was far too speechless to say anything to beat such a logic. "Oh well, we should hurry. Amelia must be waiting." Julien said and dragged Jackie away. He was getting another step closer to becoming a master bullshitter and scammer. He felt a bit sad for Jackie though. This poor tomboy¡ª no, Jackie was a bit too submissive to be a tomboy. This poor femboy¡ª no, Jackie wasn''t a boy to actually act as a female. ''Ah well, let''s just say that it doesn''t matter if it''s Jackie. It''s not gay if it''s Jackie. Yes. Yes. That works well..'' Julien gaslighted himself. To confuse the enemy, one must confuse themselves. Such was the motto he believed in. In any case, Julien felt a bit sad for Jackie. This poor lass of his couldn''t catch a break from his shenanigans. She also wasn''t able to cum to her heart''s content or moan. Julien had to ensure his cute butler was satisfied in future or he might end up stabbing him in his sleep. ''Ahem. That probably won''t happen. Jackie''s Favorability is now over 90.'' Jackie was going to be loyal for life unless Julien did some absolutely down horrendous shit to her. ''Speaking of this¡­ her name''s Jacqueline. I''ve been calling her Jackie so much that calling her Jacqueline feels odd.'' Thinking about useless things, Julien brought Jackie to the camp again. Amelia could feel their movements and asked, "Why are you walking funny, Jackie?" Jackie''s face heated up. Julien coughed from the side and said, "My boy fell on his way here. Don''t worry, I treated him so his ankle''s fine now." "I see. Please take care." Amelia wished well. "Thank you." Jackie replied and sat down on a log by the campfire. The moment she did so, she felt the slimy liquids slosh inside her, making her ticklish and shiver. Jackie''s eyebrows twitched but she stayed quiet. Julien had some late night floral tea with the two and conversed about unnecessary matters. Once their conversation was over, he went to his tent with Amelia, snuggling and cuddling with this holy lady until dozing off. The next day. Julien''s carriage moved nonstop. As night descended, they stopped by a small village that had a clear lake. Julien went with Jackie and Amelia to wash himself, and as they passed by the woods, Julien heard some strange chopping sounds. "Do you hear that?" Julien asked the two. Chop. Chop. "Yes. Someone''s chopping wood." Amelia turned to a certain direction and answered. "This late?" Jackie questioned "I mean, it''s modern times. And this is the Theocracy''s territory so people perhaps might not be afraid of ghosts. What''s stopping them from working late anyway?" Julien commented. "That''s true." Jackie nodded. "But there''s a possible bandit attack that may happen." "Bandits must be partying at this hour. And what would they find in such a puny village anyway?" "That''s true too." Jackie nodded. Even though she knew her Master was a pervert, and spouted a lot of nonsense, at times such as these, he seemed quite capable and logical. ''His perverted nature is only in private, so that''s a relief, I guess?'' Jackie thought. Julien and his party moved to the sound of wood chopping. They were careful so as to not alert the person and startle him. Julien assumed it was a man because there were some things women did not do, one of them being chopping wood. And even if they did, it was definitely not something they would do at this hour of the day. On top of a tall tree''s branch hanging by the lake''s shore, a slender figure sat. Her long ginger hair cascaded down and glowed under the serene moonlight. She held an axe and kept hacking it at the tree''s thick bark. "¡­" Julien was baffled by the scene. ''A woman''s chopping wood at this hour of the day?'' It was indeed a woman. ''Now I look like a misogynist prick. Wow.'' Julien was not beating the allegations anytime soon. Continuing to watch, Julien, Jackie, and Amelia found the woman to be working hard. Julien tried to have a closer look at the woman''s face, and doing so led to him stepping on a crispy twig. The woman on the tree was startled and her grip on her axe loosened. "Oh no, my axe!" She cried out as her axe flew away. Splash! The axe fell into the water. "¡­" Julien was once again speechless. ''That''s it? That''s all it took for the woman to be startled?'' ''Lady, if you are this scared, why are you chopping wood this late in the night!?'' The pitiful woman descended down from the tree. She turned to the lake and sadly looked at it. "My axe¡­ my precious axe¡­ how will I make a living without it? How will I feed my children now?" The woman sobbed. "¡­" Julien had no words to say about this. Did he just strip off a hardworking lady from the only tool she possessed to make money? What sort of monster had he become? Jackie and Amelia both gave disappointed looks to Julien. "Poor lady¡­" Jackie whispered. "Hey! Hey! It''s not my fault!" Julien hissed. Gurgle. Gurgle. Strange sounds were heard from the water and distracted Julien. As he turned to the source, he soon found the lake to be glowing. It had the same glow as the moonlight. The ginger-haired woman''s face was clearly visible due to the illumination. Soon, from the waters, a trident appeared. Holding the trident was a rough-looking man with wet hair that made him seem like a drenched raccoon. He held a golden axe in his hand. "Iyaaaa¡ª!" The woman shrieked in fear as she watched the man. The man with a calm demeanor flipped his wet hair behind. He looked at the woman and said, "I¡­ am the deity of this lake. Speak, woman, is this your axe?" "¡­" Julien was utterly speechless again. ''What in the actual fuck is happening!?!!'' ''Are you for real?!'' ''The woodcutter story!?!'' Chapter 136 136: Not Wholesome "¡­is this your axe?" The Poseidon cosplayer deity asked the sobbing woman. "No, lord." The woman cried but denied, not feeling any greed. ''Of course.'' Julien wasn''t surprised. The deity slowly descended into the water and came back again with a silver axe. "Is this your axe, woman?" "No, lord." The woman denied again. The deity slowly descended into the water again as she refused. He came back with a bronze axe. "Is this¡ª" "No!" "Let me finish!" The deity spat. "H-hic, S-sorry!" The woman kowtowed. "Is this your axe, woman?" The deity asked again. "No, lord. I had a wooden axe." The woman said truthfully. The deity went back and reappeared with a wooden axe. It had some cracks in it. "Is this your axe, woman?" "Yes! That is my axe!" The woman exclaimed happily. "Thank you! Thank you for fetching it for me!" ''This is so corny. What am I even looking at and why is this happening? Are the people here stupid or something?" Julien thought as he couldn''t bear to watch the overly dramatic scene. "Your honesty has moved me." The deity said. "You can have these all." The deity handed the woman the wooden axe along with the gold, silver, and bronze ones. The woman couldn''t contain her happiness and repeatedly thanked the deity. She left the lake and went to the small village. Julien and his party followed her. Within the village, the woman happily made a big meal of oats for her children without caring for tomorrow''s food portions. Her and her children had a hearty meal and went to sleep. A while later, a man sneaks into the house. He finds the three axes and picking up the golden one, states, "There really was a treasure here! The revelation did not lie!" The man went out of the house with the axes. "The woods have even more of them! I should get going!" The man ran into the forest in the deep night without caring for his safety. Julien was baffled by the scene. ''Are these idiots really doing this?'' He did not follow the man and let him disappear. ''What now?'' He thought. Should he continue to stay here or should he go back to the maids and sleep? The question lingered in his mind. After some thoughts, Julien decided to come back after a short sleep, right before it was morning. That way, he would be able to see the woman''s reaction as she finds her axes stolen. Julien went back, and as the night passed, he came back for the reaction. When the woman woke up, she was horrified to find her axes gone. She dashed out of her house and told the villagers everything and asked them whether they had seen her axes. Everyone shook their heads and the woman was left troubled and broke again. Having heard her tale, a villager went to the same lake. Instead of going through the route as the woman, he began fishing for treasures. Instead of a treasure, he caught a small golden fish. "Human, let me go and I will fulfil one of your wishes." The fish spoke in a clear human tone. Julien was watching this spectacle from the shore while hiding in a bush with Jackie and Amelia. Amelia couldn''t see but was able to hear everything clearly. Jackie was as surprised as Julien when she saw the scenes. "Really?" "Yes." The fish promised. It wouldn''t hurt the man to let the fish go. He took off the hook from its mouth and dropped it into the water. "Make a wish." A voice resounded from the waters. "I wish for the village to be prosperous again!" The man exclaimed in glee. The moment he did so, his hair turned white, his skin wrinkled and cracked. Before he could react, his body turned into dust and disappeared into the wind. A villager nearby who had come to fetch water shrieked in horror. In front of his very eyes, the water dried up and everything in the surroundings decayed. The village fell into chaos. Julien was quite shocked by the sudden change in scenes. He couldn''t hide behind the bushes anymore as they decayed. But to his surprise, his presence was not noticed by any of the villagers. It was as if he was invisible to them. Julien didn''t hide anymore and continued to spectate. A day passed. Julien went to his camp to eat and sleep, and his sleep was quite short too as he didn''t want to miss anything happening in this village. He was running late to his aunt''s place, but it was fine. A day or two extra won''t hurt him. When he went back to the village, he saw a mysterious woman at the gates of the village. Her presence was soothing and she brought calmness in this panicked village. The woman was here to offer the people expensive silk garments at a small fortune. The villagers were surprised but took up on that offer nonetheless. Soon, a merchant caravan arrived and the villagers sold the silk to them at a high rate. In a day''s time, the village became prosperous. It was as if this mysterious woman was drawn to them because of the misfortune they suffered. Julien believed it was exactly due to this and Jackie and Amelia seemed to be agreeing. Another day passed. The villagers were restless. The reason for it was the mysterious woman. She was staying in a small, candlelit room, only emerging to deliver robes of shimmering white thread. One of the village''s boys was curious and it got the best of him. He peeked into the woman''s room wondering what she was doing, but only saw a pile of scattered white feathers on the ground. She was nowhere to be seen. By morning, the village was shrouded in thick mist. The roads twisted and no matter where the villagers walked, they found themselves back in the same spot. Their eyes were lifeless too by this point. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Julien and his party however were unaffected. Soon, as the mist cleared, they saw an old woman by a wooden hut. She walked into her home and there, she saw a mirror. As she saw her worn out, old face full of wrinkles, the woman couldn''t help but comment, "Oh, how I wish to be young again¡­" To Julien''s shock, the reflection in the mirror changed and it turned into that of the woodcutter woman. The mist appeared in the village again. Julien couldn''t see anything. When the mist cleared, it was dusk. In place of the elderly woman was a young woman holding a wooden axe. She asked her children to behave and went deep into the woods to chop some wood and work overtime to feed her starving children. The dried up lake was there again. Julien was shocked beyond comprehension and couldn''t understand what the hell was going on. In almost three day''s worth of time, he had seen many folklores in real life, but they were all cursed and not funny at all. He thought from the interaction of the woman and the Poseidon cosplayer that it would be wholesome, but it was definitely not! "Jackie, Amelia¡­ you both saw that too, right?" "Yes¡­" the two did not deny. This was the weirdest experience of their lives. "This is not good. We should leave." Julien said and dragged the two away. It was best to avoid such cursed places. On the way away, Julien thought in his mind, ''El, are you there?'' There was no response. ''Daddy, you there?'' Julien immediately thought. -My child¡­ A pleasant voice rang in his ears. ''El¡­ you''re here.'' He said. ''I have a really important question to ask. Can you please answer?'' -Not even a greeting and straight to the point, eh? Do you only remember your parent when you''re in trouble? Tch. Tch. Kids these days are so ungrateful¡­ Julien completely ignored those words and asked, ''El, can you please check whether I''m cursed or in trouble? It''s really important and my life is at stake.'' -Hmm? What? El was surprised by the sudden question. She did her magic to check up on Julien and said calmly, "There''s curse or anything. Why? What did you do to ask such a question so suddenly?" ''It''s a long story. I''ll tell you later.'' -You better not forget. El didn''t really mind and went away. She reminded and warned him again before leaving. Julien breathed a sigh of relief and stated, "That place wasn''t cursed. We''re safe." "What now, Master? Are we going to ignore what we just saw?" Jackie asked the important question. Julien sighed. "What else can we do? Going there is only inviting trouble. We are able to freely move in and out of there, but what if we aren''t able to do so? What if we''re stuck forever like those fools? That would be really bad. Jackie felt it made sense. She nodded in understanding and said, "If that''s the case, then I believe we should ignore it and get going." "I was gonna say that." Julien nodded. "Before we leave," Amelia chimed in. She turned to Julien and continued, "Master, there is something I wish to confirm. Can you please tag along?" Chapter 137 137: Evil Gods The night was long. The mist shrouded the village. Everyone was asleep and only three people wandered the streets. Julien and Jackie followed Amelia as she moved towards a certain well. Amelia took a glance at the abyss-like bottom and went to another spot. It was by a tree beneath which was a clear patch of grass. Next, she went to the woodcutter woman''s house and had a feel of the mirror. Lastly, she went to the lake. Using a wooden boat, they went to the middle of it. "Light that knows no shadow, truth that knows no veil¡ª By the sacred decree, let all be seen as they are¡­" Amelia began chanting while clasping her hands. The water around them swirled as she did so, and concern flashed on Julien''s face. What was Amelia trying to do? The still clear water of the lake turned dark. From within emerged a pulsating crimson pendant. It fell into Amelia''s hands and appeared ominous. "We should leave." Amelia said calmly. Her words were unhurried but Julien and Jackie both were startled. There was a creeping anxiety looming over them. It was as if something scary was approaching and if they didn''t hurry, something very wrong was sure to happen. Out on the shore the three reached. They hurried to the place the maids were at and left the folklore village. Julien could see the mist in the distance disappear. It was replaced with a normal view of the forest as he sat and stared at it from within the carriage. "What was that? What happened there?" Julien asked Amelia. Holding the pendant in hand, Amelia felt it and said, "That was a village shrouded in myths. When a group of people are too absorbed in any old folklore containing gods, the god would take notice and drag them in it. This happens because¡­" The existence of a god was dependent on many things. Some could exist eternally without doing anything while some needed a lot of followers to barely get by. A folklore contained local gods and a myth had a higher level deity involved. There was a high probability of folklore disappearing and with it, the god would disappear too. However, a myth was different. Gods having their own myths were astronomically powerful. They had a lot of authority and through their sheer strength, could keep the myth going for eternity, thereby ensuring their existence. The more people involved in the myth, the more power they possessed. The village the three had just passed by contained a variety of myths. "¡­those myths were a mix. Some like the woodcutter''s story belonged to a god while some like the greedy man stealing the axes belonged to a demon¡­" This variety led to the villagers suffering endlessly. The villagers were stuck in a loop that would go on for eternity, repeating the same cycle and reciting the myth. The gods belonging to it would exist forever as long as the loop wasn''t disturbed. If by any chance someone tried to do it, it wouldn''t end well for them as the gods themselves would descend and go after the person. The village was quite small and randomly present in this vast world. Finding it was like finding a needle in a haystack. "¡­while I do not know how we were able to find this village, what I do know is that we would have died had we involved ourselves." Amelia elaborated. She showed the pendant to the three and continued, "With god''s blessing, I was able to find a piece of the evil god lurking there. This is a really small piece and would go unnoticed, but if we ever were to go near the village, the evil god would know something from its possession was gone and come after me." Amelia did not stop and continued speaking. She wouldn''t have done such a risky thing had she not had other thoughts in her mind. One by one, she went through those thoughts with Julien. "Master, as you know, the world''s quite big. We are but a small part of it and¡­" This small world of theirs possessed many groups worshipping a variety of gods. There was also a variety of folklore, and the problem with folklores was that they were absolutely real. Tales of the past would be recreated if the right conditions were met or if the gods so wished for it to occur. The villagers stuck in the folklore loop weren''t cursed by gods but blessed by the devils. Amelia confirmed the presence of this power within the lake and retreated immediately. This was not something they could fight without the power of their constellations. The constellations could not give power to the incarnations as they wished outside the Tower. The sponsorship only worked in the Tower. Outside the Tower, it was like charity for the constellations. Devotees could pray and the gods could give them the rewards. There were limits to what they could give them, and this depended on the particular God''s providence. If the god gave something that would shake the entire world and cause nothing but destruction, they would lose a lot of providence and perish. If it was a demonic god on the other hand, they would thrive within the chaos. The demonic gods were restricted by the divine ones and couldn''t do as they pleased. They worked their way around those restrictions and tried to spew chaos while the divine ones made counters. Even if Amelia was Archangel Uriel''s incarnation, getting a blessing from her to defeat the evil god lurking within this village was nigh impossible. Plus, this village was doomed as is. The loop could be going for many years and the villagers were as good as dead if the loop was stopped. They kept acting in the way the folklore was, and all over the world, there were many such places possessing old folklores. Julien was fascinated by this concept. He wanted to spectate the village a bit more, but given his history, it would only invite trouble. So far, his bad luck hasn''t been flaring up. Why was such the case was unknown. Maybe he was missing out on potential future opportunities? He didn''t know, but he had a feeling. The party continued their way to Lorene''s place. It was another day''s worth of carriage ride. By the time Julien arrived, he was surprised to find multiple carriages outside his aunt''s place. Going inside, a chitter-chatter of melodic voices resounded in the tree house. "¡­and I''m telling you, it was very difficult! Floor 37 can not be cleared without casualties!" The voices may be melodic but the words were ominous. "If so many die, then we''d lose out on potential manpower and get invaded." "That''s exactly why Floor 37 hasn''t been cleared yet. And I''m tired of pretending it isn''t." The ladies chatting in such tones were naturally Eleanor and Lorene. The younger sister was more fierce than the older one, her tone carrying hints of dominance within. Lorene had a laid back and relaxed attitude as if none of this mattered. As Julien entered the room, the voices toned down. Everyone turned to Julien, and the first to greet him was Katherine. "You''re here!" Leona, who was right beside Katherine, got up and said, "Welcome back. I''ll get the bath ready for you." "You''re here, my dear." Eleanor''s tone softened. "Took you quite some time." "What were you doing in the Theocracy for so long?" Lorene asked instead of greeting him. "I was caught up in some stuff." Julien answered and took a seat on the couch beside his mother. Amelia and Jackie were downstairs and didn''t join Julien. Eleanor hugged him from the side and had her silky blonde hair rub against the side of his face. "What stuff?" Eleanor was curious to know more. Lorene did brief her on his present situation, but what he was actually doing was something only he knew. "There were a lot of things, mom. It''ll take a lot of time to explain. Weren''t you guys already conversing about something? Go on, do that again. I''m interested in knowing too" Julien tried to change the topic. "That can wait. Tell me about yourself first." Eleanor couldn''t care less about the floor''s clearance. Her son''s journey mattered to her more than anything. Julien knew he couldn''t argue with his mother on this. He thus truthfully said everything he knew. "¡­and then I met the Ingress Family¡­" "Oh, the Ingress?" "Yes. They were there on a diplomatic mission¡­" The conversation caught Lorene''s attention quite a bit. Katherine, who had gone away to bring snacks, came back with a tray full of it. She didn''t disturb the conversation and listened to what Julien was saying intently while sitting beside her aunt. The Empire was sure making some bold moves from their sides, they all thought. It was slightly surprising, but nothing much. "¡­and then Christopher jumped from his carriage and¡­" "¡­he did what!?!?!" Katherine stood up and exclaimed in shock. "He dared to attack you?!" "Christopher Ingress attacked Julien?" Leona who had just arrived, overheard the conversation and had flames burning in her eyes. Eleanor knitted her brows too whereas Lorene was the only sane one. "Calm down, you three. First listen to everything he has to say." Although she was pissed at this face too, she wanted to know what else happened before making a decision. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The ladies quieted down and continued to listen. Julien knew he had to change things a bit or he might awaken the hunting instincts of these ladies and really set doom upon the Empire and the Theocracy. "Well¡­ stuff happened, like¡­" Chapter 138 138: Eleanor Knows [R-18] It took a good half an hour to explain everything to the ladies. Another ten minutes was spent on answering questions, most of which came from Katherine. "Does the Empire not know who they''re trying to start a conflict with?" It was a genuine question and not a threat Katherine made. Nobody said it out loud, but everyone knew the Lichtenstein Family was not to be messed with. It was an unsaid rule in the country and its neighbors. For the Empire to be so bold and threaten the heir of this family was an unexpected move even the Lichtenstein ladies didn''t expect. Julien nodded at Katherine''s question. "They don''t. It''s not like I went there officially and they seeked trouble." "Makes sense." Katherine folded her hands as she agreed. Nobody in their right mind would try to find trouble with him if he had gone officially. But then again, going officially would''ve ruined the point of him going there. Seated beside him, Eleanor pulled Julien into her embrace and said, "If anyone bothers you, you''ll let mommy know, okay?" This blonde lady was like a ray of sunshine in Julien''s dark life, and her words were the sweetest nectar his drought-ridden ears could soak up. Julien had to take a deep breath at the mesmerizing sight and sound before nodding in understanding. "Good boy." Eleanor patted his head. It was at this moment Julien understood. He understood why submissive people existed and why they liked being called a good boy. This was too much for him to handle, so he kept quiet to not blow his cover, and basked in the pleasure. "Hey, you didn''t give the same privileges to me!" Katherine squinted her eyes. "You''re grown up, Katy. You can handle things on your own." Eleanor brushed it off. Katherine was visibly baffled by the response. "Wow. You''re not even trying to hide your favoritism." "You were never the favorite child, Katy." Lorene took a sip of tea and threw shade. "Aunt!? Excuse me!?!" "It happens." Leona, seated beside her, patted her shoulder and consoled. "What!?" The ladies teased the poor lass for a good five minutes and had a good laugh while Julien was happy as well to witness such a warm scene. By the time all was said and done, it was night. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jackie and Amelia had prepared dinner without even being told to do so. They all sat together in the same room and conversed over food again. The important discussions were left for the next day, and for now, they all wanted to relax and spend time together. After another round of talks, it was finally bedtime. Eleanor wouldn''t leave Julien alone and took him with her. The rest had no problem with it as it was understandable on their part, given how Julien''s history was. Once the door of the room was locked, Eleanor went towards the closet and fetched Julien a pair of shorts. There were spare clothes present in all houses for every member of the family. This was no surprise. She handed the shorts to him and asked him to change while she herself slowly took her clothes off. As there were no maids, she had to do everything herself. Julien watched her smooth back come into view as she took her top off. Watching her change was just as satisfying as ever, even though it was an usual occurrence. Soon, Eleanor''s skirt fell down and her full behind was in Julien''s eyes. "Mom." Julien called out, not feeling the slightest bit embarrassed or guilty. Eleanor turned around to see him. "Yes, my dear?" Her perky milkers, flat abdomen, and the small slit came into his view. Unlike before, she wasn''t fully smooth down there and had a small patch of pubic hair. It just made her more sexy. Julien almost drooled. He threw his shorts away and walked towards her, his little brother swinging in joy as he moved. When he reached, he looked up at her and rubbed his fingers against the velvety softness of her pussy. It sunk into her slit and felt warm. Eleanor raised her eyebrows in surprise and wondered what he was trying to do. "Why bother wearing clothes? They''re going to come off anyway." Julien felt the roughness of her hair. "There''s no washroom in this room. We can''t go out nude now, can we?" Eleanor tried to reason. "I mean¡­" Julien turned to look at the door. "There''s just us on this floor. And it''s not like the others haven''t seen you nude." Eleanor rolled her eyes. "We would come off as perverts." Julien shook his head. "Nobody will think anything. And doesn''t aunt roam around without panties?" "Yeah, because she IS a pervert." Eleanor emphasized. Julien shook his head and took the nightgown from her hand. He threw it to the side and replied, "There''s definitely no need for that. And you know, we''ll share a deeper bond through skin-ship." He rubbed his body against hers. The two felt the warmth from friction. Eleanor smiled and shook her head. It seemed like she couldn''t do anything about her boy''s stubbornness. She gave up trying to reason and leaned down to kiss his cheek. "Fine. No clothes." Julien smiled happily and held her face, taking hold of her supple lips with his own. He tasted the sweetness for a few seconds, then let go. "You''re the best." Eleanor smiled and pulled his cheek. Her boy was getting cheekier by the day. The two eventually got in bed and tucked themselves under a cozy blanket. Eleanor stuffed his face in her bosom and tried to sleep. Julien felt crushed between two heavenly peaks. He didn''t have to do anything and the pink cherries fell into his mouth. He sucked on one of them and activated Eleanor''s motherly instinct, making her caress his hair. This was bliss. Nothing could top this. After tasting her juicy melons for a few minutes, Julien shamelessly went for the main course. He rubbed his shaft in between her legs, and grabbed her buttocks for support, kneading them into whatever shape he pleased. Eleanor opened her eyes at this time. She glanced at her son and he glanced back. Julien continued to rub his cock on her mildly hairy pussy while maintaining eye contact. "My dear¡­" Eleanor raised one of her eyebrows. "You have to learn to keep your energy levels in check." Julien smiled and raised her leg up somewhat. He spread her pussy lips by planting the head of his shaft on her small hole, feeling its amazing softness. "It''s a bit difficult. You''ll help me with it, right?" "Hm, I would''ve¡­" Eleanor squinted her eyes. "Had you not taken your aunt''s help." Julien''s expression froze. His body instinctively stopped and tried to pull away, but Eleanor was a step faster and sandwiched his cock in between her thick thighs, keeping the head planted on her pussy. "Did you think mommy wouldn''t know?" Eleanor moved her hips, grinding her lips on his shaft. "Well¡­" Julien wanted to reason, but was too turned on to do so. "How¡­" "How do I know?" Eleanor finished his sentence. "Yes." Julien nodded. He was quite curious to know this. Eleanor squeezed his face to make his mouth appear like a fish''s and replied, "Your mommy''s senses are not something to look down on." "And¡­ aren''t you getting too spoiled lately? Demanding mommy to be naked and doing lewd things so much?" Eleanor''s dominant side slipped out due to the trigger provided by Julien. He didn''t know what he was supposed to do right now other than being turned on. He simply laid quietly in her embrace and tried to focus on the goodies rather than the talks. Eleanor ran her fingers through his hair and continued, "But you know, it''s fine. Even though you are being spoiled so much, it still isn''t enough for the days you weren''t getting spoiled." "You aren''t mad, right?" Julien asked. "No." Eleanor shook her head. That felt good to hear. He was about to continue the conversation, but right then, a knock was heard on the door. "Mom? I forgot to hand this to you. It''s important." Leona''s voice was heard from the outside. It was as if a switch had been flipped inside Eleanor. She was back to her motherly self and said, "Coming." She then turned to Julien and said with a forehead kiss, "Stay. I''ll be back in a bit." As she got off the bed and went to fetch her nightgown, Julien immediately got off and took it, surprising her. "My dear, no pranks right now." Eleanor walked up to him, trying to get the gown back. Julien smiled. He went towards the door, waiting until his mother reached, then opened it and said, "Come in." Unaware of the fiasco, Leona entered, only to be shocked by the scene. On the floor, clothes lay scattered, and right in front of her, she could see her mother, completely nude, pulling on a gown from her younger brother''s hands. He too was nude, and although Leona didn''t actively look down, his erect cock came in her view, staring at her angrily. "What''s going on¡­" Chapter 139: Important Matter [R-18] There was a lot to unpack here, with important things already in the open. Eleanor walked up to Julien and pulled his cheek hard enough for it to sting. "Owwww-" Julien struggled to free himself as she did that. Leona watched from the sidelines, wondering what was happening. Eleanor took hold of her nightgown and said, "You really are getting rebellious. Some disciplining is definitely needed." As she let go of him, he rubbed his aching cheek and thought, ¡¯That hurt quite a lot. Damn, is this due to my luck or something?¡¯ An auspicious night filled with wonders of lustful pleasure was disrupted with Leona¡¯s sudden appearance. If this wasn¡¯t due to his misfortune, then Julien didn¡¯t know what was. "What¡¯s wrong, my dear? You seem quite troubled." Eleanor put on her nightgown as she conversed. Leona scratched her eyebrow with her index finger and said, "It¡¯s about the Tower and its influence on our world. I wouldn¡¯t have disturbed you had it not been urgent." "Mm-hm. Take a seat, and go on." Eleanor said as she walked around to pick up Julien¡¯s shorts. Leona sat on the edge of the bed, in front of the naked Julien. Her eyes weren¡¯t on him but her mother, as if him being in such a state wasn¡¯t abnormal at all. "As you know, most of the constellations do not know what goes on outside the Tower¡­" Leona opened the conversation again as her eyes moved in the direction of her mother. Eleanor had grabbed the shorts by now and kneeled in front of Julien, making him wear it. Leona watched it absentmindedly and continued, "We¡¯ve firmly believed such is the case, but lately, some Players have reported that their constellations have given them tasks which aren¡¯t within the Tower." Julien didn¡¯t know how important this conversation was or the deeper things his mother and elder sister knew of. He thought of it as just another conflict that had to be resolved. He was in the mood to play around, and he did exactly that by arching his hips to have his dick stick to Eleanor¡¯s smooth face, rendering her unable to pull his shorts up. She stretched the shorts¡¯ waistband, but Julien removed one of his legs from it and quickly did the same with the other. A mischievous smirk was on his face as he watched the knitted brows of his mother. As Leona had a side view of the two, she couldn¡¯t properly read the room. She was in her own zone and continued, "It is not common and I would¡¯ve overlooked it, but the task given to the Players grabbed my attention. These aren¡¯t your usual ones, but they also don¡¯t seem unusual to be given much importance¡­" Julien wasn¡¯t listening while Eleanor was. Had Eleanor¡¯s attention been fully on Julien, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to fool around so much. Her brain couldn¡¯t process the ways to deal with him instantly as it was busy comprehending Leona¡¯s words. It was also her first time dealing with such a situation, so Julien had an easy time. Eleanor grabbed his ankle and stopped him from running away. She gave him an angry stare and tried to make him wear shorts again. This seductive lady of his looked so cute with such a face. Julien couldn¡¯t help but pinch her cheek with a smile. Eleanor slapped his hand away and gave him another warning stare. "¡­this one Player was given a task to plant a random sapling near a potato field. He didn¡¯t think much of it and did the work and went back to the Tower. A week later, the green leafy potato shoots suddenly withered and alarmed the farmers. When they went to check, the potatoes underground weren¡¯t harmed. It was just the shoots above that dried up¡­" Eleanor was attentively listening right now as she was successfully able to make him wear his shorts. She faced Leona and nodded periodically. Julien saw how focused she was and decided to test the waters. Would she lose focus if he did something mischievous? The first thing he did was stand beside her and hug her waist. Eleanor had no reaction. He looked at Leona and waited for a bit, not hurrying as it would disturb them. "¡­the potatoes that shouldn¡¯t be ready for harvest until two to three more months were ready right away. It was a mystery that shocked the farmers. They harvested them and the potatoes were distributed around the Kingdom¡­" Eleanor was too focused. Julien felt it was the right time. He slithered his hand under her semi-transparent and felt the marshmallow-ey texture. He didn¡¯t stop there and caressed her hairy lips with the tip of his fingers, feeling both roughness and smoothness. The two ladies didn¡¯t pay any attention. The talks about farmers and potatoes were more important. Julien stopped with this and went to fetch a glass of water. He wanted to test something else. "¡­and when the people consumed these potatoes¡­" Eleanor raised her eyebrow. "¡­they fell sick and died?" Leona shook her head. "No." Julien arrived at this point and handed her a glass of water. He gave it to Leona too. The two ladies held it and took a small sip, fully committed to this conversation, unaware of the glass of water appearing in their hands. "Everyone was perfectly fine. There weren¡¯t any problems with them." Leona didn¡¯t keep her mother in suspense. "At least, this was on the outside. They looked perfectly fine and healthy, and they physically were, but there was one problem they all suffered through. It was quite subtle, but there." Julien couldn¡¯t watch his mother stand still. He held her and made her sit beside Leona. The two ladies faced each other as they conversed with one of their legs on the bed. Julien took the glass of water from Eleanor¡¯s hand and put it away. He then got on the bed and laid down, ensuring to keep his head on his mother¡¯s lap. Eleanor instinctively caressed his hair, completely unaware of it. Julien didn¡¯t do anything and rested for a bit. "¡­they were having sad dreams and felt lost. It was almost a month later that they began lacking motivation to even do the basic tasks. They were depressed as the dreams felt like reality." Right in front of Julien¡¯s eyes, he could see twin peaks covered by a thin, semi-transparent garment. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Eleanor¡¯s nipple grazed against her garment and as he could see it vividly, he decided to gently pinch it and see everyone¡¯s reaction. Eleanor didn¡¯t react. Neither did Leona. ¡¯They are so focused. Is the conversation this important?¡¯ Julien thought, but couldn¡¯t care less. He wrapped his arm around Eleanor¡¯s waist to take support and slightly got up to suck on her firmly soft nipple. He could feel the garment more than that, but he wasn¡¯t complaining. "Around these times, a rumor spread that there was an angel god who was benevolent and took everyone¡¯s sins unto him, blessing them to start anew. He answered prayers and the ritual to pray to him wasn¡¯t complicated either." Eleanor frowned. "So¡­ the depressed people¡­" Leona nodded. "That¡¯s right. They took the bait and began worshipping him." Julien was more and more amused. He really wanted to test how long it would be until they noticed his shenanigans now. He stopped sucking for a moment and got out of bed, only to get in front of Eleanor. He extended his arms out to her, as if demanding a hug, and almost instantly, Eleanor took hold of him as her gentle side flared up. She sat cross-legged on the bed¡¯s edge with Leona in front, and Julien was now on her lap, his legs and arms wrapped around her body as he lay in a frontal hug and kept his head on her shoulder. Eleanor rubbed his back and continued to listen to Leona. "The result of this worship was them starting a better life, but as time passed, their numbers gradually reduced. As it was a small population, their deaths went unnoticed by most. The members of our guild had family members in this group. They seeked medicine and potions to heal them, but it was all for naught. It was through them we were able to investigate the matter so thoroughly and connect the dots." Eleanor and Leona were too invested in this now. They did not notice Julien turning Eleanor to the side, ensuring both her legs were on the ground and not the bed. He turned around as well and sat on the bed with his back glued to his mother¡¯s front. His face was stuffed between the large mounds and his legs were on the ground too. Slowly, he pulled his shorts down, and made Eleanor¡¯s hand move towards his erect cock. She held it without any reservations, and as she had given him a handjob multiple times before, she developed a muscle memory which led to her stroking it right now. Leona was watching this, but in her vision was the scene of the things she was explaining. Moments passed. As Eleanor wasn¡¯t focused, the intensity of her pace did not increase. It was constant. Julien thought at this point, ¡¯They are too immersed. Let¡¯s see if they can continue to do so if I do this¡­¡¯ Chapter 140: A Serious Conversation Julien extended his hands out and held Eleanor¡¯s face, making her look down at him. This broke the eye contact with Leona, and as he leaned forward and kissed her, her immersion broke too. Leona¡¯s immersion was broken too. For a split second she couldn¡¯t process what was happening, and the next second, she gasped and covered her mouth as she watched the scene in front. Julien¡¯s erect shaft was held by her mother. It was twitching and spewed sticky white liquid, which she very well knew what it was. It covered her mother¡¯s hands and some fell on the floor too. She couldn¡¯t understand how things led to such a point, and she couldn¡¯t figure it out either. When Julien was done cumming, he broke the kiss and looked down, saying, "Ah, I made a mess. I¡¯m sorry¡­" Eleanor looked past his shoulder to see what he was referring to, and was pleasantly surprised to find sticky semen all over her hands. Turning to the side, she could also see Leona watching them. Eleanor¡¯s lip twitched. ¡¯For one minute I keep my eyes off him, and he starts causing trouble. How am I supposed to explain this now?¡¯ The matters were troublesome, and Eleanor didn¡¯t have any particular explanation. She shook her head and said to Leona, "Give me a minute." Eleanor grabbed the glass of water nearby and poured it on a cloth. She wiped all the mess clean over hers and Julien¡¯s body, then stood before him like a towering giant. She pulled both his cheeks this time, causing quite the pain, and making him yell. "If you cause trouble again, mommy really will discipline you. Got it?" "Oke-oke-oke!" Julien yelled as he tried to put her hands away. It really fucking hurt! That was his face, not dough that she was pulling so hard! "Good. Now let¡¯s get you to bed." Eleanor felt it would be best if Julien slept. They would have a better time conversing on important matters. She tucked him in bed and laid beside him, cuddling and trying to put him to sleep. "Leona, come rest for a bit. We¡¯ll continue once Julien is asleep." Eleanor instructed. Did Leona have a choice in this matter? Her mother¡¯s words were absolute. Even if she didn¡¯t feel like resting, she had to rest! Leona was in her nightgown too, and it felt comfortable to rest on the bed. Eleanor was in between her two kids, and she tried to put Julien to sleep, she felt it was the first time she was resting like this with her children. The only person missing was Katy, and the family would be complete. Though the idea sounded nice, bringing Katy here was nothing short of inviting trouble. She wouldn¡¯t let others speak, and the matters would never be discussed or finished. Eleanor smiled and shook her head. She kissed the top of Julien¡¯s head and patted his chest, waiting for him to fall asleep. Julien couldn¡¯t sleep. How the hell was he supposed to sleep in such conditions!? He wasn¡¯t a child who had a bedtime for heaven¡¯s sake. The only thing in his eyes were the bountiful mounds, but they were out of reach for now. If he tried anything funny, it would end up in a disaster. Julien closed his eyes and tried to wait it out. A few minutes passed. Eleanor felt Julien¡¯s breathing even out. Although he didn¡¯t seem completely asleep, this was better than nothing. She turned around and met Leona¡¯s gaze. "Alright. You can continue." "Do we talk in this manner?" Leona asked, wondering whether they should go to another room or not. Eleanor nodded. "If I leave his side, he¡¯ll wake up. Better to talk in a low voice here itself. And, isn¡¯t this comfortable anyway?" "It sure is." Leona wouldn¡¯t deny. The two began talking again. "¡­so, similar cases have happened in other places too. I made a team of stealth investigators and¡­" The ladies talked and Julien listened too this time as he had nothing better to do. Apparently, the gods were actively meddling with worldly affairs. That was the story in short. For them to take a sudden interest in their world was suspicious and ominous too. If a being at such a high position paid attention to such a lowly place, then this place may not be lowly for all one knew. In ten minutes or so, Julien understood everything. There was no need for Leona to go in such great detail. She was explaining every single thing and this took a lot of their time. Julien was getting bored lying down like this. He focused on their conversation and got even more bored. Without knowing, he eventually fell asleep, and thus the day ended. Next day. Eleanor and Leona ended up conversing for the whole night, resulting in them sleeping in for the day. Julien met with Katherine and Lorene, having breakfast and then spending time with Amelia and Jackie. Julien let the two of them know about the things happening in the world that he got to know from Leona. They provided their two cents on the matter, which could be summarized into one word: powerless. They were all powerless to actually care about the grand scheme of things. If they wanted to make any impact, they had to have enough power. Though, this still did not stop them from discussing the matters. First things first, why were the gods trying to invade their world? What could be the cause? Julien put his two cents on this matter. He stated that maybe it could be due to them wanting to harvest power through chaos. Amelia had stated before the existence of demonic gods, so this could be a cult of them, trying to farm for power. Jackie agreed. In her opinion the world was vast and not limited to Silverose and its neighboring kingdoms. It had lots of potential which the evil gods could tap into. They kept discussing this matter for some time, until eventually, their discussions were halted by Katherine. "Julien, you guys, there¡¯s a guest who wants to see you." This was what she said and took the three to a different room in Lorene¡¯s treehouse. Julien wondered what was up, only to have his questions answered upon noticing a raven-haired figure with fiery red eyes seated on one of the chairs. Around her was his mother, aunt, Leona, and even grandmother! ¡¯What? When did she arrive here?¡¯ Everybody Julien knew was in this particular room as of this moment. "Have a seat." El said in a serious tone, subtly letting Julien know that she wasn¡¯t here to fool around. Eleanor had kept the seat beside her empty for Julien. He went ahead and sat on it. "Now that everyone is here, I¡¯ll begin." El didn¡¯t waste any time and got to the point. They were all seated in random positions on chairs facing El. There weren¡¯t a lot of chairs so some were standing too. El turned to see Julien before continuing. "This might be very sudden, but I felt it had to be done. I¡¯ve told your family about your bad luck and the deeds of the gods." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. El felt Julien deserved to know this. Julien was surprised, but not worried by it. After all, his mother was already aware, and it wouldn¡¯t matter much if his aunt and grandma were pulled into it too. The ladies were all quite chill with everything. Julien nodded in understanding and didn¡¯t speak further. El turned to Eleanor. "Your world has been stuck at Floor 37 for a while. It¡¯s a vast place with many different species, but have you ever wondered why you only see the humans in the Tower?" Eleanor shook her head. She had tried to investigate this, but did not find any clue. "It¡¯s because most of the humans in the Tower¡­" El took a pause and stared at everyone. "¡­aren¡¯t humans." She snapped her fingers and a screen manifested in front of them. On it, visuals of humans transforming into elves, dwarves, orcs, and other species came into view. Katherine gasped at the sight whereas everyone else expressed concern on their faces. Amelia couldn¡¯t see the visuals but could feel the tension in the room. She too got serious and faced in El¡¯s direction, waiting for her to speak. "You never realized it as those species had gotten far too ahead of you. They are more advanced and powerful, but never came out in the open. This has not got anything to do with the humans, but the constellations. They wanted to use the humans as cover to trick the constellations." El then showed different visuals. It was of the elves in human form struggling against monsters of the Tower. "This is fake. These elves could easily defeat these low level monsters if they so wanted to. But they don¡¯t do it, so as to show that they were indeed weak humans. If they had actually focused on conquering the Tower, you all would¡¯ve cleared Floor 50 by now." El sighed and shook her head. "Sadly, they have their own agendas. Collaborating with them isn¡¯t possible anymore, which is why I¡¯m here." El leaned forward and seriously stared at all. "Now listen carefully to what I¡¯m about to say. This conversation will decide the fate of not just this world, but the entire universe." Chapter 141 141: New Arcana Cards El had everyone''s attention at this point. "The other species of not just this world, but everywhere else where the Tower lies, are not normal anymore." Julien frowned hearing that. What did he just hear? He couldn''t believe his ears. "I''ll repeat it. No one except the humans are normal. Everyone is controlled or influenced in some way or the other. Through my vast network, it took me some time, but I was able to confirm it." El explained the reason why she had disappeared for some time. She was out investigating important matters such as these. She found out that wherever the Tower lay, the species other than humans got affected. They were controlled or influenced by the evil constellations and weren''t as rational. The divine constellations were extremely high in numbers, but the demonic ones were a tad bit smarter. As they possessed nothing and had nothing to lose, they kept experimenting and working on things until they finally reached a conclusion that the only way to beat those divine constellations was by acquiring people. It mattered not if it was a human or an elf. As long as it was a sentient being who could do rituals and worshipping, it would make do. All divine constellations preferred humans because they brought high luck, stability, and adaptability. Humans had a short lifespan as compared to the rest. They did things in a way knowing they wouldn''t be alive the next day. The rest of the species weren''t like that. They knew tomorrow would come, and wouldn''t do much things today. Their lives were interesting and their thirst for immortality was entertaining to look at. Some divine constellations were formerly humans, and their struggle to reach this position fascinated other divines. Hence, somewhere down the line, other species were not paid as much attention, which the demonic constellations took advantage of. They had many devotees now, and the universe was about to fall into chaos. The situation was dire. "¡­now, you might be wondering why am I saying it to you all. What can you even do? You do not possess the needed strength to make a change. Isn''t that right?" Julien and the ladies nodded their heads. "There''s one reason. And one reason only. It''s fate." El said seriously. "The Arcana Card chose Julien, and Julien chose you. The ones related to him can be the only ones who can stop the apocalypse from taking place." The Arcana Card randomly chose Julien. There were no other factors involved. The randomness led to him possessing an extremely unlucky life where he suffered through many disasters and even died. On the other hand, there was one person who suffered through the absolute best. He never had a day in his life he had to worry, and never a day when he went hungry. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Comparing Julien to him, one would think that it was absolutely unfair that someone could live like that. The good and bad luck cards both were the absolute unfair items in the universe. They should''ve never existed in the first place, but they did. "¡­the gods that made those items have disappeared. Nobody seeks them, and nobody has the power to do so either. If one has their hands on the bad luck card, they cannot contain its power, and lead to a path of self-destruction¡­" El continued to explain. Getting hold of the bad luck card was easy, but keeping it was the real deal as death would constantly loom over the person''s head. Death wasn''t the end for such a person either. They could fall in the wrong hands and get tortured for eternity for all one knew. "Your luck isn''t limited to you. Your existence has caused a domino effect and a lot of chaos is about to erupt. We initially thought that¡­" As there was a good luck card somewhere, it should''ve balanced the effects of the bad luck card, but such wasn''t the case. The two cards were independent of each other and stirred problems in their immediate surroundings. One could think in the following ways: suppose a man is taking his life savings somewhere important. He accidentally drops it due to his bad luck, and these savings are found by someone with good luck. If a positive effect is considered ''+'' and a negative effect is considered ''-'', then this situation results in a +|- effect. In similar ways, even in the absence of good luck card or the bad luck card, the situation will always be +|- and never +|+ or -|- due to complex laws that went beyond the comprehension of even an average god. El skipped this explanation for now. What mattered was that Julien and that good luck card guy''s existence had resulted in a lot of chaos. It was time to fight it and restore peace, otherwise everyone and everything was doomed. "Prepare for battle. That''s what I came here to say. You ladies, and you, Julien, have to work together to save the cosmos from the cosmos itself." El dropped wisdom along the instructions. "How will we prepare?" Julien asked the important question. El didn''t answer. Instead. Snap! Seated gracefully, she snapped her fingers. The surroundings instantly switched. It was a bright blue sky above. It was a calm blue ocean below. In the midst of it was a red lotus. On it was El, sitting at its edge with her legs crossed like a divine figure. "Choose whatever fits you best." El said and snapped her fingers again. Thousands of fluttering pages swirled around them like a breeze. They were of different colors and glowed brightly. Some were purple, some were golden, and some were a deep crimson. Some were even pitch black. When Eleanor, Lorene, and Rosalynn saw those, their eyes spun in shock and they felt dizzy. "W-w-what!?!" "How is this possible!?!!!?!" Legendary. Forbidden. Eternal. Mythical. Celestial. Void. Eternal. Every. Every single category''s Arcana Card was here! How in the world was this possible!?! They could not believe their eyes. "I''m giving you the information on these cards. Choose whatever suits you best." El said and snapped her fingers again. Information poured into their minds. Julien felt a sharp pain in his head, but it soon subsided and he understood what these cards were. The cards were divided into different categories. Healing, support, attack, defense, movement, curses. These were the categories. Within these categories were subcategories, and those subcategories had further divisions and so on. In a moment, it was impossible to determine which card would be the best for one. The group was here for a week, going through these cards one by one. Eventually, Julien came to a decision. Before he could choose though, El appeared before him and said, "Don''t remove your Forbidden Card. It is needed. You have two more slots, so focus on those." After ranking up, Julien obtained an extra slot. One of his slots was permanently blocked due to the misfortune card within. "If I keep using it, I''ll end up awakening someone who mustn''t be awakened." Julien responded. "Exactly." El nodded. "And that is what we need." "¡­" Julien started at her, baffled. "Make the chaos more chaotic?" He asked. El smiled and didn''t say anything further. Julien got his answer. Shaking his head, he put one of the three cards he had chosen on hold. He''ll use it later when he ranks up. In the past week, El had clearly stated that they were all underleveled. When they rank up, they can use higher category cards, so she asked them to choose multiple ones. Eight was the limit, and as Julien had one card blocked, and couldn''t remove his Forbidden Card, he chose six of them. Another important thing was that unlike Julien, the rest couldn''t wield as higher level cards as him. He had the restriction removed in the tutorial, and this gave him somewhat of an edge. It wasn''t going to be an astronomical difference now though as El had given them all multiple cards to choose from. If such an option wasn''t available, Julien was bound to be a unique individual. However, his uniqueness was going to disappear when the rest leveled up. His bad luck flared up again. Nothing could be done about it. Julien selected his two cards. They were: Spectral Cataclysm(Void), Heaven''s Ruin(Celestial). + Spectral Cataclysm(Void) The user enters an ethereal shadow form, gaining the ability of instant teleportation at short distances while leaving behind a lingering curse echo at the previous location. The curse latches onto nearby enemies, draining their life force, reducing their defense, and slowing them over time. After a short delay, all cursed enemies detonate violently, spreading the curse to nearby enemies and dealing unavoidable spectral damage that bypasses all defenses. Buff: The more the user moves, the stronger the curse accumulates, prolonging the chain reaction. Cooldown: 1 year. Cooldown reduction: Each successful elimination of an enemy ranked higher than the host will reduce the cooldown time by two weeks. + Heaven''s Ruin(Celestial) A celestial decree that marks targets for divine destruction. Upon activation, summon divine spears that obliterate everything in their radius, bypassing all physical and magical defenses. Any enemy struck by the light suffers Absolute Death, preventing reincarnation or resurrection. Upon near-death, divine light envelops the user and pulls into a state of existence and nothingness, momentarily granting invincibility for retreat. Re-emerge elsewhere, restored with full power. Can be activated manually to dissolve the user''s presence, allowing an instant retreat to a predetermined safe-point. Cooldown: 10 years upon triggering the passive invincibility effect. Cooldown reduction: Each judgment on a heretic reduces the cooldown time by one month. + Chapter 142 142: The Death of Crown Prince Snap! Everyone was back in the room with a faint wooden scent. Gone were the blue skies and ocean. El was seated in front of them all, calmly gazing at each person. "You''ve selected your cards. Now let me tell you about the Tower." El once again began with a lecture. "First things first. The Tower is a graveyard." The line had multiple meanings, but no one in the room was stupid enough to comprehend the common meaning. The most common meaning would be thinking of the Tower as a graveyard because of players dying everyday from hard challenges. Though, such shouldn''t be the case, as people died in the normal world for multiple reasons but the world wasn''t called as such. El continued. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Worlds on the brink of death. Worlds suffering from an apocalypse. Worlds with extreme instability. Worlds with absolute peculiarity. They''re all taken into the Tower. The Tower preserves them, puts them as a floor, and gives them one last chance to survive. However, a condition is attached to it." Julien understood things from here onwards. He crossed his legs and replied, "The condition being that the world will become a quest for the Players. It is upto the Players to decide the outcome and the people of that world cannot oppose this." "Correct." El nodded. "If the Player wants destruction, then destruction it will be. The quests are given in a manner that the world is saved, but mishaps happen, and even after clearing the quest conditions, the world may not survive. It''ll become a floor of the Tower, but it will be desolate and barren." Julien rubbed his chin and asked, "The people of that world must be feeling like puppets at the mercy of its master." "That''s the price they have to pay. Now¡­" El explained more about the Tower and its happenings. The constellations prioritized Tower floors too as the people were potential devotees. More devotees meant more strength for them. "When you''re clearing the Tower, you can strategize as such with this information¡­" For the next few days, important strategies were discussed and the Lichtensteins barely had any time to do anything else. During this time, Lorene''s underground forces found out an important secret of the Royal Family. The Crown Prince was actually colluding with demons and planning to kill the rest of the Princes. The King wasn''t aware of it. If the Crown Prince usurped the throne, the Silverose Kingdom was bound to fall into absolute chaos. Lorene had to discuss this matter with Eleanor. Julien was there when they talked. He stated he could resolve this issue within a week if they gave him the opportunity. Duchess Eleanor wasn''t afraid of the royals and the entire kingdom was her playground. She felt it wouldn''t be a problem if Julien looked into this matter. She gave her green light. Julien left the next day with Jackie and Amelia to the capital. Jackie''s path was that of a spiritualist assassin, and the cards given by El were something she was itching to use. When they reached the capital, Jackie wasted no time and acted on her Master''s orders, capturing the Crown Prince right from the guarded castle. He was kidnapped at night and his absence was noticed the next morning. However, it was a tad bit too late. There was rumor spread in the capital that the Crown Prince was colluding with demons. This was spread by no one else but Duke Barthes. Julien had visited this man. He knew that he was a showman who liked to be the center of attention. He didn''t mind putting a clown such as him in the center of all problems. After the rumors spread, and before the royals could act, the Crown Prince''s body was hung in the central square of the capital. His body was not like a normal human''s. There were horns on his head, a tail, and lots of demonic markings on his entire body. Even after his death, he was growling like a zombie, hung to an altar in the middle of the square. It was the utmost humiliation the royal family had faced. Duke Barthes stepped in and officially told the people that the Crown Prince was colluding with the demons. The royals could not do anything to Duke Barthes at this point. A new political strife took place in the kingdom. Julien''s work wasn''t done yet. After kidnapping the Prince and before killing him, he used Amelia''s help and located other demonic beings in the kingdom. Through them, a vast network of individuals gone to the evil side were discovered. Julien went back to Duke Barthes. He gave him an opportunity to get even stronger than the royal family and become one like the Lichtensteins. Duke Barthes was interested. Julien gave him the evil network and asked him to do whatever he saw fit with it. Duke Barthes wasn''t a stupid man. He began working on this matter and for a moment, the kingdom and its neighboring countries found themselves enveloped in a silent storm. Julien went back home in just five days, even before the deadline. He was ready to take on the Tower challenges now. A family meeting was held again, this time without El. It was discussed here that they would conquer the Tower with the best of their abilities and focus on defeating the evil side. The evil side had too many devotees and the divine side was lacking. Species other than humans were a lot in number, and it was bound to be the case. Thankfully, the Tower was not simply present in this world. The Tower was central to most of the world. Up until Floor 100, the Tower was different everywhere else. 100 floors was a lot too many. Julien couldn''t access 100 floors of other worlds, but after clearing Floor 100, this wouldn''t be the case. For a few days, Julien waited. It was then that his, Jackie''s, and Amelia''s name was called for the tournament. The matches were too one-sided. There was nothing to be fascinated about. Jackie one-shotted her opponent, clearing the floor''s main quest. Julien was the same. As the opponent found Amelia in the same team as Julien and Jackie, he surrendered right away. Amelia won the round even faster than the two. They ascended to Floor 28, clearing a new quest. Meanwhile, Floor 37, which was thought of being unclearable for at least two years, was cleared in two days of the Guildmaster of the Crimson Night Guild''s arrival! The whole world was in shock. The fame of the Crimson Night Guild''s Guildmaster soared. Leona''s name was known in every corner of the world, which was a massive boost to the reputation of the Lichtenstein family as well. She used to hide her identity, but she didn''t do so anymore. She displayed herself as a proud Lichtenstein, and continued to work hard to clear the Tower quests. Eleanor was working alongside her, albeit in secret, and guiding her. Clearing Floor 37 boosted her strength by quite a lot. They went on to the next floor. Julien was ten floors below them. He was hasty and tried to clear the quests as fast as he could. As he wasn''t alone, he and his small team worked diligently to clear the quests to the best of their abilities. Julien''s cards were overpowered, but he had to put on a show for the constellations. He needed them in the future. His channel wasn''t gaining viewers yet. It was the Valkyrie Falin''s channel that was growing. The reason for the stunted growth of the channel had to do with the restriction he had placed on it. He only allowed women in his channel and only showed them erotic, slice of life things, unlike Falin who showed the livestream of the everyday lives of the Players. In Julien, the Rebel Sage of Heaven was quite interested. Julien did not follow the norms and cleared the Tower like how a hero would. He was not bent on saving everyone, and he did not care about the people around him. He only cared about his teammates and the quest. If he felt the people of that floor were useful, he worked to gain their attention or diverted it to Amelia''s constellation. From Tower Floor 28 to 32, Uriel had suddenly seen a massive rise in followers. She was so happy that she sponsored Julien''s party with a lot of coins. Julien was close to reaching Floor 38, but the notification of Floor 38 getting cleared rang in the Tower. Leona had done it again. Chapter 143 143: Tower’s Core Floor 28. It was a medieval world. The king was dead and the throne was empty. A curse lay upon the throne which killed the person taking the throne. The main quest was to unravel this curse or simply take the throne by force and not die for a certain period of time. Many noble houses knew of it yet went to war for the throne. The Players took advantage of it and made a random noble the ruler. The kingdom saw peace for a period of time and the quest was cleared. What remained was a sub quest of unraveling the curse of the throne. Amelia specialized in these matters, and with the help of her newly obtained cards, immediately found the answer to the curse. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A fallen god absorbed the ruler upon ascension. As the new ruler had the people''s praise and devotion, this gave a boost to the fallen god and made him stronger. The mightier the ruler, the more it benefited the fallen god. If no ruler was chosen, the fallen god would manifest and kill everyone, making the kingdom crumble. If new rulers kept piling up, the fallen god would get stronger and do the same thing anyway. It was a lose-lose situation from all aspects. Julien tackled it by purifying the fallen god. With Jackie and Amelia''s help, he first lifted the curse. Second, he made the deity manifest and killed him with his Crimson Requiem and Spectral Cataclysm cards. A show was put up for the constellations to see and it greatly benefitted the trio. The rewards from defeating such a powerful god were also quite high, quickly raising their levels. Just like this floor, they kept clearing hidden quests and sub quests if there were any. Julien''s main path was the Lust path. He remained faithful to it and mingled with the ladies he found in his adventures, gaining points and improving himself. He learnt the Art of Eight Limbs and integrated them with his Arcana Card usage, effectively killing any and everyone in his path. By Floor 30, he was deadlier than Amelia and Jackie, surpassing them. However, Floor 31 was where his misfortune flared up. Floor 39 was cleared by Katherine''s House of Commons, and when the world reached Floor 40, some mishap occurred that led to a premature breach of other Tower players into this one. The gates were opened into Floor 31 and the main quest for this world''s player was to defend against the invasion and destroy the gates. The rewards were good but it was suicidal if one tried to defend against such an invasion. Influx of an overwhelmingly strong majority occurred on Floor 31 and shocked the entire world. The constellations were in an uproar for the mishap and the administrators tirelessly worked to fix this bug in the Tower''s system. The quest could not be changed but precaution could be taken that such a mishap doesn''t occur in the future. Julien was on the frontlines and almost died from getting attacked from all sides. At the last moment, there was no plot armor that saved him, but his own ability. He used his Void Card Spectral Cataclysm and caused a chain reaction of deathly explosions. Upon activation of the card, he entered a shadow state and could teleport instantly in short distances. Whenever he appeared, a curse was formed. Whoever stepped into this curse exploded after a short delay and spread it to others. A chain reaction of human flesh exploding occurred on Floor 31. It was a bloodbath, a massacre. Julien didn''t stop at this. He used his Celestial Card Heaven''s Ruins and made many divine spears rain down from the skies like heaven''s divine judgement and annihilated almost every invader. The gates were destroyed and the main quest was cleared. The common folks did not know how such a mighty attack could take place and were too scared to be within the vicinity of it. Nobody saw Julien''s might except the constellations, who were shocked beyond comprehension to look at him possessing such brilliant Arcana Cards. They had no way of knowing how he obtained them or could question it. They could only watch. Snatching it was near impossible too as Arcana Cards weren''t transferable without the consent of its holder, and there was also a high risk of offending the incarnation''s constellation and the pantheon they belonged to. Falin''s viewership exponentially increased. She leveled up so fast that she had to take a break to consolidate her newfound strength and get to know her own body better. The livestream''s responsibility totally fell on Julien''s hands. Many constellations offered contracts with tempting conditions to Julien but he rejected them all and stayed independent. This did not stop them from sending him sponsorships. Julien reaped benefits from all sides. Once the gates were destroyed, Julien thought that maybe he could rest now, but alas, he couldn''t. Something within him trembled, and soon, a memo popped out of his system''s inventory. It was the Memo of Valthor. It resonated with the spaces from where the gates had disappeared. Julien went close to one and found himself get sucked within. His body flickered in and out of existence. He was in a suspended state and saw himself standing in an empty world of gray and cyber blue. He could see the edge of the world where gravity did not exist and debris, people, planets, and many weird things floated. Beneath him were cogs and gears woven within the dimension of time. System notifications rang out but they were completely glitched and ominous. He could not decipher what they meant. This was a world without perspective and he did not know what it was supposed to convey or signify. As he walked a bit, everything in his system panel glitched and was corrupted. Rifts and portals opened and closed randomly, and before getting sucked into one, he saw a glimpse of what neither he nor anyone else should''ve ever seen. He saw a glimpse of everything. Every single thing that exists within the Tower, he saw everything. The overload of information almost made his head burst apart. Before it could happen, he was thrown out of this place. Upon reappearing within the Tower, a new system notification rang out. [ERROR: Unregistered entity detected.] [Warning: System integrity compromised.] [Identity verification failed. No record of ''Julien'' exists.] [WARNING: Anomaly detected. Attempting to correct¡­] [Correction failed. ENTITY CANNOT BE RECOGNIZED.] [ACCESS DENIED. Return to designated area immediately.] [Attempting to relocate unidentified entity¡­] [RELOCATION FAILED. Entity exists outside parameters.] [FORCING EXPULSION¡­] [EXPULSION FAILED. ERROR¡ª***** CANNOT BE ERASED.] [WARNING: UNSANCTIONED PRESENCE MAY DESTABILIZE THE FOUNDATION.] [RECOMMENDATION: LEAVE IMMEDIATELY.] [FINAL WARNING: CONTINUED EXISTENCE HERE WILL RESULT IN UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCES.] [¡ªOVERRIDE.] [Stabalizing¡­] ''Holy fuck! I didn''t know the consequences would be this severe¡­'' El''s shocked voice was heard. Had she not intervened in time and overwritten the Tower commands with the administrator''s help, Julien would''ve been permanently erased. His very presence threatened the Tower''s existence. This was bad. Very bad. ''What happened?'' Julien had so many questions and didn''t know where to start. ''That Memo of Valthor¡­ do you know what it is? And why were you being asked to hand it over so much during the tutorial?'' El questioned instead of answering. Julien shook his head. He had no clue. El began explaining at this point. The Memo of Valthor belonged to the architects of this Tower. It was a key to entering the very core of the Tower where no one except the dead ancient architects had ever stepped. The architects had designed this place in such a manner that anyone who steps here would be permanently erased to protect the Tower. The Tower was the center of everything. If something happened to it, it would be the death of the universe. Countless civilizations would perish and life may or the universe itself may not exist anymore. Such a sensitive region had only one way of accessing it¡ªthrough the Memo of Valthor. Nobody knew of this information, of course. Had they known, Julien would''ve been hunted for all his life. Many constellations would do anything in their power to descend into the bottom floors and snatch it from him. El gave her hypothesis on why Julien was the chosen one for it. He had absolute misfortune in the world. Entering this place would result in doom of not just his own but of everyone. This was in line with how the card worked. It caused chaos and destruction wherever its host went. Entering that place had completely corrupted his stats and no matter what he did now, they wouldn''t increase or decrease. Julien had become an anomaly. Chapter 144 144: Live-streaming Outside Tower There was some relief. His Lust System was intact. And El stated that he could fix his system if he went to that place again. The question now was on how will he do so. She stated that he would need to find another place which resonated with the Memo of Valthor. Upon reaching the core again, he had to find the exact cog and gear associated with the time he had previously entered that place. He then had to find the present cog and gear, then synchronize the two and make them work. He had to do all of this while his existence flickered and the risk of him getting wiped out permanently loomed over his head. In short, Julien was absolutely fucked. This matter was worse than death. He had been crippled without actually getting crippled. El explained calmly that Julien had not lost everything. He had even gained a lot of things. For example, the Tower could not punish him anymore. Failing a quest the Tower gave him would not result in any penalty. Though such was the case, if he failed the Lust system''s quests, he would absolutely be crushed by the penalties. He had to be careful and not get cocky. This was a major cheat, Julien said to El. Why did the boy with the good luck card not get this cheat was what lingered in his mind. El explained that the boy was protected due to his absolute good luck. There was a very high chance of perishing in that place and his card would thus never allow him to be there. On the other hand, Julien''s card couldn''t care less about him. It was not a stroke of luck that he survived in that place. It was due to El. El said that she was Julien''s daddy and would not let harm befall him. Julien considered this a joke and forgot about it. He was quite concerned about the glitched stats of his system, but El said to not worry and focus on the Lust part. He heeded her advice and cleared the floor, then went onto the next one which let his lust points raise astronomically. This new floor''s main quest was in an ancient eastern setting. The quest was about discovering the secrets of the most beautiful consort in the dynasty. It was cleared as the consort was found to be a Kitsune. This place was all about consorts and the sex life of the ancient people. It was related to the Shinto Pantheon and the constellation ''Eternal Flame of the Sky'' was particularly excited about it. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On his own channel, Julien gave his viewers NSFW content of him fooling around with the consorts. Eternal Flame of the Sky, Amaterasu, watched him with great interest and sponsored a lot of coins. Quite a bit of time was spent here, but the lust points accumulated were not something to look down on. He was able to successfully summon a Lvl.99 succubus. This succubus did not look like a succubus at all. She seemed more like a nerdy librarian without any stereotypical big racks. Turns out that she was a highly evolved succubus that did not need sex for sustenance. She did love sex but did not have cravings for it like others. Also, she gave amazing blowjobs and knew how to play with a man and bring him to the absolute heights of pleasure. On top of all this, she was a virgin. Her name was Yi Lan and she was the only remaining member of her clan. Her clan specialized in control. Absolute dominance. She could control a whole army if she wanted, the gender mattered not. The only criteria was for them to be lower in strength than her. Her tenacity would develop as she leveled up and she could control even more people. This succubus was the real deal. As Julien ascended the floors, so did the people of this world. Though it was mostly the Lichtensteins in the limelight doing most of the work. The invasion from other worlds had stopped. There was no threat for now. Julien was able to reach the highest floor cleared by the people of his world after six months of extreme grinding. A lot had happened in this time. His viewership increased which was the major boost. He accumulated a lot of coins from unsatisfied and depraved goddesses. He leveled up with an increase in viewership and could now livestream to farther places and directly claim gifts from the constellations. Previously, it was next to impossible for a constellation to send gifts to lower realms but they could now do it for Julien as he was a live streamer. Falin was back to work and had turned into a powerful Valkyrie. Having sex with multiple ladies was tiring but Julien had no other choice. Lust points were important and the only way for him to level up. Days passed again. After clearing Floor 50, a change occurred in the coming floors. Everyone felt like being an actual Player from Floor 51 onwards as they were sucked into the apocalypse the world was suffering. The main quest was to save the world from destruction. Floor 51''s apocalypse was winter. It was a snow covered world. Food was scarce. There were multiple factions fighting to obtain the last remaining fertile land. Many had resorted to cannibalism and one could say that the world was beyond saving. Only a miracle could save them at this point. As such was the case, Julien worked with Amelia. She was a priestess and could call upon God''s blessing. Jackie worked on purifying the people of this world with her constellation''s blessing whereas the rest of the Lichtensteins had gone out of the Tower to clear up problems arising in the main world. Floor 51''s winter problem was cleared when holy light descended and melted the snow. It basked the world in warmth and lands became fertile again. This was the power of the Arcana Card Amelia held. She could feel the suffering of the majority and ease it by sending their cries to the divine and call for a miracle. Of course, at the end of the day, it was upto the higher power to decide whether they wanted to help Amelia or not. Most of the time, they would listen. If they did not, they would suffer a major loss of providence and faith. Floor 51 was eventually cleared but the people were in a disarray. The succubus came in a clutch at this point. She controlled them all and helped them with their disorientation. When Julien reached Floor 52, news came from the main world that a lot of major things were happening around the continent. The Xin Dynasty that were rulers of the center of the continent were preparing to invade the corners and get a footing there. This did not come out of nowhere, but due to their lack of resources. In the middle of the continent was nothing but a vast expanse of flat grassland covered by barren mountains. They barely had any important resources like gold mines, magical mines, forbidden places and so on. The Silverose Kingdom and the neighboring countries were on high alert. It was interesting to see such rising tensions and Julien suddenly had an epiphany. He knew the outside world could not be live-streamed because the Valkyries were restricted to the Tower. The constellations could thus not see what went on the outside and were in the dark. Julien was unable to livestream his debauchery either. If he couldn''t do this, he couldn''t amass enough coins from the crazy constellations. He thought of enabling live-streaming in the outside world too. Working alongside Falin, Julien used his connection with El and figured out a way to livestream from the outside. He would use his own authority and send everything to Falin. Falin would then sort the stream and show it to the constellations. It wasn''t direct, but this was better than nothing. The viewership increased once again. It was also a historic feat. Everyone was in shock. None had ever imagined that a Valkyrie would work with a human and livestream a world outside the Tower. Things were getting more interesting by the day. The viewership increased once again and the Valkyrie Council was at a loss on what to do. They had never expected such a situation to arise, and now that it did, they tried to find ways to recreate the setting. Alas, none of their plans could come to fruition as there wasn''t anyone worthy like Julien to whom they could give authority of the livestream. This would also go against their established rules and would also end up angering the various constellations since the council had previously opposed such a decision. The council could only sigh in defeat and watch as both Julien and Falin grew in power. Julien showed the various schemes going on in the mortal world to the constellations. The constellations actively answered prayers of the people of this world. Due to the livestream''s effects, this world''s people could use their systems and could bring out strength from the Tower, which was once again a historic feat that Julien managed to achieve. Chapter 145 145: Emil Due to the livestream''s effects, information traveled faster than ever before. The undercurrents of the world became chaotic and even a common man could feel that something major was going to happen. At this point in time, Julien was scavenging at an ancient ruin found in the nearby kingdom with Jackie, Amelia, and Yi Lan. The ruins led to the discovery of inheritance of an old civilization. There was a trial before it, and this led to the four falling into multiple troubles. All of this was being shown to the constellations. They were at the edge of their seats when they found the trials being adaptable. The trials adapted to the strengths and weaknesses of the party. Yi Lan could not find any place where she could crowd control. Amelia did not encounter ghosts or spirits on whom divine powers would work. Jackie was out in the open, unable to assassinate anyone. Julien was¡­ Julien had nothing special going on about him. He was simply given a difficult challenge which he could not control. The only way that these four got through these challenges was by strategizing efficiently and rotating. One thing about the world''s challenges was that they weren''t regulated like the Tower''s. The Tower''s floors would have a strength cap. A monster capable of Floor 99''s strength could not appear on Floor 39 or even Floor 98. The ancient ruin possessed a mighty army of their last civilization. Defeating them was close to impossible, but Julien managed with his spells and this party members'' help. The astonishing feat resulted in him gaining a lot of coins from the constellations. His fame echoed far and wide. As his fame grew, constellations around the many pantheons took notice of him. Many found it strange that such a boy could do such things and get such attention. They investigated this matter but couldn''t find anything of note. Still, Julien was now in the constellations'' eyes. Thankfully, nobody could harm him or approach his party, given the rich background of the constellations attached to them. The names Archangel Uriel and Light of Primordial One were enough to scare them all away. Not to mention, Rebel Sage of Heaven, Amaterasu, and Sovereign of Shadows were with them too. After going through the ruins, Julien found a fragment of the God of Honor and Glory. The earring artifact of his got stronger and he was a step closer to resurrecting this god. However, he had to cast the ability of his Crimson Requiem which led to him feeling a strange sense of foreboding, as if some great power''s shackles had been removed by a bit. Days went by. Julien indulged in debauchery, a life of bliss and calm for a period of time. His lust points leveled up and his Art of Eight Limbs got stronger. His goal was to amass all the items he could find from the Lust System and for that, he had to continue having sex with as many ladies as he could. Initially it was troublesome, but later it became a habit, and then a chore. He had indulged in forbidden wrestling so much that he felt like needing a break. His ladies weren''t satisfied with a single round. It was multiple rounds and no matter how powerful a man was, he was bound to be sucked dry between so many vixens. Julien leveled up. He surpassed Amelia and Jackie at last. By no means did Julien have anything on him that made him special. In fact, whatever he had only made him suffer, and his system was the only treasure that suppressed the effects of the misfortune card. On the other hand, he was surrounded by peerless geniuses. When given powerful Arcana Cards by El, everyone''s growth was monstrous. Initially everyone felt that the situation couldn''t be as bad, but as they kept clearing Tower floors and managing the current affairs of the world, they realized how chaotic things were getting. The mess was getting so problematic that even their cheats didn''t feel enough. One fine day, the biggest setback Julien and the ones around him suffered was the arrival of the boy with absolute good luck in the universe. They had to force themselves to think about the absolute good of this boy and never think about harming him. If they did, that card would punish them severely. The boy about Julien''s age, a beautiful twink, unblemished by the world''s dirtiness. From birth to now, he got whatever he wished for, never suffering a single day. His values were much different from most, and if he was a constellation, he would''ve been on the absolute divine side. The boy''s name was Emil, and by heaven''s grace or whatever one would call it, he wasn''t as smart. Life never let him be manipulative or a schemer or even cruel as he had everything he wished for. Having low intelligence made him likeable and approachable. Julien became good friends with him in no time. El had been planning for the two''s meeting ever since their birth. It was her who set up all events which led to them smoothly meeting and becoming best mates. Emil could not be approached. With Julien''s card, the possibility was absolute zero. So, she worked her way around. Instead of having Julien approach him, it would be best if Emil did it himself. El couldn''t approach the boy or scheme against him either. She knew the future circumstances would be chaotic and the good luck card would push Emil to the ones who had the best chance of survival and wouldn''t suffer as much. This was naturally Julien''s party as they were only ones who possessed extremely powerful means to tackle the chaos. Emil had a Primordial as his constellation. That wasn''t enough to get him by as the constellation couldn''t always descend and protect him. El''s gamble was right on the money. Everything worked well. After being at Julien''s side, Emil didn''t feel like leaving. Add to that, Julien shamelessly acted as a Cupid and matched the twink with the Princess of the Eastern Empire. After falling in love, he was really thankful to Julien and their friendship soared, turning to the point that it wouldn''t break as long as Julien did not fuck up. Emil was then slowly made to understand what exactly the world events were and how much chaos was brewing. Emil wanted to look like a reliable and strong man to his beloved. He took it upon himself to be the harbinger of peace and order in the universe. With his help, clearing the Tower floors was a piece of cake. Upon clearing Floor 100, everything changed. Up until Floor 100, the Tower floors were exclusive to that particular world. But from 101, it was common for the people of that star system. Emil was in the same Star system. His world had finished clearing floors till 179. If the invasion on Floor 31 hadn''t happened, he wouldn''t have been able to jump over to this side without this world not clearing Floor 100. In any case, it was his luck. Time passed by. Julien''s world suffered a major problem. As it was just a small team that was responsible for clearing the Tower, the majority of the world was powerless. They weren''t as strong and were getting demolished by people from other worlds. This wouldn''t do. They had to be leveled up or there wouldn''t be any left in Julien''s world. After discussion, it was decided that Emil would lead the people to increase their strength. He just had to think and it would be done. Julien felt it a pity that he had to part ways with Emil. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When with Emil, all the negative effects of his card would be nullified. However, the same would apply to Emil too. Emil''s good luck would vanish when Julien was around. Both cards were equally powerful. Neither the curse could be stronger than the fortune nor the fortune could be stronger than the curse. Julien went back to leveling up. As his stats were corrupted, he still had to rely on his lust system to get by. Slowly, after accumulating two fragments of the God of Honor and Glory, the resonance was getting stronger. He could find other fragments even from afar, and his task now to find them all and resurrect this man. Chapter 146 146: Holy War After tough battles and near death experiences, all but one fragment was found. Where the last fragment was unknown. The only hope to find this needle in a haystack was to rely on the otherworldly luck of Emil''s. When Emil would return, Julien would hand him the earring artifact which housed the God of Honor and Glory''s soul. The being that shouldn''t be awakened was close to awakening due to Julien''s regular usage of his Crimson Requiem. The constellations were in an uproar. They couldn''t point out how and what was making this being stronger by the day. If the location of this evil power was known to them, they would''ve done everything to go and re-shackle it. Julien was purposely doing it. As he was getting stronger and more confident, he felt that it would be alright to unshackle this being. Though there was still a long way to go to do so. From El, he understood that even if he used the power of his card ten times a day, everyday, for ten years straight, it still wouldn''t be enough to unshackle the being. He thus used the card as much as he could when he was on adventures. It had a cooldown period of half a day now and a major side effect, so he had to be careful when using it too much. Time went by again. Without knowing, three years have passed. Flood 201 was cleared and now, it was the real deal. Up until Floor 200, Julien was against high level mortals. Starting from Floor 201, it would now be immortals who couldn''t be killed by normal means. The floor clearance was difficult too as one had to start from scratch in each floor they went to clear the quests. Teams were very important but sadly, whenever they went on a quest, they would be scattered and had to find their way towards each other. The people of the world came up with a strategy for this. They made secret codes to find each other and it turned out to be helpful. Floors from 201-210 were difficult, but after that, it was smooth sailing as everyone got a hang of it. With Emil''s help, the majority of Players had gotten stronger and were capable of clearing the floors without Julien''s team. Julien and his party could not focus on other important matters. Julien considered his family and everyone who got cheats from El as his party members. During all discussions, they were there. Emil was there too now. He was kept away from Julien so his luck could act up. When he came back after making the people strong, he was forced by Julien to spend quality time with his wife. Emil thought that he really didn''t deserve Julien. This man cared for him so much, unaware of the fact that his upcoming schedule was going to be severely hellish. Julien wanted the boy to bask in the lovely warmth of his wife''s embrace so he would always want to come back to it and finish his quests faster. Julien considered Emil his close friend, and if he didn''t let the boy suffer some then who would? It was his duty as his best friend to turn the twink into a testosterone tyrant, a hunk that all women would want to love to have. For that, Emil would need to suffer. It was alright. The boy was already too pampered so a little bit of suffering wouldn''t do him any harm. Emil aside, Julien and his party discussed some major affairs. This time it was less about the world and more about the constellations. Falin was chairing this meeting. After Julien opened up the live streaming channels outside the Tower, Falin went through a major boost. She couldn''t be grateful enough to Julien and told him that she didn''t know how to thank him. Needless to say, when an innocent sheep came to a wolf''s den, it was the wolf''s duty to lovingly gobble her. He seduced Falin and added her to his harem, acquiring a Valkyrie. Falin would never betray Julien and their relationship was to the point where she was willing to let go of her relationship with the Valkyrie Council if they dared to scheme against Julien. She considered him her husband and was madly in love. Being one of the most trending and popular live streamers of the Tower, Falin knew of a lot of things even constellations like Amaterasu weren''t aware about. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The first and foremost was the rising tensions between the angels and demons. The holy war was about to start. It was just a single push away. The reason? A human. Between God, Demon, and Human¡­ It has always been the Human that suffered. The suffering occurred due to the mistake of God, more correctly, the King of angels, Micheal. The concept of good and bad only had a thin line separating them. Being an absolutely divine being was bound to make the constellation make a slight mistake in judgment. What exactly was the mistake? Under Micheal''s rule, the angels worked to prevent the lower worlds from encountering an apocalypse and getting wiped out. They were to protect the world from the demons and not let them get corrupted and die out. While this was a good thing, it led to a severe lapse in judgment. One of the lower worlds underwent a demon invasion. The angels and demons couldn''t enter them personally so they used the humans to fight. The demons made use of humans to find the angels controlled by demons. This led to the humans getting sandwiched and suffering. It didn''t seem like a big problem as long as the world was saved, as per the angels under Micheal''s rule. Yes, humans did suffer, but it was for their own good. If anyone had to be blamed, it was the demons. Why did they invade the poor fellows in the first place? The humans were definitely not capable of countering them. From the estimation of the angels, worlds that had not gotten their divine power would face an apocalypse and die out. This was a high probability after eons of them watching it. They would thus never let the humans suffer as they were divines who couldn''t bear to watch such suffering. They also had the motive to amass followers as the more devotees they had, the stronger they would be. Getting devotees in return of saving their world and easing their suffering wasn''t a bad choice. The angels thus always helped the humans while the demons feasted on the carnal desires of humans and wanted their worship just like the angels. Their means were just more cruel. In any case, this led to a problem of the humans being sandwiched. One man. One man was responsible for almost making the two powers start a holy war. He was tired of watching the humans suffer endlessly in this and wanted the two powers to fight themselves and leave the humans alone. The human''s motive was simple. If the two fought, there would not be any invasion. The human was shackled after the war in his homeland. However, his spirit wasn''t contained. His spirit roamed the lands and haunted the angels and demons. This man was no one else but d''Arc. When Julien heard about d''Arc, his body shuddered. He remembered meeting the ghost of d''Arc one eventful day in the past. So this was what the ghost meant when it gave cryptic messages to him. And no wonder¡­ No wonder that the events lately felt strange to Julien. Whenever he cleared a trial or completed an adventure, he felt as if he had just started a chain reaction, as if he had just toppled a domino. Falin began stating the various events that took place that led to the sides getting on the verge of starting a war. All these events made Julien''s head throb. The events were so connected to everything he had done in the past, and in case he hadn''t done the things he did, this wouldn''t have happened. Julien was in sheer confusion. El approached him this time. She stated that it wasn''t his fault. He came into contact with the ghost of d''Arc. This led to him possessing a mark that put him on a path of triggering a major war like that. The last time the angels and demons fought was more than a hundred thousand years ago. There hadn''t been a war such as this as they maintained a status quo. Now, just one move was enough to make them start it. What it would be was unknown. The party discussed the things they could do to prevent it. A holy war was such a grand scale event that its impact would be felt even in the lowest of worlds. Being on Floor 250+, there was no way that Julien''s world and the people within wouldn''t be involved. The party had only just begun discussing their matters when a system announcement suddenly rang out that made them jump out of their seats. [The Holy War begins.] Chapter 147 147: Holy War (2) [The Holy War begins.] What the fucked just happened? What the hell triggered the Holy War?! Everyone was confused and were in a state of sheer shock and panic. This was a universal notification. [The constellation ''Demonic Inquisitor'' summons their incarnation for the Holy War.] Amelia got a notification right after and talked about it to everyone. Julien couldn''t do anything about it other than watch Amelia get enveloped in a bright light and disappear from the room. El said she would return with information and went away. She was back moments later and explained to everyone as to what had happened and the aftermath of the notification. Basically, the last, the final, the tipping point that triggered the Holy War was the assassination of Samael by the Demon Lord Norvikel. Angels were warned to not venture alone, but being compassionate and caring, Samael couldn''t help but answer the summons of his beloved devotee. Someone had done deeds that moved Samael. They were about to die and wished nothing but to see Samael before their last breath. Samael answered the summon and went to see his devotee. At this exact moment, the assassination occurred. The demons had kept watch on Samael for a long time. He seemed to be the only one who would defy orders of even Micheal for his devotee. He was more angelic than anyone, and his goodness was what got him killed in the end. The angels were furious. Their first step they took was to resurrect Samael but it wasn''t possible. His soul was extinguished, he was killed thoroughly, turning one with the void. When nothing could be done, they charged into the demon territory with a group led by Rafael mercilessly killing the demons and asking for Norvikel''s head, starting the Holy War. The angels were not afraid to be on foreign soil. They were furious to the point that it would either be them or the demons that would exist. Micheal took action too. He wrote a letter to the Demon King Lucifer, demanding Norvikel''s head so as to stop this war. The Demon King sent a piece of feather to Micheal in return. This belonged to Samael''s wings. Micheal, the King of Angels, who was said to be calm as a still lake, had a stone thrown at him that caused dangerous ripples. The heavens shook and the earth trembled with his might as he personally charged into the battlefield. Lucifer entered the battlefield and began clashing with Micheal. The Holy War had officially begun. Chaos finally erupted. El explained that it was this group that could do something about it. If they failed to do so, a lot many lives would be implicated. Problems would arise if either side won. Neither the angels nor the demons were good for all. Both were needed for a proper order. Julien stated that it was next to impossible for them to stop this. The key figure Samael was already dead. Nothing could be done to bring him back to life. Jackie argued at this point that the angels needed Norvikel''s head. They would stop after obtaining it. El added that the angels may not stop even after obtaining that. There was a major concern now. The group pondered about it for a while, and eventually, they all came to a similar concussion. Emil! Emil was the key to stopping this war. As long as he was out on the battlefield and wished for the two parties to reconcile, maybe the war would stop. As such was the case, Emil was immediately summoned. The young twink had only just returned from a mission and was being sent on another one at once. Nothing could be done about it. Emil was quite understanding in this matter. After all, he had gotten the notification too. Amelia was taken away by Uriel and Julien didn''t want her to be alone either. For her safety, he sent Emil to her and asked him to team up. If Julien were to enter the battlefield, he may end up inciting the ire of both sides and dying. Emil did as asked and went away. The next few days were spent pondering on the Holy War. Eventually, the next best step Julien thought was to divert the two''s attention. Do something to make them stop at once. Julien left with Jackie to do that. El helped in finding portals to other pantheons and once in their world, Julien worked to ignite the sparks of chaos. The first stop was the Shinto Pantheon, in the home of the lovely Eternal Flame of the Sky, Amaterasu. She was a red-haired, big breasted mommy in a seductive white and red kimono. She usually kept to her shrine and handled all affairs from there. Julien knew about the complicated relationship of hers with her two brothers Susanoo and Tsukuyomi. Both were pursuing Amaterasu and thought of themselves as rivals. Little did they know, their beloved was already bewitched by Julien''s unholy livestreams. Even if she was a goddess, she was a woman at heart. She had her needs too. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Being a holy maiden wasn''t easy, and especially not when the pursuers were your own siblings. What face would be left of hers if she even got along with them? Amaterasu disliked the two. Julien had gotten a lot of good notifications and gifts from Amaterasu during his livestreams. He knew what she liked and disliked. Julien went straight to her shrine to capture her heart. He sent Jackie to make Susanoo and Tsukuyomi fight each other and distract them in the meantime. The two were at odds with each other. It didn''t take a lot to find dirt on them. Within a week, Julien was successful in bedding this holy lady. She was quite the beast when in bed, completely opposite to normal self. She was really innocent and easy going. She couldn''t bear to see her devotees in pain and actively blessed them as much as she could. She was kind-hearted and soft. But when it came to the talks of her brothers, she would be a furious lioness. And when it was bed¡­ She was a bunny in heat. Never stopping, even if Julien''s tool refused to get up. She had her means to make it get up. She was a mighty constellation, after all. Julien was sucked dry for another week. It was to the point that he would become unable to do it for a month straight with anyone. After successfully conquering the sun mommy, Julien shared it with the two brothers. They lost their minds and went on a hunt for Julien. But would Amaterasu let them? Did the two think the innocent lady wouldn''t protect the only lover she had? The two were in great trouble. The Shinto Pantheon went into chaos because of the infighting. Julien went to the Underworld next. Sovereign of Shadows had been quite active in the chats and invited him after she watched Amaterasu. Who was Sovereign of Shadows? She was the very Persephone of the Greek Pantheon, the Queen of the Underworld. It was said that after a fierce battle with Hades, the King of Hell, she took the throne and made him a slave. Hades was put under a mountain of work and never left the underworld. His only wish was to gain freedom. Upon entering the Underworld, Julien met the three-headed demon dog, Cerberus. Cerberus was Hades''s pet, but now belonged to Persephone. Persephone was an elegant and sophisticated lady. She wasn''t making it obvious, but there were subtle hints that she wanted Julien. After having his way with multiple ladies, Julien knew how to win her heart. He made sweet gestures, got close to her, made whispers of sweet nothings, and finally bedded her. In the meantime, he made Jackie go and free Hades. The man was freed and given his freedom when Julien was in a missionary position, about to shoot his second load in Persephone. Persephone was far too into it to actually care. She let Hades run wild. If she could restrain him once, she could restrain him again. It was no problem. However, she had to punish Julien for his audacity. She knew his Shinto Pantheon deeds, well aware of the chaos he had caused. To punish him, she did not let him climax for the next few rounds. She drowned him in love juices and made him aware of how good it felt to cum, torturing him. Julien was in absolute pain. This was the worst. If Amaterasu was a beast, then Persephone could only be described as¡­ a monster! A monster that should never be provoked or awakened! After some sweet nothings of love, Persephone eventually calmed down and let the poor man have his way. The ladies in the chat were going wild. A lot of gifts had been sent and many praised Persephone for putting Julien in his place. Lately, he had been quite dominant and shameless. When Julien got wind of this, he made an open threat to the ladies of the livestream, stating he was soon going to visit them and spank their rebellious peaches. The ladies were goddesses. They dared Julien to try. And so¡­ Chapter 148 148: End of Holy War A year. A year was spent conquering beauties and creating chaos. Julien was a man of his words. He did, in fact, visit all the rebeling ladies and spanked their tender cheeks. The evidence was all in the livestream. The ladies fully understood that if this man could conquer the Queen of the Underworld and the Sun Goddess of Shinto while being so underleveled, he could do just about anything. They shouldn''t challenge him again. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Though the brain said this, the heart, and the nethers thought differently. The punishment wasn''t so bad. They wanted it again. And thus, Julien kept getting a flurry of provocations. He ignored the horny hoes and focused on the important matters. He was currently held captive by J?rmungandr. He was on his way to the Norse Pantheon''s underworld to win over Hel, but had to pass through J?rmungandr''s territory first. Hel was an avid watcher of his livestreams. She saw what he was doing and where he was. She knew Julien was on his way to her, and did absolutely nothing to make his journey easier. She wanted to see if this man was actually worthy of her or not. This test was sure going to be costly for her. Getting out of J?rmungandr''s captivity was a challenge now. Julien made use of his knowledge of mythology to try getting out. Thor and J?rmungandr were going to fight in Ragnarok and kill each other. It was fated and both would die. Julien was sure the two knew of it too. Julien talked to the serpent about this and told him that he would find him a way out. In Ragnarok, J?rmungandr would not die. The serpent wasn''t buying it. Julien then had to show him the mark of Persephone and Amaterasu, the pinnacle of constellations. He firstly threatened the serpent, stating Julien could ensure he died right now instead of in Ragnarok. What did he think he was doing by holding him captive? Did he think the Shinto and Underworld would leave him alone if he threatened their son-in-law so blatantly? The serpent found his image reduced to a worm''s. There had never been any day he had suffered such humiliation. Before he went mad, Julien came back to the topic and promised him that he wouldn''t die if he did as Julien asked. Eventually, after much talks, a contract was formed. Julien now had to fight Destiny to actually save this damn serpent. He went to Hel and brought upon her hell, in bed, of course. The lady was punished and had cheeks swollen red. She was not a masochist, but treated like one and absolutely humiliated. She did not do anything about it because the pleasure was too much for her to handle. Never in her life had been treated so harshly. She knew it was wrong. She knew her image would be sullied. But the pleasure¡­ Once given a taste of the forbidden fruit, she did not want to stop. Hel was crushed, absolutely dominated. In the midst of their lovemaking, she was made to unleash the undeads from the depths of Niflheim. This caused a domino effect and the entire underworld of Norse Pantheon was in shambles. The gods came to seal the problems, but it kept piling and they did not have so much manpower to contain everything. Warriors of Valhalla made their move. Watching them diverted to Niflheim, Loki made his move. Jackie connected with Loki through her constellation''s help, and caused the assassination of Baldr, the son of Odin. Odin lost his mind and immediately hit the war drums to signal the onset of Ragnarok. J?rmungandr rose from the seas and poisoned the skies. Thor returned to Asgard and tried to stop J?rmungandr. However, with Hel''s intervention, Fenrir was released and clashed with Thor instead of going to kill Odin. Surtr, the first giant of Muspelheim, marched with a flaming sword to set the world ablaze. Odin wanted to go stop him, but heard news of a group of foreign invaders posing the roots of the World Tree Yggdrasil. If Yggdrasil died, the loss of life would be immense. Odin couldn''t let this happen. However, on another thought, he lost his son. Why should he care about life? He went to find Loki instead of focusing on saving Yggdrasil or stopping Surtr. The Norse Pantheon was burning. Hellish flames enveloped the world into an apocalyptic summer. The poisoned skies were a beautiful shade of purple, but injurious to life. Yggdrasil was dying. Norse Pantheon would be demolished soon. All of this occurred because Hel was in heat and couldn''t contain her lust. Hel did not care if the pantheon was dying. It could vanish for all she cared. They had never done anything of note to her, other than give her pain and confine her to the depths of Niflheim. Hel was loving all three of her holes getting filled while Asgard burned. In the battle between J?rmungandr, as Julien had stated, J?rmungandr didn''t die. Fenrir worked with the serpent to seal Thor, the God of Thunder. Fenrir then went to kill Odin, his longtime enemy. After successfully finishing off the lunatic father crying over his son''s death with the help of Loki and Surtr, Ragnarok came to a halt. There was divine intervention. Holy gods of other pantheons entered the Norse Pantheon as the cause and effect from the death of a pantheon was way too immense for them all to bear. Additionally, they would also get good karma and providence which would only help them further. At this point in time, the Holy War came to an abrupt halt too. The Demon King stopped fighting with the King of Angels. He made his way to the Norse Pantheon to reap the rewards, causing more chaos so he could power himself up. Sadly for him, there were way too many constellations here. The Rebel Sage of Heaven, Sun Wukong, was here too. He had a favor he needed to repay to Odin after his death. Without hesitation, he went to fight the Demon King Lucifer and stop him from completely destroying the Norse Pantheon. Micheal arrived shortly after and the Demon King was heavily suppressed. The Demon King couldn''t be killed as that would make the world lose order and cause a lot of problems for everyone involved. The Holy War ended with the Angels emerging victorious. Heavy sanctions were placed against the Demons and they were sent back to Hell. The Angels underwent a period of happiness. It was spring daily in Eden and streets were filled with a joyous warmth. Everyone was cordially invited in their celebrations. However, even though their Holy War was stopped, the chaos hadn''t ended. Susanoo and Tsukuyomi took some drastic measures. Since they couldn''t obtain Amaterasu, they didn''t want to have her live. They collaborated with the losing demons to destroy Shinto. The Angels had suffered quite some losses in the war, and helping Shinto against the demons would only result in more losses. The Shinto Pantheon also called for the losers from Ragnarok to help them. Everything went against what Julien tried to achieve. He wasn''t disheartened or worried though. There was a reason for this all. He wanted this to happen. The Angels did not have to do anything to stop the war in Shinto. The reason? There was a mad dog on the loose. Hades! Hades was running wild and free. He entered Shinto because someone said it would be very fun here. Susanoo, Tsukuyomi couldn''t contain the madman from the Greek Underworld on their own. Amaterasu seized the opportunity to seal the two and Persephone arrived at the scene to clean up the mess caused by Julien. This resulted in their name echoing far and wide. The gained popularity and fame made them grow further strong. This was what Julien wanted to achieve. He wanted to make his beautiful wifeys stronger. Though things stopped here, another piece of bad news emerged. It came from Uriel, the Archangel of Justice. When the angels were involved in war, she let her incarnation fight in her name so she could go and investigate something that kept bothering her. In the depths of the void, something was being unsealed. The more chaos the world went through, the more the shackles loosened. Julien was only just made aware of it, but right then, Thor, in J?rmungandr''s captivity, suddenly died. The lunatic serpent couldn''t contain his excitement and killed the man. The death of Thor triggered a chain reaction in the Norse Pantheon, causing Odin''s wife Frigg to emerge and declare war on all the invaders present. The chaos in front of Julien''s eyes made his eyes roll back. They turned pitch black. The veins in his body bulged. His skin cracked, and horns emerged from his head as his body swelled to appear like a monster''s. An ancient aura exploded from him, sending all constellations, regardless of their strengths flying. Uriel appeared at the scene and screamed when she saw Julien. Her blazing wings of judgement caused a storm of fire as she rushed towards Julien with her sword. It was too late. Julien had disappeared. Everything came to a standstill. The universe observed absolute silence.