NOVEL NEXT Chapter 255 Road To Clinton City
Chapter 255 Road To Clinton City
Thank you, swcowboy, for the massage chair.
Releasing two additional chapters, as promised! Enjoy reading!
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"Good morning, seducer," Elrion said with a smirk, looking out the window where Lina waved goodbye to him. Elrion added, "You're a lucky guy, that's for sure. She's a well-known beauty in the city, and they say she's divorced. You can take this chance and start a relationship with her."
"Good morning, Boss. Why are you so concerned about my relationships? Let's change the subject, shall we?" Adam said wearily, sitting on the opposite side of the couch.
Indeed, the couch. As soon as Adam entered the carriage, the relatively small space transformed into a stunningly large room. The space inside was much wider than one could imagine.
Although it might surprise ordinary people, Adam had seen such things in Amarantha, so his reaction was lackluster.
"Well, I've seen this before," Adam thought.
Now they sat in a replica of Elrion's hotel room, sipping tea. Unfortunately, Elrion didn't have coffee, as he considered it poison and criticized it for not having the richest taste.
Though Adam disagreed with his boss's stance, he deemed arguing about it foolish, as everyone had their preferences.
After some time, the conversation returned to its usual course. Although Elrion was a curious person, he didn't want to meddle in Adam's affairs, so there were no more questions about his beloved.
Instead, the two men discussed their action plan when they arrived in Clinton City.
"Knight Clinton has shown interest in us, and since we represent her at the ball, we gain several advantages. Listen carefully," Elrion said, opening his hand and then bending his fingers as he listed the advantages: "First – we get a free estate with servants and all amenities until we leave the city. Second – we can buy anything we want, and Knight Clinton will cover the expenses, but I'll talk more about this advantage later. Third – we get a chance to meet influential people on equal terms."
"Wow..." Adam raised his eyebrows in surprise at the number of advantages. They hadn't even won the competition yet, but this aristocrat Clinton was already willing to support them?
"But, of course, it's not entirely free, right?" Adam asked with a smile.
They locked eyes, and then Elrion grinned, shrugging his shoulders.
"Of course, it's free, but..."
"Well, of course, the mighty 'but'..." Adam muttered, rolling his eyes. He asked, "Most likely, we'll have to work hard to enhance this person's reputation. Okay, I got it."
"It's good to deal with smart people," Elrion smirked and added, "Knight Clinton is a genuinely good person. I interacted with her when my business flourished in her city, and I can say she's a noble and honest woman. She values trust and responds to kindness with kindness and, of course, evil with evil."
"A true knight, huh?" Adam noted.
"Exactly."
"Adam could imagine her personality. She was a noble knight in the truest sense, yet not devoid of cunning and worldly desires. The fact that refusing her task would earn Adam her displeasure helped him understand that this woman didn't appreciate refusals.
"But I like such character. In part, I am like that myself."
A smiling demon - a term usually given to aristocrats who have a pure and bright reputation but are, in reality, cunning individuals. They often operate on the principle of carrot and stick, where the carrot is more prominent than the stick.
But if someone dared to disrespect them, only the "stick" would remain from the "carrot and stick" approach. That's how these people were.
Dealing with such individuals was challenging, but Adam had gotten used to them during his time as the mayor of Sedyon. Moreover, working as Queen Elizabeth's assistant allowed him to get closer to such people.
"As I mentioned earlier, Knight Clinton covers our expenses, but we shouldn't spend too much, understand?" Elrion said in a serious tone and added, "Buying food and going to restaurants is normal, but spending money on expensive purchases is not advisable."
Elrion's voice brought Adam back from his daydream. He looked at Elrion and saw that he was absolutely serious. Blinking, Adam replied.
"You don't need to worry. I'm not some country guy to splurge on a large number of things when the opportunity arises," Adam said, smiling. "Besides, I'm sure visits to entertainment centers are prohibited, right?"
"You're right," Elrion nodded, not needing an explanation of what an "entertainment center" was; as a man, he was familiar with such places. "Moreover, even if you want to, there are no such places in Knight Clinton's city or her villages."
"Hmm?"
"Don't be surprised, buddy... she's a knight by nature and a woman first. She's very proud and therefore can't stand it when representatives of her gender trade their bodies," Elrion began to explain and bitterly smirked. "You can't imagine what happened when she discovered an underground brothel in her city."
Adam didn't demand Elrion to describe the scene in detail - from his facial expression, he could understand that it was a very bloody spectacle.
The man himself also didn't approve of illegal brothels - in most cases, people go there out of despair, and some are even forced by violence. However, all of this only applied to illegal establishments.
"Although brothels are still unpleasant places, legal ones represent more of a space for relaxation through communication. Intimacy occurs with the consent of both parties," Adam thought and shook his head. "Although it's still prostitution."
During the next two hours, they spent their time discussing various matters. Elrion shared information about the city and introduced the personalities that might be present at the competition and ball, ensuring Adam had a basic understanding of the individuals he would be dealing with.
Most of these personalities were aristocrats, including two Barons. "Considering that the Shadow Moon Empire itself is vast, it's sometimes challenging to encounter Barons and higher titles," thought Adam, recalling Elrion's explanations. "Influential people usually concentrate in exclusive circles and form different groups. A Baron, higher than a Knight, can rule up to ten cities and a hundred villages. That's significant power."
However, the ultimate authority still rested with the imperial family. Adam couldn't fathom the responsibility of ruling such a vast country. "And it seems few know the identity of this person," he thought, remembering the lack of information on the Emperor's name, appearance, or any other details. All that was known was that the Emperor had ruled for over five hundred years and was blessed by the Moon Goddess.
Being blessed by a god was an achievement worthy of attention. In this world, gods were much more tangible than in the Lower Realm. One could even say that living long enough allowed witnessing a god's power firsthand. Blessing could provide special strength, setting one apart from the crowd. Respect and worship would follow, instantly elevating one's status in society.
"If I were a god, I'd use my blessing for surveillance, and most importantly, to create fanatics who would bring me more faith," he pondered, narrowing his eyes. "How interesting."
***
With a smile on his face, Adam looked at a small sphere, the size of his pinky, floating in his palm. The sphere was semi-
transparent with a golden tint.
"Finally, I've reached the intermediate level of basic control," thought Adam.
His advanced technique of manipulating magical energy was undoubtedly complex. However, to reach higher levels, he needed to start from scratch, creating a foundation. Projecting his magical energy in the form of a sphere was the first step toward achieving basic control of magical energy. This would allow him to study magic spells up to three stars.
From one to nine stars was the classification for the ranks of magical items and spells. The more stars, the stronger the item or spell.
Adam's Hanfu was an item made from a creature of the Abyssal Serpent, which, by level, was Mortality Realm: Creation of Superior Soul (5). The Hanfu's protection easily allowed him to resist magical energy up to Mortality Realm: Condensing Magical Energy (3), thereby reducing damage.
It was a three-star item.
There were also items he would receive after completing the modeling assignment, but that required patience.
"Another week of active training, and I'll break through to a new level," he thought, smiling. "Then my official journey will begin."
Mortality Realm: Soul Strengthening (2) was considered a pivotal moment. As the level suggests, here you strengthen your soul, thereby increasing your chances of reincarnation and enhancing your natural talent.
The soul directly determines how many spells you can assimilate. Additionally, by strengthening the soul, you can develop a natural talent that allows you to comprehend random things – magic, martial arts, and the like.
Most importantly, your lifespan will increase. Although Adam wasn't sure if that was crucial for him.
Devils themselves are terrifying creatures and can live until they are killed. They are an anomaly that shouldn't exist.
"But since I exist, it must be fate," thought Adam and shrugged.
As there were still several days until reaching Clinton City, he dedicated this time to training. Occasionally, he paused to converse with Elrion, who was also not wasting time, practicing communication and reviewing the photos taken with Adam.
"Adam, I'm sure we'll take the lead! Let's do our best, my friend!" Elrion said with a smile, striking a triumphant pose.
"Yes, thanks for believing in me. And now, please get off the couch," Adam replied.
Adam grimaced and decided to distract himself, not wanting to engage in further conversation with this eccentric fellow.
To be continued...