Starting as a Demon Warlock to Become a Lord

As Limon stepped through the portal of the Adventurer's Guild, the boisterous chatter that had filled the air seemed to fade into a muted hush. Yet, today, the guild was abuzz with an even livelier atmosphere than it had been the previous day. In the lounge area, more than twenty figures had gathered in small groups. Some were engaged in lively conversations, their laughter ringing out, while others sat with furrowed brows, deep in thought. There were also a few who sat alone, quietly sipping on their drinks.

Before the counter, Limon spotted the petite figure of Lalasa. Instead of making a beeline for the counter right away, he strolled casually into the lounge and took a seat at one of the wooden tables. Despite having had a relatively restful night, he still felt the need for a moment of peaceful respite.

"May I assist you, sir?" inquired a female attendant the instant he sat down. She had pointed, furry ears and was dressed in a black and white short skirt. Her sharp pupils and oval-shaped face gave her an otherworldly charm, and her dainty frame seemed to emanate a delicate allure.

Looking up at the attendant beside him, Limon asked, "Do you have any delicious beverages? I'd prefer something other than wine, if possible." Wine held no appeal for Limon, as its strong and pungent flavor failed to tantalize his taste buds.

With a charming smile, the attendant replied, "We have grape juice, tangy sour juice, and refreshing green juice, all of which are sweet and quite delightful."

After a short moment of consideration, Limon decided, "I'll have a glass of grape juice, then."

"Certainly, sir. Please wait just a moment," she said before gracefully taking her leave.

Sitting calmly at the table, Limon tuned his ears to the hushed conversations of the adventurers nearby. Most of it was idle chatter, but every now and then, there were nuggets of useful information to be discovered.

"Have you heard that the rat tribe in the Northern Hills has summoned the dreaded evil god 'Axis'? I'm not sure if it's true, though," said one of the adventurers. This conversation, coming from a group of four adventurers at the neighboring table, caught Limon's attention. The group consisted of two spellcasters, a burly warrior, and a nimble wind walker, or archer. There were three men and a woman, and it was the human warrior who had shared the rumor.

"That's just a baseless rumor. If it were true, there would definitely be an official notice on the guild's bulletin board. Besides, that's the malevolent fire god 'Axis'. His last appearance was five years ago. Surely you remember the catastrophe that happened back then. Five years ago, the third magic tide surged unexpectedly. The resulting magical turmoil summoned numerous evil gods from the far reaches of the world, leading to a global disaster. Although the evil gods were defeated one by one over the next two years, the cost was extremely high. Many nations on the continent of Avon disappeared without a trace, and countless mercenaries and adventurers lost their lives. Even the magnificent golden city of 'Arizela' didn't escape unscathed. A third of its districts were reduced to ruins, and it took three long years of reconstruction to restore it to its current state. If the evil god 'Axis' had really been summoned by the rat tribe, it would mean doom for the Taklama Kingdom. The Merchant Council would surely have stepped in."

"That's true," admitted the human warrior, looking a bit embarrassed for having believed the rumor so easily.

"However, it might not be completely unfounded. Lately, the rat tribe in the Northern Hills has been in a state of great unrest. They've been frequently raiding through the Haider Desert, attacking the caravans traveling along the trade routes. The attacks have been quite frequent. In the Northern Hills, the Bronze Guard has increased its numbers. There's definitely something going on," countered the elf in the group, who was holding a large goblet and wearing an elven-style gray robe. Despite being male, his every movement seemed to have an endearing quality about it.

"Adventurer, here's your grape juice," announced the attendant as she returned with a wooden cup, interrupting Limon's eavesdropping.

After paying for the drink, Limon took a delicate sip from the cup. A fermented flavor, mingled with a touch of sweetness, lingered on his tongue, and the cool liquid slid down his throat, refreshing him from within.

"Very pleasant," he murmured softly, slowly savoring the taste as his thoughts wandered back to the conversation of the adventurer team.

"An evil god? What kind of terrifying being must that be? Surely something with such a fearsome reputation isn't to be taken lightly."

There was also the matter of the magic tide. Limon had learned a bit about it from Lalasa and Laradoa. In his understanding, the magic tide was a surging of arcane power that increased the ambient magic in the world and gave rise to more powerful monsters. As Lalasa had hinted, it also led to an increase in the number of professional adventurers.

Putting down the cup, Limon got up and walked towards the counter. His knowledge of this world was rather limited. Even when he grasped certain concepts, their full significance often escaped him. For Limon, understanding this world would be a painstaking process, one step at a time.

"Ah, it's you. As I expected, since you're a spellcaster, it must have been a bit challenging to face those monsters alone. But don't worry, new adventurers always encounter some difficulties at first," said Lalasa when she recognized Limon, the warlock who had joined them just the previous day. She wore a kind and understanding expression and offered a few words of comfort.

As the guild's president, Lalasa had met numerous professionals and weathered many storms during her tenure. She knew better than to dampen the enthusiasm of a novice adventurer.

Lalasa was well aware of the nature of Laradoa's commission. Since there hadn't been a suitable task for a beginner, she had suggested that Limon give it a try. After all, those undead were the weakest skeletal type, posing little threat to any experienced professional. Even if things got tough, escape was always an option.

"This young man seems to have misunderstood something," she thought to herself.

Ignoring Lalasa's slightly pitying look, Limon took out the card given to him by Laradoa from his waist pouch and handed it to her.

This was the client's voucher. Once a task was completed, the client would write down the relevant details on it, and the adventurer would then bring it back to the guild. These cards served as proof of the task's completion. The guild would then compensate the adventurer based on the information and award corresponding adventure points for level advancement.

"Hmm..." Lalasa raised her eyebrows in surprise as she read the card. She dabbed at her eyes with her sleeve in an almost cute manner, as if doubting what she was seeing.

Once she was sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her, she looked at Limon, who was standing in front of the counter, with an astonished expression.

"It seems, Mr. Limon, that you are a highly 'seasoned' professional. Such remarkable power to defeat so many undead in just one night."

Her surprise lasted only for a moment. With a shake of her head, Lalasa took out a tome and skillfully recorded the information from the card. The book was enchanted and had only one page. As she wrote, the text disappeared, leaving the page blank once again.