《Depraved Goddess in my Inventory》 ch 1 - Lottery Winner ¡®Woooooh, I¡¯M RICH!¡¯ Dann¡¯s fingers hammered the keyboard, spamming an online chat with caps lock. He celebrated his lottery winnings which amounted to several millions of undeserved dollars. His anonymous online friends were the first ones to learn this news. Of course, that was the natural course of events for a useless NEET like Dann, who hadn¡¯t spoken to his real life friends and family in ages. [Chocoburger: Wait, how much did you get after tax? Duss: Fuck that¡¯s so unfair Rockey: Dude, we¡¯re bro, right? Truck: Brooooooo, I¡¯m going to miss the gacha banner. Pls help me pull my waifu, I¡¯ll forever be indebted to you] Dann shook his head in annoyance. ¡°Tsk, gamble for money instead of png.¡± [Truck: Bro, r u serious :(? U cant let me down like this. You¡¯ll regret this] With two clicks, Dann put the beggar in his ignore list and leaned back on his chair. ¡°I can¡¯t hang out with those peasants anymore.¡± A frightening tremor shook Dann¡¯s room, instantly wiping his smirk off. As he struggled to get up from his chair, the wall suddenly exploded revealing a truck speeding towards him. It slammed into the dumbfounded man. ¡­ Dann¡¯s eyes shot open. His sight was welcomed by a clear blue sky. ¡°FUUUUU-¡± He cursed as he struggled against the disorienting shock. He thrashed about, trying to turn himself to stand up, but his chubby arms flailed in vain. Then, the shocking truth about the state of his body struck him. "Wawuwu? (What the fuck?)¡± He stared at his tiny fingers with eyes wide open in shock. ¡®I turned into a baby?¡¯ He screamed as he took in his surroundings and his predicament went from bad to worse. ¡°Waaaaaah! Waaah!¡± Dann lay atop a basket in the middle of a forest, tucked in blankets. He relentlessly called for help for hours to no avail. "(My millions! Give me back my millions dollar!)" The night fell, and Dann experienced the harrowing cold with his newborn body, growing weaker by the hours. He suffered from frightening lapses of judgment that made him feel too drunk to form coherent thoughts, as if he was a real baby. ''I had to reincarnate into a fucking abandoned baby, of all things?'' As he slowly lost all hope for the puny baby he possessed, a notification window appeared in his view. [Welcome to Hekal!] Dann froze as he recognized the name. It was from ¡®Heroes of Wars and Wonders¡¯, a series of RPG and strategy games he had played. Hekal was a fantasy world full of magic and marvels, but it was also a hostile place filled with monsters. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ''Welcome, my ass. Return me home!'' He imagined chucking the window away, and the notification changed in response. [You received the skill: ''soul mind''. Effect: provides a parallel mind with superior cognitive abilities. Spellpoint consumption depends on the intensity of the cognitive load. Arsenal potential: +1 spellpower/mana +0.5 intelligence/mana You received the skill: ''soul memory¡¯. Effect: allows perfect storage and recall of all memories and experience, including those from your previous life. Arsenal potential: +1 spellpoint/mana +0.25 intelligence/mana] Thanks to the intermittent activation of ¡®soul mind¡¯, Dann had pangs of clarity during which he was able to accurately assess how shitty his situation was. He wasn¡¯t able to maintain ¡®soul mind¡¯ constantly because of the cost, but the silver lining was that his baby self could use it instinctively and there was no risk of being stuck in baby mode. Soul memory also held a lot of potential as it allowed him to retrieve knowledge that he glanced over during his previous life without any flaw. The technological state of Hekal was rather diverse, and knowledge was easily lost due to the constant military conflicts that plagued this world. Dann was confident about recreating thermal and electrical engines, and even an old arithmetic logic unit for computers¡­ or at least working basic prototypes that illustrated fundamental principles for researchers. The issue was that prototypes wouldn¡¯t cut it for a world at war, where investing in research was a gamble. ''What are my attributes?'' [Nameless Baby Lv. 0 Grade: F Soul: 1 Aura: 1 Mana: 1 Ki: 1] ''Of course, it''s only 1¡­ The inventory feature is also locked.'' A new notification grabbed his attention. [Main quest: The Way Home (1/?) Description: A local deity is in distress and requests your help. Bring a satisfactory resolution to their situation and return to Earth. - Find the identity of the local deity in distress Reward: Chance to return home Note: Your soul will not be brought back to Earth upon death.] Dann growled in rage. Depriving him from his life as a millionaire wasn¡¯t enough, he had to slave himself for an unknown deity too. He was being used as a volunteer to help another world! [Quest: Seek Power Description: Increase your power and wealth. A portion of it can be transferred to Earth! - Obtain a blessing Reward: Retain some powers on Earth.] ¡¯Now we¡¯re talking.¡¯ It wouldn¡¯t be impossible for Dann to become a superhero (or supervillain) on Earth if he gained powers in Hekal. His will to live burned more intensely than ever, and he kept calling for help. But even his willpower died out after the sun rose without finding any rescuer. Long after he lost all hope, the beak of a fierce bird appeared in his view, scaring him out of his wits. Before he could pass out from sheer terror, unknown hands lifted him. ¡°Oh no, poor baby¡­¡± Loreley, a passing griffin rider, found Dann in the middle of the road. Her heart ached when the only sound that Dann could muster was a weak groan. His eyes were about to roll up in exhaustion, hunger, and dehydration. She could only guess how long he was abandoned in the wilderness. ¡°Everything will be fine.¡± She delicately tucked Dann against her chest and hopped on the griffin. He cried tears of joy. ¡¯Thank you¡­ Thank you so much!!¡¯ ¡­ Years later¡­ Dann was educated at the local church after Loreley had rescued him. And it turned out that orphanages were actually mass-producing adventurer facilities. The reading and arithmetic classes were as basic as they could be, while most resources were invested in practical lessons. Thus, kids spent a lot of time running around in the forest, fighting with sticks or slinging rocks. ¡¯As expected from the Congregation faction that relies on adventurers instead of summoning hordes of units.¡¯ Dann gritted his teeth as he swung his wooden sword at his teacher in the backyard. The teaching nun effortlessly blocked the blows while matching his speed. Despite being his former wetnurse, not a hint of emotion appeared through her icy gaze. She stood like an unconquerable mountain as she whacked him. "Again." She was actually a bigshot of the church who seldom taught orphans. Her presence in the training grounds was solely for Dann¡¯s sake and he had to make the most out of it. He withstood her relentless training, and soon his effort was rewarded by a cascade of notifications. ch 2 - Convenient System Ding! [¡®Luciella the Heroslayer¡¯ has taught you the expertise ¡®Basic Swordsmanship¡¯. Effect: Attune a sword to your soul. You can temporarily use skills from attuned swords or inversely create your own sword skills and record them in an attuned sword.] In gaming terms, it meant that he was able to ''equip'' swords. "Excellent, you''ve become a real swordsman." Luciella''s lips curled up as she observed Dann''s sword. An almost invisible sheen wrapped his sword like a thin membrane. [You received the skill: ''Basic Aura Blade''. Requirement: sword Effect: Aura is no longer limited to your body but also extends to your sword, providing durability and the ability to cut down the occult. Arsenal potential: +1 hitpoint/aura +0.2 attack/aura +0.5 defense/aura] It was the fundamental prerequisite for a weapon to be effective in combat. It meant that the weapon and player shared the same pool of hitpoints. Blocking with a sword resulted in chip damage, but on the flipside it negated the invulnerability of occult influences like the opponent''s aura. [+5 favorability with ¡®Luciella the Heroslayer¡¯ (27/100) +1 favorability with ¡®Eplit¡¯s Orphanage-School¡¯ (3)] Dann grinned. He cleared the condition to unlock the swordsman class, though he could only gain a class after the 12 year old coming-of-age ceremony. Maintaining a good relationship with a character with such a badass name was a nice bonus. Sensing a presence, he suddenly dropped his sword and ran toward the entrance. ¡°Asdel~¡± Loreley walked in. The female adventurer wore a beaming smile as she spread her arms to receive his hug. Indeed, Asdel was the new name she gave him. [-1 favorability with Luciella (26/100)] ¡®Fuck, why are you getting jealous?¡¯ Asdel cursed before jumping into Loreley¡¯s arms. He deactivated soul mind. Losing 80% of his mental processing power made him sluggishly drunk and immune to cringe¡­ which was powerful in its own way. The softness of Loreley''s skin and her sweet fragrance made him helplessly euphoric, and he enjoyed them without restraint. ¡°Loreley, I missed you!¡± Asdel yelled in pure unfiltered joy as he clung to his adoptive mother like a koala. Who could dislike such a display of affection? Certainly not Loreley! Even after spending so much time with Luciella, Asdel''s love was still solely directed to her and no one else. At first, she intended to leave him in the orphanage, but ended up picking him after weaning because of his cute attachment. As a result, she grinned while performing high speed patting on Asdel''s hair. "I want to play with mom too." A boy barely older than Asdel sprung behind Loreley. The bowl haircut boy trotted expectantly towards his own mother Luciella, only to receive a light pat instead of a hug like Asdel. ¡°You are a future priest, Luke. You don¡¯t need to play with sticks,¡± Luciella said. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. "Then play with me, bro." The pitiful boy ran to Asdel and pulled him down from Loreley''s chest. He had to exert great effort to snatch him from Loreley, to the point of almost tearing Asdel¡¯s pants down. While they bickered, Loreley walked up to her friend nun, undaunted by her position as inquisitor. ¡°Thank you so much for your time as always. I hope he didn''t cause trouble.¡± "Not at all, Asdel is an excellent disciple. His talent is great, miraculous even. Just now, he learned aura blade," Luciella said. "Aura blade?!" Loreley exclaimed in disbelief. ''Where did that talented baby come from?'' she wondered, slightly afraid that she kidnapped a royalty''s baby. "Perhaps it was the will of Allfather that brought him here." Luciella nodded. Loreley exchanged pleasantries while other parents picked up their children. However, most students were orphans who remained here at all times. Asdel blushed from the barrage of flatteries and acted as if he didn''t hear any of it. He took Luke aside and entertained him while the adults spoke. "Let''s pick up herbs next time if you''re bored. Do you know how much alchemists pay for these? You could buy half a bag of candy with a stalk of bellgrass." "Hm¡­ but I want to play with mom too." Luke pouted. ¡°Tch, what a shame. That beauty only knows how to beat kids.¡± Asdel shook his head and abandoned his forlorn friend. They left the school, riding Loreley¡¯s majestic griffin. All the kids were dying from jealousy, and he had to acknowledge that riding that beast felt awesome. "Did you catch a lot of monsters today, Loreley?" Asdel was thankful for her care even though they had no blood ties. The least he could do was to ask how her day went. "Of course, mom is the best. I stopped an invasion in the forest." She recounted her epic battle and pulled out a purse from her belt. It contained countless beads that emitted a soft light. Those were soul gems taken from slain enemies and there was an impressive amount. Loreley was a D-rank adventurer, which was the end of the road for most people and was considered the rank of elites. Only a handful of monstrous people could break through to C-rank like Luciella. They arrived at Loreley¡¯s villa at the outskirts of the town and were surprised by her family. ""Happy birthday, Asdel!"" The young ones were loud and playful as they ambushed him in the garden. On the other hand, the rest of the family gave him the stink eye for being an adopted child. How could Loreley spend so lavishly for a random brat? But they still came for the free food and drinks and no one wanted to miss out on Loreley¡¯s parties. A maid brought strawberry cakes, and one of them was a bit special, as eight candles stuck out from the top. Asdel¡¯s lips twitched at the sight of the fancy pastry as his after-school snack. Celebrating birthdays wasn¡¯t even part of the local culture, but Loreley liked it after Asdel celebrated her birthday. He felt incredibly blessed that Loreley was rich as fuck and spoiled him rotten. At least, it lessened his heartache of losing his millionaire life on Earth. He blew the eight candles and made a wish to the gods. As he enjoyed his cake in the lush garden, an awkward notification popped up. [Strawberry birthday cake buff Expiration: 7 days Effects: Increase energy recovery rate +5%.] In Hekal, 80% of the population could only afford food made by alchemy and soul gems. Farmers and fertile land were actually luxuries, and food properly nurtured provided pay-to-win buffs that further widened the gap between the poor and the rich. The children played in Loreley¡¯s garden after the snacks. Although the adults spoke quietly, Asdel was able to pick up the harsh words of criticism directed at him. ¡°It¡¯s not even his real birthday.¡± ¡°The Skylander¡¯s children don¡¯t celebrate their birthday so why is an adopted brat an exception. Is she trying to provoke us?¡± ¡°That damned parasite only knows how to suck our blood.¡± Loreley¡¯s brother was especially mad. He was salty ever since he lost his opportunity to be a griffin rider to Loreley. If only he was a D-rank adventurer too, he would get multiple wives, but instead he could only watch Loreley with his face green of jealousy. Asdel picked up a training sword and headed towards a training dummy with a nefarious smile. Every follower of the Congregation had to pay a big tax to Church, forcing them to pull their weight even if that meant risking their life as adventurers. Naturally, the Skylander family nurtured their own children into griffin riders. His foster family used the limited number of griffins as a reason to deny Asdel from their family training facilities, but he wasn¡¯t interested in becoming a rider anyway. Still, for his birthday, no one would complain about him hitting a few dummies. ¡¯Hehe, I¡¯m going to shut them up once and for all.¡¯ He navigated his system interface with his thoughts and put ¡®Basic Aura Blade¡¯ into his ¡®arsenal¡¯. Without the Allfather¡¯s blessing, his soul arsenal had only one slot instead of nine, but that was enough for now. Asdel slowly lifted his sword and willed all his aura into the blade. The edge glowed, appearing heavier, sharper and deadlier. The training weapon shook, as if to cry that it couldn¡¯t contain the child¡¯s power. The head-turning anomaly stirred a wave of exclamation in the garden. Not noticing the subtle changes in the air, the nasty uncle spat contemptuous comments. ¡°Who are you trying to impress with that sword, foolish boy¡­¡± The sword fell diagonally, exploding the torso of the dummy into countless wooden shards in a display of power that no eight year old brat should be capable of. As if struck by thunder, everyone¡¯s mind went blank. ch 3 - Wrong Speedrun Silence befell the garden after Asdel¡¯s show of force. ¡°My word! That¡¯s an exalted move!¡± All the adults had been adventurers at some point and couldn¡¯t mistake Asdel¡¯s technique. Loreley¡¯s brother fell on his seat limply. His soulless gaze stared at the sky. ¡¯No way! How does that make sense?! Loreley picks up an orphan and the fucker learns to exalt skills at eight year old? Should I adopt kids too?¡¯ He had put all his efforts into business after walking away from the adventurer path, yet the kid that Loreley randomly picked up was like a winning lottery ticket. ¡¯Why is this world so unfair?¡¯ ¡°There must be a trick. He hasn¡¯t even learned skills!¡± The adults argued with each other, trying to take in the full significance of those events. Meanwhile the children swarmed him to gawk at the destroyed dummy. Loreley chimed in, proud of her boy. ¡°Actually, he learned ¡®aura blade¡¯ from Luciella just today. It¡¯s the Allfather¡¯s will! A heaven-given talent!¡± ¡°Hold on, learning a skill is already impressive, but he also managed to exalt it right away?¡± An adventurer complained. ¡°Impressive.¡± An old lady approached Asdel. Stern and aloof, Elma Skylander was the ¡®grandma¡¯ leader of the family as she was once a D-rank griffin rider like Loreley. Despite her old age, she stood tall and bore few wrinkles. Her missing arm and multiple scars were testimonies of her history as an adventurer. Normally, a fighter¡¯s aura shielded their fragile flesh from wounds. Once someone ran out of hitpoints, the slightest injury could leave crippling scars when it didn¡¯t outright kill them. In conclusion, the numerous traces on the grandma¡¯s skin meant that she suffered many defeats and only retired after utterly ruining her body. Many members of the family felt regret that she had to retire despite being a D-rank veteran since it was rare. Perhaps that was the reason she had pushed herself so far. ¡°Look at this boy. Seems like my granddaughter fed you well.¡± She pinched Asdel¡¯s plump cheek. It was a strange contrast to her past behavior as she used to treat him indifferently, neither too warmly nor coldly. It was a tacit agreement for Loreley to take him in, but not an explicit acceptance of Asdel into the family. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m always grateful to the Skylanders.¡± He smiled brightly. ¡°I see, maybe our family should take you in.¡± Her words spread a wave of surprise. ¡°What?!¡± Loreley¡¯s brother was especially shocked. ¡¯Should I try to win him over?¡¯ ¡°Is there anyone you like? How about marrying one of them?¡± Elma pointed at the group of kids that had swarmed around Asdel in curiosity. Loreley complained in outrage. ¡°Grandma! Don¡¯t pressure him, he¡¯s only eight years old-¡± ¡°I love mom! I want to marry mom!¡± he shouted with all his heart, trying to avoid getting entangled with underaged girls. ¡°Awww, my baby~?¡± She hugged Asdel. Elma rubbed her chin. ¡°Hmm¡­ That¡¯s a bit difficult, Loreley is the highest ranked Skylander in her generation. There¡¯s no way we¡¯ll give her to a kid with nothing to his name.¡± Asdel sighed. He needed to get stronger to take on his stupid quest to return to Earth and get his lottery money. In Heroes of Wars and Wonders, knowledge was power. Mastery over knowledge affected the learning of skill and expertise. The Skylander¡¯s library was an opportunity that Asdel needed to get but his status as an outsider didn¡¯t allow him to step inside. ¡¯Let¡¯s marry a random girl and steal all their technology and knowledge.¡¯ He faced the group of kids and asked, ¡°alright, who wants to be engaged with me?¡± His initial intrusive thoughts told him to rizz the grandma, but she looked too scary in the end. The girls chirped like hungry nestlings. ¡°Me! Me!¡± ¡°Brother Asdel, let¡¯s marry!¡± ¡°Handsome, here~¡± Loreley¡¯s brother pushed his daughter in front. ¡°Kid, how about my daughter? You won¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡¯Damn, I¡¯m popular!¡¯ Asdel couldn¡¯t hide his smile. What he didn¡¯t realize was that becoming ¡®Loreley¡¯s daughter-in-law¡¯ was half the motivation to marry him. Asdel took the hand of a fourteen year old girl whose hand timidly hovered up at the back of the group. ¡°Severine, I choose you!¡± ¡°O-okay?!¡± Severine yelped in surprise. She hoped that Loreley would help support her parents, but didn¡¯t expect to be actually chosen. ¡°Congratulations, I guess this birthday party also serves as an engagement announcement.¡± Elma pulled the couple of blushing kids in front of everyone and applauded in satisfaction. ¡°Huh? We don¡¯t get to say anything?¡± Severine¡¯s father applauded, a bit perplexed. ¡°Grandma¡­¡± Her mother grew up as a Skylander and could only smile wryly to Elma¡¯s authority. ¡°You dare reject my daughter?!¡± Loreley¡¯s brother growled. ¡°Tsk, for a precocious but cocky brat, learning early will only make you die early. You could have gone far with my investments, but you decided to choose those washed up workers!¡± Those words held some truth. Adventurers started their career at 12 years old which was already incredibly early, so there was no point in speedrunning it. Also, Loreley¡¯s brother had much more money to nurture him with equipment, trainers, and consumables, compared to Severine¡¯s family. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡¯Whatever¡­¡¯ Asdel squeezed Severine¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s because she¡¯s cuter.¡± ¡°Bah!¡± The fuming uncle swung his arm in contempt and left. ¡­ After kicking everyone out, Loreley, Asdel, and the maid¡¯s magic clones cleaned up. "Did you make a wish, baby?" Loreley asked. "I wished to marry mom!" Asdel yelled without a hint of shame. It was the same wish as the past few years. She giggled as she didn¡¯t expect these shameless words right after his engagement with Severine. ''Haa~ I''m so loved.'' But this time, she needed to douse his impossible goals a little. "But baby¡­ mom will be all old and wrinkly by the time you''re grown up and you¡¯ll have to marry Severine first." "Hm! It''s ok, I''ll marry mom even if she turns into a wrinkly worm." He beamed a smile. "Ah this baby! Who''s the worm?" She rubbed his head mischievously. "Anyway, you''ll stop aging after reaching rank A. Even at rank C, a sixty year old person will look in their thirties," he added. "You say that as if ranking up was easy." Loreley sighed. "Because it is. Besides getting experience points from kills, you need to fulfill promotion quests, and unlike everyone in this world, I know their precise conditions." Asdel grinned as he tapped his temple. Loreley was slightly thrown aback. Asdel occasionally exposed his adult-like moments from time to time, so she wasn¡¯t too shocked. "Is that so? Then how do I rank up?" He grabbed her hand and opened her status window. "You need to raise a griffin to rank C first. Have you fed Ruty soul gems lately?" "Huh? I need to feed him soul gems? I''m rich but not to the point to feed Ruty with money¡­" Loreley looked shocked. Soul gems were crystallized soul energy dropped by dead bodies. They could be redeemed for money or food. The Allfather Church even traded experience points for soul gems, which was convenient for non-combat classes. One had never enough of them. "You don¡¯t have to, but it speeds things a little bit. Trust me, mom. I unlocked sword aura at 8 years old." Asdel smirked. Ranking Lorely up was a huge gift that would be enough to repay her care, so he was determined. And thus, he offered the strategies while she executed them. A year passed as they worked hard towards nurturing the griffin. ¡­ Lorely returned home disheveled after conquering a mountain habitat for her griffin Ruty. Even so, the dirt clinging to her clothes couldn''t hide the unusual beauty that she gained from ranking up. She achieved rank C by fulfilling her griffin¡¯s promotion quest, allowing her level to grow in the range between level 91 and level 120. The griffin strutted with a regal arrogance befitting the king of birds. He didn''t need to keep control of the mountain. Only a single successful conquest was enough to fulfill his promotion quest. C-rank people enjoyed great prestige in the world of Hekal. Everyone''s attitude radically changed towards them, polarizing into fear or reverence. It was also the stage where they usually developed psychological issues or quirks¡­ Asdel rushed to Loreley and welcomed her with a tight hug. "Congratulations, you''re a C-rank griffin rider!" Loreley cried as she hugged her griffin and son. "We did it! I can''t believe it. Everything went as you said!" "My lady, it''s such an honor to serve you." The maid teared up as she had watched Loreley''s progress from the start. "See, rank A doesn''t seem so distant anymore." Asdel grinned smugly. "Aah! Let this tired mom rest a little, will you!?" Lorely smacked his butt. They held a party in secrecy. ¡°Asdel, don¡¯t tell anyone about promotion quests. Everyone will try to kidnap you if they learn about your ability to reveal promotion conditions.¡± After celebrating with alcohol and apple juice to their heart''s content, Loreley hugged Asdel in bed as they usually slept together. No matter which world, statue rubbing was always a popular superstition to harvest luck. Loreley had no doubt that her son brought her luck and happiness, so she didn¡¯t exercise restraint when it came to touching him. Asdel¡¯s face had an unwholesome smile. ¡¯Fuck this feels good. I¡¯m starting to think that it was worth my millions dollars,¡¯ "Baby, why do you keep going to the Allfather school? Stay at home, mama will take care of you. There will be no day in your life when you''ll need to worry, hehe~" She rubbed her cheek on his hair, her hands danced all over his tiny body as she pressed herself against him. "Mom¡­ I have a secret. I have a quest to return to my world," Asdel said hesitantly. Her eyes widened in shock. "Could it be¡­ Are you an angel trying to go back to heaven?" Her voice contorted in pain at the thought of him leaving. He laughed. "Couldn¡¯t be farther from the truth¡­ Mom, you know about ''soul overclock''?" She nodded as she had learned it under his advice to accelerate her thoughts and nerve connection. It was an essential skill for melee fighters and helped her during fast-paced aerial combat. "I was born with ''soul mind'' and ''soul memory''..." He explained the skills and his past memories. Rather than presenting himself as a useless 30 years old neet, he spun the story as being a 9 years old brat helped by the legacy of a 30 years old dude. Indeed, the philosophical subject of identity was far from simple, and memories or decision making style were only components of identity, like how a digitized self in a computer may not be considered as a direct continuation of the biological self. In short, he bullshitted to avoid creeping her out. She listened with amazement. His incredible tales of Earth left her speechless. ¡­ Loreley broke out the awkward silence after sorting her thoughts. "You''ve worked hard." It was Asdel''s turn to be surprised by her unexpected reaction. "So I was sleeping with a man in his forties, huh?" Her glare sent a shiver to Asdel''s back. Then her face relaxed into a silly smile. "Baby, do you still want to marry mom?" "Huh?" Her face inched closer. "Of course, you do. Haa~ my baby loves me so much, what can I do?" She wrapped her arms around his body and breathed down his neck. Quick calculations ran through her head. Assuming she could assist Asdel¡¯s promotion quests and leveling up, she guessed that he would reach rank C before 18 years old. With such a status, there was no chance that the Skylanders would oppose this relationship. In fact, if it was known that he could guarantee rank promotions, the Skylanders would tie him down but they wouldn¡¯t be able to protect him against powerful organizations or clans. So¡­ Since there was theoretically no obstacle to their relationship, she decided to get a headstart. ¡¯Alas, he¡¯s still engaged but not married yet. It¡¯s down to me to firmly tie down Asdel into the Skylanders before the secret is out.¡¯ Loreley made up some excuses in her mind and smothered Asdel. He blushed, succumbing to the ethereal beauty of the C-rank griffin rider. He held so many impure thoughts towards Loreley, and they surfaced as if a dam broke. "Mom''s the best! The greatest! I love mom so much! I''ll die for mom!" Asdel panted like a pervert. Thanks to removing soul mind, he let it all out thanks to cringe immunity. Loreley giggled. It finally dawned to her that, in some way, her genius Asdel was similar to all the men she had seen but exceptionally worse. Yet, she couldn''t help but like his sincerity. Her adopted son was in a weird spot, neither a child nor an adult. And the thought of parting with him filled her with immense pain to the point that a few moments ago, she had offered him to become a stay at home useless school dropout so she could stick together all day. Being a little weird wasn''t enough to tear down the love between them. In fact, she was touched that he revealed everything and cleared the mystery behind his pangs of adult-like poise. Loreley was moved by his confidence to rank her up to A. As thanks, she resolved herself to support his quest to return to Earth, and would follow him if the opportunity presented itself. "Well, I love you too." Loreley smothered Asdel with her chest, as their relationship took a sudden turn. Asdel was confused by how Loreley got attracted to a shortie like him but he was too overjoyed to complain. ''Is this the mental illness of C-rankers?'' That night, they fell asleep with a grin on their face. ch 4 - Loreley鈥檚 Departure Loreley¡¯s promotion was an opportunity for the Church to start a campaign in the northern forest of elves. Thus, the Skylander family held a celebration before sending off their adventurers. As the star of the party, Loreley wore flowing drape-like clothes that portrayed her as an ancient goddess of war rather than a soldier. Yet, she wasn¡¯t as defenseless as she looked, as her metal accessories enhanced the potency of her aura. She bawled as she lifted Asdel from his armpits. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have worked so hard if I had known that ranking up would separate us!¡± The few children of the family ran around. They threw flower petals at each other without caring about the food buffet getting covered in petals. Asdel comforted his adoptive mother while stroking her hair. ¡°Just hop on Ruty and go home between battles. Or should I go visit you in the northern forests?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t raise you all these years for you to walk to your death!¡± She glanced at her maid. ¡°Viola, make sure to keep an eye on Asdel at all times.¡± ¡°Got it. He won¡¯t leave my sight for even a second,¡± the maid locked her arms around Asdel. Severine¡¯s mother walked in the crowd to distribute food with platters. She chimed in to please Loreley. ¡°Cousin, rest assured and take care of Severine. A mother-in-law is a mother nonetheless. I will do my part so that Asdel doesn¡¯t feel lonely.¡± ¡°Speaking of Severine, I haven¡¯t seen her at all. Don¡¯t tell me she ran away because she¡¯s scared of war?¡± Loreley led an impromptu research party around the estate. ... They found the missing teenager polishing equipment in a workshop. Severine blushed as if she was caught red-handed. She was intimidated that so many people came looking for her at once as if she messed up something. ¡°A-aunty? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Girl, why are you sulking here? We¡¯re supposed to have a celebration before looting the forest.¡± Loreley raised an eyebrow. Anxious adventurers might check and recheck their equipment before an expedition, but Severine was polishing way more equipment than she needed. Upon that realization, Loreley¡¯s voice became grave. ¡°Severine¡­ Is your party bullying you?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not what you think!¡± Severine¡¯s voice was strained. ¡°They treat me well. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m a burden in fights, so they work extra hard to protect me. I have to repay their favor one way or another. They just wanted to look extra good for tomorrow.¡± Loreley made an unconvinced pout. ¡°Asdel, doesn¡¯t it annoy you how they treat your fiance? Do you think you can train her?¡± Severine pleaded. ¡°Aunty, my party takes good care of me. They even get into scuffles with other families to protect my honor.¡± Asdel made a wry smile. ¡°It¡¯s the classic family bond ¡®I can bully her, but no one else is allowed to¡¯. Sure, I can make her stronger but can she quit the campaign so easily?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hire Severine as your personal guard since I¡¯m leaving your side. Take as much money from my salary as you need to get stronger.¡± Loreley made her decision and no one could overturn her authority. Severine and her mother looked at each other in confusion, not knowing why Loreley trusted Asdel so much. ¡¯Why should Severine train under a brat who¡¯s not even an adventurer?¡¯ After returning to the buffet, Loreley gave an earful to Severine¡¯s party member. ¡°Severine is my son¡¯s fiance, how dare you treat her like that? Making her polish your stuff the day of the celebration? I¡¯m afraid of how badly you treat your subordinates when no one is watching!¡± One of Loreley¡¯s cousins argued back. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the job of a squire? She¡¯s not helpful in battle, so she¡¯s in charge of the rest.¡± ¡°Good! If she¡¯s so weak, I¡¯ll give you the opportunity to replace her. Go hire another adventurer and join the fortress later on your own.¡± Loreley threw a handful of soul gems to her cousin. ¡°Only this much? Are you kidding me?¡± A vein popped on her cousin¡¯s face, unsatisfied by the meager compensation money. ¡°What? If Severine was so weak to begin with, you obviously don¡¯t need an expensive mercenary to fill your party.¡± Loreley made an even more intimidating grimace. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. The other party could only comply with the C-rank griffin rider. ... The estate quieted down after everyone cleaned up. The adventurers needed a good rest before marching North. That¡¯s why Severine could sulk late at night on her own, as she had no plans anymore. Sitting next to the farm fields, she gazed at the starry night sky with a forlorn expression. Asdel joined her. ¡°Your parents are looking for you¡­ What? Don¡¯t tell me you wanted to join the campaign?¡± ¡°And what¡¯s wrong with that? It was an opportunity to be led by aunty, to become stronger and wealthier.¡± Severine sighed with a pained look. ¡°I¡¯ll never grow from F-rank at this rate. Do you know how my parents are treated because they are weak?¡± ¡¯I see! She wanted to get carried and power-leveled by Loreley rather than being sheltered and given handouts.¡¯ Asdel struck his palm in realization. Tears streamed along her cheeks, shocking Asdel. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to end up like my parents, but it looks like I¡¯m doomed to be treated as a useless accessory.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Not everyone can be the star of the show like Loreley. Your parents have humble jobs, but they are as essential as any. Don¡¯t seek acknowledgement from the people who demean you and your parents, they¡¯re just dumb rabbles. Instead, you should look for people who evaluate you well.¡± Severine looked as if she saw a demented brat. ¡°Of all people, you, an orphan who survived because you pleased someone strong, dare to say that crap? What would happen if Loreley found a husband during the campaign and kicked you out? Are you just going to die on the streets while looking for someone to appraise you positively?¡± ¡¯Shit, she¡¯s just my fiance, and I¡¯m already losing to her.¡¯ Asdel coughed. ¡°With that said, I can make you as strong as Loreley. Just trust me-¡± Severine walked away while leaving Asdel¡¯s words hanging. He swallowed his curses and clenched his fist. ¡¯Calm down, you¡¯re the older one.¡¯ ... The next day, the Skylander¡¯s small estate was occupied with supply carts, ready to accompany the warriors and come back with loot and riches. Loreley reluctantly bid her farewell as Ruty carried her away. Asdel watched bitterly. ¡¯I lost a waifu, but I gained huge funds. This time, I¡¯ll have to train a waifu from the ground up.¡¯ He glanced at his fiance with whom he still had an awkward relationship for a year without progress. ... The estate emptied as the family members returned to their usual business. Naturally, Asdel wanted to visit the church school. Viola wanted to accompany him everywhere, but reluctantly let him go with Severine. On their way, Severine¡¯s former party stopped them to stir some trouble. Asdel covered Severine with his arm. ¡°What are you guys up to?¡± The uncle in his early twenties chuckled. ¡°Relax, it¡¯s very simple, really. We have trouble finding a replacement for Severine, so we are here to claim more compensation money.¡± Asdel exclaimed in disbelief. ¡°In other words, you¡¯re here to mug me? Why do you think I have money on me?¡± The uncle walked closer with a fierce smile. ¡°There¡¯s a little misunderstanding here. We¡¯re not mugging you. We¡¯re going to teach you a little lesson and you¡¯ll give us your money by your own account.¡± Severine threw herself on her knees. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Asdel has nothing to do with us. I¡¯ll go with you to the northern campaign. I tried to explain things to Loreley, but she didn¡¯t listen.¡± The uncle shrugged. ¡°I wanted to replace you anyway. But you see, we don¡¯t want to make the same mistake and recruit just about anyone. So, you¡¯ll have to contribute a little more to our cause. Besides, we really have to teach him to know his place.¡± Other teenagers of the Skylander glared at Asdel in resentment. ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯re just an orphan sheltered by our family, don¡¯t be greedy and chew more than you deserve just because you¡¯re Loreley¡¯s favorite.¡± ¡°You should have followed the example of that deaf maid, Viola. She¡¯s an orphan just like you, but she obediently serves the Skylanders without greed,¡± another teenager added. Asdel growled. ¡°Do you think Loreley will let you off when she¡¯ll learn about it?¡± The party broke into laughter. ¡°Do you have any idea how long campaigns last? Let¡¯s see how many years you can hold out. Don¡¯t even think that your letters can reach the fortress either.¡± ¡°So you aren¡¯t really planning to hire a new adventurer and join the campaign, huh? You just want to leech off my funds!¡± Asdel roared. There was no talking out of this. His opponents were determined to ruin his entire childhood to enjoy an easy life off the money sent by Loreley. The opponents closed in with their fists clenched. Severine took a stance in front of Asdel. ¡°Run! Go get aunty Viola!¡± Asdel chuckled as he walked in front of Severine. ¡°Bro is challenging a transmigrator? Don¡¯t you know we come with cheats?¡± The Skylanders laughed. From their point of view, he went crazy and spoke nonsense. ¡°This kid hasn¡¯t received a blessing. Where does his confidence come from?¡± Severine pleaded with Asdel to leave. ¡°Have you gone mad? They¡¯re going to beat you up!¡± Asdel snorted. ¡°With what? I already read all the books in the Skylander¡¯s library. Your martial art techniques are rank D at most and focus on weaponry, cavalry, and aura. Even if these runts have a blessing, they have no bare handed skill in their soul arsenal.¡± He just stood dazedly in front of his charging opponents. ¡°Severine, watch carefully. This is ki-based rank A martial art.¡± The uncle dashed in and threw his punch. ¡°Kid, you only have to blame your mom for this-¡± Asdel¡¯s standing figure blurred. His palm struck the uncle¡¯s cheek with incomprehensible speed, shattering his aura and skin in a single hit. The uncle¡¯s eyes rolled up as he limplessly fell on the ground from being one-shotted. The audience fell silent. The technique itself looked hilarious, but the situation was so bizarre that no one dared to laugh. It was unimaginable that a slap could deplete the uncle¡¯s entire pool of hit points in a single strike and yet everyone saw cracks spread through the shimmering layer covering his body before breaking into countless fading lights. The Skylanders already knew from a year ago that Asdel was bad news when he managed to have an aura blade skill in his soul arsenal before even receiving the Allfather¡¯s blessing. But they never imagined he hid such a trump card. ¡°How¡¯s that? Do you want to learn from me?¡± Asdel looked back at Severine with a smug smile. Ch 5 - Scuffle "You''ll never get me alive!" Asdel roared as he traded blows with the Skylander teenagers. Cracks spread over their skin, as if a shattered glass overlaid their body. Glowing dust trickled from the spiderwebs of fissure like leaking blood. No one paid attention to the children''s fistfight even though they were in the middle of the road. Granted they were far from the town center, but the natives of Hekal were a bit too accustomed to violence to worry about it. They''d rather join in and beat up both parties. What made street fights so common was the fact that aura was the toughest protection. As long as it wasn''t breached, the fighters'' body would not be harmed easily. So no one would help Asdel and Severine. They had to fight tooth and nail to defend themselves. Normally, his exalted ''Cloudsplitting Ascent'' was a weak, spammable move to generate ki by spending soul essence. But as a snotty unranked brat, Asdel could only perform a degraded version that dried his ki. Exalting a skill was like a sprint, while performing its normal version was a light jog. And Asdel could only do a light jog in his current state. ''Even so, it''s fine. I''m untouchable!'' Asdel''s overconfidence soared for a moment before he regretted it. "Eat this!" A teenager lunged at him, slamming his shoulder guard into Asdel''s guarded forearms. ''Exalted shoulder bash?'' Asdel was hit by a wall of aura as if a truck ran him over. ''I forgot that even illiterates could learn and reverse engineer skills from equipment!'' His body rolled for a few meters as a painful migraine struck him. His aura completely vanished, allowing the ground to bruise his skin. In his shocked state, his hazy eyes could not register anything despite being wide open. The angry Skylanders lifted him off his feet and punched him. "Finally, we got him!" Without aura, Asdel was just a mundane brat asking for a beating. "Asdel! What''s the matter?!" Severine was jolted awake by the sight of his feet dangling limplessly. Asdel¡¯s ¡®soul mind¡¯ skill was canceled when he was pushed by the ¡®shoulder charge¡¯. As a result, he suffered from the backlash. The skill itself was designed for mages who didn¡¯t move around in the battlefield. It was a trick to exploit a parallel mind by summoning an invisible brain made of raw mana. The mana brain itself had limited connection range and only moved at walk speed. It was his mistake to dare using such a mage skill in a fistfight. But he wasn¡¯t confident to fight without his adult mind. "Did he faint? Maybe we hit him on the head too hard, haha!" A kid giggled as he punched Asdel''s limp body. Severine was filled with outrage and madness upon witnessing her partner getting ganged up by older kids. It had only been for a moment, but Asdel had inspired fear and reverence in everyone when he instantly took out their leader in a single move. Severine admired it, but the other kids only felt a threat. She didn''t doubt that her cousins were swept in fear and would cripple Asdel at the first opportunity, because deep inside, they all knew that Asdel could utterly crush them after receiving his blessing. Severine, who longed for power more than anyone, could not bear to see such talent go to waste. Her trembling hand fished something out of her ''inventory'', pulling a halberd out from a crack in space. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. While fistfights were tolerated, taking out weapons was not lightly taken. All the teenagers glared at Severine with a face full of bloodthirst and contempt. They took out their own weapons, determined to kill Asdel and Severine. ¡°You really pointed a weapon at us? You know that it¡¯s enough of a reason to take your life?¡± She faltered, freezing like a prey caught in a pack of wolves. Even so, she found the determination to charge at the astonished bullies. "Screw your logic! You¡¯re going to ruin my husband, so how is that different from killing us? Let him go!" "Ungrateful bitch, you went crazy, huh? Weakling should just sit back!" The bullies easily parried her halberd swing and tripped her. She leaned on her halberd to struggle once more, but instead of taking a stand, she only gawked at them. ¡°What, giving up?¡± The teenagers snorted, completely unaware of Asdel standing behind them with a creepy smile. Asdel stumbled forward. His fogged mind was in a bestial trance, his body solely moved by his vicious instincts he honed with Luciella. His martial art was based on energy wave packets. First prerequisite - The body relaxed so that force traveled as a slow wave packet. Asdel¡¯s shoulders drooped and his hands dangled. His exhaustion didn¡¯t allow any unnecessary stiffness. Second prerequisite - The weapon was lighter than the user¡¯s forearm to maximize speed. Asdel had only his fists and the power of anime with him. Attacks started with the feet, springing an impulse traveling up to the knee, pelvis, spine, shoulder and elbow, with the muscles and ki fueling the energy wave at each joint as the packet passed through. In these conditions, it was possible to queue wave packets to chain actions. Thus, Asdel¡¯s second and third moves started before the first wave packet even reached his fist. ¡­ The only issue was the huge recoil upon missing. Asdel tore his own joints and took damage whenever he missed those strikes. But that was a small price to pay to slap the shit out of people! He rushed through his enemies like a storm, striking the back of their ear. It was only thanks to Severine that he had the opportunity to switch the skill equipped in his soul arsenal and recover his ki. The teenagers collapsed, some ended up with light dizziness, while others were completely knocked out. Severine stood up and looked down on a slightly disoriented Skylander. She exuded a murderous intent as she clenched her trembling halberd, as if she couldn¡¯t wait to use it. "Fuck you, Ass-del!" The Skylanders scampered with their hurt people and disappeared from the street, leaving some weapons on the ground. Severine stored her halberd under the gazes and murmurs of the neighborhood. Words would spread and tarnish her family reputation. She would surely end with a heavy punishment but she was ready to go that far. Asdel hugged her as soon as he came to his senses. "Waaaah, it hurts!" His tears and snot smeared all over Severine. The sight of the bawling kid buried in the arm of a big sister mellowed the audience. Her visual inspection revealed no obvious bleeding. "You''ll be fine¡­ probably." She made a wry smile as she only knew how to bandage open wounds. "No! I''m not fine, it hurts so bad." Asdel shook the hem of her clothes. His tantrum stopped her from carrying him back home. "Sniff¡­ I hate everyone! They''re so mean!" His big round teary eyes stared at Severine''s like a plea for help. ¡¯He¡¯s a bit different¡­¡¯ She brushed his bruise on his face and blew on it before giving it a kiss. ¡°There, there, you¡¯re alright.¡± ¡°Thanks¡­ You fought for me.¡± His big eyes sparkled, showing a better mood as he felt safer. Severine grinned. ¡¯It feels nicer somehow.¡¯ She was awkward with the usual Asdel, as she always felt lacking and frustrated. But this vulnerable Asdel felt rewarding to protect. ''Wait, did he turn into an idiot because they hurt his head?¡¯ The dreadful idea chilled her spine. She couldn¡¯t face Loreley anymore. Regret and guilt bore her down. Feeling closer to Asdel, she resolved herself to commit everything to be at his side. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Asdel! I will keep protecting you even if you hurt your head!¡± She tightly hugged Asdel, who wore a confused expression. ¡°... Hey, what¡¯s that?!¡± Asdel shoved Severine aside like a toy that outlived his interest, and sprinted away from the road. Severine watched bitterly, as her bratty fiance ditched her to chase after a slime. She noticed a shiny item at the location where Asdel got beaten by her former partymates. She dusted it off, revealing a luxurious gold stamp. She rammed it into her inventory. Something so precious shouldn¡¯t appear in the hands of a weak girl in broad daylight. ch 6 - Punishment Severine pondered about the origins of the golden stamp. It looked far too precious to belong to her former party, but it couldn¡¯t be a coincidence that it appeared where they fought. After Asdel''s aura failed, his soul received damages, dropping his level and causing his inventory to leak things. Soul damage was only lethal for aberrations like undeads, devils, and elementals, so it wasn¡¯t a concern for Asdel. Without blessing, his level was already zero and couldn¡¯t drop further. But what about his inventory? ¡¯That¡¯s weird, he can¡¯t access the soul inventory without blessing¡­ Unless someone else put it inside?¡¯ Severine decided to ask him directly. She nudged his elbow, interrupting his slime feeding session. ¡°Hey Asdel, is this yours?¡± Asdel dropped the beetle in his hands in shock. ¡°What the hell?! No, it¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Eeep! Eeep!¡± The slime complained angrily at Asdel for letting its meal run away. Severine stored the gold stamp back in her inventory. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll keep it for the moment. Let¡¯s hurry home!¡± She grabbed Asdel¡¯s arm, urging him to follow. ¡°Look Severine, the slime is regenerating in real time!¡± Asdel kept yapping while being dragged by his older fiance. ¡°Hurry¡­ We have to report to grandma and beg for mercy.¡± Severine could only grow frustrated at the child-like Asdel. But he shared none of her concern as he was obsessing over his slime. They didn¡¯t exist in the game world of Hekal as he knew it. What secrets did slimes hold? Asdel couldn¡¯t wait to unveil them. ¡­ In front of the farming field in the Skylander¡¯s estate, Severine sat on her knees. Granny Elma silently watered the plants, processing the information she heard from Severine. ¡°So, you pointed a halberd at your cousins?¡± Her chilling glare made Severine tremble. Asdel stood in front of his faltering fiance. ¡°They deserved it! Granny, look! I lost a few teeth from their beating, how are you going to compensate me?¡± Elma loomed over Asdel, ready to smash his head into his spine. ¡°How did Loreley raise you to incite my family to spill blood?¡± ¡°Grandmother, forgive him! My cousins hit Asdel¡¯s head very badly, and he has turned into an idiot ever since.¡± Severine restrained Asdel into a headlock, stopping him from opening his mouth. ¡°Besides, I was the one to draw my halberd. Asdel defeated all my cousins with his bare hands!¡± She stressed his achievement, shocking Elma. ¡°What my cousins did was unforgivable. With or without weapons, they wanted to cripple Asdel so I don¡¯t regret my actions as his bodyguard.¡± ¡°Even so, you¡¯ll be punished. I can¡¯t allow my grandchildren to spill blood among themselves for any reason.¡± Elma sighed. ¡°Now that the brat is like this, do you intend to keep him?¡± She pointed at Asdel playing with the slime and other younger Skylander grandchildren. ¡°Why? Are you going to abandon him?¡± Severine gritted her teeth. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Asdel became a source of discord and instability. It really worries me to keep him around.¡± Elma pondered about their punishment. Raising griffins was the pride and privilege of the Skylanders. However it required enormous resources and talents, so she only wished for her family to remain united to continue their legacy. Thus, only one of her children would inherit the entirety of the Skylanders. If she let Severine or the bullies scott-free, it would turn the competition between her children into a slaughter. With an authoritative voice, Elma revealed the conclusion of the dispute. ¡°Both of you shall be removed for a year from this household.¡± Hearing this, the grandchildren made a fuss. ¡°Nooo! We won¡¯t see Asdel bro anymore!¡± They swarmed him to restrain him. ¡°Leave the slime if you have to go.¡± ¡°Get your own!¡± Asdel blocked their attempt to steal his prized slime as if it was more important than his exile. ¡°Alright. I have one last thing to report.¡± Severine took out the gold stamp. ¡°Asdel dropped this after being beaten up.¡± Elma froze. ¡°That stamp is a royal seal! This is the symbol of the Rigard Kingdom.¡± Her hand reached out to take a closer look. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Is that brat the prince of the fallen kingdom?¡± Severine¡¯s ears perked up at the mention of a prince. But she stashed the royal seal in her inventory before Elma could take it. ¡°This belongs to Asdel and Loreley.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Elma frowned. ¡¯My granddaughter is acting rebellious. She must feel betrayed, but I have to remain firm even if I have to play the villain.¡¯ She turned her back on them to attend the fields, offering one last piece of advice. ¡°Don¡¯t sell it carelessly. The Kivar Church might trouble you if Asdel is really royalty.¡± ¡°And about my cousins¡¯ punishment?¡± Severine grabbed Asdel¡¯s collar, ready to drag him away. ¡°The northern campaign will be their punishment,¡± Elma replied. ¡­ The next day, a group of maids let out a long sigh in front of the Skylander¡¯s estate. They carried suitcases and a conspicuous coffin-like box through telekinesis magic. They all had the same face with a beauty spot near the lips and moved in sync. It was the result of Viola¡¯s specialty, water-school spell ¡®Clone¡¯. ¡°This is a disaster,¡± the clones said. Severine and her parents were in tears, hugging as if they¡¯d never see each other again. ¡°This is mama¡¯s blend of spice and this is¡­¡± Her mother bawled as she handed one thing after another. Asdel smiled sheepishly. His fiance loved her parents. She was decisive enough to offer her hand in marriage in the spur of the moment for the purpose of supporting them. Yet, she threw everything aside to protect him. ¡¯That¡¯s why you should have run away¡­¡¯ Asdel sighed, as he owed her a lot. ¡¯Now that I think about it, this could have turned really ugly. I would have died if I failed Dragon Cascade. These fuckers¡­ I would have killed them if they didn¡¯t have Loreley¡¯s blood.¡¯ The bullies would have spared Severine on account of being a Skylander but it wasn¡¯t a certainty. Still, her relationship with the Skylander was forever damaged. He felt warm at the thought that Severine staked her life for him. ¡°Dad, mom, don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll teach her how to beat anyone with her bare hands.¡± Asdel puffed his chest, but he only received uncomfortable gazes from everyone. Viola touched the parent¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I leave Loreley¡¯s house to both of you.¡± ¡°Of course, you can count on us.¡± The parents waved at the departing group. When they were alone on the road, Asdel commented. ¡°Let¡¯s rent a house near the adventurer guild.¡± "Yes, your highness." Viola smirked. "What do you mean? You have the royal seal so I''m the one who should call you queen Viola." He entrusted her with the precious item since she was the strongest. The royal seal itself wasn¡¯t worth much, but it was the key of the treasury of the fallen kingdom. Asdel was unsure if they were strong enough to reach it or if the current Kivar kingdom already managed to drill a hole into the treasury to loot everything. As for his supposed royalty, there were skills to steal or place items directly in soul inventories. His biological parents could simply have stolen the royal seal or used him as a smuggling tool. So he didn''t really care about his true lineage. ¡°Asdel, did you really come back to your senses?¡± Severine squeezed his shoulder with worry. ¡°I told you, I use a parallel mind with the ¡®soul mind¡¯ skill. Viola knows about it too.¡± She fidgeted in uneasiness. ¡°But why settle at the adventurer guild? We can take it easy with Loreley¡¯s savings.¡± She didn''t want to raid rifts and hunt monsters. ''Tsk, don¡¯t you want to spend more money? If I wasn''t reborn into this random body, I would have enjoyed my lotto money.'' Asdel shook his head. ¡¯At least I have beauties around.¡¯ He raised his fist and declared, "we¡¯re opening a shop!¡± ¡°Eeeep!¡± The slime on his shoulder cheered.