Zaranger Estate
An entire day had passed since the events involving Myrn and his elder sister, Sylvia. Aria had remained confined to her room, refusing all visitors. Her behavior soon worried Elyndra, who repeatedly tried to check on her, all in vain.
But Elyndra did not give up. In the silent corridor of the estate, she stopped before Aria's door.
"Knock, knock… young lady, may I come in?"
No response.
The silence stretched on, yet Elyndra persisted. Finally, the door opened slowly. Aria's face was pale, marked by fatigue and mounting frustration. She looked as though she had spent the night without sleep.
"Young lady… are you alright?" Elyndra asked, gently placing a hand on her face.
"Stop… I'm not a child anymore," Aria snapped, pushing the hand away. She turned and stepped fully into her room.
"What's wrong?"
Elyndra explained calmly that she simply wished to ensure Aria was well. But Aria, increasingly irritable, could no longer tolerate being treated like a child.
"Leave."
"I know you're no longer a child," Elyndra replied in a measured voice. "But that doesn't stop you from crying."
"Leave… get out of my room!" Aria shouted, head lowered.
Elyndra remained silent for a moment, then spoke firmly:
"No. I will not leave. I promised your mother to take care of you, to be there when you needed me. I will not let you face this alone."
These words broke Aria's composure. She lifted her eyes, trembling, and tears began to flow.
"I can't… sniff… I can't take it anymore. The pressure… sniff… I've tried everything. I even threatened a stranger to make him work for me… sniff… and even that failed. Tell me what to do, Elyndra… I can't take it."
Aria suffered painfully from her lack of talent. For two years, she had been stuck at the third circle, unable to reach the fourth. Within the Zaranger family, such stagnation was nearly shameful: no one had taken so long to advance a circle. Most reached the fourth before sixteen, often in a single year, sometimes even less.
After countless failed attempts, Aria made a decision. Instead of striving to become strong herself, she would surround herself with powerful and talented individuals to place under her command. This way, she hoped to ease the crushing pressure and secure her position.
But reality proved cruel. No one wished to ally with her or serve her. In the eyes of others, Aria was useless, talentless. Everyone naturally turned to her elder sister or other siblings, far more promising.
Still, Aria did not give up. Accompanied by Elyndra, she even scoured the streets for talent, hoping to find a rare gem. Yet again, she found nothing.
It was in this context that Myrn appeared.
He was, in a sense, an unexpected chance. A unique opportunity for Aria to finally escape the pit in which she was trapped. But, having anticipated Myrn's refusal on Elyndra's advice, she chose threat over negotiation. Her goal was clear: to keep him under her control.
Unfortunately for her, she had encountered Myrn—or rather, Almus.
After Sylvia had invited Myrn to share a meal, Aria believed she had lost him for good. At that moment, all hope collapsed, convinced that her sister had also noticed Myrn's talent and intended to claim him for herself.
Elyndra let her cry without interruption, then gently wiped her tears and spoke with a faint smile:
"Do not be disheartened. If you want this boy at your side, give him what he needs most… for example, he's a commoner who wants to enter the academy; he will need money. Give him that, and he will be eating out of your hand."
Aria remained silent, lost in thought.
"Thank you for always being there for me… Elyndra," she said, a smile of relief spreading across her lips. "But I think my sister already has him in her sights… she's far more influential than I am… hmm, I have no chance," Aria added, a smile of resignation on her face.
"Do not worry about that. I have a plan."
Inn Where Myrn Spent the Night
In Ghartt, only exceptional talents were admitted. Each year, candidates from across the empire flocked to the academy to try their luck. Only two days remained before the entrance trial.
Myrn had spent the night at the inn. As morning came, he prepared himself. According to his new status, most of his abilities would unlock at a certain level. For now, he was only level 2. In his past life, he had reached level 90.
After consulting Daark, Myrn understood that awakened abilities did not manifest at their true potential. They could appear at ranks F, E, D, C, even B, A, A+, S, SS, SS+, and SSS in rare cases. In his previous life, he had possessed only one SSS-ranked ability: Demon Energy Absorption. This time, his new unique ability, Authority of Chaos, had no rank.
"Is this a good thing… or a bad thing?" he wondered thoughtfully.
He gave a faint smile. "No matter… let's level up."
In the past, what had elevated him above all, even the gods, were the seven authorities he had absorbed after defeating the seven demon kings of the Underworld. Each king embodied a deadly sin. That was how he had earned the title Demon Emperor of the Seven Infernal Realms. Today, those authorities were gone. In their place, only one remained: the Authority of Chaos.
After researching ways to level up, all paths led to the same conclusion: the Mercenary Guild was the fastest route. Myrn wasted no time and headed there immediately to accept a mission that would help him advance. His goal was clear: to awaken his poison immunity as quickly as possible. In this world, nothing was more terrifying than a well-dosed poison: a silent, clean death, without combat. With the body he currently possessed, even a single serious poison could kill him instantly.
Upon entering the guild, something caught his attention. The place exuded impeccable discipline. Mercenaries queued quietly to speak, while those consulting missions moved in near-religious silence. The registrations flowed efficiently, with no shouting or chaos.
"Hm… this is different from what I read about mercenaries back when I was with the Groundhutt," he thought.
He approached the mission board, and after a few minutes, his eyes stopped on one: twenty gold coins reward, rank D difficulty. The objective was simple: a dozen level-two demonic creatures recently appearing north of the capital in the Sot territory. Myrn accepted without hesitation. This mission would not only help him level up, but also test whether his Authority of Chaos would react in a real combat situation.
After accepting the mission, Myrn had no idea that a badge was required to undertake a task from the Mercenary Guild—a badge that officially certified one as a mercenary. Upon learning this, he decided to register. He went to the testing hall, where he had to undergo two trials: measuring his mana and evaluating his physical condition.
For the mana test, he infused energy into a globe to determine his level. The result was mediocre: his mana was ranked F. His physical strength fared slightly better, at rank E. In the end, he was registered as a beginner-level F mercenary.
After the test, he was informed that the mission he intended to take was too dangerous for him and that he would have to choose another. Myrn insisted, and the guild made him sign a document stating that they would bear no responsibility in case of death.
Next, he rented a horse for three days, at two gold coins per day, to reach Sot, at least one hundred and sixty meters away. Despite the distance, he would arrive within a few hours.
"At least I can deduct these expenses from the reward," he muttered as he set off.
After several hours of travel, he arrived at his destination. The place was surprisingly quiet, far more peaceful than any region he had passed through so far. He left his horse for care—it seemed in poor condition and hungry—and after gathering information, he headed to the office of the local supervisor.
The building was clean and well-maintained. Two guards blocked the entrance, but upon showing his mission badge, they simply asked him to wait: the supervisor was receiving someone. Myrn was irritated but restrained himself.
Thirty minutes passed. Then thirty more. Still nothing. That's when he noticed, through a window, the silhouette of a woman inside.
"Hm… I see."
He stood and walked to the entrance. The guards tried to intercept him, but before they could react, Myrn had vanished from their sight. His speed was nothing extraordinary, yet against these guards, it exceeded their reflexes. The next instant, he was already in front of the door.
"Hey, wait!" shouted one of the guards.
Myrn smirked and abruptly opened the door.
"Excuse me…"
The supervisor stood up, and a woman was perched on his desk. They were in the middle of a sexual act.
"Oh… sorry. I didn't realize you were cheating on your wife," Myrn said casually, turning to leave. He had done it on purpose. He recognized the woman: he had seen her earlier exiting a pleasure house and taking a carriage while he continued on foot.
"Huh?!" the man shouted, pale. He seemed to be in his thirties, neither swordsman—his corpulence proved it—nor magician, as no protective barrier had been placed on the door.
"Wait!" he shouted, hastily dressing.
The woman showed no sign of embarrassment, confirming Myrn's suspicions.
Moments later, the supervisor, named Kodi, sat across from him.
"I'm here on a mission from the Reymont Guild," Myrn said neutrally. "I am tasked with eliminating the recently appeared demonic creatures."
He placed the official document on the desk.
"I'd like to obtain your authorization."
Kodi remained silent, unsettled by the absolute calm of his interlocutor.
"Just to be sure… you know my wife?" he asked, sweating.
Myrn glanced briefly at him.
"No."
"Then how did you know I was married?"
"The ring on your finger. And the portrait of that little girl on your desk. I noticed it as I entered."
"T-this boy…" Kodi murmured.
Myrn then reminded him of imperial law: to hunt in a territory, official authorization was required.
"You seem like a noble… what family are you from?" Kodi asked.
"I'm a commoner," Myrn replied.
The change was immediate. Fear left Kodi's face, replaced by anger.
"Just a mercenary…"
He stood abruptly and called his guards. Myrn also stood.
"Ah… I see. The mouse has become a cat."
Myrn knew Kodi was bluffing, trying only to make him afraid to speak of what he had witnessed. Myrn smirked while the guards remained inside. He remained calm, which worried Kodi, who expected fear.
"I wonder what I should do first if I escape this room," Myrn said, staring at the man, and Kodi understood exactly what he had to do.
"Leave!" Kodi commanded.
Despite the situation, Kodi still sought to preserve his authority.
"I'll sign… provided you remain silent."
Myrn sighed, as if bored by the proposal.
"No. You will be my sponsor. You will provide what I need. In exchange, I will keep my mouth shut. And since I'm generous… I will occasionally help you as well."
After a long moment of hesitation, Kodi agreed. To refuse meant losing everything: his position, his reputation, his family. With that, Myrn had claimed his first servant.