(From Adam's perspective, first person.)

Was it a dream? The whisper of the wind echoed in my ears, while a pleasant coolness embraced my face. There was a feeling of weightlessness that was abnormal. Opening my eyes, I saw a scene that seemed like it was straight from hell.

Towering mountains, crimson as if made of blood, volcanic eruptions, chaos, and destruction It felt like this world had suddenly turned into something resembling hell. I was flying among the clouds on some sort of chariot. I was being carried by a monster that looked like a dog but had horns and red fur. They had long demonic wings, just like me. With one flap, the image before my eyes suddenly changed.

What happened? I was alarmed, given the height and the situation I couldn't comprehend. However, there was not a single living soul around except for this dog-like creature. I couldn't talk to it; it didn't understand me.

... For some reason, I felt nostalgic. I couldn't tell if it was my imagination or just déjà vu.

Suddenly, cries rang out, as grating as the sound of metal scraping. I lowered my gaze and saw a crowd—no, an army of monsters. They reminded me of imps, small in body and mind.

In their hands, they held sharp spears and were well-armed. Several imps held bows, aiming right at me, ready to shoot. I furrowed my brows and tried to activate my magical energy, but it didn't work.

What? I was greatly surprised and tried again, but the result was the same: nothing. Then I noticed that my magical energy was completely absent. Why? I furrowed my brows even harder, showing how puzzled I was.

At the same time, the chariot smoothly moved through the air, and the monster carrying me seemed indifferent. I could only hear the flapping of its wings. I was surprised again.

Looking at the red and gloomy sky, I felt a strange sensation in my chest. This scene seemed beautiful and familiar to me.

"The Chaos Empire."

***

The bed slightly shook and creaked as Adam, supporting himself with his hands, suddenly stood up and leaned against the bedpost. His forehead was covered in sweat, as was his back. His eyes were scattered, and he felt an itch in his head.

"Painful…" Adam grimaced, clicking his tongue, and asked himself the question. "I don't think I got sick... With my level of development, that's almost impossible."

The possibility of illness was immediately ruled out. Being a middle-level demon, how could he possibly get sick? His body, even if he were a lower demon, could handle the most noxious miasma of hell, let alone human diseases.

A curse? Also unlikely, as during his adventures he had only come into contact with trustworthy individuals, this option was automatically rejected. However, Adam couldn't think of any other explanations.

He glanced around and saw that he was in his quarters, lying on his bed. Amarantha was next to him, and on either side were Mary and Claire, as well as Elyra. They all slept peacefully, while he was the only one not sleeping.

His heart pounded furiously as if he had run twenty kilometers without catching his breath. Adam gritted his teeth, feeling discomfort and cramps all over his body. Along with the intensifying headache, he felt like he was losing his mind.

"What happened?" Adam furrowed his brows, clicking his tongue again, pondering the question. "I don't know; getting sick is almost impossible for me with my level of development."

A variant with an illness immediately rules it out. Being a mid-level demon, how could he even get sick? His body, even if he were a lower demon, could handle even the most dreadful miasmas of Hell, not to mention human diseases.

A curse? Unlikely as well, as he had only come into close contact with trusted individuals during his adventure, so this option is automatically dismissed. However, Adam didn't know of any other possibilities concerning this.

There was only one clue—that strange dream. He remembered flying on a chariot through a place that resembled Hell. He had many thoughts about it and was greatly distressed, which caused his mind to waver slightly.

In his mind, it was as if the elements of fire and water collided simultaneously, causing a powerful explosion and temporarily incapacitating him.

A quick check allowed Adam to understand that his body was fine and that it was just a slight shock, but he still couldn't understand the reason behind it.

Adam heard the rustling of the blanket as his left shoulder felt warmth. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Amarantha, who looked concerned about his condition. Adam tried to smile and reassure her, but a sudden headache interrupted all his thoughts.

He clenched his teeth and held back the urge to scream. Mary, Claire, and Elyra were sleeping nearby, exhausted from a day of hard work due to several problems in the city's affairs. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead onto the blanket.

His skin was reddened, which was very unusual considering his usual pale complexion. Amarantha frowned and quickly infused him with her magical energy, but he was surprised that it didn't have the desired effect.

"What is this?" Amarantha's voice sounded concerned, and Adam shook his head.

"Enough. You'll only waste your magical energy in vain. This pain is too weak to affect me." He took Amarantha's hand in his own and kissed the back of her palm. "Sleep. It's already difficult for you to sleep at your level, so you must get a good rest, alright?"

Amarantha shook her head and refused to obey him. Adam could only sigh and shake his head. Sometimes she could be quite disobedient. To distract himself from the pain, Adam put up a barrier against overwhelming noise.

"Let's talk then, so I can distract myself from this pain." Adam squinted and took a letter from his inventory, handing it to Amarantha. "Look at this letter. Who do you think it should be from?"

Amarantha took the letter and felt the paper. It made her eyebrows rise, and she looked somewhat comical, but Adam remained serious and didn't pay it any mind. Amarantha began to read, and with each paragraph, she became more and more serious.

The letter said:

[Dear Mayor Adam,

The Great I greet you and express respect.

How are you today? The sky is clear and full of stars, and observing them gives me a surge of motivation.

Ah, returning to the subject... The Great I apologize for the actions of the second prince. I am writing to inform you of my good intentions and propose a personal meeting. Please inform Alexander if you agree.

You will learn the details afterward].

"How unusual..." Amarantha rubbed her chin while Adam covered her body with the blanket. "Thank you."

She gave him a soft smile and then became serious. She closed her eyes and pondered.

"In the first place, the letter is made from paper produced from the Thousand Eyes Tree. The paper from this tree is very soft and dense, so much so that it's impossible to tear apart," Amarantha stated in her first thought. "Secondly, the communication style resembles someone from Avalonia. It's evident from the formalities used in the letter and the unconventional reference to oneself as 'The Great I.' Usually, such a style is employed by high-ranking nobles, starting with the rank of a marquis."

"Hmm. So you mean this letter is from a marquis or someone of higher rank?" Adam frowned. "Though the situation with the second prince is somewhat unusual, I must admit that my city is not developed enough to garner such attention. So... it's more likely about you."

Amarantha smiled and rested her head on Adam's shoulder, feeling his warmth. Her eyelids gently closed, and a sweet purr escaped her lips. Adam smiled and gently stroked her head.

"You are my treasure. I don't even know how I'll repay you." Adam smiled bitterly and kissed the top of Amarantha's head.

"This..."

"I know," Adam interrupted Amarantha, who smiled happily. "You're one of those women who give themselves entirely to their beloved. And I'm glad I became that beloved. Your attention empowers me, and your help is invaluable."

Adam shook his head and felt sentimental. He sighed and looked out the window, ignoring the throbbing headache and the uncomfortable heat throughout his body.

"Amarantha, the further I walk along the path of development, the more unclear my path becomes. But I'm determined to build a strong fortress for myself and then live with you and my beloved women in joy." Adam stroked her hair. "I hope I can make it happen."

***

The next day...

Adam sat on a soft armchair, holding a glass filled to the brim with expensive wine. He thanked the servant and brought the glass to his lips, savoring the pleasant aroma of the wine.

Then he took a sip. The wine flowed over his tongue and down his throat, providing a gentle, slightly bitter taste that brought him pleasant coolness and enjoyment.

Although he wasn't a fan of alcohol, out of curiosity, Adam once decided to buy a few expensive barrels of wine, eventually becoming fond of its exquisite taste.

"If you were ugly, they'd consider you strange and call you a freak." Alexander snorted, breaking Adam's peculiar state. "But considering you're a damn handsome guy, it even looks sexy."

"Was that a compliment?" Adam laughed. "Then I'll gladly accept it. But you should try it too; I spent quite a lot of money on this wine, you know."

Alexander snorted, and instead of trying the wine with refinement like Adam, he simply took the bottle and poured it all into his mouth. Adam winced, seeing his barbaric behavior, but he had already gifted this bottle to Alexander, so there was nothing to think about.

"Ah... bliss. Now I understand why you experienced an orgasm." Alexander licked the corners of his lips and grinned, showing his teeth.

"Orgasm?" Adam raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "But I think you haven't savored the taste. Maybe you should try it my way? That way, you can experience the full range of the wine's flavor."

"You're talking nonsense, dude. Real men drink wine in one gulp!" Alexander grimaced at Adam's remark and disagreed.

Adam shrugged and could only smile. Conversations with Alexander were always fun; this guy knew how to cheer people up.

"That's up to you. By the way, this girl is from the premium class. Don't touch her," Adam remarked to Alexander, who was reaching out to a cute girl dressed in revealing attire.

"Tch. Greedy boy, won't you turn a blind eye to this minor detail for a friend?" Alexander pointed his finger at him, and his index finger trembled with anger.

"Well, those are the rules, my friend. The premium class is another level and only appears on the fourth floor," Adam said, leaning back in his chair while his shoulders were being massaged by two attractive girls from the premium class. Alexander poked him in the face, and his pointing finger shook with fury.

"Why do you touch them, then?"

"Well, because I'm the owner of the brothel."

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