Re: The Dark Lord’s Ascension

Interesting facts about the Aurenvale region. When Yagami and Aria arrived there, they were greeted by an atmosphere that did not match Yagami's expectations. It was supposed to be a bustling city inhabited by reincarnated individuals—but in reality, that was not entirely true.

In fact, the region was under the control of a great kingdom nicknamed the 'Heart of the Earth,' known as 'Solandis.'

Yagami and Aria came to Aurenvale using a legendary artifact ring called Drakoria, which allowed them to teleport anywhere, including Aurenvale—a location quite far from Ryzon Alte. However, the ring had a drawback; if used for long-distance teleportation, it required a cooldown period of 1-2 years before it could be used again.

In other words, Yagami and Aria would be staying in Aurenvale for quite some time, blending in as ordinary adventurers to freely gather extensive information.

That night, Yagami and Aria were engaged in an intimate moment at an inn where they were staying after delving deeper into the details of Aurenvale. However, it seemed that Yagami had no interest in the reincarnated adventurers planning to attack his territory. Instead, he was more intrigued by the rulers of this region—the Solandis Kingdom.

According to rumors, the first princess of the kingdom was currently conducting a recruitment campaign to add personnel to their military forces. The kingdom was particularly targeting reincarnated humans, believing that reincarnated individuals brought unpredictable powers that could greatly benefit their side. Upon hearing this rumor, Yagami had already thought far ahead before the locals realized that they would merely be used as pawns. (Even though the Solandis Kingdom promised great wealth and prosperity in return.)

Still, this was a cheap trick—in other words, 'cliché.' The locals were easily swayed, for instance, through manipulation magic (?)—they joined the kingdom without considering the potential minor faults.

Regarding life in Aurenvale, various races could be found here, though humans were the dominant group.

What was really happening (?) Yagami had already been contemplating the matter ever since he set foot in this region.

The next morning, the two were preparing to leave the inn after their intimate activities the previous night (all of which Yagami considered merely a way to relieve stress). They did not forget to manipulate their physical appearances to resemble humans, both physically and aurally. Yagami and Aria's aura was exceedingly strong, with a distinct scent that set them apart from other beings.

The two walked along streets already bustling with the activities of the locals—trading, manual labor, and the tight security maintained by Solandis' military. Every alleyway was guarded by two sentinels.

The buildings in the area resembled typical structures from the medieval era, adorned with red bricks and various carved paintings decorating their walls.

When they arrived at one of the most famous bars in the region, the name of the bar was prominently displayed above the door: Valkarion. This place served as a hub for reincarnated adventurers, whether they were resting or taking on daily quests that had been assigned. Yagami and Aria sat at the most secluded table in the corner and ordered some of the region's specialties, such as; beer, bread, and meat. Yes, it resembled the usual staple food.

Inside the bar, the atmosphere felt somewhat uncomfortable. Some individuals behaved unfriendly, such as a large man from the human race with a bald head, dressed in simple clothing covered by iron armor. There were also other adventurers with differing physical traits, like hybrids and others.

The place itself and its design were rather modest, without any striking or luxurious impressions. The only notable thing was the Solandis Kingdom's emblem mounted on the wall of the adventurers' payment administration desk.

Among all the adventurers present in the bar, there was only one person Yagami had been observing since the beginning. It was an old man with a weary face, dressed in simple, tattered clothes—barely suitable to wear—and with visible bruises on his face. Yet, the people around him showed no empathy toward him. What caught Yagami's attention was the staff the old man used to support his body. It was as if it wasn't just an ordinary staff.

Yagami stood up from the table where he and Aria had been eating, carrying the dirty dishes. Instead of simply placing the plates away, Yagami subtly signaled the old man to meet him somewhere behind the bar. The old man clearly understood Yagami's signal, as though he was already familiar with such codes.

The bar was growing busier, likely because it was midday—when the sun was directly overhead—marking the adventurers' break time. Some adventurers had just returned from completing their daily quests, carrying various valuable items like crystal stones and other artifacts to exchange for money.

Outside, at the designated meeting spot, the old man greeted Yagami in a heavy tone, his face etched with suffering. Yagami could sense the old man's character through his physical demeanor and way of thinking (although Yagami couldn't read minds directly, he relied on his instincts to predict his conversation partner's thoughts).

From their conversation, it seemed Yagami offered the old man a significant amount of money—so much that even the profits from selling rare items couldn't compare to what Yagami was offering. When the old man saw the pile of gold coins, he was immediately enticed to share crucial information about the Solandis Kingdom.

In truth, the old man was a veteran hero of Solandis who had been cast aside ten years ago. His former role was as a 'Healer,' forced to perform mass healing for injured military personnel on the battlefield. The fact was, the passive magic embedded in his body had a significant drawback—every time he used his power to heal various wounds, it drained away his youth. In other words, the more he used it, the older he appeared. By the time he grew old, his healing abilities were no longer as effective as before, leading to him being discarded by Solandis and becoming a vagrant.

The intriguing facts Yagami had gathered from their conversation were more than sufficient for him. He didn't pry too deeply, only asking about the old man's background in exchange for a higher reward.

For Yagami, this was a minimal investment with the potential for long-term gains. Moreover, Solandis' methods had become 75% predictable to him within just three days. His ambitions had completely shifted. Initially, he only intended to play cruel games with the reincarnated individuals attempting to disturb Ryzon Alte. Now, his interests had turned entirely toward local politics.

It was as if all of this was a grand concert stage still in the process of being built, soon to be unveiled.

In Yagami's mind, with 75% of the picture already clear, he began to suspect that the rumors about reincarnated individuals planning to attack his territory were the work of Solandis. By manipulating the name of their kingdom and hiding behind the 'reincarnation' narrative, it seemed they aimed to maintain their safety zone. However, it was worth noting that this was merely a raw prediction, far from fully developed.

After their meeting with the old man, Yagami and Aria continued exploring streets and places they had yet to discover. Aria, who often appeared uncontrollable, began showing aggressive tendencies, expressing her desire to be intimate with Yagami. Yagami understood her signals well, but he didn't dwell on them. For him, their primary mission was far more important than trivial matters like honor. (Though this attitude applied only when they were outside and under specific conditions.)

Their method of survival was simple—like tourists who could gain respect and service as long as they had plenty of money.

That night, they rented a new inn, different from the one before. Yagami was cautious about even the smallest mistakes, ensuring everything went smoothly. As a result, he never stayed in one place for more than a night, even if the rental period was longer. His disdain for failure—whether monumental or as insignificant as a speck of dust—was absolute.

The inn's location was slightly closer to Solandis' central square, which would serve as their primary site for gathering information the following day.