Chapter 242 Library, clothing selection
Chapter 242 Library, clothing selection
Additional chapter
1/1
Rick_Hatfield_9171, thank you for the support a month ago. Although much time has passed, I can finally fulfill my promise!
Note: "Practitioner" is replaced with "Magivolve," derived from "Magic" and "Evolve," meaning someone who becomes stronger through magic.
***
After Elrion regained consciousness, he wasted no time and immediately set to helping Adam choose his attire. Unfortunately for Adam, who thought it would be a matter of minutes, it turned into him trying on over two hundred outfits in an hour.
"Aaargh! Damn..." Elrion suddenly yelled, startling Adam, who was lost in thought. Elrion snorted and fidgeted in his chair, behaving like a child before a school trip.
In front of him sat Adam, finishing his cup of black coffee. The guy looked a bit tired. Despite level increases allowing one to bypass mortal limitations, the body would still tire from work and such. This would continue until reaching the Mortality Realm: Condensing Magical Energy (3). In that case, magical energy would recover with accelerated force, stimulating and strengthening the body, increasing endurance hundreds of times.
"Sir Elrion... I thought choosing clothes for me wouldn't be such a difficult task, right?" Adam asked, exhausted from this endless series of fittings. He sighed, squinting his eyes from fatigue.
"Yes, I thought so too, but... um, how should I put it? Your appearance is just too perfect."
"Huh?" Adam raised an eyebrow.
"I mean, guy, you don't have just a perfect appearance, it's godly! Any outfit suits you. Even if you wear rags, you'd look more elegant than any noble!" Elrion spoke non-stop, almost splattering saliva.
Adam raised an eyebrow, not exactly surprised. His initial appearance, before the system transformation, was good and appealing, and after evolving through the system, he became synonymous with the word 'perfect'. So, such a reaction was understandable.
"Are we limited in the number of photos? I think making more than ten shouldn't be a problem. Besides, I'll have to perform myself, right?" Adam asked, looking somewhat tired.
"Uh, yes. That's right. We can do it that way." Elrion awkwardly replied.
In the next two hours, they spent time selecting the perfect look for Adam. In the end, they settled on half of the photos in an official costume with innovations, and the other half in what he called "immortal attire."
If you've ever read Xianxia, you'd be familiar with those long white robes. Considering Adam's long hair, it was an undisputed victory without competition.
And so, the exhausting day passed.
On the same evening, Elrion mentioned that the fashion show would start in just a week.
"You need to calm down and relax. I've already sent your photos, and I'm confident that your candidacy will be approved immediately," Elrion reassured him with a bright smile. He was trying to cheer up Adam, who looked extremely caring and friendly.
"Of course. I trust you."
Adam had no reason to doubt his words, and what worries could there be? It wasn't his first time dealing with nobility, and while they might differ in traditions and power, they still didn't pose a significant threat.
Moreover, Adam was skilled in communicating with women, and his natural charisma had helped him with many, so he was confident.
"Judging by the handwriting and the subtle scent of roses, this Knight Clinton is a woman. The letter is official, so the likelihood of someone else writing for her is low. I think I need to prepare."
The title of a Knight. It was perhaps the lowest rank of the aristocracy. They could only control villages, and if they wanted to control a city, they would have to work hard in service. Usually, this title was not hereditary, but there were cases where inheritance was allowed.
In this world, a knight was still the lowest in the hierarchy, but who said they were weak in influence? Knight Clinton controlled three villages, including Bean Village, and a city. Rumor had it she was a practitioner at the peak of the Mortality Realm.
Adam felt a subtle and dangerous aura in the carriage as they entered the village, likely belonging to Knight Clinton. He then thought it felt similar to Veronica's aura but slightly weaker. Nevertheless, even this was enough to make him cautious.
In this world, all powers were abnormal. If you compared an ordinary resident of the Higher Realm and the Lower Realm, the former would be ten times stronger, even though they couldn't control magic. This difference was due to the higher quality and denser magic here, exceeding that of the Lower Realm by ten times. Here, even the weakest person possessed magic, not to mention practitioners.
"I need to be careful. There's no need to unnecessarily provoke such a strong practitioner, so I need to familiarize myself with the local traditions... for that, I need to go to the library."
The library of Bean Village. It was quite large and comparable to Adam's residence in Sedyon. There were many books, and one could say that all the world's knowledge was here at first glance, but...
"Kid, you're here again? Here are just surface-level books and not-too-exciting stories. I thought young people weren't into this," suddenly came an elderly voice from Adam's left side.
The old man looked tired, appearing around 60 years old. He had gray hair, tired brown eyes covered with the shadow of age, and deep wrinkles on his face that added to the sense of aging. The old man's back was hunched, and his body was as thin as a twig.
His name was Mr. Rhymas.
"Good evening, Mr. Rihm," Adam greeted, not forgetting to acknowledge the old man. He approached and handed over 5 Rihm.
"Many youths fail to grasp the value of knowledge, hence wandering, sword in hand. To become stronger than an ordinary warrior, one must acquire knowledge and become a magivolve," Adam said, combining a greeting to the old man.
An hour's worth was priced at 10 Rihm, granting access to all books. Adam, for such a negligible cost, could indulge in reading. The library offered a plethora of books, providing him with ample options.
The old man paused for a moment, looking at Adam with a surprised expression before smiling and shaking his head.
"I didn't expect to hear such words from a young one. Alright, you can read for another half-hour for free. Consider it a gift from me to an intelligent junior," the old man said with a kind smile, appearing satisfied.
"Thank you. Tomorrow, I'll bring you a cake from Aunt Lina's bakery. She has excellent skills!" Adam said with a smile, bowing before leaving for the reader's paradise.
The old man observed Adam for a while, then, as if losing interest, started reading a book on the table.
***
An hour passed unnoticed. Adam looked a bit tired, rubbing his eyes. It had already darkened, and the closing time for the library approached. Placing the books back in their places, he approached the registration desk.
The old man was still there, but now he was sound asleep. His breathing occasionally fluctuated, and he coughed; evidently, his health didn't permit him to live freely.
By Adam's rough estimate, the man was already a hundred and twenty years old. While considered elderly here, compared to Adam, he was just a youth.
"Hmm..." Adam pondered for a moment, then waved his hand. A small golden worm entered the old man's left nostril and penetrated his bone marrow, stimulating his inner potential. The old man named Rihm lit up. Wrinkles on his face disappeared, the hunchback straightened, and his eyebrows relaxed. His lifespan increased by another fifty years.
"You won't feel pain, and you won't suffer until death. At the very least, you can live a good life," Adam murmured, smiling as he left the library.
Though it was not in his usual style, the kindness of old man Rihm softened Adam's heart. In this world, he had few acquaintances, especially those who could take care of him. The old man from the library not only provided extra hours for free but also offered advice. It was something Adam highly valued.
"Let's consider ourselves even... junior," he thought and smirked, recalling the old man's words: "I'm thousands of years older than you... being called Junior for the first time. Hahaha."
That night, he was in a good mood.
***
The next day, in the city of Bean, there was a week-long celebration known as the "Week of Moon Shadow." During this time, the moon was closest to ordinary mortals and considered a blessing. And indeed, it had an effect.
Those who prayed sincerely on that day would witness a miracle. The sick would become healthy, and years of famine would turn into a golden age. That's why this celebration was so popular.
The church was crowded. Adam hesitated to go there because, even though his identity was concealed, dealing with beings who could see through illusions and souls was dangerous. Besides, he was not a believer and had no desire to pray to the gods.
On that day, he simply decided to take a stroll with Calissa in his arms. Although she was extremely dissatisfied, after they found delicious cherry-filled buns, she suddenly became very obedient.
"Yum... Are you sure you don't want to try praying? If you can sincerely direct your prayer, you might receive a blessing, and then a new level won't be far off," Calissa said, devouring her burger with her insatiable mouth.
They sat on a bench near the fountains in the square of the village of Bean. It was still lively, and children joyfully jumped around, brightly smiling. There was a lot of attention on them, but both decided not to show it.
Adam was dressed in a loose white robe, similar to that of immortals from novels. As it turned out, it covered the body well and was very comfortable. Moreover, it suited him very well.
His beauty was at its peak, attracting many young and not-so-
young girls who devoured him with their eyes.
To be continued...