'The second method—does it refer to the characters I know from my memories?'
Roy asked, voicing the question nagging at him.
[The host can understand it that way.]
[These characters significantly impact their world and may even influence other worlds. As such, they carry substantial dimension points to absorb.]
'Just a simple touch, right?' Roy pressed.
Though he mostly grasped it, he wanted to be certain.
[As you did when touching Ravel Phenex, physical contact with these characters is sufficient.]
The system confirmed.
Roy nodded.
[Host, you currently have 31,200 dimension points. Would you like to make your first replication?]
'What kind of replication?' Roy asked.
A moment later, as Roy glanced at the Phenex siblings, a virtual interface appeared in his vision.
===
[Riser Phenex
Full Replication: 380,350 dimensional points
Phenex Bloodline: 150,000 dimensional points
Evil Piece (King): 10,000 dimensional points
Hell Fire: 50,000 dimensional points
Magic Conversion: 50,000 dimensional points
High-Class Demonic Power: 120,000 dimensional points
Devil's Custom Suit: 200 dimensional points
Devil's Custom Shirt: 50 dimensional points
Devil's Custom Leather Shoes: 100 dimensional points
[Ravel Phenex
Full Replication: 290,300 dimensional points
Phenex Bloodline: 150,000 dimensional points
Evil Piece (Bishop): 10,000 dimensional points
Hell Fire: 50,000 dimensional points
Magic Conversion: 50,000 dimensional points
Middle-Class Demonic Power: 30,000 dimensional points
Devil's Custom Dress: 200 dimensional points
Devil's Custom Leather Boots: 100 dimensional points
===
'Looks like I can't afford anything worth replicating,' Roy muttered, deflated by the steep costs.
The devil's custom clothing was cheap, but it seemed no different from human-world fashion.
No enchanted armor or mystical artifacts like in fantasy novels.
Wait a second.
Roy's gaze shifted to Riser.
If he could absorb dimensional points from him, maybe he could afford something useful.
"What are you staring at, you insolent brat?"
Riser bristled.
The look in Roy's eyes—as if he were sizing up a rare item or commodity—grated on him.
As a noble devil, Riser had never been regarded with such disrespect.
Roy abruptly stood, reached out, and clapped a hand on Riser's shoulder.
"You!"
Riser's eyes widened, his anger flaring like a tangible flame.
To him, a lowly human daring to touch his noble self was an outrage.
"Onii-chan!"
Seeing Riser on the verge of exploding, Ravel shouted, her voice sharp enough to rein him in.
[Congratulations, host. 23,123 dimension points absorbed.]
The system's voice chimed in Roy's mind.
Elated, he kept his hand on Riser's shoulder, milking the moment.
"Riser Phenex, honestly, if your sister weren't so reasonable, I'd call security to toss out a nutcase like you," Roy said, bluffing with a smirk.
"Hahaha! I'd love to see you try," Riser laughed mockingly.
"Someone like me, thrown out by security? Please."
With his physique, he was far beyond ordinary humans, even without demonic power.
Roy chuckled, finally lifting his hand from Riser's shoulder.
"My engagement to your sister was arranged by our elders," Roy said calmly.
"Judging by your rush to show up, this contract still holds some weight."
The engagement between Roy and Ravel was a classic tale.
Over a century ago, Roy's great-great-grandfather, Lyord Flott, saved someone from the Phenex Clan.
While recovering, the person befriended Lyord.
One drunken night, they agreed to betroth their descendants.
The Flott family had dwindled since then, and the Phenexes hadn't produced a daughter in generations.
The engagement was shelved.
Until Roy and Ravel's generation, when both appeared, reactivating the contract.
Ravel and Riser, however, concealed their devil heritage, presenting their family as foreign nobility.
Unbeknownst to them, Roy already knew.
"So what?" Riser sneered.
"You think a brat like you is worthy of my sister?"
The Phenex Clan had no plans to marry Ravel off for political gain, but they certainly didn't want her wed to an ordinary human.
"If I refuse to break off the engagement, what can you do?" Roy asked, grinning.
"You!"
Riser froze, his expression darkening.
"Try it, brat. I have plenty of ways to deal with you."
"What, planning to spit on your family's debt?"
Roy figured the Phenex Lyord saved was likely Riser's father.
Devils lived far longer than humans, so a century was enough for the Flott family to span several generations, while the Phenexes, with their low fertility, might only have produced one.
An injury severe enough to nearly kill a Phenex, known for their vitality, was no small matter.
Could it have been from the Devil Civil War?
Roy recalled sparse details on the war, which occurred centuries ago.