Adam gazed at them for a second before his lips curved. With a snap of his fingers, he tore the name change ticket and aoe card.
A soft glow enveloped Pablo, Amelia, and Michael, the light dissolving something forcefully engraved deep within them. But they forgot the sensation to focus on the interfaces that had burst without their calls, their eyes wide and hearts drumming.
[Loading Lord interface]
Name: Please enter a name.
Silence filled the room before Pablo’s fists cut overhead in triumph, his voice thundering in shocked delight. "It worked! That fake name really disappeared."
The others clenched their jaws and smirked, their fingers dancing to input their real names into the system as if the chance would disappear if they wasted a single second.
"Thought I lied?" Adam winked, chuckling as the icons above their heads shifted from their lord to human names.
Pablo almost jumped on the table and danced, red hair ruffling as he shook his head vigorously. "How do you want anyone to believe you can change several people’s names at once? Come on! I thought you overestimated yourself or were boasting."
"Why does it matter when it worked?" Amelia clapped her hands, her purple dress fluttering with her light steps as she curtsied in delight. "The gods can’t limit our growth anymore!"
Michael crossed his arms over his chest, trying to keep his pragmatic air, even though his trembling Victorian pants betrayed his excitement. "Don’t underestimate them. They still can interfere."
Adam shrugged. "They can, and I can stop them." He pointed at his raised cap. "I have methods to hide you from their eyes. So, focus on the war. Garduck!"
Garduck appeared behind him before the last syllable of his name echoed. He observed the lords with interest before he shook his head when they raised their guards almost two seconds late.
Compared to Adam, they were... lacking—kids far from the seasoned warriors he had expected. His eye particularly locked on Amelia’s plump figure. Was she taking them lightly with that unmaintained body? His lips curled into a smile that sent icy shudders down her spine. Sweet times were over.
Unbothered by their rising weapons and swirling mana, Adam gestured at Garduck and continued. "This is my army general, Garduck. Plan the war with him and Mimi."
As he turned to leave, Pablo called out, his voice hesitant. "You won’t stay with us?"
"Other things to do." Adam patted Mimi’s head on his way out, missing her worried frown. "We’ll free ourselves of this stupid game soon. With our own hands."
Eyes sharp, he left for Merlin’s tower.
Passing by the smiling citizens didn’t help calm the relentless urgency fueling him. He had awoken less than two hours ago, hadn’t sought Lilia for a warm meal, nor chitchatted much with Mimi. The worst part? It felt normal to him. War times called for action, not leisure. ’I won’t rest until I can break this bastard Zeus’ teeth.’
Mimi watched him stroll the streets, biting her lip. It was worse than last year, as if Adam had forgotten any notion of relaxation and amusement. Instead, he was letting his mind slowly sink into an abyss of vengeance colored a righteous gold.
This was not sustainable, not what she wanted for him. His contained rage would crack sooner or later. The abyss would drown everything he had built, and by then, it would be too late.
She had searched for a solution for a year and only found one. "Sister Luna... He needs her," she muttered, the weight of her absence making her clutch her chest as she watched him disappear amidst the flow of citizens.
A moment later, Adam landed on the tower’s highest floor through the window. Strewn papers crumpled under his bare feet, the stuffed magic symbols engraved on the wooden floor barely pulsing through the mess.
Seated behind his desk, Merlin snapped his head toward him. But he only glanced at the man and instead focused on the thundering stomps behind him.
The noise of a blade humming, a metallic glow flashing across his face, and the noise of split wind made him snicker in ridicule.
"Amusing." He reacted with the vivacity of a feral beast.
His fingers blurred upward, catching the descending blade as his eyes narrowed on the attacker—an elegant blond man draped in immaculate white armor and a blue cape, who frowned in confusion as he strained his muscles to pull his weapon back. But even a two-finger grip wasn’t something mortals could wrestle against.
"Stand down, Gawain." Merlin interrupted him, rising to his feet and offering Adam a solemn nod. "This is the lord we fight for."
"Didn’t you say he was a demon?" Gawain seized Adam’s tail, wings, and round ears, his frown deepening. "He looks like a human with few draconic features."
Adam flung his fingers up, the force tearing Galatin out of Gawain’s tight grip and plunging it into the ceiling. Then, his voice echoed, regal, leaving no place for nonsense.
"With all the respect I have for your legend, sit down and shut up, Gawain." He snorted as the knight clenched his jaw. "Or do you think Athur would turn a blind eye to a sneak attack in his own kingdom? I forgive you this one time; that’s the extent of my mercy." He grazed the knight’s armor, the soft movement hurling him to his seat.
As Gawain’s pupils constricted, he turned to Merlin. What if he felt insulted? No matter where you came from, attacking your ruler had the same outcome: execution.
"Merlin, you explain how you summoned a knight of the round table and interfered with the gods."
The corner of Merlin’s lips rose as he explained his quest, how he stumbled on an artifact that led to Gawain’s summoning and how they discovered the grail after a grim month of searching.
He emphasised the arduous battles and the dragon who had left them on their last leg, all to grin like a child.
Adam noted how at peace Merlin felt, and for good reasons. Though he had sworn never to forgive the bastard, his hidden support felt enough to absolve his crime. But the truth was that he still felt betrayed.
’I don’t know...’ He pinched the bridge of his nose. ’There is no denying that my underworld expedition would have been wasted without his intervention. I... will forgive him a little.’
"Rally the other mythical figures and work under Garduck to prepare for the war." He stepped over the windowsill, his voice lowering. "Thank you, the both of you."
With a last glance back, he bolted through the sky. More pleasant discussions with Mimir awaited him now that he had gotten answers.
Meanwhile, Gawain watched him turn into a dark dot, confused by this first meeting.
"Disrespectful, forceful, yet powerful—more than uncle." He shook his head, a soft smile curving his lips. "He’s in his right after I attacked him. And he thanked us."
Merlin raised his thumb. "Humble peasant, powerful warrior, or wealthy noble, he doesn’t care and thanks whoever supported him. That’s what I like about him. We’re on the right track, so let’s hammer the metal while it’s hot and help him organise the war."
Gawain’s eyes narrowed, and his voice sharpened. "I can train and lead a mounted cavalry division into battle..."
Merlin raised his palm, the hum of mana swirling into a spatial portal, cutting him off. "We’ll discuss it with them."
He pointed at Mimi, Pablo, Amelia, and Michael before he opened more portals to let the other mythical figures join them.