When the plot-skips players into the game world

After Lawyer York brewed the red tea, he took off his suit jacket and was left wearing a thick brown plaid shirt underneath.

At this moment, he didn't look like a lawyer, let alone a high executive of the Lohar Society. He seemed more like a friendly uncle next door.

After serving the tea, York took a seat across from Aiwass.
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He clasped his ten fingers and placed them in front of his chest, speaking in a low and gentle voice, "But in fact, I don't think Prince Lohar is the so-called 'disgrace of the royal family'—he might not consider himself a part of the royal family. I am more inclined to view him as a hero, a hero who shakes the foundations of authority and sways the power of the monarchy.

"The Path of Authority is like a pair of shackles. Those who walk this Path cannot resist the orders of those higher in hierarchy, stringent and cruel, like an ant colony or a bee hive. The Knights can't do this, but that doesn't mean they don't want to.

"No one wants to be a slave to the power of the Path. The Silver-Crowned Dragon tells you to be loyal, be chaste, follow the rules, be orderly, but do we really have to be that way?"

Lawyer York spoke quietly, "Have you ever thought about how the common-born Prince Lohar managed to keep the Lohar Society from being devoured by the monarchy?"

Aiwass raised an eyebrow and stayed silent.

He vaguely guessed what Lawyer York wanted to do. Therefore, he did not speak, but his face showed a touch of confusion and curiosity.

"It's simple. The existence of the Lohar Society is the collective will of those knights in the Round Table Hall; it's a symbol of the term 'merchant', and countless individuals maintain the Lohar Society."

Lawyer York spoke slowly, murmuring secrets not known to others, "To this day, more than sixty percent of the Knight Families in the Round Table Hall have at least one legitimate member secretly joining the Lohar Society. We share secrets, and secrets are a blade.

"Do you think the royal family is unaware of this? No, they know, but they are powerless. The Lohar Society prospered from the royal family's distribution of power, but now the monarchy can no longer take that power back—because the times are destined to change, and we move relentlessly forward."

"...Why are you telling me all this?"

Aiwass, after a moment of silence, finally spoke with some hesitation.

Lawyer York slowly extended his left arm toward Aiwass, palm up.

In the next moment, his pupils suddenly overflowed with a pure amethyst light. The skin on his forearm wrinkled and bulged as if snakes were writhing beneath it.

The next instant, four pitch-black, headless, scaleless snakes shot out from under his wrist's skin—

These creatures, as thick as a finger and resembling snakes, had no heads; just a hole at the front end filled with tight-packed, sharp teeth. They looked like snakes with severed heads or leeches with gaping mouths.

The magical beast raised its head as if it was an unconscious vine swaying in the wind.

Lily immediately reacted, her gaze becoming stern, ready to step forward, but Aiwass immediately shook his head to signal her to step back, so the silent maid quietly stood behind Aiwass once again.

But her expression was unprecedentedly serious, and the back of her hands showed faintly glowing greenish web-like cracks.

Meanwhile, Lawyer York simply smiled gently, looking at Aiwass and speaking slowly, "Do you know how Prince Lohar won the heart of Her Majesty Marlena back in the day?

"Because he was also a talented poet. Among the verses he once wrote are the following:

"—One day, I will break free from these leaden shackles;

"I shall rise with the smoke, free as the wind;

"I shall have a shining day, bright as the stars, radiant as the moonlight..."

Before Lawyer York had finished speaking, a dialogue box suddenly popped up in front of Aiwass:

[York Hermes is imparting the technique of 'Defying Pact' to you. Will you pay 48 public experience to master this Mystical Skill?]

The art of Defying Pact is a Mystical Skill that transcends the Path, emphasizing particularly the transcendence of the Path of Authority. Used to destroy oaths, break free from shackles, and elude pursuit, it is a cunning technique for those who have promised and yet decide to not follow through.

No. Aiwass answered decisively in his mind.

The significance of this skill wasn't great, but learning it might contaminate Aiwass's pool of abilities. Different Mystical Skills could conflict with each other... Aiwass didn't have a respec potion and couldn't take the risk.

And besides, 48 points were also too expensive—this was just an ordinary level Mystical Skill, yet it required so much experience. You don't really understand it yourself, do you?

You haven't just memorized this part, have you?

Aiwass thought cynically.

But Lawyer York's behavior had already proven his stance. So the indifference and confusion on Aiwass's face vanished, turning calm and deep, as if everything before had been merely an act.

"...Devouring Demon?"

Aiwass inquired.

This was a rarely-seen Familiar, ranking even below a lower-level Demon, at the same level as Demon Dogs. It was a small demon that a Demon Scholar could create. Its aggressiveness wasn't strong; it was typically used for tormenting or interrogating others—the Devouring Demon's size and thickness could change, which allowed it to burrow into or envelop any part of the human body.

And as it writhed, those sharp, bee sting-like teeth would inject weak toxins. These teeth could easily break off inside the body, much like countless cactus spines that are difficult to extract, causing intense, lingering pain and often damaging the victim's dignity.

Being able to hide a large number of Familiars within oneself without detection...

This was a unique trait of a fourth energy level Parasitic Demon Bearer.

Not a Demon Scholar, but rather an advanced profession of a Demon.