THE INNKEEPER

Lex showed no reaction at all, as if what the group of distractingly attractive angels had just said was not a big deal at all. In fact, in his Flow state, Lex even considered that the angels had somehow increased their attractiveness using some kind of charm technique to make him more cooperative for their meeting, yet he discarded that thought right after.

There was no way for them to know when, or even if at all, he would be coming to the resort. The fact that he was even coming here was known to only a few. Moreover, his timing had not really been scheduled, and even if it had, he spent a good deal of time getting traces of a Dao Lords influence removed from himself.

He further considered that maybe his arrival was leaked by someone from the resort, such as Licanderoth, but he doubted that even more.

“Before we continue the discussion, I think I need to make a few things clear about the Midnight Inn,” said Lex calmly. “Although the Inn sometimes takes refugees and guests who are in need, we do not concern ourselves with the general political situation of our guests. Whether they are prisoners or jailers, regardless of their background, the Midnight Inn is open to anyone who wishes to come, so long as they follow the rules of the Inn.

“Your predicament would, normally, be especially easy to resolve. All you would need to do is use the golden key, and it would take you from your location to the Midnight Inn. However, as it is, the Midnight Inn is undergoing certain renovations and teleportation services have ceased for the foreseeable future.”

At the same time, Lex was having a different conversation with Mary.

“Mary, this has been an issue from the very start,” Lex lamented. “Between criminals running away from their prison cells, and criminals hiding inside the Inn until they’re ready to come out to commit some kind of crime, the Inn’s teleport feature has too much potential to cause havoc.

“More importantly, it’s only a matter of time before we offend someone really big. If I hadn’t blocked off teleportation from other realms for new guests, I’m pretty sure I would have offended the resort. A literal resort that can use a Dao Lord as a doctor for a mere immortal is not someone I want to offend any time soon.”

“Yeah, even I can’t defend the system for that,” Mary said in her new cosplay outfit, though calling it an outfit might not have been enough.

She was lying in a hospital bed with a cartoonish thermostat sticking out of her mouth, a drip placed right next to her and a bunch of get-well-soon balloons tied to the edge of the bed. There were also bandages tied around her head, and her left leg was in a cast and raised up in the air by a piece of cloth holding it up.

“The systems don’t generally have such obvious flaws, unless it’s a part of the system’s gimmick. I would recommend trying to restore more of the system’s function but that doesn’t seem easy, let alone that you are not in too much of a rush to do so.” Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire

“If the options are to offend a resort that controls numerous Dao Lords or restore the system and deal with extraordinarily difficult quests, I think I’ll have to choose the latter.”

“I mean, you have begun to slowly take control over the system. As you get stronger, or maybe as you unlock more authority, you might be able to come up with a solution for this.”

“Just keep an eye out for any possible solutions. Maybe this quest reward will provide something that might help.”

Mary tried to shrug, but her many bandages did not allow her freedom of movement.

The convenience of a very powerful mind was that his small conversation with Mary did not distract him from the conversation with the angel baddies.

“How long do you expect these renovations to last? Our departure does not need to be imminent, but once the resort finds out that we want to leave, they will attempt to stop us. Your golden keys might be blocked.”

“I cannot say for certain,” said Lex. “The renovations have only just begun. Why don’t you tell me a little more about your own situation. Who has kept you as a prisoner here, and why? Considering you’re a ‘hopeful’ to become a Dao Lord, shouldn’t the angels be trying to get you back?”

“Who else, other than the Seraphim themselves, would keep us as prisoners in their resort? The condition for the ceasefire between the Angels and the Seraphim was an exchange of prisoners. Naturally, for the exchange to hold any value, the prisoners had to be of sufficient importance.

“In the beginning, my sisters and I reluctantly agreed to the exchange. But the years have passed, and we have been all but abandoned by the Angels, who have nurtured new Dao candidates. But the Seraphim also will not let us go, lest we bolster their forces. We are trapped here, forever in limbo. This is not the end that we deserve!”

There was a fierce passion within Shireen’s words, yet her voice remained extremely calm, as if she wasn’t talking about herself and her sisters.

Lex raised an eyebrow and looked at the dozen angels. Each of them were at the very peak of the Celestial realm, as far as Lex could tell. He found it hard to believe that the angels would abandon them entirely. But it also made sense that they would rather maintain peace than have a dozen angels back, especially if they could nurture other angels to a similar level of strength over time.

“If that’s the case, there is no urgency is there? Whether you escape tomorrow or in a thousand years, it is all the same. It’s not like you’re coming to any harm here.”

“There is no set deadline, yes, but that does not mean that there is no rush. The circumstances of the Eden realm are ever changing, and unrest has spread through the lands.

“Even though we are prisoners, as long as we do not leave the Edgar temple, we are free to do as we please. As such, we have many ways of keeping up with the latest news. Tensions are rising, and if conflict between Angels and Seraphim picks back up, we will be the first to be sacrificed.”

“Do you think the chances of war starting back up again are likely to happen soon?” Lex asked.

“Not yet, but the signs are there. In the next few thousands of years, I’d be surprised if nothing major happens. It’s unsurprising, considering that Major realms that are not controlled entirely by unified, or a single faction are more likely to be targeted than others.”

Thousands of years. Hearing such a timeline put Lex at peace, for much would change in that much time. He was sure that he would be able to reopen teleportation by then. After all, if the current trajectory of his growth was anything to go by, he should be a Celestial immortal in a few thousand years.

That was not slow progress, despite seeming like it only had the Heavenly Immortal realm in between. Most immortals never reach the Celestial realm, and those that do are usually hundreds of thousands of years old. Jotun himself was somewhere around 450,000 years old if Lex recalled correctly.

“Well, I am in no position to state when the Inn will be done with renovations, but I don’t expect it will take thousands of years,” said Lex, reassuring the angels. “Do you mind sharing some of the history of the Angels and the Seraphines with me? I am not too familiar, but this resort seems great. It’s hard to believe that the Angels are able to fight against them for this place.”

Shireen did not immediately respond. Instead, her eyes seemed to lose focus, as if she had lost herself in her memories.

“It was a time of prosperity for the Humanoid Alliance,” said one of the other Valkyries, taking off her helmet and placing it aside. “The humans had not yet completely declined, and the Celestials, alongside the Oolin, had jointly defeated all invading forces, maintaining hold over all 13 Major realms that the Humanoid Alliance controlled. But our forces were spread thin, and though we had established our place in the universe, how long we could hold it was yet to be seen.

“That is when the Devils and the Angels joined together and for a daring and unexpected plan that shocked the entire universe. The Devils set their gaze on the Hells, and the Angels set their sights on the Heavens. But what nobody knew was that together, the two had set their eyes on a much greater prize than mere control over a Major realm. They had set their sights on a secret of the Cosmic Ascendance Spectrum.”

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