Imp to Demon King: A Journey of Conquest

Litia raised her palms and shook her head.

"I wanted to keep the surprise for when he reaches it. Anyway, besides Durgrim, who\'s more open than others, no one will follow you if you tell them about it."

\'I guess I became a scammer... well, they\'ll refuse to leave after a few days of peace, anyway.\'

His confident laughter echoed as he passed through fields.

The corner of his lips rose into a soft smile, the scenery mixing golden and green ears of wheat and hop bringing peace to his heart.

He turned his head on his way, watching lines of trees. Their lush leaves rustled under the midday bright sun. A few fruits, rip before the others, sparkled with bright colors and vitality on their branches. On the ground, he saw moisture glint on the rows of fresh vegetables in wonder and expectation.

"We\'ll soon produce our own."

He muttered under his breath as a soft breeze ruffled his hair gently. Then, his eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. Find your next read at m_v l|e-NovelBin.net

"To escape meat! To vary our diet! No." He shook his head, determination flashing in his eyes. "I\'ll buy a few already and recruit a baker!"

In an excellent mood, he spent the rest of the day buying more beasts. In the end, he bought a hundred cows, twenty healthy horses and hundreds of sheep and chickens! He also secured a few hundred kilos of wheat and hop, enough to hold until their first harvest.

Of course, his pouch bore the brunt of the compulsive purchases with its bulging size shrinking to half in a single afternoon.

Yet, he shrugged, too happy to care about petty money he had no use for anyway.

Instead, he now stood before an adventurer shop, the evening sky shining softly on his dark armor.

Neat armors lined its window. From light leather to metal or intricately decorated ones, the shop seemed to cover everyone\'s needs with its wide range of products.

He squinted at the price tags underneath, the outrageous amount of zeros sending a lightning bolt to rumble in his mind.

He clicked his tongue, his lips curling into a disdainful smirk.

"Is this a dark shop trying to rip people off? No armor is worth several hundred cows!"

"Hahaha!"

Litia held her sides, wiping a tear of amusement from her eyes.

"A single day and you\'re already speaking like a farmer!" She pushed the door open and stepped inside joyfully. "That\'s the standard price. But you can talk with your fierce armor. I believe it\'ll sell for at least a thousand gold, maybe more."

He raised his head as he stepped inside, thanking Tiamat and Izanagi for helping him summon Muramasa.

As the legendary swordsmith told him, artisans were the backbone of a country. Without them, his army would fight bare-chested on the battlefield, vulnerable to any strike.

Then, he focused on the shop\'s clean interior.

Swords, spears, and axes glinted silver on the walls and displays. Engravings pulsing softly with mana ran along their blades, adding flair to their otherwise sleek appearance.

The rustle of clothes drew his attention as a man rose from his seat behind the counter.

Commanding attention with his elegant white and golden robes, the youth walked to him with a bright smile.

"Welcome to my adventurer shop! Anything you might need, I have it, and even more." He swiped his hand at the most expensive items closest to the counter. "I\'m Jean, an apprentice who follows Hephaestus\' teachings and this city\'s best enchanter."

Adam nodded, agreeing that the man\'s items looked more than decent. Still, he didn\'t come to buy them.

He shook his head and used his forged story.

"I\'m Adam, an aspiring knight. I\'d like to buy a map of the realm. Of course, the more detailed it is, the better."

Jean sized him for a second, snuffing the disappointed sigh scratching his throat after assessing the chitinous armor. Instead, his eyes flashed with greed as he rubbed his hands.

"I indeed have a few maps, but none of the classical ones befitting a distinguished adventurer like you." He opened his palm before his face as his eyes narrowed into slits. "However, one in my possession is a little special. In truth, it\'s too special for your run-of-the-mill knight. But because I see great potential in you, I\'ll sell it for a modest one hundred gold."

Adam rolled his eyes so much that only the white remained in his pupils.

\'Just call me an idiot directly next time.\'

He shook his head and turned to leave, clenching his fists tightly to suppress the desire to teach the fool a lesson by knocking a few of his teeth out.

However, Jean rushed to stand before him.

"Wait, wait, wait. It\'s worth even more. It\'s an epic map!" He placed a hand over his chest and raised a finger. "We can negotiate if a hundred is too much. How about ninety gold coins? I promise it\'s a bargain!"

Adam shook his head, continuing to the door. "No, thank you."

\'Why did no one buy it already if it\'s that great? I saw through your scam!\'

Once again, Jean blocked his path. Eyes narrowed, he lowered the price again.

"Eighty! The map marks densely populated areas. It\'ll help you find or avoid bandit and monster camps if you\'re close enough."

A spark of curiosity flashed in Adam\'s eyes this time. He tucked his fingers around his chin and smiled at Jean.

"Tell me why you\'re trying to sell it and how it\'s still in your possession with such an interesting effect. Only then will I consider buying it."

"Tsk."

Jean clicked his tongue before jumping behind the counter and retrieving a rolled map.

Green energies snaked on the yellowed parchment, drawing ominous veins that would have chilled anyone\'s heart... but Adam\'s.

He raised a brow and pointed an accusing finger at Jean.

"So, it\'s a demonic item? How dare you try to sell it?"

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AN: We reach 1k unlocks! As promised, the chapter count goes up to 20 and the -90% promotion continues! Let\'s do as well or even better during this month guys!