CHAPTER 59: 59 - RAVEN’S PAST [1]

(Raven’s POV)

"So you’re saying that there are perverts lingering around my daughter...?"

Clifford asked as he emits a rather scary aura, but my expression didn’t change as I already expected this reaction from him.

Also, I’m already used to this kind of pressure after meeting strong people several times.

"To be exact, around Eve, Adelle, and Aoi."

I replied.

"The group is known as [The Followers of the three Goddesses], and almost all of their members are crazy perverts."

I added, stimulating Clifford’s anger more toward the group.

He frowned after hearing my words, then opening his mouth—

"I’ll erase those bastards from existence if they ever lay a hand on my daughter."

He declared that.

"..."

I smiled internally at his reaction before opening my mouth.

"I can remove their existence before they could even touch your daughter."

I said in a suggesting tone.

What I’m saying about the perverted fans of Eve is true, but—they actually wouldn’t be able to lay a hand on Eve in the story. So Clifford will not know of their existence.

And thus, they will remain in the story for a very long time while doing annoying shits.

But I hate annoying things, and they’re annoying... So I plan to destroy them before they could even start doing more nasty things.

I’m actively changing the story now.

"The fact that you’re saying this to me only means that you have something you want me to do."

Clifford muttered, looking at me with all-knowing eyes after hearing my suggestion.

I shrugged and opened my mouth.

"Of course, do you think I can erase their group alone? I don’t have the strength to do so, I also don’t have a strong background."

Clifford looked at me and let out a sigh.

"I think you’re strong enough, you can just make your spirit attack them, she’s A+ rank, right?... Levina, I mean."

He then said.

I shook my head at his words.

"I can’t reveal Levina to the world yet."

Clifford looked at me for a while without talking... But in the end, he opened his mouth again.

"Fine, what do you want me to do?"

He asked with a rather displeased tone—who wouldn’t? He’s being used by a young man openly.

I smiled before casually speaking.

"I need a safe place where a family of four can live."

Then I stated that.

"...?"

Clifford frowned, not understanding my intention.

Leaning my body a bit forward, I talked again.

"It doesn’t need to be grand, I just need it to be comfortable and safe."

I added.

Then after that... I explained to him what I will use the place for.

...

...

...

"Okay, I understand."

Clifford nodded his head and agreed without hesitation after hearing my reason for requesting such thing.

"I’ll give you a suitable place tomorrow as soon as possible."

He followed.

"Normally I’d say you can take your time, but I need it immediately so... I’ll count on you."

I replied.

"You’re doing a pretty risky plan, huh."

Clifford said, looking at me weirdly. He seems a bit worried.

But with a carefree smile on my face—

"Don’t worry, I’ll be fine."

I confidently declared that.

After hearing that, Clifford then smiled too.

Then he stood up.

"I would never do things like this in the first place if it wasn’t for my daughter, and if it wasn’t you who is requesting it."

He said, looking at me with calm eyes.

I tilted my head and stood up too.

"Will you let me marry your daughter if I asked?"

I jokingly said.

"You already have two exceptional lovers and still want the most beautiful girl in the world? You’re so greedy."

Clifford, understanding that I was joking, replied jokingly too.

"So you had people investigate me."

I shot back at him.

"You’re near my daughter and we’re gonna be business partners soon. What I did is normal, don’t get me wrong, I’m still thankful to you about the [Mysterious Woodland] incident."

Clifford then replied as we walked together side by side and left the private room.

"Yeah, it’s normal. I would’ve thought you’re an idiot if you didn’t do so."

I casually told him. I already knew he’s gonna investigate me.

By the way, he’s the only one who ate and ordered something.

Watching him eat in front of me while we’re talking made me kinda hungry. Though, I still didn’t order anything.

Then suddenly—Clifford stopped walking.

I stopped too and looked back at him.

"...?"

I tilted my head as if asking why he stopped, then soon... He opened his mouth with a serious face.

"But I’m serious, you can’t have my daughter."

This time, his voice and tone were scary, and he was emitting a strong pressure.

Monarch’s Presence activated on its own to protect me from it!

I frowned and scratched my head because of frustration.

"Eve is annoyed with me for some reasons that I don’t know, so what you’re thinking probably wouldn’t happen."

I replied while waving my hands, to signal Clifford to stop worrying too much.

He looked at me doubtfully, but soon withdrew his presence.

I did the same.

"Why is my daughter annoyed with you?"

He asked.

"Don’t know, ask her yourself."

I replied.

Then Clifford and I continued to walk silently.

"..."

"..."

"But seriously don’t touch my d–"

"For God’s sake! Please stop! I already know!"

I exclaimed out of annoyance as Clifford just wouldn’t stop.

’Fucking doting father...’

I mumbled inwardly while frowning.

...

...

After leaving the restaurant and parting ways with Clifford, I went to a nearby hotel and rented a room.

Then that’s where I spent the rest of the day.

Training, of course.

*****

[4:30 AM]

Raven woke up.

Sleeping in an unfamiliar place made him wake up much earlier than usual.

Then like every normal morning—Raven washed his face, cooked, ate breakfast, brushed his teeth, and of course... Took a bath.

After that, he cooked some dishes that can replenish one’s stamina quickly and packed them in a big man-made artifact lunch box that keeps the food inside fresh and hot.

And not long, Raven went to the training facility provided by the hotel to their customers in the basement.

The training facility just looks like a big gym—bulging men that seem like bodybuilders are inside lifting weights or running on a treadmill. It’s filled with nothing but training equipment.

And the design was kept as simple as possible—not that Raven minds or cares.

He just trained there for 6 hours.

He only stopped when it was time to eat or when he drank potions to replenish his stamina and mana.

Raven is continuously circulating his mana while training and putting a debuff on himself to make his training more fruitful.

And when he received a mail from Clifford a bit later...

"Time to go."

He left the training facility, but he still had the weights on his wrists and ankles, weighing 75 kilograms each.

Ignoring the weird gazes he’s receiving, Raven went back to the room he rented, took a bath again, and after dressing up nicely.

He checked out from the hotel.

Then after that, he rode a rapid train.

His destination is Idya City, four cities away from Azeas City, where the Lunar Academy is.

...

...

After an hour of traveling, Raven reached his destination.

It’s far from the center of the human domain and was rather near the corner of it.

"This city looks completely different from the cities I’ve been to before."

Raven mumbled after scanning the surrounding area where the rapid train dropped him.

He would have believed it if someone said that this city is a black market.

There’s a weird atmosphere lingering in the place and the people in it.

And there are also some beggars.

"I didn’t see any of them near the center of the city, guess they still exist, huh."

Raven said as he walked. Never did he see a beggar after coming into his novel—until now.

Idya City has fewer buildings and structures but has more population than the other cities.

Also, cities that are away from Azeas City have more crime rates because heroes aren’t distributed equally in the human domain—especially in the cities near the corner of their territory.

Anyway, Raven is walking toward his new destination...

"..."

He received a lot of gazes, and it’s not the good kind. The beggars are eyeing his clothes and the watch (V.D) he was wearing.

’Guess I need to be careful.’

Raven thought and continued on his way. He is following the map the system provided him.

Just then, when he was walking in a narrow and dark path between the buildings—as he thought it would be shorter to go that way.

"?!"

Raven suddenly sensed an attack coming from his back!

He immediately looked back—

CLANG!

And saw an iron pipe near his face!

"..."

His eyes widened. Luckily, [Celestria]’s Auto Defence activated.

’It means the attack contained hostility.’

Raven’s eyes grew cold upon realizing this.

"Huh? You blocked it."

The attacker then spoke in a surprised tone.

"You became a bit stronger, huh... Raven."

Then Raven frowned as he heard his name from his attacker’s mouth.