James observed the scene with a wry smile. "Blame yourself for trying to offend him. Well, they should be here shortly."
As if on cue, a group of people emerged from the auction house and walked in their direction. Adams' gaze fell on one of them, a man with a grim reputation.
"What do we have here," Adams said, his tone cold, "Kobal Naburus, the delinquent of the Northern Lust Wing. You see, you made a big mistake plotting against me. And that's not even the worst part. Do you want to know what's worse?"
Kobal shook his head vigorously. The last thing he wanted was to know what could be worse. All he wanted was to escape the situation alive.
"Too bad," Adams continued with a smirk. "I wanted to give you a chance if you'd answered that. So tell me, Kobal, how do you want to die?"
Kobal was paralyzed with fear. The idea of choosing his own method of death was too terrifying to contemplate. "Please, I beg you, don't kill me. I promise that after this, I will never come near you or anyone related to you. Please, just let me go!"
Mabel, who had been watching with detached interest, decided to weigh in. "Wrong answer. What should I do with him?"
She seemed to deliberate for a moment before sighing in frustration. "Ah, I can't think of anything. So, die."
Kobal's scream echoed through the area, drawing the attention of everyone exiting the auction house.
"What's going on there?" one bystander asked.
"Isn't that the group from the auction? Has someone offended them already?" another responded.
It was well-known that offending such powerful figures was a grave mistake.
"Sigh, another one bites the dust," muttered a veteran observer.
Enigma, who had heard the commotion and come outside, recognized Kobal immediately. The man had once tried to woo her, but his failed attempt had left him bedridden for months. Seeing his lifeless body, she had a good idea of what had transpired.
Sensing her presence, Adams turned to face her with a smile.
Soon, Kobal's body turned into a dried-up corpse. Adams, having complete control over death, ensured that Kobal's soul was subjected to endless torment. "That's what you get for having any thoughts about my woman," Adams said loudly enough for the onlookers to hear. His message was clear: no one should dare lay eyes on his women.
Jack turned to the group. "We brought the twins."
Adams nodded. "Alright, let's go. We've stayed here long enough. Also, send a message to that demon telling him our location."
Awar, ever efficient, used his shadow manipulation to relay the message.
Back at their current inn, Jack raised a question. "So, not to sound rude, but are we going to be traveling around the divine continent or just picking up people to create an organization? Because I'm not quite sure what we're doing."
Adams smiled. "You'll understand in due time. For now, I think we should get to know our two new friends, don't you think?"
They looked at the two kids—a boy and a girl, both around nine years old. They had dirty blond hair, fair skin, and the pointed ears typical of elves.
Linda approached them gently. "What are your names, little ones?"
The boy spoke up. "My name is Elamenor, and this is my sister, Erren. We are at your service, masters."
Elamenor's formal response reflected his upbringing as a slave, accustomed to addressing his new masters.
Linda's heart went out to them. "Poor children, you must have had a tough life. Don't worry; you can call me mother from now on, not master. Do you understand?"
Elamenor and Erren were uncertain how to respond. They had been raised to serve their masters, and this kindness was foreign to them.
Jessica, observing the interaction, spoke up. "They will need time to adjust and get used to their new surroundings. We should give them that time."
Adams agreed. "Once they've settled in, James, you'll need to train them, alright?"
James nodded, and they left the children in Adams' care.
Adams addressed the kids with a reassuring tone. "I know this is all new to you, but just as Linda said, you can call me 'big brother,' not 'master,' okay?"
Erren nodded in agreement.
"Good. Elamenor, take your sister and meet Linda. She prepared a place for you to rest. We'll see you tomorrow," Adams said as he let them go and decided to call it a night.
The next morning, a tattered man with white hair appeared before the group, who were enjoying breakfast at the inn's cafeteria.
"I'm here. Now what?" the man asked gruffly.
Anderson's voice was sharp. "Now you should learn how to speak to others—or better yet, keep quiet if you don't know what to say."
The white-haired demon, named Cresil, ignored Anderson's reprimand and gazed at the women in the group, clearly taken aback by their beauty. They were like fairies in his eyes.
Jack's voice cut through the tension. "I have to warn you, demon. Look at them like that again, and it will be the end of you."
The warning snapped Cresil back to reality. He realized his lapse in judgment. "I'm sorry. They were just too beautiful; I couldn't take my eyes off them."
Jack's eyes narrowed. "What a glib tongue. Mind if I pull it out?"
Adams intervened with a calm demeanor. "Enough. We should give Cresil a chance. After all, this is his first time seeing such beauty."
Adams smiled, though his focus lingered on Mabel.
Mabel's gaze was sharp. "Stop looking at me with that smile."
Cresil was sweating profusely, bewildered by the dangerous atmosphere. He was trying to make sense of who these people were and why they seemed to know so much about him.
Adams addressed Cresil reassuringly. "No need to panic. We mean you no harm. The reason you're here is that I'm building a force that will span across the verses, and I'm selecting individuals to manage my organization. You've caught my attention, so don't be afraid."
Cresil was puzzled. He didn't understand what made him special or what Adams meant by 'verses.'
Cresil hesitated. "Um, why me? And what are these verses you're talking about?"
Adams responded calmly. "Let's just say you have qualities suited for one of my open positions. As for the verses, you'll learn about them in due time. So, what do you say? Are you willing to join me?"
Cresil looked around at the powerful and confident individuals surrounding him, aside from the pregnant woman and the two elf children. He made his decision.
"I accept," Cresil said, resigning himself to his new fate.