My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger Chapter 896 - 897: Road Trip

Exhaustion weighed heavily on him. Even with the Valtheron Empire bordering the Holy Empire, the journey there remained a real hassle. Still, to collect his rewards from the Temple, Damon pushed through and made his way to the Holy Empire.

Among those rewards sat a Count's title along with some land, plus a bunch of other resources handed over by the Empire. At this point, Damon boasted serious wealth and strength, outstripping any low- or mid-level noble houses, especially considering his solid backing.

The Temple now offered him a holy relic and the Hero title, which topped everything else.

Earning the Hero label wasn't simple, and folks like Seras Blade had only snagged it by slaughtering countless foes of the goddess race. Plus, she stood as a true legend in the flesh.

Damon had absorbed stories about Seras Blade since childhood. One could easily grasp the massive sway a Hero like her commanded.

Damon himself was about to claim that very title, complete with a holy relic.

Truth be told, those relics could swing from insanely potent to total junk.

For instance, they might hand him the skull of a long-gone holy figure, claiming it sparked miracles, when it was merely bones from some ordinary corpse.

Or perhaps he'd score a fabled weapon or artifact.

A soft smile crossed his face.

He anticipated that aspect eagerly. On the flip side, it meant putting up with those ancient clerics. He might even need to pretend they weren't rotten to the core.

"They'd better not make me kiss any rings or pull that nonsense," he grumbled in a chilly tone.

Renata arched a brow just a bit but stayed silent.

Three occupants filled this carriage: Renata, Iris, and Damon naturally.

This marked a major occasion for Damon, so his grandfather had naturally overcomplicated matters as usual.

The elder had pulled out all stops for his grandson, which explained why the entire family headed to the Holy City.

A lengthy procession of carriages formed their group. Evangeline and Luna rode with the Grand Duke in his vehicle, of course. The old fellow had aimed to cram all his grandkids together, but Damon had dodged that, leaving him with only Evangeline and Luna.

Duke Cassian shared a carriage with his wife. Lucky pair. Their ride probably stayed calm.

Iris stuck with Damon since she felt easier around him. As her teacher, he offered more than that—he wasn't the daunting Grand Duke or the scary Duke.

So her spot suited her better. After all, she wasn't Damon and couldn't chat casually with two of the Empire's top figures.

If brushing off big egos counted as a talent, Damon kept it from her. Why skip teaching her that trick?

She halted her thoughts briefly. No way. That sounded risky. Damon was simply wild.

Iris stole a quick look at Damon. She itched to share the clues she'd uncovered about her father's passing, but held back. Uncertainty lingered.

His eyes stared off into space, mind elsewhere.

Renata kept quiet, leaving Iris without much company for talk.

"I should've hopped into Luna's carriage instead."

Damon rolled his eyes at her words.

"Nice to hear I'm so unappealing. That's your respect for your teacher, you ungrateful student."

Iris let out a scoff, folding her arms.

"You're barely older than I am. Why play the elder?"

Damon extended a finger and prodded her cheek.

"Who's hit Fourth Class advancement here?"

Iris sneered.

Of course. He had reached Fourth Class. A true powerhouse so young. She kept overlooking how Damon Grey shone as a genius.

"Big whoop. After the nightmare mess, even cats and dogs hit Fourth Class."

Damon clutched his head. Yeah, that checked out. His own critters—that pesky red squirrel and the creepy raven obsessed with eyes—had climbed to Fourth Class too.

It felt like soaring straight to the skies.

"What's that old Demon Continent proverb? When a guy rises, his dog tags along to the clouds."

Renata let out a sigh. The trip had dragged on forever. At last, it neared its close.

"That's not the right wording, and I'm not sure it even came from the Demon Continent anyway."

Damon shook his head, cutting her off.

"I don't mind. As long as my point landed."

Iris pursed her lips.

"Why tag along on this trip? It's all for family, and I—"

"You're family," Damon interrupted. Then he grinned.

"You know the proverb. Teacher for a day, father forever. So I'm basically your dad. Come on, call me daddy."

Iris shot him a grossed-out glare, remembering how he'd forced Wendy to kneel and say it.

"Pervert. Total pervert. Pervert."

Damon flinched.

"I got it the first time. No need to repeat three times."

Noting her face, Damon offered a faint smile. At least she ditched the chill and gloom. This fiery side fit Iris perfectly.

He rested a hand atop her head.

"That's my girl."

She pulled out the pager he'd gifted her.

"I'm paging Knight HQ to report a crime."

Damon clenched his jaw.

"What gives? I was just being kind."

"That's how nobles kick off. They play sweet, then exploit young ladies. It worked when you were a commoner—no one above the rules. But now? Who can say? You might get bold ideas," she vented, a sly smile playing on her lips.

Damon scooted back a couple inches from her.

"What kind of lessons has Lilith been drilling into you? And for the record, I prefer women older than me, with a fine rear and stunning curves. Your budding figure doesn't cut it for me."

She jabbed a finger his way, hand trembling.

"I knew it. You've been eyeing me, sizing up your target, right?"

Damon halted.

"Fine, you got me. You take this round. Truce?"

He extended a hand for a shake, which she accepted.

"Don't you dare forget it," she declared triumphantly, having bested Damon.

He gave a light squeeze out of pure spite.

Her features contorted in discomfort, yet pride kept her from confessing.

"Something wrong, Iris? Got words? Perhaps a beg?"

Renata sighed, shaking her head.

"We've arrived. Welcome to the capital of the Holy Empire."