The sound of busy chattering on the streets wakes me up. The sun is high in the sky. 

In the end, I couldn't sleep peacefully as I racked my brain for answers. Pain Resistance is a convenient skill but too much backfired.

There are only two ways I can remove the passive Pain Resistance skill: Skill fusion and physique reconstruction. 

The second is out of the question. My current body is in shambles like a broken vase glued together. 

I wash up in the villa and get dressed as I organise my thoughts. 

"Did the pill congestion cooldown end?" I mumble to myself.

It's gone. I take out a plentiful of Fire Draco pills and pop them in my mouth. 

----------- 

+100 atk 

Status Ailment "Pill Congestion" has been applied.

Your body has developed a resistance against drugs. 

You have obtained the following skills:

-Drug Resistance(lvl 1)

Decrease the effectiveness of drugs by 50%

-----------

System you son of a...

"Hah..." I sigh.

Should I just sell the rest of the pills?

No...I have enough money to last a few decades.

I approach a servant and he greets me. After asking for Lia, I walk to her office and knock on the door. 

"Madam, it's me."

"Arsto? Come in."

I notice a huge stack of paperwork on the desk beyond the door as Lia furiously scribbles away. 

"My apologies...I can come back later-"

"No. Spare me a few minutes." Lia quickly replies. 

...

She finishes her current document and keeps the paperwork in a cabinet.

"Shall we go for a walk?" I ask.

"Ah?...Sure."

It was a swift and direct awkward conversation between two people who are twenty years apart. 

I bring Lia to the walls surrounding Pole Ridge. Up here, we can see the entire mesmerising city and each little tiny movement. The stretching landscape provides a fluent maze of layouts, some places densely packed while others more spread out. 

Despite the sun high in the sky, the rays permeating through the ocean above Rodgof painted varying blue fluctuations as if I were in a constantly cool aquarium. I will never get tired of this sight no matter how much I see it. 

Lia and I walk silently above the walls as passing security soldiers greet us. 

"Arsto. Do you know about the Hundred Years War?" Lia asks, finally breaking the silence. 

"Never heard of it," I lie. 

"For hundreds of years, people have been struggling against the Royalty of Rodgof. Their corrupted empire continuously reigns over the weak using the goddess as a reason. Any resistance was pummeled into non-existence and labelled as heretics."

Lia points at the city. "A long time ago, a kind noble of this city wanted to save his citizens from oppression. His efforts made the same city the pinnacle of hell. Knights and deep believers of the goddess ransacked and attacked the city. Mass raping, looting, killing, and arson spreads like wildfire."

Suddenly, her face goes pale. "I...remember reading that those monsters played with babies. They would throw young toddlers into the sky and stab them with their spears as a game...unbelievable...but of course, I cannot trust everything I read, yet what I saw was no different." 

...

She doesn't seem comfortable to continue with the description and thus moves on. 

"Nationalism is the most powerful force in the world," I reply. 

Lia nods. 

What bugs me is the reason the late hero did not resolve the Hundred Years War. It was one of the obvious plot holes of Elvis Arcane but since this is now reality, is there a valid explanation?

As I am lost in my thoughts, Lia continues. 

"But Rena's appearance was the gleaming hope people have been waiting for. Her unwavering character and power pulled despair away and led the resistance. She gave people courage and strength."

I sigh at her controversial statement. It would be more accurate to call Rena a righteous realist. She does what needs to be done and sacrifices what needs to be sacrificed. 

"Is madam gossiping about Rena again?" a lady says behind us. 

Lia sighs in response. "I'm speaking the truth."

"Rena is not a God. She isn't as bright as you explained, this young man will be disappointed." the lady replies. 

A blonde lady with emerald eyes and hair that extends to her hourglass waist. At one glance, one can discern a royalty aura from her. On her hair is a butterfly hairpin made from dazzling green jewellery. She wears a simple pale dress and leather shoes.

"This is Lady Rosy, Rena's close friend." Lia introduces her. [Note: She appeared in chapter 70, Manafication, and chapter 83, One Shot(2)]

I greet her and introduce myself. 

"May I join in on your tiny date?" Rosy asks with a bright smile. 

...

...

...

Her sense of humour is bad as always. She is a fellow spy of Rena from Elvis and provides crucial support, essentially becoming the "shadow" of Rena.

"No," I reply firmly. 

"Sorry, I was joking." she quickly apologised. 

Rosy joins us in our walk and mostly engages in her conversation with Lia until it's lunchtime. We decided to go our separate ways. 

"It was nice talking to the both of you," I say. 

"Me too. It was fun." Rosy says without hesitation. 

"Wait uhm..." Lia has been trying to ask me something since Rosy appeared. 

"Do you need my strength?" I blatantly put out the question for her.

Lia gulps and nods, slightly embarrassed. 

I smile. "Alright."

With just that simple agreement, we bid farewell. 

Rosy stares at my back solemnly. 

"I knew you wanted to ask for his help but at least get a hint will you?" Rosy says to Lia. "All my effort distracting you in that walk went to waste."

"What do you mean?" Lia replies. 

"He is suspicious. I don't trust him, much less leave my back to him. I did an investigation on his background and found absolutely nothing. He just popped up out of nowhere during the Mad Worm incident after capturing Haren. Recently, Haren has escaped the BOV, and coincidentally, Arsto is here...something is off."

...

Lia laughs a little. "Haha...I think you are being too paranoid."

Rosy frowns. "I hope I am. Otherwise, it will be extremely terrifying to face that monster."