Aeren sat in his chair inside the tent, staring up at the fabric above him as he contemplated his situation, feeling increasingly bored with each passing moment. He sensed that no monster here posed any real threat to the humans anymore, which only intensified his boredom with each passing second. "Haaa... I hate this human form. I'm so bored just sitting here doing nothing. If I try to do something, I already know it won't be interesting at all. What should I do?" he murmured to himself thoughtfully. "Should I just go and kill all the remaining monsters?"
Aeren seriously considered the idea of eliminating all the monsters in one sweep, leaving this tedious place behind, and discovering something new and exciting about the world beyond. While he pondered the ultimate fate of the village, he suddenly heard a voice calling from outside his tent. "My Lord, a monster named Carn wishes to meet with you and discuss something important. Should I let him enter?" The man spoke loudly and clearly enough for Aeren to hear every word, ensuring he wouldn't be dismissed immediately without consideration.
As Aeren listened to these words, a faint smile appeared on his face, hinting that there might finally be something of interest to relieve his boredom. However, as he reflected deeper on his past achievements, his smile gradually faded away. He realized with disappointment that he had already attained everything people around the world desperately desired, leaving him with nothing truly intriguing left to pursue or discover. "Nothing in this world could interest me anymore," Aeren whispered to himself with resignation. In that moment of clarity, he chose to embrace ignorance and deliberately leave all his accumulated knowledge behind.
He glanced toward the tent door and finally called out, "Come in," his voice firm and commanding as he addressed the man waiting outside his tent.
Aeren leaned back comfortably in his chair as he spoke, initially ignoring the monster and the man who had come together. Hearing the distinct footsteps of more than two people approaching, he felt confused by the unexpected number. The sound of four sets of footsteps prompted him to look curiously toward the newcomers. Aeren was genuinely startled by the bizarre scene before him: a monster was being carried awkwardly on the shoulders of four struggling people. Its limbs had been completely severed, leaving only its head attached precariously to its mutilated torso. As Aeren observed more carefully, he noticed the monster's current height was similar to that of the humans carrying it.
When Aeren locked eyes with the entire group, all of them immediately knelt down respectfully, and the monster was unceremoniously dropped to the hard ground.
"Lord, this creature came specifically to discuss an important matter with you, which is why we did not kill him outright and instead treated him relatively well during his journey here. Please feel free to do anything you wish to him," Ben explained earnestly as he knelt on one knee, with his four loyal subordinates also kneeling respectfully behind him. He spoke to Aeren sincerely and devotedly, his gaze fixed firmly on the ground in submission.
Ben vividly recalled the questioning words he had foolishly posed to his lord earlier, feeling an overwhelming wave of shame wash over him at the memory. He longed desperately to serve Aeren for all eternity if he somehow possessed the power to extend his life indefinitely. His subordinates deeply admired his unwavering faith in Aeren and his complete devotion. Ben possessed a unique combination of combat power and extensive knowledge, allowing him to turn even the most dire situations to his advantage through his vast understanding of strategy and tactics.
He was one of the few humans in the monster village who was genuinely feared by its monstrous inhabitants. They trembled involuntarily at the mere thought of his presence, knowing he had deliberately come to their territory to instigate chaos and destruction. Nearly half of the entire monster population lived in constant fear of him, especially after witnessing his brutal arrival. Through his absolute devotion to Aeren, he had gained what he believed was the divine power of freedom, just as all the other devoted followers of Aeren had received.
Aeren looked down coldly on everyone gathered in the tent, ignoring them almost completely. He had little expectation of their loyalty or devotion as he focused his attention on the half-dead body lying before him and the follower who worshipped him so fervently. He could clearly see their devoted expressions, and while they had gained a semblance of freedom through their faith, it was minimal compared to true liberation. Aeren seemed utterly indifferent to their spiritual plight, locking his calculating gaze on the monster lying helplessly on the ground, who looked up at him with a strange mix of desperate expectations and an odd satisfaction at being in his presence.
"What is it? What is so important that you desperately wanted to speak with me personally?" Aeren asked, regarding the monster with a steady, unwavering gaze. He could tell instinctively that the creature believed it somehow had the upper hand in this situation, but Aeren was perfectly willing to let it continue thinking that foolish notion.
Carn smiled inwardly with satisfaction as he observed Aeren carefully. He could see that Aeren looked physically vulnerable and was clearly using the humans through some mysterious means. With the keen realization that Aeren possessed no detectable magic of his own, Carn's confidence grew exponentially. His eyes brightened noticeably as he recognized that the glorious moment he had long awaited was rapidly approaching, where his monster brethren would finally reign supreme over all. But first, he desperately needed to heal his wounds and survive long enough to witness that triumphant final moment.
"Lord, my lord Daren, the supreme lord of this entire village, wishes to discuss important matters with you directly. If you would graciously permit it, I would be deeply honored to guide you to him myself," Carn said with feigned sincerity, carefully reading Aeren's bewildered expression. His internal smile widened significantly at Aeren's apparent reaction, but then Aeren suddenly stepped forward without warning and placed his foot firmly on Carn's exposed head.
Crack...
Carn died instantly, blood spilling and pooling around him as his life ended abruptly at Aeren's feet. Ben and the others silently witnessed the brutal execution but did not react at all to Aeren's decisive action, believing it to be a blessing in disguise for them all.
"Go find the person he mentioned and arrange a proper meeting for me with this Daren," Aeren commanded curtly. He turned and walked back to his chair, leaning back comfortably.
Ben lifted his head respectfully to lock his devoted gaze on Aeren. As he observed Aeren's relaxed posture, he was completely mesmerized by the freedom he embodied. He could clearly see the extraordinary level of freedom Aeren possessed—a freedom Ben felt with certainty he could never truly reach himself, especially since he had originally gained his own limited freedom from Aeren.
"Yes, my lord, rest assured completely. I'll find him and arrange the meeting before this day ends and night falls upon us," Ben spoke devotedly and earnestly, maintaining steady eye contact with Aeren. He rose gracefully from his kneeling position, looked once more at Aeren with reverence, bowed deeply, and left the tent purposefully.
Aeren leaned back further in his chair after Ben departed. He didn't encourage them any further or give additional instructions; he simply let Ben try to find the person or, if he ultimately couldn't locate them, just clear out all the monsters in the surrounding area. His crushing boredom had reached its absolute peak.
As Ben and his subordinates left Aeren's tent quietly, four different people entered shortly after them. They looked completely disheveled and exhausted, barely able to stand upright on their trembling legs. They watched as Aeren leaned back casually in his chair, and they felt a surge of irritation rising at the sight of his comfort. The surprising quality of the tent's furnishings and Aeren's utterly calm demeanor only heightened their growing frustration. As they continued observing him, their anger grew steadily stronger, but they somehow managed to suppress it and reluctantly knelt before him. Though they absolutely did not want to bow before Aeren, they felt they had no real choice but to seek his protection and power.
"My lord, please have mercy on us and grant us the same power you have given to the others," one man spoke desperately, while the two men and one woman knelt on the hard ground before Aeren, pleading earnestly for the abilities they had witnessed in their more fortunate companions. They had seen people who were clearly weaker than themselves effortlessly defeating powerful monsters, and they longed intensely for that mysterious power which they could not comprehend or understand.
Aeren regarded them coolly and dismissively, leaning back even further in his chair as if they were merely annoying distractions. "I have done absolutely nothing for them personally. They gained their power entirely by themselves; I merely showed them the path of cruelty and let them walk it." His cold voice resonated powerfully throughout the entire tent, making the very air itself feel tense and heavy in response to his profound words.
The four felt immediate anger rise powerfully within them upon hearing Aeren's dismissive response, struggling desperately to contain their explosive emotions. They understood clearly that he had somehow granted the others the power to defeat the monsters threatening their village, but they had yet to find any concrete clues about the artifact or mysterious means by which he had accomplished this. They were eager to seize that power for themselves, to control all the humans and rule over the entire land with absolute authority, and they had absolutely no intention whatsoever of worshiping Aeren like the foolish others did.