Belmora's neon streets pulsed with life as Klaus and Selene walked shoulder to shoulder. Rain slicked the cobblestones, catching the glow of holo-ads promising everything from dungeon weapons to synthetic mana tonics. But Klaus wasn't looking for weapons.
Tonight, he wanted something rarer.
Influence.
Selene's nine tails swayed behind her like banners, earning stares wherever she walked. Men gawked, women glared, merchants fumbled their accounts just to glimpse her silver eyes. But she paid no attention. She watched Klaus instead, curious. Testing.
"You brought me to the luxury shops," she murmured. "Now where?"
Klaus smiled faintly. "Where money turns into power."
He pushed open the gilded doors of The Obsidian Veil, the most exclusive bar in Belmora.
The Bar of Kings
The interior gleamed with crystal chandeliers, velvet seats, and bottles of liquor older than empires. Noble guild heirs lounged at tables, flanked by their entourages, while black market brokers sealed deals with hushed words and bribes.
As Klaus entered, silence rippled across the room. Everyone recognized him—the disgraced strategist, the man who should have been forgotten. Yet here he was, white hair gleaming, crimson eyes sharp, and a fox goddess at his arm.
Selene's lips curved. "You know how to make an entrance."
[SIMP SYSTEM: Target Resonance Increased.]Current Resonance: 98% → 99%.
Klaus smirked. "Wait until I buy the drinks."
Credits Into Wine
He ordered the most expensive bottles—Dragonfire Whiskey, Elven Moonwine, Abyssal Rum.
His wristband flashed red as the prices stacked.
[SYSTEM ALERT: -2,500 Credits Spent.][SIMP SYSTEM Cashback: +250 Credits Refunded.]
Selene leaned back in her seat, tails draped over velvet, sipping her wine with a sly smile. "You spend recklessly for someone with debt still chained to his throat."
Klaus swirled his glass. "Not recklessly. Strategically."
He opened his interface.
[DIMENSIONAL TRADE] Item Scan: Alcohol.
Dragonfire Whiskey (Earth Price: 1,000 Credits/bottle → Elven Realm Value: 1,200 Gold).
Elven Moonwine (Earth Price: 700 Credits/bottle → Elven Realm Value: 3,000 Gold).
Abyssal Rum (Earth Price: 800 Credits/bottle → Elven Realm Value: 2,200 Gold).
Klaus's grin widened. "And there's my proof."
He dragged the bottles across realms.
[TRADE EXECUTED.]-2,500 Credits → +6,400 Gold.Cashback Applied: +250 Credits.
Selene arched a brow as glowing gold coins materialized in his inventory. "You… you bought drinks and made money?"
Klaus raised his glass to her. "Not just money. Leverage. Nobles drink to flaunt status. Soldiers drink before battle. Merchants drink to seal deals. If I control alcohol… I control them all."
[Lucifer]: "Hah! Now you sound like me. Wine as currency, liquor as leverage. Yes, Crown-Bearer, intoxicate them all until they choke on your profits."
The Fox's Response
Selene laughed softly, the sound like silk and flame. "You intrigue me more with every move, Klaus. Do you know what foxes love most?"
"Enlighten me."
She leaned close, whispering: "Those who can intoxicate hearts as easily as minds."
[SIMP SYSTEM: Target Resonance MAXED — 100%.][BONUS: Skill Resonance Full Synchronization.]Acquired Skill: Moonflame Mirage (A-Rank) — summon illusions of flame that both charm and deceive.
A burning sigil etched itself into Klaus's palm. The air shimmered, fire and illusions bending around him for a moment. The nobles gasped.
Klaus exhaled slowly, letting the mirage fade. He smiled at Selene. "Then drink with me, and watch the world burn."
The Whispering Crowd
Eyes turned toward him. Nobles whispered. Black market dealers narrowed their eyes. Guild scions sneered but stayed silent.
One man—a merchant prince swathed in silk—rose, his glass raised mockingly. "Klaus Machiavelli. I heard you were finished. Yet here you sit, throwing money you don't have on drinks you can't afford."
Klaus smiled lazily. "You're right. I can't afford them."
He pushed his glass forward. Gold coins shimmered onto the table.
"But they can afford me."
Gasps filled the bar. The gold wasn't Earth's—everyone knew the faint glimmer of the Elven Realm's currency.
Klaus had just proven he was moving wealth no guild could touch.
[SYSTEM QUEST TRIGGERED] — "Merchant of Shadows."Objective: Establish alcohol trade routes between Earth and Elven Realm.Reward: Dimensional Market Expansion.Penalty: Seizure of illegal goods.
The Fox's Toast
Selene raised her glass, her silver eyes blazing. "To Klaus Machiavelli—the man who buys drinks and sells empires."
The room erupted with whispers. Some envious. Some afraid. Some hungry for deals.
Klaus lifted his glass high, wolfish grin spreading. "Drink, then. Because soon… all of Belmora will be drinking from my hand."
The shadows of his wolf and crow stretched across the velvet floor as if already claiming the room.