Chapter 4: Morning Routine
Edward stood rooted to the spot, lost in thought.
He repeatedly weighed the abilities Lilith had described, pondering their potential value.
He had to admit, if used properly, the abilities to instill fear, absorb fear, create illusions, and manipulate minds could indeed become powerful assets for him in this nightmarish world.
However, demons were always incredibly cunning, and he knew deep down that he could never let his guard down around Lilith.
Thinking of this, Edward unconsciously clenched his fists, his eyes instantly becoming sharp as daggers, radiating a strong warning. He spoke coldly, his voice like ice: "Stay put in this house! If you dare pull any stunts, you'll regret it!"
How could Lilith dare to disobey in the slightest? She hurriedly nodded, her face plastered with a submissive smile, and responded obsequiously: "I understand, Master. Don't worry, I'll behave."
Edward then turned to go back to his room to sleep. But just as he took two steps, he heard Lilith cautiously speak from behind him: "By the way, Master, um..."
Edward was already exhausted, and at this moment, he turned his head impatiently, asking in an irritated tone: "What now? Spit it out!"
A trace of hesitation flashed across Lilith's face, as if she was struggling with something, but she finally mustered the courage to say: "Master, could you please call me by my full name, Lilith? After all, I am a demon with dignity, and calling me 'Lily' is really..."
Edward's lips curved slightly, revealing a mischievous smile tinged with mockery, and he deliberately drew out his words: "Sure thing, Lily." With that, he walked toward his room without looking back, leaving Lilith standing there, looking utterly defeated.
Lilith watched Edward's retreating back, sighing inwardly, and couldn't help but mutter to herself: "My demonic existence is so pathetic..." She shook her head helplessly, and with heavy steps, walked to the bed, dropped down with a thud, and fell into deep thought.
To think that she, a high-ranking demon, someone of importance in the underworld, was now being bossed around by this human teenager. She was truly bitter about it.
But every time she recalled the mysterious and powerful Purification power in Edward's hand, she couldn't help but feel terror, and all thoughts of rebellion were instantly crushed; she didn't dare make the slightest move against him.
Meanwhile, after Edward returned to his room, he crashed straight into bed without even changing his clothes, and soon, steady breathing sounds filled the air.
In the early morning, before sunlight had fully penetrated the gaps in the curtains, Sarah's urgent voice suddenly rang out from outside the room: "Edward! Edward, wake up right now, you're going to be late for school!" The sound was like alarm bells, hitting Edward's eardrums repeatedly.
"Come on, Mom, just five more minutes." Edward's eyes were squeezed shut, his whole body lazily buried in the bed, his voice thick with drowsiness, as if every word required monumental effort.
Sarah wasn't having any of it. She raised her voice, her tone conveying undeniable authority: "Edward Connor, get down here right now, don't make me—" However, before she could finish, Edward's somewhat rushed voice came from inside: "I'm up! I'm up!"
At this moment, Edward stood in front of the bathroom mirror, fixing his somewhat messy hair while examining himself in the mirror.
As he looked, he couldn't help but reveal a smug smile, muttering to himself: "Damn, looking good. Though compared to the readers out there, maybe just a hair less handsome."
Then, he grabbed his toothbrush, squeezed on toothpaste, and began brushing his teeth. White foam formed at the corners of his mouth, accompanied by vigorous scrubbing sounds. While his hands worked automatically, his mind wandered.
Yesterday, he'd obtained the Ox Talisman and also mastered Purification power. This should at least give him some ability to protect himself.
But this horror-filled world was full of dangers, and these abilities alone were nowhere near enough. It looked like he still needed to keep doing lottery pulls; maybe he could draw something even more powerful to give himself more security in this world.
Just as Edward was admiring himself in the mirror, his mother Sarah's increasingly urgent voice came from downstairs again: "EDWARD!"
"Coming, Mom!" Edward didn't dare delay any longer. He hurriedly threw on his clothes, then rushed downstairs like a tornado to grab breakfast.
As soon as he entered the living room, he saw his father John sitting leisurely on the couch, absorbed in reading the newspaper. His mother Sarah, with a warm smile, said gently: "Edward, breakfast is on the table."
"Thanks, Mom." Edward responded, his footsteps quick as he walked briskly toward the dining table.
Edward dropped into his seat at the dining table, his gaze sweeping over the toast, scrambled eggs, orange juice, and bacon on the table. Same old breakfast as always, and he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
At this moment, his father John put down his newspaper, looked up with a gentle gaze at Edward, and asked with concern: "Son, how's everything going at school lately?"
Edward's mouth was stuffed full, his cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk's, and he replied through his food: "Same old, same old, Dad. You know, even if I ditched, I'd still be valedictorian."
After speaking, he even added dramatically, "Ah, the burden of being a genius," with a teasing grin on his face.
John smiled helplessly and teased back: "You little punk, quit being a smartass and get to school!"
His mother Sarah also smiled and shook her head, her eyes full of affection. She handed him a glass of orange juice and scolded: "You're impossible."
Edward took the juice and chugged it down. The moment he finished, his expression suddenly changed, as if he'd suddenly remembered something extremely important. He slapped his forehead sharply and cried out urgently: "Oh crap, Mom, where's Lily!"
Sarah, who had been smiling as she watched Edward, heard this and her face showed confusion. She couldn't help but ask: "What do you mean 'where's Lily'?"
Edward then realized his slip-up and quickly tried to cover: "Oh, uh, I mean my sister Lily, obviously."
Sarah gently shook her head and said: "She left for school early this morning, unlike you, always dragging your feet."
Edward smiled sheepishly, said goodbye to his parents, and then headed out.
As soon as he reached the front door, he ran into his friend Frank. Frank was buzzing with excitement, waving a poster in his hand: "Dude, Edward, check it out! The Hellhounds are coming to town! We're definitely hitting that show this weekend!"
(Frank — Catch Me If You Can)
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