CHAPTER 176: VYAVAN DUKEDOM’S POTENTIAL [2]

"...."

Akamir sat down on a dinner table along with a maid who sat in front of him.

But....

The maid didn’t seem awkward or shy in any way possible.

Instead, she was eating the food on the table like the place belonged to her.

Akamir picked up his spoon but didn’t eat.

He stared across the table at the maid, who was chewing on a piece of roast meat with zero concern.

Her legs were crossed on the chair she was sitting on.

She leaned back like this wasn’t a formal dinner, like she hadn’t just barged in and claimed a seat meant for nobles.

She even reached over and grabbed a second helping without looking at him.

"You look like an animal." Akamir commented, passing his soup towards her as well.

"Shut up!"

The maid, who was now possessed by Nayomi, replied, glaring at him.

"I haven’t tasted food in like six hundred years."

She didn’t shy away as she grabbed the soup he had passed.

Akamir didn’t reply as he kept on staring at the woman.

’So this is body possession, huh?’

As Akamir kept on growing with time, Nayomi did the same.

With more strength she was gaining, she was also getting more and more better with her powers.

Body possession was one of such examples.

Nayomi slurped down the soup like it was the best thing she’d ever had.

"Gods," she sighed, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "You humans really nailed spices sometime after my death."

Akamir tilted his head slightly. "That body’s still alive, you know. You’ll ruin her digestion if you keep stuffing yourself like that."

Nayomi waved her hand.

"Relax. She’s asleep. And besides, it’s not like I do this often. Only when I really need to eat something real."

"Anyway." Nayomi grumbled, stretching her body. "It looks like this body can’t hold back for any longer."

"I still don’t understand this part." Akamir said, rubbing his chin. "Why can’t you just keep on possessing this body."

"It’s not as simple as it looks." She replied, shaking her head. "A low-class body can’t handle my soul."

Akamir frowned. "Explain."

Nayomi grabbed a piece of bread and tore it in half before speaking.

"It’s like pouring a lake into a glass," she said simply, her voice calmer now.

"A weak body cracks if I stay too long. I can hold on for a bit, maybe an hour or two, but after that, things start to fall apart. Nerves, muscles... even memory. They start getting eaten by my presence."

Akamir leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing slightly. "And what happens to the original soul?"

"She goes to sleep," Nayomi replied, popping a grape into her mouth. "But she won’t wake up if I stay too long."

"Comforting," Akamir muttered.

Nayomi rolled her eyes.

"Look, it’s not ideal. But I have no physical body anymore."

She kept on chewing the bread, making Akamir hard to understand her words.

"I need an anchor if I want to experience anything. Smell, taste, pain, emotions... all of that requires flesh."

Akamir stayed quiet, watching her as she chewed slowly this time.

Her earlier hunger seemed to have settled.

With one last taste of the wine, Nayomi floated out of the maid’s body.

The maid came to her senses as soon as Nayomi moved out.

She blinked as she looked at the empty plates and then at Akamir.

"Young master?"

Akamir smiled at her, and that alone was enough to make her blush.

"It seems you aren’t feeling too well." Akamir said, looking at her. "Otherwise, you wouldn’t have done that."

Fear crept on her small face; she could somewhat understand the situation.

"...What did I do?"

"Don’t worry, I won’t punish you." Akamir shook his head. "If you are hungry next time, please ask."

The maid stood up and immediately bowed. "I am terribly sorry, young master!"

"It’s fine." Akamir replied, smiling. "Go have some rest."

The maid nodded before she walked out of the dining room.

With now alone, Akamir turned to look at Nayomi.

"Way to gaslight someone." She said, smiling. "Poor girl would think it’s her fault."

"Are you going to do it regularly?" Akamir asked, looking at her.

"No, only when I am hungry." She replied. "And I can’t possess your body cause we are already connected."

Akamir gave her a small nod before he asked. "So, what or which race is affecting the house of Luca and Viros?"

Nayomi suddenly moved closer to him before she was just inches away.

"Remember I told you about the monks?"

"The ones who are affected by dragon curse?"

"That’s the game protagonist’s family." She replied, shaking her head. "The monks are of the same place as him."

"So, what about it?" Akamir asked, looking at her. "Are the ones who are attacking them monks?"

She shook her head.

Nayomi’s eyes narrowed slightly as she floated beside him, arms crossed.

"They’re not monks," she said. "But they come from the same land. A place forgotten by most—hidden in the cracks of the world map."

Akamir leaned his elbow on the table, resting his chin on his knuckles. "So they’re remnants?"

"More like... shadows," Nayomi muttered. "They were the race that was created by the same goddess who created Reagan."

’Exalted Empyrean Noet—.’

Akamir stopped himself from thinking her name.

He doesn’t want to meet her, not yet.

"But she used to create peace-loving races, right?" Akamir asked, looking at her.

"They were supposed to be a peace-loving race." Nayomi nodded her head. "But they were corrupted."

Akamir frowned. "By whom?"

"A Greater One." She replied, looking into his eyes. "His name is Akwan."

"...Another Greater One?" Akamir looked at her weirdly. "Aren’t they rarely seen?"

"Well, it’s just you who keeps on encountering them." She replied, folding her hands. "The rest never see them all their life."

Akamir rubbed the back of his neck, leaning back in his chair. "Such a pain."

"Anyway," she continued, floating lazily above the table,

"Akwan is different from the others. He doesn’t appear in person. He seeps into people’s hearts. Twists their desires. Whispers into dreams. That kind of thing."

Akamir squinted. "So he’s a manipulator."

"Exactly. And he found the perfect target in the goddess’ creation. A race built to feel deeply, to serve harmony and balance. But that same sensitivity made them easy to break."

"They lost their purpose?" Akamir asked.

"They forgot it," Nayomi corrected softly. "And in that silence, Akwan’s voice was the only one they could hear."

Akamir exhaled slowly, piecing the puzzle together. "So, they are basically dead men?"

"No. They’re husks," she said quietly. "Puppets with just enough memory to hate what they lost."

For a long moment, silence fell over the room.

Akamir stood up slowly and walked toward the window, peering into the night. "If they’re after the houses now... what’s their goal?"

"No idea." She replied, shrugging. "That’s for you to find."

Akamir let out a sigh as he rubbed his temples.

’I should go and see Inara first, I want to have some good time.’

Knock! Knock!

The knock on the door made him turn towards it.

"Come in." Akamir said, looking at it.

The door opened up and two men walked inside.

One of them was the steward of the Dukedom—Veres.

Another one was a mimicker that Akamir had placed as his proxy to look over the Dukedom.

His name was Raden.

They both immediately knelt in front of him.

"Welcome back, master."

Akamir waved his hand. "Get up. I won’t be here for long."

Veres and Raden rose to their feet silently, their heads slightly bowed out of respect.

Akamir turned to fully look at them.

"How are things going in the Dukedom?" He asked.

Raden stepped forward. "The Dukedom has remained stable during your absence, Master."

He passed him a document that had all the details.

"Trade routes are secure, and the guilds haven’t caused any trouble."

Akamir gave him a quick nod. "Good. And the nobles?"

Veres cleared his throat.

"A few asked questions after word spread that you’d made a proxy to rule them."

He cleared his throat awkwardly.

"But they were in various accidents later on... nobody who questioned survived."

Akamir gave him a faint nod as he kept on looking at the document.

’It should be done to avoid future troubles.’

Akamir was sure they weren’t much of his importance anyway.

Raden stood quietly beside Veres as Akamir skimmed through the document.

His crimson eyes flicked over the pages.

"Anything unusual?" Akamir asked without looking up.

They both quieted down as if afraid to speak up.

Akamir stopped reading as he looked up at them.

"What happened?"

Veres cleared his throat. "When we were cleaning up the mess of a noble who died... we found something."

Akamir’s interest piqued as he placed the document down.

"And what might that be?"

"It would be better if you see it for yourself, Master."

Raden replied, bowing a little.

"But to keep it short... it seems we found an untamed dungeon."