CHAPTER 314: CHAPTER 313 - TOO MANY PLOT POINTS.

Raven was walking toward his target, Marquise Colombore’s mansion, enjoying the quiet while he could.

He hadn’t even reached the mansion, yet he could see the guards patrolling the area with tense bodies.

The common populace had yet to realize the severity of the situation, as they hadn’t seen any demon. The nobles, however, aware of the demons’ attempt to go after Velric’s neck, understood that their heads could also roll.

The war had already begun the moment Raven and his group struck the nobles of the demons’ side.

Now, no one knew what the demons would do next or who they would attack, so the nobles were on high alert.

The most vigilant ones were the neutral faction, as they had to live with the fear of Raven’s group and the demons attacking them.

Despite that, Raven’s group was moving to kidnap them. And they were doing that by entering their fortified mansions.

However, since this mission was covert and everyone had to kidnap the nobles silently, it could be hard for some—especially Graye and Alex.

Selena and Siris were probably passing through the guards without even being noticed. They were capable.

Clara would be humming a tune while turning enemies into living marionettes.

Lia and Jessy were quieter, efficient shadows. They probably wouldn’t even enter the mansion, as one could manipulate plants while the other could manipulate metals.

Rufus was also someone who didn’t need help, as he could think for himself.

Even Graye would somehow manage.

But Alex... Raven tried not to think about Alex unsupervised.

Only Omni’s voice broke the silence, rumbling in his head with the tone of a streetwise friend leaning on a tavern counter.

"Yo, boss. You think the nutty squirrel’s still breathin’? Or do you think Benny-boy’s guards skewered him on a toothpick?"

Raven smirked faintly, pulling his cloak tighter. "Nibbles will be fine. He’s stubborn. As for Alex... well. He has Blargh."

"Yeah," Omni chuckled. "But Blargh’s got the brains of a hot potato. You put those two together, and that’s negative IQ points, boss. Like... dumb squared."

Raven ignored the jab, raising his palm.

The next second, his system interface shimmered into existence.

Two days ago, despite not having enough time, Raven had sold another one of Arietta’s artifacts, deciding to put his plans for the trade channel into motion.

Now, as he looked at his new balance, he didn’t know what he should feel.

[Total Plot Points: 5,024,763]

Omni whistled like a street bard. "Hot damn. If turned into money, that’s enough to buy every tavern in Velmoria and still tip the wenches extra."

Raven nodded, his lips quivering, as if trying to stretch his grin wider. But he didn’t celebrate yet.

These plot points, although his, weren’t something he earned through his own effort.

He merely sold an artifact that was given to him as a gift.

That one artifact went higher than four million in the auction.

It was sold at such a high price not because it was powerful—though it was—but because it was hers.

Anything touched by Arietta, the so-called "Grandpa_Hot_Pot," sent collectors into frothing madness.

Some saw them as divine relics, while others viewed them as status symbols.

Raven only saw Arietta’s gentle smile, which always had a hint of a mad grin, her serene eyes, always ready to turn crazy, and her melodic voice that could slice devotion into obsession.

If not for her, Raven wasn’t sure he could get to the point he was, so he didn’t celebrate yet.

What he would celebrate would be his future earnings, as he wouldn’t need Arietta’s help once his plan succeeds.

Thinking of her, he swiped open their chat.

[Grandpa_Hot_Pot: 38 unread messages.]

Omni groaned. "Oh boy. Here comes the love letter avalanche. You sure you wanna open that? Might drown in digital lipstick."

Raven scrolled. She had already written paragraphs—asking if he’d eaten, telling him to rest, and demanding to know which of "those mortal girls" was hugging him today.

And of course, three messages that were merely—

[Marry me. Now.]

He was used to all of this by now, though. After all, no matter how busy he was, he never missed a talk with her.

Even if it were only for an hour a day, Raven would talk to her, telling her everything that was going on in his life.

For now, he ignored the last three messages, as they were one of the things she does.

Instead, he typed his reply with calm mental fingers.

[I’m fine. We’re in the middle of operations. Kidnapping nobles tonight. One Marquise is my target.]

As her typing indicator blinked to life, Raven left the window.

Other names were flooding his inbox.

Some absurd ones: Crown_Collector99, SpearOfEternity, BuyOrDie, and SilkPantsRich.

There were dozens of highly ranked gods who had traced him by using their authority over the auction. After all, the more one traded in the auction channel, the more profits they gained.

They weren’t after Raven himself—they wanted his link to Arietta’s artifacts.

Raven selected them all, typed one simple message, and hit send.

[Yes, I have some more. But no, I’m not selling right now.]

Omni cackled. "Look at ’em, boss. Like kids who got told the candy store’s closed. Watch, they’re gonna beg harder than Clara when she wants cuddle privileges."

Sure enough, replies poured in.

[We’ll pay double!]

[Triple!]

[Name any price, name any condition—just let us see it!]

Raven skimmed them, unimpressed.

He knew that none of them would be daring enough to threaten him, not when they could all guess that he was connected to Grandpa_Hot_Pot in some way.

Raven typed again.

[I’ll inform you if I change my mind.]

That should have ended it. But Raven wasn’t here to be courted. Before they could bow out, he struck.

[However, I could move faster. But I’ll need help from you all first.]

The hook was instant.

[Anything.]

[Name it.]

[Do not hesitate, seller.]

Omni whistled low. "Smooth. Real smooth. Playin’ them like lutes in a tavern, boss. They all think they’re buyin’ your favor, but you’re the one writin’ the bill."

Raven’s fingers hovered for only a moment before he began to type into the cluster of divine egos clawing at his attention.

[If you want my favor, then listen closely. I need all the items you intend to auction. Send them to me first. I’ll be making a system—one that maximizes the value of everything you put forward. The only requirement is trust.]

He sent them all the same message, and then, he paused, letting the words sink into them like a hook.

A few seconds later, he continued.

[You all want profits. I do too. The difference is, I have a method—something you can’t build on your own. Give me your items, and I will ensure every single one of you profits beyond your expectations. More bidders, higher stakes, longer wars over every relic. The only thing you risk is losing the chance to be part of it.]

Omni let out a long laugh. "Boss, you’re makin’ a pitch like some slick-tongued merchant. If I didn’t know better, I’d sign over my left shoe."

Sure enough, the replies came.

[This... you speak as if you control the market itself.]

[What guarantee do we have?]

[Do you even understand the scale of what you’re suggesting?]

Raven’s response was calm, almost lazy.

[I don’t need to convince you. I already have plenty of supporters who are ready to move. If you hesitate, you may lose your seat at the table. Think carefully. I will make profits rise—yours included—if you have the trust to join.]

Silence, for a heartbeat. Then the flood.

[Agreed.]

[Consider my vault yours.]

[Fine. I’ll test you with three artifacts first.]

[If you fail me, I will—]

Raven sent another message without even reading the threats. He didn’t care about the threats, as he didn’t fear them now that he had Arietta backing him.

If he wanted to, he could take their items and never return them to the owners, but that was not what Raven wanted.

As he had said, he wanted a business.

Above all, he didn’t want to sully Arietta’s name.

So, he typed the final response.

[Good. I’ll be in touch. This offer only brings profits. The choice was always yours.]

Omni whistled again, smug. "Man, you just sold air to people who already breathe. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful."

"Not really. I sold them oxygen by telling them that it is higher-quality air." Raven shrugged, dismissing the chat, his attention flicking back to the most important name of them all.

[Grandpa_Hot_Pot: typing...]

He sighed softly. "Here we go."

Her message popped up instantly.

[You’re ignoring me again, aren’t you? I swear I can feel it. I’ll come down there right now and hold your face until you admit it. Also—marry me.]

Omni gagged in his head. "Boss, she’s about three more ’marry me’s away from showin’ up with a wedding dress and a shovel."

Raven’s lips quirked into a rare, gentle smile as he typed.

[I’m not ignoring you. I was busy setting things up. Also, I already told you—I’ll marry you. Just not right now.]

Another message.

[Not right now?? You mortal tease. I’ll chain you to me if I have to. Wait. Forget I said that—unless you liked it. Did you like it?]

Raven chuckled under his breath. "You’re impossible."

But his chest warmed all the same. Because despite the chaos of her words, he felt her devotion in every line.

Above all, he knew that this yandere goddess had somehow made her way into his heart.

Closing the chat with a small exhale, Raven stepped from one shadow to another. His cloak blended into the night, his form no more than a whisper between lamplight gaps.

The patrols thickened ahead. Beyond them loomed the towering mansion of Marquise Colombore.

Raven’s eyes sharpened. "Showtime."