After a long drive in the luxurious car that lasted a few hours, the vehicle finally came to a halt before a set of massive gates and fences.
It was a place secluded from the city of ALCRAN — a mansion with enough land to build a small town upon. This was the home of an Original.
As the car paused by the gate, it didn't take long before the massive golden gates automatically opened, leaving enough space for the car to pass through.
It did so, driving slowly into the mansion grounds. As far as one could see to the left was an artificial-type garden, where trees, bushes, and grass were trimmed and arranged so precisely that the entire scenery resembled an expensive artwork. Some trees even appeared to have been grown or twisted deliberately to resemble statues.
Because of how far this world had advanced in technology, such feats were common. Many of them, Drake Drakon had already grown accustomed to.
After all, this was his home — the place he had grown up in all his life.
He rested his head against the tinted window and stared outside at the artificial garden, or at least, what looked like one.
Meanwhile, Drake was enveloped with his system interface, finally having time to study it fully after the hospital.
---
{Stats}
Name: Drake Drakon
Rank: SSS Rank
Talent: Dragon Necromancy
Level: 5
Soul Core: 1/80
Intelligence: 10
{Number of Dragons: 1}
{Army: 5/10}
{Draconic Body: 8}
{Evolution: None}
---
Drake placed his hand under his chin, scanning through the information displayed before him. He had gone up two levels after killing the Ice Banshee.
'Not a surprise. For a King, that's quite fair.'
Then came the next change — the number of soul cores required for him to level up again. It had increased greatly, just as he expected. The stronger he became, the harder it would be for him to advance.
Apart from that, there was the Intelligence stat.
'Now that I have time—'
Drake tapped on the interface screen to display more details, and it did — knocking him into a state of deeper contemplation.
{Intelligence: This represents the amount of Mana you have within your body. It gauges your ability to perform necromancy. If Intelligence runs out, you will lose the ability to use necromancy, and a severe mental backlash will occur.}
"…"
There was no doubt this was what had happened to Drake during his battle with the Ice Banshee. He must have used too much Intelligence, and because of that, was barely able to form coherent thoughts afterward.
'If I'd pushed further than that, the probability of me running mad isn't something I should overlook.'
"Lord Drakon, we are here."
The voice of his driver, John, pulled him out of his introspection.
It was then Drake realized the car had come to a stop — right before the grand steps of his home.
"Thank you for the ride, John," Drake said as he opened the door and stepped out. He shut it gently and turned to face the mansion towering before him.
John nodded from his seat, grumbling something under his breath before zooming off, leaving the young Lord Drakon standing before his estate.
"It's been quite a while," Drake thought as he ascended the white marble stairs up to the large oakwood doors. Placing both hands upon them, he pushed them open with a bit of force.
Stepping into the mansion, Drake found himself in a massive hall — built to the taste of a duke, or perhaps even a king — luxurious beyond imagination.
From the golden chandeliers to the marble floors and the walls adorned with tapestries that could cost a fortune, this was unmistakably the Drakon's residence — the home of an Original.
And in the midst of the hall stood a man dressed in a black and white suit. Though his appearance seemed simple, the fabric alone looked expensive enough to buy a small penthouse in the middle-class district of ALCRAN.
This was Julius, the family's butler.
"Young Lord Drakon, welcome back," Julius said, bowing his head respectfully.
It had surely been a while since Drake returned home. The academy functioned much like a college did in the old world before the plagues, so students lived there for years, rarely getting the chance to return home.
Drake smiled and waved to Julius as he walked closer. "Thank you, Julius."
The loyal butler bowed again and turned to leave the hall when—
Drake grabbed him gently by the wrist, halting him. "Please don't tell Father I'm back just yet. At least wait for an hour — I need to rest."
Julius furrowed his brows, his mustache twitching slightly at the request. Then he nodded. "As you wish, Young Lord Drakon."
With that, Drake released him and let out a long yawn — truly exhausted. Today had been hectic: scamming the Headmaster, seeing off his friends, and enduring the long ride home.
All he wanted now was a proper rest.
Walking through the mansion, it didn't take Drake long to find his room. Entering, he shut the door behind him and did something rather strange — he took in a deep breath, inhaling the air of his room as if trying to capture its scent.
Still, it wasn't that he was acting like a dog. It was just that he had missed how his room smelled, and that familiar scent made him feel nostalgic.
Drake walked up to his bedroom, where a mighty king-sized bed awaited him. "Can't say I didn't miss this."
Remembering the demonic, rock-hard beds of the academy, Drake couldn't help but feel thankful for the comforts of wealth.
Being rich always had its perks.
First on his agenda for the night was to strip and take a warm bath, and next — a hopeful long nap.
He began taking off his hooded shirt when—
"My, my… you look even more delicious without a shirt."
The voice was alluring, feminine — and it caught Drake off guard far later than it should have.
He turned his head around and froze, his mind blanking out in shock.
There, in his room, stood none other than Luna, the mysterious girl who appeared and disappeared at will — her abilities still as confusing as ever.
But that wasn't what left Drake speechless. It was the fact that she was completely naked. Her body was that of perfection — a beautiful, well-built figure, with large breasts, thick thighs, and flawless curves.
The sight alone was enough to make any man lose himself to endless fantasies.
Drake's throat went dry almost instantly. 'What the hell is this?'
Luna noticed the perplexed look on his face — and it thrilled her. With a naughty grin, she spoke softly:
"On the bed or the floor — which do you prefer?"