'What the hell am I supposed to do now?' James thought.
He was in the heart of the Empire. If a single Paladin looked at him too closely, he'd be a trophy on a mantle by sunset.
He glanced at Amilea. She was looking at him with those wide, ocean-blue eyes—eyes that screamed of sadness.
"You should be able to find your own way from here," James said, his voice dropping into a cold, detached tone. "I'm taking my leave."
Amilea flinched, but she didn't look angry. "Please, wait! What... what is your name? At least let me thank you properly at my family's estate."
James didn't turn back. He just raised a hand in a dismissive wave. "Me? I'm just a nobody trying to be somebody. Forget you ever saw me."
He disappeared into the shadows of a side alley. Behind him, he heard the clank of armor—City Guards.
"Is that Miss Amilea!?" a guard shouted in shock.
James didn't wait to hear the rest. He had a world to survive, and his "Prince" status was currently a death sentence.
...
"Haa... if I knew being a Demon Prince was this stressful, I would have written them to survive on mana alone," James muttered, sliding down the wall of a filthy alleyway.
Ding!
-------------[System Logic Update]-------------
[Event Change]: "Demons can survive on Mana alone."
[Cost]: 10,000 Glory Points.
[Status]: Insufficient Points.
-----------------------------------------------------------
James stared at the screen. "Wait... I can change the laws of the world with these points?"
[Glory Point Utility]:
• Purchase: Talents, Items, and Knowledge.
• Fate Alteration: Change the outcome of world events.
• Divination: View potential futures.
"This is the ultimate cheat," James smirked. "I'm not just a character. I'm still the damn author."
He looked at his daily mission list.
[Daily Missions]:
• Bloody Path: Kill a City Guard (500 GP).
• Lowest of the Low: Beg for 1 Gold Coin (200 GP).
• Ghost Thief: Steal from a guard without detection (500 GP).
"Ridiculous," James hissed. "I'm not a beggar or a murderer... and the knight from before had it coming. "
He needed a way into the Academy of Heroes. It was the safest place to hide—the "Protagonist's" home. But first, he needed a new face that could not be dispelled.
[Ability]: Perfect Disguise & Alias Backstory
• Effect: Switch between 'Demon' and 'Human' forms at will. The presence is fully masked. Includes a verified ID card and backstory.
• Cost: 3,000 Glory Points.
James didn't hesitate. [Purchase Confirmed]
He had 3,000 points left.
can I also exchange the points for money? He thought.
__________________________
1 glory point = 10 copper coin
10 glory points = 1 sliver coin
1000 glory points = 1 gold coin
10,000 glory points = 1 platinum coin
______________________________
He chose the third one, then suddenly a pouch with coins materialised from thin air on his palm.
He then took his leave, he needed somewhere to stay for the night so he
He entered an inn.
The air was thick with the smell of roasted meat and cheap ale. James sat in a corner, hidden by a hood, and tossed a handful of silver to the innkeeper.
"Room 13. And I will like for my food to be brought up," he said.
In the safety of his room, James collapsed onto the bed. His body was screaming for rest.
A knock at the door startled him. A maid entered, carrying a tray of steaming stew.
"Your meal, sir," she whispered.
James sat up, ready to eat, but the maid didn't leave. Instead, she reached for her collar. With a smooth, practised motion, her gown hit the floor.
James froze. She stood there in nothing but thin lace, her skin glowing in the candlelight. She was beautiful—far too beautiful to be a common maid.
"W-What are you doing?" James stammered. In his past life, he was a 23-year-old virgin who spent his Friday nights writing about romance he never experienced. This was his literal dream coming true.
"I am here to satisfy your... pleasures, sir," she whispered, crawling onto the bed like a cat. Her arms wrapped around his neck, her scent filling his nose.
James's heart hammered against his ribs. Is this it? Is the me finally getting lucky?
Suddenly, the maid's eyes widened. She pulled away, snatched her clothes from the floor, and scrambled out the door without a single word.
"What the... wait!" James shouted, confused and completely 'turned on.' "What was that? Did I smell bad? Was I too ugly?"
Frustrated and baffled, he shoved a spoonful of stew into his mouth. He eventually fell into a restless, agitated sleep.
...
The next morning
James stood before the mirror and thought: [Transform].
His hair turned a light brown. His black eyes shifted to a clear, crystal blue.
A card materialized in his hand: [ID: Ryn. Commoner from the destroyed village of Nimira Outskirts.]
"Perfect," Ryn whispered. "Now, to pay for a carriage to the Academy..."
He reached for the pouch of silver he'd hidden under his pillow.
His hand met empty air.
He checked the floor. The drawers. His pockets.
Nothing.
The realization hit him like a physical blow. The maid wasn't there for his "pleasure." She was a professional distractor. While he was busy being flustered by her body, her hands had been busy with his coin pouch.
"I was robbed," James whispered, his face pale. "By a common maid. In my own story."
He had 2,000 Glory Points left and needed to journey to the Academy.
"I am officially cooked"