Overlord: Welcome the Birth of the King

Lyle suppressed the excitement in his heart and focused on the abilities panel displayed before him:

[Ability Panel]

Innate Talent: [Player]

Overall Level: 1Lv

Experience Bar: 0/100

Class:

Basic Class: Genius 1Lv

Skill Points: 3

Passive Skill: Item Box

Active Skills: None

By acquiring the "Genius" class, Lyle's overall level had risen from 0 to 1. Along with this advancement, he had gained 3 skill points.

This realization sent a jolt through Lyle's heart.

As he had expected, his status as a "player" with an innate ability was somewhat different from the typical players in YGGDRASIL.

In the game, players would gain three skills from their respective class skill trees with every level-up. By the time an average player reached level 100, they would have accumulated about 300 skills.

Of course, monsters like the Overlord, who had mastered 718 skills, were rare exceptions even in the game. This was mainly due to his unique ability, Dark Wisdom, which allowed him to theoretically keep learning new magic indefinitely.

"Only skill points but no skill list? That's bad news," Lyle thought, maintaining a calm expression.

This meant he couldn't simply gain skills by leveling up; he'd need to explore other methods.

With this realization, his thoughts began to crystallize.

Crunch!

The sound of Lyle's teeth biting into the surface of a tough rye bread broke through the silence. He tore into it voraciously, finishing most of the hardened loaf in under half a minute.

Cough!

His throat felt dry—it was easy to choke when eating something so hard too quickly.

Picking up the black leather water flask that Nfirea had just given him, Lyle took a big gulp, letting out a breath of relief as a satisfied expression crossed his face.

If anyone else had handed him that water flask, he wouldn't have drunk from it.

Rising to his feet, Lyle hung the black water flask on his belt, stepped onto the bustling street, and began heading toward the center of the capital, moving with the crowd.

With so many eyes around, it was no longer suitable for him to store the flask in his Item Box.

"Since I'm already here, I might as well watch this legendary duel."

A flicker of anticipation lit up Lyle's face.

The grand tomb's arrival was still more than four years away, but time was tight. Even so, he couldn't afford to rush blindly. Sharpening the axe doesn't delay the work of chopping wood.

Although neither combatant in this duel had yet reached their future peak strength, their current abilities—both likely above level 20—already represented the pinnacle of human power in this world.

Observing their fight might also yield some useful intelligence.

Before obtaining the "Genius" class, Lyle had been uncertain about his future prospects. Now, however, he had started to formulate ideas for his long-term career development.

This duel between the Warrior Captain and the Blademaster would later be regarded as a historic clash, discussed by the kingdom's strongest fighters for years to come.

Even before the duel, both Gazef and Brain were already famous prodigies in their own right.

If Lyle remembered correctly, Brain also possessed the talent Fighter (Genius).

Among the crowd...

All around him, people were engaged in heated discussions about the fight, eagerly speculating on who would emerge victorious.

Lyle's eyes gleamed.

While others could only guess at the outcome of this battle, he already knew who the ultimate winner would be.

In a setting like this, where the entire kingdom was buzzing with excitement, there was bound to be some form of gambling. If he placed a bet on Gazef, even with low odds, it could yield a tidy profit.

Right now, he was nearly broke—every meal and lodging expense drained his limited resources.

With this thought in mind, Lyle approached a young man dressed in light leather armor, who looked like an adventurer.

"Excuse me, do you know where the nearest gambling venue is?" Lyle asked calmly.

From past experience, Lyle understood that in such lively environments, it was best to get straight to the point. Excessive politeness often led to impatience.

The young adventurer, startled by the question, turned to look at Lyle with a surprised expression.

After scrutinizing him for a moment, the adventurer's eyes filled with mild disdain.

"A foreigner?"

Lyle, dressed in dark-gray attire with a short sword on his left hip and a water flask on his right, didn't appear much different from a local. But his distinct facial features and short black hair clearly set him apart.

"Yes, I just arrived yesterday," Lyle replied, unfazed by the condescending tone.

"Hmph, figured as much," the young man scoffed. "There's no gambling here."

"No gambling?" Lyle was taken aback.

An event of this magnitude, drawing such a massive crowd to the capital, seemed like the perfect opportunity for bookmakers to rake in profits. Especially considering the greed of the kingdom's nobility.

"That's thanks to Princess Renner's foresight."

Noticing Lyle's surprise, the young man's tone grew reverent.

"Even if you're a foreigner, you must've heard of Princess Renner, right? She's known as the Jewel of the Kingdom—her brilliance shines like a gemstone!"

"At the start of the Imperial Trials, Princess Renner proposed to the king that gambling on such events—representing the kingdom's dignity—be prohibited. She argued it was an insult to the nation's reputation and a disrespect to the warriors participating in the competition."

"While some nobles opposed the idea, the king ultimately accepted her suggestion."

"Princess Renner's foresight and kindness are unparalleled..."

Watching the young man gush with admiration, Lyle took a step back, his face expressionless, before quickly blending back into the crowd.

He now had a better understanding of what had happened.

"Princess Renner?"

Recalling the adventurer's fanatical praise, Lyle felt an odd sense of amusement.

It seemed that the Golden Princess's public reputation was exceptionally high.

But banning gambling?

Lyle doubted such a ban could hold up entirely. The proposal might work on the surface, but underground, the nobility would surely find ways to keep gambling alive. Unfortunately, ordinary people like him wouldn't have access to those opportunities.

With that, his plan to earn quick money had fallen through.

"Kind and gentle? Using those words to describe her is..." Lyle shook his head.

To the public, Princess Renner appeared to be a paragon of virtue—kind-hearted, innocent, and always putting the nation and its people first. Her character seemed as pure as gold.

In reality, she was a monster whose mindset defied conventional understanding. Even Albedo once described her as a "psychological deviant."

It could be said that Renner was the woman the Bloody Emperor hated most in the world.

Even the Dragon Kingdom's queen, who had lived for centuries but enjoyed masquerading as a loli, only ranked as second in the Bloody Emperor's list of detested women.