Rise of the Lustful Evil Monarch (Re)

Third Person's POV

"I would love for a talented and beautiful young lady like you to assist us."

Virelle's and Velcy's eyes flickered slightly at the growing interaction between them, but neither of the two spoke anything.

Instead, Virelle simply attributed it to the dark elf fangirling over Ethan after being enchanted by his incredible display of strength, talent, and, of course, his striking looks.

She most likely just wants to get in his good books to strengthen her connections, Virelle mused.

After all, forming a bond with someone as powerful and talented as Brother Ethan could be invaluable in a time of crisis.

She is an ordinary girl in the grand scheme of things, so it is only natural that she would seize the opportunity to associate herself with a noble aristocrat blessed with power, skill, and an almost unfair level of charm.

Besides, she had already assisted them during their initiation process and perhaps she was simply capitalizing on that interaction to solidify her position in Ethan's favor.

Virelle had already justified the entire situation in her mind and strung together whatever rationalizations she needed to dismiss the most uncomfortable possibility, that Aurae was genuinely drawn to Ethan.

Because if that were the case… she would become a rival of hers.

Meanwhile, Velcy remained calm and unbothered.

Unlike Virelle, she naturally had a favorable impression of the dark elf and appreciated her kindness and energetic demeanor toward both herself and Ethan.

She wasn't one to overanalyze someone's intentions.

She was simply happy to stay by her Big Brother's side and was content with the warmth and security he provided.

She didn't care about how many women got close to him or what he did with them until her position was threatened.

Aurae took the lead and set off toward their destination. The trio followed in step silently.

As for the carriage and its enigmatic driver, they didn't need to spare them a second thought.

Ethan and Virelle knew that the old slave would follow silently and unseen—only revealing himself when they required him.

Ethan took in the vibrant nightlife and appreciated the shift in atmosphere as the city transitioned from dusk to night.

The skyline was bathed in the last golden hues of the setting sun that cast a soul-calming glow over the sprawling metropolis which was gradually illuminated with the warm embrace of artificial lights.

Along the streets, tall, ornate lamp posts stood in orderly rows and their glass fixtures flickered to life one by one as the sun dipped below the horizon.

A soft golden radiance seeped from within and pushed back the encroaching darkness.

Curious, Ethan peered closer. His sharp eyes instantly caught the irregular crystalline fragments embedded within each lamp's core.

The stones pulsed faintly, almost as if they were breathing with the city's rhythm as their golden-yellow hues shifted in intensity.

'What is that, Virelle?'

While feigning a casual appreciation of the surroundings, he discreetly sent his question through a sound transmission.

His voice remained undetected by everyone else and threaded into her mind like a whisper carried by the wind.

Virelle walked without breaking stride and smoothly followed the tether of his soul sense.

Her gaze flickered to the glowing lamp posts and her expression remained composed as she mentally formulated a response.

'That is a small piece of Sun Stone,' Virelle explained smoothly, her voice laced with a hint of intrigue.

'They are formed when ordinary rocks undergo a process of intrinsic transformation under prolonged exposure to the Sun's rays.

It is said that this process is very slow and can take more than a million years to transform into the Sun Stone.

These stones are primarily mined from the highest mountain peaks in the other two continents since this continent is not blessed with constant exposure to direct sunlight.

Due to the necessity of importing them, Sun Stones are far too expensive for the average poor citizen to use in their homes.

However, a grand city like Vord has no such limitations and can afford to install them in every corner.'

Ethan absorbed the information as his expression was contemplative.

A question nagged at the back of his mind and he once again directed it toward Virelle.

'Then they must need to be replaced often once their energy is exhausted and they degrade into scrap, right?'

'No, no, no,' Virelle quickly corrected him with a faint chuckle as her sweet voice resonated through the soul link.

'That's precisely what makes the Sun Stone so valuable and in such high demand.

It doesn't degrade over time because it possesses a remarkable property—it continuously recharges by absorbing the Sun's rays during the day.

When night falls, it automatically releases the stored energy in the form of radiant light and illuminates entire cities effortlessly.

Even though our continent is perpetually shrouded in dark clouds, the omnipresence of the Sun's natural light ensures that these stones still absorb enough sunlight to function effectively.

Do you remember Scarlet Hollow City Brother Ethan, the one we visited years ago?'

'Yeah, how can I forget it?'

'Well, it had a colossal Sun Stone embedded in its very heart.

That stone was recharged during what the surface world considers daytime. At that time, the city was plunged into an artificial night.

Then, when the true night arrived, the Sun Stone activated and flipped the cycle—turning their world bright while the surface world slept.'

Ethan marveled at this natural phenomenon and his mind rapidly spun with fascination.

The more he listened, the more the Sun Stone reminded him of the solar panels from his previous life.

They could also absorb energy from the sunlight and efficiently convert it into electricity for later use.

The ingenuity of this world never ceased to amaze him.

Soon, they gradually phased into the market area from the posh neighborhood where institutions like the Adventurer Guild existed.

The air shifted, it was no longer the refined and muted elegance of the upper districts but a vibrant and chaotic symphony of life.