Free Web NovelChapter 16: Valoria’s Women Leaders’ Meetings 1
The next morning, Adam was the first to wake up.
Sunlight streamed through his bedroom curtains while a soft silence still lingered in the manor.
Beside him, Isadora slept soundly.
For once, the Duchess of Valoria didn’t resemble a feared ruler or a woman capable of standing up to the continent’s most powerful figures.
She simply looked tired.
Adam smiled slightly before discreetly opening the system.
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Rare Chest Rewards
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Skill Obtained:
*Body Control Lv. 1
Item Obtained:
*Urban Barrier Blueprint
Grade: Purple (Epic)
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Adam blinked several times.
"A purple item?"
It was the first item of this rarity he’d ever obtained.
He quickly checked the description.
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Urban Barrier Blueprint
Grade: Purple (Epic)
Allows the construction of a magical barrier capable of protecting an entire city.
Functions:
*Protection against monsters.
*Intrusion detection.
*Reinforcement of local defenses.
*Self-contained energy reserve.
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Adam remained thoughtful.
"I’ll have to show this to Isadora."
Valoria already possessed a defensive barrier.
But he didn’t know its quality.
Perhaps this plan could be useful.
Or even revolutionary.
After placing the item in his inventory, he checked his new ability.
Body Control Lv. 1
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Effects:
*Improved muscle control.
*Improved coordination.
*Reduced energy loss.
*Easier learning of physical techniques.
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"Not bad."
Adam immediately activated the skill.
A strange sensation coursed through his body.
As if he suddenly became aware of every muscle.
Even her breathing seemed more natural.
A few minutes later...
Knock. Knock.
Someone knocked on the door.
Without waiting for an answer, the door opened.
Elena entered.
Then stopped.
Her gaze shifted from Adam to her mother.
Then from her mother back to Adam.
A smile immediately appeared on her face.
"I see everything went well."
Adam coughed slightly.
Isadora, for her part, immediately buried her face in the pillow.
"Elena..."
The young woman burst out laughing.
"Congratulations, Mother."
To Adam’s surprise, Elena didn’t seem jealous.
On the contrary.
She seemed genuinely happy.
"After all these years, you deserve a little happiness." "
Isadora groaned something incomprehensible into her pillow.
Adam preferred to change the subject.
"By the way, I have something for both of you."
The two women looked at him.
Adam opened his inventory.
Two silver rings appeared in his hand.
The runes engraved on their surface shone softly.
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Ring of Promise
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Type: Rare Item
Effects:
*Storage Capacity: 50 m³
*Long-Range Communication
*Mutual Location
*Minor Mental Protection
*Special reward granted upon recognizing a new partner.
Current number of rings available: 2
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Elena’s eyes widened.
Isadora sat up straight immediately.
"Artifacts?"
Adam nodded.
"My power sometimes allows me to obtain special items under certain conditions."
He deliberately avoided going into details.
The system remained his greatest secret.
Elena carefully took the ring.
"It’s magnificent..."
Isadora also examined hers with interest.
"An item this complete is extremely rare."
A few moments later, the two women slipped on their rings.
A faint light shone through the jewelry before disappearing.
"It’s already working," Elena observed in surprise.
Adam smiled.
"Good."
Without warning, Elena approached.
Then she kissed him on the cheek.
"Thank you."
Isadora did the same a few seconds later.
"Thank you, Adam."
After that, the two women went to get ready.
Half an hour later, the three of them went down to the dining room.
This time, Lyriana was already there.
The dark elf looked up from her tea.
Then she examined the rings.
Then Adam.
Then Isadora.
A smile immediately appeared on her lips.
"I see."
Adam suddenly felt a bad feeling.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Lyriana’s smile widened.
"Absolutely nothing."
For some unknown reason, this answer worried her even more.
Breakfast then began in a surprisingly relaxed atmosphere.
But at the back of the room, Lyriana discreetly observed the other three.
And in her silvery eyes shone a determination that suggested nothing easy lay ahead.
Meanwhile, far from Valoria...
Deep within an ancient, forgotten ruin.
The mysterious red light that had appeared during the night grew more and more intense.
An ancient voice echoed in the darkness.
"The bearer of destiny has finally appeared..."
Then silence fell once more.
As if something was still waiting for the perfect moment to reveal itself.
After breakfast, Adam put down his cup.
"Isadora, I have something to show you."
The duchess looked up.
"Something important?"
"I think so."
Adam’s serious expression immediately caught her attention.
A few minutes later, they were both in the duchess’s office.
Isadora activated several soundproofing barriers before sitting down at her desk.
"Well?"
Adam took a roll of paper from his inventory.
"I got this this morning."
Isadora took the document.
Then her gaze froze.
A few seconds passed.
Then several more.
Adam saw her eyes widen.
"Impossible..."
"What?"
Isadora jerked her head up.
"Adam, do you know what you just showed me?"
"A city barrier?"
The duchess buried her face in her hands.
"It’s much more than that."
She unfurled the plan completely.
Thousands of intricate magical runes appeared.
Even without being an expert, Adam could see that the document was exceptional.
"It’s a complete schematic of an Epic City Barrier."
"Epic?"
"Purple Grade."
Adam nodded.
Isadora sighed deeply.
"Adam... this plan is probably worth more than some cities in the kingdom."
Even he was surprised.
"That much?"
"Much worse." "
She tapped the document.
"Valoria’s current barrier is old."
"It still works, though, doesn’t it?"
"Yes."
Isadora’s expression darkened.
"But it mainly only detects intrusions."
"And even then, there are ways to bypass it."
"Its upkeep costs a fortune."
"Mages have to regularly replace components."
"Its effectiveness decreases every year."
She then pointed to the plan.
"That barrier would strengthen the defenses of the entire city."
"It would detect intruders."
"It would repel monsters."
"It would reduce mana consumption."
"And could function for decades with minimal maintenance."
Adam was beginning to understand.
"So it’s useful."
Isadora stared at him.
"Useful?"
She almost burst out laughing.
"The neighboring kingdoms might start a war to obtain a plan like this."
A long silence followed.
Then Isadora stood up.
"We must summon the others immediately."
She activated a communication crystal.
"Lyriana."
The dark elf’s voice answered almost instantly.
"Yes?"
"Go get Selene, Elaria, Shiora, and Vespera."
"Emergency meeting."
"Immediately."
Lyriana immediately sensed the gravity of the situation.
"I’ll go."
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Two hours later.
The manor’s meeting room was occupied by some of the most influential women in the kingdom.
Selene Arkwell.
Leader of the White Tigers faction.
Elaria Silverleaf.
High Elf and Mistress of the Artisans’ Guild.
Shiora Crimsonhorn.
Princess of the Crimsonhorn Clan and leader of the Merchant Guild.
Vespera Drakharis.
Black Dragon and High Archmage.
Lyriana Noctis Sylvermoon.
Official representative of the High Dark Elves.
Adam watched them.
Then something suddenly struck him.
They all knew each other.
Very well, in fact.
Shiora was quietly drinking tea.
Selene was talking with Vespera.
Elaria was reading a book as if she were at home.
Lyriana was sitting on the arm of an armchair.
No one seemed impressed by the others’ status.
Like old friends.
Isadora noticed her gaze.
Then she smiled.
"You’ve only just realized that?"
"Have you all known each other for a long time?"
This time, several women burst out laughing.
"For a very long time," Shiora replied.
"Almost eighty years," Selene added.
Adam froze.
"Eighty years?"
"We’re all a little over a hundred," Vespera explained.
"For our race, that’s not particularly old."
Adam suddenly frowned.
"Wait a minute."
All the women turned their heads toward him.
"Lyriana isn’t more than a hundred years old."
The dark elf raised an eyebrow.
"Of course not."
Adam nodded.
"You told me during our journey that you were forty-two."
"That’s right."
Shiora burst out laughing.
"Ah, I finally see what’s bothering him."
Adam then looked around the table.
"So you’re not all the same age?"
"No," Isadora replied, smiling.
Vespera folded her arms.
"We’re all over a century old."
"Except Lyriana."
"And Elena," Selene added.
Adam looked at his companion.
"Elena is twenty-four."
The young woman nodded.
"I was born when my mother was about seventy."
This simple sentence gave Adam pause for thought.
In the humans of his old world, having a child at seventy would have been impossible.
Here, no one seemed to find it strange.
"The more I discover this world, the less I understand what’s normal..."
Shiora burst out laughing.
"That’s probably the most reasonable reaction you could have."
Adam then looked at Isadora.
And this time, she was the one who held his full attention.
A human.
Over a hundred years old.
Yet she looked barely older than Elena.
At most, thirty.
"Isadora..."
"Yes?"
"You’re really over a hundred?"
The duchess sighed.
"One hundred and three, exactly."
Adam remained silent.
Even after hearing it from her own lips, it seemed unreal.
Vespera noticed her expression.
"You’re forgetting one thing."
"Which is?"
"In this world, age is just a number for powerful individuals."
Selene nodded.
"The higher your rank, the slower your body’s aging process."
"Some even stop aging altogether."
Adam then understood why everyone seemed so young.
These women weren’t just influential.
They were monstrously powerful.
Then his gaze fell on Lyriana.
"And your mother?"
The dark elf’s expression softened slightly.
"My mother’s name is Astraea Noctis Sylvermoon."
Adam immediately memorized that name.
"She’s about the same age as everyone else here."
"Then why didn’t she come?"
This time, Elaria answered.
"Because she inherited the worst job of all of us."
A few laughs arose around the table.
Even Isadora smiled.
"The World Tree," Lyriana explained.
"My mother is one of its chief guardians."
Adam blinked.
"The World Tree?"
"The spiritual heart of the elven kingdoms."
"It fuels a vast portion of our magic and maintains the balance between several territories."
"Both the High Elves and the Dark Elves depend on it."
Adam immediately understood the importance of the position.
"So she rules over both peoples?"
"More or less."
Lyriana nodded.
"She oversees the joint affairs of both clans."
"That’s why she sent me to Valoria in her place." "
Shiora smiled.
"And because someone left her and ran away," she said, looking at Elaria.
"That’s true too," Elaria admitted without the slightest shame.
The women burst out laughing.
Adam watched them for a few seconds.
Isadora.
Vespera.
Selene.
Shiora.
Elaria.
Astraea.
They all seemed to be major leaders of their respective peoples.
And yet they behaved like a group of old friends.
"I’m beginning to understand why Valoria is so important..."
Isadora gave her a mysterious smile.
"Oh?"
"This duchy isn’t just a strategic border."
"It’s also where many of the most influential people on the continent have decided to settle."
Isadora’s smile widened.
"You learn quickly."
But before she could continue, Vespera tapped the table gently.
"Let’s get back to the main topic."
Her gaze fell upon the Urban Barrier Plan.
"Because if this document is authentic..."
Even the dragon seemed impressed.
"Then Adam may have just changed Valoria’s future."
And no one around the table seemed to think she was exaggerating.
