Chapter 79: A Reward Beyond His Expectations 1

Adam immediately thought of Selene.

Then of Shiora.

Then of Isadora.

And suddenly...

Several of his behaviors from the past few days made much more sense.

"So all those times you deliberately stopped..."

"Yes."

"The looks."

"Yes."

"Certain provocations that never went any further."

"Exactly."

Adam stared at Vespera.

"You actually arranged this between yourselves?"

"Obviously."

He shook his head slowly.

"I don’t even know why that answer still surprises me."

Vespera moved slightly closer.

"But now, the agreement is over."

Adam looked up at her.

"Over?"

A smile appeared on the dragon’s lips.

"From now on, all the restrictions we had imposed on ourselves are lifted."

Adam remained silent.

He immediately thought back to Isadora’s words from the day before.

To Selene wanting to start sleeping together again.

To the future enlarged bedroom.

To the Bridal Chamber he had just received.

And then to that perfectly natural kiss Isadora had given him as soon as he woke up.

Everything fell into place.

"I understand better now."

Vespera tilted her head slightly.

"You have nothing else to say?"

Adam opened his mouth.

Then closed it again.

He thought for a few seconds.

"Not really."

Vespera burst into soft laughter.

"That’s rare."

"I prefer to think before I accidentally discover a new rule you’ve decided without me."

"Wise decision."

Adam looked at her.

Then he gestured toward the bathroom.

"For now, I suggest we wash up and go downstairs to eat."

"Good idea."

They finally got out of bed.

After a quick bath, Adam got dressed.

Vespera did the same.

Then they both went downstairs to the dining room.

When they arrived, the others were already there.

As usual, no one seemed truly idle.

Isadora was consulting several documents from the duchy while drinking her tea.

Elena was skimming a military report.

Lyriana was studying a small map covered in colored markings.

Selene was eating.

A lot.

Elaria had already opened a notebook and was drawing something resembling a runic structure.

Shiora was skimming several business reports while mentally calculating something.

Adam observed the scene.

"You know that breakfast is normally supposed to be about eating?"

Shiora looked up.

"I’m eating."

She took a piece of fruit without stopping reading her document.

Adam looked at Elaria.

The elf calmly took a bite of bread.

Then continued her drawing.

"Me too."

Adam sighed.

"Of course."

He greeted everyone.

"Hello."

Several replies came to him almost simultaneously.

"Hello."

"Hello, Adam."

"Did you sleep well?"

Selene looked up at Vespera.

Then her gaze drifted down to the Ring of Promise.

A huge smile appeared on her face.

"Finally."

Vespera sat down.

" Yes. Finally. »

Shiora held up her own ring.

"Welcome officially among the detainees. »

Vespera gave him a look.

"You were last before me for barely a day. »

"This is still enough to have seniority. »

Elaria replied without raising her head:

"That’s not how seniority works. »

"In commerce, everything can be negotiated. »

Adam sat down in his place.

"I refuse to participate in this discussion. »

Isadora finally put down her documents.

"Vespera told us that you had several things to explain regarding this morning’s rewards. »

All eyes immediately turned to Adam.

He stopped.

Then looked at Vespera.

"You really didn’t waste any time. »

"They asked. »

Adam sighed.

" Alright. »

First he took something from his inventory.

The golden card.

He placed it on the table.

A faint golden light immediately swept across its surface.

Elaria raised her head.

Shiora filed her report.

Even Selene stopped eating.

Isadora looked at the map carefully.

" What is this ? »

Adam replied:

"A reward obtained after reaching ten thousand Satisfaction Points. »

Vespera already knew this part.

But for others, the information was new.

Shiora stopped.

"Have you reached ten thousand?" »

"Ten thousand one hundred. »

Selene whistled lightly.

Adam continued:

"Apparently, those in power analyzed the origin of the points and noticed that the majority came from the satisfaction of my companions. »

Several expressions changed slightly.

Adam continued before the conversation veered off course.

"It triggered a special draw. »

He held up the card.

"The wheel’s minimum reward was purple. »

Elaria immediately looked up.

"Minimum? "

" Yes. »

Vespera asked:

"And this one?" »

"Gold."

This time, even Isadora sat up slightly.

Adam placed the card in the center of the table.

"Bridal Chamber. Gold Rank."

Silence.

Selene looked at the map.

Then Adam.

Then the map again.

"The name is very direct. »

Shiora smiled.

"I already love this award. »

Adam decided not to answer.

So he explained its properties.

"The map must be anchored to an existing room. This room then becomes an entrance to a special independent space. »

Elaria immediately asked:

"Dimensional space? "

" Probably. »

Adam continued:

"Only my companions can enter with me. And those who have a Promise Ring can access it from anywhere. »

Lyriana immediately raised her head.

"Anywhere?" »

"That’s what the description says. »

Isadora frowned.

"Even from another city? »

"No distance limitation is indicated. »

Shiora looked at her ring.

"So we could end up there even if we are separated on several territories. »

"In theory, yes. »

Vespera asked:

"And the other properties?"

Adam continued.

"The decor can be changed to suit my wishes. The room is indestructible. It cleans itself automatically. The interior space adapts to the number of people present. And the comfort level adjusts automatically."

Selene smiled.

"Getting better and better."

But Adam raised a finger.

"The most important function is time distortion."

This time, everyone really focused.

"No matter how long we spend inside..."

He paused.

"When we come back out, only eight hours have passed outside."

Complete silence.

Even Shiora couldn’t find anything to say for a few seconds.

Then Elaria asked:

"No matter how long?"

"Yes."

"A day?"

"Eight hours outside."

"Three days?"

"Eight hours." "

Vespera narrowed her eyes slightly.

"A month?"

Adam shrugged.

"According to the description, still eight hours."

Elaria immediately put down her pen.

Her eyes lit up.

"Then we could conduct extremely long research there without losing—"

"No."

Adam interrupted her immediately.

Elaria stopped.

"No?"

"Work prohibited."

Her expression changed.

Adam continued:

"Training prohibited. Research prohibited. Production prohibited. Professional study prohibited."

Vespera remained silent.

Elaria looked at the map as if it had just personally betrayed her.

Selene asked:

"So we can’t even train?"

"No."

"What a waste."

Adam shook his head.

"Not really." "

He looked at the women.

"The room is for rest, relaxation, and spending time together."

Then he added:

"Which mainly means that even if we’re swamped with work, we can sleep here as much as we need without losing more than eight hours outside."

Isadora’s face changed.

She immediately understood its true purpose.

"So even after several days without rest during a crisis, we could go in, fully recover, and then go out again after only eight hours."

"Exactly."

Lyriana murmured:

"It’s almost impossible to quantify in terms of its usefulness."

Shiora replied immediately:

"I agree."

Then she looked at Adam.

"Where do you plan to put it?"

"Probably in my room."

Isadora remained silent.

Adam turned to her.

"What?"

She sighed softly.

"I was actually planning to start the renovations on your room today."

Adam remembered their conversation from the previous day.

"Ah."

Isadora took the map.

"But if this room essentially replaces the interior space..."

Elaria corrected him:

"Not necessarily. The current room would only become an entrance."

Isadora looked at Adam.

"How big is the interior space?"

"The description doesn’t give any specific limits. It only says that it automatically adjusts to the number of companions."

Isadora thought for a moment.

"Can we create several rooms within it?"

"Probably, since the decor and layout can be changed."

"Bathrooms?"

"I suppose so."

"Living rooms?"

"Probably."

"Several secondary bedrooms?"

Adam shrugged.

"We’ll have to test it."

Shiora smiled.

"Isadora has officially just abandoned her renovation project."

The duchess calmly laid down the map.

"I’m simply going to rearrange the entrance."

Adam chuckled.

"So you haven’t really given up."

"Of course not."

Selene suddenly thought for a moment.

"Wait. Only companions can enter?"

Adam nodded.

"Yes."

She frowned.

"So Astraea can’t come for the time being."

Lyriana immediately turned her head away.

"Mother isn’t even here yet."

Selene shrugged.

"That’s precisely why she should join us."

Lyriana became slightly suspicious.

"Why does that sentence seem dangerous to me?" "

Shiora interjected:

"More seriously, this room could become extremely useful if the other close members of the group ever join us."

Isadora nodded slightly.

"Astraea has to return to Valoria soon anyway."

Lyriana looked at her absent mother as if she could already foresee the problems.

"I’m going to regret this conversation."

Elena smiled.

"Probably."

Adam picked up the map again.

"We’ll test all that later. There’s something else too."

Selene sat up straight immediately.

"Skills?"

Adam looked at her.

"Why do you seem so excited?"

"Because Vespera said you received some weapon books."

Adam slowly turned his head toward Vespera.

The dragon calmly took a sip of tea.

"They asked."

"Of course."

Adam then explained the process.

"I received Machete Mastery and Ranged Weapon Mastery."

Selene smiled immediately.

"Excellent."

Adam sighed.

"I knew you’d react like that."

"You now possess all the major categories."

"Yes. And that’s precisely where things got strange."