"Asta, when Captain Yami returns, use Finral's Spatial Magic with him to go back to the Black Bulls Headquarters. I'm going out for a bit and will tell everyone not to wait for me for dinner these next few days."
Adam thought for a moment, deciding to try his luck in the black market first. If he ran into that man, there might be some clues.
"Adam, I'm fine. Since the day I got my grimoire, I told myself that would be the last time I'd feel down."
Asta said with a firm tone.
Adam placed his hand on Asta's head and said softly, "We are family."
"Alright, I won't say any more sappy things. For a man, that's a bit too sentimental."
Adam removed his hand from Asta's head and turned to walk out of the building. Finral, who was hiding outside, quickly used Spatial Magic to teleport himself away.
"Even a proud Dragon cannot live alone, just like that fickle Evil Dragon who, even in hell, had siblings to accompany him."
Is this a hell joke?
...Inside the Castle Town's black market, Adam's luck was terrible today. He neither encountered the Magic Emperor on a private visit nor saw that unscrupulous merchant, Latin.
"Sigh! I really don't want to visit the Magic Emperor. If the guards directly refuse me at the door and say something like, 'How can a low-class person like you be worthy of seeing the Magic Emperor,' today might turn into a bloodbath."
Adam sighed. As a noble Dragon, he could not accept such humiliation, especially after gaining strength.
Playing the pig to eat the tiger, for Adam, was an unreasonable thing.
When you have no strength, being humiliated by others allows for endurance.
After gaining strength, still waiting for others to touch your so-called bottom line before making some uninteresting counterattacks?
To Adam, that was utterly ridiculous!
"I still don't want to give up this comfortable life here. Teasing Charmy occasionally, going out with Noelle, and having a drink with Vanessa—this kind of divine daily life is the most enjoyable."
Adam's thoughts drifted. In this feudal system, conflict with Royal Nobles was unavoidable. They didn't care if you had strength; they only cared about their own status.
Being prepared, once Adam had the power to overturn the tables, he would definitely show these guys what real suffering was like.
A kingdom that had existed for a thousand years must have left behind contingencies to maintain the royal family's rule.
"All four kingdoms must be like this. If only I had the Power of the Snake, I could go anywhere without being discovered."
Adam aimlessly wandered through the black market. If he couldn't find anything here, he'd have to go to places with many books to look for information.
"Have you heard? That guy, Moccas, recently hooked up with a chick!"
"You're really desperate. What's so special about hooking up? If you're not feeling it, I'll take you to a place where you can grow."
"Don't mess with my Martha's feelings. I'm not kidding, she's not an ordinary woman."
"Stop being so mysterious, tell me!"
"That guy hooked up with a Witch!"
"A Witch!! You mean that country full of women? I heard the Demon Queen is an old monster who has lived for countless years."
"How wonderful! I want to go see it!" a bearded uncle exclaimed with an exaggerated expression.
"Go where! Men can't enter that place..." The skinny man continued to speak, and Adam, who had been listening nearby, walked over and interrupted them: "Is this Witch's country you're talking about real?"
"Oh dear! You scared me."
The bearded uncle patted his chest and said in a somewhat effeminate tone, "You rude man, don't you know it's wrong to eavesdrop on other people's conversations?"
"Tell me!"
Adam narrowed his eyes, and a vast amount of magic power, barely leaked, scared the two men into trembling. They quickly spilled everything they knew.
"Sir, here's a map for you. It shows the location of the Witch's Forest."
Adam took the map and saw that it was a simplified map of the continent, with the four major kingdoms and several smaller ones marked on it.
"Is everything you said true?"
"Absolutely true!"
Adam scrutinized the two men, then a slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he crumpled the map in his hand and said, "I don't expect you would dare to lie to me."
In the face of absolute power, all schemes and tricks are mere clouds.
Adam decided he was going to the country of women... no, the Witch's Forest. That Witch, who had lived for nearly a thousand years, surely knew something.
That hateful Evil Dragon had influenced the pure Adam. What was there to be excited about when going to a country full of beautiful women?
Watching Adam's retreating figure, the two stall vendors immediately packed their goods onto their cart and galloped away from the area.
"I told you using your grandmother's story wouldn't work! We should just sell maps properly, but you had to add a storyline. If that guy comes back, won't we be dead?"
The skinny man, fleeing, was drenched in cold sweat, his heart still pounding. The magic power of that person just now was definitely from the Royal Nobles!
"My grandmother's story is real. Witches truly exist."
The skinny man had heard the bearded man's words countless times. He just pouted and said nothing more. Anyway, the two of them couldn't come to the black market recently; preserving their lives was more important.
"The Demon Queen's magic power can cover the entire Witch's Forest. Even if a bird enters, she will know."
A glint flashed in the bearded man's eyes. He thought to himself, 'You hateful Royal Nobles, you bully commoners so much. Although I can't do anything, I can still trick you.'
Grandma, you must give it your all!
...As dusk approached, Asta and Finral stood outside the small building, waiting for Captain Yami. He appeared, carrying a large bag of items, walking towards them with an excited expression.
"Where's Adam?" Yami asked.
His luck today was exceptionally good; he could say he was returning with a full harvest.
"Ad—"
"He said he's going out for a few days, and we don't have to wait for him anymore." Finral was about to say something when Asta spoke first.
That little beanpole still didn't want to trouble everyone.
"Then he's out of luck; we're having barbecue tonight. Let's go, Finral."
"Uh... okay!"
Finral immediately cast Spatial Magic, and a white tunnel appeared. Captain Yami was the first to walk in.
"Let's go, Asta."
"Okay!"
...Outside the castle, on a long table, various barbecue ingredients were laid out. The Black Bulls members sat around, happily grilling meat.
"It's a shame Adam isn't coming back." Magna, his mouth full of meat, didn't forget his good junior, which was truly admirable.
"Delicious." Asta was truly a genius; he could even grab a skewer with his feet. Even with both arms broken, he could still eat by himself.
But what about going to the restroom?
"Vanessa, can you please be more mindful of your image?"
"Gauche, stop looking at your sister's picture. Come perform something."
"Charmy, finishing a plate of meat in three seconds isn't really a magic trick."
"Grey, don't turn back into a fat person; you take up too much space."
..."I'm full."
Asta stood up at this point and, without waiting for anyone to say anything, turned and left.
"What's wrong with Asta today? He feels strange."
Magna was a bit puzzled; this wasn't like the usual Asta.
"Exactly, his smile is a bit less than usual," Gordon muttered to the side, somewhat rambling.
Just as everyone looked confused, Finral stood up. He couldn't hold back the anger in his heart any longer.
"Everyone, listen to me!"
All the Black Bulls members' gazes focused on Finral. His face was a bit grim, his fists unconsciously clenched, and he said in a heavy tone, "When Asta went to see the doctor, I overheard outside. The doctor said Asta's arms were affected by an ancient curse and could never recover."
"What!"
When everyone heard Finral's words, the atmosphere immediately became heavy. Yami lit a cigarette and slowly said, "What that kingdom's worst quack doctor said must be true."
Bang!
"Damn it!" Magna slammed his fist on the table, his face extremely grim.
"So Adam didn't come back because of Asta?" Noelle asked, looking at Finral.
"Probably..."
"That hateful perverted stubby, playing the hero all by himself," Vanessa said indignantly.
"The Black Bulls members are all family; everyone should face things together..." Gordon continued to mumble.
"A curse?" Yami murmured to himself.
The joyful evening gathering became extraordinarily heavy.
"Where did Asta go?"
"Go find him quickly!"
..."The forest at night is really a bit creepy!"