Remedy

Adam thought deeply as he rubbed his temples, realizing that tonight could be even more crucial than recruiting Adel. "There will be many supernatural beings, and some of them might ignore the aura I'm trying to create and attack me outright," he mused. "In that case, presence is key. I need to impress everyone as soon as I show up."

However, Adam's resources were limited. Apart from the God's Tear ritual and having Adel on his side, he didn't have much else. His current state wasn't ideal either, so handling unexpected situations might be tricky.

"What would intimidate these supernatural beings?" he wondered. They feared many things, like the church or various items that could restrain them. But there were few things that could immediately establish dominance.

"A corpse, either of another supernatural being or a friar, would be the most intimidating," Adam thought darkly. "But attacking a friar would be too risky and could provoke a large-scale response from the church, which is not worth it."

The easiest target would be Adel. Adam pondered this while looking out the window, weighing his options. Adel trusted him and was injured, so killing him wouldn't be difficult. Plus, Adel's frenzied state had shown many flaws, and if he realized them, Adam could be exposed. Lastly, Adam didn't like him.

However, killing Adel also had its drawbacks. It might intimidate the other supernatural beings but would also sow distrust. Promising Adel the ritual and then killing him would destroy Adam's credibility and set a bad precedent. Future followers would be reluctant to work for him.

Moreover, the others might empathize with Adel and become discontent or outright rebel. Handling such a situation poorly could lead to bigger problems.

After weighing the pros and cons and setting aside his personal dislike, Adam decided against using Adel's corpse to intimidate the others. "I don't have enough cards to play," he realized, frustrated. His lack of strength was a significant issue.

His strength was mostly an illusion, so he had to maintain his mystery. For instance, he hadn't instructed Adel to bring people individually but instead all at once, to appear more formidable and mysterious. "That was a mistake," Adam admitted. By then, Adel was already ensnared, so there was no need to maintain such perfect secrecy. Adel was already too focused on the God's Tear ritual.

"Pursuing perfection in concealment left me with a dilemma," Adam concluded. He learned another lesson and decided to correct his mistake.

He left home, saying he needed to clear his mind. His uncle and aunt, concerned for him, readily agreed. Adam walked towards the slums, pondering his next steps.

"I'll track down where Adel is bringing the others, recruit more in advance, and separate them into different groups," Adam thought. "Creating a hierarchy with those who have benefited and those who haven't can help maintain order."

By giving parts of the ritual to some and not others, he could ensure the beneficiaries would support him to protect their advantages. "If there's a conflict, it'll be between them and any rebellious members, not me," Adam planned.

At the riverbank, Adam retrieved his outfit and headed to his destination. According to Adel's notes, he had spent months in the forest before contacting other supernatural beings and returning to the city. This implied his contacts might also operate in the forest or slums.

Most likely, these contacts were woodcutters or lived in the slums. The forest, while vast and secluded, offered little besides trees and occasional patrols by the city's garrison. Unless a supernatural being from another area needed to handle something in the forest, it was more likely they operated nearby.

"The slums are bustling," Adam observed. The area, while dirty and impoverished, was crowded. "Are all these carriages just for transporting wood?" he wondered. The slums were the primary source of wood and cheap labor, and newcomers often stayed here first.

He detected a familiar scent—Adel was limping home, trailed by two people. "Adel is cautious," Adam noted, deciding not to follow immediately. After confirming there were no other followers, he approached Adel's house.

"I smell five people inside," Adam determined. Without hesitation, he changed into his outfit and headed to the house. Adel's network was broader than expected, or the supernatural beings in the city were more interconnected than he thought.

"I should have come earlier," Adam realized. If more had gathered by evening, controlling them would have been harder.

He adjusted his emotions and walked to the house, making deliberate footsteps. The noise alerted the people inside, who looked to Adel questioningly.

"I invited Jin, but he didn't agree," Adel said, puzzled. Jin was the strongest supernatural being he knew, but he had refused. Maybe he changed his mind?

"Good day, everyone," Adam said, opening the door. His silhouette blocked the sunlight, creating an aura around him. His shadow filled the room, and his calm words, carried by the shadow, instantly intimidated the supernatural beings inside.