The Seven Duchies
"Xavier, dead. Paxleys, I am coming. Boss Chang, need to find. Red Flower Assassin, need to find."
Sweat trickled down the forehead of a man, walking on a deserted path. The sun was scorching and the wind was dry, but he continued to walk forward as the sand crunched below his feet.
"And… Lady Zordian, alive."
He turned around, looking at the floor where a body was being dragged.
On the sandy and stony path, her body was being grated and cut in several places as Arlott continued to pull her by her hair.
Her skin was already shredded, long gone was the pale beautiful skin, replaced by the heinous crimson blood and red gorey flesh, yet, she was alive.
She was Emily Zordian, the woman Arlott hated the most.
She used to be the cause of his worst pain, and now, she suffered a fate worse than death.
"Still 60 miles left, I am so tired." Arlott grumbled as he released Emily's ponytail, making her fall head first on the floor, causing some more blood to leak out of her wounds.
The sun was in the middle of the sky, signifying the time as afternoon. The wind was dry and dusty, as if he was in the middle of a desert.
This was an ancient path that connected the Paxley duchy to Zordian duchy, but it was now deserted due to the dangerous beasts that lurked at nights.
'Meh, they are too dumb.' Arlott scoffed after remembering how he avoided a 4 meter tall ape, simply by throwing a stone in another direction.
The beasts were deadly, but they were easily avoidable if you were careful enough.
"Let's set a camp here,"
Arlott slung off the bag on his back, pulling out a cotton tent he packed. Quickly getting to work, he hammered a few nails and set up a makeshift tent.
Emily was left on the floor with her hands tied behind her back, her legs tied up and her bones broken. Even her mana was sealed off by him, so she doesn't use any spells to escape.
He sat on a tree stump, "The IP is rising too slowly. I barely get 8 hours of sleep in a day and I am walking, hunting or working for the rest of the time."
He called out the system and it appeared.
[ System - THE IDLE CULTIVATION SYSTEM ]
[ Host: Arlott
Sin: Sloth
Level - 1
Titles: Assassin, Betrayed, Chosen Of Sloth, Chosen Slayer
IP ( Idle Points ): 160*4 + 15*4 - purchases = 634
Physique: 18
Magic: 10
Skills: Sleeping (lvl 3), Meditation (lvl 46) ]
Looking at his gained IP, he sighed. 8 hour a sleep was too low if he wanted to collect more IP.
But then again, he also wanted to continue moving towards the Paxley Duchy and exact his revenge upon his enemies.
He would never forgive the bastards who kidnapped him at the young age, trained him into a fine assassin, and then betrayed him.
'It has been 4 days, but only 700 IP. Maybe I should take a stop in Count Korsen's territory. I can sleep in the inn for days and collect some IP for better weapons.'
Arlott glanced at the marketplace, which was still full of millions of products to choose from. Anything he needed, he could buy it from here.
That was how he procured condiments and seasonings to put on the game he hunted.
"That reminds me, why is this section still locked?"
Arlott commanded the marketplace to expand, and so it did.
[ Market place Balance - 634 IP
Miscellaneous - Condiments, snacks, household utensils
Items - Cold weapons, Forged weapons, Blessed weapons, Armours, Shields…
Food - Bread, Meat, Vegetables, Fruits, Spider eyes, Lizard's tail…
Potions and Magic - Potions, Magic charms, Talismans, Scrolls.
Skills - Locked. Please level up further to unlock.
Attributes - Locked. Please level up further to unlock.
Shop of Sloth Special Magic Items and Skills —
Wand of dizziness - casts an aura of dizziness that could put the targets to sleep. Note: Can be used on self.
Boots of Sleep Walking - allows the user to walk automatically while sleeping. Note: The directions and destination would be determined by the subconscious brain.
Mattress of Deep Sleep - allows the user to fall asleep instantly after laying on the mattress. Note: The mattress will generate an absolute shield that could block any one attack. The mattress would burn after the use of defense.
Sleep Meditation - Passive - Skill — Allows the host to converge the environmental neutral mana within their body during sleep. Allowing continuous cultivation of the core. Note: Skill is upgradeable.
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Arlott sighed looking at the special sloth items. All of them were related to sleeping, resting or staying idle, however, the Mattress of Deep Sleep could be used as an ultimate defense.
Alas, it costed over 10,000 IP for a single mattress.
The skill of Sleep Meditation was also over powered, but Arlott didn't have the necessary funds.
That skill costed over 25,000 IP, and Arlott was poor, having only 700 IP in his account.
"Sigh, too slow." he sighed and yawned, "I should head to Count Korsen's territory and farm some IP."
Saying that, he leaned on the floor and instantly fell asleep.
Emily had also passed out due to blood loss, still lying on the same spot Arlott dropped her earlier.
After all, where could she with broken bones and torn skin anyway?
"Please… kill me… Arlott…" she murmured in a daze, "I want to die…"
But swift asleep, Arlott didn't hear her. Not like he would have released her even if he did hear her.
He sworn to make her suffer every moment of her life, and he was going to do that. No matter what.
'Tomorrow… I will head to the County,' Arlott yawned in sleep.
In the continent of Picardo, there existed 7 duchy.
Namely: Zordian, Paxley, Luscia, Fuschia, Everyn, Gladia and the Lawless Kingdom of Greed.
Under the duchy were Marquise, and under the Marquise were Viscounts. Under the viscounts were Barons.
And Arlott was already the enemy of two of the biggest duchy, Zordian and Paxley.
During his sleep, his system buzzed with life and popped open another notification for him to see once he woke up.
[ A new quest has arrived! ]
[ Rank: E
Rest for the Wicked: Retribution is tiring to seek, as the chosen of the sloth, give up on your revenge.
Live in the Paxley capital town without fighting for 3 days.
Reward: +5 Magic, Skill 'Sleeping' Level Up. ]
If Arlott was awake, he would have surely thanked the system for such a timely quest.
But alas, he was asleep.