My Evil System

?I leaped off the wagon and approached Dementia.

"Looks like your journey was a success," she said as soon as I was near her.

I replied, "Yeah. I got plenty of tokens to save my territory for the potential flood."

Dementia briefly looked at the players in the wagon, just in time to see the carriage quake as the players thrashed the wooden planks. Their miserable howls racked the tranquillity of the forest.

Based on the horror on their faces, it was safe to assume they knew who Dementia was. After all, the tale of the Old Hag, who could change her appearance to lure in ignorant travelers in Shadow Forest, was popular.

"I see that you've brought me . . . gifts," Dementia slurred, long nails skimming across her lips.

"Ah. These are my payments. I'm here to buy your latest brew," I immediately corrected her.

"Looks like you liked my previous gifts."

I shrugged. "Yeah. They're very handy."

Dementia chortled, but her laughter came to an abrupt halt when her eyes shifted to my side.

"And who is she?" Dementia asked with a smile on her face, matched with a quizzical brow.

"She's Florin. From now on, she's one of my minions."

Florin's arm wrapped with mine when Dementia leaned down a little to have a closer look at her.

"Well. Aren't you a cute little girl?"

Florin pouted. "I'm already sixteen."

Dementia giggled and then straightened her back. She faced me and gave me a wink. "Still sour, but she'd be ripe in two years. Want me to train her?"

I rolled my eyes. "She's my farmer, not my whore."

Not knowing what caused it, I felt Florin's nails dig into my skin.

Dementia sweetly smiled. "Whatever you say."

"So, are you going to sell me those brews, or do I just go kill these players, loot their possessions, and be done and over with them."

"My . . . still so impatient."

"I still have to save my territory, after all. Time is running."

"Very well, then. Here's today's brew. Pick whatever you need."

[The Old Hag's Brew for Today!

● Decanter of Endless Darkness x1

This stoppered bottle contains a black liquid that radiates a thick aura of darkness. A drop of this potion produces a hundred-radius of thick smog that causes Blind. Another drop produces two hundred, and so on.

Being enveloped by this thick smog causes incurable Blind. To cure the status effect, one must get away from the thick dark fog.

Cost: 4 players

● Ruby of the Damned x1

A large crystal that remains translucent and adorned with a hilt on its bottom and sharp obsidian finger bones on each side.

This crystal will remain translucent until it's used to control the undead, in which it would change into blood red.

? This crystal can control four low-level undead at the same time. Until they perish, you hold command of their corpse.

Cost: 10 players

● Essence of Toad x1

This potion contains a thick greenish liquid that transforms anyone into a toad upon the slightest contact.

The transformation can't be cured, but the effect only lasts for one day.

Cost: 5 players ]

I bought everything and said with a grin, "You can keep the extra players as a tip."

Dementia wasn't amused. "There's only one left."

"It's okay. If you don't want it, then I'll happily take it from your hands."

"I never said that I don't want it," Dementia immediately interjected with a pout.

Her charming smile then reappeared on her face. "When are you going to visit again?" she slurred.

"I don't know." I shrugged. "Maybe after the Blood Rain is finished."

Dementia's eyes widened. "That long?" She closed the distance between us and twirled a finger against my chest. "I will miss you."

"I gave you twenty players to keep you company."

Dementia's lips puckered out. "They'll be gone in seven days."

The wagon creaked louder this time, and I knew without looking that the players on board were desperately trying their hardest to break loose.

"Why don't we do something . . . memorable — something that would last in my memory for an entire month?" she purred.

Her dark obsidian eyes with swirls of green mesmerized me into obeying her. Fortunately, my will was stronger than any temptation.

"I have to go. I'm in a hurry."

Dementia laughed, which made me feel ticklish.

"It wouldn't even take thirty minutes," she said. "I'm sure you can spend that little time, no?"

". . . Ten minutes," I said firmly.

<Host, I thought your will was strong.>

Well, I need to release some of the tension for the days ahead.

Dementia's smile widened, her face turning from charming to divine.

"Fifteen minutes," she bargained before leaning closer to me, lips touching my ears, sending sparks of heat through my body. "I will . . . and let you . . . and . . ."

After hearing her words, I cleared my dry throat. "Very well then."

I then faced Florin and said with a very serious voice, "Stay here and guard those players. I have something very important to do with Dementia inside her ro–house."

Florin smiled. "Can I come?"

Dementia smirked as her face and palms rested on my chest. "I'm afraid that you have to be mature enough to join us. But don't worry. Maybe in a few years' time, ey?"

Florin's forehead crumpled. "What does my age have to do with it?"

Dementia scanned Florin from head to toe, her eyes obviously pausing on the girl's butt and chest.

Her lips then rose into a proud smirk as she replied, "A lot of it."

Florin unconsciously covered her chest and shot Dementia a pointed glare.

"Stay here," I insisted before Dementia could corrupt my new farmer's mind. "I'll come back after fifteen minutes."

Before Florin could raise another protest, I urged Dementia into her house and locked the door.

Soon, Dementia's groans and moans were so loud, startling even the ravens on her chimney. I feared that the hut would give way from how hard it shook, and I was sure that the others outside could see and hear it too.

After exactly fifteen minutes, we were done. Dementia's face was shining more than before, while I felt like a thousand kilograms of weight was lifted from my shoulders.

When we got out of her house, the players looked at us with wide eyes and red faces. The only one who wasn't red as a tomato was Florin.

"I thought you were butchering her from how loud she cried, so why is she still alive?" she grumbled.

The funny thing was, she really believed her words.

Dementia giggled and stared in triumph at Florin. "See. This is why little girls are so cute."

A vein bulged in Florin's forehead. "Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

I ignored the two's petty squabbles and asked Dementia, "Is there a way for me to buy your potion even from afar?" I could communicate with her via the minion app, but I couldn't buy her potions through it.

"I thought you might never ask," she said with meaning before she brought out a crystal orb.

"This crystal ball will allow you to communicate with me and buy my brews without the need to come to my hut. Within the day of placing your order, my ravens will deliver your package wherever you are in the face of the world."

I readily accepted the crystal ball. "And the payment? Is there some way for me to send it to you without the need to come here?"

"I'm afraid I don't have something like that."

"Is that so?" I wouldn't say I wasn't disappointed. 𝙛𝘳𝘦e𝓌e𝗯n𝗼ѵ𝙚l.𝒄𝚘𝑚

<Host just needs to acquire a Teleportation Gate Blueprint, and you'll be free to travel to any place that you have visited before in just a matter of seconds >

And where do I acquire this Blueprint?

<Roselake Town has one. Though only the Lord uses it.>

"Then I have no choice but to pay you when I have the time to visit again," I said.

"With interest, of course. One day one player," she told me.

"Aren't you my minion? Can't you give me special privileges?"

Dementia only cocked her head to the side and beamed her sweetest.

"Business is business, my dear lord."