Chapter 192: The Demon Queen Wants My Enhancement Buffs

’A mission, huh...’ Ryan evaluated the options he had.

The demon queen’s proposal remained floating in the air, forcing him to rapidly calculate the efficiency of his current resources within his inventory.

’Even though I can use the flight scroll I have left, it won’t be enough for the entire journey. Right now the important thing is to remain incognito. Besides, if I were to leave like that, I would have to pass through both demonic and human territory...’

The journey on foot or by air using his own magical means implied crossing far too many surveillance zones.

The possibility of running into adventurers who would recognize him, or demons who would attack him, or even people from the holy knights, was almost 95%.

Ryan sighed with annoyance.

’Damn it, Helen’s actions are causing me more trouble than they should even though she isn’t even here...’

The warrior’s recklessness in getting rid of the dungeon’s anchoring robe was forcing him to depend on Ophelia much more than he should.

While Ryan was distracted thinking about his options, due to the delay in his response, Ophelia, who noticed that he wasn’t paying attention to her, stepped closer to him.

The woman abruptly invaded his personal space, reducing the physical distance between them and locking her crimson pupils directly onto his face.

"Well then? Will you come with me? I promise that afterward we will go with Ivis, it won’t take long."

’I suppose there is no other choice.’

"Alright, but where exactly are we going?" Ryan asked. Even though he agreed to go with her, it wasn’t as if he liked being dragged around blindly, either.

"We will go to the Southern Tower. It is a place on the border, just north of here," she said with a calm smile.

"Do not worry, we will go using this portal," she added, showing a second portal after putting away the one that had failed them minutes earlier.

Ryan nodded.

"Alright, I will go with you," he responded without putting up any opposition.

Then, Ophelia grabbed his arm with great confidence, activated the portal stone, and in the blink of an eye, the environment changed all around them.

The spatial distortion of the teleportation system was instantaneous, erasing the sight of the mountain range in a fraction of a second.

They went from being on the mountain to a completely flat place, with white stone all around them, well crafted as if it were a platform, and an enormous black tower right in front.

’Now that I think about it, it is the first time I have teleported, I mean... of my own free will.’

The structure rose imposingly over the stone, marking the exact geographical limit of her territory’s northern border.

"My lady!"

"Your Majesty!"

Before them, appearing almost out of nowhere, were the two Infernals who had been in the throne room earlier.

Both of them were on their knees receiving their queen.

The two high-ranking demons bowed their heads in a profound show of submission and respect, keeping their bodies completely motionless upon the white platform.

’So the twins are also here.’ Ryan thought after remembering the sharp-tongued pair of twins back in the castle, right there in the throne room.

Then Ryan looked toward the tower.

’I feel several presences inside the tower, but they feel very weak, as if they were suppressing their power.’

Definitively, his senses had improved a great deal; they scanned the base of the black structure, detecting the fluctuating energy signatures that remained behind the stone walls.

And Ophelia, who noticed his gaze.

Commented to him in a sarcastic manner.

"Do not worry, only they are here. Besides, I don’t think Badilus has any intention of attacking you if he sees you again," she said, making an allusion to the battle he had in the throne room earlier.

The mockery in her tone made it clear that the defeated commander would not risk his status in a second confrontation after the humiliation he had suffered.

"I see, but, who is inside the tower?" Ryan asked with curiosity.

"You will find out soon enough, that is why we came," she said, advancing toward the interior of the tower.

Ophelia walked with a firm step toward the grand black stone entrance, leaving the platform behind without stopping to give any formal explanations.

"You two can return now," ordered the demon queen.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" And before leaving, they began to comment among themselves.

The twins quickly stood up, breaking formation while they observed out of the corner of their eyes the dark trench coat of the human who was advancing alongside their sovereign.

"That human is very strong, he humiliated Badilus with total ease."

"You can say that again... I still remember what he did to us. Do you think he is stronger than..."

But as they advanced, after entering the tower, Ryan could not hear anything more.

The echo of the subordinates’ voices was devoured by the thick silence that dominated the interior corridor of the structure.

Ophelia walked down the tower’s stairs toward a basement, which was curious for him, since he had thought they would go up the tower instead of down.

But Ryan followed her without stopping, because with a signal, she indicated that the true purpose of the building was hidden beneath the ground.

"They should be waking up right about now," said the demon queen, walking to the very end of the basement. And added.

"This place also functions as a temporary holding cell, you know?"

A small candlelight illuminated the wall in front of them, and glowing chains began to resonate, nailed to the wall, and connected to the chains were two male demons, one very robust, and the other with a slender build.

The metallic sound of the links clashing against each other filled the enclosed underground environment, revealing the silhouettes of the prisoners.

Both of them were suspended against the stone, with bruised bodies and chains glowing with a sort of runes upon the metal that wrapped around their limbs.

’Which faction are these Abyssals from?’ Ryan thought upon inspecting them.

He sharpened his gaze, analyzing their physical features, the flow of their suppressed energy, and the threat rank those two Abyssal-level existences represented inside the cells.

If they were locked up under lock and key on the border of Morrisen, they had to belong to an enemy faction involved in the troop movement of some demon king.

"Ryan, could you enhance my skills?" Ophelia asked with curiosity.

The demon queen stopped dead in her tracks in front of the chained prisoners and turned her face toward him, showing a sudden interest in his support capabilities.

"What?" he responded, feeling puzzled. Without comprehending why suddenly, Ophelia, even while harboring so much power, could want any help when she was only facing a pair of wounded and subdued Abyssals.

"Like I said, I want you to enhance me. Are you a Priest or not?"