Infinite Returns : The More I Give, The Stronger I Become-Chapter 88: Prince of Virtue

Chapter 88 – Prince of Virtue

"Easy way or hard way?" Ethan’s voice was like a whisper — the kind of whisper that could melt the heart of a woman carved from the origin of ice itself.

But strangely, Dali didn’t take it that way. She couldn’t stop a shudder from crawling through her heart like a worm.

Fixing her golden eyes on Ethan, she knew she had little to no choice in the matter. She needed to respond otherwise, she would have to relive the torture she had just endured.

And that didn’t sound appealing.

"Why?" she asked. "Why are you doing all of this for this Archdemon? Do you know him? But that’s not possible, you’re simply a D-rank human, the weakest and most useless race."

She spat the words without emotion, as if stating a fact. But suddenly, her expression lit up with strange understanding as she looked Ethan from head to toe. Her eyes squinted, then she muttered through a thin smirk,

"I see... you’re one of those who abandoned their godhood to start over, aren’t you?"

She spoke with arrogant confidence, her smirk screaming I’ve found your secret a little too loudly for Ethan’s taste.

Ethan tilted his head, wondering if he had heard correctly. He turned toward Airi, who stood behind him at a respectful distance, far enough but close enough to mark her position as his servant.

"Gods who abandoned their godhood to walk among us..." Ethan echoed Dali’s words, then fixed his mystical eyes on Airi. "Have you ever seen that, Airi?"

Airi thought about it for a moment, diving deep into her memories to see if such a thing had ever occurred before her eyes. But after recalling everything she’d been through...

She shook her head. "No. I’ve never witnessed anything like that."

Dali darted her gaze between the two of them. "You’re not one of them?" she asked, perplexed. "Then why are you doing all of this?"

She truly couldn’t understand the man standing before her. If he wasn’t one of those who abandoned their godhood — the ones the gods called The Sacrilegious — then who was he? Or rather... what was he?

If Ethan noticed her confusion, his face didn’t reflect it. Instead...

"I gave him my word. And now I intend to keep it, no matter what. That’s who I am. So don’t waste my time, darling. I have somewhere to be, and people to meet."

He leaned closer, tightening his grip on her frail yet resilient body. His voice came out like a divine order. "Spit it out."

That was an order Dali couldn’t refuse. She shifted under his grip, grimacing at the unexpected strength of this D-rank human. Exhaling slowly, she spoke:

"My master is an Archangel under the Prince of Virtue," Dali began, drawing the attention of both Airi and Ethan. "As you already know, she is named Seris. The whole thing you might have thought a farce — and it is — is just something my Lady set up to gain a higher rank under the Prince of Virtue."

Dali shook her head slightly, her expression weary. "You don’t know how fierce and harrowing the battle for authority and station is up there," she said, pointing to the sky.

Ethan understood what she meant, Heaven, or whatever they called that place. What was the name even? Finding it awkward to interrupt her, he swallowed his question for later.

"That’s why, when an Archdemon came shouting for all who could hear that he loved my Lady..." Her face twisted in disgust, as if picturing the scene. "...my Lady simply took the chance to prove herself before the Prince of Virtue."

"All of this was to say that if you wish to have my Lady’s love, you need to give her what she wants most."

"Which is?" Ethan asked.

Dali shrugged her small shoulders. "To become the next Prince of Virtue. Or maybe... Princess of Virtue."

"Oh..." Ethan exhaled softly.

’How many problems will I get if I involve myself in this story?’

[Do you really wish to know?]

’I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.’

[It’s not a wise idea to involve yourself in the successor’s battle for Virtue’s seat or any of the others.]

’Isn’t it already too late for that?’

The system didn’t respond. It knew Ethan would do whatever he wanted anyway.

Ethan chuckled. He understood the system now more than ever after the incident with the spear.

But just as he’d said before...with his system, not going wild would be the greatest sacrilege in the Tower’s existence. His decision was already made.

He would help Seravax in his love affair. Not by helping Seris become the Princess of Virtue or whatever but by giving Seravax the means to do it himself.

And if even then it didn’t work... then Seravax would have to accept that sometimes, in life, there are things simply not meant to be.

"You’ve been very cooperative, Dali." Ethan’s tone was, obviously, sarcastic. But the little will seemed to miss that word’s meaning entirely, beaming brightly and flashing her insufferably white teeth that shimmered under the sun.

"I’ve helped you. Now will you release me? And what do you plan to do with the Archdemon’s body?" she asked, her voice suddenly softer, almost polite after his compliment.

What an easy little thing.

"What else?" Ethan smiled faintly as he threw Dali toward Airi without care. The latter yelped in surprise, then sighed in relief as she realized she’d caught her. That relief didn’t last long not when she looked up and met Airi’s cold, murderous eyes.

Dali smiled crookedly. "The past is the past... isn’t it?"

Airi didn’t respond. The silence between them grew awkward.

Behind them, Ethan walked forward across the grass-carpeted ground, each step making a soft crunch that echoed through the enclosed realm. He moved toward Seravax’s body, still seated lifelessly upon his throne.

Now that the spear was gone, he could finally begin his task. But first...

’How many karmic points?’

[Five billion.]

’Will that be enough?’

[For what you plan for him to be — no.]

Ethan shrugged, already expecting that. ’Then let’s start simple for now.’

’Let’s first make him human. By the way, does he want to keep his appearance or not? Meh... let’s take it and elevate it further.’

He paused for a heartbeat, then... 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

’System, you know what to do, don’t you?’

[Yes.]

Ethan grinned.

’Let’s begin, then.’

—End of Chapter 88—