Chapter: Chapter 790By seven in the morning, every door in the east wing of the Tiffany house was locked, and nobody would tell the idiot why."What was the scream?" Alexander asked the cook innocently, at the kitchen door."What scream?" the cook snapped."At sunrise," he said patiently. "From the tower.""There wasn't any scream, Your Highness," she said, nervous. She didn't look at him. "You must have dreamed it.""Everybody dreamed it, then," Alexander said mildly. "The dogs dreamed it too. They were barking for an hour.""Breakfast's in the servants' hall," the cook said sharply, and shut the door in his face.Upstairs, behind the locked doors, he could hear the house running about in a panic: the doctor's car on the gravel at half past seven, Pauline's voice, sharp and low, and once, very clearly, Patricia's."That's impossible!" she shrieked.Felicia found him in the yard, in the grey morning light, feeding the hounds."Something's happened up there," she whispered. "The maids are crying. Madam Pa
Last Updated: 2026-10-08
Chapter: Chapter 789The grey car drove north along the coast road, rain streaming down its windows, the sea black on the left. In the back, Alexander changed out of the wet waiter's jacket into plain black clothes that fitted him exactly. A flat wooden box lay beside him."What's in it?" he asked."Your face, sir," the driver said flatly, without turning round. "Mr. Moss had it bought from a black market."Inside, on grey velvet, lay a mask of white porcelain: no mouth, two narrow slits for eyes, and a hairline crack across the brow mended with gold."Old," Alexander said softly."Three hundred years," the driver said, reading it off a card, dry as paper. "It belonged to a court physician who treated an empress and preferred not to be thanked.""Did the empress live?" Alexander asked, curious."To ninety. The physician was never identified." The driver put the card away. "Mr. Moss says he'd like both of those things to happen again."Alexander put the mask on. When he spoke again, his voice was lower and
Last Updated: 2026-10-08
Chapter: Chapter 788"Baroness," Alexander said politely. "May I ask you something?"Four hundred people held their breath under the three gold chandeliers.The Baroness put down her oyster fork. Beside her, Pauline's face went smooth and still, like a pond freezing."You may not," the Baroness said coldly. "Married-in men do not ask. You were told.""I was told," Alexander agreed, calm. "I'm asking anyway. It isn't for me.""Oh, he's asking, Mother!" Cordelia laughed, high and delighted. "At your birthday! In a waiter's jacket!""Be quiet, Cordelia," the Baroness snapped. She looked at him. "Well? You've stopped my quartet. Ask."He picked up one of the gold-edged cards that lay beside every plate.Under the menu, in curling letters, it said: The Tiffany Foundation: eighty years of care for the sick and the needy of the coast."Your foundation helps the sick," he said quietly. "It says so on every table. There's an old man on Harland. His name is Tom. He's seventy, and his heart is failing. The hospital
Last Updated: 2026-10-07
Chapter: Chapter 787The Grand Hotel's ballroom held four hundred people, and on the night of the Baroness Tiffany's eightieth birthday it held four hundred and twelve.Three gold chandeliers hung over a white marble floor. A string quartet played on a low stage, and at the head table, under the middle chandelier, the Baroness sat in black lace and pearls, small and straight, her white hair pinned so tightly it looked painful.Alexander arrived at the service door, because he wasn't allowed to use the front.Pauline was waiting for him there, tall, in dove grey, with something white folded over her arm."Put this on," she said coldly.He unfolded it. It was a short white waiter's jacket with brass buttons and the Grand Hotel's crest on the pocket."I'm a guest," he said, soft and puzzled."You're a married-in husband below the married-in husbands," Pauline said, smooth and cold as a menu. "There aren't enough chairs. There are, however, a great many trays." She handed it over with two fingers, as if it we
Last Updated: 2026-10-07
Chapter: Chapter 786"Thank you," Alexander said. "It's very clean."Preston stared at him. Then he laughed again, louder, and went away shaking his head.Felicia put the bags down. Her hands were trembling."We've both slept in worse," Alexander said. "Unpack. We're expected upstairs."The Baroness received him in the long drawing room, standing at the far end, by the fireplace.She was eighty, small and straight, with white hair pinned so tightly it looked painful and an ebony cane she clearly didn't need. She did not come forward or sit down. She let him walk the whole length of the carpet to her, past three sofas full of her family.Beside her, a tall woman in grey held a white card."My daughter Pauline," the Baroness said. "She'll explain how things are done.""Your Highness." Pauline didn't curtsy. She read from the card in a smooth, pleasant voice, the voice of someone reading a menu to a child."In this house, the women of the line sit at the head of the table. The married-in husbands sit below t
Last Updated: 2026-10-06
Chapter: Chapter 785The Treasury inquiry took one day.Two inspectors flew in from the capital on the morning plane, grim men with grey folders, and took statements all day in the harbour office."Name?""Ivo Brask. Fisherman.""Did the Comptroller order you not to touch the boats?" the inspector asked."He did. Loud. Twice.""And when the launch began to sink, did he rescind that order?""He shouted something," Ivo said. "Nobody had a pen."The van driver was next. "I read his order out over the loudspeaker," he said. "Twice round the harbour. Prison for anyone who touched a boat. I've got the paper here, sir. He signed it.""So the order was clear," the senior inspector said to Fennick. "Nobody was to touch a marked boat.""Very clear," Fennick said. "He said it to a thousand people. He said anyone. He said prison.""And the launch?""Forty years old, sir. The harbour master had condemned her twice.""I condemned her three times," the harbour master said. "It's in the log. Nobody in the capital ever re
Last Updated: 2026-10-06
Return of Overthinker
When the demon finally harnessed human sins and negative emotions to harvest negative energy, it opened a spatial gate to the planets that were already ravaged by monsters and teeming with dark creatures. The beasts and monsters passed through the gate, unleashing havoc upon Earth. These monstrous creatures caused destruction on a massive scale, pushing the earth toward an apocalyptic catastrophe.
In this dark time, The Creator granted certain humans the ability, marked by symbols on their right hands, to wield the power of gods and angels to combat these dark creatures.
My ability was 'Overthinking,' the weakest, but with hard work, I persisted for 60 years to become the most powerful and the savior of the world. However, in my final moments, I was betrayed by a friend who was born rich and noble, who forced me to die to obtain everything I had worked so hard for. Nevertheless, before my demise, I sent my memories back to my younger years.
This time, I will obtain everything: the best items, the finest women, and the most potent abilities. All will be mine!
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Chapter: Chapter 204I was a bit surprised. "Isn't down there a place where the dead rest, and there is nothing but cold and barren land?" "At first, it was a place full of beauty, but those who did not like it destroyed everything in it, making it cold and barren. I hope you can help those suffering down there find kindness and peace. In truth, you can build a place far more beautiful than the palace of the gods because hell was initially a very beautiful place for those in need." "I accept it wherever You send me." *** In a temple where knowledge was usually shared, several humans who were teachers of various schools gathered to discuss important matters about knowledge. "Hey," said one human to another, "Why did the gods stop sharing their knowledge with us?" "Haven't you heard that the King of the gods, or God Indra, has been replaced?" "Really?" "God Indra is now angry after finding out that knowledge was given to humans by the previous Indra," said another human. "He stopped all knowledge fro
Last Updated: 2024-07-23
Chapter: Chapter 203After 1,000 years had passed, the three worlds experienced their golden age. There was no poverty or hunger throughout the three worlds. Everything was going very well. All dimensions entered a golden age because kindness became the most important thing in the three realms. Humans, gods, ashuras, and all beings were directed to continue giving kindness to all creatures. During my reign, everyone competed to do good so that there was no poverty, hunger, or lack. During that time, those who came to me, whether gods, ashuras, or humans, would get what they asked for. I did this as my way of doing good to all beings.One day, a dwarf-bodied brahmin came to my palace. The brahmin, called Vamana, had a body that was only waist-high to an ordinary human. He wore white clothes that wrapped loosely around his small body. However, considering that he was a human and came from the third dimension, being able to ascend to the twelfth dimension where the gods' palace was located was alr
Last Updated: 2024-07-22
Chapter: Chapter 202"I don't remember that part," I said. "Because each life makes you forget. I just want to say, if you give the gods' knowledge to humans, won't the gods lose their power? Haven't you humiliated them all? Your strength has made you not understand the feelings of the weaker gods." "Guru, if what you say is true, is my current strength because I was a strong spirit in the past?" He looked at me and weakly shook his head. "No, all spirits start from the same place." "Then why did I become strong?" "You had no fear, and your enjoyment of playing made you keep striving for something greater without caring for your own life." Brihaspati continued, "However, what placed you as King Indra is something else." "What is that?" "A sense of responsibility to protect the weak and make life better for all beings." Brihaspati sighed. "Those who have that sincerity will always be carried by karma and the will of God to re
Last Updated: 2024-07-21
Chapter: Chapter 201"Boss, you've become weak," said Raindo, one of the Ashura generals, approaching me. He looked enormous compared to my now smaller form. "You keep spending time in that school and library. You never fight anymore. You're going to become weak, and the previous Indra will soon return to reclaim his throne." "You just don't understand, my brother," I said, still reading a book. "Right now, I am ten times stronger than I was before." "I don't believe it," said Raindo, one of the strongest generals. "Let's test it." "Of course," I said, seemingly unconcerned. "Get ready." "I'm always ready," he replied. As soon as he said that, a bolt of lightning shot down from the sky, striking his body. He was thrown far, crashing into the palace walls and severely injured. "What happened?" he asked, looking confused and trying to stand up. He didn't know what had hit him. "I just attacked you. I gained the power
Last Updated: 2024-07-20
Chapter: Chapter 200“Oh,” I shouted. “That's easy.” Suddenly, I felt very smart. “I have plenty of wealth in the treasury.” Quickly, I ordered several Ashura to bring as much treasure as possible from Indra's vault and distribute it to all the Ashura. All the Ashura were happy. “Look, Guru, haven't I done a good deed? I shared my wealth with them.” I felt pleased. “Fool!” he shouted. “You haven't done a good deed at all. You should have given the wealth to those in need.” I fell silent. Quickly, I ordered all the Ashura to return the treasures they had received. The Ashura didn't need wealth; if there was one thing they needed, it was weapons. They all grumbled, and I quickly asked, “Do you want food and drink or wealth?” “Food!!!!” “Drink!!” None wanted wealth. Suddenly, it dawned on me. Who needs wealth? The Ashura don't need wealth, the gods already have plenty of wealth. The only poor creatures needing wealth are humans
Last Updated: 2024-07-19
Chapter: Chapter 199“Prepare all the food and drinks. All the gods must order their servants to bring all the food from their palaces. Call the apsaras, the heavenly maidens, and beautiful dancers. Call the singers and musicians. We will have a party.” So, a grand feast was held for days in the courtyard of Indra's palace. Music, dancing, and food never stopped. After that, the Ashura were left drunk in the palace courtyard. The gods had returned to their respective duties. I moved around to see the entire palace, and suddenly, an old man appeared before me. “What have you done to this place?” the old man asked, looking at the palace's new weapon-laden decor. “Who are you?” I asked, confused. This old man wore the simple clothes of a Brahmana, a single piece of cloth. The Brahmana do not fight, so we never touch them. If they get angry, we could get the worst curses of our lives. But if they are pleased, they could grant us many new and exciting powers. We prefer to appease them and wait for the
Last Updated: 2024-07-18
