The Remedy

"Tonight may be even more crucial than subduing Adel," Adam mused, rubbing his temples, his thoughts lingering on the impending event.

"It's a big stage tonight."

"Among so many Otherkin, there might be a few brutes who, ignoring the aura of mystery I've created, might choose to attack me directly." Adam squinted. "That's when the atmosphere will be crucial."

"I need to overpower everyone the moment I step onto the scene." Adam frowned. His trump cards were still limited—aside from the God's Tear ritual, he had only subdued Adel so far.

Especially considering his current state, Adam was far from his best. If any unexpected situations arose, he might not be able to handle them.

"So what could possibly intimidate the Otherkin?" Many things scared them—like the Church, or various forces that suppressed them.

But to fully dominate them from the outset, there were few things that could achieve that.

"Either the corpse of an Otherkin or that of a monk. Death is the most commanding force." Adam's expression darkened.

"Monks are harder to kill; even if successful, it would likely provoke the Church into large-scale action, and that would be counterproductive."

"On the other hand, the most accessible corpse would be Adel's." Adam's fingers rested on the windowsill as his gaze drifted into the distance, his mind slowly turning over possibilities.

First, Adel had no real defenses against him and was already injured—killing him wouldn't be too difficult.

Second, though Adel was in a state of fervor, their previous interactions had exposed several weaknesses. If Adel came to his senses, Adam might expose himself.

Lastly, Adam simply didn't like him.

However, there were consequences to dealing with Adel in this way.

Firstly, while it could scare the gathered Otherkin, it would also arouse suspicion. Adam had promised Adel the ritual, and then to kill him outright would be a severe breach of trust—those Otherkin would no longer work for him wholeheartedly.

Secondly, the emotional turmoil stemming from the death of one of their own could lead the Otherkin to rebel or flee. If Adam failed to control the situation, it could escalate into a much larger problem.

Weighing the pros and cons, Adam removed personal preference from the equation and rejected the idea of using Adel's body to intimidate the others.

"My trump cards are still too few," Adam sighed in resignation. His lack of true strength was becoming a glaring flaw.

"All the power I've shown so far has been an illusion, so I must maintain my mystery." Much of Adam's actions thus far had been to preserve his enigmatic aura.

For example, he hadn't instructed Adel to bring the Otherkin one by one. Instead, he had ordered them all to come at once, making himself seem more commanding and successfully intimidating Adel.

"Now, I realize I made a mistake," Adam reflected. At the time, Adel had already fallen into his trap, and from that point onward, maintaining his mystery was no longer necessary.

Just as those caught in a scam will deceive themselves to make the lie feel real, Adel had likely already fixated on the God's Tear ritual Adam had mentioned.

"By overindulging in my desire to perfect my own concealment, I've created a dilemma for myself." Adam absorbed the lesson, turning to head downstairs.

Still weighed down with thoughts, Adam told Alis and Maggie that he was going out for some air. Naturally, they agreed, concerned for their nephew.

As Adam walked through the streets, making his way toward the slums, he reflected on the errors he had recognized. With that awareness, he was determined to find a way to remedy them.

"Track Adel's whereabouts, then gather more Otherkin, and organize them into layers," Adam mused, already formulating a solution.

"Those who've benefited and those who haven't," Adam squinted. "I can even spread part of the God's Tear ritual, using it to divide the Otherkin."

"In order to protect their own interests, the ones who've benefited will support me."

"Then, even if there are some hotheads, the conflict will not be between me and them, but between the hothead and those who already have power."

Adam quietly made his way to the riverbank, digging out his attire from behind a tree before heading to his destination.

"Adel's notes mention that before returning to Roya, he wandered the forest for months, and only after meeting with other Otherkin did he return to the city."

"This suggests that the Otherkin Adel knows were active in the forest."

"And it's highly likely they were either lumberjacks or residents of the slums," Adam speculated. While the forest was vast and sparsely populated, perfect for Otherkin to move about, it lacked much else. Deeper in, one might encounter Roya's patrols.

Unless the Otherkin were already living in the slums and had to go into the forest for some reason, it seemed unlikely for them to venture that far from home.

"The slums, though, have only three paths available to its people. They either form gangs, relying on exploitation; work in other districts; or they chop wood. The slums were originally settled by lumberjacks and still supply much of the South District's wood."

"As for gangs, their backers are usually nobles. If a new gang appears, they're either secretly absorbed by the nobles or reported to the Church for eradication."

Adam recalled the black smoke-wolf he had seen at Baron Manslra's estate—perhaps that creature had been drawn into the Baron's influence.

"Thus, lumberjacks seem the most likely." Most Otherkin wanted to hide their true nature, and lumberjacks, who had little interaction with outsiders, were ideal for them.

Not every Otherkin was like Adam, willing to infiltrate the Church—many had an innate fear of it.

"The slums are too crowded during the day," Adam mused. He couldn't find an opportunity to change his clothes. Despite the surrounding filth and the gaunt faces of the people, the busy streets hardly resembled a slum.

"Do they really need so many carts to transport timber?" The slums were the largest timber-producing area and also the biggest source of cheap labor.

Roya, as the nearby prosperous city, attracted many from surrounding towns and villages, and the slums were often their first stop.

"Perhaps the materials are purchased from the countryside?" Adam was about to think further when he caught a familiar scent.

Limping, Adel was making his way home. If not for Adam's sharp senses, he might not have noticed two individuals following him.

"If everyone is called together, the target is too large. So, splitting them up and bringing them to his home—Adel is indeed cautious." Though in the busy slums, such caution often proved unnecessary.

Many Otherkin lost their vigilance, but one mistake could cost them their lives.

Adam didn't immediately follow but circled the area again to ensure no other Otherkin were following Adel before heading toward his home.

"Four people—no, five—Adel has at least five people gathered now." Adam took a deep breath, carefully analyzing the situation.

Without hesitation, he swiftly changed into his attire.

Adel's connections were more extensive than Adam had imagined, or perhaps the Otherkin living in Roya were more tightly bound than he had realized.

If Adam waited until nightfall, more Otherkin might gather than expected, making it difficult to control them.

Closing his eyes to calm himself, Adam made his way toward the cabin at a steady pace. His deliberate footsteps caught the attention of those inside. Their eyes shifted toward Adel, silently questioning whether he had invited anyone else.

"I invited Jin earlier, but he refused." Adel's expression became odd. Jin was the strongest Otherkin he knew, and he had sought him out first.

But though Jin had shown interest, he had declined. Had he changed his mind?

"Good afternoon, everyone," Adam said as he pushed open the door, his silhouette blocking the sunlight like a halo. His shadow stretched into the room, and his calm voice carried a subtle power that immediately subdued the gathered Otherkin.