Jared gulped down a glass of cold water and then wiped his face with a wet towel. Each time the towel touched his face, he could feel his chubby cheeks jiggle. It was quite unpleasant, but he decided to accept it since it was now his body. No matter how much he denied it, this pig-like body wasn't going to magically become slim and fit overnight.
"Ugh, just washing my face makes me out of breath. Can a human body really be like this?"
After drinking some water and wiping his face, he felt an urge to lie down on the bed. Without realizing it, his body was already halfway leaning toward the bed. Jared forced himself to stand up. Unlike his heavy, sluggish body, his mind was starting to work quickly.
"Alright, let's think this through."
He decided to go over things step by step. First, this world was the setting of the game "Paradiso" that he used to enjoy in his past life. In his previous life, the only joy he had was gaming, so he spent all his free time playing "Paradiso" when he wasn't working.
Simply put, he was a veteran player, almost to the point of being stagnant water, or even rotten water. Because of this, his mind was filled with layers of experience, memories, character development, and territory management plans accumulated over a long time.
He had almost memorized the bug reports of "Paradiso," which had become issues due to various big and small events. He had held the top spot as a power blogger posting about "Paradiso" for nearly ten years, so theoretically, he was almost at the level of a master. Of course, not everything was perfect.
In "Paradiso," he wasn't a particularly strong ranked player, just one of those average mid-tier users. If you took away the title of a theoretical power blogger, he was just an old player who had been around for a long time. That was the feeling.
"The Nas Great War, known as the Continental Civil War, is a story that takes place five years from now. That means I have five years of leeway."
Jared laid down the groundwork. There were still five years until the entire continent would be engulfed in war. This meant he had five years to grow himself and his territory. And then he laid down the next premise.
"With all this vast knowledge about 'Paradiso' in my head, not using it would be a waste. I have an advantage that others don't. There's a lot of sweet benefits I can secretly take advantage of in this world. Tricks, bugs, there are many, right?"
The overwhelming advantage of knowledge! By using this, he could secure a favorable future ahead of others and enjoy benefits they wouldn't know about. Of course, he had to consider variables, but he could taste the sweet honey first!
"In my past life, I was just an ordinary office worker, but now that I've reincarnated, let's succeed properly! It was my dream, wasn't it? To become the strongest hero of the Nas continent and a famous ruler who unifies the world."
He solidified his sense of purpose. Setting big and small goals for motivation was something he enjoyed doing in his past life. Even though he might have been a low-level employee in reality, he always dreamed big. Even when colleagues mocked him for having unrealistic dreams, he would boldly claim that he would become a CEO of a big company someday. So why should this life be any different? In fact, knowing the future he didn't know in his past life made achieving his goals much more likely.
"Then I have to survive. I must survive! I need to know exactly who I am to have the leisure to understand others."
Jared suddenly stood up. His sagging belly was heavy enough to weigh down his rising motivation, but he ignored it and moved. He headed toward the office, which he remembered clearly from his current life's memories.
As soon as I arrived at the office, the first thing that came to mind was to secure the Insight skill. It's a skill that can't be shared with others.
"I absolutely need the Insight skill. It's a skill I could get through a trick in 'Paradiso'! With this, managing the territory becomes much easier. It also gives an overwhelming advantage in scouting promising talents."
Insight, a passive skill. It's a skill with a fancy name that, simply put, allows you to scan an opponent's stats and tendencies. Depending on the user's ability and level, more detailed information could be obtained. So the higher the level, the more perks there were. For example, you could see the affection level of the opposite sex or their secret sensitive spots... and even gauge loyalty.
"Whether managing the territory, commanding vassals, or waging conquest wars, no matter what path I take, the Insight skill is a must. Before understanding the territory's situation, I need to get Insight first. If someone else meets the evil spirit Isabella first, I might lose the chance to secure it. Every second counts!"
I hurried. Insight is a unique ability possessed by the evil spirit Isabella. Since it's obtained through a contract with her, there's no other way to get it, and no one else can obtain it either. In other words, only one person on the entire Nas continent can acquire Insight through a contract. It's a perk I absolutely can't give up.
"Today happens to be the 1st, the only day of the month when Isabella can be summoned."
Today is January 1st. Maybe things are going well because even the date is perfect.
"Right now, there's probably only one artifact I can use for the summoning."
As I recalled, I thought of the artifact that could be used to summon Isabella. Summoning a high-level evil spirit required a tremendous amount of mana. But with my current magic stat of 75, it was far too low to perform the ritual, and there was only one item I could use. It was the artifact left to me by my father, Baron Barrett - now that I've awakened all the memories of this life, he is my father.
"My son, use this artifact for something meaningful for your growth!"
My father's last words were still vivid in my mind. He probably hoped it would be used as a meaningful auxiliary means in the process of magical synthesis... But I intended to use it for the ritual to summon Isabella.
The reason for my hesitation was simple. The artifact used in the ritual would lose its life force and be reduced to a handful of ashes. It would no longer function as an artifact, as it would directly bear the curse of summoning an evil spirit.
In other words, my father's keepsake would disappear. However, with the dire financial state of the territory, there was no money to buy a finely crafted, expensive artifact. This was my only means.
"Anyway, it's a meaningful means for growth. I believe you'll understand."
After convincing myself, I knelt in the corner of the office. It was time to perform the ritual. The ritual to summon the cursed evil spirit before me! It was the start of the trick to obtain Insight through a contract with her.
"Reverre, Orlinugus, Jerma, Himdrio."
With my hand on the artifact, I recited the incantation to summon Isabella.
Thud! Thud! Boom!
Sssssss!
Then the artifact began to react violently, spewing out dark red smoke. It was a summoning ritual of an evil spirit that exuded an aura of darkness at a glance.
- Hahaha! Hahahaha!
Then, from within the smoke, a high-pitched voice like nails on a chalkboard burst out, and soon a large female figure appeared. It was the evil spirit Isabella. As seen in "Paradiso," she was indeed a large-bodied, voluptuous evil spirit. Even my body, which wouldn't lose to anyone in size, was only about half her size.
When our eyes met, Isabella took a step toward me and asked.
- Oh, did you call me?
I nodded. Isabella asked me again.
- Foolish human, what is it that you desire so much to call me?
"I want Insight."
- Insight? You have a truly greedy desire! You want to see inside others?
"Of course."
I replied calmly. If I showed fear or tension here, Isabella would lose interest and leave. You can only summon her once in a lifetime. There won't be another chance. Moreover, since she's often called by other beings, she's busy. If I miss this opportunity, I might never get Insight.
- Hmm.
At my answer, Isabella seemed to ponder for a moment. Then she turned her head toward me and asked quickly, as if urging me.
- What's the most important thing to you? Think of it right now! Tell me now!
"Alright. A chance to get a hidden skill!"
Isabella wouldn't know. That she had fallen into a trap. She was caught in the trick I had prepared!
Back when I played "Paradiso," players often lost expensive artifacts or large amounts of gold in vain during the process of contracting with Isabella. That's because when they heard Isabella say, "Think of what's most important to you," they unconsciously thought of expensive things.
If I had received such a question without any preparation, I would have thought of the safety of the territory or my father's artifact. Then, at that moment! I would lose whatever I thought of to Isabella.
If I thought of the territory, the entire territory would be cursed by the evil spirit. In simple terms, it would be destruction. But I thought of "that" as I had prepared.
Then, in the next moment! Isabella's thick lips, which seemed like they could make three servings if sliced, stretched out to the sides, and she began to laugh loudly.
- Hahaha! What kind of artifact will it be this time! Or how much money will I get! I'll take what you thought of! A pretty girl? That's fine too. I just have to devour her and absorb her beauty!
She was drinking her own Kool-Aid. It wasn't surprising since I had seen this reaction in "Paradiso" before. Soon, that triumphant expression would turn into a face as if she had bitten into something bitter!
"Oh God, watch over me."
I prayed in a low voice and, feeling enlightened, closed my eyes. Since I was prepared to sacrifice "this much" to obtain Insight from Isabella.
[An eternal contract with Isabella has been made!]
[You have obtained Isabella's Insight! From now on, you can use the power of Insight!]
[As the price of the contract, your 'pure first kiss' is eternally bound to Isabella.]
- Uh-oh?
Along with Isabella's surprised voice, my body floated up. Then Isabella's form, which was just a shape, became clear, turning into a real figure. And as if drawn by a magnet, my body and face moved toward Isabella. It was a forced process due to the contract, an irreversible one-way street.
- You! Why are you getting closer to me! Go away, don't come!
Isabella tried to push me away, but she couldn't avoid it because she was also bound by the contract. In the past, artifacts or gold would have flown into her hands like a whirlwind. But today was different. What she would take was my first kiss. Lips, themselves! Because what I thought was most important was "my pure first kiss as a 34-year-old lifelong single in Shin Taepung's body."
"Isabella, the contract is already fulfilled. Accept it like I do."
I gently closed my eyes.
- No! I don't want it! I said no!
I heard Isabella's desperate voice, but I ignored it and sang the national anthem.
"Until the East Sea's waters and Mt. Baekdu are dry and worn away..."
Then I felt a sense of solemnity and mental stability. And after a while.
Smooch. Smooch. Smooch.
Without my will, as if I were a puppet of God, a deep kiss with Isabella began. I could only feel the sensation of a piece of meat meeting another piece of meat. ...That's what I thought.
- This can't be happening! This is absurd! Ugh!
She screamed, and I remained silent. For the sake of obtaining Insight, my lips were a small price to pay. If only I could forget the fact that my first kiss was taken by an evil spirit. For quite some time, "we" faithfully and passionately fulfilled the contract.