The Monster Monarch System-Chapter 248: Fortune Teller

The inn was quiet that morning, save for the occasional sound of footsteps from the few early risers moving about.

Selene stood near the staircase, lazily wiping the wooden railing with a damp cloth, though most of her attention was focused elsewhere.

Her golden eyes lingered on the man sitting at one of the tables below. Rem.

She had met all kinds of men in Sorin City — braggarts, cowards, merchants looking to cheat a few extra coins out of someone too naive to notice.

But Rem wasn’t like any of them. There was a quiet stillness about him, an unnatural air that made him stand out.

He carried himself with a level of detachment that was rare in a city as lively as this. He looked like someone who had seen too much, survived too much, and learned not to flinch at it.

Selene smirked slightly, leaning against the railing as she watched him. More importantly — how could she take advantage of this?

Down below, the innkeeper set a fresh drink on the table and took a seat across from Rem, the older man’s expression tired but content.

He had the kind of face that belonged to someone who had worked hard all his life but had finally found something worth keeping.

"So," the innkeeper began, tapping the rim of his mug, "got any plans for today?"

Rem set down his own drink. "Taking the kids to the Guild. Getting them registered. Might raid a dungeon."

The innkeeper let out a laugh. "Already throwing yourself back into the thick of it, huh? You lot are crazy."

Rem didn’t bother to respond.

The innkeeper shook his head, still grinning. "You’ve got time for all that later. You just got here, didn’t you? Take a damn break." He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice like he was about to share a grand secret. "Why don’t you tour the city? See what Sorin has to offer."

Rem gave him a look, sensing there was more to the suggestion.

The innkeeper smirked knowingly. "Maybe even visit the Red Light District." He raised his brows suggestively. "The women there are something else, let me tell you."

Selene, who had been eavesdropping from her spot on the stairs, rolled her eyes but stayed quiet, listening.

Rem exhaled slowly. His expression remained unreadable. "Not interested."

The innkeeper chuckled. "Ah, you’re one of those serious types, huh? Always thinking about the next fight, the next job." He lifted his drink in a mock toast. "Just don’t get yourself robbed, kid."

Rem didn’t dignify that with a response. He stood, pulling his cloak over his shoulders and securing the clasp before heading for the door.

As he stepped outside, the morning air greeted him, cool and crisp against his skin.

The streets of Sorin City were alive with movement.

The voices of merchants rang through the air as they shouted about their wares, trying to lure in potential buyers.

Vendors bargained with impatient customers, their hands moving with practiced ease as they weighed goods and counted coins.

The scent of fresh bread mixed with the faint aroma of herbs from nearby apothecaries, filling the air with a strange but familiar blend.

Children darted between stalls, their laughter ringing out as they weaved through the crowd. In the distance, a man was arguing with a merchant over the price of a jeweled dagger, his frustration evident in the way he gestured wildly.

Rem moved through it all effortlessly, his eyes quietly observing everything. Every street, every alley, every stationed guard — he mapped it out in his mind, committing it all to memory.

A city like this was both opportunity and danger wrapped in one.

His eyes flickered toward the far end of the street, where the atmosphere changed.

Unlike the golden sunlight that bathed the rest of the city, this part of Sorin was shrouded in dim, crimson hues.

Red lanterns swayed gently from strings overhead, casting a sultry glow over the cobblestone paths.

The Red Light District.

The air here was heavier, filled with the scent of perfume and alcohol. Women dressed in silk and lace leaned against doorframes, their laughter light and playful as they called out to passing men.

Some whispered sweet words, while others simply smiled, letting their expressions do the work.

A group of men strolled past, their arms wrapped around the waists of young women, disappearing into the candle-lit buildings that lined the streets.

Soft music drifted through the air, accompanied by the distant sound of glasses clinking together in celebration.

Rem kept walking.

He wasn’t interested, nor did he trust the inviting smiles of women trained in seduction. His mind was sharper than that — always calculating, always wary.

Still, he could feel the eyes on him.

From above, Selene leaned against a balcony railing, watching him from a distance.

She had followed him. Not because she had any particular attachment to him, but because she was curious.

The way he moved, the way he carried himself — it was different. He didn’t gawk at the sights like the usual visitors, nor did he rush to indulge in what the district had to offer.

Instead, he walked through it with a presence that felt almost unnatural, as if he belonged yet remained apart from it all.

Selene smirked to herself.

What kind of man had she stolen from? And more importantly — how could she use him?

The streets grew quieter as Rem moved further from the lively chaos of the Red Light District.

The city still pulsed with life, but here, near the grand fountain in the heart of Sorin, the energy was different.

It wasn’t filled with the sounds of bargaining merchants or the clinking of tankards. Instead, the air carried a softer, almost ethereal stillness.

The fountain itself was a magnificent structure — sculpted from smooth white marble, with crystal-clear water cascading from the mouth of a stone dragon.

Golden coins littered the bottom, shimmering beneath the surface as sunlight reflected off them. Some were offerings, tossed by hopeful travelers wishing for good fortune.

Others were simply discarded wealth, lost and forgotten in the depths of the pool.

Rem stopped near the edge, taking a brief moment to scan his surroundings. His instincts had long since trained him to stay alert, to be on guard no matter how peaceful a place seemed.

It was an ingrained habit — one that had kept him alive.

And then he saw her.

Sitting on the fountain’s edge was a woman unlike any he had ever seen.