Monarch of Gluttony: System of Sin

Azekiel walked to the restaurant closest to the Royal Castle, leaving the Nobles behind, who were still trying to figure out how they were going to handle the Empire with a council of them. With the threat of Azekiel looming over their heads, they couldn't afford to make a mistake.

The restaurant closest to the Royal Palace was also the most expensive and luxurious restaurant in the entire city, where only the wealthy could afford to enter. Fortunately, when he was in the Royal Palace, Azekiel had already changed his bloody clothes to something more elegant.

He also had some money that he had taken from the Duke's Castle. He didn't realize that the Restaurant didn't even dare to ask him for money.

Many people in the city knew what the so-called Demon looked like who had destroyed the Royal Palace, and the people working closest to the Royal Palace were one of them.

In fact, the restaurant owners even thought of closing the restaurant for a few days, but in the end, they decided against it.

At the entrance of the restaurant, there stood two guards. Since it was such a fancy restaurant, it was their responsibility to make sure that no useless person entered the place to spoil the elegant atmosphere for the other guests.

The guards had to be crazy to try to stop Azekiel. Instead of stopping him, they subconsciously bowed their heads and opened the doors for him.

[00:25:15]

Azekiel entered the restaurant with Lia and Raphael with less than half an hour left on the clock. However, as soon as he entered, he momentarily froze in place, recognizing a familiar face.

Sitting near one of the window seats, there was an old man who was gazing out the window as if waiting for his food to arrive.

Almost everyone in the restaurant was stunned to see Azekiel there, but the old man didn't even glance at him, as if he hadn't even realized that Azekiel was there.

"Isn't that old man the one in the Heavenly Prison?!" Lia let out, frowning. She was surprised to see the man here since they were back in time. Wasn't the man back in the tower? What was he doing here?

"Let's ask him directly." Azekiel advanced toward the old man. He had been waiting for a long time for a meeting with the old man again. When he last met the old man, he assumed that the old man was the Soul Demon which was why he didn't take him seriously.

It was only after the old man disappeared that Azekiel realized the man was not the Soul Demon. Instead, he was something more...

Azekiel took the seat before the old man. "Anything interesting outside?"

"Everything interesting is outside. It's just a matter of perspective..." The old man answered. "I see you've been having some fun here."

"Just fulfilling an oath I made," Azekiel answered.

"Is that really what you did?" The corner of the old man's lips crept upwards, bringing him to the cusp of a smile.

"Though it was quite fun to watch, I must say. For the first time, I've been somewhat impressed with you. I finally understand what he saw in you... You do think outside the box sometimes. Unfortunately, it's only sometimes..." The old man muttered, finally taking a glance at Azekiel.

"Who are you?" Azekiel asked the question that had been plaguing his head since the old man had disappeared last time. "And how are you back in time?"

"Who am I? Who knows... As I told you last time, it's been so long that even I forgot my own name at this point." He turned his head to the window, again glancing at the setting sun. "Maybe one day I'll find the answer to that question. I won't forget to tell you. But you'll have to be alive until then."

"You don't want to answer me, do you? You still didn't respond to my other question. How are you back in time? Did you use a Stone of Time as well? Is there more than one of such stones? Or you can go back in time without the Stone of Time?"

The old man laughed. "So many questions. Do you even have time to listen to my answers?"

"Don't worry. I still have over twenty minutes."

"Oh, do you?" The old man amusingly glanced in the direction of Azekiel's timer as if he could see it. "I think you're wrong."

"There's no way I can be wrong. I just checked before I entered thi-" Azekiel subconsciously glanced at the timer, only to be shocked.

"How is this possible? It had twenty-five minutes just a few minutes ago!"

[00:00:11]

The clock had over twenty minutes in time when he entered, but there were only eleven seconds left now! How was this possible? Even one minute hadn't passed since he entered this place!

[00:00:10]

[00:00:09]

[00:00:08]

"Little King, I think you should keep an eye on your time. Time is one which never waits for anyone." The old man talked, staring into Azekiel's eyes as if he could see through his soul with the help of those eyes.

"Remember my words. And you might be able to... succeed. Keep an eye on Time..."

The old man stated, seemingly very serious.

[00:00:03]

The timer was almost at zero.

"When will I meet you again? I still want answers!"

[00:00:02]

The old man didn't answer Azekiel this time. He gazed at the waitress, who was bringing a tray filled with food.

"Oh, it seems my food is here. I was starting to get hungry." The old man licked his lips.

In the meantime, the timer finally hit zero.

[00:00:00]

Azekiel saw his hand turning blurry as a bright light filled his vision. He only heard one last sentence before he disappeared... And it was a repeat of what the old man had said.

"Keep an eye on time..."

****

Azekiel appeared back in the Tower of Sin, even though he didn't want to. He still wanted to stay with the old man to get more answers! He hadn't even received a single answer to his questions. Instead, only his questions had increased.

However, there was one good thing that he could see. As he was back in the Tower of Sins, he wasn't inside the Temple of Gods. He was back on the third floor. That made things a bit easier for him. Both Avila and Lenora were in the world inside the Temple of Gods. The chances of them creating trouble for him here were close to none.

He could see the portal to the fourth floor nearby.