Alice soon returned accompanied by a maid carrying food—a tray with a ceramic bowl full of meat soup (what kind of meat it was, Noah didn't ask). Even if she had wished to do it herself, she couldn't, for even the slightest effort might have caused her body to react adversely.
They watched Noah eat, with Sophia feeding him—much to his discomfort and shame and to Arthur's displeasure, though both kept these feelings hidden—until Mrs. Radiance stepped forward and asked:
— And what's your name, boy? It would be odd to have to call you that every time we address you.
"Ah, that's…" Sophia cut him off, giving him another spoonful with a smile. Swallowing the soup, Noah cleared his throat and said, "My name is… Noah… Noah Evil."
They found it strange that he had hesitated so much in finding his words—after all, who would forget their own name?
However, it wasn't a matter of lying. Noah truly wanted to tell the truth; the real problem was that he initially thought he had become accustomed to that name because the system called him that. But no—no matter how much he wished to deny it—the marks attached to the name *Xiao Yang* still haunted him, and he nearly uttered that name when introducing himself.
"That's an… interesting name. Different, I think. But you're not from around here, are you, Noah?"
Startled, Arthur became intrigued by the subject—something he wanted to question, though he feared she would object—and to his surprise, it was Alice herself who took the first step.
Noah paused for a moment before replying:
— No… I'm new around here. This is actually the first city I've ever set foot in. And look at how I've ended up—I suppose it would have been better to remain in the forest rather than leave...
It was an improvised excuse—a basic one—combining a grain of truth with a measure of small deceit.
"Forest...? You lived in a forest until now?" Sophia asked, astonished and empathetic, as she felt she understood what he meant by speaking of "the family he wished he had."
Noah nodded hesitantly—lying in front of such sincere eyes was strangely difficult, almost painful. Sophia's gaze was so honest that it felt sinful in his mind not to speak the truth.
"…So, how did you learn to cultivate?" Arthur inquired, seizing the moment to try to clear up his doubts—though he wasn't entirely convinced by all that Noah was saying.
"Well… the forest I lived in wasn't exactly 'normal,' I suppose…"
"How…?"
The three of them couldn't quite grasp it, but then Noah said:
— …Do you all know the forest beyond the southern mountains?
Perplexity spread across each of their faces.
"The Forest of Demon Beasts?!" they exclaimed in unison.
Noah smiled, embarrassed—both because he was lying, of course, and because his farce was continuing.
"My uncle was Xing Mo… a giant wolf whose entire body radiated a blue glow…"
Seeing the expressions on all three—Sophia as well as Alice and Arthur—Noah continued:
— Do you know him…?
And so he maintained his lie.
[Warning!]
[Due to Noah Evil's exceptional cunning, a reward will be granted.]
[The knowledge regarding the creation of all pills.]
[Would you like that knowledge to be transferred immediately?]
'...There was also some sort of function like that...?' Noah thought in surprise.
[No!]
[That decision was mine.]
[Simply because I was impressed by how deceitful you are—actually, the fact that you lie so blatantly to people who never intended you any harm, and who are only truly grateful and eager to help you—]
'Bastard...!'
Noah did not let his irritation show; instead, his face remained an expression somewhere between sincerity and doubt—unlike the turmoil inside him.
[If you wish, I can make this function permanent.]
[In case you still plan to deceive innocent people all over the world.]
'...No...'
[...Are you sure?]
'Fuck, shut up!'
Arthur cleared his throat:
—...Are you talking about the Stellar Demon Wolf...?
He said, trying to appear calm—even though it was already too late.
"...I don't know... I'm not used to the way people refer to them."
"You…" Sophia offered another spoonful of soup, "You always lived in that place...?"
What was that look—pity or empathy? Noah felt its weight but couldn't tell. He closed his eyes to avoid having to see it, and he nodded,
— It wasn't that bad, I think... at least, I never ended up like that while I was there.
[...Impressive.]
[You don't even hesitate...]
With an empathetic look, Alice stepped forward:
—...It must have been hard...
She said. For a moment, Noah looked at her, astonished by her beauty and feeling guilty when he saw the sadness in her eyes, and he replied,
— No... he's my family, after all...
"And why did you leave the forest?" questioned Arthur, his doubts still lingering.
'...Do people hate beasts?' Noah wondered, asking the system. His answer, after all, would depend on the situation in a broader sense.
[Not necessarily.]
[There are exceptions, but for the most part, what really happens is a sort of food chain—among people in cities and villages, for instance.]
[The situation changes when it comes to the sects.]
[In some of them, these creatures can be used as mounts—in all cases, as ingredients for pills—and many have point systems where each slain beast is worth a predetermined amount.]
[For cultivators, they are seen as enemies, resources, and potential opportunities.]
[For common citizens, they represent a potential danger—something that is already part of life.]
Noah hesitated—which he noticed made Arthur suspicious. However, that hesitation was necessary to lend credibility to his next words; after all, who in their right mind would reveal one of their secrets without any sign of hesitation?
"I..." he averted his gaze, "I came in search of a pill... the Moon Pill."
"That pill is for...?!"
Noah nodded.
Arthur's expression suggested that he was absorbed in thought—uncertain whether to believe him or not—but Noah knew his story was flawless, and even his motivation for being in that city was credible. The demon beasts of this world speak in human tongues, so his ability to communicate wasn't an anomaly, even if he had lived in the forest. And with his "uncle" being an extremely powerful being, not even his cultivation raised any doubt as to its truth.
But Noah understood why Arthur was suspicious. Arthur was clearly a loving husband and father—and with his wife ill and his daughter nearly kidnapped just hours earlier—if he were in Noah's position, he wouldn't do anything different; indeed, he'd distrust anyone who tried to come near his family—even their very shadows wouldn't be allowed to go unnoticed.