Solo Leveling: Monarch of Knowledge-Chapter 42 - 41: Invite

(Sunday, June 16, 2026 – 6:24 PM)

Adam extended his will, and immediately, the nano-machines returned to his body, vanishing without a trace. At the same time, his mana surged outward, enveloping all the necessary construction materials and technological components.

He then guided them into the intake compartment of the machine.

The moment everything was inside, the machine sealed itself seamlessly, leaving no gaps and unnecessary openings, now fully operational.

Adam exhaled slowly, then shifted his focus.

A portal opened beneath him with the smooth white ground of his dimension bending as space folded. On the other side, his plot of land stretched before him, 320 square meters of untouched terrain, located just five kilometers from Alessandria's city center.

The moment his gaze locked onto it, he thought a single command.

'Awà, you can start.'

[Understood.]

Instantly, a 3D projection materialized in Adam's vision. A detailed, light-blue holographic outline of the land appeared, perfectly matching the real terrain. Every elevation, every uneven surface, every millimeter was mapped with precision.

Without delay, the machine lifted off the ground, floating effortlessly as it moved toward the portal.

The moment it crossed over, it began.

The terrain broke apart with surgical efficiency.

The machine moved through the projected outline with blinding speed, deconstructing the existing ground while simultaneously reinforcing it with a more stable, durable foundation.

Adam watched with his arms crossed and his now light-blue eyes reflecting the unfolding process.

This was the third step.

(6:26 PM)

Adam's now light-blue gaze followed the machine as it methodically laid the foundation.

Then Awà's voice chimed in his mind.

[As planned, the machine will first establish the surface foundation, and building before excavating thousands of meters underground.]

A grin spread across Adam's face.

'Perfect.'

This was the ideal method. By expanding downward first, he would have complete freedom to build without interference, without restrictions.

On the surface, land was owned. Governments, corporations, private buyers, everything had a price, everything had limits.

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But thousands of meters underground?

No one owned anything.

He could expand as far as he wanted, carve out entire tunnels beneath cities, create hidden networks spanning continents.

Hell, if he really wanted to, he could construct entire underground civilizations.

A chuckle escaped him.

'A hollow Earth scenario... just like the MonsterVerse.'

The idea was ridiculous. Absurd.

But... was it really?

If he truly committed to it, he could capture and biologically engineer magical beasts, designing them from the ground up just for fun.

Imagine a vast, hidden world beneath the surface, a network of engineered ecosystems, filled with creatures tailored to his specifications.

A personal project.

Something no one would ever see coming.

For now, he tucked the thought away.

Maybe a possibility for the future.

(6:43 PM)

Adam shifted his focus away from the machine, satisfied with the progress. With a thought, he teleported out of the space dimension, appearing back inside his apartment.

The quiet hum of the city outside filtered through the windows as he rolled his shoulders, ready to cook dinner. He moved toward the kitchen, grabbing ingredients from the counter when-

Riiing.

His phone vibrated on the table. The screen lit up with Petruccio's name.

Adam answered, placing the call on speaker as he continued prepping.

"Yo, Adam!" Petruccio's voice came through, cheerful yet... slightly guilty.

Adam raised a brow. "What did you do?"

A sheepish chuckle. "Okay, don't get mad, but... my wife wants to invite you to dinner tonight."

Adam paused, setting down the knife he had just picked up.

Petruccio continued quickly. "She heard about the battle. About how you saved my ass from being eaten alive by Boris. And, well... she kinda decided on her own that she wants to thank you properly."

Adam exhaled through his nose, shaking his head with a smile but he didn't dislike the current situation.

'She decided, huh? Not much of an invite, more like a command.' he chuckled.

Petruccio then cleared his throat. "Also... I forgot to tell you earlier."

Adam glanced at the time. 6:44 PM.

He sighed but nodded. "It's not a problem. I'm free right now."

"Great! Then- Oh! and bring your girlfriend too."

Adam froze mid-reach for a plate.

He coughed. "What?"

Petruccio laughed loudly on the other end. "You heard me! My wife insists! That woman you were shopping with, she saw the video, she thinks it's only right to invite both of you."

Adam rubbed his temple, shaking his head.

'Damn social media.'

Still, he agreed, ending the call.

Looks like he needed to make another call now or better...

(6:47 PM)

Marie sat comfortably on her couch with eyes fixed on the glowing screen of her television watching an anime.

"I saw a dream... that wouldn't end."

The melancholic voice of the protagonist echoed through the room, the familiar scene playing out as he once again found himself dying, only to awaken at the start.

Marie exhaled, crossing her arms. "Damn, this guy suffers way too much."

Ding-dong.

The doorbell rang.

She stretched her arms over her head with a lazy yawn, muttering to herself. "Who the hell is ringing my door at this hour?"

Pushing herself off the couch, she walked over, still in her casual shorts and tank top, barefoot on the wooden floor.

As she swung the door open, her eyes widened slightly.

Adam stood there, dressed in casual jeans and a fitted blue T-shirt, holding a fresh bouquet of flowers. His expression was calm but slightly flustered, a faint blush dusting his cheeks as he offered them forward.

For a moment, Marie just stared. Then, slowly, a bright smile stretched across her lips.

She took the bouquet, bringing it close to her face, inhaling the sweet scent.

Her fingers fidgeted slightly, and she muttered, "...Thanks."

Then, she tilted her head, giving him a curious look.

"But what's this for? What brings you here, Mr. Saint?"

Adam rubbed the back of his neck. "Petruccio's wife invited me for dinner. Apparently, she wants to thank me for saving his life."

Marie raised a brow. "And?"

Adam sighed. "And they think you're my girlfriend, so she invited you too."

Marie's grin turned mischievous.

She leaned against the doorframe crossing her arms. "Oh? And you didn't correct them?"

Adam cleared his throat. "Didn't think it was necessary."

Her eyes gleamed. "So, what? You want me to be your girlfriend?"

Adam coughed, looking away. "It's... not an impossible situation."

Marie blinked, then laughed, a bright, genuine laugh.

"Damn, you're bolder than I thought."

Before he could reply, she grabbed his hand, pulling him inside.

"Wait here." she said, grinning as she walked toward her room. "Gotta dress up, don't I?"

As she disappeared into the bedroom, Awà's voice chimed in his mind.

[Adam, I suggest memory-injecting instructions on how to be smooth with women.]

Adam chose to ignore her.

But he couldn't deny it, he had no experience.

Not in this life. Not in the last.

His previous life had been a constant grind, work, struggle, survival.

Relationships? Who had the time?

Still... maybe this time, things would be different.

(6:57 PM)

Marie stepped out of her bedroom a few minutes later, dressed in a simple yet elegant conservative dress, the dark fabric complementing her rich skin tone. Her long braids were neatly placed over her shoulder, framing her sharp features without obstruction.

She adjusted the fabric slightly before glancing up at Adam. "Didn't bother with makeup." she said with a teasing smirk. "Since you always say natural is better."

Adam smiled with his gaze sweeping over her. "Good choice. You look stunning like this."

Marie's smile softened into a warm one before she nudged his side. "Alright, Mr. Saint, how do you want to get to Rome? Gonna teleport us? Fly us there? Maybe something even crazier?"

Adam's grin widened. "Actually, I had something fun in mind."

He turned, motioning for her to follow as he led her toward the kitchen window.

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Am i developing the characters well? As well the romance? Hehe it's my first time with serious romance.

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