章 79: Chapter 76: Exorcism (Part 2)
Gently lifting the blanket, Fars looked at the young lady lying on the bed. She was still wearing the cute white nightgown from the night before. Once a delicate girl, her exposed arms and legs were now marred by dark, bluish hues. Having tasted the sweetness of her blood last night, Fars felt a pang of guilt seeing her in such a state, especially since she was meant to follow him. He had already mentally designated her as his own.
Staring at the girl for too long would be impolite, so Fars composed himself and prepared to begin the spell. This spell was purely for show; as long as the process was mysterious and dazzling enough to impress the count's family, he could then withdraw the magical energy from the girl, restoring her to her former self. The exorcism would be a complete success.
It must be said that the staff left behind by the mage Perugino had a certain flair. Even the well-informed Count Rao Er, upon seeing the large magical core embedded in the staff, could no longer doubt Fars's identity as a sorcerer. However, aside from Yuna, who had seen the staff several times and had built up a resistance to its presence, the others couldn't help but gasp in awe.
The count mentally calculated his wealth. He had guarded this small city of Nordan for generations, yet he felt that the remaining funds would barely suffice to purchase such a staff. No wonder it was said that mages were among the wealthiest individuals; it was no surprise that supporting a mage was such an expensive endeavor.
Fars raised the staff high above his head and began to chant a spell in a garbled version of the Nesser language. If outsiders saw no effect, that was not the outcome Fars desired.
The magical array in his mind began to operate rapidly, primarily activating the two runes representing the power of ice among the six runes. Ultimately, he still needed to borrow some of Danis's power. The room, which had been somewhat stifling, suddenly felt as if it had been plunged into a winter wonderland.
Not only did it feel cold, but snowflakes also began to drift down inside the room. Under Fars's full exertion, the entire count's estate transformed as if it were in the northern lands; water began to freeze, and snow continued to fall until the ground was covered in a layer of ice and snow.
The people in the room, except for Yuna, who had some resistance to the cold due to her martial training, were shivering uncontrollably. However, seeing that Fars seemed to be at a critical moment in his spellcasting, they dared not seek out warmer clothing for fear of disturbing the sorcerer.
The lengthy incantation finally came to an end, and Fars suddenly opened his hands, which had been gripping the staff tightly. A massive ice-blue magical array appeared out of thin air, centered around the floating staff. A wave of pressure emanated from their souls, causing Yuna, the count's family, the knights and servants within the estate, and even the ordinary townsfolk gathered outside to witness the snowfall to tremble in fear.
In a quiet alley, an elderly man who had been sipping tea in a chair dropped his cup, his hand shaking as he expressed his surprise.
"Disciple, what is happening outside?" The old man's voice clearly floated out of the room, summoning the young boy who was on guard.
The boy had also felt the soul-crushing pressure and, upon hearing the elder call him, quickly shook his head to clear his mind before rushing into the room.
"Master, I just felt a wave of pressure from deep within my soul. What could it mean?"
"First, tell me if anything unusual has happened outside today," the elder replied, uncertain of what was going on.
The boy thought for a moment and recounted all the significant events he had observed throughout the morning.
"You mean the count has invited that sorcerer to his estate to exorcise his daughter?" The elder repeated the boy's words.
"Yes, Master. There's a commotion outside, saying it's snowing at the count's estate," the boy confirmed.
"So, it's a dual-element sorcerer proficient in ice and soul magic," the elder sighed heavily before continuing, "Go fetch Xiao Jin. I cannot afford to provoke someone like him. A sorcerer skilled in soul magic? Hmph."
The boy hurried to the door to find Xiao Jin, who had been tailing Fars and Yuna.
The wave of soul pressure undoubtedly originated from Danis. Fars had not anticipated that Danis's innate abilities, with his assistance, could extend such an influence over the entire city. However, the effect was remarkable; the way the count and his family looked at Fars had already changed. Any lingering doubts about Fars's power had vanished the moment he revealed the staff. Now, they were filled with genuine fear and respect for him.
Fars gently caught the staff and pointed it at the girl lying on the bed. A stream of dark energy surged from her body, transforming into a grotesque, clawed apparition, which was quickly dispersed by the surrounding cold.
With the spell now complete, Fars withdrew his magical energy, and the dark aura surrounding the girl gradually faded. Aside from appearing weak and pale, she looked normal again.
"It's done. The vengeful spirit has been completely exorcised from the young lady. However, it has drained quite a bit of her vitality, leaving her very weak. She needs proper care to recover," Fars said, feigning exhaustion as he addressed the count and his family.
The countess could no longer contain herself and rushed to her daughter's side, bursting into tears of joy. "Lilith, my Lilith!"
Hearing her mother's cries, the girl seemed to awaken from a dream, looking confused as she asked, "Mother, why are you crying? Isn't Lilith right here?"
"Mother is just so happy! My Lilith, how do you feel? Is there anything uncomfortable?" The countess, relieved to see her daughter awake, quickly stopped crying and embraced Lilith with concern.
Lilith glanced around the room at the crowd and asked, "Why do I feel so weak? I had such a long and exhausting dream. What happened?"
The count immediately explained, "Lilith, you were possessed by a vengeful spirit last night and fell into a coma. Your mother and I were frantic with worry. If it weren't for this esteemed sorcerer…"
He hesitated, unwilling to dwell on the painful topic. As the family reunited, Fars felt it was inappropriate to linger in the young lady's chamber. He inquired with the steward about a place to rest, and everyone realized that the sorcerer who had just saved Lilith had expended a great deal of energy and was now feeling weak. The count quickly apologized to Fars, "I'm so sorry, I was just so relieved to see my daughter awake…"
Before the count could finish, Fars interrupted, "Take me to a place to rest."
His cold tone pierced the count's heart like a chilling wind, prompting him to quickly lead the way to the best guest room in the estate, all the while offering apologies.
Yuna followed obediently behind Fars, silent but feeling that something was amiss. Although she couldn't pinpoint any issues with Fars's spellcasting, her instincts told her that Fars was somehow connected to the young lady's possession. However, it wasn't the time to confront Fars, so she complied and entered the guest room with him.
Meanwhile, the awakened young lady, still feeling a bit dazed, began to notice the cold and curiously examined the snow that had accumulated on the floor, along with the ice-covered tea sets and fruit platters.
"Mother, what on earth is going on?" Lilith pointed at the unfamiliar ice and snow in the room.
Having just witnessed the sorcerer's incredible abilities, the countess couldn't help but enthusiastically describe the grand spectacle of the exorcism to her daughter. Especially when the servants reported that the entire estate was blanketed in snow, Lilith felt a deep admiration for the cold, dark-robed sorcerer.
However, since Lilith was still weak, the countess wouldn't allow her to get out of bed. Eventually, she relented and found a thick garment for her daughter to wear, helping her to the window to enjoy the rare sight.
After Fars and Yuna entered the guest room, he dismissed the count and steward under the pretense of meditating, issuing a command not to be disturbed.
Once they left, Yuna could no longer hold back her questions. "This whole situation is connected to you, isn't it?"
Setting up a soundproof barrier, Fars lightly tapped Yuna on the head and replied, "How can you doubt your employer and benefactor?"
"Hmph, don't think I didn't notice. Your spellcasting was nothing but a show. But what a grand display! Didn't you hear the servants gossiping about how it's snowing at the count's estate? The whole city knows about your exorcism now," Yuna said, hands on her hips, ready to confront him.
Fars chuckled softly and asked, "Were you fooled?"
Yuna thought for a moment before nodding firmly.
Seeing that Yuna, who knew his true nature, admitted to being deceived, Fars felt relieved and didn't deny it. "Well, don't you think that girl was quite delectable?"
"What are you planning to do? You set this trap, and now you want to play the hero and win her gratitude, just like you did with me, to take her away?" Yuna questioned, still skeptical of Fars's intentions.
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