Chapter 63: Attempt at Spell |
Aside from discussing and complaining about their respective studies, the three also shared their recent plans. Shad didn’t mention anything about the Founders' Silver Moon, deciding to bring it up only after the final appraisal next week. Meanwhile, the doctor had already taken on the Academy's bounty to acquire the Secret-Keeper-grade Relic, the False Philosopher’s Stone.
Even knowing that this matter was linked to the Sage-grade Relic God’s Gift Box and the Blood of Mercury organization’s mad scheme, the doctor still intended to get involved. He planned to invite Miss Louisa to join him but explicitly warned Shad to avoid any involvement, as this would undoubtedly lead to Ring Warlock confrontations. Compared to Fourth- and Fifth-Ring Warlocks, Shad was still practically an ordinary person.
Miss Louisa's plans for the next week were much simpler. Besides assisting the doctor, she intended to stay home and study diligently, refusing to go out. With exam season approaching at the end of July, she aimed to pass at least five exams, giving her a chance to advance to the fifth year by the end of the year.
The golden-haired girl had already collected the four different runes required for the Fourth Ring and was now waiting to perform the ritual to link them with the Ascension Words of lower-level Ring Warlocks, allowing her to ascend to the Fifth Ring in one leap. These developments had already been reported to St. Byrons, and the Academy would send a mentor to Tobesk this fall to assist with this critical ascension. For her, the cultural and theoretical exams posed the biggest obstacle to entering the fifth year.
Miss Anat, the Diviner, had yet to return to Tobesk, and Father August was absent until that evening. As a result, Shad hadn’t had a chance to inquire about what the ancient god had referred to as the Radiance of the Gods. He did attempt to bring it up in front of Dr. Schneider and Miss Louisa, but neither showed any reaction, treating it as some kind of religious metaphor.
“As expected, if something like this could be easily uncovered, it wouldn’t match the level of difficulty this event suggests. It’s like simple commissions rarely offer high rewards... except for Mimia.” Shad consoled himself, planning to visit Father August at the Dawn Church in person when he had the time.
Father August’s absence, however, wasn’t due to misfortune or any mishap. Later that day, someone delivered a letter to the psychological clinic on his behalf, explaining that the church had scheduled a meeting that afternoon to plan activities for the Day of Prayer, a grand religious celebration held by the Dawn Church annually on the longest day of July. Believers called it the "Day of Prayer," while non-believers referred to it as the "Prayer Festival." As a veteran cleric who had participated in countless Day of Prayer events, Father August would be extremely busy in the coming month, as he played an essential role in organizing the festivities.
It was common for only three of the five members to attend their study group, as everyone had their own lives and plans, and life was always full of unexpected events. This sentiment was voiced by Miss Louisa, the writer.
“Ha, that’s not a quote. That’s my own line, written in my short story Midsummer Night’s Wish,” the golden-haired author proudly remarked.
Since Shad would need to prepare these materials himself in the future, the doctor advised him to set up a dedicated room in his house for alchemy, potion crafting, and herb cultivation. Shad planned to explore the basement after dismantling the wooden floorboards on the first floor to see if there was usable space. However, the frog material’s smell kept both Shad and Mimia, his orange tabby, awake for most of the night.
Despite the discomfort, Shad learned the spell. He applied three-quarters of the liquid onto his legs, wrapped four frog skins around his ankles and knees, and pierced these areas with a steel needle until they bled. In this injured state, he recited the incantation Miss Louisa had provided.
Once again, Shad relied on his knack for understanding but not being able to replicate strange syllables, chanting the peculiar ancient words of voodoo sacrifice to seek the assistance of the slain frogs.
“Killing them and then asking for their help?” Though puzzled by the logic, he endured the nausea, drank the remaining liquid, and performed painful jumps while injured. Eventually, he succeeded in mastering his sixth spell.
“Since you are me, can’t you do these awful lessons for me instead?” he humorously asked himself, though the usual whispers from the woman in his ear didn’t appear this time.
Having learned the spell, Shad cleared the furniture from his living room to make space for practice. Chanting the incantation and rubbing a dried frog leg with his fingers, he felt a growing strength in his legs and saw a faint green glow enveloping them. Throwing the frog leg aside as the spell activated, he leaped powerfully, soaring into the air, spinning 360 degrees, and landing firmly with a thud.
“Wow! This is amazing!” Shad thought with delight. The lingering strength in his legs indicated that the spell’s effect would last for some time. He was about to try again when he noticed Mimia on the sofa, staring at him with wide eyes.
Mimia then stood, gave a few tentative jumps, and suddenly sprang into a high leap, imitating Shad’s earlier aerial spin. The cat landed awkwardly on the sofa, but the soft surface cushioned her fall. After struggling briefly, she turned away from Shad and curled up in the sofa’s corner, forming a little orange ball, seemingly determined to ignore him.
“Hm...” Shad mused, reflecting that the joy of having a pet like Mimia more than compensated for the cost of premium cat food and daily care. Watching her antics brought a deep sense of contentment that no amount of expensive food on the coffee table could match.
Of course, the night wasn’t without its downsides. The smell of frog skins and the liquid lingered until the following morning, and the taste in Shad’s mouth was something he feared he would never forget.