NOVPUB"Hyperion, relax, with us detectives and lawyers by your side, the villains can’t do anything to you."
Frey nodded, always extending a helping hand when his companion needed help.
He just didn’t expect the sudden shift in the topic.
They originally thought it was a mundane reception gig, and they would just need to perform steadily as usual to smoothly see off their guests.
Instead, hidden behind the scenes was a conspiracy involving the relations between the Hutton Kingdom and Arolan Kingdom.
Suppose they, the role models of the student council, ended up catching an Elite Reborn Believer while receiving the academic visit team from Arolan Kingdom. In that case, the King would definitely have to commend their meritorious deeds.
The reward would be substantial!
"Indeed, with you guys around, I always feel that the danger is to our enemies."
Hyperion also finally understood her role.
It turns out she was the perfect bait.
This team can continue to prosper and quickly make a fortune due to this virtuous cycle. She was indispensable to this process.
"We represent the force of Ichrite Academy’s new talents. We must bring honor to the school this time!"
"Yes, Dean Loren will definitely thank us all."
"...when something happens, you two must not run and leave me behind..."
By the time their conversation had taken them to the first floor, they could already see the familiar chapel.
Whether it was the curved ceiling or the ornate stained glass windows, everything exuded a calm beauty at this moment, with only their footsteps echoing in return.
A bit past the chapel, over by the staircase, they would find a stone door decorated with an old iron ring hidden in the corner of the chapel. This was the entrance to the underground wine cellar.
"Is it here?"
Frey asked.
"Yes."
Lanci answered.
Soon after, Frey pushed open the heavy stone door, and a cold chill struck them from the crack in the door. The three continued down the stone steps and quickly caught the scent of oak barrels, a unique smell of time and wine intertwined.
After they entered the cellar and lit the light, they saw rows of enormous oak barrels, arranged neatly. The light in the wine cellar was dim and faint. The air was filled with the robust aroma of aged wine, mixed with the unique smell of damp stone walls and old wood.
This time, the Shadow World was abundant with high-quality food and a variety of beverages.
"According to Stisera, dropping blood on the floor of the wine cellar will trigger a reaction from the underground magical defense," Lanci said, taking a small bottle from his pocket, which held a few drops of blood from the Goddess of Destruction that had been collected from a previous battle.
Such blood shouldn’t be spilled in vain.
Lanci opened the bottle and let the bloody red liquid drip onto the open ground at the center of the cellar.
The next second.
Just like a drop of water breaking the surface of a quiet lake.
A series of transparent red ripples spread out from the center.
There was a faint rumbling sound from the stone floor, as if some hidden mechanism was being activated.
Lanci crouched down, his finger pressing on the floor, sensing the origin of the magic spell. Soon, his gaze focused on one side of the wine cellar.
He walked over there, poured the remaining blood onto the ground, and instantly, faint red magic fluctuations started to surge violently on the surface. The stone slab on the ground emitted a deep rumble and then slowly sank!
Until it revealed the secret hidden beneath the wine cellar--
Inset into the recessed ground was an ancient magic device resembling a metal coffin, with complex magic spells inscribed on it. The symbols were pulsating and flickering, as if alive.
Lanci didn’t hurry to proceed with the next steps but brought Frey and Hyperion to the coffin underground to examine the magic spell on it.
"Indeed, this spell is exactly the same as the one I saw in the sealed magic book in the library. The only difference is that it is a fifth-order magic. Even if I could understand it and learn it, I wouldn’t be able to cast it," said Lanci, his green eyes fixated on the circuit of spells made up of ancient human magic text on the coffin.
Once sealed within, it would lock the state, no restoration being possible.
Its name was [Eternal Punishment].
"When you reach the fifth-order, will you be able to learn this magic and use it to seal the Blood Clan?" Hyperion asked from the side.
"In theory, yes, although it doesn’t require a life sacrifice, the caster’s mana would be extremely depleted and there would be some backlash. However, the precondition for using this sealing skill in battle is to immobilize the Blood Clan. Also, a werewolf and a witch are needed as a medium for casting," Lanci explained, turning his head towards her.
He only understood superficial parts of this incredibly complex ancient magic, and he would need to study the details after returning to the present world.
But Lanci had an inexplicable confidence that perhaps [Eternal Punishment], might be the first magic he could use without a Magic Card, even though he couldn’t even cast a fireball.
At that time, he should show off to the teachers of the practical course at Sage Academy. He would also be able to use magic.
"According to my understanding, it is now night, a time without the sun’s rays. You two just need to drip the blood, which acts as the key, onto the coffin. This seal would then automatically operate in reverse and be lifted."
Lanci stood up, took a step back, and said to the two beside him,
"On second thought, it’s better to reactivate the [Shadow World Recording Procedure] for such a beautiful occasion. After all, there’s nothing secretive about the following content. It could also serve as a warm-up for the important live streaming event after daybreak."
If the academic visit team from the Arolan Kingdom were to arrive at noon, they would also be able to see their live stream.
"Understood."
Frey nodded.
"So, are we three going to subdue him together later?"
Hyperion asked again.
"No need, you guys don’t need to lift a finger, I can handle him with just a single sentence."
Lanci confidently said with a smile.
"..."
Hyperion nodded hesitantly.
She still prepared to jump in front of Lanci at any time to protect him.
Because she simply couldn’t figure out how a sixth-order Blood Clan member could be subdued just with words!
Frey and Hyperion quickly each slit their fingertips, dropping a bead of blood onto the coffin containing Viscount Augustin.
The next moment.
The entire cellar suddenly became silent. All sounds vanished, seized by some mysterious force. The floor center, where the coffin was embedded, began to emit a deep, deafening boom, making the entire cellar tremble as if shaken.
A bright red halo surged up from the opened stone slab, illuminating the entire cellar, threatening to overflow and stain the entire church!
The mana fluctuation in the blood-colored light became more potent and majestic, a horrific portent as if a disaster was about to arrive!
The coffin lid slid open slowly, and the icy air escaped, like the abyss of a thousand-year-old glacier.
The cold seemed to freeze all life in the cellar. Then, emerging from the cold, slowly, was a palm, eroded by time to a stark white, appearing before their eyes.
The hand was very thin, the skin stuck to the bones, almost without the moisture of blood. His black fingernails emanated a cold gleam of death.
He gripped the edge of the coffin and slowly stood up from the abyss of eternal frost. His crimson eyes were vivid, seemingly flashing in the dark, sharp and deep, extremely cold.
Viscount Augustin stared at the three people who freed and awakened him, his face as white as paper, without a hint of blood, only the unabashed intention to feed existed, making preparations to eat.
"It was you who awakened me."
Viscount Augustin spoke slowly. His voice was low and cold. With every word, an oppressive sense of terror pervaded the cellar, as if the scythe of death was hanging above the three people’s heads.
He was famished now. Even if these three people saved him, he still needed to feed.
These three weaklings could only let him butcher at will.
However.
Lanci, still with his elegant as the castle’s butler, smiled at Viscount Augustin and said:
"Viscount Augustin, we have prepared three humans for you, and Count Paluocas is waiting for you on the third floor."
And he opened his palm, showing a ring of Count Paluocas.
Viscount Augustin, whose eyes were initially malicious, suddenly retracted his greed, and fell into deep thought.
This precious ring had a strong scent of an upper-ranked Blood Clan member on it. Even Viscount Augustin felt a sense of hesitation.
The count would never give away this personal accessory unless it was a confidant he trusted very much.
"Count Paluocas, huh..."
Viscount Augustin murmured.
Since Count Paluocas came to save him, he absolutely cannot act rashly against the count’s confidants.
However, the count naturally knew about his hunger after his seal was lifted, so he also prepared food for him.
"It seems the count has prepared a big gift for me, those should be three quite good humans."
Then, Viscount Augustin began to smile satisfactorily. Even in the cellar, he could sense that it was night now. The sincerity of the three who lifted his seal was beyond doubt,
"Take me to Count Paluocas."
"This way, please."
Lanci calmly stretched out his hand, indicating Viscount Augustin to go up the cellar.
In the dim cellar, Viscount Augustin’s figure was like a black storm passing by Lanci’s side. His strides were firm and powerful, like a beast wanting to break free from its cage, eagerly marching towards his feast.
As the Viscount walked past Lanci, Lanci slyly glanced at Hyperion and Frey, and winked at them with a smile.
The meaning being: He’s doing it voluntarily.
Frey wordlessly raised his thumb to praise Lanci, giving off a vibe of a successful slave trader.
"...!"
Hyperion dared not interact with them, and walked forward with her head down.
She never dreamt of the day she would be involved in a scheme to kidnap a vampire’s waist!
Lady Goddess is watching her! n𝚘𝚟𝚙𝚞𝚋.𝚌o𝚖
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Asking for monthly votes! Thanks to all readers for feeding poor Xixi!
Also, I’m adding a rough sketch of the Lanci character below, which will be sent out in a single chapter once the illustration draft is completed~
