Chapter 97: Angels

Chapter 97: Angels

[I told you, Ron. Watch, I’ll read it to you.]

Saying this, Louis opened the book and recited the first magic spell.

Immediately, the fireplace flames, torch flames, and candle lights in the room all blazed up violently. The dim hall grew brighter and brighter. The shadows and lingering corrupt power that had been present in the hall were all driven away by this magical force.

At this moment, true light began to fill the hall. Everyone stared at the lights, dumbfounded.

When the second magic spell was recited, the bed sheets woven into ropes behind Louis in the hall, as if alive, automatically unraveled and returned to their original places.

When the third magic spell was uttered, amidst the sound of the incantation, the shadows clinging to those wooden puppets all vanished. The puppets gained freedom and regained their consciousness, suddenly able to move.

Looking at their own half-dead state, they knelt on the ground and wept loudly, unsure if it was from joy or sorrow.

Earl Crowley and the others watched all of this as if in a dream. And at this very moment, when they looked at the three mages again, their gazes became extremely complex, and reverence—even fear—reappeared in their eyes.

The butler even walked up to the three, wanting to carefully explain something, but he didn’t dare speak—because when mages cast spells, there must be no noise.

Of course, the three mages didn’t even look at those people at this moment.

They were all focused on looking at the book, intently listening to each incantation text.

In their eyes as they looked at Louis, there was full of shock and strangeness.

One magic spell after another was recited by Louis, and the hall kept changing. Even the statues later came to life. They began to dance gracefully in the hall.

The Earl, Kate, the Bishop, and others gaped, doubting whether they were dreaming.

And the three mages were also so excited they nearly fainted.

Without a doubt, on this day, everyone witnessed magic.

Magic existed!

When that final magic spell was recited, the incomplete Dawn Demon-Sealing Array on the ground began to complete itself!

Or rather, it transformed into a different appearance.

And that demonic shadow, which had already been ignored by everyone, was gradually drawn into the magic array as well.

At the same time, a woman’s body slowly emerged from that shadow.

Or rather, a female corpse.

Her body was decayed beyond recognition, emitting a powerful stench. What made everyone’s scalp tingle even more was that within the riddled corpse, there were many small spider-like shadow creatures and worms crawling in and out.

But her eyes were wide open, as if she had died with grievances!

The foul stench hit them. The surrounding servants couldn’t help but cover their noses and mouths. Some even vomited.

Kate covered her face, kneeling on the ground. Looking at her mother’s tragic state, she hugged her mother’s corpse and wept bitterly.

Earl Crowley was also filled with immense grief. He reached out wanting to touch his wife, but at this moment, regret, self-blame, and guilt surged in his heart like a tide, leaving him without the courage to touch his wife.

[The Earl liked to have a drink before bed to treat his insomnia.]

[But after drinking a glass of brandy once, he suddenly seemed to go mad—he had a huge fight with his wife and beat his beloved into a vegetative state.]

[He couldn’t remember what happened that night. He didn’t know why he suddenly argued with his wife, nor could he understand why he had been violent. He believed it was all his fault, but perhaps, all of this was just due to a tiny magic spell…]

[He hated himself. He started to abstain from alcohol completely and tried every way to make up for his mistake. But, manipulated by certain people, he sank deeper and deeper into that carefully laid trap…]

[The Earl still didn’t know about the things those wizards had done. He only knew that his wife would never forgive him.]

[Perhaps that was indeed the case, because ‘Lady Crowley’ could not speak her mind…]

“Crowley.” Louis put down the book. “The demon has been sealed, but your wife’s soul has not been freed.”

These words struck like a thunderbolt. Kate almost fainted. “Why… why must my mother suffer such torment… wuwuwu…”

Hearing this, Crowley tightly closed his eyes. Trembling, he covered his face and sobbed quietly.

“Lord Louis, Lord John.” Kate grabbed Louis’s robe, crying loudly. “Please, please help some more. Let my mother rest in peace…”

Archmage John and the others exchanged glances. Solemnly, they picked up their grand staves, holy water, and other items, their eyes grave as they looked at the shadowy little spiders crawling on the corpse.

But they exhausted their knowledge and strength, yet failed to expel the last trace of the demonic shadow.

“Don’t waste your effort, Lord John.” Louis said. “Even if we remove this last shred of the demon’s obsession, the Countess’s soul will still descend into hell with the demon and be tormented.”

“There are two ways now.” Louis said. “The first is to try cremation with holy fire—I’m certain this can dispel that last trace of demonic shadow, but I’m not sure if the flames can free the Countess’s soul.”

“The second method is, when the Demon-Sealing Array pulls away the last shred of the demon’s obsession, have someone embrace her soul, so that her soul isn’t dragged along. But I’m not sure if the person embracing her will be pulled into hell along with that demon.”

Louis, the magic enthusiast, Crescent God Priest, great detective, spoke with absolute confidence. And obviously, everyone was now thoroughly awed by his series of incantations. No matter how bizarre his words sounded, some believed him. After all, everyone in this room had zero professional ability.

“How do we do it?” Earl Crowley pushed aside his daughter who wanted to speak and looked up to ask. “How can one embrace a soul?”

“The specific method… perhaps… ahem. This might require someone to resonate with her soul, like…” Louis suddenly looked at the three archmages, having an ‘inspiration’. “Ahem, everyone, do you have any good ideas?”

“Kiss her!”

“Yes! Bach, what a great idea! What can resonate most with a soul and make someone most reluctant to leave is undoubtedly love! And a deep kiss must be the best expression of love.”

“Right, right, right, many books write it this way. Like that book ‘Sleeping Princess and the Rotten Apple,’ and ‘The Witch and the Beast.'” The mage with blue stockets stated confidently, flipping through books. “I borrowed a few magic spells from these very spellbooks! So this method definitely works!”

“That’s right, that’s right, love can soften everything! I remember a book…”

Hearing these guys speak so confidently, Louis’s eye twitched—this really was a fairy tale world, wasn’t it?

“No need for a kiss, an embrace is enough.” Louis said, using mana to make the Countess’s body float in mid-air. “Someone needs to hold her tightly—only one person. If it fails, you will go to hell together. If it succeeds, that last shred of her lingering soul will return to the elements… ahem, I mean, return to the embrace of the Moon Goddess.”

Earl Crowley threw away his walking stick and hugged the stench-filled corpse, burying his wife’s head deeply in his embrace.

Tears streamed down continuously from the wrinkles at the corners of the Earl’s eyes, falling onto his wife’s corpse.

In this moment, all words were contained within this embrace.

Louis nodded, picked up the book, and prepared to recite the final incantation. Yet at this very moment, a faint shimmer of light suddenly flickered before Louis’s eyes.

Surprised, Louis looked up towards the Earl and the Countess’s corpse, and then his jaw dropped—he was certain no one in this room was using magic right now.

But at this moment, as everyone looked up and watched, the Countess’s corpse was actually emitting a soft glow. And the Countess’s wide-open eyes slowly closed.

A teardrop slid from the corner of the corpse’s eye.

An angel-like soul slowly floated up from the Countess’s corpse.

She smiled slightly, nodding respectfully to Louis, the three mages, Bishop John, and the others. Then she gently touched her daughter’s forehead, kissed her husband’s head, and finally transformed into a beam of light, gradually dissipating.

The entire hall suddenly grew even brighter.

And compared to the brightness from when Louis cast light magic earlier, this light was much more gentle.

It passed through every wall of the castle, like a dawn, sweeping through every corner of the entire castle.

In the light of the dawn, the wooden puppets gradually regained flesh and blood. Slowly, they came back to life.

[On this day, Louis showed everyone true magic.]

[And someone also showed him true divine magic…]

Gazing at his dissipated wife, gazing at the angel who had returned to the Moon Goddess’s embrace, Earl Crowley wept bitterly, standing there staring at the vaulted ceiling, lost in thought.

He had heard his wife’s heart.

The servants knelt down one after another, beginning prayers to the Moon Goddess through Louis—so Lord Louis was sent by the Moon Goddess. The deity had him guide Lady Crowley, so that the lost one could return to heaven…

Even Bishop John and the several divine officials, with solemn faces, drew V-shaped moon crosses towards Louis and began to pray—now they somewhat understood. The saint’s robe Louis wore might not be a costume at all.

“Ahem, Lord John, I think you have some misunderstanding…”

“I understand, I understand… you know, I know, the deity knows…” Bishop John winked at Louis, praying even more devoutly.

‘…’

[The Boss wants to show off again but doesn’t want to give everyone an Obliviate spell… this report… can it still be written… I can’t write this script anymore. Let Pol, the Grand Councilor of the re-elected Magic Council, clean up the Boss’s mess…]

[At this point, Louis no longer had the mood to pay attention to Stuart’s thoughts. Because he saw the Countess’s corpse gradually dissipating like light.]

[Perhaps, angels really exist in this world…]

…