Chapter 22: The Letter from the Devil
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Although he managed to summon a bigger water ball, it did not seem that much of a big deal. He could neither use it to attack enemies, nor to protect himself. Much less to break the spell Michelle casted on him.
However, the meaning behind the water ball was much more important than the water ball itself.
It pointed a clear route for Benjamin, a route to become stronger.
He still had no idea on how to learn new spells and sense other types of elements, though. However at this moment, he concluded that he had a talent in learning magic, and that built his confidence.
He was finally not blind when it came to magic!
"What are you so excited about? That was just letting the magical emblem absorb the elements to grow. Was that so difficult to come up with?" The System was not amazed, as it diligently popped up to throw a wet blanket on him.
"You’re getting more aggravating recently," Benjamin could not help but complain.
"Oh, sorry, I was wrong. You’re such a genius!" the System immediately behaved itself.
"...." Benjamin was too lazy to even bother the System.
With that being said, he finally got his mind back from the thrill of magical training to consider matters realistically. With a lift of his chin, he glimpsed the steel door that was shut tightly.
He was here for quite a long time: the initial rest, Mary’s visit, then the 10+ hours in magic studies.... If his calculations were correct, it would be the dawn of another day now. He could not confirm his guess, though. The cellar he was in had no access to see the day and night of the outside world.
When would Claude be willing to release him?
His servant Jeremy should have already returned with his mission completed. Although Benjamin had forgotten what work did he assign for Jeremy, he still needed to let Jeremy continue to run trivial errands like this in order to divert the attention of the Church. Then, he would finally be able to obtain Annie’s effects.
Time was not running out, but it was not too comfortable either. Michelle’s curse was like a ticking time bomb, and no one knew when it would explode. Benjamin was afraid that he would not have enough power to battle Michelle when the time came.
But.... there was no use in getting anxious over something that has yet to happen.
He could not guess his father’s decision, and he would not know how persuasive Mary could be; anything could happen in the world outside of these doors. He exhaled dejectedly after realizing this, and could only try to maintain his composure and stop himself from fussing.
No matter how much he fussed, he would not be able to walk through walls and doors to escape the cellar?
Thus, he relaxed his vigilance.
He stared at the ceiling and daydreamed as a method to recover the energy he spent during his ‘meditation’. Oh, Benjamin also just decided to name the training method of combining water particles into the symbol as ‘meditation’.
Albeit rather old-fashioned, names would only have to be memorable. Benjamin thought to himself, and further defended his choice. There was no use for imagination to come up with an extra stylish and cool name. He was no author to a novel, a cool name would not increase his ‘meditation’ efficiency by the slightest.
After a few minutes of spacing out, he found himself bored again. He was slightly peckish, but not starving; he was drowsy, but not exhausted.
After some consideration, he decided to continue ‘meditate’.
Just in case someone would barge into the cellar feeling suspicious, he laid horizontal on the floor and closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep. In his heart, he was already in the depth of the space of his consciousness, and started to repeatedly move the water particles to strengthen the blue triangular symbol....
The process of ‘meditation’ was slow-moving, and although he was unhappy with it, he could not find a way to improve his techniques.
This time around, the mediation did not take that long of a time, and he did not manage to blend all of the water particles in his space into the blue symbol.
That was because he was interrupted halfway through his exercise.
That was the first time he was called out of the space of his consciousness by someone else.
The feeling was unpleasant, like he was rudely awakened just as he was falling asleep, and he was drowsy and sluggish. He was annoyed, too, but a voice was studiously assaulting his eardrums, forcing him to shake himself awake from his stupor.
"Young master! Young master, it’s time to wake up! Young master!"
Benjamin opened his eyes and was shocked by a face positioned extremely close to his.
He instinctively distanced himself away from it, and could finally recognize the face.
It was Jeremy, his servant.
Jeremy was not alone. The cellar also had another presence, and it was Mary, Benjamin’s mother. She was standing by the door, looking at Benjamin with a gentle smile. Behind her, the steel door opened wide, and light poured into the dim cellar.
Benjamin was stunned, but he quickly caught on.
He could finally leave.
Yet, Benjamin did not rush things. He regarded the space outside the door, and asked when he did not see anyone there, "Where’s father? Did he not come? Did he forgive me?"
He deliberately used a regretful tone, and showed an expression of fear when he talked about Claude.
"Some problems arose in the appendage down South, and your father left to attend to that. He would probably be back after a week," Mary chuckled, "Before he left, he told us to let you out. So, don’t worry, my child, your father is no longer angry with you."
Benjamin was relieved after hearing that from Mary.
Aside from escaping the cellar, his father’s trip was also a good news for him. Although the fear on his face was all an act, deep down he felt that Claude was a tough case, and he would prefer to avoid facing him.
"Thank you, mother, I wouldn’t be able to stay here any longer," Benjamin stood and maintained a pitiful demeanor for Mary.
"Everything is okay now. We can leave," Mary smiled, then turned to order Jeremy, "Escort the young master to his room. It’s late now, bring some food from the kitchen for the young master, then get him ready for bed."
Jeremy hurriedly replied, "Yes, madam."
Benjamin left the cellar accompanied by them. As he gazed at the night sky, he realized that it was already nightfall of the second day.
He spent a day and a night in the tiny cellar. It was obvious that his sense of time was still sluggish when he was in the space of his consciousness.
He walked past the stairs and the long corridor of the Lithur family, and finally Jeremy led him back to his room. Mary bade farewell and goodnight to Benjamin before retiring to her room.
"Young master, please bear with me while I get the cook to prepare some food."
Jeremy said to Benjamin as they entered his room. Then, he left to the kitchen.
Initially, Benjamin wanted to stop Jeremy to check on the task he assigned to him. However, he refrained from doing so as he thought that Jeremy would return to him soon.
After his second meditation, he seemed to be unable to be anxious anymore. Exhaustion came to him like waves, and the only thing he wanted now was to lie on his soft and cozy bed and hibernate until the end of time.
Thus, he walked towards his bed and collapsed into it, then proceeded to stretch and toss himself around in his bed.
"Ah, I’ll never leave this bed ever again!" Benjamin groaned lazily.
"Oh, really?" the System questioned.
".....Not really. I hoped to, but life happens, and life is hard. The revolution hasn’t succeeded, and we shall push on," Benjamin sighed.
The System was speechless for a moment, but suddenly it whispered with a grave voice, "Ah, I thought you found the thing hidden under your pillow?"
Benjamin stopped rolling.
"What thing?"
He acknowledged the underlying seriousness in the System’s voice, and he too became serious.
"You’re asking me? Just flip your pillow over and have a look!" If the System had a face, it would have been rolling his eyes as he answered Benjamin.
Benjamin did not dawdle and promptly flipped his pillow. On the white bedsheet was a white envelope, and it was sealed perfectly, with no traces of being opened previously.
When Benjamin saw this, his heart dropped as he remembered something.
"Dear God, please don’t let me be a jinx."
Benjamin nervously inhaled and lifted the envelope to study it. Despite his best hopes, the worst had happened. At the back of the white envelope, a nightmarish name was etched on it with a black ball pen.
Michelle.
Benjamin’s eyesight went dark for a second. With a hopeful heart, he scrutinized the envelope for another 2 times to ensure that he did not mistake the name due to the bad handwriting. The result was still disappointing, as the words was indeed ‘Michelle’, no doubts.
Was this karma?
To be able to place this envelope under Benjamin’s pillow despite being watched by the church, he must admit that Michelle’s tactics were surprisingly good. However, this was not good news for Benjamin.
After he confirmed with the System that he did not know anyone else named ‘Michelle’, he started regretting making up the story to bluff the Pope.
"The bill always comes due," the System’s tone became warm and welcoming, "No matter if it was a letter, a postcard, or a message, the sound of the dreamchasers will never stop. It will deliver your yesterdays, record your todays, and succeed your tomorrows, and will never let your dreams waver even if it seemed distant."
"...."
Although it was weird, but the System’s nonsense did manage to calm Benjamin down.
After he contained himself, he understood that he was no longer a hostage of Michelle’s, and Michelle had lost her grasp over his life. As long as he had the support of the church, he would have the ability to make the first move.
When he was kidnapped, Michelle lost. Now, he was free, and he should not be afraid anymore.
Regardless of what Michelle wrote in the letter, regardless of what traps awaited, he should face them calmly. No matter what, the church would always be behind him, and he could always pass this letter to the church and let them deal with it. The church was the strongest power on the land, and now it was basically his shield.
Not that he believed in the church. What he believed was that the church would never allow a noble get into trouble under their watch.
He might as well pass this letter to the church!
As Benjamin thought of that, he no longer hesitated and tore the letter open.
However, the first line on the first page of the letter shockingly ruined Benjamin’s initial plan.
It wrote, ‘You are very talented in magic. Ten days after this, I will come and teach you magic."
Benjamin was dumbfounded momentarily, and he realized that he just lost his choice to pass the letter to the church.
He saw the meaning behind this sentence. Michelle used one short sentence to cut off Benjamin’s possibility to seek help from the church. It would be impossible for him to pass this to the Pope now, as if the Pope saw this line, he would immediately know about Benjamin’s magic. His death will be swifter than light itself, and he would suffer from the evil witch’s intention alone.
It was as if Michelle could read his mind, and that stressed him out.
At that moment, Benjamin realized that he was still in hot soup. No, it actually worsened. At least before this, Michelle had no idea that he could use magic, and he utilized that to thwart Michelle and successfully returned to the Lithurs. Now, Michelle already started to use this against him.
Would Michelle really teach him magic?
Maybe she would, maybe she would not. Regardless of her choice, she still had Benjamin’s life grasped firmly within her palms. The only way for him to escape her command was for her to break the curse she buried within him. Or else, he could only follow her every whim.
Within this short period of time, Benjamin’s shirt was soaked in cold sweat.
The game of death had started once again.
No, the game of death never stopped.