Late at night, at Tingen City Asylum, in the plaza in front of the inpatient building.
Lanevus casually placed his fiancée on a table in the plaza, letting her beautiful face make direct contact with the cold tabletop.
"This will serve as the altar."
He pointed at the table.
"And this,"
He pointed at Silas, "will serve as the sacri..."
"Who are you people? What are you doing here?!"
Urgent running sounds came from the other side of the plaza.
A man dressed like an asylum guard ran over, shouting as he approached.
Lanevus's words caught in his throat. He glanced at the guard, then put on a sincere smile. "Ah, I'm terribly sorry. My fiancée suddenly took ill. I was desperate to save her, so I rushed in..."
"Then you should hurry and take her inside. There should still be a doctor on duty."
Hearing this explanation and seeing the girl looking unconscious, the guard's vigilance relaxed considerably. "I'll show you the way... ugh."
Before he could finish his sentence, Lanevus swiftly rushed up to him and plunged a gleaming dagger into his heart.
The guard had completely failed to anticipate the attack. His face twisted as he convulsed a few times, then died.
"Splurt."
Lanevus pulled out the dagger.
Blood sprayed from the wound, splashing all over his face and body.
"Why didn't you wait for me to act?"
Hood Eugen seemed furious and exasperated. "You've caused such a mess. Isn't there enough trouble already?!"
"Ah, sorry, sorry. Who told him to interrupt my mood?" Lanevus said with a casual smile, pointing at the guard's corpse. "
Since it's such a coincidence, let's just use him as the sacrifice."
Silas hadn't expected that the unexpected guard would end up taking the hit meant for him.
The night wind blew, and his heart grew increasingly cold as he watched the two begin preparing the altar.
Lanevus enlarged the guard's wound, letting the blood from his body pool on the ground.
Hood Eugen constructed a wall of spirituality, isolating the inside from the outside.
"Hold this and raise it high."
Lanevus handed the gas lamp to Silas.
Silas acted bewildered and obediently took the lamp, raising it above his head.
The orange lamplight illuminated a circle of space around the table.
On the table lay the unconscious golden-haired girl, and beneath it lay the guard's bleeding corpse.
"I'm going to wake my fiancée now. Use your ability to hypnotize her."
He said to Hood Eugen.
Seeing the latter nod, he patted the girl's face. His hands were stained with fresh blood, so several terrifying bloodstains now marked the girl's pretty face.
"Mm, where am I?"
The girl woke up groggily. When she opened her eyes, she heard a crisp bell sound and immediately became dazed again.
"Megose, my dear fiancée, it's me."
Lanevus used the sweet tone of lovers, whispering in the girl's ear while smearing the dead man's foul-smelling blood on her face. "See, aren't we in bed at home right now?"
"Lanevus..."
The girl's name seemed to be Megose. Hearing her fiancé's voice, a blissful smile appeared on her dazed face. "I love you so much..."
"I love you too."
Lanevus dipped his fingers in the fresh blood and quickly drew evil and insane patterns on the tabletop.
It was an array meant to summon an evil god. Hood Eugen stood to the side.
Listening to Lanevus's sweet nothings and watching his actions, disdain showed in his eyes.
Silas glanced at the array from the corner of his eye. He was surprised to discover that Lanevus drew it both quickly and accurately.
The array had three centers: one was the caster Lanevus, one was the recipient Megose, and the last was naturally the descender, the True Creator, represented by His holy emblem.
"Are you done?"
Seeing this blood-drawn array gradually taking shape, Hood Eugen's voice carried tension.
"Done."
Lanevus finished the last stroke, jumped to his designated position, then bent down and said to Megose, "Darling, I want to have a child with you."
His tone was very emotional, but his eyes showed no ripple whatsoever.
"Lanevus, I'm willing to do anything for you..."
Poor Megose had no idea what was happening.
Under hypnosis, her eyes were unfocused as she smiled shyly.
Silas saw the corners of Lanevus's mouth curve into a mocking arc once more. He stood up and prayed loudly in Hermes:
"Lord who created everything,
Master behind the curtain of shadows,
The fallen nature of all living beings..."
The world became dark and quiet. The blood on the array became incredibly vivid red, especially the holy emblem representing the True Creator.
That simple sketch of a rose seemed almost alive, swaying in the gaslight.
The dead guard's body slowly melted into the darkness and had disappeared before anyone knew it.
Lanevus took out an iron box from his chest.
He removed the wall of spirituality sealed around the box, and a heavy, almost tangible resentment emanated from within.
"This is extreme emotion collected from the slums through rituals."
He explained to Hood Eugen with a smile.
However, the latter only pressed his lips together with a pale face, saying nothing, several drops of sweat appearing on his forehead.
"Don't be nervous."
Lanevus still seemed relaxed even at a time like this. "The ritual will go smoothly."
He placed the box on the True Creator's holy emblem and opened the lid. Black resentment surged out, scattering in all directions.
But before the black gas could dissipate, the array suddenly lit up with blood-red radiance, pulling the black gas back in. The black gas gathered together, gradually forming a shape...
It seemed to be a human figure.
This figure slightly turned its head, as if scanning each person with non-existent eyes.
Perhaps it was Silas's imagination, but that gaze seemed to linger on him for an extra moment.
Boom!
Silas's mind once again felt an impact.
Fortunately, the sound of waves had appeared in advance, blocking most of the shock. Without a doubt, this phantom came from the True Creator!
Seeing the black shadow, Hood Eugen was so startled he stepped back, but still held the bell without letting go.
"Well done."
Lanevus praised him, then looked at the black shadow whose details couldn't be seen clearly and continued chanting in Hermes:
"May the Lord's mercy always walk upon the earth. May the Lord bestow His grace and bring holy offspring to the pure maiden..."
Accompanying the prayer, the black figure made other movements.
He raised his arm, extended his index finger, and a pure yet fallen speck of light flew from his fingertip, slowly drifting toward the prone Megose.
Silas detected extreme danger from that speck of light. Without a doubt, that was a bit of the True Creator's divinity!
Megose remained immersed in a beautiful dream, calling out her lover's name, completely unaware that disaster was about to descend upon her.
"The god's blessing!"
Lanevus stared at that speck of light with greedy and excited eyes, full of anticipation as he watched the light fly toward his fiancée.
The ritual was about to succeed!
Just then, Silas moved without warning.
Swish, swish.
His fingers pressed on the array, dipped in the array's fresh blood, and began drawing quickly and accurately.
With just a few strokes, he altered the array's original patterns, swapping the positions of the caster and the recipient.
Lanevus had his mouth wide open, waiting with wild joy for the divinity to descend into his fiancée's body.
Suddenly, he saw that speck of light take a turn and fly into his own mouth.
With a gulp, he involuntarily swallowed it down.
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