Chapter 130: Mystical Artifacts (1/2)
The result was inconclusive.
The Coin Toss Divination Ritual was a type of Spiritualistic Divination that was quite accurate and reliable. But at this moment, the result was unexpectedly inconclusive.
”Captain...”
Ashlynn spoke up.
Ron Samuel nodded his head, his narrowed eyes disappeared as fast as it appeared as he said, ”Receiving an inconclusive result in a Coin Toss Divination Ritual usually means?”
He swept his gaze at the others.
They stared at him in confusion, before Bruce absentmindedly answered, ”Outside interference...?”
”That's right...” Ron Samuel smiled, ”We've made sure with the Wise One that he's not possessed anymore, but why is it that we're still receiving outside interference when we're trying to divine his fate?”
He asked once more.
This time, Ashlynn readily answered, ”Is it because of Mystical Artifacts?”
”Bingo...” Ron Samuel's smile deepened, ”Based on the very first book of the Cavaliers Path Manual, Chapter 3, Verse 16. Mystical Artifacts harboring Mana would almost always interfere with Divination...”
”However, the caveat is that the Mana contained within the Mystical Artifact must match or overwhelm the Mana used by the seeker of truth for it to successfully intervene on the Divination.”
”In other words, the Mystical Artifact Calvin has in his person must be something quite powerful... At least, it is something that I cannot possibly subdue...”
”What...?” The Cavaliers glanced at each other.
James Branzuela stared defiantly at Ron Samuel, ”That's impossible! If a Mystical Artifact like that really exists in his person, then why is he still...”
”Alive? Is that what you want to say?” Ron Samuel interrupted him, ”To be honest, I have no idea how he is still alive. But the fact that he's still sane and not showing any signs of losing control or falling into depravity can only mean two things...”
”One, he has no idea about the existence of that Mystical Artifact in his body, and lastly... The Mystical Artifact in his body isn't there to harm him. In short, the presence of that Mystical Artifact may be beneficial to him.
”But Captain... If that's the case, then why was the result inconclusive?”
”It's probably because that Mystical Artifact in his body is trying to protect him from any supernatural interference. He was already possessed once, so how could the Mystical Artifact let that happen to him again?”
”I'm sure that since the artifact does not know where the enemy is and where he's coming from...”
”It spread out a net.”
”Instead of trying to selectively filter out suspicious interference, it decided to filter everything. If you are asking me if this is something good, then I am not too sure. All that I know is that this artifact isn't out here to harm us all...”
”The enemy of the artifact is the one who possessed Calvin... Is that what you are trying to say, Captain?” James Branzuela said with a smile creeping up his lips.
Ron Samuel nodded, ”The enemy of our enemy is a friend. In short, we should stay our hand for now...”
”Stay our hand? Captain, are you even sure that the artifact in his body won't come after us when it's done dealing with the Red Cloud?” Bruce asked.
”Bruce... You're a newbie that does not have that much experience against the Red Cloud, but let me tell you this. I guarantee you that even if he finds the base of the Red Cloud in Ashmelion. He won't be able to do anything against them. It's not that easy to defeat the Red Cloud. If he wants to bring them down, then he needs our help.”
”How ironic... Last time, an unknown person left some vague clues for us which says that we need his help, but now... Calvin needs our help... How strange...” Ron Samuel mused.
”Strange indeed, but I suggest that we also do our own investigation. I bet the Church wouldn't like it if we just stay put here and continue playing card games or drink coffee...” James Branzuela had always been an upright man who did his job properly.
In all honesty, he had been feeling guilty that he had been spending at least a week without doing anything substantial for the Church, even though he was receiving his salary from their money.
Now that there was an opportunity for him to do something for the church.
How could he possibly miss this chance?
James Branzuela almost immediately proposed to work.
Ashlynn raised an eyebrow, ”Are you trying to snitch on us?”
”What snitch? I was just saying that we should do some work since we're receiving a salary from the church...”
Ron Samuel narrowed his eyes and stared at James Branzuela, ”So you want to work that much?”
”Captain, don't be too unreasonable... What I said is right... We can't just take our salaries without doing any work for the church...” James Branzuela could feel a sense of foreboding and he immediately cried out as if he was trying to protect himself from the upcoming apocalypse.
”All right, say no more.” Ron Samuel languidly said, ”If you want to feel like you deserve your twenty joselian pesos daily salary, then you do need to render some work...”
”How about you go and clean the coffee machines behind the counter as well as the kitchen? The Center Borough has dozens of illustrious shops, yet little did these people know that the Center Borough is directly under Ashmelion's biggest latrine...”
”In short, I bet there are hundreds of rats roaming our kitchen now, so you go ahead and clean it!”
”Captain...” James Branzuela let out a heartbroken yelp.
He wanted to slap his lips for talking so much.
Ashlynn took advantage of this opportunity to jest, ”Senior Brother James. Now you know there's a reason why donkeys do not talk...”
James Branzuela didn't even talk anymore.
He just shot her a venomous glare before he let out a sigh and resigned to his fate. Sigh, cleaning wasn't really that bad. So long as he could feel that he deserved his salary, then it was fine.
He walked into the kitchen and started his rampage against the rats.
Having relegated some work to James Branzuela.
Ron Samuel turned to look at Ashlynn and Bruce, ”Both of you understand what you need to do, right?”
Bruce and Ashlynn glanced at each other before the two of them nodded their heads and simultaneously replied, ”Yes, Captain!”
It was already deep in the night when Calvin arrived at Malasakit Inn. It took him quite a long time to return home for he was stuck in line while trying to buy vegetables and delicacies that were suitable for both Charlotte and Cecilia.
The topography of Ashmelion made it so that vegetables were quite rare, apart from root vegetables such as potatoes, et cetera. But of course, just because it was rare didn't mean that it was impossible to find. He just needed to fork out more money than usual.
Calvin didn't mind doing that.
His salary was five joselian pesos a day.
He was earning in a day what most people earned in a week.
He had the right to do whatever he wanted with his money and he chose to use it in order to buy some nutritious ingredients for both his wife and daughter.
Arriving at the Malasakit Inn, he instantly shot up to the higher floors.
”Daddy!”
Cecilia greeted him when he entered the room.
Calvin noticed the groceries on top of the table but didn't find any sign of Charlotte.
Was she asleep?
He doubted it.
It was about eight in the night and Charlotte knew that he would usually come home this time of the night. In other words, she should be awake so she could cook the ingredients that Calvin brought with him to the wet market.
A frown appeared on his face as he swooped Cecilia off the ground and asked the little girl with a smile.
”Where's your mother?”
”Mommy? Mommy told me that she'll go back to the old house to fetch something... She told me she'll be back before you come back home, but mommy is still not here... Where is she, daddy? Is she not with you?” Cecilia replied with a confused look on her face.
Calvin's face tightened.
Charlotte...