Chapter 438: Chapter 438: Occupying the Body_1
"Veronica?" Aiden turned his head and noticed Veronica standing there motionless, which made him slightly puzzled.
"..." Veronica did not give any response.
"You—" Just as Aiden was about to ask "What’s wrong with you," he suddenly felt a sinking feeling in his heart.
"Bring a message? No need for such trouble..." Veronica slowly turned around, her face wearing an expression she would never normally have—a meaningful smile, "Forgive my intrusion, Warden."
"Melissa?" Aiden asked alertly.
The thought that Melissa had done something to Veronica flashed through his mind just then, and when "Veronica" turned around, he was certain that Melissa had possessed Veronica’s body to enter the prison interior.
"Indeed, you haven’t come to my shop for a heart-to-heart in a while, my dear Warden." Melissa, who had taken over Veronica’s body, slowly approached Aiden, "It’s so rare for me to make a visit, and you’re sending me back without even offering a cup of hot tea. Don’t you think that’s a bit too much?"
"Even so, is there a need to hide in my subordinate’s body like a parasite?" Aiden frowned and glared at Melissa.
"Oh dear, are you angry?" Melissa tilted her head slightly, "How strange, even when ’we’ve’ treated you like a toy, you’ve never reacted like this."
"You can read minds, so you should be able to guess what I’m thinking." Aiden took out the "Wordless Code" from his person, "Alright, I’ll meet with you. Please leave my subordinate’s body!"
He rarely expressed too much dissatisfaction in the presence of Melifilia or Melissa, because to express it was meaningless—deities don’t care about his feelings, and any outburst would just be impotent rage in the end.
But seeing Melissa freely manipulate Veronica’s body, he couldn’t help but feel a wave of irritation.
This direct method of taking over another’s body must also involve the power of the "Spirit" authority; the "Wordless Code" might not counter the power of Melissa’s "Desire" authority, but it could seal the "Spirit."
"Don’t make it so tense, I’ve only inserted a small fragment of spirit into her, like the witch’s familiar magic. I’m merely using a person as my own familiar; it won’t harm her in any way, I promise." Melissa smiled and pointed towards the reception area, "My main body is still over there. In her body, I can’t further wield my powers, I can’t read your mind, but I can feel your spiritual position, and your spiritual fluctuations. Just entertain me with a little chat, and I’ll be on my way. You wouldn’t really want to pick a fight, would you?"
Aiden stared at Melissa, scrutinizing her.
At that moment, a prison guard walked around the corner and caught sight of Aiden standing outside his office, instinctively preparing to salute and greet him.
However, the next second, she noticed her superior was standing face to face with Veronica in close proximity, with Aiden’s expression somber, and Veronica wearing a mischievously smiling face—an expression she had never had before. Their eyes met, almost as if sparks were flying between them.
The guard stood in place for half a second, and then, very "wisely," backed away while maintaining the posture as if to salute, and silently disappeared down the hallway.
A while passed, and Aiden finally spoke, "Alright then, come in."
As he said this, he retreated back to his office, and Melissa followed with a triumphant smile on her face.
"My, what a grand office." Melissa exaggeratedly praised, "This floor, it looks like it cost quite a pretty penny."
"Sit." Aiden gestured for Melissa to sit on the sofa.
Melissa sat down with ease: "I’ll have black tea, thank you."
"Alright, black tea." Aiden responded accordingly, but instead of pouring her tea, he began to chant divine words without warning.
"Divine Words of Punishment"—he looked at Melissa in front of him and silently recited "Imprisonment" in his heart.
Melissa, unperturbed, casually waved her hand behind her and touched an invisible wall.
The cage that engulfed her, the sofa, and the tea table shimmered for an instant before hiding again.
"Such thoughtful hospitality, are you so worried about me digging out the ’alter ego’ beneath our feet?" Melissa said, her face full of mockery as she looked at Aiden.
Melissa knew where Melifilia was held captive—Aiden wasn’t surprised at all by that; it would have been more surprising if she hadn’t known.
"Knowing that, I expect you to understand, I’m not sure if ’Exile’ can chase away the fragments of your spirit," Aiden said, staring at Melissa.
The exile power of "Punishment" was capable of targeting the intangible.
"The gap in authority is too wide, it won’t work, you know that. Even considering only the authority of ’Wisdom’, I am a saint," Melissa said with a confident smile.
"Alright then," Aiden produced the Wordless Code.
"Didn’t we agree to have a little chat first?" Melissa asked with a look of resignation, raising her hand.
Aiden didn’t respond to her but rather erased the rule "No Stealing" and wrote down the regulation prohibiting direct mind-reading: "Just preventing mind-reading, just in case. You’ll understand," he said.
"Aren’t you being a little too cautious?" Melissa laughed, covering her mouth.
"Who could blame me for being nervous when you started tinkering with the floor the moment you walked in?" Aiden put away the code, picked up the teapot to pour the tea, and then casually passed through the cage’s invisible wall to set the teacup on the table.
The cage created by the Divine Words of Punishment fundamentally allowed only those targets he permitted to pass through; the invisible wall was, to him, in effect non-existent.
"Another step closer to becoming the Sovereign, you’ve surprised me again," Melissa nodded.
"Surprised? Weren’t you the one pushing things along behind the scenes?" Aiden asked.
"I can’t say I haven’t done anything, but I really didn’t interfere too much with this one. This encounter that won you the Divine Words should count as your own fortune, and you caught it more splendidly than I had imagined," Melissa clapped her hands, "Really, it’s a very nice ending, almost without bloodshed. You’re becoming more and more like ’us’, it’s quite delightful! I thought you were going to kill that spy."
"Just happen to need someone to search for people in the Gistas Kingdom," Aiden replied.
"You’re well-informed, aren’t you? That superstar I sent you is quite useful, right?" Melissa said with a smile, "You seem to be getting along rather well with her."
"So it was indeed you causing trouble with the Scales of Smiles. That butler is your person, right?" Now that they were face to face, Aiden simply asked for clarity on the matters he had previously left unasked.
"Of course, my authority can’t directly conjure up information; I need to control those capable of gathering it," Melissa said gracefully as she picked up her teacup, "Only in this way can I pave the way for you to reach the divine altar—now, you’re only missing the last piece of the puzzle."
"So you’ve found it?" Aiden asked.
"That’s right, the power of ’Law’, I’ll deliver it to your hands. Of course, there will be a ’small’ trial attached," Melissa grinned, "Hold on tight, Mister Pawn."
