Chapter 92: Recruits [Part 14]
Samantha’s sudden agreement to work under Richard quickly ended the argument between the two and what followed was a quick and shocking series of events for Samantha.
Her body was healed, she was given a bath and then a magic circle was tattooed on her body.
After her restraints were loosened and she was given a new change of clothes, Samantha hesitantly went up to Richard and kneeled.
Her actions caused Richard to react with a hint of confusion as he asked.
"Huh? What’s this?"
Richard was aware that many Asian cultures took great fascination in the act of bowing. From the Chinese to the Japanese, even some south east asian countries adapted the action.
But the Philippines had deeper ties in terms of culture to western civilization.
The 300-something years of Spanish occupation nearly erased their whole culture, but the subsequent American occupation and independence came with new but still western culture and ideology.
Moreover, the current trend of the local economy focused heavily on tourism and worker exports.
Other nations tried to export culture and goods, but the Philippines? Their greatest export were workers, there’s a reason the "Filipino Nurse" was famous in the US.
Because of this, the kneeling which Samantha did before Richard meant that she was showing her subservience... right?
While it was an archaic method, it was still a classic show of submission in ancient Europe.
Maybe the Austronesians had a similar culture, this made it easier for the Spanish to take over and it also carried onto the current age-
"The contract... I shall serve my master..."
Samantha responded to Richar’s question with a light of resolution in her eyes.
"Well that’s fi- What the hell are you doing?!"
Richard was about to accept Samantha’s gesture but while he was talking, the witch before him started to strip.
"Isn’t this a ritual? You... you’ll take my chastity and mark me... that is what I was told..."
For Samantha, the mere mention of intercourse was a difficult subject to tackle.
Especially in front of strangers.
While she would have preferred being taken in a private room, Richard did not seem to show any desire to do that.
But Samantha did not voice out her concerns, she believed that she had no right to do so and that this was likely a part of the ritual.
Much like how she and the other Filipino mystics brainwashed the populace, Richard was likely training her to get used to such things.
Hana did say that the ritual also provides strength, it was likely that some of the witches in this manor used the ritual as a method of training.
Anyone would want to get stronger if they had the opportunity to do so and while Samantha didn’t want t fall to such a level, if Richard demanded for it, she could only accept.
After all, it was nothing more than a part of the contract and a way to increase the strength of their faction.
The cost was minimal, all they had to do was have excessive physical contact and they get stronger- who wouldn’t want that?
Although Samantha had the whisper in her mind that called it compared to sex-work, Samantha was not fully conservative.
Like the majority of the younger generation in the country, she was quite liberal and she had, in fact, thought of going into that business before she obtained the strength and influence she had now.
But she could see how young men and women with attractive appearances would consider such a line of work.
Especially with the internet, you didn’t even need to have true physical contact with your clients and you’d get paid a lot.
Sometimes, all you had to do was pretend to care about a few lonely people on the internet and you could get paid.
While she was fortunate to not need to go to such lengths just to make ends meet, Samantha was well aware of others who weren’t so lucky.
Still, Samantha had already accepted her fate, she was going to be used like a tool. Maybe treated lower than the rest of the witches but that was a small price to pay.
Compared to living a life of suffering, being the partner of a rich and powerful man was better.
Not to mention the fact that Richard seemed to have an interest in her magic. While not as great as the abilities Richard and his group put on full display, her magic also had its uses and Richard seemed to understand that.
Though not everyone in his group agrees to the idea, Samantha was thankful that Richard, who was their leader, did.
"We don’t need to do that though?"
While Samantha was going through the motions of her fate inside her head, Richard had already gotten a good read on her thoughts.
It had initially shocked him that her actions went from "weird but normal" to "absolutely mad", But when he understood what she was likely thinking and going on about- things became simpler.
But the reaction Samantha showed was not calm and relief but worry and panic.
She started to beg him not to dispose of her and other such things.
It really made Richard wonder what kind of idea she had of their group but then again.
Considering how she was treated and the fact that the local mystics lived among the non-mystics instead of creating their own mystical world... Samantha’s reaction made sense.
It also explained why a powerful witch was not used to blood and gore.
Even if their specialization was in manipulation and stealth, that did not completely separate them from the mystical world. There are after all, many mystic groups, some are even international in their reach.
But the local mystics evaded the power that could even target Yuna and her group.
It was likely the lack of a proper "Philippine Mystical World" that prevented them from being seen through as their low mystical abilities and focus on living among the masses made them less "mystical" and more "normal".
If anything, the local mystics were just a bunch of regular people with a bit more knowledge and ability- maybe some had access to true mystical powers but the focus on manipulation and hiding made them-
Huh?
As he thought along those lines, Richard came to a sudden realization of the current situation.
He pushed away Samantha who was desperately grabbing onto his pants trying to unzip them.
"The contract is already made, the tattoo you have is proof of that! Now move! I need to check something out!"
Cindy let out a sigh as she followed Richard who had stormed out of the room.
At this point, Richard’s act of storming out randomly was already something of a norm.
Sometimes he gets a sudden idea which is only useful to him and other times he gets a genuinely worthwhile enlightenment.
Whatever it was that got him riled up now, Cindy could only guess but she had to be there when he hits a slump as he tries to figure things out.
Samantha on the other hand was still shaken, fortunately, Hana was there to calm her down.
Though even Hana felt that while things were calm something was happening that she could not really get a good grasp on.
"If only we could get a better understanding of the situation..."
Although they had a good way to source information, their sources were mostly just online articles, chatgroups and other secret forums related to the international witch hunt.
Richard could get a good grasp of the movement and thoughts of the non-mystical community but he lacked any substantial source of information related to the mystical community.
Some may wonder if he was stupid to forget about his ability to teleport but while he could cast the spell without the Goddess, Richard still needed different levels of prep depending on the distance.
A quick transfer within visual range did not need much effort and could be cast within a split second but distances out of view needed a bit more time.
The Goddess had vanished and even Richard did not really get a good grasp of when she disappeared and why. He just suddenly realized that the Goddess was not there after he tried to open a gate to Japan to call for Maiko.
Before, the Goddess was constantly annoying Richard and Hana found him constantly talking and mumbling to himself.
But ever since he got the blood of the Nephilim, the attitude of the Goddess changed.
Instead of annoying Richard, she simply watched from the sides.
Richard did not notice this as she still added a few comments here and there and Cindy took on the chance to talk more with Richard.
Then they got Morgana’s group, his paranoia of betrayal which led him to use forceful methods to keep people in line-
The number of people around Richard grew and instead of avoiding him, many of the witches he worked with and who were subservient to him were desperately trying to win more of his favor.
Richard and even Cindy did not notice it but Hana who was a constant observer noticed the change.
Though she didn’t voice out her concerns as she found that while the Goddess reduced her time interacting with Richard, the few moments she manifested herself- instead of the gloom and doom she had on constantly, her expression had been rather bright.
It got exceptionally more "joyful" as Richard started to spread his seed, Hana even spotted the Goddess giving some tips to the witches from time to time.
Hana had some thoughts and worries but she also knew that there wasn’t much she could do about the situation.
Only Richard could deal with the Goddess and if he was calm about it...
’There’s nothing to worry about... right?’
