Chapter 50
“Please explain in detail,” I asked as I unleashed Voodoo Magic to draw a spell array into the air. The spell array, which was messy and chaotic only seconds ago, was now drawn perfectly. My fogged-up mind became clear again.
[There's no need for a detailed explanation. You have already been using Do-Jin’s secret technique unknowingly.] Legba said. His tone was calm as usual. There was no noticeable emotion in his dry voice.
“What exactly are you talking about?”
[Hm, I would have thought this would be enough to enlighten you. Do you bother drawing a spell array when using a lesser restoration spell?]
I slapped my forehead. Come to think of it, I had never drawn a spell array when using the lesser restoration spell because I knew how to trigger the spell without drawing one.
[Don't you understand?]
I happened to have a small scratch on my ankle from my escape from the wildfire at Eiden Hill. I had used the lesser restoration spell. When I focused on my fingertips, a faint mist, too thin for the eye to see, spilled forth. The fog flowed slowly toward my injury. When it made contact with the wound, the wound vanished. I felt like I was on to something.
[As much as it pains me to say, you've been using the lesser restoration spell frequently ever since the Holy War.]
“Well... You’re not wrong.”
[Exactly. You have acquired the spell through repeated training.]
I didn't fully understand, but I nodded anyway.
[If you don't understand, just say so.]
“Yeah, I don't understand.”
[Then let me break it down for you. First, to cast a spell, one must follow three steps.] Legba continued to explain.
To cast a spell, one had to complete three steps. First, unleash Voodoo Magic. Second, draw a spell array with Voodoo Magic. Third, designate the target of the spell and activate it. These steps were called ‘Projection’ 'Realization,' and 'Activation,' respectively.
“Who came up with these names? They sound corny.”
[Your father did.]
“Actually, it doesn’t sound that corny at all. Hm, no, the names are quite self-explanatory.”
[I’ll continue. If you recite it using the spell and reach a state of acquirement, you can skip the 'Projection' and 'Realization' stages.]
Additionally, there existed a state called acquirement. By repeatedly casting a spell on oneself, it was possible to reach a state where the mist of the spell 'seeped' into the body. This state was labeled Acquirement. Once a spell was acquired, one could activate the spell without having to draw a spell array.
I nodded, but something was bugging me. Setting aside whether the mist could seep into the body or not, it didn’t make sense that someone could skip the Projection and Realization stages by the ‘acquisition’ of a said spell. Moreover, what was the principle behind it?
[I don't know either.]
I couldn’t help but burst out in laughter at Legba’s response. "You don't know?"
[This was not my finding but your father’s. Of course, I don’t fully grasp the principle behind it.] Legba continued.
My father had dedicated his entire life to researching Voodoo Magic, and Legba had only watched his work from the sidelines. That’s why he knew the fruits of the research but did not understand why it worked. I asked where my father's research records, such as articles, were, but he said that he was oblivious to this as well.
[They must be somewhere. I just don't know where.]
"Any guesses?"
[It might be in one of the keepsakes,]
I glanced briefly toward the top of the dresser where I stored my father's keepsakes. There were only two items: one was a small wooden box the size of a palm, and the other, a simple urn ring. There were no research records.
[It could be in the box.] Legba said.
"That seems unlikely." The wooden box seemed too small to store any research papers.
[The research doesn’t necessarily have to be recorded on paper.]
"What other ways are there to record research other than that?”
[Your father once said, ‘There are multiple ways of recording.’ He wouldn’t have recorded his research on paper like everyone else. I think he might have used a unique method.] Legba muttered.
I couldn’t wrap my head around his words. What other way was there to record research besides on paper? No matter how hard I thought, It was hard to come up with an alternative method.
"Maybe he saved it on a USB or something."
[That could be possible.]
"But my father was a computer illiterate."
[Also true.] Legba just agreed with me and did not provide any help.
I gave up and put the box back in its place. I wanted to open the box and see what was inside, but I couldn't.
"Open the box when you become an adult."
As if he had felt his end coming, my father had said those words a week before he died. I didn't understand why, but I kept the promise as it was one of his last wishes.
[You’ll understand when the time comes. Right now, you should focus on what I’ve told you.]
“You’re talking about Acquirement, right?”
[Yes. For now, try applying it to spells other than the restoration spell. If you figure something out, then try to apply it by using it on blessings.]
I silently focused on drawing enthrallment spell arrays. I used multiple spells on myself, ranging from different levels, lesser to superior, and from a wide variety, such as the ‘curse of fainting,’ ‘curse of nightmares,’ and ‘curse of intoxication.’
Fog wrapped around me, and I felt a pang of dizziness as the world seemed to spin underneath my feet. However, the dizziness was short-lived. Although I experienced the occasional headaches and dizziness, I never fainted or lost consciousness, nor did I fall into the curse of nightmares or lose my sanity by being overwhelmed by excessive pleasure. Although the spells would activate, they did not affect me.
[Your resistance is stronger than the power of the spell.]
I knew that individuals varied in their spell resistance. However, even the superior enthrallment spell did not affect me. Something was off.
"Is my resistance too strong? Or am I just bad at handling the spells?"
[Your resistance is extreme because you are the Cult Leader. However, you are not as skilled at handling spells as the previous Cult Leaders. So, both of your statements hold truth.]
"Am I not somewhat skilled myself?"
[Yes, but compared to your father, you fall far short.] Legba said.
My father had refrained from using spells other than the ones he would cast to teach me, so I didn’t know how good he was at handling spells. And I never would either since he was dead.
I put aside my doubts and focused my attention on drawing spell arrays.
Unaware of the passage of time, I continually repeated my efforts but couldn't reach the state of Acquirement. However, I wasn't disappointed. It would be greedy of me to hope for results in just one day. I believed that if I continued to make steady efforts, I would eventually reach my goal. With that thought, I stood up from my seat.
"Ack." However, I sat back down immediately due to my legs going numb.
[You've been sitting for two hours. No wonder your legs went numb.]
"Two hours?" Surprised, I looked out the window and realized that the sky had turned dark.
I hadn't noticed before, but I realized I was famished. I had been so laser-focused that I even discarded my hunger. I didn't know my concentration was this strong.
[You should have dinner soon. Nutritional intake is vital for growth.]
"I think I'm already done with growing."
[Don't talk back to me.]
‘Old-fashioned,’ I thought to myself.
As my legs no longer felt laced with electricity, I quickly got up and headed toward the refrigerator. I wanted to see what there was to eat, but surprisingly, I could not find anything for myself. The only things I had were expired milk, eggs that had turned black and rotten, and moldy bread. I searched through the pantry, but again to my surprise, I had run out of rice. The only somewhat edible thing...
"We have cat food."
[The roles have been reversed. There is no food for humans, but we have food for livestock.]
"I know, right."
Swoosh!
I went out to the terrace with the bag of cat food. Although the tiles had faded to a yellowish color, and there were patches of mold here and there, the house came with a terrace. It was an embarrassment to call it one, but I called it a terrace anyways.
Meow.
As I shook the bag of cat food, a cat swiftly made its way up a tree and onto the terrace. I filled the bowl with food and offered it, which the cat eagerly ate out of.
Crunch, crunch.
[It's devouring it.]
As I reached out with my hand, the cat nudged its head against me as if it was asking for pets.
[It is adorable.]
“I know, right.”
In these busy days came moments when it felt like there was no time to breathe or think. During these times, the cat brought comfort to my heart. I didn't name the cat. There was no reason to create a reason to be attached when I would not raise it, so I just decided to call it cat.
After finishing its meal, the cat licked its lips. I continued to pet it. The cat turned its belly to the sky and wriggled around, stretching its limbs. Its eyes were already half closed with contentment. I couldn't help but let a smile creep up my face as I watched the scene unfold.
[It seems to be that you’ve already grown fond of it.]
"How can’t I? It’s so cute."
No matter how much I promised myself not to get attached to it, I found myself unconsciously giving my heart to this little stray cat on days when I was exhausted from dealing with overwhelming incidents and people.
Although one could not fathom the true heart of others, there was no need to fathom the heart of a stray cat. That was why I sometimes thought that it felt like we relied more on animals than on people. It was because animals were always there for us.
When I had grown tired of petting the cat, I got up. The cat, startled, swiftly jumped over the terrace wall and made its way down by using the tree. I could see the steady green light from the cat’s eyes as it stared at me. Soon after, the green glow vanished.
[Cats are cute, but they lack manners.]
"That's what makes them charming." I turned off the lights and left the house. I could barely feel my legs, and they buckled beneath me as I descended the stairs. It was partly because I was hungry, partially because I had recklessly drawn spell arrays earlier, and partly because I had leg day the day before.
"A true trifecta..."
[Stop talking nonsense and go shopping. I'll tell you what to buy.]
"Sounds good."
Having Legba was convenient, as I didn't need to make a grocery shopping list. Instead, Legba would simply tell me what I needed.
***
[You didn’t have scallions or garlic.]
[It's good to buy fruits. You'll eventually eat them.]
[Buying chicken breast wouldn't be a bad idea. Your diet, overall, lacks protein.]
Following Legba's suggestions, I picked up the ingredients and placed them in the shopping cart. It was an excessive amount for one person, but that was fine since I wasn't planning to eat alone.
I went to the mart not only to buy ingredients for myself but also to buy food for Yoon-Ah. The cart soon became full as I loaded it up with various items. At a glance, it seemed like the total would tally to be a considerable amount. Luckily, I had enough money thanks to my uncle, who had sent me a portion of the money after completing the first round of money laundering. After paying, I left the mart. The shopping bags in both of my hands felt crazy heavy.
[How about using Bossou’s power? ]
"Nah."
Legba suggested calling forth Bossou’s power, but it would be a waste to use it just for carrying the baskets. It wasn't like I had any sacrifices lying about. Although it felt like my shoulders would give out from the weight, I could bear it if I considered it a form of exercise.
"Ah."
At that moment, someone approaching me from a distance let out a sigh as they spotted me. They wore a black hoodie, black mask, and black slacks. They were even wearing black slippers—making them black from head to toe. I tensed up and narrowed my eyes, staring the stranger down. They looked familiar, yet unfamiliar at the same time. It felt like I had seen them somewhere before, but I also seemed like a stranger.
After they stared at me for a while, they, or rather, she, suddenly pressed down her hood and covered her face.
Tadadada.
Then, she turned around and, with quick steps, ran away from me. Instinctively, I chased after her. I didn't know who she was, but for some reason, it felt like I had to pursue her. It could be the Satanist I had encountered before. After all, she had no reason to run away upon seeing me. However, it was challenging to engage in a chase with the heavy shopping baskets in my hands.
"Bossou-ey?"
Thud.
As I was about to use Bossou's power, she slipped and fell with a loud thud. She remained lying there motionless for a while. She didn’t move a muscle, and her arms were limp. Passersby looked at her with shocked expressions.
...Was she dead?
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