Chapter 53: The Sorcerer’s Delusion

“

…This is a bit different from what I imagined. Perhaps there’s more to it; I’ll go ask.

Ling Wei walked over to the middle-aged man.

She made no attempt to conceal herself, yet Old Nie remained oblivious to her approach. He continued clapping, dancing, and chanting, resembling a frenzied Changbai Mountain monkey.

“Eight horses, nine linked rings, a grand full house then a pair of treasures! Guan Yu, Zhou Yu, Hakimi, and the north-south mung beans above, open!”

The young woman cleared her throat and called out:

“Hello—”

“Go away! Don’t interrupt my ritual!”

“

…I am Fireworks from the New Light Group.”

Upon hearing the name “Fireworks,” the middle-aged man abruptly ceased his movements. He set down his rattle drum, his face contorting into a respectful smile that pulled his scars into a tight knot.

“Ah, it’s Miss Fireworks, the Red Lotus of Purgatory’s Condemnation, the Saintess bearing Prometheus’s burden, the Nine Revolutions Karmic Fire True Monarch who burns the world, and the one with the Black Flame Dragon residing in her right arm.”

Old Nie’s tone was utterly fawning, so much so that Ling Wei felt goosebumps prickle her skin.

“I, I don’t actually have those epithets.”

“Please don’t be modest. Your heroic feat of slaying ‘Gluttony’ is renowned both domestically and internationally.

“Is there anything I can assist you with? I will spare no effort.”

When Xia Shi was beaten to a pulp by two Cardinal Sins, she managed to take “Gluttony” down with her, leaving the Seven Cardinal Sins incomplete.

However, while a Cardinal Sin’s avatar can die, the Cardinal Sin itself is immortal. It had been charging for a year, and it was likely time for it to find its next host and create a new avatar.

Ling Wei scrutinized the lotus crown on the middle-aged man’s head, his soiled Taoist robe, and the children’s rattle drum in his hand. For a moment, she was at a loss for where to even begin her complaints.

“Lily of the Valley mentioned that you seem to have found a lost resurrection spell. Are you perhaps casting it right now?”

Old Nie paused, then said:

“You jest. There’s not an ounce of magic here, so I certainly couldn’t be casting a spell. This is merely a preparatory ritual.”

The middle-aged man’s tone was filled with pity, as if he were thinking, ‘Alas, poor magical girl, always busy fighting, yet she doesn’t even grasp such basic common sense.’

‘…This deluded old madman!’

Ling Wei suppressed the urge to laugh, her lips twitching, and said:

“A preparatory ritual?”

“Yes. Most complex spells cannot be cast directly; they require a preparatory ritual. That is what I am currently performing.”

“

…If it’s convenient, could you tell me where you learned this resurrection spell?”

“Certainly, certainly, no problem at all. Please wait a moment.”

Old Nie dashed into the abandoned convenience store nearby. When he emerged, he was cradling an ancient book with yellowed edges in his hands.

“Please behold, all mysteries are recorded within this divine tome. Ah, that I, Old Nie, should encounter it… what immense fortune!”

The young woman bowed slightly in reverence, then cautiously took the ancient book, examining it thoroughly.

It was a massive volume, as thick and heavy as a brick. A line of obscure Latin was hot-stamped onto its dark leather cover, while its corners and spine were encased in rigid black iron.

If not for the Bandai logo and copyright symbol printed on the spine, it would have truly looked the part.

Ling Wei pointed to the logo on the spine and presented it to the middle-aged man.

“Excuse me, what does this symbol mean? My eyesight isn’t the best, but it seems to resemble a toy manufacturer’s logo.”

“Ah, my apologies, I forgot to mention. This book is rather shy; it only reveals its true form to me. This symbol is merely its disguise.”

The young woman quickly flipped through the book, opening to a page and pointing to two distinct stains, clearly print marks, on the top-right and bottom-right corners of the page.

“Excuse me, what are these?”

“Those are tea stains. The author was likely drinking tea while writing.”

“Why are these two tea stains identical? Look, even the three tiny black splatters on the edges are exactly the same.”

“Perhaps the author simply spilled two identical drops of tea. After all, he is a sorcerer of profound magical power; what might be a coincidence for ordinary people could just be an everyday occurrence for him.

“Miss Fireworks, do you have any other questions?”

Old Nie was utterly unyielding, his three-dimensional defense impregnable. Ling Wei couldn’t help but secretly praise him, saying:

“No more, thank you for your patience. My apologies for interrupting your ritual; please continue.”

The young woman returned the book.

The middle-aged man raised his rattle drum, let out a “Waa-ya-ya” cry, and was about to resume chanting. However, he suddenly stopped and addressed Ling Wei:

“Oh, by the way, Miss Fireworks, I have an impudent request.”

“Uh, please go on?”

“I can complete the preparatory ritual alone. However, to truly cast the spell, the meager magical power of just Lily of the Valley and myself would likely be far from sufficient.

“I wonder if you would grace us with your presence and lend a hand? I still have nearly 900,000 in savings, which I would gladly offer as a token of my gratitude.”

“

…The money isn’t necessary, but I will consider the matter. However, how did you originally intend to solve this magical power issue?”

Old Nie sighed resentfully, raising the magic book (made by Bandai) in his hand, and said:

“I contacted many of my former sorcerer colleagues.

“They all initially agreed to help, but as soon as they heard about setting up a magic circle in the White Barrier Forest, they all got cold feet. Some even claimed I had lost my mind.

“Miss Fireworks, true friends are revealed in times of adversity.”

“

…You intend to perform a resurrection spell in the White Barrier Forest? But that place is—”

“Yes, people often go missing there, including sorcerers more powerful than myself. However, people also frequently return unscathed, don’t they?”

“You, you have a point. Thank you for your answer.”

“It is my honor to assist you.”

The young woman ended the conversation noncommittally. The middle-aged man held up his rattle drum and once again began circling the stone pillar.

Ling Wei returned to Lu Chen and Lily of the Valley, offering a helpless, wry smile.

“He truly is an interesting sorcerer, isn’t he?”

Lily of the Valley rubbed her temples, saying with a touch of shame:

“I apologize for causing you trouble. The last time we met, he wasn’t this unhinged… to actually want to cast a spell in the White Barrier Forest.”

Lu Chen said:

“Miss Lily of the Valley, I know a few psychologists. I suggest you have Old Nie examined immediately.”

“But seeing him in his current state, the doctors would likely—”

“Indeed, he would most likely be restrained and sent to a psychiatric hospital. But that would be better than him committing suicide in his delusion.”

Lily of the Valley let out a long sigh and leaned against a nearby carousel. The middle-aged man continued to shout his garbled incantations. After a long silence, the young woman lowered her head and murmured:

“Old Nie has helped me a great deal. I still hope to handle this matter myself, as much as possible.”

Ling Wei looked back at the magic book in Old Nie’s hand, narrowing her eyes thoughtfully, a hint of playful amusement dancing within them.

‘This resurrection spell… perhaps it shouldn’t be missed.’

She turned to Lily of the Valley and said:

“Lily of the Valley, you say you want to handle this alone, but what exactly do you plan to do? Persuade him to regain his sanity?”

“

…No, I don’t believe I have enough eloquence for that.”

“Then, do you intend to use force to stop him 24 hours a day? To prevent him from continuing his research or casting spells?”

“

…Of course not, that would likely only backfire and make him even crazier.”

“In that case, what exactly do you intend to do?”

Lily of the Valley was momentarily speechless. Ling Wei smiled faintly and gave a knowing look to the young man beside her. He understood, and with a helpless sigh, stepped forward and said:

“So, please allow us to help.”

“But—”

“Old Nie isn’t ‘your’ collaborator, he’s ‘our’ collaborator. Xia Shi is your partner, and I am your cameraman. We should naturally solve problems together.

“Look, doesn’t Old Nie want to cast a resurrection spell? We can simply play along with his act. The outskirts of the White Barrier Forest aren’t dangerous for magical girls.

“When he realizes the spell has no effect, he will naturally understand that he’s gone astray. If he still can’t regain his clarity, it won’t be too late to seek a doctor then.

“Does this approach sound acceptable?”

Lily of the Valley instinctively wanted to decline, but the young woman and man’s eyes gleamed with an irresistible enthusiasm. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded gratefully to them both.

“I understand. Thank you both very much for your help. Afterward… no, never mind.”

Lu Chen furrowed his brow slightly.

“Miss Lily of the Valley, it’s not a good habit to speak in riddles.”

“It’s just, uh, would you allow me to treat you to a meal afterward as a token of my gratitude? If it’s too much trouble, please just pretend you didn’t hear me!”

Though it was merely a small invitation for a meal, Lily of the Valley was so nervous she became incoherent, like a student discovering their pen had run out of ink during a college entrance exam.

Lu Chen exchanged a glance with his lover beside him, both simultaneously curving their lips into a helpless smile.

“Of course.”