Chapter 181 A Gloomy and Sticky Ritual
After washing up, I dressed as neatly as possible.Then I opened the door and entered Alpa’s room.
Anya’s words that he always fell asleep by this time were correct. Alpa was sound asleep.
"Even a bastard like him looks peaceful when he’s asleep. But his room is a mess."
Alpa was peacefully sleeping on the bed where I had rolled around with Anya.
Does that guy know? About Anya and me.
First, I closed my eyes and regulated my breathing. I tried to recall how Grant had handled Kahlum.
I believed that the sensation from that time would still remain in my body.
I moved my body little by little. Just like when I first felt ki.
"I have to try."
"Before that, as a Debauched Hero, I’m just exercising my natural rights. For the sake of continuing my relationship with the slave, you see."
"You flatter me, you flatter me!"
I chuckled lightly and opened my eyes. I imagined energy gathering in both my hands.
Then a reaction came from my hands. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Kahlum, but ki that gathered.
"No, this isn’t it!"
The first attempt failed. I sighed and thought of Grant.
"This is the body that Sir Grant used as if it were his own. Even if Kahllum isn’t left in my body, the sensation of handling Kahlum must remain. I need to feel a different energy, not ki!"
I recalled the time I fought Grant for my life.
I also remembered being struck by his unexpected blow. I replayed the memory of Kahlum threatening me, piercing through my invincibility.
I slowly and vividly recreated that flow.
"It was sharp yet fierce. Like a biting wind on a snowy field."
I slowly nodded and gestured more gently with my hands.
So that he wouldn’t wake up, and to minimize the mental burden on me.
I stretched my hand towards Alpa.
"I’ll hear his story later. If he survives."
I gradually moved my hands, mimicking the flow of Kahlum. At first, there was no reaction.
But gradually, the Kahlum latent in Alpa’s body began to react.
Is it now?
I swallowed dryly and focused my mind even more. I wanted to extract Kahlum right away. More, faster!
I already felt mentally exhausted. Honestly, I wondered if my mind was really this weak.
"No. This isn’t a weak mind; it’s a different problem!"
Rather, the act itself was incredibly difficult. I had to handle a separate energy that I had never controlled with my own will, through an ability that had been installed in me like some illegal app without my knowledge.
I put strength into my eyes.
"Fuck, was it this difficult? It’s on a different level from handling ki!"
I gritted my teeth and tried to guide Kahllum. Finally, Kahllum emerged and gathered in my hands.
But there was still a lot left.
Alpa gradually began to groan. Is he going to wake up?
"Please, you’re not going to wake up, right?"
As I concentrated, Alpa clutched his chest, groaning in pain. Then he let out a moan and opened his eyes.
Our eyes met, of all things.
"Huh, what? Lucian? Why are you...."
Wham!
Faster than light, I punched him in the jaw and knocked him out.
Fuck, that startled me. Seriously.
"It doesn’t matter. I can just tease him about dreaming it later."
I focused again. It would be troublesome if I lost concentration even a little.
I had to extract all the Kahlum now, while I had the chance.
I exhaled slowly and concentrated on Kahlum. As if pulling a rope.
I continued to imagine pulling out Kahlum with just hand gestures.
Before I knew it, my whole body was drenched in sweat. My breathing became rougher, and my head grew increasingly dizzy.
This moment of performing the ritual felt like it would last forever.
Whoosh.
Kahlum was steadily flowing out. This sight gave me strength.
I bit my lower lip and concentrated.
"Grant did this difficult thing as if it were breathing? That’s ridiculous."
It was enough to make me let out a hollow laugh.
After concentrating for about 5 more minutes, it felt like my breathing suddenly cleared.
I had finally extracted it all.
Huff, huff.
As I looked down at the Kahlum gathered in my hand, sweat streamed down my forehead.
I wiped it away with my hand and massaged the back of my neck. I really thought it would last forever. It was such a tedious and arduous moment.
"Let’s go out."
I wanted to rest. As I opened the door to leave, I ran into Anya.
I told her to sleep, so why is she doing this here?
"What, I thought you were sleeping?"
"No, because I was worried...."
"Your son is fine."
I said, fiddling with the Kahlum gathered in my hand. Anya’s expression brightened.
She even subtly rubbed her lower hip against me.
"I was worried about my Master."
She smiled shyly. She was like a prostitute pretending to be an innocent girl, and I wanted to teach her pussy a lesson right then and there.
But I didn’t have the strength. I was exhausted.
"I extracted it all. Alpa will be fine, so don’t worry."
"Really? Ah, Master...♥"
Anya shed tears. Still, it’s a relief. It went as I wanted.
The Goddess’s voice echoed.
"I’ll just give it to the Butler as a gift later, I guess."
I sent the lump of Kahlum into the ring.
It would be floating in the sky, so there would be no danger.
I exhaled deeply and sat in the living room. My body felt utterly worn out.
Wow, how long has it been since I was this dead tired? I actually miss it.
As I chuckled internally, Anya approached and leaned against me.
"Master, shall I give you some energy?"
"No, I’ll just sleep in your room. Got it?"
"Eh? But Master...!"
"Sleepy, sleepy."
I just collapsed onto the bed. I was so tired I didn’t even feel like having sex.
Even working hard all day would be easier than this.
And so, my eyes closed. Heavily.
***
The next morning.
I heard arguing from outside the door.
"Come on, just talk about it! Son!"
"Ah, fuck. My power’s gone, what am I supposed to do? I’m ruined!"
"Alpa, please...!"
"Ugh, seriously! Have you ever understood how I feel, Mom? I’m going crazyyyyyyy!"
That bastard, he’s whining like hell.
Maybe his way of speaking actually reflects his personality?
Why does he only do such ridiculous things?
They were arguing loudly enough to echo through the house.
Thanks to them, I woke up well.
"I guess I should go act."
If I came out of the room now, the situation would be strange. First, I wanted to get the information I needed from Alpa.
To do that, I’d have to add some acting. I opened the window.
I went straight outside. First, I tidied my hair, deliberately wrinkled my clothes a bit, and headed for the main door.
Knock-knock!
I knocked on the door. Soon, Anya opened it and came out.
"Oh my, when did you...?"
"Hello, Anya! I heard that Alpa is acting strange, so I came!"
I walked in without permission. There was no one here to stop me anyway.
Once inside, the atmosphere was quite heavy. So much so that I regretted coming in.
Even Alpa’s Force Heart had returned to Runner Mid-stage.
Still, it wasn’t a faint light like before. That bastard, he must have put in some effort.
At my appearance, Alpa scrunched up his face as much as he could.
"Lucian, you fucking bastard... what did you do yesterday? Huh?"
"Do I have to report everything to you? Hilarious."
"Why were you in my room?!"
"What are you talking about? Did you dream it?"
"What? No, that...!"
I acted shamelessly. Anyway, that guy had no proof. And I knocked him out instantly, so he’d have trouble distinguishing if that memory was real.
"That’s disgusting, Alpa. If you’re going to have a wet dream, do it with a woman. Why me? Ugh, you kept saying ’gay, gay,’ did you actually become gay?"
I retorted with mockery instead. Alpa trembled. Idiot.
"You son of a...!"
"Let me ask you one thing. Where did you get Kahlum? Answer me properly."
At my question, Alpa immediately shut his mouth. As if it was strange that I knew this.
"How do you know that?"
"Are you an idiot? The guy who handled it well possessed my body, didn’t he?"
"Th-that...."
I seriously doubt his intelligence level. What kind of life has he lived?
Next to us, Anya shouted.
"Tell him quickly! Or do you want to cut ties with Mom here? Huh?!"
"Not bad? For Anya, that is."
I whistled internally, cheering Anya on. She acts like a mom when she needs to.
Alpa fidgeted before opening his mouth.
"That was my power, my everything! But it’s gone, goddammit!"
"Oh my. How bad that was for your body! If something happens to you, what about Mom? How am I, your mom, supposed to live alone?!"
Anya shed hot tears. At her appearance, Alpa seemed flustered and backed away.
"F-fuck. Who gives a fuck?"
Even as he said that, he avoided her gaze. He must feel quite sorry.
"Perhaps if I had parents, I would have whined like that too. But...."
For now, appeasing Alpa was the priority. First, I needed to find out the source of Kahlum from him.
Those Who Recite Sins Cult had virtually disintegrated after James’s death.
The remnants were subjected to a near-mad extermination operation by the imperial palace.
"Don’t be like that, just tell me."
"Who gave it to you?"
"Who is it?"
"That...."
Alpa finally mentioned a name. The name that came from his lips felt like a dagger plunged into my heart.
Why... why...?
