Chapter 458

Three Hundred and Fifty-Seventh Moment

At night, somewhere in East Tivyán.

In the deserted park on a cold night, within the magical array drawn with soil in the flower beds, Nephnis stood there, looking seriously ahead at the bobcat spirit body floating in front of her, then spoke to it.

“Let’s begin, Lord Soul Whiskers.”

Hearing Nephnis’ words, the bobcat-shaped Wilderness Spirit leaped lightly in the air twice before turning and rushing into Nephnis’ chest, possessing her body.

After being possessed by the Soul Whiskers, Nephnis couldn’t help but shudder slightly. After quickly calming down, she closed her eyes and began the ceremony.

Feeling the presence of the Wilderness Spirit within her, Nephnis officially started her promotion ritual. Following the method taught in Davis’ notes, she began to coordinate and resonate with the Soul Whiskers inside her, allowing the influence of the otherworldly spirit to spread throughout her body. She allowed her body to become that of the spirit while also suppressing its will with her own.

To be honest, such a ritual made the Soul Whiskers feel uncomfortable. Instinctively, it wanted to resist or directly leave Nephnis’ body. However, due to receiving Nephnis’ offering and having already made a pact with her, it endured this discomfort and began cooperating with Nephnis’ actions.

Although the Wilderness Spirits of the New World have different personalities, they mostly uphold the spirit of contracts due to their long coexistence with shamans. As long as they receive sufficient offerings, they can accomplish tasks.

‘Yōmei profound… life and d*ath without measure… I wish to pledge my body… guiding d*ath towards life… I pray here, beseeching the truth of the afterlife, great Akasha, to dispel the fog and illuminate the path for me…’

Thus, Nephnis’ promotion reached a critical step. In her heart, she prayed to Akasha, seeking guidance from Him. Soon after, Akasha responded to her prayer, guiding her.

At this moment, a cold wind swept across the flower bed, causing Kapak, who was watching nearby, to shield his eyes. When he lowered his hand, he saw Nephnis standing quietly within the magical array.

When Nephnis opened her eyes again, Kapak saw her eyes, which seemed to have vertical pupils unlike those of a human, radiating a captivating gaze.

For a moment, he felt as if he saw Nephnis and the Soul Whiskers’ figures overlapping. Cat ears in the form of a spirit appeared on Nephnis’ head, and a cat tail of the same form floated behind her.

“What?”

Watching this scene, Kapak rubbed his eyes, thinking he had misseen. Opening them again, he saw Nephnis destroying the magical array in the mud as usual. The spiritual tail and ears he had seen earlier seemed to have disappeared, making Kapak doubt if he had been seeing an illusion.

“Miss Thief, has your ritual ended? Has Lord Soul Whiskers been strengthened?”

Kapak asked Nephnis, who, after covering the magical array, slowly walked over. She picked up a few iron coins from the ground, touched her chest, and smiled at Kapak in response.

“Yes… now, Lord Soul Whiskers is much stronger within me than outside.”

“Pay attention and follow me, Mr. Kapak. Now, I’ll find those people…”

Nephnis said as she briskly walked away. Her movements were so subtle and quick that Kapak, who was right across from her, didn’t notice. By the time Kapak realized the person in front of him was gone and turned to look for her, he saw Nephnis had mysteriously appeared far away.

“How fast…”

Seeing this, Kapak muttered in astonishment. He immediately started running toward Nephnis, closely following her.

Thus, Nephnis moved out of the flower bed, out of the park, and quickly hurried down the street in the cold night. Kapak ran after her, keeping close behind.

Though she was walking, Nephnis’ speed was astonishingly fast. Kapak, who was jogging to catch up, found himself unable to keep up. Moreover, the distance between them seemed to be widening.

“Why did Miss Thief suddenly become so fast?”

Thinking to himself as he watched Nephnis’ figure seemingly floating forward, Kapak recalled that previously, Nephnis was always the one with less stamina. He often had to stop and wait for her. Even when he still had plenty of energy, Nephnis could barely walk. But now, the situation seemed reversed; Kapak himself needed to accelerate to keep up with Nephnis.

“Phew… Is Miss Thief’s ritual really enhancing Lord Soul Whiskers’ perception? It feels more like it’s increasing her stamina. And it seems like she gave off a completely different impression when we talked just now.”

Just as Kapak was puzzled by the changes in Nephnis, the Nephnis running ahead increased her speed even more. Swiftly moving through the streets, she continuously scanned the darkness with sharp eyes, searching for her target. At intersections, she occasionally licked her lips and sniffed the air.

Thus, newly promoted as a Soul Binder and possessed by the Soul Whiskers, Nephnis tirelessly raced through the streets of Tivyán, hunting and tracking relentlessly. Kapak struggled to keep up with her.

This pursuit continued for some time until Nephnis arrived at a large river. Just as she continued to move forward along the riverbank, she suddenly stopped and turned to look at the river.

Seemingly sensing something, Nephnis stretched her neck out onto the riverbank railing, looking across the river. Her pupils narrowed into long vertical slits again.

“The opposite bank of the Moonflow River… So it’s in the southern district…”

Gazing at the lights across the river, Nephnis murmured, discovering the target she had been searching for.

…

South Tivyán, Bishop Square.

Under the dark night sky, a bustling crowd gathered in the open square. Despite the cold winter wind, people’s enthusiasm remained undiminished. This evening gathering in the southern district was mainly attended by residents of the lower strata of society. Such free, large-scale performances were rare opportunities for them.

After the host’s opening remarks, the evening officially began. However, there were no performers on stage at present because Princess Isabel, who was hosting the event, was giving a brief speech.

“I’m truly delighted… to have so many people gather here today to spend the last night of the year together with me. As I’ve always said, Prit is a shared Prit between Despenser and the people. Regardless of identity, we are all part of one nation and thus one family. On this night of family reunion, I wish to represent the royal family and join you all, welcoming the new year together as true family.

“Come, let us enjoy this wonderful night together. Tonight, we have prepared a mysterious surprise gift for everyone. Please look forward to it.”

On the balcony at the edge of the square, Princess Isabel, dressed in white, surrounded by numerous bodyguards, smiled confidently and addressed the crowd. Her words sparked enthusiastic reactions below. People called out her name repeatedly, their cheers growing louder and louder.

Amidst the excitement, Isabel slowly returned to her seat. At this moment, the Duke, smiling, spoke beside her.

“Although I’ve heard many times about your popularity among commoners, it’s the first time I’ve witnessed it firsthand. Ha ha… I never imagined little Isabel would be so loved and supported by so many people. Your daily actions have positively improved the image of the royal family among the poor. I’m sure His Majesty the King must be very happy. I’m glad you invited me to see this, as it’s more interesting than hosting a New Year banquet at home.”

“Not at all, Uncle Barret. I merely provided some assistance to those suffering. I only strive to do what a believer of the Holy Mother can do. There’s nothing more to it. The enthusiasm from the people, apart from myself, is largely due to your presence. It’s an honor for me that you accepted the invitation.” Isabel responded humbly to Barret’s words, and Barret continued to smile.