Chapter 45: Leather Folder

  “Young Master! Stop resisting and drink it!” Red Flag screamed at Shade.

  “I don’t need it!” Shade answered back in a panic.

  Specter and Snow was watching a rather interesting scene. They are used to Astral forcing a vial of blood into Shade’s mouth, however, this time it was Red Flag trying to do the same thing.

  Usually, Shade wouldn’t have the strength nor time to fight back. He would be tackled to the ground and as he gasps for air a vial of blood would be forced into his mouth by Astral.

  Astral is rather brutal compared to Red Flag’s first approach. Red Flag tried asking him nicely to drink the blood, but when that didn’t work, she tried Astral’s method which worked great if she won. Unfortunately, the strength gap between Shade and Red Flag wasn’t as large as the one between Shade and Astral, and Shade absolutely refuses to drink blood for obvious reasons. At times Red Flag would lose the fight and Shade would be able to escape.

  Red Flag has started calling Shade as Young Master, for reasons unknown. Shade did try to make her stop but she refused.

  “Red Flag, I have only used my spirit characteristics within the temple! There is no need for me to drink blood!” Shade screamed at the woman currently straddling him.

  “The temple doesn’t hinder desires but simply supresses them! Now drink!” Red Flag screamed back.

  …

  After being forced to drink blood, again, Shade was called to Mr. Rouge’s office. As Red Flag wasn’t called, Shade rushed there to get away from her.

  “Have you gotten used to her yet?” Rouge asked calmly with a grin as he read a report.

  “Well… You could say that she has gotten used to me at least.” Shade said with an exhausted tone.

  Rouge looked up from the report he was reading and laughed when he noticed how exhausted Shade was.

  “It sounds to me that the two of you have gotten used to each other’s company. That is good. That girl has lost most of her confidantes, and according to her, she is an orphan, like you. Try to get along with her.” Rouge spoke with a calm but melancholic tone. He was also worried about the fate of the mystics at the northern branch.

  Shade didn’t know that Red Flag was an orphan. The thought didn’t even cross his mind. He did find her presence somewhat bothersome but at this moment, he decided to be kinder to her.

  “Why did you call for me?” Shade asked the well-muscled man in front of him.

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  Rouge stood up and picked up a leather folder from his office table. He handed the folder to Shade. Shade inspected the leather folder while listening to Rouge.

  “Mr. Zephyr returned with this yesterday. Apparently, he found it along with a ceramic mask on a presumed to be Gourmet member he had ambushed.” Rouge’s tone sounded tired.

  After opening the folder, Shade noticed why Rouge called for him. The text on the papers inside the folder was unreadable. It wasn’t that the text was from another language, but that they were encrypted by mystical means.

  “Do you think you can decrypt it?” Rouge asked while touching his glabella.

  Shade didn’t say anything, he simply focused on the spirit characteristics within him and infused spirituality into his anti-divination characteristics.

  Magician was the first one to speak… I can’t read it. Old man?

  Judgement answered back… Neither can I. I think it is encrypted by someone at the rank of Miracle Maker. Shade has just become an Entity Invoker, a mystic with 6-15 contracted entities. A Miracle Maker has 26-30 contracted entities.

  Shade made a pained expression while thinking of a certain problem… I can’t ask them anything while the captain is watching!

  Magician noticed Shade’s reaction and something within him clicked… I think Shade wants to ask a question. Guess I will be his stand in. Old man, does that mean that Shade has to be a miracle maker before he can decrypt the text?

  Judgement closed his cold eyes for a moment, a stand in for shaking his head… No. Mystics from this day and age does not know of the spirit and demon categories. They have mixed and matched as they wish. If it was back in my days, then the answer would be yes. But Shade only needs to reach the formal rank of Mystic before he can decrypt it.

  Shade thought of how many entities he had to absorb before reaching the rank of Mystic… It’s the next rank from where I am now, so I need to have 16 characteristics.

  “No, sir. I can’t decrypt it. I think it is better to ask Ms. Silver.” Shade said with a disappointed tone.

  “I see, thank you for trying. That is all. You may go.” Rouge exhaled as he answered.

  Shade bowed slightly with his hand on his chest, mimicking Red Flag’s greeting before walking out of the office. Rouge sighed as he saw the door close.

  While looking at the folder Shade had returned to him, Rouge was caught in his own thoughts… It’s probably for the best that I didn’t tell him that the person Zephyr ambushed was from the church of fire and flame. I don’t like where this is going. I should speak with the saintess.

  …

  Waiting for Shade to walk out of Rouge’s office, Red Flag stood right outside.

  “Young Master. Did the captain have a mission for us?” She asked with an expecting smile.

  “No, he didn’t. Restless?” Shade asked.

  Red Flag exhaled. Her smile disappeared. “Yes, just a bit.” Red Flag answered with a disappointed expression.

  Shade, Red Flag, Snow, and Specter were told to sit still in the temple and focus on training and making more contracts with spirits.

  Everyone was getting rather restless and they were all dissatisfied with the fact that they couldn’t hunt down members of Gourmet after having raided many of their buildings.

  Everything was put on hold. Only Zephyr, Astral, and Rouge was allowed to investigate the members of the church of fire and flame, and Gourmet.

  Ms. Silver was waiting in the temple as well as teleporting back and forth between the main temple in the capital and the branch temple. Shade sighed as he walked towards the training grounds to practice his swordsmanship.

  Suddenly, Judgement spoke… I think it is time you learn combat divination.

  Shade made a confused expression. Magician spoke with an enlightened tone… So that’s what you call it!

  Shade was further confused, why did Magician act like he had used it before.

  Judgement continued speaking… Yes. I forgot that you used it the first time you had control over Shade’s body. To make the explanation as short as possible, combat divination is a method to force a vision of the immediate future.