789 At the Stake

Jenna observed Rabbit Chasel, who increasingly resembled Gehrman Sparrow, and carefully asked, "What do you need this time?"

One of the later volumes of The Great Adventurer? Or something else?

Luckily, few people knew about her messenger, and Rabbit Chasel didn't deliver messages frequently. Otherwise, Jenna would have to consider providing different knowledge.

Rabbit Chasel lowered its paw holding the revolver and said in a thoughtful tone, "Get me a pair of boxing gloves that a rabbit can wear."

What kind of request is that? Lumian said with a chuckle, "I don't remember Gehrman Sparrow ever wearing boxing gloves."

This imitation doesn't quite fit the persona!

"True, but Gehrman Sparrow has Blazing Danitz. I need my own Danitz. I want to develop one in our community," Rabbit Chasel explained earnestly. "Danitz uses boxing gloves."

For a moment, Franca, Jenna, and Lumian didn't know how to respond.

After several seconds, Jenna nodded and said, "I'll have a pair custom-made for you. Mm, normal Rabbit of Knowledge size, not your size?"

"That's right." Rabbit Chasel raised its right hand, blew on the small revolver's muzzle, satisfied.

But... this gesture isn't fitting for the current scene... Franca noticed that Rabbit Chasel was still an immature Rabbit of Knowledge, mimicking and repeating much without truly mastering it.

...

In the darkness of Banamo Port, only a few street lamps with candles flickered. Pirates gathered in bars, drinking heavily or going upstairs with women, enjoying pleasures unavailable at sea.

With the Newins gone and the unknown adventurer disappeared, the pirates gradually put the incident behind them. After all, everyone felt embarrassed; no one would ridicule another.

As pirates, they knew they might die in a storm, during a robbery, or in a mutiny on their next voyage. Dwelling on past problems was meaningless; indulging in the present was the only option.

Of course, they also talked about the unknown adventurer's strength and what had happened inside the Newins, wondering why Admiral Deep Sea fled in such a hurry.

"I think that adventurer was waiting for Admiral Deep Sea!"

"Does he want to recreate Gehrman Sparrow's great feats?"

"Pui! Son of a bitch. What great feats? We're pirates!"

"He succeeded but didn't completely succeed? He defeated Admiral Deep Sea but let him escape?"

"Is he close to the power of the Kings?"

"What's happening on the sea? Every so often, a powerful adventurer appears! There was that Louis Berry before, too."

"..."

Disguised as a non-pirate, Mason mingled in several bars, listening to the pirates discuss recent events, hoping they'd start a fight.

On his way to the next bar, Mason turned into a quieter alley and saw a figure standing ahead, seemingly waiting for him.

The figure had black hair and blue eyes, with sharp features and a handsome face. It was the same unknown adventurer who had challenged all the pirates in Banamo Port and forced Admiral Deep Sea to flee.

Mason suddenly heard his heart pounding and blurted out, "I'm not a pirate!"

Lumian strolled forward and smiled. "I have a task for you."

Hearing this, Mason relaxed a bit and carefully said, "What can I do for you? I'm not sure if my abilities can meet your needs."

He feared that while completing the task might be easy, the aftermath could be problematic-pirates might hack him to pieces once the adventurer left.

Lumian said bluntly, "It's a simple and secret task. Keep an eye on Banamo Port. As soon as the Newins returns or you spot Great Shark Jrg and his men, summon my messenger immediately."

Hearing "messenger," Mason was suddenly struck by a thought.

He remembered his last task: summoning a terrifying messenger through a ritual!

Unable to control his expression, Mason asked in slight terror, "Are you Lumian Lee, sir?"

The master of that terrifying messenger?

"Perceptive," Lumian replied, not too sincerely.

Mason connected the recent events in his mind: Was the reaI purpose of that task to bring Lumian Lee to Banamo Port?

And Lumian Lee's goal was to deal with Admiral Deep Sea, Howl Constantine, for the Lost Newins?

My spiritual intuition was partly correct; the ritual indeed brought something bad to Banamo Port, though it didn't turn into a catastrophe...

Lumian continued, "The payment is 5000 verl d'or."

The task is indeed simple, and I likely wouldn't be discovered by the pirates. The reward is generous... If I refused, knowing the task details might bring trouble... After weighing it for over ten seconds, Mason said, "No problem, I think I can handle this task."

Lumian nodded slightly, paid a 1000-verl d'or deposit, and turned to leave the quiet alley.

Watching Lumian's figure disappear into the darkness, Mason silently repeated his name, "Lumian Lee, Lumian Lee..."

Mason finally remembered where he had heard the name: on a wanted poster aboard a ship!

The poster described Lumian Lee as a survivor of a sacrificial ritual to an evil god that destroyed a village, severely corrupted by the evil god.

...

In Trier, in the prison district, at the Rois Comprehensive Execution Ground.

Returning to Trier for two days, Franca, feeling ready for the Demoness of Affliction advancement ritual, decided to proceed.

007's lead on the Mirror People came from an ore scholar of the Trier Cave Association. The Purifiers had planned to investigate all the association's ore scholars, but one had mysteriously disappeared before they could visit. Recently, someone had seen her in Underground Trier, suspected to be Palia, a Mirror Person.

Franca looked at the stake and sighed sincerely, "When I became a witch, I wondered if I'd end up burned at the stake. Who knew, I have to tie myself up here."

As she spoke, she took out the brown-red wooden suitcase given by Demoness of Black Clarice from the Traveler's Bag and unlocked the metal clasp.

Next, she retrieved a red wine glass, crushed the crystalline ice containing potion ingredients, and poured in Flower-Faced Bat blood and human blood from a seriously ill person. Both were dark red, and when combined, they turned almost black.

She then added the Flower-Faced Bat's head, a Two-Tailed Black Snake's gallbladder and tail tip, and ten drops of Enfinitas Eucalyptus essential oil.

As the ingredients were added, the dark red blood in the glass turned pitch black, with occasional nauseating green bubbles.

"It's like a cup of untreated sewage," Lumian commented honestly.

"Dammit! Shut up!" Franca grew more disgusted as she looked at the Demoness of Affliction potion.

She handed the potion to Lumian and lightly jumped onto the stake, tying herself up with Jenna's help.

During this, Franca muttered, "Damn, this feels so weird..."

She adjusted her mindset for several seconds and nodded to Lumian, "I'm ready."

Lumian handed the potion to Jenna and extended his right palm.

A ball of crimson-white flames flew out, landing on Franca, who immediately felt pain. Her body instinctively wanted to dodge and contract, but the ropes held her firmly.

Jenna quickly jumped to her side, one hand holding the ropes and the other bringing the potion to her mouth.

Franca forced herself to gulp down the pathogen-like dark-green potion.

Whether from the flames or the potion, her head quickly grew hot, and her mind became fuzzy from the heat.

She involuntarily recalled past pleasures, including her own experiences and the feedback from her partners.

At that moment, Franca was both the giver and receiver of pleasure, drowning in it from body to soul, almost dissolving like spring water.

Her thoughts drifted, her will sank, and her self was lost in various intense pleasures.

However, the pain accompanying those pleasures kept her slightly conscious. It was the mental resistance and spiritual conflict with Gardner Martin, the emotional gap with Jenna, as if they could never truly unite body and soul...

The extreme pain from the burning flames on her body was like invisible threads pulling her self and consciousness, making her sway like a kite in a storm, not completely out of control.

Swaying, Franca instinctively cursed in her mind:

Damn, it hurts so much!

This ritual is trying to kill me, isn't it?

Cough, cough, hot smoke in my throat and lungs, so uncomfortable. Am I dying...

Dammit, I can say I smell good now, like food, the scent of roasted meat...

Lumian, Jenna, and Anthony stood before the stake, watching Franca's body gradually turn black and her expression twist beyond beauty.

Even Lugano, ready to provide medical help, felt a bit heated, their minds wandering with certain thoughts and urges.

Facing this horrifying scene, they had inappropriate desires.

Fortunately, it wasn't severe and was bearable.

After several more seconds, the crimson flames on Franca's body turned pitch black, then into crystalline ice shards, falling off in pieces.

The shards took the charred skin with them, revealing Franca's new, tender, and glistening skin underneath.

Even with his Ascetic's endurance, Lumian instinctively looked away.