Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 3298: Chapter 3299: Thoughts and Feelings

Nahuat’s gaze skimmed over the fairytale-style cloud table, adorned not only with unknown foods but also with several bottles of fragrant wine.

Seeing this, a look of understanding flashed through Nahuat’s eyes.

Why the Dog Deacon seemed so drunk, why the air was filled with a faint aroma of wine, it was clear that the Dog Deacon had been drinking since his arrival.

As for why the Dog Deacon and Luigi emerged from the Pumpkin House, Nahuat did not know.

Nahuat admitted to himself that he liked to understand everything, to know all secrets inside and out. But today, facing the "Great Demon King," there was no need for deep comprehension.

This time, he came simply to obey his mentor’s orders and sign a contract with the Dog Deacon. He wasn’t here to disrupt the Everything House, didn’t need to unravel every detail... although, he couldn’t disrupt the Everything House with the Dog Deacon in charge.

Nahuat greeted others with a nod, while to the Dog Deacon, he paid full respects.

Slender fingers brushed against the well-ironed uniform chest, his radiant silver eyes closed, and he bowed sixty degrees, softly saying, "It is an honor for Nahuat to meet you again, Deacon."

As Nahuat bowed, the black panther beside him anthropomorphically lowered its head, seemingly expressing respect as well.

The Dog Deacon hadn’t yet shaken off the intoxication, having just been questioned intensely by Luigi, the wine was mingling in his blood, leaving him feeling dizzy. However, the drunkenness did not affect his thoughts; he still maintained clear thinking, barely controlling his head, nodding towards Nahuat: "Didn’t expect Narudo would send you."

From the Dog Deacon’s clear speech, it was evident that his body’s drunkenness and his clear thinking were completely separate.

Nahuat: "Mentor knows I have previously met Deacon, so he sent me."

The Dog Deacon, with unsteady steps, returned to the paw-shaped pillow.

Only upon lying back did the weight of exhaustion hit, giving him a slight sense of support rather than swaying side to side.

It was then that the Dog Deacon managed to adopt a slightly more serious posture.

"No need for lame excuses; Narudo dares not come, only fearing me peering into her complex, dirty mind." Without bothering about physical intoxication, the Dog Deacon’s tone became sharp.

Faced with the Dog Deacon’s mockery, Nahuat didn’t express dissatisfaction for being exposed, merely smiling silently.

The Dog Deacon glanced at Nahuat, too lazy to continue mocking: "Never mind, since you’re here, let’s do this quickly, let’s begin."

Hearing the Dog Deacon’s words, Nahuat was visibly taken aback. It wasn’t his first time at the Dog House; previously, he had signed a commission contract with the Dog Deacon. At that time, it was in a private room, so why was today’s contract happening in the hall?

Moreover...

Nahuat looked around: unfamiliar Yingji Clan Knights, three friends of Gutalace he had encountered before, and the fox-masked investigator... Would they sign the contract surrounded by so many spectators?

Shouldn’t contracts be private?

Though Nahuat didn’t say a word, his expression revealed all his thoughts.

The Dog Deacon noticed and spoke calmly: "After you revealed the Barrier-Breaking Method, privacy no longer matters for you."

"I’m sure countless eyes are already fixed on everyone who came to the Changhuo Clan. And you, as Narudo’s student, are definitely a focus; your origins, your itinerary, including your entrance into the Everything House, must be known by high-levels of various clans... It’s already like this, so why care about privacy?"

Once "Mirror Break and Barrier Break" spread, it was impossible for the Changhuo Clan to conceal.

And Nahuat’s presence at the Everything House wasn’t a secret at all. Those who ought to know, know.

Even clans uninvolved in the "Barrier-Breaking Method assessment," upon seeing Nahuat at the Everything House, could guess he came to meet the Dog Deacon.

Once Nahuat obtained the "contract document" from the Dog Deacon, proving the Barrier-Breaking Method real, the Changhuo Clan would undoubtedly become a focal point in the coming period.

At this moment, discussing secrecy is unnecessary.

Instead, more witnesses would lend Nahuat’s contract greater credibility.

This thought also occurred to Nahuat, so after a pause, he nodded to the Dog Deacon: "Let’s begin then."

The Dog Deacon grunted, acknowledging Nahuat’s words, then turned to Little Red: "Go prepare the contract."

Little Red nodded, bounced over to the side room.

"Preparing the contract takes a while; have a seat for now," the Dog Deacon gestured to Nahuat.

Nahuat silently surveyed the surroundings; the cloud sofas were occupied, Little Red sat cross-legged on the floor, the Dog Deacon was lying on the pillow... nowhere to sit?

As Nahuat was uncertain how to react, a mist arose unexpectedly from the ground, swirling nearby.

Soon, the swirling mist formed a new cloud sofa—a single seat.

Moreover, directly facing the Dog Deacon.

Nahuat glanced at Angel quietly, sensing that the mist was controlled by this human.

With a soft "thank you," Nahuat seated himself on the cloud sofa.

The Dog Deacon looked up at Nahuat, silently turned his head, instinctively reaching for the nearby wine bottle. But just as he was about to touch it, he paused, finally retracting his hand.

After all, with guests present, even if he wants to drink, he must first handle the contract at hand.

Besides, if he reaches for the bottle now, it means getting up... and his body isn’t yet under control. If he falls, wouldn’t that be embarrassing?

Nahuat noticed the Dog Deacon’s action but said nothing, sitting composedly with eyes down and mind at ease.

On the other side, Luigi was describing to Angel what he’d learned about the goose Deacon’s appearance from the Dog Deacon but couldn’t help but comment in the Mind Ribbon upon seeing the Dog Deacon eyeing the wine bottle:

"He insisted to Nahuat privacy doesn’t matter for this contract... I bet it’s not that privacy doesn’t matter, but he just dares not stand up."

At this point, Luigi vividly described the earlier scene at the Pumpkin House.

As the Dog Deacon stayed on the pillow, not moving, only occasionally engaging with them. Although he continued drinking, he showed no signs of intoxication.

Only after Luigi dragged him to the Pumpkin House did he realize the Dog Deacon had been drunk all along.

"At the Pumpkin House, his body seemed lifeless; I thought he was ill. Turns out he was simply drunk."

"The Dog Deacon’s body and consciousness were completely separate; his body was drunk, but his mind remained clear. Yet his clear mind struggled to control the drunken body..."

Indeed, the Dog Deacon didn’t deliberately stay on the pillow nonmoving—he was simply unable to move.

Moving would expose his drunkenness.

It seems his words to Nahuat earlier were due to the inability to control his body, preferring not to move, hence signing the contract publicly.

Regarding Luigi’s critique, Angel merely smiled lightly. He agreed with Luigi’s statement, but signing the contract publicly was indeed fine.

Angel was also curious about the Dog Deacon’s abilities.

Is it truly an inaudible and insensible insight into the human heart? Or is it just that the energy is concealed a bit?

Coincidentally, the hall was full of his Power of Nightmare Illusion, and he didn’t even need to restrain it. If the Dog Deacon had an energy reaction when using his abilities, the Nightmare Illusion would naturally feedback it to him.

Soon after, Little Red walked out from the side room holding a brand new Skin Scroll.

According to the procedure, Little Red laid out the handkerchief-sized Skin Scroll on the mist-enshrouded table.

After spreading it, Little Red indicated that both parties could look at the contents on the Skin Scroll.

This was the confirmation step before the contract.

Luigi was quite curious about what was written on the Skin Scroll, but at this moment, he was too embarrassed to stand up and look.

However, Luigi quickly learned the contents of the Skin Scroll from the Mind Ribbon.

The one who informed Luigi was naturally Angel.

Angel did not use spiritual power to snoop around; however, since the Skin Scroll was placed on the Nightmare Illusion table, the Nightmare Illusion would naturally feedback the relevant information to him.

Hence, even though Angel sat motionless to the side, he saw the contents of the Skin Scroll.

Simply put, it was a basic contract.

It only had very formal language without any detailed clauses.

Presumably, any further contract needed to be drafted on site.

Sure enough, after confirming there were no issues with the contract, the Dog Deacon asked Little Red to help draft the contractual clauses.

Logically, the Dog Deacon should draft these clauses personally, but its body was still dealing with the effects of alcohol, and while it could stretch its hand, writing was difficult.

Luckily, there was Little Red.

It recited one clause, and Little Red wrote one, all under the witness of Nahuat.

Angel and the others, including Sipolov, were also considered witnesses to the contract drafting.

The Dog Deacon’s body was intoxicated, but its mind was clear, and the drafted contractual clauses considered all aspects, allowing the leaders of various clans to be satisfied without embarrassing the Changhuo Clan.

Therefore, when the Dog Deacon asked Nahuat for his opinion after drafting the contract, Nahuat nodded without any objections.

The next step was for the Dog Deacon to inquire, Nahuat to answer, and then confirm everything before signing the contract.

Nahuat was already ready, his thoughts starting to sink in. He had signed a contract with the Dog Deacon before, knowing that when the Dog Deacon used its abilities, every thought in his mind could be read.

Thus, to prevent more thoughts from being discerned by the Dog Deacon, he continuously let them sink, trying to clear out those convoluted thoughts as much as possible.

However, just as Nahuat was preparing to settle down, he heard the Dog Deacon’s voice: "Alright, it’s your turn to sign."

Nahuat was taken aback, looking up.

He noticed that the contract on the table already had a red dog paw print.

Undoubtedly, the Dog Deacon had already signed its "name print," and now it was his turn to sign...

But, what about the inquiries?

Wasn’t it supposed to be a one-on-one inquiry?

Nahuat looked towards the Dog Deacon, confused, not understanding what happened and why the process was skipped.

Not only Nahuat, Angel was also puzzled; was the Dog Deacon intentionally making it easier?

Perhaps realizing the surroundings had become somewhat silent, the Dog Deacon glanced around and said calmly, "Sign it. I’ve already seen it, the Barrier-Breaking Method is real... and besides, your appetite is quite large, wanting to touch the Immortal Mirror Sea."

If the Dog Deacon had only said the previous sentence, Nahuat might still be skeptical; but when the Dog Deacon mentioned the "Immortal Mirror Sea," Nahuat understood that the Dog Deacon had truly discerned his thoughts.

Yet, Nahuat had no idea when the Dog Deacon discerned them.

Nahuat was confused, and Angel was equally bewildered.

From Nahuat’s expression, Angel could tell the Dog Deacon seemed to have already discerned his thoughts. The fact that the Dog Deacon signed the contract first also proved this.

However, Angel didn’t perceive any energy fluctuations at all.

Bear in mind, the Dog Deacon lay on the dog paw pillow from start to finish, and this dog paw pillow was constructed by Angel with the Power of Nightmare Illusion.

Once the Dog Deacon used any energy, even if this energy was held inside and not released, Angel could perceive it through the Power of Nightmare Illusion.

Yet, from start to finish, the Power of Nightmare Illusion didn’t feedback any anomalies.

If the Dog Deacon hadn’t used its abilities, that would be one thing; but now it evidently had used its abilities...

A while ago, Angel mentioned in the Mind Ribbon that perhaps the Dog Deacon’s abilities could be brought to the Crystal Origin of Dreams... Although Angel said this, in his heart he felt if the Dog Deacon changed into a "new body," its abilities would likely be sealed.

But now, Angel was starting to doubt himself.

The Dog Deacon’s abilities were too mysterious, seemingly truly favored by the World Will.

If the Dog Deacon’s abilities were inscribed into "instinctual consciousness," it might really be able to bring the ability to discern human hearts into the Crystal Origin of Dreams.

As Angel’s thoughts surged, on the other side, Nahuat was still puzzled: "Lord Deacon, when exactly..." did you discern me?

Dog Deacon: "Don’t worry, I definitely followed the rules. Only after you confirmed the contractual terms were correct did I use the abilities."

Nahuat hesitated: "But, at that time I was thinking... of other things."

He was quite sure he was thinking of "settlement" at that time, without considering the Barrier-Breaking Method.

Initially, the Dog Deacon didn’t want to answer, but seeing Angel curiously looking over, it hesitated and then dipped a drop of liquor from a nearby bottle, pressing it onto the table.

"Do you see what this is?" The Dog Deacon pointed to the liquid drop on the table and asked.

Nahuat: "Liquor."

Dog Deacon: "The external force that caused the liquor to drip onto the table has already left, but as long as the liquor hasn’t dried by the wind, you can still see the traces of its existence."

Likewise.

Every thought leaves a trace.

Dog Deacon can read your current thoughts and can also read the thoughts that haven’t dissipated yet via traces.