Bella felt a bit awkward because of William’s attitude.
Even though they had agreed that he wouldn’t pretend to be her boyfriend, now that they were at her father’s banquet, William should show some respect.
He did present a birthday gift, but addressing someone by title is a common courtesy.
Simply saying “Happy Birthday” so bluntly, felt somewhat disrespectful to her.
“Dad, William is a bit shy. Please don’t mind it. Let me take him to have a seat,” Bella hurriedly said, pulling William to the side.
Brian Bell frowned, a mixture of emotions evident on his face. “This is what you call shy?” he thought. “He had the nerve to give a gift with a smile, but can’t bring himself to call me Mr. Bell?”
Without concerning herself with her father’s thoughts, Bella led William over to where Emily was seated.
“William, you could’ve been a little more considerate. If you had just addressed my dad as ‘Mr. Bell’, it would’ve been better,” she whispered, trying to cajole him. “Help me out a bit while we’re here.”
“I’ve been considerate enough,” William replied with a smile. To him, the amber bracelet might just be a trinket, but for ordinary people, it could offer peace of mind, keeping away malevolent forces, and possibly even offering healing with long-term use.
Bella had no idea of the bracelet’s true value. Still, the fact that William presented a gift made her feel he was showing her some respect.
Initially, William had only agreed to have dinner with her, unaware of her father’s birthday celebration.
“It’s my fault for springing this on you,” Bella admitted. “I promise I won’t do this again.”
After all, William had never initially agreed to play along in her charade.
“It’s fine,” William remarked, his eyes scanning the crowd. “Is that a Soulmancer here?”
Millennia ago, he had indeed ended an era of mythologies. However, many deities who perished at his hand either existed in a different dimension as spirits or reincarnated in the human realm.
Some ancient gods, even without their physical forms, had managed to traverse through countless eras, still possessing a fragment of their power.
During the medieval period, stories of magicians and wizards were rampant, and magic was prevalent.
However, in this modern era, the number of Soulmancers had dwindled significantly.A Soulmancer is someone who can harness the energy of divine spirits that linger in the world.
Brian Bell, a thorough businessman, sometimes consulted diviners, so he was acquainted with a few astrologers. Naturally, some were invited to the banquet.
“Mr. Bell, I offer you my best wishes. You seem more vibrant than before. There’s a hint of a divine energy around you, as if you’ve been blessed by a deity. It’s truly remarkable,” an elderly man in his 50s observed, genuinely puzzled as he examined Brian Bell.
As far as he knew, Brian wasn’t a supernatural being, so how did he possess such divine energy? It felt as if he was under the protection of a revered entity from the divine realm.
“Hahaha, Master Astrologer Luke, you flatter me. I’ve been meditating a lot lately. Maybe a deity has taken a liking to me,” Brian Bell replied casually. He believed in divination but didn’t meditate frequently.
His favorite pastime was actually checking his bank balance on his computer late at night.
Luke Murphy was considered an expert in the contemporary world of Soulmancers. Hearing Brian Bell’s casual comment, he nodded, but his mind was racing with calculations.
He had met Brian Bell not too long ago. At that time, while Brian seemed lively and spirited, he was actually suffering from chronic sleep deprivation and extreme stress, which had prematurely depleted his life force. However, now there was a gentle, pure natural energy emanating from him, indicating some extraordinary experience or encounter.
Standing next to Brian Bell, Luke could sense an incredibly pure natural energy. If he could stay close to Brian day and night, he might be able to absorb much of this energy, which would help enhance his own spiritual power.
“Mr. Bell, are you in need of a bodyguard?” Luke decided internally that he must stay close to Brian, ideally, being by his side constantly.
“Oh? Do you have a disciple to recommend, Luke?” Brian Bell held Luke in high regard. In the past, he had sought Luke’s divination skills and was politely turned down. When his men tried to teach Luke a lesson for the refusal, they were effortlessly defeated by Luke, unarmed.
Regardless of whether divination is real or not, Luke is genuinely skilled.
Luke humbly replied, “I offer myself to serve and protect Mr. Bell.”
Brian initially thought Luke was suggesting one of his disciples to serve and gain worldly experience. It never crossed his mind that Luke himself was offering to be his personal bodyguard.
“Of course, that would be wonderful!” A delighted Brian Bell asked, “What would your compensation requirements be?”
“Just provide meals,” Luke replied, pausing for a brief moment, “Or not, that’s fine too.” .𝗰𝗼𝗺
It’s well-known in their circle that hiring Luke Murphy for a single divination session would cost ten thousand dollars. And it wasn’t just about the money; he served only those he felt a spiritual connection with.
Now, Luke Murphy was willing to be Brian Bell’s personal bodyguard, simply for meals.
What Brian Bell didn’t realize was that all of this stemmed from the amber bracelet gifted by William. He laughed and said, “So, about future divination requests…”
“As long as Mr. Bell has a need, I’m always at your service, and I won’t charge a penny.” Luke Murphy nodded at Brian Bell, fearing he might decline the offer.
William had already settled down next to Emily, but he was also paying attention to what was happening on Brian Bell’s end.
The spiritual power of this Soulmancer was just too weak. Compared to the magicians of the medieval times, he seemed as insignificant as an ant.
William could sense the hint of natural energy emanating from the amber, which was only because he hadn’t completely sealed off the bracelet’s power, allowing a sliver of its natural energy to remain.
Yet, this minuscule fraction of natural energy was enough to have Luke Murphy willingly accompany Brian Bell without expecting any compensation.
“Master, could you possibly divine the marital prospects for my daughter?” Brian Bell was genuinely displeased with William. Since Luke Murphy was willing to help, he thought of getting his daughter’s future divined.
The two chatted leisurely, with Brian Bell sharing details like Bella’s birth date, time, and location with Luke Murphy. Pointing at a distance, he indicated to Luke who his daughter was.
Upon fixing his gaze towards Bella, Luke knew that if he wanted to comprehend this natural energy, there would be a price to pay. Foreseeing one’s marital destiny wasn’t a trivial task for a Soulmancer.
Of course, for street con artists, it’s just making things up on the spot.
Remembering Bella’s birth details, Luke intended to use this information to create an astrological chart to glimpse Bella’s marital prospects. However, he felt a peculiar force near Bella obstructing his efforts.
After a long moment with his eyes closed, he suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood. When he opened his eyes, his face was deathly pale, drained of all color.