Chapter 194
It was as if the entire world had been plunged into an abyss so deep that no light or hope could ever reach it. The weight of it was suffocating, pressing down with such ferocity that the very fabric of reality seemed to strain under the burden.
Shadows twisted and coiled, as if alive, writhing in response to the overwhelming force.
The sky darkened as if consumed by her power, and a chilling wind swept through the courtyard, howling with a voice that spoke of ancient, unfathomable dread.
The aura was unbelievably dark and powerful, almost threatening to consume the entire world beneath it.
The black-haired woman trembled as she lowered her head, not daring to speak at that moment. Her body instinctively reacted to the overwhelming force.
Every muscle in her body tensed, instinctively bracing against the crushing pressure.
She did not dare to look up, not even for a fleeting glance. The pressure could have easily annihilated any ordinary exorcist, reducing them to mere dust and echoes of what once was. Yet, she remained unfazed, grounded by her absolute loyalty and unyielding resolve, though the effort it took to maintain her composure was monumental.
Her breath came in shallow, controlled measures, the only indication of the immense strain she was under.
“His existence is necessary.”
Ophelia emphasized each word she spoke—or at least that’s how it seemed. There was a chilling finality in her tone, as if the very universe would bend to her will.
The black-haired woman kneeling could sense a twisted obsession her mistress was harboring behind her words, an obsession that clung to Ophelia like a shadow, dark and insidious. It was not an obsession born out of love or care, but something sinister and terrifying.
Having been with her lady for as long as she could remember, she knew Ophelia better than anyone. She could read the subtle shifts in her mistress’s voice, the undercurrents of thought that were invisible to others.
She was certain of it just from the tone of her voice.
Ever since Ophelia had met him after the demon hunt, many changes had occurred.
She could sense Ophelia’s dark obsession with Oliver growing, like a storm gathering on the horizon, inevitable and destructive. The air around Ophelia seemed to hum with latent energy whenever Oliver was mentioned, a telltale sign of the tempest brewing within her.
She wanted to know what it was that her lady wanted to use her son for, but she never asked, knowing that no answer would be given.
She was there to follow the orders her master gave her, no matter what. Ophelia’s words were her commands, and her existence depended on her lady.
She knew, after all, that…
There was no demon or human stronger than her lady.
That knowledge was both a comfort and a curse, binding her to a fate she could not escape.
She was aware of the great plan that her lady had been preparing ever since her daughter, the young miss Nadia, was born.
But after meeting Oliver, many shifts had taken place in those plans.
The black-haired woman could tell that whenever she mentioned anything related to young master Oliver, she could expect a strong response or emotion from her lady, who rarely expressed anything.
In her eyes, which considered everything insignificant, only Oliver and Nadia could interest her.
Their names alone could provoke the faintest flicker of emotion in Ophelia’s otherwise icy demeanor.
She, someone who could bend the world to her will, placed importance on two children?
She had an inkling as to why Nadia was the chosen one, but she could not understand why her lady had suddenly selected Oliver as well.
She knew that being born alongside the chosen one, he was supposed to serve a specific purpose and was thus left alive at that time. But now, it looked as if things had changed, and her lady had placed far more significance on him.
“Investigate her and his connection to her.”
She said a few ambiguous words, but the black-haired woman immediately understood and nodded. The aura instantly vanished as if it had never existed in the first place.
The courtyard felt unnaturally still in the wake of the oppressive force, as if reality itself was catching its breath.
“Enter his life, observe every detail. Should he show signs of opening the path, report back.”
“Understood, my lady. I shall thoroughly investigate the woman called Jenna Sullivan and her connection to young master Oliver.”
Ophelia didn’t turn around as the kneeling black-haired woman bowed once more before disappearing into mist. The mist swirled where she had been, dissipating slowly, leaving no trace of her presence.
Oliver was unaware that such a scene had taken place.
It seemed that Ophelia was slowly tightening her grip on him…
He was leaving the clan to escape her, but was that really going to help him in the end?
________________
“Achoo!”
Oliver sneezed, startling the cat sitting snugly on his lap.
“Sorry about that, Zippy,” he said, apologizing to the cat.
“Meow! Meow!”
The cat nodded as if forgiving him and rested her head against his chest as she closed her eyes once again.
Her purring vibrated softly against his chest.
Oliver looked at her with a hint of speechlessness in his eyes. The clan guardian was really dense; after all, what cat would nod at their owner while responding to what he said?
Anyway, the cat was quite heavy.
He could probably replace her with his training weights and still get some exercise.
He chuckled at the thought, imagining himself doing push-ups with the grumpy cat perched on his back.
Nonetheless, Sesha had been doing well in monitoring her growth. The cat seemed less fat.
Later that evening, Oliver visited the eastern area of the clan, which he had never been to before.
It was the place where the administrative work of the clan would take place before being sent to the central residential area for the involved elders’ opinions.
It was also the place where the exorcists of the clan would be assigned missions and special requests.