Chapter 254
She turned around obediently.
Oliver placed his palm on her back and began channeling his raw, pure espera into her slowly.
“Try to mimic the feeling and repeat it. That will help you sense the espera within you,” he said softly.
“En,” she responded with a determined nod.
She closed her eyes and focused. The moment the espera entered her body, it felt like a spark igniting within her—an unfamiliar yet electrifying sensation that seemed to vibrate through her core. The moment the espera entered her body, it stirred the strings of espera within her, sending a jolting sensation through her body.
She instinctively wanted to resist the uncomfortable feeling but remembered Oliver’s words and endured as the foreign energy enveloped her mind. It was strange, like water rushing through a dry streambed, filling spaces that had never known its touch.
Swish!
Swish!
Swish!
Oliver’s expression changed as he sensed the changes happening in her body through their connection.
His brows furrowed slightly, a flicker of astonishment crossing his face. He could feel the burst of espera opening countless nerve-like channels inside her body instantly, as if they were dried plants desperately absorbing water.
The sensation was almost violent—her body was drawing his espera with a hunger that defied logic. His espera was being forcefully drawn in, her body instinctively and voluntarily draining it from the connected bridge.
That bridge, of course, was his hand on her back, serving as the channel for transferring his espera.
But what was happening now was unusual. She was actively drawing the espera in—a reaction that was far from normal.
Oliver’s gaze sharpened as he analyzed the phenomenon. For someone who had never experienced or sensed espera before to react like a dried well—this was astounding.
Whatever the case, one thing was clear: this girl had tremendous talent for espera. She could definitely become a spiritual exorcist—a powerful one at that.
“Whoa! I feel so light right now!”
Her excited voice pulled him out of his thoughts as he looked down at her. She was practically glowing with energy, a wide grin plastered across her face, her eyes sparkling with newfound confidence. She was smirking slightly, lost in her own mind.
It seemed she had already realized her knack for espera, or at least the potential to become an exorcist.
Well, this is troublesome.
Oliver smiled wryly. He wasn’t sure whether to feel impressed or overwhelmed. He wasn’t qualified to be a teacher at his age. Moreover, he still needed a teacher himself.
Was it outrageous for him to think he could teach others when he barely knew the basics?
He was such a rookie that he didn’t even know the proper sealing or barrier techniques most low-ranking exorcists were familiar with.
But his circumstances were different. He was confident that if he had stayed in the clan longer, one of the elders would have eventually taught him—unless, of course, Ophelia interfered.
For some reason, he always felt Ophelia wanted to stifle his growth, both as an exorcist and as an individual.
Her shadow loomed in his thoughts, cold and suffocating. Yet she neither killed him nor removed him from the equation. It was as if she just wanted to keep him breathing, trapped in the clan.
He wasn’t sure what her true intentions were, but they couldn’t be good, given her infamous reputation as a witch.
In any case, the main issue now was how he would deal with the little girl.
He was cautious of demons, and even he couldn’t guarantee his own safety all the time—so how could he ensure hers?
No matter how he looked at it, he had made a reckless claim, and now he regretted it.
‘Damn.’ He shook his head.
His gaze softened as he looked at her again. She was brimming with hope, completely unaware of his inner turmoil. He had to handle this carefully. Gently, he disconnected the flow of espera. She was draining him quickly, and he wondered if she could siphon all his espera.
Maybe not. He had ten times the espera of a normal exorcist, and she had just awakened her espera veins. It would be absurd if she could.
He was tempted to see how far it would go, but this wasn’t the time. That uneasy feeling of being alone in a foreign rebellion camp returned, stronger than before.
He had to leave quickly.
Disconnecting the flow was easy. He had precise control over his body and espera.
“There you go. That should be enough,” Oliver said.
“Ah…”
She opened her mouth as if to say something but stopped, pursing her lips. A small pang of disappointment flickered across her face, but she quickly hid it. That feeling… she wanted to experience it again.
The warm flow of espera, like floating in a soothing pool, had felt amazing and rejuvenating.
It was more than just energy—it was comfort, safety, and power all at once. Her previous fatigue had completely vanished. She felt as refreshed as if she had slept for days, her body brimming with energy.
Not only that, she felt stronger. It was subtle, but she could feel it. She even thought she could throw a rock high into the sky.
But Oliver’s sudden removal of the flow left her a little disappointed. If she could just maintain it, she might become stronger faster.
Was the path to power really so addictive?
She sighed internally. Of course, she couldn’t say that to him. He was already doing her a favor by helping her awaken her talent. Asking for more would seem shameless.
Freeloading off him without offering anything in return? She couldn’t stoop that low.
In the end, she nodded and rose from the meditative stance she had assumed.
“Mist—no! Teacher, I’m grateful to be your student!” She bowed again, more formally this time.
“Well… the thing is…” Oliver began but hesitated. Her eagerness made him pause, unsure of how to crush her expectations gently. She noticed the odd look on his face, her eyes widening slightly as she gasped.
“I forgot! I’m really sorry, Teacher!”
“Huh?” Oliver blinked, confused.
She suddenly looked stricken, guilt flashing across her expression. What had she forgotten?
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