Mystery: The Witch of Desire

After doing all this, she shook her head and said:

"This seems to be just an ordinary pendant, and it doesn't seem to be harmful. As for whether it can sense the aura of a mummy—I don't know. Mummies are a very mysterious thing, and I don't know much about them. However, it is indeed possible to sense a mummy through an ordinary object."

Reeves nodded, put the pendant back in his pocket, and took out a 10-pound note, handing it to Ms. B. This time, Ms. B didn't stand on ceremony and simply took the money.

He wanted to acquire some more items that could temporarily boost his combat power; the talismans Dunn had used in the battle had left a deep impression on him. With a try-it-and-see attitude, Levi asked:

"Miss Cynthia, do you have anything here that can temporarily enhance combat power? Like talismans or something."

The price of magical items is too high, and he simply cannot afford them with his current financial resources, so he can only pin his hopes on these disposable items.

Ms. B smiled and said:

"Do you think this is a general store? If you want something extraordinary, the best way is to attend the weekly gathering and make your request there."

Reeve nodded upon hearing this, and was about to say sorry when Ms. B continued:

Which talisman do you want?

As she spoke, she took out various talismans of different colors and styles from inside her robe and arranged them in a row on the table.

Reeve's expression froze, a look of anger rising from being provoked.

Fortunately, he was already used to Ms. B's way of doing things, and quickly and attentively began to observe the talismans:

"Could you tell me about the effects and prices of these talismans?"

Ms. B did not refuse, and with a light tap of her fingertips, she began to introduce them one by one:

"This light blue, shimmering talisman is a water flow talisman. When triggered, it will unleash a powerful arc of water to strike the target. It can be used for long-range attacks, but it will be even more effective when used suddenly in close combat. The price is twenty-five pounds."

Chapter 83 Praying to the Magic Mirror (Please continue reading)

"This light silver one is a slumber talisman. It can be activated by infusing it with spiritual energy. Within five meters, ordinary people and low-level extraordinary individuals will instantly fall into a deep sleep. It is very useful for dealing with grunts and spies. The price is twelve pounds."

"The pale gold one next to it is a Sunlight Talisman. It bursts forth with intense light, scorching away filth. It is extremely effective against ghosts, zombies, and vampires, and can also temporarily blind enemies. It costs thirteen pounds."

"And this one, it's a requiem charm I used once. It can soothe vengeful spirits, calm premonitions of losing control, and slightly purify pollution. It can be used as an emergency measure when encountering paranormal phenomena. It costs ten pounds."

"This last light purple one is a deception talisman. It can temporarily conceal your aura and extraordinary fluctuations, allowing you to avoid detection by low-level spiritual beings. It is suitable for infiltration and escape. The price is fourteen pounds."

After the introduction, she smiled and looked up at Reeves:

"These are all practical items in the mid-to-low range, absolutely genuine and fair, with no inflated prices. Which one do you like?"

Looking at Ms. B's smiling face, Levi couldn't help but shiver. Although he didn't know the true value of these talismans, he had a feeling that Ms. B was ripping him off.

"Sometimes she's very generous to me, and other times she tries every means to squeeze money out of me. What a strange woman..."

At this moment, a conjecture suddenly popped into Levi's head: Ms. B sometimes does indeed cheat him out of money, but when she is very generous, those things are actually given to him by the being behind her, the so-called "gifts of fate".

"That explains it..."

Reeves stopped speculating and focused on studying the talismans. Although the price of over ten pounds wasn't cheap, he still had 72 pounds in savings, enough to buy a few talismans.

Of all these, the one he was most interested in was undoubtedly the Sleeping Charm.

Its entire body is a light silver color, with simple patterns engraved on the surface, just like the talisman that Dunn used that night, giving people a sense of tranquility.

Secondly, he was also very interested in the water talisman, which was the only one among the talismans that could directly cause damage. Although it was the most expensive, it also sounded the most effective and could be used in various combat scenarios.

“I would like to purchase this Water Flow Talisman and the Sleep Talisman.”

After a moment's thought, Levi made a decision.

"Good taste."

Whether Ms. B's praise was genuine or feigned, she accepted the forty pounds in cash from Levi, then handed him three pounds in change and two charms wrapped in tin foil.

“When using a talisman, infuse it with a small amount of spiritual energy, recite the activation incantation in ancient Hermes, and then throw the talisman directly at the target. Alternatively, you can hide the talisman as a trap in a certain place and activate it when the opportunity arises... The activation incantation for the Sleeping Talisman is ‘Crimson,’ and the activation incantation for the Water Flow Talisman is ‘Storm.’”

Ms. B very kindly told Levi how to use it, but Levi remembered that when Dunn used the Sleeping Charm, he uttered the word 'night'.

Seeing the questioning look in Reeves' eyes, Ms. B seemed to guess what he was thinking and said calmly:

"The incantation for activating a talisman is not fixed. It mainly depends on the occult language connection you establish with it when you create it. Generally, you just need to use words from the domain of the deity whose authority the talisman corresponds to. For example, talismans from the domain of the Goddess of Night often use words like 'crimson,' 'night,' and 'secret' as their activation incantations."

Upon hearing this, Levi suddenly understood and nodded in relief.

"What, after all this time we've known each other, you're still worried I'd cheat you?"

Ms. B held her waist with one hand and said with a hint of amusement.

Reeves scratched his head, slightly embarrassed.

"No, I just wanted to... gain some knowledge. Well, I should go now, I won't bother you any longer."

Levi gave a slight bow, intending to take his leave, but was stopped by Ms. B.

She slowly rose from the recliner, her posture graceful and flowing, and walked to Levi, a lively smile on her face:

"Are you leaving already? Would you like a glass of wine and a chat before you go?"

Reeves smiled somewhat helplessly:

"Madam, I'm sorry, I'm not in the mood to think about these things right now."

Ms. B chuckled a few times, looked him up and down, and said meaningfully:

"I advise you to seize the opportunity. I have a feeling that if you don't show your gentlemanly manners now, you may not have this chance again."

The provocation in Ms. B's eyes was palpable, and a surge of lust rose within Levi, rushing straight to his head, making him want to immediately pin Ms. B to the table. But then, the black tattoo on his chest burned painfully again, keeping him clear-headed.

Reeves quickly regained his composure, gave a wry smile, and thought to himself:

"What does 'gentlemanly conduct' mean? Does it mean someone takes the initiative to woo you? Sorry, I really don't dare to accept that opportunity."

He took a step back and said calmly:

“Miss Cynthia, you are a lady I greatly respect, and I don’t want to do anything that could damage our relationship.”

Ms. B was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then burst out laughing:

"You really are innocent. Fine, I won't force you. But aren't you going to a party tomorrow night? Would you like me to practice ballroom dancing with you for a while? I have a lot of experience in this area."

As she spoke, Ms. B took a step forward, slowly extending her fair and slender right hand, her eyes filled with a provocative meaning, encouraging him to kiss her like a gentleman.

Levi swallowed hard, somewhat tempted. Ms. B seemed like the sociable type; she must be a fantastic ballroom dancer.

But the thought of Ms. B's mature and intellectual charm, and the possibility that she might do something inappropriate to him, made Levi afraid that he might make a mistake.

So he quickly took a step back, made an excuse, and left without looking back.

Ms. B watched his departing figure, shook her head with a complicated expression, and revealed a hint of regret.

……

Back home, Levi began to peruse the books he had borrowed from the library the day before.

He started by reading "Banquet Etiquette" and "Introduction to Ballroom Dancing," and combined this with his practical experience with Emily last night, which gave him some new insights.

After that, Levi started flipping through the Magic Mirror and Psychic magazines.

As he had expected, the two magazines were full of pretentious writing, which he, as an extraordinary person, found rather laughable and could only fool ordinary people who had not been exposed to proper extraordinary knowledge.

But after flipping through the pages, Levi still found something interesting in the Magic Mirror magazine.

In the corner of the last page of the magazine "Magic Mirror," a few lines of tiny print record a vague divination secret:

Chapter 84 Emily's Gift

Take a silver-plated antique mirror, place it in the northwest corner of the room at night, extinguish all the lights, light three candles (two long and one short) in front of the mirror, and sprinkle some gentle essential oils and perfumes.

Stain the four corners of the mirror with blood from your fingertips, and whisper:

'The mirror reflects the void, illuminating the other side; a wondrous spirit echoes within me.'

If the mirror surface becomes foggy, it means a response has arrived.

Remember these three ironclad rules:

First, do not ask your reflection in a mirror for your true name, nor pray for power or wealth.

Second, do not look directly at your reflection in the mirror for more than ten breaths.

Third, after the divination is finished, the candles must be extinguished, and then the mirror must be covered with a black cloth.

Some say that mirrors are not for divination, but for communication.

Some say that what is reflected in a mirror is not just a simple image, but another real world.

Some even say that the mirror is just one of the countless eyes of some being.

Next to the words was a distorted mirror, its lines cold and sinister, seemingly emanating a faint, shimmering energy.

Reeve frowned.

"The method of divination using a magic mirror described in this magazine is very close to ritual magic. Add to that common mystical elements like mirrors and blood, and it might actually produce something... However, the prayer being recited should be fine as long as it's not in a language like Hermes that can move the spirit."

However, Reeves was still a little surprised. How could something so sensitive have passed the publishing review?

Admittedly, the occult has always been a topic of interest for many ordinary people, and there are quite a few related magazines. However, most of them are bland and uninformative. The concern is that they might contain some genuine information, and if someone were to imitate them, it could potentially cause pollution or injury.

Levi closed the magazine, planning to report it to the official church when he had time.

"If the hyena can't help me report it, can't I at least report your magazine?"

Reeves thought angrily, then opened the last book:

"Maritime Secrets" magazine.

The contents of this magazine largely overlapped with what he had heard Meyer tell at the Sail Tavern, so Reeves didn't gain much new knowledge.

However, an article about the pirate general 'Iceberg Admiral' Edwina Edwards piqued his interest:

[Adeline Edwards, bounty £22000, captain of the Golden Dream, a beautiful female pirate general, whose style is more like that of a treasure hunter...]

Reeves watched silently, and what attracted his attention most was the following:

The crew of the Golden Dream includes:

First Mate, Blue Walls...

Second Mate, Orpheus...

Third mate, Jodson...

Fourth Boatswain, Blazing Danitz, bounty 3000 pounds, with scorched yellow hair and eyebrows, enjoys setting enemy ships on fire, and is rumored to be an Indis...

"Daniez the Flame is an Indis, and his abilities are mostly related to fire... Which pathway of extraordinary beings can control fire? Sequence 7 witches can wield black flames, but those flames are cold and piercing, more inclined towards decay and corrosion, not fire in the ordinary sense, but more like a cold force of destruction..."

Levi muttered to himself, going through the information in his mind.

After confirming the intelligence he had gathered, he closed the book "Secrets of the Sea" with satisfaction. Ms. B had warned him more than once that he must be vigilant against pirates, and he dared not be careless with a pirate as notorious as Danitz. He wanted to gather as much relevant information as possible in case of emergency.

It was already afternoon, and there was still some time before the time he was supposed to meet Emily. But Levi thought that if he went early, he could observe what was happening at Mr. Teyvat's house and not seem rushed, so he straightened his clothes and went straight to Mr. Teyvat's house to pick Emily up from school.

After walking through clean and quiet streets, Levi arrived at Mr. Tewat's villa in the Golden Phoenix District. This area where the upper class of Tingen City lived was just as clean and tidy as when he last came here, with few pedestrians and even the air exuding an elegant tranquility.

Last time he came, Levi only dared to watch from afar, but today he had a legitimate reason, so he sat down openly on the public bench opposite the villa, relaxed, and casually glanced at the villa's gate and several closed windows, observing the activity inside.

After a while, the villa door opened gently, and Emily came out, lifting her skirt, smiling as she said goodbye to the servant who opened the door for her.

Upon seeing Levi on the bench, her eyes lit up slightly, and she quickly walked over, a gentle smile on her face.

"get out of class ended early today; I thought you'd be late."

Emily said with a smile, feeling a little surprised by Reeves's early arrival.

"I didn't have anything to do at home, so I came over early."

Reeve responded with a smile, and the two chatted briefly in a relaxed and harmonious atmosphere before walking side by side toward the other side of the block.

After passing several exquisite shops along the way, the two finally entered a rather upscale clothing store—the very same store where Emily had spotted a men's suit the day before.

The shop assistant enthusiastically brought over the dark gray patterned suit, along with matching trousers and a bow tie. Levi took the suit and went into the fitting room. A moment later, he emerged from the room. The well-fitting cut accentuated his tall and straight figure, and the fine, crisp fabric added a touch of composure to his demeanor.

"It's like it was made just for you!"

Emily's eyes lit up, and she became more and more satisfied with the suit; it fit her even better than she had imagined.

Reeves was quite satisfied with the suit, but upon closer inspection of the price tag, he discovered that without the cane, watch chain, wallet, and other accessories, the suit cost a hefty £4.70, equivalent to two months' salary for an average worker—truly an expensive sum.

Although he often spent far more money to buy extraordinary items, he maintained a simple value system for ordinary things.

"This one is a bit expensive, how about we get a cheaper one?"

Rivera tugged at Emily's sleeve and whispered in her ear.