Chapter 154
The result was that Aobode had barely seen Aivina, and their relationship hadn’t improved at all. He was still stuck suffering in Bole City... Just stepping out of Bell Tower Alley meant misfortune would follow him like a shadow.
Even the letters he sent out received no response; not even a simple acknowledgment passed on to Aivina.
Though he was in the city, he felt as if he were trapped on a deserted island, unable to move an inch, with survival itself becoming a problem.
And the most critical issue was that he couldn’t let the guards or servants find him, or it would lead to even worse consequences.
To this day, Aobode’s guards still believed their master was simply lost in the revelry of Bole City, completely unaware that he had been hiding in Bell Tower Alley for nearly half a month.
“Damn it…”
This was Aobode’s third curse, and it was clear he was running out of strength.
He reached for the pouch at his waist and pulled out an object along with a piece of paper.
The object was a blue eye, pure as crystal; it was his talisman, the key seal that had helped him evade disaster time and again.
He spread the paper on the rickety table, placing the eye at its center. Then he took out a small knife and cut open the skin of his left palm, clenching his fist and letting the blood drip onto the blue eye.
“Is there any danger in what I just did? ‘Evil Eye.’”
Aobode asked, his voice steady.
Blood flowed down the blue eye, but not a single drop clung to it. Seeing this, Aobode finally let out a slow breath of relief.
He stood up and walked to the living room, picking up his spiritual notebook to jot down something.
Upon closer inspection, the last page of his spiritual notebook was filled with a series of rules.
1. Daily expenses must not exceed 9 pence.
2. Weekly rent for living quarters must not exceed 2 shillings.
3. Must work every day, and weekly wages must not exceed 10 shillings.
4. …
…
31. Damaging furniture is within the weekly wage limit and will not incur punishment.
After writing the thirty-first rule, Aobode looked at the filled page and couldn’t help but curse a few more times.
He had barely followed the law, and now he was expected to adhere to these damned, ridiculous rules set by who knows who?
Failing to comply would invite inexplicable misfortune, and even with so many rules listed, some of the calamities had no apparent cause, as if they descended randomly.
If he could survive this time, he would definitely find out who was behind this… to humiliate him like this was to show utter disregard for the entire royal family!
In truth, Aobode had long been on the brink of giving up, searching for any means to end this torment.
But one thing held him back from confronting the “mastermind” behind it all.
He discovered that when he lived according to these absurd, script-like rules, the whispers in his mind would ease a little…
Yes, adhering to these nonsensical rules actually affected his potion.
The most direct manifestation was the erosion from the third-tier “Crown Guard.”
Aobode slowly raised his right hand, which was completely encased in black armor from fingertip to shoulder, a side effect of drinking the third-tier “Crown Guard” potion.
However, before coming to Bole City, the armor had spread all the way to his right chest and heart…
Now, as he touched his heart with his left hand, he could hear a strong, steady heartbeat. The whispers and buzzing in his mind still persisted, but they were much more bearable than before.
He had originally thought he might be stuck at the “Crown Guard” level for life, but now it seemed… he could advance further.
As long as he could grasp this pattern and uncover the mastermind behind it, he could use it all to reverse the potion’s erosion.
This was absolutely unprecedented… No extraordinary being had ever achieved this, and he was certain that what he felt and saw was not an illusion but reality.
Whoever could do this…
Was either a higher being, one he had only heard of but never seen, known as a Transcendent.
Or perhaps it was some powerful sealing object yet to be discovered, one that possessed the ability to alter the rules…
Aobode didn’t know if this information was known only to him, nor did he understand if anyone else was bound by the same rules of misfortune.
But he had to uncover the truth before anyone else did.
“Guh…”
Suddenly, a faint sound caught Aobode’s attention. He looked up toward the dining table.
What was happening?
He quickly got up and walked toward the table, only to see the “Evil Eye” on it slowly absorbing his blood, which had already seeped into the paper.
The azure eye merged with the dark red blood, and faint purple veins spread within it, coalescing at the center to form a core resembling a pupil.
The core slowly rotated within the crystal, making a full circle on the paper before lifting slightly, locking onto the direction of the door.
No, I wrote down at least fifty or sixty types of misfortune on that paper. Why is the “Evil Eye”…
Knock, knock, knock—
A series of knocks at the door made Aobode’s heart skip a beat.
Were his guards finally here?
“Open up, Tribunal.”
A cold voice came from the door, causing Aobode’s temples to throb.
Damn it, it wasn’t misfortune that had come.
It was the grim reaper.
Aobode quickly stashed the “Evil Eye” back into his pouch and cautiously approached the door. He unlocked it and slowly pushed it open a crack, saying:
“Hello, sir.”
…
The wooden door slowly opened before Shaer, but only enough to allow an arm to slip through; it didn’t open any further.
Inside, a weary, weathered voice came through.
“Hello, sir.”
“May I ask what you need?”
It was clear the other party was reluctant to engage in conversation.
They had only opened the door a crack out of respect for the Tribunal’s name.
“Aobode Sadias, right?”
Shaer spoke slowly, “I learned your address from Aivina. Can we talk?”
Shaer directly invoked Aivina’s name, knowing that since she knew his address, they must be acquainted. Mentioning her name might facilitate better communication.
“Damn it… she clearly received my letter…”
A low curse escaped the man inside. After a moment, the door began to close slowly, and his voice came from within: “I have nothing to discuss. This is my private time. If you have any questions, please consult my lawyer first.”
Before the door could close completely, a shadowy hand wreathed in black flames pressed against it, preventing Aobode from shutting it tight.
Bang—!
Aobode yanked the door open violently, slamming it against the wooden frame. His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at Shaer, saying, “What the hell do you want?”
In that moment, a clear murderous intent surged from Aobode.
At that moment, Shaer looked at Aobode, his brow furrowing slightly.
The filthy, tattered white tank top he wore reeked of sourness, his golden hair greasy as if it hadn’t been washed in days, and his face was covered in stubble. The room was filled with the stench of cheap alcohol.
This man… was the son of a prince from Ansu? A top-tier noble?
He looked like an ordinary, drunken laborer—if one ignored his right hand, which was encased in armor.
Perhaps the shock from the encounter caused the already unstable dining table to collapse, sending a white candle tumbling onto the wooden floor, igniting the spilled alcohol that had soaked into the wood.
Noticing the commotion, Aobode quickly turned around, grabbing a nearby carpet and rushing toward the fire, covering the flames before they could spread.
After a chaotic attempt to extinguish the fire, the kitchen and dining area were left in disarray. Aobode slowly stood up, clenching his fists.
“Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!!!”
He repeated his curses, the anger roaring in his chest.
He had never felt so humiliated in front of others; the feeling of disgrace was a heavy blow to his pride. This small stroke of bad luck felt like the last straw that broke the camel’s back.
Table of Contents
