Chapter 1417 - 1382: Summon Demon

Lann ignored the spirit body’s complaints.

Introducing to Geralt and Lincoln: "Curse Master of the Great Marsh, Comicus."

While speaking, Lann tapped his chest with his thumb, looking quite proud: "Didn’t I say? After so many trips, I’ve made some friends."

"Hello," the Curse Master’s voice was old and slow, "Ah, to see two living people who haven’t turned into zombies, that’s quite rare."

Comicus’s spirit body moved casually, while Lincoln and Geralt keenly noticed that its movement and range seemed completely unrelated to the parchment.

Moreover, the characters on the parchment had vanished, seemingly consumed.

"This is my friend." Lann stood beside the Elder Curse Master, subtly using his stance and gestures to increase the trust Lincoln and Geralt had in the spirit body.

"He taught me the Curse Techniques, so we’re kind of like apprentice and master."

"Alright, is it done?" While Lann was introducing him, the Elder Curse Master seemed a bit impatient, "Call me when the real battle begins. I’m still organizing the spellbook."

"After your apprentice left, on our journey from the Profound Church to Ilyushil, we found plenty of lost treasures. I intend to leave you a compiled spellbook this time."

"Oh," the Curse Master let out a sigh like an old crow, his bandaged eyes glancing at Lann, "An apprentice not studying by the master’s side, a master without students... what a troublesome situation."

"Back in the Great Marsh, people would call me a ’self-proclaimed master with no apprentice’."

"But now, perhaps everyone in the Great Marsh is dead? In that sense, having a secluded hometown might be a blessing, allowing for two living people."

"Don’t say such ominous things."

Lann retorted, rolling his eyes and nodding to Comicus, signaling that he could dismiss the spirit body.

Thus, after another low hum of spiritual power, the semi-transparent spirit body emitting a white light gradually faded away and eventually disappeared.

It was only after the spirit body had been gone for a while that Lincoln, unsure, raised the bundle of parchments he was holding closer to his face for a better look.

The sound of clothing rubbing against the rough parchment was oddly reassuring.

"Gulp." He swallowed, "Sir, are these all...?"

He looked tentatively at Lann, receiving a confirming nod in response.

"They are all marks that can summon spirit bodies, friends I previously knew, confirmed through Comicus. Everyone’s fine nowadays, just summon them when needed."

"You saw how to summon earlier. It’s called the White Mark Wax Stone."

Lann tossed a uniquely shaped, white-cloth-wrapped stone to Lincoln, who hastily caught it, cradling it in his arms.

"Use this to draw Summoning Talismans; each insignia is different. But I wrote them in ink on the parchment already. Later, you trace them with the White Mark Wax Stone."

"Oh, oh!"

Lincoln nodded blankly, feeling clueless but reassured that everything would be fine since Lann had organized it.

After nodding, he came to his senses, counting the stack of parchment he held.

"But sir, there seem to be only... eight sheets?"

Lincoln looked at Lann but saw no surprise on his face.

"It’s enough, Lincoln." The young Demon Hunter spoke calmly, as if stating something very clear and simple, "Entirely enough."

"In fact, I think we might not even use all eight."

Lann tilted his head, nonchalantly spreading his hands: "Anyway, when the White Rose attacks, you summon them, and we’ll start fighting."

"Do what you can, and let the rest unfold."

So, these ’friends’ the master mentioned... are each capable of facing a hundred foes?

Lincoln pondered this while holding the parchment and White Mark Wax Stone even tighter.

The Ember Knight surely needed to keep getting stronger.

The secretary thought deeply, while Geralt furrowed his brow and spoke.

"Pulling spirit bodies from the conjunction of spheres isn’t an overly difficult technique, but in nature... it’s akin to ’summoning demons,’ you know, Lann?"

Geralt looked seriously at him.

In this magical Middle Ages world, those skilled in supernatural powers are generally familiar with the phenomena of cross-world sphere conjunctions.

After all, the current world state results from various sphere junction influences.

Cross-world techniques aren’t as advanced as people might think; the real difficulty lies in exploration and locating procedures.

And in this medieval era, familiar with cross-world journeys, ’demon’ carries a unique concept—entities arriving here from outside worlds.

Calling creatures like Deer-headed Demons and Sheep-Horned Demons ’demons’ is more of a colloquialism, unrelated to scientific names.

If named according to proper rules, the Fog Nest Master Terror Dragon that was rampaging in the Ponta River Valley back then was undoubtedly also a ’demon’. That was a ’demon invasion event’.

And Lann’s recent summoning, along with these parchments, were actions to ’assist demons in entering this world’, which is—’assist demon invasion’.

When the sorcerers of the northern humans just established their management organization, those sorcerers set the rules.

Warlocks are researchers and pioneers, their research must of course be avant-garde and cutting-edge, but even so, there are still forbidden fields that cannot be touched.

Among these forbidden fields, the application of [Necromancy] and the spells that assist demon invasion are the most famous types.

[Necromancy], which Lann had learned about during his first meeting with the Lady of the Lake. Once this magic is cast, it will disrupt the balance of life and death in the entire region, the consequences are akin to nuclear pollution.

And ’assist demon invasion’, even those first-generation warlocks who could easily move mountains and fill seas did not know what bizarre things could be summoned from outside the world.

Therefore, it was directly banned and managed.

Lann’s ’summoning spells’ had no fluctuation of Chaos Magic Power, so the traces left were minimal, but the nature of the matter remains unchanged.

If this matter gets out, then the upcoming warlocks summit in Airetusa could directly add another topic to the agenda—

The handling result of the illegal casting of ’summon demon’ magic.

"Moreover," Geralt’s solemn face revealed deep thought and contemplation, "that so-called Elder Curse Master..."

His unique hoarse voice spoke deeply, and the atmosphere instantly became as silent as telling a horror story.

"Lann, I’ve seen quite a few dead people, even those who have collapsed, despaired, and felt that living is worse than dying; just like two years ago, we took a trip to the war zone of Sintra, a living hell."

"But that Elder Curse Master..." Geralt took a deep breath, "what’s with his sullen demeanor?"

"That sense of decay emerging from his bones is like he’s personally witnessed the end of the world!"

People who just came off a battlefield wouldn’t have such a lifeless feeling.

And what’s more terrifying... that Comicus himself seemed to be completely accustomed to it!

Geralt looked seriously at Lann: "You haven’t really summoned some creepy thing, have you?"

"Heh." Lann first let out a soft laugh, "What counts as illegal without being caught in the act? Aren’t those White Rose Knights also thinking about covering up their identity to kill over here, avoiding the Holy Hall Council? Isn’t it the same idea?"

"Look, I’m summoning a spirit in front of you, and our pendants don’t budge. Even wizards can’t catch any trace."

Lann first responded to Geralt’s first question.

And after a moment of silence, he answered the second question.

"As for what you said about him... that’s a somewhat long and complicated story, but one point you are very correct on, he indeed truly has witnessed the end of the world."

"People who’ve had such an experience will naturally and inevitably possess some unique qualities."

"Is it truly that bad?" Geralt didn’t expect his casual remark to be the truth, "And he’s even gotten used to it?!"

"Gotten used to it? What’s the alternative if not getting used to it?" Lann shook his head and sighed, "An apocalypse isn’t a ’boom’ and our world explodes, where everyone blinks and simultaneously dies and disappears, such a painless, straightforward process."

"It’s a process of gradual decline, hopeless rot."

"Even despair itself will be completely erased in the face of such decline."

Since the conversation reached this point, Lann shook his head, and explained a little more to his old friend.

"But moving trees, moving people brings life; in a world with barely any living people, I can’t bear to see a group of friends die in there..."

"So this time I’m also thinking, deliberately owe them a favor, and later in turn try to help, so there’s an explanation for me and them."

Owing a favor and seeking a favor are things hard to grasp in human interactions.

Carelessly, both sides might harbor suspicions.

Geralt carefully scrutinized Lann, and only after quite a while did he avert his gaze.

"Since it’s your decision and they’re your friends, I have nothing to criticize."

Actually, he had wanted to see if there were any signs that Lann had been controlled, parasitized, or replaced.

’Demons’ are terrifying precisely because the people in the world have no idea what sorts of things come from outside the world.

The habits they follow, and what capabilities they possess.

Just the demons recorded among the Demon Hunters have ones that can parasitize human minds, feeding on the guilt and emotions of sentient beings.

Others can control sentient creatures, consuming the host from the inside out.

And demons not contacted or recorded by this small group of Demon Hunters surely are more, and more bizarre.

Geralt not immediately suspecting whether Lann was being controlled already showed his great trust in Lann’s capabilities.