Chapter 86: Prayer

Chapter Eighty-SixPrayer

So-called “interruption-style” ritual magic referred to rituals that a Beyonder could, according to the situation, interrupt partway through, first complete some other matter, then return after finishing it and still obtain the intended result.

This was a technique derived from over a thousand years of ritual magic development. After all, many higher-level rituals required a great number of steps. They might take one hour, two hours, or even half a day to complete, and throughout such a process, it was very difficult to guarantee that no one would disturb the practitioner or that no accident would occur.

After the blood-soaked lessons of one predecessor after another, and after feedback from one failure after another, ritual magic capable of being “interrupted” had become mainstream at higher levels, indirectly influencing some lower-level rituals as well.

But being “interruptible” did not mean one could interrupt whenever one wished, or interrupt however one wished. The practitioner had to follow the theories of mysticism and master the corresponding techniques. Otherwise, ritual failure was unavoidable, and one might even draw a terrifying backlash.

According to Klein’s understanding, it was like this: once you had successfully gained a deity’s attention, and that deity was waiting for you to speak the content of your prayer, you suddenly said, “Wait, let me go to the washroom first.”

Then congratulations. You would never need to visit the washroom again.

Hoo…

Klein exhaled, keeping himself calm.

Although he had performed the “luck-changing ritual” many times and had even designed a corresponding process for Justice and the Hanged Man to try, this was still his first true practice of ritual magic that conformed to proper standards.

Glancing at the silver-inlaid cane leaning against the edge of the bed, Klein picked up a third candle and placed it at the very center of the desk, using it to symbolize himself.

After that, he placed Selena’s silver ritual bowl before the third candle, using it in place of a cauldron bearing a sacred emblem. To the left of the bowl were hydrosols and essential oils containing moon flowers, deep-sleep flowers, and similar plants. To the right were a small dish of salt, a little silver dagger, a sheet of imitation parchment, and a water-dipped quill.

Fortunately, Selena’s supplies are fairly complete. Otherwise, I truly would not be able to finish the setup. And Old Neil’s quick rituals are not something a Seer can perform…

From this, Selena really is a rather experienced mysticism enthusiast… Mm. If she were not experienced, she would not have been able to cause a mess like this…

She is only sixteen. She must have been exposed to this for at least a year, yes? Who brought her in?

As thoughts fluttered through his mind, Klein picked up Selena’s cup from the bedside, poured in clean water, and set it beside the coarse salt.

He took out his pocket watch, snapped it open, and glanced at the time. Then he delayed no further, outlined layer upon layer of spheres of light in his mind, and swiftly entered meditation.

Within the flower-scented room, invisible wind suddenly began to spin. Klein, having put away his pocket watch, saw his pupils abruptly darken, turning from brown to black, as though he could see the soul of every observer.

He reached out and pressed his palm near the upper-right candle. Silently, he recited in his heart:

“Evernight Goddess, you are the Lord of Crimson.”

While silently reciting, Klein extended his spirituality. After rubbing the wick several times, the candle suddenly caught fire. Within its yellowish glow appeared a faint, tranquil blue.

“Evernight Goddess, you are also the Empress of Misfortune and Horror.”

Following the same method, Klein smoothly lit the second candle at the upper left.

“I am your faithful guardian, the shield against danger in the night, the spear that pierces evil in the silence.”

Whoosh!

The third…