Chapter 196 "The Big Snakes Orbs"

He parted his lips and recited the ancient magical prayer, the words flowing effortlessly from his mind, accompanied by the unmistakable hiss of serpents.

Chanting in the snake language held a distinct sensation, markedly different from the experience of invoking the ancient dragon language.

Uttering each syllable in the Snake language felt like it sapped away Skyler's strength. Whenever he spoke in Parseltongue, he experienced an exhaustive drain of energy, prompting him to use it sparingly and opt for alternatives to avoid the toll it took on him.

Yet, as Skyler intoned the snake language at this moment, an unusual surge overcame him. His blood seemed to boil with each syllable, coursing through his veins with an energetic enthusiasm. The rhythmic pulsations fueled a surge of vitality, leaving him invigorated and animated with every uttered phrase.

Currently, Skyler's eyes bore the strain of bloodshot, his complexion taking on an abnormal flush, and his voice gradually adopting a hoarse and fatigued quality.

Intuitively sensing that something was amiss with Skyler, Salff urgently spoke out, "Skyler, cease this at once! Your bloodline isn't robust enough to withstand the intensity of this snake language magic!"

Despite Salff's plea, Skyler remained unyielding, persisting in his fervent recitation. The once-friendly tones of the snake language now echoed to Salff as an ominous, otherworldly sound.

Gritting her teeth, as if reaching a determined decision, she retrieved the snakewood wand and attempted to cast both the "The Tongue-Tying Curse" and the "Mouth Sealing Charm" on Skyler.

To her dismay, the two curses, despite hitting Skyler, failed to produce the slightest effect. He continued his frenzied chant, seemingly impervious to the attempted silencing.

Salff stamped her jade feet, a flicker of panic crossing her expression.

"What should I do?" Salff grappled with a dilemma. The master-servant contract between her and Skyler meant that any unforeseen circumstances befalling him would likely result in Salff, as the servant, suffering the consequences of their shared oath.

However, at this moment, Salff's concern far surpassed the confines of her role as a servant. She found herself more worried about Skyler's safety than contemplating the implications of her own potential suffering.

Since her rebirth, Salff has inherited the knowledge of her past life but lacks the corresponding experience to navigate such a precarious situation. She felt like a fledgling bird, uncertain about how to handle the unfolding events.

Biting her lower lip fiercely, Salff rushed towards Skyler, seizing the Thestral wand from his hand with one hand while tightly embracing his lower back with the other. Skyler's wand fell to the ground, yet the fervent chanting exhibited no signs of cessation.

In a desperate attempt to silence Skyler physically, Salff pressed her red lips firmly against his, sealing his voice channel.

At that moment, Skyler seemed to snap back to reality. The ceaseless chanting finally came to a halt, and he was about to utter something when he noticed Salff's tightly closed eyes, tears welling at the corners.

Overwhelmed with compassion, he couldn't bring himself to push her away. He had been aware that Salff was reborn under his influence, harboring an inherent dependence on him, and he had endeavored to find ways to prevent such situations from arising.

But, considering the circumstances...

As Salff opened her eyes and met Skyler's gaze, a half-smile playing on his lips, a blush quickly colored her cheeks. An absurd notion crossed her mind—Skyler hadn't pushed her away; could it be...

In that moment, she resolved to cast aside any inhibitions. Worldly norms and laws held no sway over her. She simply wanted to embrace a life free of regrets.

Her arms coiled around Skyler's neck like serpents, once again silencing any words he might utter with her ardent lips.

With Skyler's intelligence, it wasn't challenging to deduce that he had narrowly escaped the clutches of hell moments ago, all thanks to the captivating figure before him who had saved his life.

At this moment, his resistance to her had plummeted to an all-time low, and after a fiery entanglement, he found himself kissed with a finesse that left him feeling dizzy. Gradually, any inclination to resist vanished, and he began to reciprocate the passionate kiss almost reflexively.

A full ten minutes elapsed.

Reluctantly, the two finally parted.

Salff, immersed in the sweetness of the moment, locked eyes with Skyler and confessed unabashedly, "I love you, Skyler."

Skyler's gaze held a complex mix of pity and guilt. He murmured, "Salff, you know I have a girlfriend, and more than one..." Skyler attempted to articulate something further, but found himself unable to continue. Salff gently raised her hand and covered his lips.

"I understand, Skyler," Salff nestled against his chest, locking eyes with him. "I truly love you, with a passion that knows no bounds. The fact that I can be reborn is already the greatest gift fate has bestowed upon me. I won't ask for more. I don't need any status from you. I don't require any promises. I simply wish to be your companion forever, to serve you endlessly—not just for a decade or two, but until one of us draws our last breath. Is that acceptable, my Master?"

What she left unspoken was that during Skyler's recent brush with life and death, she had already resolved that if anything untoward happened to him, she, too, would willingly sacrifice herself for the sake of love.

Skyler let out a light sigh. At this stage, rejecting others would only inflict unnecessary pain. While Salf didn't require Skyler to divulge their relationship, he felt it was essential not to conceal the truth from Daphne and the others.

These girls had placed significant trust in him, and he didn't want to betray that trust. Perhaps finding a way to explain the situation would help them understand.

With these complicated thoughts set aside, Skyler delved into a serious contemplation of his own circumstances.

Salazar Slytherin dubbed the "King of Dark Wizards" in his era, had proven to be just as ruthless even in the legacy he left for future generations.

This encounter nearly cost Skyler his life, and yet it added another layer of emotional indebtedness. If this outcome failed to satisfy Slytherin, Skyler anticipated an explosive reaction, possibly involving the destruction of the statue of Slytherin in the Chamber of Secrets upon his return to Hogwarts.

After a thorough examination, Skyler was both surprised and elated. The initial discontent in his heart vanished in an instant.

His blood pulsed with remarkable vigor, emanating powerful magical fluctuations. It appeared that his blood had undergone a mutation, acquiring magical properties akin to unicorns and fire dragons.

Although magic primarily originates from the soul and spirit, a wizard's talent and upper limit are determined by their bloodline.

Thin or diluted bloodlines often struggle to activate the hidden talents within. Hence, even a millennium later, few individuals can awaken the power of their blood. Exceptions exist, such as the Gaunt family, known for their extreme practices of incestuous marriages.

Among other pure-blood families, only a solitary individual typically possesses the talent for awakening bloodline abilities. Notable examples include Tonks from the Black family, Queenie from the Goldstein family, and Sybill from the Trelawney family.