Parade

Should I kill them?

As I've been from a different world, people here are decisive when it comes to killing people. So far no one knows that I came from another world, and it's not that bad to have a few weaknesses right?

Because I don't feel like killing them.

Maybe just destroying their source spirit will do, just like what I did to those Vates that fell earlier.

If my Origin has one unique trait, that's probably it.

Combined with Soul Control and a few other unknown factors probably, I can eliminate a person's Source Spirit... making them become like me.

Two of the Vates started to run away but I quickly closed the gap between us and stabbed towards their chest with my Origin blade.

Sure it was painful but not enough to kill them, but if they fall from this height they'll probably die.

The two of them started to descend to a drop before they were caught by the others.

Seeing that they're still alive, they gently tossed them off with the others that were out.

"Don't fall back! Use the next formation!"

The one Vates that seemed to be their leader brought out a key from his robes and golden light started to coalesce within it.

I saw two more golden lights from the distance as he prepared for his next attack, and based from the flying speed, they're about the same as this leader here.

Deciding to end this battle, I rushed towards the leader but was blocked by a series of walls of golden light. I can destroy all of these but it kept regenerating just like my own barrier.

Sensing every opponent nearby, I realized that they were on a triangular formation all around me, which grouped seven to eight people per corner.

I don't feel much danger but my gut tells me it's going to be a troublesome fight, so I prepared a red Origin Screw and spun it, making it spin as fast as the first one I sent the large barrier within the district.

From its penetrating power, as soon as I launched it I also went behind and followed, breaking through the barriers before it recovered.

"NO!"

The two of the Vates from the distance finally reached near here but I was fast enough to stab towards the leader here, and swept my blade to throw his body downwards.

"You useless mutts!" One of them shouted at the Vates that were within the formation and caught the leader within seconds.

"Chii! Is Derrie dead!?" The other one also went towards the leader and attempted to pour source spirit towards him to no effect.

"He's not dead but... I can't sense him."

"What did you do!?" The guy that seemed to be named Chii shouted towards me, but I proceeded to stab at every Vates that got out of the formation, and with that a lot of them started to fall like confetti, littering the ground as a few hit their heads and died.

Surely I feel sorry, but I'm strangely calm.

"STOOOOP!" Before I could stab more of them, the one who kept shouting lunged towards me with a short dagger that was enveloped in green light.

Blocking was dangerous so I parried the dagger instead, sending it to the side as I grabbed his weaponed arm with my other hand, and stabbed him right away after that. I just remembered one of the simple parry and counter from a video and it really works well in reality too?

I wasn't sure if it was from because he was in rage, but he didn't got knocked out but threw up blood instead.

Really?

I floated backwards in a flash and unexpectedly, the guy was still able to fly.

His source spirit didn't got destroyed?

It makes sense if he's strong enough to tank a stab from my Origin blade, but the other one is coming too so I decided to back off at the moment.

"Y-You... so that's what you did... you DEMON!"

"What did he do to you?" The other asked as he poured golden light towards his comrade.

"He can probably destroy source spirits. If I hadn't had an inner armor forged made by a dragon skin, I'd probably lost my powers. Be careful!"

The one I stabbed somewhat recovered but he went behind the other guy and I can see their eyes carefully measure me.

I sensed the other remaining Vates with source spirits fly away to escape.

This was supposed to be a wedding ceremony, right?

We were just supposed to observe Three's wedding and bade her farewell but these happened and now it turned into a mess.

Also, when I knew that there was an aphrodisiac within that black room where the supposed groom should probably be, I had the urge to crash the wedding instead. It doesn't seem like Three needs that thing just to be married, right?

I don't think this was just an ordinary wedding if there's a bed within there.

The effects on Aunt were also so bad that she already almost forgot herself as she undressed.

Thinking about it made me remember what she looked like, and how Sharl looked like, making my mood more sour.

"Tch."

The first layer of the barrier I made was already partially cracking from the previous relentless attacks.

Until when will the drug's effect last long?

Seeing their expressions, they're highly alert and on guard, so I decided to go back inside the barrier for now.

I'm not sure how many enemies might come, but as long as it's not a Grandmaster on a higher level, we'll be fine for now.

The two only kept floating above, and when they saw me enter the barrier, I can see them letting out sighs of relief.

I can still hear Aunt doing things, and it's gonna probably take a long time but hopefully not over half an hour.

Waiting and listening only made me curious about what's happening, but I still decided to stay behind the curtain.

Releasing Soul Control for a hundred meters around us, it seems that there were no Vates around except for the two.

...

Half an hour later, she's finally out in her complete outfit. Once our eyes met her face slightly turned red, and my eyes reflexively looked towards her chest.

"Bad boy."

I can't help it!

Removing my glance from her, the barrier I erected only held on until their reached the last layer.

***

Flairfly Manor, afternoon.

The initial party celebration has just ended and Sorn approached near Savar. "Grandmaster, there's an urgent matter."

The thin and bald butler sudden appearance without warning caught Dorother's attention. With that, the whole crowd that was just about to go out stopped on their tracks.

Sorn stepped in towards Savar and whispered something that made his eyes almost bulge out. After bowing, the butler disappeared once more and the guests had all sorts of different reactions.

Some of them proceeded to the exit as if knowing the matter already, and some of them appeared hesitant on whether to ask about it or waited for an announcement instead.

"What is it, Uncle?" Dorother pulled on her gown as she asked.

"It's nothing. You don't have to worry. We'll start the parade!"

Savar opened his arms as he declared the official opening of the wedding ceremony and every guest went towards the exit.

As the guests that left the vicinity went towards the corridor and exited from where they came from, they all lined up towards the wide and long black carpet that stretched towards the inner part of the city.

Dorother and Savar were located behind them all, along with ten other Master-level Vates.

"It's better to just proceed with this rather than her being forced to something that she doesn't have."

"Did you say something, uncle?" Dorother asked as Savar whispered to himself in an inaudible voice.

The invisible barrier disappeared once the Vates started to come out, revealing the actual look of the large mansion that was located within. It wasn't that long before the long and wide black carpet started to get filled up with rows of black robed people.

Within the time to boil a pot of water, they reached near the edge of the city already. The mansion was extended enough to have a dense expanse of forest before it met the paved roads that were usually filled up with crowds of people.

Instead of the usual day of people all over and walking around tending to their own businesses, today was a special occasion and people were all lined up on the sides a few meters away from the black carpet. Some kind of magical barrier gently blocked off the people that got near, and if force was applied one would experience a rebound.

First in line that came were the ordinary looking priests, and they lined up perfectly as their whole bodies glowed in golden light as they stepped in a certain point within the city. A lot of people raised their hands as they watched the parade of black robed people, some even lowering their head and muttering 'Hail Hamion' followed by a private prayer.

After the priests, next came in the scholar-level Vates, where they all held out a tome which glowed in various lights, making the scenery look like a static rainbow from above that slowly moved as they marched.

Each scholar level was accompanied by an acolyte which were the lowest ranked of the Vates, and usually had little amount of source power and can barely control much.

As every single one of them knew how to do advanced math, each of their steps were carefully calculated. Within the center of the scholars, a group of people that formed within a circle each held an instrument and started to play music. An accordion, violin, guitar, flute, just to name a few, were the mostly heard instruments that created melody to accompany the parade.

With that, more people started to come including the ones that had no knowledge of what was happening, and stayed for a while to watch.

Somewhere within the distance, a few loud bangs were resounding, but the people nearby the line of Vates did not hear a single noise except for the beautiful music produced by the circular band.

The parade was about to reach the middle part, and more Vates came in---flying above the carpet.

They flew in a certain rhythm and seemed to dance in formation with the wind, mesmerizing the people below.

"Gods... They are gods...!"

"That's a lot of mage-level Vates."

"Father, I wanna be like that when I grow up!"

The crowd had all sorts of expressions, some had cold sweat on their backs, some were teary-eyed to the point where they knelt and planted their faces on the ground, some were indifferent...

Once the mages came flying with a loud whoosh, the people were even more amazed at what they saw.

Along with flying, the mages even fired a few golden spheres of light that exploded in the air, as if imitating fireworks.

Once in a while, there would be red and white colored wisps of light that flashed from the distance, and the people below only thought that those were also part of the fireworks sent by the black-robed people flying.

"Uncle, did we have a few beasts included on the parade?"

"I've heard that there are a few."

"...I see."

Finally, the atmosphere become fervent when a hundred acolytes came in and started to sing in choirs that made the place seem holy.

The chants and songs created a waft of golden light within the area and enveloped each person that watched, making their Vates mark glow brighter.

The people closed their eyes and bowed their heads to indulge in the presence of the higher level beings that later came---the Master-level Vates.

A lot of them were only visitors as there aren't really a lot of Master-level Vates within Phione, and from the size the parade had: fifty people, a few of the people fell on their knees by the natural pressure created by the large amount of excess source spirit that leaked from their bodies as they marched on the carpet.

Some have even collapsed already, yet their faces had smiles.

Being near the presence of your own god is a pietous feeling, after all.

The number or people lessened as they got near the end of the path, and there were even a few people running away in panic but they paid it no heed. Some of the Vates that knew the matter already only clicked their tongues, their thoughts unknown.

With that, the parade was almost about to come to the exact location. On the general vicinity where the black carpet ended, there was a large platform that had a large black box on the center. Not a single person was located within the area, and it made the Vates from the Flairfly household pause their march.

"It's strange, why haven't they signalled yet?"

Confusion arose as the parade stopped just in front of the platform where the long black carpet led, and the few ones in front started to become anxious.