The post-vow ceremony celebration unfolded in a grand spectacle beneath the expansive canopy of the Darkmoon Fellows.h.i.+p's sacred forest.
The air was filled with enchanting melodies, as lively music and beats emanated from an ensemble of magical instruments, setting the tone for a joyous occasion.
Jolly and Shaai, the newlywed couple, took center stage, dancing gracefully under the twinkling lights that adorned the ancient banyan tree.
In his heart, Eren thanked Sara Start for teaching him some dance moves. He also wondered how she from his previous timeline would have reacted if she came to know that he had used the skills gained from her to somewhat half-wed another woman.
The venue was adorned with tables laden with an array of delicacies from both mortal and magical realms. Exquisite dishes seemed to magically appear on the tables, offering a feast for the senses.
Guests approached the couple with congratulations and well wishes, expressing their surprise and joy at Shaai Sena's unexpected choice. Some came bearing wedding gifts. Shaai wasn't particularly interested in accepting them. So Eren accepted for both of them with open hands with a jubilant smile on his face. Wedding or not, he liked getting freebies, especially when they came from senior witches and warlocks.
Amidst the revelry, members of Shaai's coven approached the couple with mana-rich resources and items, presenting them as wedding gifts. Exquisite potions, enchanted artifacts, and rare Skill gems were bestowed upon Jolly and Shaai, symbolizing the coven's blessings for their union. The gifts were not only a gesture of goodwill but also a demonstration of the coven's support for the newlyweds.
As the celebration continued, the magical ambiance intensified, creating an ethereal atmosphere. The couple's dance became a focal point, drawing admiration and applause from the gathered audience. The night unfolded with enchantment, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the couple's life.
***
A few days later.
Inside a dimly lit and s.p.a.cious corridor with prison cells lining its sides, the echo of footsteps reverberated.
Each cell housed a Pract.i.tioner acting as a prisoner.
These prisoners were spies at Asmodeous' suggestion. Ranging from mighty A-Ranked Pract.i.tioners to lower-ranked individuals, all were bound by runic chains, rendering them incapable of using mana, casting Skills, or employing any special powers.
The prison itself was fortified with an S-Ranked Array Formation, ensuring the prisoners couldn't employ any tricks to escape. As the footsteps grew louder, the prisoners who were still awake perked up, antic.i.p.ating another round of interrogation by someone from the Darkmoon Fellows.h.i.+p.
"Hahahahaha. They couldn't do s.h.i.+t to us, so they sent a pretty boy down here. Guys, this coven is nothing but a joke at this point."
Jeered an A-Ranked Pract.i.tioner, a burly man in his early 40s by mortal standards. Despite being captured, his pride remained intact. The Darkmoon Fellows.h.i.+p's torture methods had failed to extract any secrets regarding his infiltration purpose, and he a.s.sumed they had sent a rookie to attempt new tactics.
Jolly, appearing as a naive kid to the body cultivator, garnered no respect. The captive believed he could easily overpower Jolly if they were to meet on the battlefield. Unfortunately for him, his shackled hands left him defenseless.
Eren, paying no heed to the body cultivator's laughter, snapped his fingers, unlocking the prison cell. Stepping inside without a care, he confronted the hulking figure, restrained by chains against the wall.
"Pretty boy, do you want to make me feel good?" teased the body cultivator as Jolly stood before him, unable to physically harm him but free to mock.
"Of course, I am here to make you feel good. Really good," replied Eren with a bright smile, placing his right hand on the body cultivator's head.
Closing his eyes, he activated his bloodline powers using the limited drops of the Elder Ichor blood sealed inside Jolly's body.
The body cultivator's smile froze as he sensed a soul-intrusive method being used on him, realizing that Jolly wasn't as harmless as he seemed. However, in the next moment, a calm spread over his face after recalling that his memories were safe from foreign intrusion.
"No wonder they couldn't get anything out of the spies," Eren mumbled, a.n.a.lyzing the A-Ranked body cultivator's condition. "Their memories are locked behind a spiritual seal. It's not a Skill but a Soul Spell. Any forceful method or Skill would end up killing this poor sod," he concluded before retracting his hand.
Eren speculated that this was the case with all the other spies, considering the organizations behind them had sealed their memories to prevent the Darkmoon Fellows.h.i.+p from extracting sensitive information in a more sophisticated manner.
"I guess I gotta get my hands dirty," Eren rolled up his sleeves and looked at the A-Ranked body cultivator with a neutral gaze, smiling before asking, "What is your name, big guy?"
The man's name was not related to his organization's secrets. So he said his name out loud and proudly while looking at Eren as if he was not worth his time. "It's Zameer Jaishan. And you?"
For some reason, Zameer felt that there was something odd about the man standing in front of him. He questioned Zameer with such an ease that even he was subconsciously eased into answering him.
"We are off to a good start, aren't we?" Eren said, summoning a sealed gla.s.s bottle from his Inventory. Uncorking it, a swarm of flies filled the air.
"Zameer, I won't bother asking you questions related to your organization because I already know how you are going to answer," Eren confirmed there was no one else in the prison before continuing.
"Instead, I'll start your 'good time' right away. All you have to do to make me stop is spilling everything you know."
Activating his Sin Series Domains, Eren targeted Zameer's prison cell, ensuring a potent effect.
Domain of Gluttony.
Domain of l.u.s.t.
Domain of Wrath.
Domain of Greed.
The domains weren't cast to affect Zameer but the demonic flies Eren had released into the air. These bees were the subspecies of the Skarvenstalkers Eren had genetically modified and then bred in captivity.
===
AN: Skarvenstalkers were explained in chapter 1754.