Chapter 166: In the Name of the Hanged Man

Chapter 166: Chapter 166: In the Name of the Hanged Man

The suppression of Selena’s ability had previously relied entirely on Vili’s Power of Justice.

When the Power of Justice was attached to the source of Selena’s malice, her Malice Power could not be released.

However, this method had a major flaw.

This suppression could only last for one month. If Vili didn’t continue to infuse it with his Power of Justice, Selena would be able to break and dissolve the previous Power of Justice, reverting to a Bronze Level Purple-striped Sea Elf who wielded Malice Power.

But now, Vili had mastered a new ability: the Seal of Justice.

Once he used the Seal of Justice on Selena, her Malice Power would be permanently sealed within her body, impossible to use, unless the seal was removed.

Unless Vili or a higher-level Hanged Man removed the seal for her, or an Extraordinary Power of Silver Level or above forcibly erased it, she would be nothing more than an ordinary mermaid.

Furthermore, compared to simply adhering his Power of Justice to her, the Seal of Justice offered much greater flexibility.

Adhering the Power of Justice to the source of her malice kept Selena in a state of constant restriction.

Vili hadn’t captured her just to be some ornamental fish.

Vili wanted to use Selena and her abilities to further explore the ocean and secure maritime benefits for White Bear Town.

Because he hadn’t fully trusted Selena before, Vili hadn’t dared to let her control even a sliver of her Extraordinary Power. Otherwise, she could have become a ticking time bomb in White Bear Town.

But things were different now. With control over the Seal of Justice, Vili could place flexible conditions on unsealing her power.

For example, a distance restriction.

Vili could set the conditions of the Seal of Justice such that Selena could wield half of her Extraordinary Power, as long as she harbored no malicious thoughts and remained within three thousand meters of him. If she had any ill intentions or moved beyond that three-thousand-meter radius, her power would be completely sealed away.

This would allow him to utilize Selena’s abilities in the ocean while neutralizing the uncertainty she posed.

"Lord Baron?"

Selena suddenly noticed a strange glint in Vili’s eyes as he looked at her.

It made her shiver instinctively.

"Have you ever heard of the Seal of Justice?"

To Selena, it looked as though Vili’s smile was laced with daggers.

Selena shook her head nervously, looking timidly at Vili.

"Well then, allow me to give you a demonstration..."

A faint golden light materialized in Vili’s palm. Before Selena could react, he pressed it directly onto the top of her head...

...

For a Two-Engraving Hanged Man, applying the Seal of Justice was still a rather complex process.

It took a full hour for Vili to finish engraving the preset Seal of Justice into Selena’s body.

Poor Selena. When she first felt half of her Extraordinary Power return, she had felt a brief stir of excitement.

But when Vili explained the mechanics of the Seal of Justice, Selena nearly broke down again.

In her eyes, Vili was now a Devil!

Baron Vili not only wanted to control her power and her body, but he also wanted her to risk her life for him, searching the deep sea for precious resources.

’Is this really a Hanged Man?’

’Could this Baron Vili, who seems full of cunning schemes, truly be the just, fearless, and honest Hanged Man of human legend?’

Seeing Selena’s dispirited expression, Vili felt it was necessary to boost her confidence.

"If, one day, your actions earn my complete trust, I will remove the Seal of Justice from your body."

Vili vowed, "Moreover, I will also gift you the Sabuweiler’s Tears pendant."

At these words, Selena’s head shot up. She stared at Vili in disbelief. "Are you telling the truth?"

"I swear it on my name as a Hanged Man."

Vili’s expression was grave.

Upon hearing this, Selena’s eyes brightened.

’A Hanged Man’s power comes from Justice. If they lie or harbor malicious thoughts, their power rapidly deteriorates.’

’Since Vili can make such a guarantee, it must mean he’s telling the truth.’

"I hope you will follow my orders."

Vili leaned closer to Selena, gazing into her eyes.

"I will, Lord Baron."

Selena nodded solemnly.

...

「Two days later.」

Vili was sitting in his study when one of his Personal Guards informed him that a guest had arrived at the manor.

The guest was from Diamond Town; it was none other than his teacher, Olay.

"Teacher."

Vili hurried to the reception hall.

Olay, dressed in casual clothes, was sipping tea.

A genuine smile spread across Olay’s face when he saw Vili arrive.

If Olay were asked to name the single best decision he had made in his entire life, he would say without hesitation that it was accepting a student named Vili Ferren.

A boy from a poor country family who, through his own talent and hard work, had become the Baron of a wealthy coastal town.

Although he hadn’t actually taught Vili for very long, Vili still treated him as a respected teacher, even after becoming a Baron—a station far nobler than his own.

"Teacher, what brings you here?"

Vili hurried forward, not a trace of arrogance in his demeanor.

"I’ve finally got some free time, so I thought I’d come and see you."

Looking at Vili now, Olay felt a surge of emotion.

Vili was dressed in fine, aristocratic attire, and though his attitude was humble, his bearing had undergone a world-shaking transformation.

Looking at Vili, Olay even felt that his aristocratic air surpassed that of Baron Kels himself.

"Oh? Does that mean you no longer have to manage the affairs of the Personal Guard Bureau, Teacher?"

Vili personally refilled Olay’s cup as he asked.

Ever since Vili had left Diamond Town, Olay, who had been enjoying a leisurely retirement, had been forced to return to the front lines.

Vili felt a little guilty every time he thought about it.

"Lord Kels has been accelerating the transfer of authority. Bamos is now basically able to manage the Personal Guard Bureau on his own. He’s training new subordinates, so it won’t be long before I can officially step down."

A note of relief was evident in Olay’s voice.

"In that case, Teacher, you should bring your family to stay in White Bear Town for a while. The environment here is quite suitable for relaxing and recuperating."

Vili offered.

Olay let out a hearty laugh. "I’ll definitely take you up on that offer when I get the chance."

After a few more pleasantries, Olay’s expression turned serious. He asked Vili, "How much longer until you advance to Senior Knight?"