Chapter 635 - 538: Repayment and Closed Loop

Chapter 635: Chapter 538: Repayment and Closed Loop

"Hey! Stop! Stop it! This damned... Ugh!"

Holland spun around involuntarily, bellowing an absurd hymn in a grating voice as he tried to wrest back control of his body with sheer willpower.

His face was flushed red, veins bulging on his stout neck. His expression switched frantically between a dopey grin and extreme, pent-up rage.

He desperately tried to force his flailing arms down and nail his bouncing feet to the ground, but that warm and domineering Power held him in a vise-like grip, making him look like a clumsy puppet pulled by invisible strings.

"Ru-Rudolph! Ellis! For heaven’s sake! Help me!"

He seized a moment between verses to catch his breath, squeezing out a broken plea through gritted teeth. His eyes, filled with desperation and embarrassment, made him look like a completely different person from the fearless man he usually was.

Roland watched the scene, which was both hilarious and pitiable, and shook his head slightly. A resigned smile played on his lips.

"Holland, I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do."

Admittedly, he had faced beings who called themselves ’Deities’ before, and had even defeated them.

But Lodestar...

...was a True God who genuinely wielded the Authority over dawn, Hope, and rebirth. The difference in their fundamental Power was dimensional.

Therefore, unless Lodestar chose to retract his Power, or another being of an equivalent level intervened, it would be nearly impossible for any outside force to dispel it.

He paused, and seeing Holland’s increasingly distraught expression, offered a word of comfort.

"However, from what I know of the Lord of Dawn’s methods... this punishment most likely won’t last very long."

"He has always been... well, not one to hold a grudge. Just... try to bear with it for a little while."

"Bear with it? This damned, meddling, gold-glowing..."

The moment Holland heard that, his anger instantly overwhelmed his embarrassment. Forgetting all about asking for help, he craned his neck, preparing to unleash a fiercer round of "greetings" into the air.

However, he had barely spat out a few of the "creative" profanities he was concocting.

The warm Power controlling him seemed to intensify, just a fraction.

Holland’s voice cut off abruptly, as if his throat had been seized.

Then, the expression on his face morphed from anger to utter terror.

His body stopped dancing in circles. It went rigid, and then, with excruciating slowness—like a marionette in slow motion—he began to bow. The movement was so exaggerated it was comical. He bowed deeply, rose slowly, and bowed again...

At the same time, a sound issued uncontrollably from his throat. The tune was bizarre, yet exceptionally loud, as if mimicking the call of some ancient ceremonial horn.

"DOO—DAA—DEE—DAA—PRAISE THE DAWN! DOO—DAA—DEE—DAA—MAY ITS BRILLIANCE BE ETERNAL!"

This was even more bizarre and humiliating than the simple song and dance from before.

Holland’s face had turned a deep shade of purple, his eyes filled with despair. Yet his body faithfully continued to perform this "enhanced edition" of the tribute, a ritual clearly born of a twisted sense of humor.

Roland and Ellis exchanged a glance, each seeing the same emotion reflected in the other’s eyes.

They didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

And they also felt a deep sense of sympathy for Holland’s current predicament.

Ellis silently turned to face the wall, his shoulders shaking suspiciously.

Roland, for his part, raised a hand to his temple and sighed silently.

Vanessa shot a timid glance at Holland, who was still performing his "enhanced tribute" with its bizarre rhythm and tone. Her face was bright red; it was clear she was using every ounce of her strength to keep from laughing out loud or letting an impolite expression slip.

She took several deep breaths, forcing her attention back to Roland. Concentration returned to her violet eyes.

"M-Mr. Rudolph..."

The Apprentice Witch’s voice trembled slightly, but it quickly steadied.

"The main fissure in your soul, the one that was continuously leaking, should now be sealed. However, some deeper, more subtle ’traces’ remain."

"They won’t drain your spiritual essence like before, but they could become a source of instability under extreme circumstances."

She tried to make her explanation sound as professional and reliable as possible.

"According to the theoretical framework in *Mason’s Travelogue* and my teacher’s supplementary notes, a case like this usually requires multiple, gradual, gentle treatments to fully heal. This is necessary to solidify the soul’s very foundation. One ritual... is not enough."

Roland nodded lightly, unsurprised by this outcome.

He took the opportunity to ask.

"In that case, it would be inconvenient to travel back and forth. Miss Vanessa, does your potion shop... have any spare rooms?"

"If possible, we could stay here temporarily and leave once the treatment is complete. It would also save you the trouble of setting up the ritual space each time."

Vanessa was clearly taken aback by the suggestion, and a hesitant look crossed her face.

She subconsciously glanced around her "potion shop," which was so piled with clutter that there was barely a discernible living space. Then she looked back at her visitors, each with their own distinct presence. Her lips trembled, but no words came out, as if she didn’t know how to respond.

’Letting strangers, especially men, stay overnight in her private work and living space?’

This was clearly far outside her normal range of experience.

Roland saw her hesitation. Without a word, he turned and gave Ellis a meaningful look.

The young Mage understood at once.

He sighed with a hint of resignation but still stepped forward briskly.

Taking advantage of a pause in Holland’s bowing, he swiftly untied the bulging coin purse from Holland’s waist and handed it to Roland.