The Innkeeper

Everyone turned to look at the ring after Leo spoke, waiting for it to do something. Although Lex had been slowly allowing the ring to grow stronger as of late, that did not mean that the ring had the ability to manifest a projection, or alter its form just yet.

It may seem odd when compared to someone like Qawain, who not only was able to transform into a human shape, but was also on the verge of becoming a father. But if one took into consideration that Qawain had been alive for over a hundred thousand years, and had slowly mastered his own strength, then it made sense why the ring spirit, despite originating from the soul of a dragon, could not yet manifest a body or projection.

But the lack of a form other than that of a ring did not mean that the ring was powerless. A spirit sense emerged from the ring and spread out across the room, so that it could communicate with them all, even as the ring delved into Ragnar’s body.

“A demonification curse,” the ring said, immediately identifying the problem. “Demonification curses are not without cure, especially if the process has not been completed, like in your case. However, demonification is a generic term. In truth, what truly determines the rate of progress in demonification, as well as how to counter it, is the type of demon the target is being turned into.

“I can tell from your condition that you are being turned into a zombie, yet the process has been slowed down drastically. If I am not mistaken, then some kind of body cultivation method has been used to combat the zombification process.”

“That’s correct,” stated Ragnar. “Through the Henali, the emperor acquired a method to prevent the zombification curse, but the problem is that the conditions to practice it are too strenuous and the resources are too rare. It is not something that can be implemented en masse.

“Our true purpose here is not to find a way to combat or prevent zombification, but to come up with a way to fight against it on a large scale, even by common people. The demon problem that the human race faces is a huge threat, and one we are not yet well equipped enough to entirely resist.

“Only by arming ourselves with the right tools and weapons to not only resist the Devils, but the demonification curses themselves can we one day hope to cast off our destiny as victims of these devils.”

“Hmm, let me see how this works first. Clearly, you have made some progress towards creating a body cultivation technique that can resist the demonification process, but it is not very effective. How can its efficiency be improved…”

While Pel Jr. began to ponder over his issue, Leo looked at the general oddly. He turned to look towards Charles as well, unsure if he should mention what he was thinking. Surely something so obvious had already been considered by the empire.

But… just to be sure…

“Have you guys looked into Botlam Dew?” Leo asked. “Just so you know, I was also infected by zombies once. A vial of Botlam Dew was all it took to clear that right up. Of course, I know it’s only effective for cultivators below the Foundation realm, but considering you want to use it for the masses, it could be a good solution.”

“Yes, we have,” said Ragnar, not at all bothered by the obvious question. “But like you just said, we want a solution for the masses, and while we buy a lot of Botlam Dew from the Inn, we cannot afford to buy hundreds of billions of bottles to combat the demonification going on across thousands of planets. It’s not practical, or even logistically possible.”

“Yes, but have you tried looking into why Botlam Dew works against demonification? I once saw an item called Botlam’s Grace, and it too was a healing item, but was much stronger. Apparently, it contained the Holy aura of an Archangel. I’m not sure why it still had the name Botlam to it, but if Holy aura can combat demonification, it can be a direction for us to look into.”1

“I’m afraid not,” said Ragnar, shaking his head. “Holy aura, and Holy energy in general, is unique to the Angel race alone. When the Angel race makes use of divine energy, their bodies slowly gain the ability to transform all other energies into Holy energy. That’s actually what causes them to be so attractive for many Deities to have as subordinates.”

Leo couldn’t help but frown. It appeared like they were hitting a deadend with Holy energy and Botlam Dew, but he had a feeling it wasn’t so simple.

“I have a few ideas, but why don’t you give me the list of items you need me to procure anyway? In the meantime, Pel Jr. can also analyse your situation and recommend some solutions. We can gather back here before the emperor’s match to share our progress.”

Charles handed Leo a list, having no qualms with the idea. The general offered to return the ring, but Leo was in no rush.

Instead, he left, stating that he needed to work on the list. Technically, that was true, for Lex summoned another clone to reach out to his usual sources to try to find the items on the list. But Leo himself, instead, turned his attention towards searching for another prominent figure in the Midnight Inn.

A simple scan revealed that the man was within the designated headquarters for his organization within the Midnight Inn.

Soon Leo appeared outside a Small village that had been rented out entirely by the Paladins – a group of human warriors far away from the Jotun empire. From what Leo recalled, the Paladins too used the power of faith to wield energies eerily similar to Divine energy and Holy energy.

He had never specifically looked into how their power system worked, but now might be the right time to do just that.

Botlam Grace was bought by Lex in chapter 843 for those interested in a refresher.