Novel Full Chapter 499 - Taming Drama - 2
Chapter 499: Chapter 499 – Taming Drama – 2
“And so,” he concluded, “through a combination of ingenuity, courage, financial acumen, and emotional maturity that defied all reasonable expectations…”
“We emerged triumphant in our mission to save the young boy!” Finch finished, while Theodore made a bow so elaborate that he actually did a complete somersault.
“Although not,” he added, “without learning valuable lessons about humility, friendship, and the true meaning of sacrifice!”
Theodore nodded solemnly, then wiped away what appeared to be an imaginary tear.
Ren had been watching this entire performance with suppressed laughter. The absolute commitment that both Finch and Theodore showed to their narration was both impressive and completely ridiculous.
The theatrical duo had managed to transform what should have been a serious debriefing into a performance art piece that would have made professional entertainers envious. Their synchronization was flawless, each gesture and expression perfectly timed for maximum dramatic impact.
“That sounds… very intense,” Ren managed to say, trying to maintain a serious face.
“Oh, it was,” Finch assured him. “We barely escaped with our lives, our purity on the other hand…”
Ren’s expression changed to genuine concern when he realized that his amusing friends had really been in mortal danger and had also been forced into corruption…
“Oh no no no,” Finch interrupted. “We’re perfectly fine, my dear boy.”
Theodore nodded vigorously, then made a big jump to demonstrate his vitality.
“Let me check you,” Ren said seriously, approaching with his new jade eyes glowing softly. “Even if you feel fine, there must be contamination if you took that strange potion.”
Finch and Theodore exchanged a glance, neither of them sure if they were really clean or not.
“Well,” Finch said with less certainty than he had shown moments before, “I suppose a review from such a professional magnate wouldn’t hurt… But please help the young man we risked ourselves to save first.”
Ren nodded and approached Klein first, who had remained silent during Finch’s entire dramatic performance.
He extended his hands with purifying light and let his enhanced perception scan Klein’s mana system. His fungus immediately whispered that something interesting had occurred.
“You’re perfectly clean,” Ren declared with evident surprise.
His fungus murmured an explanation: it must be the previous purification. When Ren tried to increase the light to purify Klein again to be sure, the boy’s body resonated strangely.
Klein, who had been maintaining his usual expression of disdain, showed the first sign of real vulnerability.
“Did you already clean those threads or that liquid from me?” he asked reluctantly, his pride clearly struggling against his need to know the answer.
The question revealed more about Klein’s experience than he probably intended. The careful way he phrased it suggested he had been deeply affected by what he witnessed, despite his attempts to appear unshaken.
“They didn’t manage to contaminate you with the potion,” Ren explained, processing the information his fungus provided. “It seems the purification resonates with your Lion. Maybe it’s a very proud beast… And that purified what they gave you by itself.”
Ren paused, his curiosity awakening.
“But about those threads… tell me more deeply what exactly you saw.”
Klein hesitated for a moment, then decided the information was too important to keep stored away out of pride.
“I could see what looked like corruption threads coming from my brother’s fingers,” he explained, his voice becoming more childish. “Like spider webs, but made of purple energy.”
Ren consulted mentally with his fungus, but the creature also didn’t know exactly what that specific phenomenon was.
“My beast doesn’t recognize that description,” Ren admitted. “But it’s interesting that you can now see corruption directly without being corrupted…”
It was a rare and valuable ability, especially considering that Klein or his beast hadn’t shown special perception capabilities before.
The implications were potentially significant. If Klein could reliably detect corruption that others couldn’t see, he could become an invaluable asset in identifying infiltrators or tracking the spread of corrupt influence.
But Klein, upon hearing he was free of corruption and that there was no specific information about the mysterious threads, visibly relaxed. His posture changed from anxious back to his usual attitude of feigned superiority.
“Good,” he said, pretending the conversation hadn’t been important. “Then there’s nothing more to discuss.”
He deliberately ignored Ren and walked away casually, as if the entire exchange had been a minor annoyance.
Ren sighed and rolled his eyes at Klein’s predictable performance.
“Some things never change,” he murmured, then returned his attention to Finch.
“Your turn,” he announced.
Finch and Theodore immediately prepared dramatically, opening their arms as if they were about to receive a divine blessing. Theodore even closed his eyes and lifted his small snout toward the sky.
“We are ready to receive your purifying magic,” Finch declared solemnly. “Free us from any vestige of evil that might contaminate our pure souls.”
Theodore nodded dramatically, trembling slightly as if anticipating a profound spiritual experience.
The mouse’s expression of spiritual preparation was so earnest that it was touching. His tiny face managed to convey the solemnity of someone preparing for a life-changing religious experience.
Ren extended his hands and scanned Finch with the same technique he had used with Klein.
And stopped.
“Finch,” he said slowly, “you don’t have any corruption either…”
♢♢♢♢
The moment remained awkward and anticlimactic for several seconds.
Finch and Theodore, who had been prepared for a dramatic and possibly painful purification, were left with open arms and expectant expressions that gradually transformed into confusion.
“Are you… are you sure?” Finch asked, looking down as if expecting to see visible signs of contamination that Ren had overlooked.
Theodore got down from his dramatic pose and began examining his own little paws, clearly disconcerted by the lack of medical drama.
The deflation was fast. Here they had been, prepared for an epic spiritual cleansing, and instead they got the magical equivalent of “you’re fine, next patient please…”
“Completely sure,” Ren confirmed, though both he and his fungus didn’t completely understand why.
“It seems all this worry was unnecessary,” he admitted, scratching his head while processing the situation.
Finch slowly lowered his arms, Theodore dropped his spiritual pose, and the three stood in slightly uncomfortable silence, realising that all the dramatic preparation had been for nothing.
“Well,” Finch said finally, recovering his composure, “I suppose that’s… good. Very good, actually.”
Theodore nodded, then shrugged in an exaggerated manner, as if saying ’these things happen.’
Ren smiled despite the situation. Although he didn’t completely understand how, they were safe, and that was what really mattered.
Then he began to laugh, a real laugh that came from relief and appreciation for these friends who could turn even potentially serious situations into entertainment.
“You two,” he said, shaking his head with affection, “are absolutely ridiculous.”
Theodore immediately straightened and made another bow, clearly considering this the highest possible compliment.