So Abigail was very unhappy on an emotional level; she felt that a young man had taken control of her.
"I'm just providing you with a channel for communication; I don't have a way to persuade those higher-ups."
She said with a sneer,
“You say I am a priestess or witch of the new god, that’s fine, then I’ll continue to use this paradigm: Don’t you know that persuading the gods requires sacrifices?”
Hayden certainly knew.
He also knew that in ancient times, when people sought help from priests or witches, they had to find a way to bring their own offerings.
So Hayden took a data chip out of his pocket and tossed it to Abigail. Without a word, she picked it up, put it in her phone, and examined it carefully, quickly frowning.
"These are the things I've investigated in the last two days. All the new Yatu, all those who take advantage of people's panic to make money they shouldn't have, lend money when people are desperate, sell them things they shouldn't have, and cause trouble to the point that everyone hates them—of course, they are all 'humans,' not 'gods.'"
Hayden shrugged and smiled.
"I've found all these people; the company won't need to put in any extra effort. Simply killing these dogs with a single click will alleviate many conflicts in the lower classes and quell much panic and resentment. Strictly speaking, this is even a good thing for the Mitra Group's image. How about offering this gift as a sacrifice to the new god?"
In reality, Hayden didn't find all of this investigative material; at least half of it was given to him by "Bo Xun," or Alastor. After giving Hayden this information, Alastor told him that Hayden could use this incriminating data as he pleased, as long as it achieved the desired result.
Hayden was initially wondering how this information could possibly yield results. Now, Abigail herself has explained the method to him.
The Mitra Corporation is busy diverting public attention from its escalating conflicts. If it knew that someone was taking advantage of its misfortune and causing widespread public resentment, it would simply kill those people and use their corpses to present a positive image to the public and ease the tension – these are the very words Abigail herself just said.
So after she had roughly looked through the information, her face twitched, and she leaned back in the recliner.
"...You don't seem like a genius young wizard, but rather a mysterious old wizard."
After a long pause, the Black Witch finally spoke, sounding rather annoyed.
These comments reminded Hayden of Professor Albion.
"Thank you for the compliment, but I still have a long way to go."
So Hayden decided to take it as a compliment.
This naturally made Abigail even more unhappy.
"Alright. I will do my best to do what we've agreed to."
So she replied sarcastically.
"Even so, using internal company power to influence each other is ultimately just a way to alleviate rather than resolve the conflict. It's only treating the symptoms, not the root cause... and it's hard to say how much it can even alleviate the current chaos."
That bucket of cold water came just in time. Hayden scratched his head and shut his mouth.
The atmosphere, which had seemed quite pleasant, was instantly chilled by the Black Witch's words.
Perhaps that's why something completely unexpected happened at this time.
"Please don't say that, Miss Abigail."
Angela, who was standing next to Hayden, suddenly smiled and said,
"You bear the curse of the bloodthirsty daughter of the earth, yet you still agreed to do this for my master. If you truly had no ulterior motives, how could you so easily agree to personally perform the divine magic?"
Her tone was very gentle.
But the scene suddenly froze, like milk that had been left out for too long.
"You...how do you know my contractor!?"
The Dark Witch was stunned; her expression was one of utter terror, and she screamed out loud.
However, Hayden was almost as surprised as she was: "Huh? She has to personally cast a spell to contact the company's top executives!?"
Hayden had known for days that Abigail had a pact with a powerful demon over four hundred years ago. This pact meant that if she personally cast spells, consuming her own magic, her body would become younger. The more she used it, the younger she would become. If she continued to cast spells herself, she might even disappear—Abigail didn't know exactly what would happen. Of course, she dared not try it; the demon hadn't given her any instructions.
However, in modern society, this issue isn't entirely unavoidable. If using magic would make you younger, wouldn't it be easier to simply buy ready-made spells and items? In reality, most modern people are like that; most don't understand the complex principles and knowledge behind arcane techniques. Hayden was certain that Abigail's current figure—full bust, slim waist, and long legs—was the result of purchased magical items, most likely the ruby ring she wore on her left middle finger.
So Hayden never expected that Abigail would have to personally use magic to contact the company's higher-ups!
"Couldn't you just call their cell phone or something?!"
He couldn't help but ask.
Abigail had recovered from her initial shock, but was still clearly surprised and angry. She immediately replied rudely, "Do you really think that lowly people like us can just call the gods? Or are you planning to write an email and wait for their secretary to reply slowly over a week or two?"
Ah this
“Those world-ruling capitalists are no different from ancient gods, or even more powerful! If you want me to contact them immediately, and to their true forms, not just their automated secretaries, then I will of course use special magic—magic like that of the ancient priesthood!”
The ancient witch sneered in anger.
"Don't let the glitz and glamour of modern life blind you! Those big capitalists who enjoy themselves on Mount Olympus, Asgard, and in the heavens are the god-kings of the new era! Do you really think that just because modern technology is advanced, you can make them listen to you by pressing a button on your phone? Of course, I have to use special magic and special communication methods to avoid any possible surveillance and interception!"
Ah this
Hayden was speechless.
He spent seven years mingling on the streets and learned a great deal about the lives of the lower classes. However, he knew very little about the ways of the upper classes.
This is precisely why Hayden needed to seek help from someone like Abigail. Just like the priestesses and sorceresses of ancient times, they possessed their own unique set of knowledge, knowing what kind of magic could be used to communicate with the gods.
"Uh, maybe we should just forget about it?"
So Hayden scratched his head, somewhat hesitant.
“This whole thing was already pretty risky. You shrunk yourself to twelve years old at my place a few days ago. What if you accidentally cause something bad with the spell? I don’t want you to actually disappear.”
These words did indeed soften Abigail's expression a bit: "At this point, there's no point in talking about it anymore. Besides, based on my experience, this will only take up a month or two of my physical age at most. Considering the benefits, it's not a loss."
"But you'd better develop a drug that can change my physical age as soon as possible! Otherwise, if you really make me age less than ten years old, then no matter how eloquently you describe it, I absolutely will not help you! Understand?"
The Dark Witch is very fierce.
Hayden, however, was quite sensible and realized that he shouldn't provoke Abigail, and that he did indeed owe her this time, so he obediently bowed his head.
Feeling somewhat satisfied with having regained control, Abigail nodded and said, "Very good. You can go now."
Hayden decided not to criticize her tone.
He turned around, and then he realized... for some reason, Angela was standing behind him, looking at him with a loving and gratified aunt's smile. That look sent chills down Hayden's spine.
"Uh, is there something you want to say, Angela?"
He couldn't help but ask.
Angela didn't answer directly, but instead turned to Abigail. The Dark Witch frowned, becoming somewhat wary—like the others, she didn't see Angela as a true subject, but rather as an ordinary, wind-up doll obeying Hayden's will. Therefore, she naturally assumed that Angela's words and knowledge came from Hayden.
The wind-up doll had just exposed her identity as the leader of the Witch Contract Sect, which Abigail found terrifying. What was she trying to say now?
"Many people in this city are trapped in the terror of death. Although the forms are different, you are one of them."
Angela said gently,
"But please do not be afraid. My master will heal this fear. You gave your life today to heal the fear of others. Therefore, the life you seek today will be given to you double in the future."
Before Hayden and Abigail could even process what she was saying, Angela gently blew a breath towards the witch, releasing a long, warm breath. This gentle breath seemed to carry the entire bar to the heavens. Although it was nighttime, Hayden and Abigail both felt the warmth of sunshine and the fragrant scent of spring flood the room, flowing like a flame through the witch's heart and spreading throughout her entire body.
This aura seemed to last for a very long time, and then, like a flame that bursts forth and then goes out, it dissipated, leaving only the fact that it had once existed.
Both of them blinked, as if waking from a dream, or perhaps as if falling asleep again.
"……What's this?"
Coming to her senses, Abigail asked in a strange voice, as if she was about to scream.
Hayden wanted to know more.
"Let's leave it at that for today."
So he grabbed Angela's hand, turned around, and ran away.
The witch cursed a foul language and raised her hand to aim. But the tranquility brought by Angela's aura remained in her heart, and the warmth, the warmth that permeated her entire body, still lingered at her fingertips, so she had no choice but to lower her hand again.
"...What exactly is that thing?"
She stared at her fingertips for a while, as if she had eyes but they had always been closed, and she had never realized that all she saw was darkness, until now her eyes had finally opened.
Then she turned around and casually cast a small spell on the lamp in the private room. A chaotic mass of magic flew over, making a crisp "ping" sound on the lampshade, and that was it, no different from usual.
Based on Abigail's experience, casting such a spell would make her look younger for about two or three days. In fact, she could now feel her body beginning to change, becoming younger...
...I felt younger for less than a day.
Angela's aura did not erase the curse of the contract on her body, nor did it erase the price she paid, nor did it completely heal her wounds, but... this feeling is hard to describe.
"...Damn it. What research on magic related to 'Breath of Life'! What a load of rubbish! What the hell is that guy putting inside his doll!?"
So Abigail is now absolutely horrified.
...But she couldn't stay terrified forever.
Things that need to be done still need to be done. Besides, she'd already accepted the "deposit" from that eerie doll; it was probably too late to back out now. As an old witch who had lived for over four hundred years, Abigail knew very well that if some strange being, whom you couldn't even comprehend, gave you a gift, then if you wanted to live, you'd better do everything you promised.
She sighed and began to employ the kind of magic usually reserved for middlemen and front men in large corporations: contacting Mayira, the HR director of the Mitra Group. This "god" of the Mitra Group was likely quite displeased with the current state of New Yatu. If Abigail could offer the "sacrifice" Hyden had provided and subtly persuade him, perhaps it would trigger some change.
"The winged Lord who walks toward the light, the King of Light who gives birth to wisdom."
“You were born from the corpse of evil, and disease and demons vanished in your infinite radiance.”
Abigail began chanting a secret incantation that no one else knew.
“You once said that all terrors and poisons in the world would be removed, and those who follow Mithra would find peace and joy.”
"You are the celestial bird with a thousand eyes that have seen the world. I offer you a sacrifice and beg you to enlighten me!"
She chanted incantations praising the new gods, calling upon heaven as a priestess who communicated with the divine.
"I have accumulated the good deeds you praise, and I possess the virtues you commend. Please come to my side, and let me hold this precious jewel and listen to your wisdom!"
If Hayden were still here, he would be surprised to realize that the high-ranking person Abigail is trying to contact is someone Hayden does not completely not know.
Because this Mr. Mayila is actually the father of his old classmate Karen.
A name is power. And in an ancient language that even Hayden doesn't fully understand, the name "Mayila" has another meaning.
It means [peacock]
In other words, it is the [Peacock King].
————————————————————————
"explain."
Hayden said seriously,
"What exactly did you do to that witch?"
They had already fled the Veela bar and even the city center, so Hayden had the time to get Angela to confess.
“I was worried that if things continued like this, Miss Abigail would wear down her physical age first. So I reduced the effectiveness of the contract curse on her.”
Angela tilted her head and explained very obediently.
"That being said, this is only a way to alleviate rather than solve the problem; it's a temporary fix. So, Master, you'd better develop the drug you agreed to with her as soon as possible. After all, Miss Abigail is someone you would make a good friend of."
Damn it!
Hayden felt he could hardly understand her thought process anymore.
But then again, when has he ever understood her thought process?
So in the end, he could only hold his head in his hands, sigh, take Angela home, and silently consider how to solve Abigail's problem.
"Speaking of which, Master."
Halfway there, Angela suddenly asked again,
"Miss Karen's family background must also be high-level in the company, so why didn't you leverage her connections?"
That's... actually a good question.
Hayden stroked his chin, frowned, and after thinking about it carefully, realized that he hadn't actually considered this issue in detail.
"I...didn't think too much about it. I just felt it wasn't appropriate to keep bothering her with things."
He shrugged.
"That's it."
So Angela didn't press the matter further. She also seemed to be deep in thought.
They went home like that.
As Abigail previously stated, even if she could, like the priests and sorceresses of old, speak to the gods of the new era and try to guide their decisions, this would ultimately only alleviate, not resolve, the conflict. In fact, it's questionable whether it could truly alleviate the current chaos.