Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 531 Merlin's Prank (Second Update)

Just as Merlin was plotting how to prank his successor Dave, His Holiness had already heard Salomon's report.

The Venerable One couldn't blame Salomon for using Wanda Maximov to test his true nature. The Stigmata were both a gift and a curse, and the Vishanti were extremely secretive about their true nature; Salomon's attempts to probe indirectly through other means were understandable. Moreover, Salomon's actions were always perfectly measured, never causing trouble—this was what gave the Venerable One the most peace of mind. Although his outward behavior was filled with absurd humor and unconventional ideas, his inner character was sufficiently stable, and he never lacked contingency plans—this was why the Venerable One allowed him to conduct experiments with complete freedom.

The Venerable One didn't tell Salomon what Merlin had done the previous night, nor did he tell him that Wanda's dream had nearly led her to the En-Gala dimension of Sithon. After all, the final outcome was good; the power of the Stigmata spontaneously expelled Sithon, and Wanda's fall into the clutches was postponed once more. "I will tell Merlin," the Venerable One said. "The question is, what do you want with the Earth Mother?"

"I need the Earth Mother's help to decipher the knowledge of life, Your Excellency," Salomon said. If a typical spell scroll is like a compressed magical archive, then the knowledge Yog-Sothoth sent was an uncompressed file, not even in order, and the text was a jumbled mess of characters. If Salomon could completely organize the knowledge from Yog-Sothoth and the Black Goat of the Forest, he could complete the biological laboratory project himself—it wasn't that he couldn't decipher that knowledge, but it was too slow, and he was in a hurry.

Humans have their limits, and even he needs help from the outside world. By now, Salomon has suffered too much mental pollution from Yog-Sothoth; his subconscious is constantly tormented, and with the interference of the Stigmata, no one is sure if he will go insane at any moment.

The Venerable One looked at the unwavering will in Salomon's eyes and nodded.

Salomon could persevere because it was his mission; all he needed was a little help. The Venerable was very satisfied, yet also deeply pained. Giving Salomon such a terrible task was undoubtedly unfair, but Salomon never complained, letting the endless mental pollution erode his will. His usual dark humor was merely a form of venting, allowing him to communicate with others in a normal, gentle manner; Nick Fury was the unfortunate victim of his venomous tongue.

Now that S.H.I.E.L.D. has disbanded, Salomon instinctively seeks out Nick Fury. He knows Nick Fury is indispensable to him, and only Nick Fury can withstand his unrestrained, sharp-tongued attacks and his utterly shameless tantrums. Even the witch couldn't do that—this is probably what male friendship is (one-sided). Even though Nick Fury often gets so angry that he pulls out a gun and shoots Salomon, it can't mask the sense of kinship between Salomon and Nick Fury.

"I will tell Merlin, child," the Venerable One said, "but are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes, teacher, this is my plan," he said confidently. "You should know that I won't overlook any loopholes; I always have a backup plan."

"Whatever makes you happy. Anyway, I'm about to die, so you can do whatever you want," the Venerable One said. "By the way, Frigga invited you and the witch to lunch in Finland. Remember to go; Frigga's bear steak is really delicious."

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Dave has been having some strange experiences lately.

He first encountered a strange old man at school, and Dave keenly sensed the magical scent emanating from him. Wanting to avoid trouble, Dave deliberately walked around him, even hiding the ring on his finger. Even so, the elegantly dressed old man still spotted him, and no matter how he tried to avoid him, he always bumped into him. Just as Dave was about to impatiently turn around and strike up a conversation, he found himself losing consciousness—when he regained it, he found himself in a noisy nightclub, wearing an expensive suit and with his hair neatly combed. His former physics nerd image was gone, replaced by the air of a wealthy elite.

Even worse, Dave found himself holding a glass of brandy, with several smartly dressed women sitting in the same booth as him, one of whom was even pressed against him. Dave was terrified; his eyes widened, and he froze. He saw the girl open her mouth to say something, but her voice was drowned out by the loud music. Dave frantically patted his clothes. He realized his wallet and phone were gone. Come to think of it, he had changed his clothes; his belongings wouldn't have been on him.

He was convinced that the old man was behind his current state, but before he could figure out why the old man would do such a thing, panic overwhelmed him.

"What did you say?" Dave shouted, frowning.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" the girl raised her voice. "You've been spacing out for ages!"

"I..." He racked his brains, trying to figure out how to get out of this mess. He definitely couldn't afford the drinks; even though he had become the heir to the Merlin school, Balthazar hadn't left him anything. And he was just a doctoral student, without a stable source of income yet. But thankfully, Becky never looked down on him, and he felt he couldn't do anything to betray his girlfriend.

The girls were puzzled. Why did the man who used to be so eloquent and charming suddenly start stuttering?

"I..." Dave swallowed hard. His mouth was dry, and he quickly grabbed his glass and took a sip, only to choke and cough repeatedly from the strong liquor. After a while, he gently pushed away the woman's arm that had been patting his back, then placed his hands neatly on his knees, the embarrassment in his chest almost tearing him apart. "I...I'm so sorry." He looked like he might jump off the sofa at any moment, as if he had pins stuck to his bottom. "My wallet and my phone..."

His face was bright red, but the girls assumed it was from coughing earlier.

"It's alright," the woman closest to her said with a smile. "You look very young, which is understandable."

"No, no, I was on my way... never mind." Dave knew he'd been the victim of a magical prank. Only powerful mages could break the protective spell Balthazar had cast on him. He felt his face burning hot. Suddenly, a strange feeling washed over him, and following it, he saw through the crowd a white-haired old man in a suit. The old man was wearing a plaid scarf, but the others ignored his odd attire, instead gathering around him and chatting.

The smell of magic!

"Sorry, I saw someone I know." Dave realized his blunder as soon as he opened his mouth. "I promise I'll be back," he quickly added. "I'm just going to make a phone call and ask my friend for help."

Dave did indeed have this plan; he still remembered Salomon's phone number.

Now it seems only Salomon can save him, but before that, he needs to figure out who that old guy is.

Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)